"Right this way children."
Professor Mcgonagall led them to the Entrence Hall, swinging the grand door wide open, revealing a giant room.
The stone walls were lit with flaming torches, the calling too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.
They followed Professor Mcgonagall across the flagged stone floor. Hundreds of voices floated from the doorway to the right-the rest of the school must have already arrived.
Walking to a small empty chamber off the hall, Ivan crowded with his fellow classmates.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor Mcgonagall. " The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. While you are here, your house will be something like a family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free tome in your house common room.
"The four houses are called Griffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are in Hogwarts, your triumphants will earn you house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House cup, a great honour."
"The Sorting Ceremony will begin in a few minutes inn front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are still waiting."
"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor Mcgonagall. "Please wait quietly."