In front of the large oak doors, Professor McGonagall stood with her lips pursed, waiting for the new students' arrival. Her posture was condescending, as if she were inspecting the students from a height. The first person she noticed was Hagrid, followed by the students, and then, to her surprise, Filch in a boat. Cedric, meanwhile, was rowing a boat alone, struggling to catch up with the rest of the group.
Professor McGonagall frowned slightly, her mood dampened. Filch seemed to be joining in the fun, but Cedric had taken a boat by himself. She found it odd. Filch had a tendency to annoy both students and professors alike. However, the next scene caused Professor McGonagall to pause and reconsider.
After Hagrid docked and stepped off the boat, he grabbed the list of names and made his way toward McGonagall. Filch, standing by the shore, helped all the students disembark. Then, he went on to chat with Cedric, the last student to get off. They appeared to be enjoying each other's company, laughing together. Most notably, Filch, who had been grumpy and unpleasant all day, now wore a genuine smile. It was obvious to McGonagall that Cedric had somehow managed to turn Filch's mood around.
"What a magical child," she thought to herself, impressed. It seemed that Cedric had a remarkable ability to connect with others, even those who were notoriously difficult.
"Professor, everyone is here!" Hagrid reminded her in a low voice.
"OK," McGonagall replied, snapping back to attention. She turned around, opened the door, and led the students inside. The warm torchlight from the stone walls lit their path, providing both light and warmth to the children who had just crossed the dark lake.
"Follow me!" McGonagall called out, her voice firm and authoritative.
She led the students up a luxurious marble staircase, and soon they entered the Great Hall, where the senior students were already seated. A buzz of whispered conversations filled the air as the new students made their way through the hall. McGonagall guided them to a small room at the far end of the hall.
"Welcome to Hogwarts!" she said, her voice echoing off the stone walls. "Before the opening banquet, we will conduct the Sorting Ceremony, where each of you will be assigned to one of the four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin. Each house has a rich history and has produced many great witches and wizards."
She paused to let the students absorb this information before continuing. "During your time at Hogwarts, your actions will add points to your house for good behavior and achievements, while violations will result in point deductions. At the end of the year, the house with the most points wins the coveted House Cup."
There was a pause as the students processed this, some looking excited, others nervous.
"I hope you all bring honor to your house," McGonagall continued. "The Sorting Ceremony will be held in front of all the teachers and students of the school. When it's time, I'll come to fetch you."
With that, she turned and left, her footsteps echoing down the hallway. The students stood in the quiet room, filled with a mixture of anxiety and anticipation. The air was thick with tension, and everyone crowded together, their magic wands brushing against each other as they whispered anxiously.
"What do you think the Sorting Ceremony is like?" someone asked, breaking the silence.
"I don't know, but I heard it's really tough and might even hurt us," another voice responded.
"Injured? Are we going to fight a monster or something?" someone else asked, clearly nervous.
"Maybe some magical plants are dangerous," another voice added hesitantly.
"But we haven't learned anything yet!" someone pointed out, a note of worry in their tone.
The speculation grew more and more outrageous as the students became increasingly nervous. One of them even mentioned the possibility of facing a fire-breathing dragon, though Cedric wasn't sure if that was something related to the Triwizard Tournament, designed by the older students.
Suddenly, the sound of the door opening drew everyone's attention. Cedric entered the room after his brief conversation with Filch.
"He's the guide!" someone whispered. "You're here? What's going on? Is the Sorting Ceremony about to begin?"
Cedric smiled warmly at the students, his calm demeanor helping to ease their fears. "Don't worry, everyone," he said. "Although I'm a freshman this year too, I can assure you that the Sorting Ceremony will not hurt you!"
His reassurance seemed to raise more questions than answers. "What? You're a freshman too? Then how can you be the guide?"
Cedric chuckled softly. "For some special reasons, I arrived at Hogwarts early and had a chance to learn a few things. I promise, you're in good hands."
"That's cool! Have you learned any magic?" one student asked eagerly.
"Of course! I've already learned several spells. If you ever need help in the future, don't hesitate to ask!" Cedric replied with a smile.
The students looked impressed, and even some of the pure-blood families seemed to warm to him. One student commented, "You must be a Ravenclaw, right?"
"The Sorting Ceremony hasn't started yet, but I like Hufflepuff better!" another added with a grin.
Cedric's smile never faltered as he calmly answered each question. The students were visibly more relaxed now, with many feeling more at ease thanks to Cedric's easygoing nature.
However, not everyone was so pleased. In a far corner of the room, the Weasley twins, Fred and George, exchanged dark looks as they watched Cedric interact with the others.
"When we learn magic..." Fred muttered bitterly, his arms crossed over his chest.
"We'll get him back for this!" George added, glaring at Cedric with mock annoyance.
The twins shared a look, and then nodded fiercely. From that moment on, they made a vow to outshine Cedric in every way.
Meanwhile, Professor McGonagall returned to the room. "Follow me, please, and form a single file!" she instructed. "Come on, classmates, just stand behind me!"
Cedric, ever the model student, took his place at the front of the line. He followed McGonagall to the front of the teacher's table, where the famous Sorting Hat sat, patched and worn from years of use. The hat had a slit that looked like a mouth, and when it "spoke," its voice echoed throughout the room:
"You may think I'm not pretty..."
The students, including Cedric, listened intently as the Sorting Hat began its song.
What Cedric didn't realize was that his actions today had already begun to shape a new legend at Hogwarts. Though this was only the beginning, Cedric would soon make his mark on the school in ways no one could have predicted.
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