HP: Wizardry’s a Hassle, Wand in the Right Hand, Gun in the Left

Under Hagrid's guidance, everyone made their way from the station towards Hogwarts.

Hermione, cradling Crookshanks with one arm, carefully held Glenn's hand with the other as they followed Hagrid down a steep, narrow, and slippery path. Many young wizards slipped and fell along the way.

"Blimey, it's been raining here non-stop," Hagrid grumbled, pulling up a young witch who had slid all the way to the front, covered in mud.

"Scourgify," Hermione whispered, waving Crookshanks like a wand. A flash of light, and the mud vanished from the young witch, who gratefully thanked Hermione.

Crookshanks: ?

Behind them, many were discussing in amazement the magic Hermione had cast. Ron, still unable to forget Hermione's perceived arrogance on the train, whispered to Harry, "Hmph, what's so great about that? She's just showing off again." Harry, on the other hand, looked at Hermione's figure with a hint of envy, marveling at how truly amazing magic was.

Glenn caught the sound and turned his head slightly, memorizing Ron's information, but said nothing.

As they walked through the dark forest along the path, Hagrid suddenly announced, "Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec, jus' round this bend here."

Then came a loud "Oooooh!" The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"I think this is the first time we've seen Hogwarts in its entirety. It's a pity your eyesight hasn't fully recovered yet, but I can 'share senses' with you later," Hermione whispered to Glenn amidst the exclamations of the crowd.

A fleet of little boats came into view, and Hagrid called out, "No more'n four to a boat!"

Glenn was about to board when Hermione held him back. The young girl stammered, "How about... we get on... a bit later?"

Does she want to sit alone with me in a boat? Glenn thought to himself.

Understanding her intention, Glenn nodded, silently casting the "Presence Concealment" spell on himself and Hermione. They quietly left Neville behind and moved to the back of the crowd.

Neville, who had boarded with Harry and Ron on Hagrid's boat, suddenly realized, "Where are Glenn and Hermione?" The chubby boy was bewildered, completely unaware that he had been left behind.

Meanwhile...

The other two boarded an empty boat as planned, sitting side by side at the bow, with Crookshanks curled up on Hermione's lap.

Hermione held Glenn's hand, activating "Sense Sharing." Together, they admired the starry sky under the brilliant moonlight, feeling the boat rise and fall with the waves. Glenn finally saw Hogwarts under the starry sky. At this moment, time seemed to stand still.

Neither of them spoke. In the early autumn chill, even though they could use warming charms, they didn't. Instead, they silently moved a little closer, feeling each other's warmth.

Soon, the boats neared the cliff where the castle stood, the structure seeming to hover above their heads.

"Heads down!" Hagrid yelled as the first boats reached the cliff face. Everyone ducked their heads.

At the back of the fleet, Hermione felt confused, looking at the rock face still high above everyone's heads. She guessed, "This height wouldn't actually hit anyone's head. Is it some kind of tradition?"

Glenn sensed the truth: "Maybe it's just that Hagrid would hit his head if he didn't duck, but he instinctively called out anyway."

Neither of them ducked, continuing to admire the scenery around them.

The boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They went along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

After disembarking, led by Hagrid with his lamp, they clambered up a passageway in the rock until they came out onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.

They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.

"Everyone here?" Hagrid asked. After everyone responded, Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

The door swung open slowly, and Professor McGonagall stepped out, standing sternly in front of the young wizards.

At the back of the crowd, Hermione excitedly waved at her, and Glenn also waved in greeting.

Professor McGonagall clearly saw the two, her expression softening slightly as she nodded.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I'll take them from here."

She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole of the Dursleys' house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

Hermione lightly slapped Glenn, complaining, "It's all your fault! We hardly ever go out for walks, so I haven't had a chance to properly explore Hogwarts. I've never seen this place before. You'd better take me on a proper tour later, you hear?"

Glenn nodded, a slight smile on his face.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. She led them across the flagged stone floor, and they could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right — the rest of the school must already be here.

Professor McGonagall then went on to explain in detail about the Sorting ceremony and the four Houses.

Hermione was rubbing her hands together, ready to face any kind of test.

Although there was a brief interruption when a group of ghosts suddenly appeared, startling everyone, it didn't affect Professor McGonagall's announcement that the Sorting was about to begin.

"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me." Glenn and Hermione naturally lined up at the end, with Hermione still holding Glenn's hand to guide him, even though they both knew Glenn could now walk on his own without using his supersenses.

It's just a little intimacy, those who understand, understand. Those who don't, please don't criticize.

However, Hermione was starting to struggle a bit holding the increasingly heavy Crookshanks with one arm.

"Feather-light," Glenn touched Crookshanks, while also giving the cat a little pat.

The line of students passed through the entrance hall and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall. It was lit by thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets.

At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting.

Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them.

"Wow, what a beautiful ceiling. 'Hogwarts: A History' mentioned that the Great Hall's ceiling was bewitched, but I never imagined it would be this beautiful," Hermione said, staring at the ceiling that looked just like the sky outside.

Then she suddenly slapped Glenn again: "It's all your fault!"

"..." Glenn was helpless but amused.

Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. As everyone's attention was drawn to the hat, it suddenly opened a rip near the brim and began to sing in an unpleasant voice, though one could barely make out that it was describing the four Houses.

"Ugh, it sounds awful," Hermione said with disgust. "The hat is dirty enough as it is."

Glenn nodded in agreement.

At this point, Professor McGonagall stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said.

Hermione said in disbelief, voicing her guess, "Don't tell me the so-called Sorting test is just letting that hat sort you? Wait, isn't this tattered hat the one in the display case in Professor Dumbledore's office!?"

"Is that all?" she added, sounding almost disappointed.

Professor McGonagall paused for a moment, then called out, "Hannah Abbott!"