There was a loud "Oooooh!"
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.
"No more'n four to a boat!"
Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore.
Adam and the brown haired boy sat in the same boat two girls joined them. One girl looked at Adam as if she had seen him, but not know where.
"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then FORWARD!"
And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake.
Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead.
It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.
"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid
as the first boats reached the cliff;
they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face.
They were carried 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.
Then they came up into a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last to 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? You there, What's that thing in your hand?"
" It's a camera. I am taking pictures to show it to my parents"
"Ohh.... Well then"
Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.
.
.
.
.
The door swung open at once.A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face.
"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."
She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was big.
As big as his work room in the mansion.
The stone walls were lit with flaming torches, the ceiling the same height in the mantion and there was a magnificent marble staircase which led to the upper floors.
They followed Professor McGonagall across a stone floor.
Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall.
They crowded in.
"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.
The Sorting is a very important ceremony.
because, while you are here, your House will be something like your family within Hogwarts.
You will have classes with the rest of your House, sleep in your House dormitory, and spend free time in your House common room.
"The four Houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin.
Each House has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards.
While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your 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 honor.
I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever House becomes yours.
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school.
I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."
"I shall return when we are ready for you,"
said Professor McGonagall.
"Please wait quietly."
She left the chamber.