Post by Mike Meyer on Mar 22, 2007 23:49:17 GMT -5
Arrival
Students travel to King's Cross station in London to board the Hogwarts Express from Platform 9¾. The platform may be reached by walking through the barrier between Platforms 9 and 10. After a journey beginning at 11:00 am and ending after nightfall, the train arrives at Hogsmeade Station, near to Hogwarts. From there, first year students are accompanied by the Keeper of the Keys and Grounds to small boats, which magically sail across a lake to arrive at a small landing stage near the castle of Hogwarts; from there, they walk up a path to the front doors. The older students travel up to the castle in carriages drawn by Thestrals, winged horse-like creatures which can be seen only by those who have witnessed and accepted death.
When the first year students first arrive at the castle, they do not go directly to the Great Hall for the start-of-term feast. Instead, they must first undergo the Sorting, a very important ceremony. Students at Hogwarts are divided into four houses, each bearing the name of one of the school's original founders. As Minerva McGonagall said in Philosopher's Stone,
“ 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. ”
Following a short speech from the Deputy Headmaster or Headmistress, first-year students line up and wait for names to be called in alphabetical order, by surname. One by one, each student is seated upon a stool in front of the rest of the student body, and a magical hat, The Sorting Hat, is placed on the student's head. The Hat examines the student's mind and assigns the student to one of four Houses based on ability, personality and aspirations. After deciding, the Hat shouts out the name of the House that it has decided, and the student joins his or her Housemates at that House table.
Students travel to King's Cross station in London to board the Hogwarts Express from Platform 9¾. The platform may be reached by walking through the barrier between Platforms 9 and 10. After a journey beginning at 11:00 am and ending after nightfall, the train arrives at Hogsmeade Station, near to Hogwarts. From there, first year students are accompanied by the Keeper of the Keys and Grounds to small boats, which magically sail across a lake to arrive at a small landing stage near the castle of Hogwarts; from there, they walk up a path to the front doors. The older students travel up to the castle in carriages drawn by Thestrals, winged horse-like creatures which can be seen only by those who have witnessed and accepted death.
When the first year students first arrive at the castle, they do not go directly to the Great Hall for the start-of-term feast. Instead, they must first undergo the Sorting, a very important ceremony. Students at Hogwarts are divided into four houses, each bearing the name of one of the school's original founders. As Minerva McGonagall said in Philosopher's Stone,
“ 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. ”
Following a short speech from the Deputy Headmaster or Headmistress, first-year students line up and wait for names to be called in alphabetical order, by surname. One by one, each student is seated upon a stool in front of the rest of the student body, and a magical hat, The Sorting Hat, is placed on the student's head. The Hat examines the student's mind and assigns the student to one of four Houses based on ability, personality and aspirations. After deciding, the Hat shouts out the name of the House that it has decided, and the student joins his or her Housemates at that House table.