After hiking all the way up the mountain, Harvey was exhausted and looked up toward the castle.
Hagrid stepped forward to the oak doors and gave three loud, rough "thump, thump, thumps!"
The oak doors creaked open automatically with a long "ee-ya" sound.
Standing at the entrance was Professor Minerva McGonagall, dressed in her tailored wizard robes, looking as elegant as ever.
"First-years, welcome to Hogwarts!"
Perhaps it was Professor McGonagall's stern expression that intimidated the group of young wizards.
Either way, no one replied; everyone was too busy gasping for breath.
Harry Potter and Neville were in particularly bad shape, having dragged their heavy trunks up the mountain path for so long; they looked ready to collapse.
Then, Harvey said faintly, "Didn't you hear the announcement on the train saying the luggage would be brought to the school for us?"
At that moment, Harry Potter swore he had never met such an annoying person in his life.
"Harvey, why didn't you say that sooner?"
Harvey shrugged. "I thought you enjoyed carrying your own bags. Besides, the broadcast was so loud; unless you're deaf, you should have heard it, right?"
Harry Potter took a deep breath, and even though the resentment in his gut was about to hit the ceiling, he forced himself to stay calm.
"The Sorting Ceremony is about to begin. All first-years, follow me."
After Professor McGonagall briefly introduced the four Houses and rules like the House Cup hourglasses, she turned and led the way into the Great Hall.
The young wizards formed a line and followed Professor McGonagall through the doors.
Entering the spacious Great Hall, many older students in bright, polished robes sat at the long tables, waiting in silence.
Thousands of candles floated in mid-air above the tables, their light reflecting off golden goblets and plates.
The ceiling had been enchanted to look like the starry night sky outside, shimmering with celestial light.
"The ceiling of the Great Hall really is as dreamlike as the description in Hogwarts: A History!"
Hermione whispered in awe as she followed the line.
Harvey didn't pay much attention to his surroundings; instead, he used his peripheral vision to carefully observe Headmaster Albus Dumbledore at the high table.
The kind old man, with his silvery hair and a fluffy white beard that almost reached his belt, seemed to notice Harvey's gaze.
He gave a subtle, gentle nod toward Harvey in the queue.
Dumbledore's wise and loving eyes actually made Harvey feel a bit uneasy.
He always felt that being noticed by this old man was usually a sign that nothing good was about to happen.
At that moment, Professor McGonagall placed a four-legged stool in the center of the Hall, and on it, she placed a patched, pointed wizard's hat.
Then, Professor McGonagall pulled out a roll of parchment and adjusted her gold-rimmed spectacles.
"Now, when I call your name, please step forward in an orderly fashion, put on the Sorting Hat, and sit on the stool."
"The first is—"
Professor McGonagall had barely finished her sentence.
Under the nervous gaze of all the first-years, the Sorting Hat on the stool suddenly ripped open its wide brim like a mouth and began to sing in a strange tone.
"You might not think I'm pretty, but don't judge by what you see~"
"I'll eat myself if you can find a smarter hat than me!"
"There's nothing hidden in your head the Sorting Hat can't see~"
"So try me on and I will tell you where you ought to be!"
The Sorting Hat went on to boast about the great achievements of the four founders of Hogwarts for quite a while.
When the Sorting Hat finally shut its mouth, Harvey, who was barely resisting the urge to use Muffliato on his own ears, felt a wave of relief as if he had survived a disaster.
Professor McGonagall's expression wasn't great either; she narrowed her eyes at the Sorting Hat but ultimately said nothing.
She had tried to skip the Hat's singing phase, but she still couldn't escape the punishment of its terrible voice.
"Now, our first student, Clark Kent, please step forward."
"What?" Hearing that name representing invincibility, Harvey couldn't help but let out a low exclamation.
Professor McGonagall frowned and glanced at Harvey, but considering the boy's unique circumstances, she restrained herself from scolding him.
Hermione gave Harvey a gentle nudge. "Keep it down, the Professor is watching you!"
Harvey offered an apologetic look, but his eyes were locked onto the tall, thin boy who had put on the Sorting Hat and sat down.
The Sorting Hat hesitated for a moment and then shouted immediately.
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
The moment the Sorting Hat spoke, a round of applause erupted from the room.
"Clap, clap, clap..."
The older students sitting at the Hufflepuff table on the right side of the Hall applauded warmly to celebrate another new member joining their House.
After careful observation, Harvey concluded that this guy with the same name as Superman was likely just a coincidence.
"Phew..." Harvey let out a long breath.
Good, good. He figured as the protagonist, there shouldn't be anyone with a bigger background than his own.
Professor McGonagall pressed her hand down, and as the applause died away, she called out, "Next, Ron Weasley!"
Seeing Ron, whose name had been called, clumsily trot out of the queue and nearly trip over the steps of the high platform, Harvey almost laughed out loud.
"Harvey, didn't you say that every first-year had to pass a test involving a troll during the Sorting?"
Realizing she had been tricked, Hermione's face was full of complaint, and she nudged Harvey with her shoulder.
"Uh..." Before Harvey could spin another lie, a ghost in ornate clothing suddenly drifted through the wall of the Great Hall and hovered over the queue.
The sudden appearance of this ghost caught the attention of many first-years.
Even Hermione forgot to interrogate Harvey and looked up curiously at the ghost.
"Is that a ghost, a special entity of the magical world? According to Hogwarts: A History, there are hundreds of ghosts at Hogwarts."
"For instance, in the girls' bathroom on the second floor, there is Moaning Myrtle, who cries all the time... AAH!"
Hermione was in the middle of explaining the origin of ghosts in a low, muffled voice, seemingly trying to spook Harvey.
Instead, she ended up screaming herself, which actually gave Harvey a fright.
He looked up and saw that the ghost's head had fallen off...
No!
To be precise, the ghost's head was still connected to the back of his neck by a thin string of flesh.
"AAH—!"
Screams echoed throughout the queue of first-years.
It seemed Hermione wasn't the only one terrified by this grisly sight.
"Don't be afraid, that is Nearly Headless Nick, a resident ghost of Hogwarts. He is quite harmless."
Professor McGonagall quickly stepped in to soothe the frightened children.
The ghost floating in the air didn't look happy about that description.
He adjusted his head slowly while saying in an annoyed tone:
"Professor McGonagall, as a professor, you should politely address me by my full name. I am Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington!"
Professor McGonagall had no intention of arguing with a ghost; she simply gave her wand a flick.
Nearly Headless Nick vanished through the wall with a "whoosh."