Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking.' Harry's heart gave a horrible jolt. 'How exactly do they sort us into houses?' he asked Ron. 'Please wait quietly.' She left the chamber. 'I shall return when we are ready for you,' said Professor McGonagall. Harry nervously tried to flatten his hair. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting.' Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose. 'The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rulebreaking will lose house points. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. 'The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. 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 Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. '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. 'Welcome to Hogwarts,' said Professor McGonagall.

They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously. Harry could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right -the rest of the school must already be here - but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole of the Dursleys' house in it. I will take them from here.' She pulled the door wide. 'The firs' years, Professor McGonagall,' said Hagrid. She had a very stern face and Harry's first thought was that this was not someone to cross. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there.

Harry potter philosopher's stone