13
House picking
🕳

You get to your feet slowly and then pretend to tie your shoe lace as the other first years get in line. Then you join the back of the queue. By watching what happens to someone else, you can plan your next move.

"Aaron Bleezeley," says Slumblebore at last, "please go down into the hole."

Aaron looks very nervous as he slowly walks forward towards the hole, his red hair peeking out from under his wizard hat.

Better him than me you think.

He goes down the wooden steps into the darkness, and then there is silence. All the students are holding their breath, waiting to see when - if! - Aaron will emerge again. You are so nervous you can feel sweat trickle down your back.

Then, after what seems like an age, you see Aaron's pointy hat, then head, then body come up out of the hole. He's ok! you are relieved to see, although he looks a bit dazed.

In his hands, for some unknown reason, he is holding a large, beautiful, red and gold striped egg. The colours of Lionpaw House!

Professor Slumblebore sees the egg and shouts out to the hall: "Aaron Bleezeley, Lionpaw House!"

A great cheer comes from the Lionpaw table, and Aaron walks over to them, a huge grin on his face. Two other red heads, his brothers Robert and Alex, clap him on the back.

After Aaron the other children slowly go down... and then return, each with an egg in the colours of their house.

"Snaco Malboy, Snakefang House!" shouts Slumblebore as Snaco emerges with a green and silver egg.

"Daniel Colliers-Wood, Ravenwing House!" Daniel carefully holds his blue and copper coloured egg as he happily walks over to the Ravenwing table.

"Kensley Potato, Hedgehog House!" Kensley clutches a nondescript brown egg and shuffles over to the other Hoggers.

Now finally there is only you left.

"Arthur Otley" says Slumblebore looking at you with a twinkle in his eye that you don't trust one bit, "please go down the hole."