New Beginnings Open Closed

Eleanor was very happy when she changed into her robes. She liked Della a lot, she was funny and friendly, and they had had a very good time so far! Eleanor thought they could for sure be really great friends. After she had changed into her new robes, she admired herself in the window reflection for a moment. She definitely felt a lot more like a Hogwarts student, now that she looked the part.

Eleanor looked at Della, who smiled at her and said "Wow, I guess we're going to arrive soon." Eleanor had thought along the same lines. She was very excited to get there and start learning, but there was also a part of her that was very nervous. "I kinda hope we get put in the same house," Della said.

"Yeah, I'd like that." Eleanor had already thought about how nice it would be to share dorms and classes with her new friend. "I don't think I've asked you yet, what house do you want to be in?" she asked. "I wouldn't mind any of the houses, really, but I'm hoping I'll get put in Hufflepuff or maybe Ravenclaw," she said. Her mother had been in Hufflepuff and she knew the most about that house, but it could be interesting to be in a different house, she thought.

@Eleanor Talpin

Eleanor asked Della which house she would like to be in. This is was a hard question for Della. Of course, she had read through her school textbooks, especially Hogwarts, a History, in August, and she had read all about the houses and their respective traits.

The sorting system had confused Della somewhat. It seemed . . . well, outdated. Could Della easily fit into one of the four houses? She didn't feel that she was strongly any which way. Eleanor wanted to be in Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Hufflepuff was the hard-working house, right? And Ravenclaw was the smart house? Della remembered that Gryffindor was brave and Slytherin was ambitious.

Eleanor had been so helpful in answering all of Della's questions. She must be a shoo-in for Ravenclaw. Della thought about her good grades in her muggle school and hoped that she could keep that up at Hogwarts. Maybe that meant she should be in Ravenclaw, too. "I guess I was hoping for Ravenclaw, too. Maybe that's where we'll be." She added, "But Hufflepuff sounds good, too. Those two sound like the quieter houses. I don't think I'm very brave or very ambitious. I just like to read, and I'll probably really enjoy our schoolwork, too. Nothing too crazy."

What if they didn't get sorted together? "Should we meet up during the first week, in case we don't get sorted in the same house?"