The Sorting Ceremony

The Great Hall was filled with an air of excitement and nervousness as the first years gathered before Professor McGonagall, who stood at the front of the room, a large sorting hat beside her. I, Liliana, stood alongside Seth and Elias, my heart racing with anticipation. The sorting ceremony was about to begin, and I had no idea which house I would be sorted into. Professor McGonagall explained the rules, and then it was our turn. The first years were called to the front one by one, and the sorting hat was placed on their head. Seth was the first to go, and as the hat was placed on his head, he closed his eyes, waiting for the verdict. "GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted, and Seth walked over to the Gryffindor table, beaming with pride. Elias was next, and as the hat was placed on his head, he smiled confidently. "SLYTHERIN!" the hat announced, and Elias strode over to the Slytherin table, his dark hair gleaming in the light. Finally, it was my turn. The hat was placed on my head, and I felt a strange tingling sensation. "HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat shouted, and I made my way to the Hufflepuff table, where I was greeted with warm smiles and applause. The rest of the day was a whirlwind of classes and getting to know my new classmates. As we walked to our next class, Seth and Elias fell into step beside me, their bags and books in hand. "Hey, Liliana, let us help you carry your stuff," Seth said, taking my bag from me. Elias nodded, and together they stuck close to me, holding my hands and books along with theirs. As we walked, Elias teased me about my Hufflepuff loyalty, and Seth joked about my lack of Gryffindor bravery. I laughed and joked with them, feeling grateful for their friendship. At lunchtime, Seth and Elias suggested we sit at the Gryffindor table, and I agreed, curious to meet more of the students. As we sat down, I noticed a tall, handsome boy with piercing blue eyes watching me from across the table. Seth followed my gaze and grinned. "That's Oliver Wood, the Quidditch team's captain. He's a great guy." Elias nudged me playfully. "You seem to be catching his eye, Liliana. Maybe you should go talk to him." I blushed, feeling a bit self-conscious, but Seth encouraged me, saying, "Come on, Liliana, don't be shy. Go introduce yourself." I took a deep breath and stood up, smoothing my robes. Seth and Elias stood up with me, their eyes sparkling with mischief. "We'll come with you," Seth said, and the three of us walked over to the Gryffindor table, where Oliver Wood was waiting for us. "Hi, I'm Liliana," I said, trying to sound confident. Oliver smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Welcome to Gryffindor, Liliana. I'm Oliver. It's great to meet you." As we chatted, I couldn't help but feel a spark of attraction. But with Seth and Elias by my side, holding my hands and books, I felt a bit overwhelmed. Little did I know, this was just the beginning of a complicated and eventful journey.