Entrance Hall

The Entrance Hall, also known as the Front Hall,[1] is located on the ground floor of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, with a wide marble staircase opposite the oak doors. Double doors to the right lead into the Great Hall[2] and, on the other side of the hall, Slughorn's Stairs lead to the Dungeon Corridor, and another door leads to the Classroom Eleven corridor. Other corridors accessed by the hall allow passage to the staffroom corridor.

Lily and Leia, unlike some of the students, walked at a sensible pace into the entrance hall, looking up in awe at the incredible sight, pointing out things to the others. Sirius, however, raced in, laughing, still mucking around with James and, if he allowed it, Remus.

James laughed along with Sirius and poked at prodded at Remus to get him to smile. Remus played along a bit but tried to keep from getting in trouble. Luke walked next to Leia and Lily, while Han trailed behind.

"So, what house do you think you'll get sorted into?" Lily turned to Luke, asking curiously.

Sirius laughed at Remus' pitiful attempts, eyes sparkling mischievously. "C'mon, Rem, lighten up," he teased.

"I'm not sure..." Luke said. "What house would sort me into?"

Remus shoved Sirius a little and James wrapped his arms around their shoulders.

Lily "hmm"ed for a moment before saying, "I think you'll be a Hufflepuff. You're very kind."

Sirius chuckled, leaning into the arm around his shoulder.

Luke nodded. "You both are very smart. I'd sort you and Leia into Ravenclaw," he said.

Remus grinned but his smile dropped when he saw a figure standing at the top of the stairs they were all climbing. "Who is that?" he whispered to James and Sirius.

James peered up and dropped his arms from the other boy's shoulders.

"Thank you," Lily smiled, as did Leia.
"We'll still be friends even if we're in different houses, right?" Leia asked, tugging on her robes nervously.

Sirius looked up at the witch at the top and lifted a shoulder in a shrug. "Dunno."

"Welcome to Hogwarts," Minerva McGonagall spoke from the head of the steps in an imperious tone. "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. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. 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 four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house Cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting. I shall return when we are ready for you." She turned on her heel and marched into the Great Hall.

Sirius snorted, and purposely made a big deal of sorting his hair out.

"Of course we will. I-" Luke was cut off by the professor's voice and he turned to look up at her. "Is that the Minerva McGonagall?" he whispered to Lily and Leia as McGonagall spoke.

After McGonagall walked away, James turned to Remus and Sirius. "Alright, lads, you know the drill. If the Sorting Hat puts Sirius in Slytherin, we tear it to shreds," he said.

Remus nodded slightly and out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a smaller, thinner boy watching them. He offered a smile and the boy looked away.

"Looks like it," Leia grinned. "Woah."

Sirius chuckled at James, hiding how grateful he was. "Thanks, man."

Lily nudged Leia and Luke as McGonagall returned, waiting for them to fall silent before she spoke again. "We are ready for you now."

James turned at the sound of McGonagall's voice and nodded. "Ready, lads?" James muttered.

Luke, daringly, reached out and grabbed both Leia and Lily's hands.

Both Leia and Lily smiled back and squeezed their joined hands.

"As I'll ever be," Sirius muttered, then followed after them as McGonagall strode into the Great Hall.

Remus hesitated, but only slightly, before following after James and Sirius.

Luke lead the girls into the Great Hall.

Dumbledore sat in his chair, front an center. His eyes sparkled while a faint smile curled his lips as he watched the first years enter.

//we should move this to the Great hall