For the past few years, all the professors watched the number of students per class dwindle. Each year had less students than the year before. All professors were dreading the upcoming year. 10 years had passed since Voldemort's downfall at the Potter's residence. This would be the class of students that truly represented Voldemort's reach and the impact it had on the wizarding world. This was the year Harry Potter would be coming to Hogwarts.
As Professor McGonagall looked over the incoming first years, she realized how unprepared she was. There were40 students max, which was the smallest number Hogwarts had ever seen. As her gazed traveled over the students, a few stood out to her. There was young Malfoy, just as smug and arrogant as his father. There was a Weasley, his red hair standing out in the crowd. She was hoping he would be more like Percy than the twins. Finally, there stood Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom. One an orphan, the other as good as one. Both suffered horrible losses at the hands of Voldemort and his followers. Her heart broke for them, though she refused to let it show. As she read the names during the sorting, she realized that she was correct. There were less than 40 students These were the children born in war.
Professor Flitwick watched the sorting, barely holding back his emotions. The names being called brought back memories of pupils long since lost in the war, taken before their time. He realized, though these students didn't experience the war, they grew up during the fallout. Many lost family members, only knowing them through pictures and stories told by the survivors. He saw young Potter and Longbottom sorted into the house of their parents. He hoped both would succeed in finding their own place in the wizarding world outside of their parent's shadows. They are the children who lost so much in the war.
Professor Snape watched with warring emotions. Some of the first years lost relatives by his own actions, directly or indirectly. He was full of guilt, though he never let it show. He hoped young Draco would not have his father's arrogance, but knew it unlikely. Snape hoped Longbottom would not be the dunce he appears to be. As Potter was sorted, he was racked with guilt over causing the death of Lily. He vowed to watch over her son. As guilty as he was, he also didn't care. Even though this class had suffered so much, they were going to be just as bothersome as all the previous years. Once again, he wondered if it was worth remaining at Hogwarts. Still even he realized these were the children who lost so much in war.
Hagrid noticed the small size as he led the first years to the castle by boat. He knew, as did the professors, this would be a small class. Still, he was shocked by the low number. They only needed 10 of the 25 boats, and even those 10 were not filled to capacity. In fact, they probably would have been fine with only 5 or 6 boats. He saw the Malfoy boy, hoping he wasn't as bad as Lucius had been. HE saw young Weasley, hoping he wasn't as much of a trouble maker as his twin brothers. He almost cried when he saw Harry and Neville. He had been great friends with both of the boys' parents. He hoped all students would make their families proud, the children who lost so much in war.
Dumbledore watched the sorting, interested the house each child would enter. Most outcomes were expected, though there were a few surprises. He had been headmaster for all of the first years' parents. Many of the incoming students had family members lost while trying to stop the war. He knew the halls of Hogwarts would not hold the normal population from before the war, but hoped the numbers would soon rise again. He knew these students would determine the outcome when Voldemort returned. Many would fight in the name of their lost families. Others would fight alongside their parents as supporters of Voldemort. He looked over the children affected by war.
All staff members realized this would likely become the most divided class ever to enter Hogwarts. Many students lost relatives at the hand of the family members of classmates. They would fight not only in the halls of the castle, but on opposite sides of the war when Voldemort returned, trying to prove themselves to their families. These students would change the fate of the wizarding world like no other class, before or after. Its fate would fall on their shoulders, the burden of both the previous war and the one destined to come. Al professors looked over the students, sad for the children of war.