Musical Magic

A Hogwarts Musical

A Worry and A Welcome

Act One, Scene One

Professor McGonagall paced in front of the staff table as she read and re-read the list on the piece of parchment before her. She had never felt quite so nervous before and she had no idea why. Maybe it was the fact that she would be Headmistress this year, because Professor Snape had killed the previous head, Professor Dumbledore – on his wishes – or maybe it was the fact that her lover and best friend would no longer be there to hold her stern character together. Oh how she missed her gentle Albus.

"Minerva, will you stop worrying?" came a gentle voice from behind the staff table. It was Darren Ross, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. He was gorgeous. He was young, about twenty-two, with shoulder length, sandy hair and subtle, calm green eyes. He had a perfectly soft jaw line and body to melt hearts.

McGonagall wasn't too sure if employing him had been the wisest of choices. He had the ability to either distract his female students from their studies, or encourage them to work extra hard to impress him. But then he also had the ability to make the boys rebel against him in jealousy. She would have to see how well he could handle his hormonal teenage students.

"I can't help it, Darren," she replied, still pacing, "There are far too many students this year, almost double last year's amount." She bit her lower lip gently. She knew exactly why there were so many students this year. After the defeat of Voldemort last summer, parents were not only happy to sent their children to a safe school because the Dark Lord was gone, but also because Harry Potte would be there. At the start of the summer she had received hundreds of letters and howlers from parents exclaiming that their children wouldn't be attending Hogwarts any more now that Dumbledore was dead and wouldn't be there to protect them.

"Why don't you just take some of the children off the list then?" Darren replied curiously. McGonagall glared at him. She could never do that to the hopeful children, eager to learn the ways of magic. McGonagall turned to face Darren fully and began to sing.

"I believe these children are our future,

We teach them well and let them lead the way.

We show them all the magic they possess inside.

We give them a sense of pride; we make it easier.

Let the children's laughter, remind us how things used to be."

Darren, who had stood up before, had slowly resumed his seat. His face seemed to be in awe as McGonagall continued to sing to him, quite unaware that the other teachers had stopped his or her conversations and were now watching her, either with a proud smile or with the same awed expression that Darren wore.

"I decided long ago always to walk in Dumbledore's shadow.

If I fail, if I succeed; at least I'll live as I believe.

No matter what they take from me, they can't take away my dignity."

All the teachers had begun to smile, probably glad that she will 'walk in Dumbledore's shadow'.

"Because the greatest love of all is one my heart will rule.

I found the greatest love of all within this school."

Professor Sprout stood and walked around the table to embrace Minerva in a gentle hug as she finished her song with a sigh.

"We all feel the same, Minerva, and we will all help you share the load." As the other teachers nodded in agreement, Madam Pomfrey walked briskly though the door to the left of the staff table.

"The students have arrived, Minerva." she said in her usual clipped tone. And no sooner had she disappeared through the same door than the students from the years 2nd to 7th began to pile though the doors of the great hall in a noisy clatter. Minerva took a deep breath and exited the main hall through the sea of black, red, blue, gold, yellow, silver and green, and into the Entrance Hall, closing the door behind her. As the noise of the older students subsided, Minerva straightened her robes and had and readied herself for her first year as Hogwarts Headmistress.

"Show time," she whispered to herself as a herd of shaking and nervous students piled their way into the Entrance Hall.

Act One, Scene Two

Ron sat holding his fork in his right hand and his knife in his left hand and stared at his empty plate, willing food to appear. He didn't care what it was, as long as it was edible. He'd even eat cold gruel if he had to, just to stop his stomach from grumbling angrily at him.

"Turkey? Pork? Potatoes, chicken, rice … anything!" he moaned as his stomach growled loudly. It had once again been a mad rush from the Weasley household this morning and Ron had only managed to snag one thin slice of toast. Miss Prissy Hermione, however, had woken up half an hour earlier to cook herself some sausage and bacon sarnies and hadn't even had the common courtesy to wake him and Harry up for some.

"You need to learn to give yourself time to get all you need ready when you wake up, Ronald," she had exclaimed on the train after Ron had shouted at her for gloating about it. Usually Harry would have bought him some snacks from the food trolley on the train, but his mind had been elsewhere (coughHermionecough). He had been stealing glances at her like she would move away any minute, ever since they had all defeated Voldemort. Poor guy just didn't seem to know how to talk to her about it. Ron couldn't blame him, seeing as Hermione seemed completely oblivious to Harry's subtle hints. Ron thought himself quite lucky to have his Luna, seeing as it was her that had asked him out.

He chanced a glance over at the Ravenclaw table and saw that his Luna was staring dreamily at him. With a lovely smile, she waved at him and blew him a kiss. Ron pretended to catch the imaginary kiss and smiled at her before turning back towards Harry and Hermione.

"There are well more students than last year," Harry moaned as his stomach also growled with dissatisfaction.

"Thanks to us," Hermione whispered with as proud smile. Ron was about to ask her how it had anything to do with them, when Harry shouted, "Finally!" Ron looked up towards the staff table as the last first-year student (a Ravenclaw) had taken her seat.

As McGonagall stood up, after Professor Flitwick removed the sorting hat from the hall, Ron prayed that she wouldn't give a long-winded speech. He was so bloody hungry; he was sure his gut would eat its way through his skin.

"In the words of Professor Dumbledore," she said loudly as the whole hall hushed, "Dig in!"

"Hear, hear!" Ron and Harry exclaimed as their plates and jugs exploded with all different types of savory foods and drinks.

"Food!" Ron shouted as he began to pile his plate sky high with steaks, roast potatoes and rice.

"Food, glorious food! Hot sausage and mustard.

While we're in the mood, cold jelly and custard.

Peas, gravy and hot roast goose, what next shall I eat?

Mashed potatoes and pumpkin juice, both with a large piece of meat!"

As Ron dived into his full plate of food, Harry, who had just emptied his, began to pile it up again while he sang.

"Food, glorious food. We're anxious to try it.

Three banquets a day; our favorite diet.

Wow, look at this great big steak, I love it fried or stewed …"

All of the boys along the Gryffindor table looked up from their large plates stacked with different types of food and began to join in.

"Oh food, wonderful food, marvelous food, glorious food! Food, glorious food, what is there more handsome?

Gulped, swallowed or chewed …

Still worth a girls ransom …"

All the girls in the Great Hall looked up and either tutted at the boys, made other sounds of annoyance or rolled their eyes as all of the boys within the Great Hall had taken a break from scoffing food down their throats to join in with the song.

"What is it we dream about? What brings on a sigh?

Piled mash with peas and gravy, stacked about six feet high.

Oh food, glorious food, eat right though the menu,

Just loosen your belt, two inches and then you

Work up a new appetite, in this interlude …

The food, once again food, fabulous food, glorious food!"

As all of the boys continued to scoff down their food as though they hadn't been fed in years, all of the girls had become quite touchy with them. Ron wondered if they were somehow offended, although if they were, he couldn't figure out why.

Act One: Scene Three

Just as suddenly as it had appeared, the food had dissolved into the tables, leaving nothing but clean plates and cutlery. Harry sighed with satisfaction as he looked towards the staff table. McGonagall had vacated her seat and was once again addressing the school.

"I know that I am no Dumbledore when it comes to speeches, but I hope you will bear with me." The students sat quietly and listened respectfully. McGonagall had always garnered a certain amount of respect from her students, but after Dumbledore's death, she seemed to have gained a whole lot more. It may have been because she was the new Headmistress, or maybe it was the sympathy that everyone felt towards her, as she, like Harry, had lost someone very, very close to her.

"I would firstly like to introduce your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Ross." A tall man with shoulder length, sandy hair stood up and nodded to each house table with a smile. The whole hall seemed to gasp suddenly. No, wait … all the girls had gasped suddenly, and Harry could see why. The new teacher was very young and quite OK looking. Harry stole a sneaky glance at Hermione while Professor Ross took his seat. Harry nearly sighed with relief. Hermione didn't seem in the least bit interested in the new teacher. In fact, while all the other girls in the hall were fluffing their hair, fixing their make-up or glancing dreamily at Professor Ross, Hermione was glaring at all the shallow girls and shaking her head with disapproval.

Harry almost laughed. Thank God for that; the last thing he wanted was competition. He was so glad that he fancied a girl that not only had brains, but also wasn't shallow and superficial. Hermione was perfect.

"Secondly," McGonagall continued, "I would like to give you all the usual warnings and events. Mr. Filch has once again extended his list of forbidden things, and although half of you won't, I would advise you to check the list located on his office door to know what you are and are not allowed to have within the castle walls."

"Too right we won't check," Ron whispered. Harry wanted to laugh, but suppressed it after seeing the look on Hermione's face. He didn't want to make a bad impression. When she turned her attention to McGonagall again, he stared at her beautiful face. If it weren't for Hermione, he would not be alive today. Harry owed her so much. Harry loved her so much.

"The forbidden forest is out of bounds, as usual, and Quidditch tryouts will take place from the 10th to the 14th of September. All Quidditch students from last year will please check their common room notice boards to find out which students are the Quidditch captains this year, and the days in which their house will host the tryouts."

"Ah wicked! You'll be captain again, won't you Harry?" Ron asked excitedly.

"I … think so," he replied, his gaze directed at the table as Hermione turned his way.

"I'm sure you will be captain again, Harry," Hermione said with a smile. "You were captain last year, so they should have no reason to change you." Harry could have melted on the spot.

"Now as I am sure you are tired, you are all excused. Get a good night's rest," McGonagall said before turning to talk to her fellow colleagues.

Harry, Ron and Hermione all stood up and sighed. As Harry and Hermione were head girl and boy, and Ron was a prefect, it was their job to once again guide the new students to their common rooms. Ron began calling to all the first years to follow him, as did Parvati Patil, the female Gryffindor prefect, while Harry and Hermione went to the back of the herd of students. They were to wait until the entire hall was clear before closing the doors behind them.

As they slowly followed the last few students out of the great hall, Harry turned to Hermione. "You … erm … your hair … it looks really nice, Hermione," he stammered. Hermione smiled at him for a while before replying. "Thank you Harry, I straightened it last night … just to … er experiment, you know."

They smiled at each other most of the way up to the common room, although they had to take a detour as Peeves was zooming around using quills as darts and trying to hit lost first years.

As they entered the common room, Hermione said goodnight to Harry, and gave him, what he thought was a special smile just for him. Ron was seated by the fire in his favorite armchair, and gave Harry one of his 'ooh-I-saw-that' looks.

It seemed as though the Gryffindors didn't want to sleep. Everyone was up talking and partying. Most of the students gathered round Ron and Harry to ask them their account on how they defeated Voldemort. Harry left it to Ron to tell the story, as he loved doing so. He didn't feel much like reliving that awful experience.

"So there we were, surrounded by about 45 death eaters, and there were only five of us," he was telling the eager listening first years and a couple of awed fifth years. Ron was, of course, over-enthusiastic about the whole thing. There were probably 28 Death Eaters at the most and they were scattered all over the place, fighting different members of the Order of the Phoenix.

"They were all getting ready to hit us with the Cruciatus Curse, but then Hermione made a distraction. She …"

"She is very tired and can't sleep because someone is telling a people a story that can be told in the morning," snapped Hermione from the bottom of the girls' staircase. Harry nearly fainted right there and then. She was in a silky blue night robe that fell just past her knees. Harry's heart threatened to beat right out of his chest at the thought of what she was wearing underneath that.

"Sorry, Hermione, but these guys want to hear the rest of the story." Ron said as he leaned back in the armchair with pride. He did enjoy having attention.

Hermione glared at them all. "It is nearly three in the morning! We all have to get up for breakfast and our timetables and you all won't go to sleep, or let me sleep." She moaned. "Even some of the other girls in my dormitory can hear you and are complaining. It's not fair."

"Sorry, Hermione but we aren't tired," Ron argued. Hermione looked exasperated and very tired. Then her facial expression changed. She made her way over to the armchair where Harry sat and sat on the arm of it.

"So you're not tired, eh? Well how about if I sing you a little song then? Seeing as your going to stay awake, I might as well do."

This seemed to strike a little confusion within the group of Gryffindors. They all began to wonder, Harry included, what Hermione was planning. Hermione rested her arm gently upon Harry's shoulder and faced the group.

"Stay awake, don't rest your head. Don't lie down upon your bed.

Though the moon drifts in the skies, stay awake, don't close your eyes."

It was the most extraordinary thing. The entire group of boy's suddenly began to feel very sleepy. Hermione's singing was so … slow, harmonic and soothing that, it just seemed to put the whole group to sleep. Harry struggled to keep his eyes open. He wanted to hear the rest of the song. Hermione's voice sent a warm tingle down his spine.

"Though the world is fast asleep, though your pillows are soft and deep,

You're not sleepy as you seem, stay awake, don't nod and dream.

Stay awake, don't nod and dream."

Everyone's eyes were either closed or getting there. "I'm going to bed." One of them said slowly. As the others nodded in agreement and shuffled up to their dormitories, Hermione glanced smugly at Ron, who had actually fallen asleep in the armchair.

"I'll wake him up," Harry said gently as Hermione giggled quietly. She smiled and gave him a brief hug.

"Thanks, Harry. Goodnight."

Harry stared after her until she had disappeared up the stairs and out of sight. Then with a gentle sigh, he proceeded to wake Ron up and drag him to his bed.

End of Chapter One