Harry Potter and the Sword of Gryffindor—chapter 2
The Sorting Hat's New song
As Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny piled into the Great Hall with the rest of the students Harry looked straight at the Head table. Sitting right in the middle was Professor McGonagall. She caught Harry's eye and a slight smile appeared around her lips looking odd on the usually severe professor. After smiling back at the professor Harry looked along the head table to see who else was teaching this year. He saw mostly faces he knew but one face was unfamiliar. As he took his seat beside his girlfriend Harry leaned over and whispered quietly in her ear, "who's the newbie?"
"Dunno, I've never seen her before. Shhh McGonagall is about to make her speech."
"Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to welcome you all to another year at Hogwarts. Although for some it is only the start of your Hogwarts journey you will be expected to uphold the rules and regulations of this great school like all of the above years, do not think that as you have just started your first year that your Professors will go easy on you because I can assure you, they will not. I have no intention of leaving the battle of Hogwarts out of my speech today as it is not in my nature to ignore an elephant in the room. As I can see all of you have already noticed that Harry Potter has returned to Hogwarts. Most everybody in this hall now has lost someone they know or love In the battle last term. None more so than Mr Potter. Few people actually know that Harry potter lost more than his parents over the years Voldemort terrorised this country. He lost friends, relatives and loved ones just like the rest of us, but unlike the rest of us he alone had the weight of the wizarding world on his shoulders, Mr potter does not need everybody whispering behind his back or being asked for autographs as infamous as he is. I ask that you leave him to his studies and not pester him constantly. As we all know horrific incidents happened here at Hogwarts before and during the battle, madam Pomfrey has kindly agreed to counsel anybody who feels they need it. If you are struggling to come to terms with anything at all I ask that you make an appointment to see her directly. Most of you saw unspeakable acts of horror and terrorism here last year and I know that we are all still coming to terms with the war as a whole. Voldermort was a monster who fed off fear and devastation. I know he will not like me doing this but I would like you all to stand raise a glass to Mr Harry Potter, the young man who at just 17 years of age defeated the most feared evil wizard of all time, along with his friends Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley." McGonagall raised her glass in the air and toasted, "To Harry, Ron and Hermione, thank you all so very much."
After the noise died down, a full five minutes of a standing ovation for the golden trio was finished McGonagall cleared her throat. "now to the usual start of term notices. The forbidden forest is as it aptly named, forbidden. Any student from any year, found loitering inside or anywhere near the forbidden forest will be excluded. No exceptions. (with this remark the headmistress looked over to the Gryffindor table lingering on Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny.) As always our illustrious caretaker Mr Filch has asked me to remind you that any and all products from Weasley's wizarding Wheezes are banned, as are most of the products from zonko's joke shop. For a full list of banned items please check the notice outside Mr Filch's office. Now to the teaching staff we have our care of magical creatures Professor, Professor Hagrid. As the professor for muggle studies, we have Madame Pritchard. Taking you for potions is Professor Slughorn. This year I am delighted to welcome our new defence against the dark arts teacher, Professor Williamson. Some of you may recognise him but for those of you who don't know him, Professor Williamson was an auror with the held in high regard. After retiring from the Auror office Mr Williamson kindly agreed to take this post. As your Divination teacher we have Ms Trelawney who is taking over Professor Bane's classes as well as her own. Now for the last order of today lets get you first years Sorted!" there was a rupture of applause as McGonagall said this and her speech ended. As Professor McGonagall brought the sorting chair and the Sorting Hat forward and got ready for the sorting conversation began again. "Are you ok Harry?" Ginny asked with concern. She knew McGonagall talking about him and Voldemort had affected Harry more than he would let on in front of everyone. "Yeah I suppose, I just hate everyone staring at me, I feel like a freak, but its getting better at least they are not all calling me crazy or looking at me as if I'm about to die." Ginny laughed at this last comment and took a breath to say something back when McGonagall moved to the centre of the stage once more. She placed the sorting hat on the chair and it suddenly came to life and a large split in the brim opened up like a mouth, the sorting hat was about to start his annual start of term song. Happily the sorting hats song this year was both funny and uplifting, much better than the sombre warnings it had posed the previous few years.
"look at all these new faces,
Getting ready to take their places,
Young ones! No need to fear me,
For I am the sorting hat you see!
I will look into your mind and know,
Exactly where it is you should go!
If bravery is what's in your heart,
Then to Gryffindor you will part.
If loyalty is what I can see,
Then Hufflepuff it will be.
If your brain is filled with knowledge,
Then off to Ravenclaw 'till college.
If your filled with brains and cunning,
In Slytherin your in the running.
The four houses will open their arms wide,
And welcome each of you with pride.
A new day has already come,
Although it wont feel it yet for some.
The time has come for us to take a stand,
To learn and have fun as the founders planned!
Children, you are all far to young,
To listen to prejudice and dung!
Now off you go! Don't worry your head,
Lets get you Sorted so we can get you all to bed!
After the sorting had finished and the houses had all met their new housemates, Professor McGonagall once again stood and waited for silence. "All that is left for me to say tonight Is, in the words of the late great Albus Dumbledore, Let the feast begin!" McGonagall sat back down to rapturous applause with a smile on her face as the five tables piled high with food. Ron looked as if he would have burst had he had to wait much longer to eat. "Great Merlin Ronald have you not had enough to eat today? You literally eat more than anyone I know!"
"iwmagwowingboy" Ron said around a mouthful of food. Hermione looked at him and rolled her eyes in exasperation before her face split in a huge grin and she could hold her laughter no more. "You are so lucky I love you Ron."
"awww how cute!" Ginny cooed with a smirk, knowing it would get a reaction out of Ron. "Sod off Ginny!"
After eating their fill, and catching up with friends they had not seen during the holidays, and the ones they had, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny went up to the common room. After a game of Exploding Snap, Harry and Ron played wizards chess which Harry lost every game as usual. Harry and Ginny then went to sit in front of the fire just the two of them for some much needed alone time together, and Ron and Hermione went to join Dean and Seamus to play more games.
"I'm glad to be back at Hogwarts with you Harry but I do miss just being back at the burrow together. Where we can get complete privacy."
"I know Ginny, I Hate all this too. We just need to get this year over with and then ill be going to live in Grimmauld Place. Ginny I want you to move in with me if your mum allows it?" Harry looked at her apprehensively.
"Oh Harry of course ill move in with you. You know I think mum will be ok with it, she knows I'm sensible and wouldn't do something I'm not ready for, and she absolutely adores you. I honestly think she secretly wanted us to be together before I did!" Harry and Ginny both laughed and cuddled up on the sofa, quietly kissing and whispering to each other until they both realised the common room was deserted. "We are the only ones left down here, god knows what the time is." Said Ginny. "I know, I'm actually surprised Ron hasn't interrupted us at all. I mean when has he ever gone to bed and not dragged me with him?" Harry replied. "I bet Hermione made him leave us alone. Merlin I love that girl sometimes." Ginny said with a smile. "Harry its getting late so I'm going to go to bed and you should too. Do you have the dreamless sleep potion mum gave you?"
Harry rolled his eyes and said "Yes Dear" to which he got an elbow in the ribs and a kiss goodnight. "Goodnight Harry. I love you."
"Goodnight Ginny, I love you too. I cant wait to see you In the morning. Wait for me? Before you go to breakfast?"
"Don't I always?" Ginny smirked as the two lovers walked up to their respective dormitories.
A/N I hope you like this chapter. Please read and review.