Chapter two | "Feast"

Hogwarts Castle had Emma wide-eyed and curious from the first footstep she had off the carriages. Its towers and turrets stood grand and illuminated by the moonlight.

"Miss Swan," a haggard voice said. "Come with me."

Emma began following the unknown shadow that hadn't bothered to wait for her response before walking away. She gave one last glance at Elsa, who smiled reassuringly, and went ahead.

She followed the shadow up a staircase that Emma realised moved from time to time, several dimly-candlelit corridors and marbled floors. They stopped at the end of Gargoyle corridor, a corridor that Elsa had told Emma about prior to arriving. They stopped before an unpleasant-looking stone gargoyle. A soft-warm light caused several shadows on the gargoyle that made Emma cautious to as if it were to lunge at her throat.

The stranger uttered something under his breath and gave Emma a loathsome glare. She assumed it was a password of some sort as the gargoyle shifted aside to reveal a moving spiral staircase. It reminded Emma of the escalators back in the muggle world. The wall that had hid the staircase closed behind them whilst they were transported upwards in circular motions that could've made Emma's head hammer.

A door with a brass knocker opened and a large circular room greeted her. Emma noticed a portrait of Albus Dumbledore on the wall, along with the previous headmasters and headmistresses of Hogwarts. She thought Dumbledore looked timeless with his silver hair and long beard tucked into his belt.

The office door opened and Minerva McGonagall came in with a gentle smile. She gave a nod to the man beside Emma. He returned it and left Emma alone with her.

"Emma Swan," McGonagall greeted.

"I was hoping Filch would have you to stop by soon. Apologies for having to bring you to my office before the Start-of-Year Feast but I hardly think you'd like to be doing the sorting ceremony amidst the first years."

Unknowingly, Emma breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm getting sorted?" She asked, "right now?"

McGonagall gave a subtle smile and a nod.

"Most wizarding families prefer to stay in the same region. We hardly ever get transfer students," she explained. "This will be a bit informal."

"I'm all for informal," Emma laughed. "Let's do this."

McGonagall went to retrieve what, at first glance, appeared to be a simple pointed wizard's hat. It was coated with patches and dust, evidently ageing itself to be a cherished artefact.

"The four houses," McGonagall started, "as you know, are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. While you're here, your triumphs and rule-breaking will affect your house points and your house," she paused as she looked at Emma, "will be your family."

Emma remained silent as she thought of the absurdity of family.

McGonagall placed the hat on its stool and a slight tear opened within it, almost like a mouth. At once, the hat began to sing this year's song. Reading 'Hogwarts: A History' granted Emma's wits to acknowledge that it changed every year. As she listened to it, her thoughts tugged onto the remaining lines:

"Four houses wield their weapons,

each differ from the other.

What weapon will you wield?

That is what I am to uncover.

Perhaps your sword is of Gryffindor,

where lie the valiant and the lion-heart.

Great valour and daring nature

wields the sword buried in their hearts.

Or might your weapon resemble Ravenclaw,

who not value armour, but their wits.

Knowledge is their greatest treasure

and reveals them to be sharp and quick.

And you might withhold Slytherin's ambition,

where a code for power thrives.

Their thirst and hunger quench their strength

for power is what allows one to survive.

Alas, just and loyal Hufflepuffs,

they too wield a sword of their own.

a fool one might be to underestimate

hard work, patience and good form.

Now I must fulfil my duty

to traverse my knowledge after this song

The weapons of the four houses,

to which one do you belong?"

McGonagall smiled at the song before gesturing Emma towards the stool. As Emma picked up the hat and placed it on her head, it rested halfway over her eyes.

There was silence before—

"What do we have here?" a hushed voice said. "A feast of valour…yes. And an everlasting desire to prove yourself and who you believe you are. You'd be best settled in—"

A pause.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The hat roared and Emma took it off whilst gracing a newfound relieved smile at Professor McGonagall.

"It appears that you are courageous at heart."

Emma stared at the hat with a moment of thought, content with its decision. "I guess so."

"Feeling settled in a new school is, as I would imagine, never easy," McGonagall took the Sorting hat in her hand. "But I think you'll find more in Gryffindor than you think you were searching for."

As if on cue, heavy footsteps followed after the sound of the office door opening.

"Professor McGonagall!" A friendly voice boomed, "I was walkin' some o'the firs' years an' Filch said yeh asked fer me."

"Hagrid," McGonagall addressed, "This is Emma Swan. She just arrived at Hogwarts tonight."

"Hello, Emma!" Hagrid held out his hand as he towered over Emma. She shook it with a firm grip and noticed he was supposedly a half-giant. Truth be told, if a towering man like himself approached Emma at Diagon Alley, she would've made sure she wasn't alone. But Hagrid appeared to be a gentle giant. It was admirable how the apples of his cheeks tinted a fade-pink when he smiled.

"I'm Rubeus Hagrid. Professor o'Care o'Magical Creatures here at Hogwarts," his heartwarming smile made the corners of her lips twinge upwards. "I say we head t'the Great Hall t'introduce yeh t'yer Gryffindor family."

Emma turned around to exchange a smile with McGonagall, who gave her an encouraging nod.

"You should join your classmates at the banquet. The first years will be having their sorting ceremony soon," Professor McGonagall held the Sorting hat gently in her hand. "I shall be there shortly."

Emma proceeded to follow Hagrid back through the corridors to the Great Hall. Hagrid was friendly as ever and told Emma about the creatures he'd taken care off. Emma learned that Buckbeak, a hippogriff, became one of Hagrid's most treasured beings.

Somewhere along the way, Emma heard Hagrid mentioning threstrals.

"What are they?" She asked.

Hagrid sighed as they approached the archway of a corridor.

"Tha' Jones kid could tell yeh," he mumbled just loud enough for Emma to hear and shook his head with sympathy. "Threstrals startle yeh firs' off, but they're jus'as gentle as Buckbeak," Hagrid explained. "I jus' hope you haven' a reason t' see 'em for yerself, Emma."

She was confused as to what this meant but decided to leave it as they approached an open archway.

They had entered, what Emma assumed was, the Great Hall. She had never seen such a splendid place in her life. The ceiling was enchanted to look like the sky and in its midst, thousands of lit candles floated midair above four stretched-out tables occupied by all of Hogwarts' students. Emma took the time to notice the shined golden goblets and plates that had yet to be brimmed with banquet food. A long horizontal table in front of the hall occupied the staff of Hogwarts.

Professor McGonagall had taken her word 'shortly' almost literally. She was there before Emma and Hagrid and was sat at the middle. It was almost impossible to not glance at the chair that she was sitting in. It reminded Emma of a throne that she'd see in her illustrated fairytale books as a child. There were intricate patterns on it as the grand gold surface seemingly faded away in some places, accompanying the warmth with a faint slate-grey.

"Wow," Emma exhaled.

It was true that Emma had been to plenty of wizarding schools, but her breath still caught when the line between the muggle world and the wizarding world was evident. She had grown up with muggles after all.

"Come on, Gryffindor's this way." Hagrid chuckled beside her. "Jus' follow the red an' gold. Was a Gryffindor meself. Nothin' t' be nervous 'bout."

Emma followed behind him closely. The long table belonging to Gryffindor was evidently teeming with students. But even so, a particular group of them stood out more than the others. Hagrid approached a Gryffindor girl who had dark brown hair it almost looked black in contrast with her light piercing eyes. Emma noticed a streak of red hair underneath her brown locks.

"Hey, Hagrid!" The girl smiled when she saw the gentle giant. Her eyes wavered over to Emma. "Who's this?"

"The newcomer McGonagall told yeh about."

"So she is a Gryffindor," she grinned. Emma took the girl's hand and shook it.

"Emma, this is Ruby Lucas," Hagrid beamed. "She's jus' like yerself. A sixth year."

"I can introduce myself," Ruby smiled.

Hagrid laughed. "All righ' I'll see yeh both soon."

"Guys! This is Emma Swan," Ruby said to most of the Gryffindor table, making Emma's cheeks flush with pink heat. "She's a Gryffindor!"

At once, the Gryffindor table erupted in cheers, a couple of strangers shook Emma's hand. She never experienced anything quite like this before and found herself smiling a wide grin.

Emma joined Ruby at the table whilst everyone else went back to waiting for the banquet to be served. This year, the Gryffindor table was next to Hufflepuff's, and Emma could just make out a familiar head of ice-blonde hair from the corner of her eye at the table behind her.

She gave a warm smile to Ruby, whose hair reminded Emma of a girl she knew in a previous foster home of hers. It went below her shoulder in dark brown waves. But before Emma could extend her greetings, the doors of the Great Hall opened and a long line of first years followed a Professor, at least Emma assumed she was a Professor (from the empty chair at the staff's table).

She was an aging woman with grey hair and a warm smile as she lead the first years into the hall, their eyes wandering around in awe. The Professor had then placed a three-legged stool in front of the first years and, on top of it, a familiar wizard's hat covered in dust. Everyone stared expectedly at it as it opened its mouth to sing the song that Emma heard briefly before arriving at the Feast.

Emma felt her ears ring with the applause that surrounded The Great Hall when the Sorting hat finished.

"Who's that?" Emma gestured at the Professor to Ruby as she clapped with everyone else.

"Professor Sprout," said Ruby. "She used to teach Herbology until Professor Longbottom took over," she pointed at one of the professors at the staff table. He had a wide smile and looked familiar.

"I feel like I've seen Longbottom before…" Emma murmured in thought.

"You must've," Ruby stopped clapping. "He was one of Potter's friends. There were photos of them together all over the Daily Prophet—or other papers around the world."

Professor Spout was now unrolling a rather large scroll of parchment in front of all the students.

"It's simple. I will call out your name and you will put on the hat before sitting on the stool," she declared. "Once your House has been announced, you may join your classmates at the suitable table."

Emma took the time to take in Hogwarts tradition as Ruby grew excited and clapped for every first-year student that got sorted. Emma couldn't help but smile at her cheerful character. With every new student that went over to sit at one of the tables, there were welcoming cheers and claps of happiness, as if it were a homecoming. Ruby added on to the cheery mood by beaming her eyes at all the newcomers.

Once the Sorting ended, Professor Sprout carried the hat and stool away.

In the midst of excitement and hum of conversations, a sharp noise from a tea-spoon hitting against a glass surrounded the Great Hall, followed by the clamorous sound of it shattering. Emma looked up to see Hagrid with an awkward crooked smile as he sat back down. Ruby and Emma couldn't help but giggle to themselves.

Professor McGonagall had gotten to her feet with her arms open wide at the students of Hogwarts.

"The feast is served," she smiled.

Ruby and Emma looked at each other with anticipation. Empty dishes filled magically before their eyes. Students on all tables loaded their plates with whatever their eyes landed on. Ruby helped herself to a serving of mashed potato and steak whilst Emma devoured treacle tart and took sips of pumpkin juice. The Hogwarts ghosts began floating freely and sweeping across the Great Hall, giving a couple of the first-years a fright.

"Jones keeps looking at you."

Emma turned around to see that Ruby had been right. As soon as their eyes met, Killian quickly dropped his gaze on her, finding sudden interest in his goblet of pumpkin juice.

"Do you know each other?" Ruby teased.

Emma shrugged, "we met briefly on the train. It was nothing much to remember."

Emma then caught sight of Elsa, who gave Killian a punch on the arm. "Are you even listening to me?" she heard.

Eventually, when the first courses and puddings had been demolished, leaving the plates glistening clean, Professor McGonagall got to her feet again. All the humming and buzzing of chattering students silenced at once.

"I'm sure you all enjoyed a terrific feast. Now there are announcements that need to be made," she told them. "First of all, the Dark Forest, I must remind you all, is out-of-bounds. As for Hogsmeade village, all those below third year are not permitted to venture into it.

"It is then my greatest pleasure to announce that this year, it is Hogwarts' turn to host a very exciting event: The Triwizard Tournament, which shall be taking place at Hogwarts this year.

"As some of you will be made aware of, the Triwizard Tournament is a friendly competition between the three largest European schools of witchcraft and wizardry. These schools are Durmstrang, Beauxbatons and Hogwarts.

"A champion will be selected to represent each school and all three champions will compete in three magical tasks. This selection of the three champions will take place at Halloween, since the heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving with their contenders in October.

"They will be competing for the Triwizard Cup, a thousand Galleons of prize money and eternal glory for their school. Thus, Hogwarts will not only be home to you this year, but to the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students as well.

"It is ever-so-late. Lessons will begin tomorrow morning so I would highly encourage you all to be well rested and go to bed early tonight!"

McGonagall sat down again as everyone got up to go to the dormitories.

"I need to show you something before we go to the dorms," Ruby whispered.

Emma frowned, confused, but nodded.

Ruby had taken them both to the third floor of the castle, whilst the other students scurried along to bed. They walked until Ruby halted beside a trophy case with what appeared to be the awards given to the quidditch players at Hogwarts.

"Look over here," Ruby pointed at a certain name beside "Seeker:".

"Harry Potter," Emma read aloud. "He was a seeker?"

Ruby nodded. "For Gryffindor," she proudly said. "McGonagall told me about your Quidditch background. Word is that you're not a bad seeker in your previous schools," she began fidgeting. "The thing is, I'm searching for a seeker. Ever since Potter graduated a while ago, there hasn't been one decent seeker in Gryffindor since then."

"Are you the captain of the team?"

Ruby nodded again.

"I know there won't be many quidditch games this year because of the Triwizard cup, but all the better to find a player when no one is watching. We have a friendly game against the Hufflepuffs coming up before October. So what do you say?"