The low buzz of chatter and laughter stifled in an instant as Professor Dumbledore the old Headmaster of Hogwarts stood up from his seat and raised his old withered hands to motion for hush.
"Flipping heck he looks a bit knackered doesn't he." whispered Robin frowning in the direction of the old man. Seymour didn't reply but had to agree that Dumbledore did appear to look slightly worse for wear from the last time he had laid eyes upon him.
The headmaster looked fondly over his captivated audience and smiled broadly as he announced. "Welcome back everyone, welcome back to another year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I do hope you all had eventful summers full of fun and excitement, just because of the current climate that dies not mean we need to be any less carefree with our spare time. Time so precious shouldn't be spent nervously pondering on what might be." the whole room broke into furious nods and murmurers of agreement. "Defiance in the face of overwhelming darkness is often the light that guides us through the stormiest of sea's. The fact that all of you sit here right now shows Lord Voldemort that we will not be bullied into suppression, we will not hide away nor cower in the face of a man who knows nothing of what it means to be content in one's self. We will plough on come rain or shine through thick and thin, he will not hold sway over us nor will he ever deserve anything more than our pity that he knows not what it is to be loved nor to have loved." the room erupted into a bombardment of clashing palms as the whole room applauded with slightly muted acoustics coming from the direction of the Slytherin table.
"Now I've had my little moment." grinned Dumbledore warmly. "I shall now announce a few changes before we continue with the sorting ceremony. Any current rules and regulations implemented by my successor Headmistress Umbridge are hereby void and none acting."
Seymour was fairly certain that somewhere in the school old Filch was letting out a displeased cry right about now.
Then suddenly before the headmaster could continue the large oak doors that framed the entrance to the hall swung open with a thud and in strolled a tall cloaked figure. Their hood was up and completely covered their face as they strolled into the room.
The effect would have been rather impressive if it wasn't for the fact that the looming figure walking down the middle of the aisle was as tatty as one of Robin's old socks. The dark red cloak that covered the moving shape was scattered with huge tears and long gashes. Covered with bits of dirt, broken twigs and leaves it gave the impression that the poor occupant had been caught short in a storm even though the night was clear outside.
A pair of dark dragon skin boots loomed into view from under the garment and clicked on the cold stone floor as they finally came to a halt in front of the Headmaster who merely smiled and bowed his head. The figure did the same and ushered its way up towards the table of teachers that mirrored either side of Dumbledore.
"A little late but none the less very welcome I'd like to introduce you to your new Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher, plucked from early retirement in the Ministry and here to offer his great wisdom and knowledge of the subject. Professor Clement Goodwin."
The man under the robe removed his hood to reveal the same long scraggly grey hair framing the gaunt hungered scared face of the man Seymour had seen chatting with the barman inside the Leaky Cauldron. Seymour instantly shot a wide eyed glance at his three friends but none of them seemed to have made the same quick recognition as Alice merely continued to stare obediently up at the front table, Lloyd had decided to sneak back into his pit of shame between his arms and Robin had decided now would be the perfect time to make eyes at a rather preoccupied Ginny Weasley who had neither notice nor seemed to care for she in turn seemed to be casting her own glance in the direction of Harry Potter sitting a few seats away.
Professor Goodwin merely smiled politely in the direction of the students upon mention of his name and bowed his head slightly before sitting down in the free sit next to a rather put out looking Snape.
"I trust you all to make our new addiction feel welcome as well as our other new guests." and with that Dumbledore motioned towards a small side entrance from which emerged a line of rather nervous looking first years being lead out by Professor Mcgonagall.
Robin sat up and looked excitedly over at Seymour with a greedy look in his eyes. "You up for it Seymour, same as usual?" asked Robin reaching into his pocket and yanking out a small pile of knuts plonking them down onto the table in front of him. Alice rolled her eyes and tutted as Seymour grinned and pulled out his own stack of coins.
"Good man." nodded Robin before turning to Lloyd. "Come on Lloyd, fancy joining in. They're only first years nothing to be frightened of." teased Robin nudging his large friend who gave another despairing groan and remained wedged between his arms.
Ignoring the daggered look he was receiving from Alice Robin shrugged and turned back to Seymour. "No? Oh well Sey my old mate it looks like it's just me and you then." he stared over at the gathered new occupants of the school and studied them as if buying a race horse. He scratched his chin and smirked. "This is going to be easy. Shall I go first then?" he smiled triumphantly picking up his first knut and rolling it on the table with his index finger.
"You went first last year." protested Seymour arranging his coins under his right hand.
"Yeah and I won last year didn't I, that means I go first again surely?"
"Surely not Robin. When did you make that rule up." asked Seymour looking indignantly at Robin who shrugged.
"Last year… after I won." he smiled and purposely looked over at Alice for back up who was in turn was just as purposefully trying to ignore their conversation. "That's fair isn't it Alice?" he asked reaching over and poking her arm with a fork. "Alice?"
"Shut up." she grunted through gritted teeth and pushed his hand away. Pleased that he had gained the desired effect he looked back at Seymour and chuckled.
"Oh ok go on then." Seymour conceded shaking his head in the boys direction.
They both feel silent as Professor Mcgonagall called out the first student's name from a long parchment rolled out between her hands.
"Louise Ambre."
A small timid looking red haired girl shuffled up to the lone stool on display to the rest of the room and sat down.
"Oh easy, looks like a Weasley. Got to be Gryffindor or Ravenclaw." whispered Robin looking satisfied that for the first time that night Ginny looked over at him even if it was only to roll her eyes and tut.
"Fair enough that leaves me Hufflepuff and Slivs then." replied Seymour feeling slightly hoodwinked by Robins request to go first. The hat landed on the girls shaking head and remained there for a few seconds before calling out "Gryffindor!" The whole table clapped and cheered although Robin was clearly cheering for a different reason as Seymour begrudgingly flicked a coin over to his side of the pile which Robin snatched up and dropped into his pocket smugly.
"Patrick Barnhart." announced Professor Mcgonagall causing a rather heavy set boy with light brown hair to shuffle up to the front of the group tripping over his own feet as he did so.
"Hufflepuff, Hufflepuff, Hufflepuff. If that kid doesn't end up in Hufflepuff I'll kiss Mrs. Norris." declared Robin sniggering as the poor boy once again tripped his way up to the sorting hat knocking over the stool as he did so. "I'll take Ravenclaw as a back up just in case because he is no way going to end up in Gryffindor."
Robin smirked as a clearly agitated Alice spun around in her seat to face them. "Just because he's a little clumsy doesn't mean he'll instantly be put into Hufflepuff, just look at Neville."
"Hey." objected Neville who was sitting only a few seats away from them, knocking over his empty glass with his hand.
"Oh sorry Neville." Alice went bright red and tried her best to smile in his direction ignoring the muffled laughter coming from Robin's direction.
"Nah Rob I detected a definite malevolence about that stumble, he's got to be a Slytherin." decided Seymour clearly accepting that he'd no chance.
"Hufflepuff!" boomed the old sorting hat causing Patrick to jump and fall off the stool.
This little activity continued through the entire list of students until before too long it had managed to draw the attention of nearly half the Gryffindor table who had decided that the battle going on between Seymour and Robin was of much more interest than the sorting ceremony going on in front of them. Robin sat back on the bench with a satisfied glint in his eyes as he surveyed the large pile of knuts he had accumulated whilst Seymour held what was left of his in his hand.
"Last boy coming up Sey, sure you don't want to call it quits now?" offered Robin giving his friend a mock look of sympathy. Seymour shook his head and eyed the last boy to be sorted as if his life depended on it.
"Sebastian Vile." the last student on the list walked up to the front of the hall. A short boy with silvery blonde hair sat on the stool, his sharp green eyes fixed on his lap, his brow furrowed as he prepared to be sorted.
"Oh this is pointless he's probably been destined for Slytherin since birth." Robin shrugged his shoulders and rested his chin on his hands watching the boy with a piercing glare.
"No Rob, no way, too obvious. Just because he looks like Draco doesn't mean anything mate. You aren't put in Slytherin just because you look a bit like that slimy git." Seymour looked over at his friend skeptically and shook his head.
"Merlin's beard Sey his surname's Vile, give him a cape and a few days out the sun and he'd be a dead ringer for a vampire… what more do you want?" Robin explained looking exasperated causing the group of students watching them to snigger. "That's why you never win at this Sey, you're too eager not to typecast on first glance but face it mate that ain't the way the world works. Take me for example… clearly a Gryffindor, good looking, brave as a bull and more chivalry than you can shake a stick at."
"Do you even know what chivalry means?" shot Alice growing more irritated at her friend's rant by the second.
"And look at Alice, bossy, a know all and a teachers pet and we all know Lloyds' as brave as a bull on the quiet. I know you're only in Gryffindor because no other house wanted you but face facts Sey you're a bit of a one off." teased Robin waving his finger at him. "Go on, I'll give you this one. You can have Slytherin."
"Nah, trust me Rob your wrong on this. I can feel it." replied Seymour trying to muster up as much conviction as he could manage, desperate to prove him wrong.
"Ok then." Robin took a large stack of coins and pushed them forward slightly. "7 knuts says Count Dracula over there ends up in Slythering. You can have the other three."
"Your on, you can't back out though Robin." smiled Seymour finally sensing he might get some of his money back.
Both boys turned their attention to the blonde hair boy at the head of the room with the sorting hat on his head. A few seconds silence past until the old weatherworn cap announced. "Slytherin!" Seymour's face dropped.
After the lengthy sorting ceremony Dumbledore once again rose out his seat with a little less ease than Seymour could remember and waved his hand across the four house tables. Instantly each one was ladened with thickly laid out platters of delicious looking food. Steak and kidney pies, succulent chicken drumsticks, honey glazed turkey, bangers and mash and many more mouth watering delights.
Robin almost lunged forward off his seat as he grabbed three drumsticks and two sausages at the same time causing another displeased frown from Alice to be aimed his way. Seymour feeling rather ravished himself since he last had eaten first thing that morning shuffled a rather tasty looking pie onto his plate along with a decent helping of bangers and mash. Even Lloyd who had managed to remain in the same slumped position since sitting down emerged for air to shovel some food onto his plate.
"So what do you think of the new teacher?" asked Robin through a mouth of half chewed chicken. "Has a bit of a homeless vibe going on about him doesn't he?"
"Don't you recognize him?" replied Seymour trying to avert his gaze to anywhere but his friends cavernous mouth of culinary.
"No, why?" pondered Alice looking over at the teachers table expecting to see their new teacher but instead there was just an empty seat.
"He hasn't done a runner already has he?" said Robin looking around the room for any sign of him.
"Probably needed to go vomit after catching a glimpse of your table manners" admonished Alice whilst neatly cutting up a piece of steak.
"The quicker I eat the more I can have, I'm a growing boy Alice."
"Will you two shut up for a second." butted in Seymour slapping away Robins hand as it made for the chicken drumstick on his plate. "That's the same bloke we saw at the Leaky Cauldron, remember? He was talking to the barman just before he went mental with that bug spray and you nicked that bottle of…"
"Yeah, yeah ok Sey." shot Robin casting a nervous glance at Alice who was busy eyeing him with a look ripe with suspicion. "You're right it was that fella. Odd… he didn't mention anything to the bartender did he? Acted like he had nothing to do with it."
"Well considering that stupid rumour going around about the position being cursed I doubt he wanted to go brandishing that fact about." added Alice waving her fork in his direction.
"True, wonder what he's like. Never heard of the name before." pondered Seymour casting his mind back to the meeting in the pub.
"You've never heard of Clement Goodwin?" piped up Lloyd looking shocked at the thought.
"No." admitted Seymour looking over at Robin who merely shrugged and shook his head.
"Clement Goodwin is probably the most famous Wizard inventor of our time." chimed in Alice taking a sip from her glass of pumpkin juice.
"Probably any time. He learned from the best. He's a ex-Auror as well." informed Lloyd still looking aghast to the fact neither boy had heard of him.
"Well that doesn't sound too bad does it?" said Robin making another grab for the last sausage on the platter. "As long as he doesn't turn out to be another Mad-Eye… that bloke was mental. Mind you it wasn't really Mad-Eye was it?"
"He was only an Aura for a year or two." Lloyd finished the last forkful of mash and pushed his plate aside. "Something happened that made him stop, he went on to inventing after that. You name any charm, incantation or spell made over the last ten years and I bet you he had a hand in it." lectured Lloyd in an admiring tone. "Nobody knew he was capable of it at the time, came as a shock to a lot of people but as I said he had some truly great mentors. He was the man who invented the Quand, The wand that double up as a quill… that didn't really take off but it's always been one of my favorites. He also invented the Aparecium spell and the Rictusempra charm, he spent over two months…"
"What's that Dumbledore my good friend… time for bed? Oh well fair enough I am tired." the fact that Dumbledore was sitting well over 50 yards away and busy talking to Professor Mcgonagall didn't seem to matter to Robin as he mocked an award worthy yawn and stood up from his bench, grabbing another drumstick from the table before making his way out of the hall.
Lloyd look rather dumbfounded and Alice furiously gritted her teeth as their friend made his departure.
"Well he did look sleepy." noted Seymour finishing his glass of juice before motioning for them to follow suit as they stood up and made their way to the Gryffindor common room.