Note: I made a couple of names up for this chapter.
This is quite a long chapter too.
Chapter 3 – Return to Hogwarts
We stepped inside the familiar entrance hall which looked like it had never seen Voldemort and his death eaters. It was hard to believe that just four months ago, the entrance hall and castle had been reduced to rubble. The lump in my throat had not disappeared, it only got worse. McGonagall was already there to greet us all and lead us into the Great Hall. The Great Hall too never looked like it had seen a death eater or a huge battle. Actually it looked like it's normal amazing self with the enchanted ceiling matching the night four house tables were in their normal places with the teacher's table at the front where some of the staff were already seated and talking amongst themselves.
Despite what all had happened in the past year, I instantly felt at home as I followed my friends over to the Gryffindor table and sat down between Neville and Ginny. Luna disappeared to join her fellow Ravenclaws at their table. The four tables began to fill up with students ready to start a brand new term at Hogwarts. It was very clear that for many students, returning to Hogwarts was bittersweet. Many had lost family and friends during the Battle of Hogwarts so were haunted by the nightmares of seeing their friends and family members die on that fateful evening. Some couldn't hold back their emotions as they cried into their friend's shoulders.
There was a very odd atmosphere in the Great Hall. Once all the students had settled down at their house tables, McGonagall led the group of nervous looking first years into the hall and up to the front where Filch had set a stood and the tattered looking sorting hat. There weren't as many first years as usual but I put that down to the majority of muggle-born records being destoryed by Voldemort. Although Kingsley informed us that he only destroyed one set of the records.
"Now when I call out your names, you will come up to the front, sit on the stool to be sorted into your houses." McGonagall stated. "The four houses are Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Slytherin."
One by one McGonagall called the first years up and placed the large sorting hat on their heads. The memories of me being sorted into Gryffindor in my first year came flooding back to me. It may have been seven years ago but it only felt like yesterday. I remember being nervous but excited then the hat was torn between putting me into Gryffindor and Ravenclaw but finally settled on Gryffindor. Each house table clapped and cheered as students got sorted. They welcomed the new students with open arms, shaking their hands, high fiving them or hugging them. It was good to see so much support from all four tables.
Once all the first years had been sorted into their houses and seated at their tables, Filch took away the hat. McGonagall took to the front of the hall, standing at Dumbledore's podium to speak to us all.
"Welcome everyone to a new term at Hogwarts." She started. " I want to start off by thanking everyone for all your continued support over the last couple of months. I am so glad to see so many of you here tonight."
She sniffed slightly, overcome with emotion as she took in every face that was staring back at her.
"As you all know, I have stepped up as head mistress with Professor Slughorn taking on the role of vice principal. Professor Slughorn will also be taking on the role of head of Slytherin house." McGonagall explained.
We all clapped loudly as Slughorn stood up and took a bow. It was obvious that Slughorn was very much liked by all students. I had a lot of respect for the man and he was a very good teacher.
"We have some new staff announcements now to make. I would like to welcome back Professor Lupin who will be returning to his position as Defence against the dark arts professor." McGonagall stated.
We all clapped louder than ever before. Ron, Harry and Ginny cheered loudly while Dean wolf whistled (excuse the pun). Some people didn't look too impressed however but I didn't care as I knew that Lupin was a really good teacher and that was what was important.
"Our second staff announcement is that we are joined by Miss Clearwater who will be taking on the role of Muggle studies professor." McGonagall stated.
"That's Percy's ex." Ron informed us.
"She was petrified around the same time as me." I said.
"Percy broke up with her not long after he left Hogwarts." Ginny said.
All of the professors were the same as before but Snape wasn't there, nor was he even mentioned by McGonagall. McGonagall then moved onto the rules which were the same as usual. The forest was out of bounds, no magic to be used in corridors, no hexing people behind their backs and so forth.
"Now as you all have probably noticed, we have not announced the new house prefects or the new head boy and head girl." McGonagall spoke and I had completely forgotten about that.
"You're a dead cert for head boy, mate." Ron said to Harry.
"Yeah with Hermione as head girl. I'd put money on it." Ginny answered.
There was a nervous, excitement now in the Great Hall with students speculating about who would be prefects and the new head boy and head girl. I overheard my name being thrown around a few times. I didn't want to build my hopes up about being made head girl.
"This years Gryffindor prefects will be Ginny Weasley and Thomas Lukin." McGonagall stated.
Ginny had been made prefect in her fifth year along with Colin Creevey. McGonagall had explained that she wanted older students to be prefects rather than ones in their fifth year as they'd have too much to deal with, with doing their OWLS. Ginny was more than capable in being a prefect and the other students seemed to respect her. Either that or some of them feared they'd be on the receiving end of one of her bat bogey hexes.
Thomas was in Ginny's class and a quiet lad but was willing to step up to the challenge. I didn't know much about him though. Ginny and Thomas jumped to their feet and walked up to accept their scarlet and gold badges from McGonagall. Ginny had a large grin spreading across her pretty face while Thomas looked rather taken back by being made a prefect. The Gryffindor table clapped and cheered with Harry and Ron whistling.
Luna was one of the new Ravenclaw prefects along with a Peter Hill. Daphne Greengrass and Henry Boggy being the Slytherin ones. The new Hufflepuff prefects were Daniel Williamson and Lauren Shaw.
"Congratulations to all our new prefects." McGonagall grinned. "Now onto our new head boy and head girl. This year we had one of the hardest decisions regarding who we'd choose to be head boy and head girl. However we all came to an unanimous agreement. Our brand new head girl is Miss Hermione Granger."
Ginny nudged me in the ribs as I let out a high pitched squeak. I got to my feet and walked towards McGonagall who was grinning from ear to ear. My friends cheered louder than ever before and cat called.
"Well done Miss Granger." McGonagall grinned, pinning my badge to my robes.
"Thank you Professor." I replied, shaking her hand.
"That was obvious." Ron stated and I rolled my eyes.
"Harry you've got to be head boy." Dean said.
"I don't want to be." Harry answered, sheepishly.
"You're the boy who lived, mate." Ron said.
"Even more reason for Harry not to be head boy." I answered.
"Now we need our new head boy. I'd like to congratulate Mr Neville Longbottom." McGonagall grinned looking over at the Gryffindor table.
"What?" Ginny, Ron and Dean all gasped.
"Me?" Neville questioned, sounding shocked.
"Wow, well done Neville." I chirped, patting Neville on the shoulder.
"Yes you Mr Longbottom." McGonagall stated, ushering Neville to go up and collect his badge.
Neville got to his feet and went to accept his badge, genuinely shocked that he had been made head boy. We were all quite shocked that Neville was the new head boy but I was so happy for him. I was actually glad Harry hadn't been made head boy as he'd be getting enough attention without being head boy too. It was the same reason he hadn't been made a prefect in our fifth year. McGonagall looked so proud as she pinned Neville's badge to his robes, a massive smile on her face.
"Well done." She said and shook Neville's hand.
"Thank you so much." Neville replied.
"Who would have thought it eh?" Ron said, clapping loudly.
"I'm so happy for him." Ginny said.
"Me too. He deserves that." I replied.
"A bit obvious that she's picked two Gryffindors for head boy and head girl though." Dean laughed.
"Mum will be gutted that you didn't get head boy, Ron, following in Bill and Percy's footsteps." Ginny said.
"She'll be fine. Fred and George weren't made head boys either." Ron answered. "I was a prefect so she can't really complain."
"Fred and George would have made awesome head boys." Dean laughed.
"I wonder if I can talk Mum into buying me some new shoes for being made a prefect again?" Ginny wondered.
After all the announcements had been made, McGonagall got us to hold a minute's silence to remember all of those we had lost. We took out our wands and lit the tips of them, holding them up high as the hall fell silent. Tears fell silently from my eyes as I remembered those who had lost their lives during the war, even those like Lily and James Potter who had died the first time around. When the minute came to an end, McGonagall coughed, dabbed her eyes with a tartan hanky then clapped her hands. The feast appeared on the tables, smelling amazing. Everyone tucked in at once, filling our plates with the yummy food. I had missed the Hogwarts feasts so much and it did not disappoint. Ron was shovelling mashed potato into his mouth as if there was no tomorrow while trying to talk to Dean about something.
"Are you going to tell Fred the good news?" Ginny asked me.
"Yes. I'll message him when we go to our rooms." I answered.
"Speaking of rooms, I wonder if we'll be sharing." Ginny asked.
"I hope we are. I think it'll be the two us, Parvati, Fay and Demelza." I answered.
"What about Victoria, Romelda and Patrica?" Ginny asked. "It'd be cool if you and I shared a dorm together."
"Yeah I was secretly hoping that would happen." I admitted.