The three of them stayed up talking until dawn. They went to bed exhausted, their throats sore. But the night's surprises weren't over.
When Harry, Hermione and Ron returned to Gryffindor Tower, they discovered Seamus, Neville, and Dean sleeping in armchairs near the fire. Hermione went up to her own room, unconcerned, but Harry and Ron soon saw why the other first-year boys were spending the night in the common room.
It was pandemonium in their bedroom! There were dozens of house-elves jumping on their four-poster beds, drinking butterbeer and throwing things at one another. They were also singing, very loudly and badly. Several were missing the Hogwarts tea towels they were usually dressed in.
Harry and Ron stared. Then they had to duck, as a pillow flew their way. A second one soon followed it, and they snatched them and went down to the common room to join the others.
"What was that song they were singing?" asked Harry, as they came down the stairs. "I didn't understand that bit about the hedgehog and the wand ..."
"Oh, that," said Ron. "You don't want to know."
"No, really, I do." Was this one of those wizard things? Harry was curious.
Ron's ears turned red. He looked furtively round the common room, at the other boys who were fast asleep (Seamus and Neville were snoring), then he whispered something in Harry's ear. Harry's green eyes got very round.
"Don't tell my mum I told you," added Ron. "You should've seen what she did to Fred and George when she caught them singing it." He plopped his pillow on a squashy chair, pulled up a rug to cover himself, and curled up to sleep.
Harry remained awake for some time, mulling things over.