Harry, Ron and Hermione filed into the Great Hall for the assembly. There was an excited buzz in the air; the hall was filled with students from all houses chattering eagerly about what might lay in store. The room had been transformed especially for the occaision; ribbons in the different house colours were hung from the rafters - scarlet and gold silk ones entwined with one another like vines over the heads of the Gryfinndors. The fake sky was filled with balloons in the shape of dragons - a different type for each house. Harry smiled wryly as he noticed the numerous Hungarian Horntails in the blue sky above the Gryfinndor bench. Far from the harmless rubber children's balloons Dudley had had at his parties, these breathed real fire and roared loudly in a close imitation of the real thing. The only thing that seemed to restrain them from setting upon the students were the thick strings that tied them to the legs of each of the four tables.
Perhaps the most impressive thing, however, was the hundreds of gold-framed portraits that now hung on the walls. It seemed that everyone – dead or alive; real or painted – had been invited to the assembly. Up on the teacher's platform Harry saw the portraits of the old headmasters that usually hung in Dumbledore's office were in pride of place. Harry could see Armando Dippet – head in Tom Riddle's time at Hogwarts – glancing round the hall with self-importance, turning his nose up at some of the newer professor's on the platform.
'Isn't it wonderful?' Hermione said as they took up their seats towards the end of the Gryfinndor table.
'Just wonderful', Ron said rolling his eyes. He pointed towards the Slytherin end of the hall. 'I mean look at the guests!' Harry craned his neck in the direction Ron indicated, squinting through his glasses. He saw a series of paintings behind the Slytherin's; they contained arrogant-looking wizards and witches who were all casting disdainful glances around the hall at the students from the other houses and speaking to each other in pompous voices that had really been dead for many years. One of them made Harry's stomach churn slightly. It read Pollux Black, 1912-1990 and it contained a man who looked like he could have been Sirius's twin except for fiery red flecks in his eyes – he made a vision of pure evil.
'Who's that?' Harry said, nudging Ron.
'Pollux Black', Ron said in surprise. 'Wow, he looks like the devil.'
'I mean who is he?' Harry said, 'What is his portrait doing at Hogwarts?'
Ron thought for a few moments. 'Oh yeah – I remember, mum told me about him. He was head of Slytherin, I think, when she was at school. Didn't last very long though, he went into the ministry after a few years – don't think he agreed with some of Dumbledore's policies.'
'I'm more interested in the people who are actually here', Hermione said, turning her eyes towards the teacher's table. 'Half the ministry seem to have been invited.' Harry followed her gaze. He noticed there were several people he didn't recognise flanking Lister. Nearest Dumbledore was also Cornelius Fudge, minister for magic, in a mustard and emerald pinstriped suit that seemed to be two sizes too small for the portly, balding man.
'Well it's a big deal isn't it?' Ron said shrugging. 'Actually I'm surprised Lucius hasn't put in an appearance. Dad was invited according to George but he turned it down – with all the trouble going on at the moment he couldn't afford to take the day off work. Apparently the other day one of the railings in Hyde Park had been charmed to surround a group of muggle school-children like a prison. It took half of the ministry to sort it out!
'Oh that's awful,' Hermione said shuddering. Harry's jaw clenched – it was obviously more death eater activity, and, even more unsettling, it suggested Voldemort's circle were growing in confidence. It was extremely risky to pull off such a stunt in the middle of London. Before he could question Ron further, however, Dumbledore got to his feet and immediate silence fell across the hall – even the balloons stopped roaring. Harry grinned slightly as he saw that Dumbledore appeared to have combed and platted his long grey beard for the occasion. He was also wearing an elegant set of gleaming blue and silver robes, which shimmered with the strength of a hundred stars - evidently it was not above the headmaster to try and make a good impression.
'Good-morning students, good-morning Professor's, good-morning honoured guests', Dumbledore said pleasantly. Harry jumped as the portraits of the dead wizards and witches boomed Good Morning back at Dumbledore.
'Lively aren't they, for people who've been worm-food for the last few years?' Ron muttered. Harry had to cover his mouth to stifle a laugh.
Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak again but as he did so there was a crash at the other end of the hall that made him peer over his half-moon spectacles. Harry swung round to see a red-faced Adrianna and Fred sidle into the silent hall. In their haste to enter the room they had swung the heavy oak door open too quickly and knocked one of the Hufflepuff portraits off the wall.
'Well really!' its occupier said in high-pitched, injured tones as Adrianna desperately attempted to lift it up to put it back in its proper place, 'I have never been so insulted. I hope that you teach your students better manners than that Dumbledore!' The frame contained a enormous witch with round, red sunglasses and a pink dress that looked to be made out of ostrich feathers. The unfortunate attire accentuated the ladies bulges and made her appear like a turkey fattened for Christmas.
'Sorry', muttered Adrianna, well aware that every pair of eyes were upon her. She didn't know how she and Fred had so blatantly lost track of time. With Fred's help she managed to hoist the portrait back in to position, the offended witch dusting down her feathers with a red lace fan.
'Idiot', Adrianna hissed at Fred, 'that was your fault!'
'You're the one who was supposed to be keeping track of the time!' he whispered back.
'Miss Malfoy, Mr Weasley, take up your seats IMMEDIATELY!' McGonagall said, getting to her feet on the platform, her lips so thin they had practically disappeared and a thin eyebrow raised angrily on her forehead. Adrianna could tell by her tone that she was furious that two of her students had embarrassed her in front of such a congregation.
'You're a disgrace to the family name!' the portrait of Pollux Black roared from behind his gleaming frame, making Adrianna, and quite a few of the students, jump. The portraits eyes flashed with red sparks as he gnashed his teeth wildly. He pointed a bony finger at Adrianna through emerald velvet robes which were caught at his throat with a silver brooch coiled like a snake. 'Gryfinndor traitor!' he said menacingly, '– your Aunt and Uncle will hear of this!'
Adrianna spun round to look at the portrait. She recognised it as her Aunt's Grandfather who hung also on the staircase up to the third floor of the Manor. He had been head of Slytherin house according to Narcissa, and he was also a distant relative of the Malfoy family – which was quite usual within the networks of pure-bloods. He was quite young in this particular portrait and reminded Adrianna of someone who she couldn't put her finger on. She resisted the strong urge to stick her tongue out at her Aunt's dead relation, her face crimson as she and Fred took up their seats.
'Now', Dumbledore went on, as though there had been no interruption, 'as you know we are all gathered here to discuss the celebrations for Hogwarts one-thousand-and-seventh birthday. Exactly one thousand and seven years ago this spring the four founders of Hogwarts – Salazar Slytherin, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Godric Gryfinndor got together to make a school to train young wizards and witches in the art of magic. So successful was their plan that here we are one thousand and seven years later still a part of their magical heritage. These celebrations then will not only be in honour of the school itself but of the founders. For this reason a replication of the founding ceremony will be performed.'
An excited murmur passed through the hall. Some of the portraits showed their enthusiasm with shouts of Bravo. Dumbledore held up his hand for silence.
'But I will speak more of this in a moment. I'm sure the students sitting before me today, just as thousands of predecessors have done over the years, are eager to hear their own role in the birthday celebrations of their most beloved school. So I will put them out of their misery. A team from each house will perform for an open congregation of students, former students, parents, ministers and all else who desire to show their appreciation for Hogwarts, something they have prepared that draws upon the strengths their founders held dear. Whether it be a magical feat, a broomstick display or some other fancy of the imagination I will leave it up to you – but I'm sure that you will all endeavour to do the founder of your own house proud.'
Loud ascension from the student's met this proclamation. Every student's head was now filled with visions of the glorious role they might take in the Founding Celebrations - Harry pictured himself turning loops on his broomstick as an appreciative crowd looked up at him; Neville could see himself shock everyone with a herbology discovery that would turn nickel into twenty-four carat gold; Hermione saw herself standing over a cauldron that contained a earth-shattering potion that would wake the dead. All were in silent agreement that whatever their house came up with it would be better than anything the other houses could even dream of.
Dumbledore smiled down at the eager faces. 'There will also be a Grand Ball for all the participators in the ceremony and for Hogwarts staff and pupils.'
From beside him Harry heard Ron groan.
'The celebrations will take place in the first week of spring which will be an official holiday for Hogwarts students.' More cheering met this anoouncement andDumbledore waited patiently for silence.
'Now as I have already indicated, the celebration of Hogwart's founding will be open to all who appreciate it. I'm sure that there will be a great many of you in this hall today that will be delighted to hear that this invitation will be extended to the parents of all the current students of Hogwarts school – and I do mean all parents.'
There was a collective gasp at this followed by furious whispering. Harry felt Hermione's nails digging into her arm.
'Oh he can't mean all', she said, practically jumping out of her seat with excitement.
'Er – I think he does', Harry said. He knew what Hermione was thinking. Her parents were both muggles and had little experience of magic. She would be thrilled with the prospect of sharing her world with them; the opportunity for them to experience the magic she had learnt first-hand.
The Slytherin's, portraits included, Harry noticed, were glaring. They were looking around the hall with indignant and menacing expressions. Harry doubted if there was a single one amongst them with a muggle parent.
Amidst the confusion, Cornelius Fudge suddenlygot to his feet. His face was puffed out like a bull-frog. 'Er Albus,' he said tentatively. 'I don't believe we have discussed the possibility of having muggles here at Hogwarts.'
From behind the Slytherins Harry could hear he portraits less-than-discrete whispers, 'Disgraceful', they said. 'Ridiculous!', 'Muggles at Hogwarts?'
Dumbledore's grey eyes turned away from the students to look Fudge's round frame slowly up and down, his whiskers twitching but not with amusement. 'No', he said lightly after a moments pause. 'I did not believe that such a decision needed ministry approval. They are after all the parents of the students who we have attending our school. Many of them have visited before.'
'But not all together', Fudge said. Though he was still attempting to keep his face pleasant, Harry could tell by his the reddened tips of his ears and nose that he wasn't thrilled by the news.
'Moron!' Ron said visciously, glancing at a crestfallen Hermione, 'why shouldn't muggles come to Hogwarts?'
'Perhaps we can discuss this later Cornelius', Dumbledore said firmly, the first hint of fire appearing in his eyes.
Faced with a determined Dumbledore and a hall that was growing more frosty by the moment, Fudge could do nothing but retake his seat. Harry noticed, however, that as soon as he did he began to whisper to the official on his right.
'Now', said Dumbledore, 'finally to the details of the founding ceremony …'
Harry didn't hear much about what Dumbledore was saying for the next few minutes. He was too busy thinking angrily about Fudge's reaction. It was obvious, to Harry at least, that Fudge was trying to keep the ministry – and probably idiots like Lucius – happy by objecting to the presence of muggles as Hogwarts. Harry didn't understand how someone with so much power could be so blind to what was going on around him. Didn't he realise that the people he was allying himself with were the same people who in no time would be trying to supplant him? He pictured Fudge's reaction if he ever found out that his precious 'benefactor to the ministry', Lucius, was in Voldemort's inner circle. Still it was scarcely likely when Fudge and the ministry were refuting that Voldemort had even risen again. Harry balled his fists automatically.
'… And now we come to the representors', Dumbledore said. For the first time there seemed to be an uncertainty in his tone and it made Harry give up his full attention. 'In the replication of the founding ceremony one former member of each house will stand in for each original founder and perform certain rights and spells which make up the ceremony. This is a high honour indeed for those who have been chosen and I'm sure you will all join me in congratulating the successful ones whether they are here or not.' Harry saw Dumbledore glance swiftly in Fudge's direction. 'Several names were put forward for each "representor" and the ministry have voted on the most suitable' – Dumbledore lingered over the word as though it left a bad taste on his tongue, 'candidate. Cornelius I believe that you have the names with you.'
'Yes headmaster I do indeed!' Fudge's round face lit up with what Harry supposed was his best 'mischievous' smile, but what actually looked like the expression of someone with acute indigestion. He got to his feet and took a crumpled piece of parchment out of his top pocket, clearing his throat.
'Why doesn't he just get on with it', Ron said – 'as if anyone cares anyway.'
'Shhh' said Hermione, 'I do.'
Fudge smoothed down his sapphire tie before speaking, his voice booming with the arrogance that often accompanied a man in his position. 'In the Founding Ceremony, the celebration of one-thousand-and-seven years of Hogwarts, the representors will be as follows. For Helga Huffle-Puff, Kelila Smith form the Department of Mysteries; for Rowena Ravenclaw, Nymphadora Tonks, the Auror; for Godric Gryfinndor Arthur Weasley from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement'
Harry and the others had cheered Tonks – she had been part of the entourage that had escorted Harry to the burrow and they had immediately liked her - but Ron was now cheering so loudly for his father that Harry barely heard the announcement of the final representor –
'and for Salazar Slytherin', Fudge said with enthusiasm, 'Lucius Malfoy, also from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.'
The cheers died on Harry and Ron's lips. Hermione looked thunderstruck. From the far end of the table, though, Adrianna's reaction surpassed them all - her heart literally skipped a beat and then sank within her like a deflated bludger. She looked across the hall to meet the eyes of her cousin Draco who smiled at her with malice as the students from Slytherin cheered and clapped him on the back, the portraits behind him nodding with quiet approval.
'Tough break,' Fred said, pausing from cheering his own father to look at the fuming Adrianna.
'Tell me about it', she spat, with the sinking feeling that her term was just about to get much worse.
Hope you liked the update - if you want more please review - I appreciate any comments/criticisms
