The summer went quickly, and Beth did her best to make the most of it. She spent time with their ancient neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Scamander, who were like the grandparents she had never known; she went shopping with Bruce's family and had a wonderful time wandering up and down Diagon Alley; she read books in the shade in the August afternoons, and listened to the radio at night. Summer vacation was all right, but it was school that she was looking forward to: the classes, yes, but mostly the friends and fun that came with it.
It was with an eager heart that she took the Floo network to London and boarded the Hogwarts Express at Platform Nine and Three Quarters at King's Cross Station. Before she knew it, she was sitting in a compartment on the train with Bruce and Melissa, chattering as if they hadn't been apart for more than a week. It had been over two months.
"Oh, I thought of you every day in Italy," Melissa burbled, giving Beth a big hug. "I wish you could have seen it. The countryside was just gorgeous -- and the cities were so elegant!"
"Sounds boring," said Bruce. He looked out the window at the landscape rushing past. "When's the food cart going to get here?"
Melissa tossed her long black hair over her shoulder arrogantly. "You wouldn't have thought it boring if you'd been there. Anyhow, the food was also divine. I'm sure you'll find that interesting."
"I just want some Every Flavor Beans," said Bruce, barely listening to her. "I got a lard-flavored one over the summer, and I want to see if I can find another one."
"You are disgusting," said Melissa.
"It's good to see you both again," said Beth, with a smile.
The sliding door to the compartment opened, and two freckled boys peeked in. Their faces fell as they saw Beth and her friends.
"Oh, it's Slytherins," they said derisively, just as Melissa snorted, "Oh good, the Weasleys are here."
Fred and George Weasley, fourth-year Gryffindors and all-around troublemakers, were red-haired and absolutely indistinguishable twin boys. Along with their dreadlocked friend Lee Jordan, their personal goal seemed to be to wreak as much havoc as they possibly could before graduation, and the more of it that fell on the Slytherins, the better.
"What d'you lot want?" Bruce demanded.
One of the twins scowled. "Nothing from you, we're looking for our little brother."
"We'll let you know if we see any redheads in hand-me-downs," sniffed Melissa maliciously.
"What a dirty --" a twin began, starting toward her, but Bruce was on his feet quicker than light.
"Touch her and die," he growled in a low voice, fists cocked at his sides.
The twins regarded him with open distaste. "Don't worry, we're not going to beat up your girlfriend," one of them sneered. "See you at the feast." They stalked out, identical looks of anger on their freckled faces. Beth wondered if they knew that Melissa's actual boyfriend, Galen Melhorn, was a Gryffindor just like them.
Bruce watched them go with unconcealed hatred, and only sat down again after they were both gone and the door closed. "What a pair of prats," he grumbled.
Melissa was looking at him in mock adoration. "My hero!" she warbled, hands clasped and eyes wide.
Beth waved dismissingly. "That wasn't chivalry, Mel. Bruce is still peeved that they beat him at Quidditch last year."
That earned her a bitter smile from Bruce. "They didn't beat us, they tricked us," he said. "Potter acting like his broomstick was jinxed. It won't happen this year. I don't care if he falls off, I'm playing through until they kick us off the field." Last year, Potter's broomstick had gone rogue halfway through the game. By the time he got control, everyone was completely distracted, and he had snagged the Golden Snitch on his way back down. It was popularly believed in Slytherin that it had all been a ploy.
"You'll clobber them," Melissa promised.
"Knock on wood," said Bruce.
They spent the rest of the trip sharing summer anecdotes. Melissa had the best ones, but Bruce had been to a few Quidditch games and could tell stories about the people he had met at his local pitch. Beth felt a little outdone. She hadn't gone anywhere except a few day trips to the sea with her father, and one or two day trips with Mr. and Mrs. Scamander. Still, it was good to just listen to her friends talk.
The Hogwarts express pulled up to Hogsmeade Station while it was still mostly light outside. The first-years gathered around the bushy-haired gamekeeper for their traditional cruise across the lake; the older students crammed into a caravan of horseless coaches. Beth, Bruce and Melissa got a coach right in front of the one with their friends, Aaron Pucey and Mervin Fletcher, and spent the trip up leaning out the windows yelling at one another.
Along the wooded path; through the wide iron gates; up to the twisted, majestic spires of the castle. They disembarked the horseless carriages and moved up the stone stairs into the Great Hall. Here the students diverged into four directions, and seated themselves at four different tables: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Beth and her friends went to the farthest table with the other Slytherins.
The ceiling, enchanted to look like the sky outside, swirled with thousands of clear stars. The high, vaulted room was lit with torches and chandeliers.
Soon the enormous gamekeeper Hagrid ducked inside, followed by a whole flock of terrified-looking first-years. He made his way to the head table, and Professor McGonagall took charge of them.
"This is my favorite part," Melissa said, watching the first-years excitedly. "They're so cute and scared!"
The relative cuteness of any of them could have been questioned, but Melissa was right on one point: they all looked frightened out of their minds. When McGonagall left them to set up the Sorting Hat on its stool at the front of the hall, they looked none the better.
"I love how they just let them stand there getting nervous," Beth said.
Bruce leaned over and gave her a nudge. "Did you see who's at the head table?"
Beth turned to look. Sitting with the prefects was Randall Riggs, the thin-faced, long-nosed, bespectacled secretary of the S.S.A. He looked distinctly uncomfortable. Clutched in one hand was a pen that Beth recognized as being magical: last year it had taken dictation during the Sorting Ceremony and in subsequent announcements.
"Pay attention, it's starting!" hissed Melissa.
McGonagall stood at the front of the room holding a parchment; it was the list of names of the students that would be starting that year. Riggs had set his magic pen on his napkin; it hovered upright, vibrating a little, and began to write as soon as McGonagall started to speak.
"Atheby, Kevin!"
A tiny brown-haired boy scuttled to the stool and stuffed the cap over his ears.
"RAVENCLAW!"
The Ravenclaw table erupted into applause, and Kevin Atheby scurried to join them.
"We never get the first one," Melissa complained good-naturedly.
She didn't have long to wait, however; third in line was "Bergeron, Oren." The hat cried "SLYTHERIN" almost before Oren could get it onto his head. The Slytherin table whooped enthusiastically. Smirking a little, he joined them at a bunch of empty seats on one end.
There was a little while before "Grotch, Laura" was given over to the Slytherins. "Javins, John" and "Jones, Garret" followed in close succession.
"Oh good, another girl," said Melissa, as "Kvortek, Catherine" was designated a Slytherin. She came over to wild applause and took a seat with the firsties. Beth watched as Laura Grotch leaned over to her.
She's just met her new best friend, she thought. The idea was a little unnerving. Could friendship -- in fact, the next seven years -- be so dependant on these fifteen or so minutes of sorting? Obviously it could, and was; Beth looked over at Melissa, who was busy cheering new Slytherin "Lowell, Patricia", and wondered if they would have even met if they had been in different houses.
There was "Metzengerstein, Ivan", a big-nosed and dark-haired kid; "Perlmutter, Curtis," who couldn't seem to stop smiling; "Smoot, Maximilian," who looked just as nervous after being sorted as before; and "Verona, Audra," who even at eleven showed signs of the grace and beauty she would eventually acquire. Before long the newbies were all sorted and seated; the hat was taken away once more. Dumbledore raised his hands for silence.
"Before we engage in this delightful feast, I must say a few words. The wall will fall to the wind as the windy hill will fall, and all things thought in former times. Nothing made remains, nor man remembers -- and these towns shall be called the shining towns! Eat up!"
He sat back down and food began to magically appear on the gold platters all along the table. Every kind of succulent dish Beth could remember eating was there: chicken Kiev, pork ribs, colorful salads, baked potatoes beef pie, and even an enormous cheese omelet. She ignored the omelet but stacked her plate up with the steaming dishes, and cheerfully dug in.
It was such a relief to be back in the familiar castle, surrounded by friendly faces. Beth ate quietly, enjoying the conversations around her.
Aaron Pucey was going on about the Ballycastle Bats. "Saw 'em ten times this summer," he bragged, spraying Bruce with half-chewed pork, "seven wins. Best thing that ever came out of Northern Ireland."
"Did you see them beat Tutshill?" said Bruce eagerly.
"Yeah, spectacular!"
"I was at that one!"
"No way! Did you see where the Tornados' Keeper was flacking and the referee didn't even call him?"
"Bloody unfair, that was."
"A crime."
Melissa rolled her eyes at the two boys and nudged Beth in the arm. "Who's Mr. Beautiful at the head table?"
Beth turned around to see where she was pointing. Between Professors Sinistra and Flitwick sat a handsome blonde wizard. He was somehow eating and smiling at the same time; Beth had the impression that he swallowed his food whole to avoid soiling his set of brilliant white teeth. He was gabbing gaily to Professor Sinistra, who seemed to be giggling quite a bit more than usual.
Aaron stopped complaining about blind referees long enough to give Melissa a disdainful look. "Him? That's Gilligan Lockhart or something. Writes these self-help books, I think. Mum's half crazy over him."
"Wonder what he's here for?" mumbled Bruce through a mouthful of omelet.
Melissa snorted. "There's only one opening, isn't there? He's the new Quirrell."
Beth looked again at the wizard. Now he was leaning over to display his brilliant teeth to Professor Vector, the arithmancy witch. Professor Sinistra looked rather miffed. "He's going to teach us about the Dark Arts?"
Melissa shrugged. "What else would it be? Unless he's here to give us all makeovers."
"Sorry, just need these for a second."
Richard Shaw had come over and snagged the plate of baked potatoes. Beth and Melissa exchanged a grin. There were magical messages hidden in two of the potatoes; this year's new S.S.A members would have them forced onto their plates in minutes by their future president, never mind what they thought of it. It was probably the strangest tradition in the club.
Richard came back, without the potatoes, and took an empty seat beside Aaron. "Guess what the Gryffindors are saying," he said, wearing his I-have-a-secret grin.
"Well?"
"Harry Potter's not here."
There was general disbelief.
"Not here? He's not coming back?"
"Did they leave him on the train?"
"Oh my gosh, what if a Death Eater found him over the summer and --"
"Did he transfer?"
"Where are his friends, did they come back?"
Richard shrugged. He was still beaming; there was nothing Richard liked more than being the first person to pass on interesting information. "All I know is that he's not at the Gryffindor table, and none of them know why."
"Maybe he won't come back at all," said Bruce hopefully. Not only did he hold the general Slytherin grudge against Potter, who the previous year had snapped the House Cup from their grasp at the last minute, but the Quidditch match left him with an extra mote of bitterness.
"We'd never be so lucky," said Melissa. "You can't shake the annoying ones."
They spent an enjoyable meal speculating over how nice it would be if Potter never came back, and even better, if he had taken the whole Weasley clan with him. Eventually the unfinished food vanished from their platters, and Dumbledore once again stood up. The first-years all twisted in their seats to get a better look at him. Down the table, Riggs had taken out his magic pen again.
"A few natterings before the beginning of the school year. First: we are pleased to welcome Gilderoy Lockhart as our new teacher of Defense Against the Dark Arts."
There was a round of intermittent applause, and one of the Weasley twins gave a long wolf-whistle. Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak again, but before the applause had even died out, Gilderoy Lockhart was on his feet and beaming around at the Great Hall.
"Thank you! Thank you!" he exulted, showing all of his brilliant teeth. "I have to say, Albus, I'm excited about joining your little faculty. The students are in for a treat -- not that I'll be too easy on them!" he added roguishly, with a big wink. Waving around at them cheerily, he took his seat while calling, "Go on, don't let me interrupt your speech!" Beth noticed that Professor Vector was smiling up at him, but she was the only one.
"Thank you," said Dumbledore, with a little smile. "Moving on -- first-years should be aware that the Forbidden Forest is, as implied, forbidden. Love Potions, sneaking around the castle after curfew and levitating in the halls are likewise illegal. Also, our caretaker Mr. Filch has asked me to warn you that anyone caught befouling the castle will be punished as far as his power to do so extends."
Argus Filch sat at the head table, glaring out at the students as if each was his personal enemy. His scraggly gray cat, Mrs. Norris, wound around his feet vindictively.
"Quidditch captains should see Madame Hooch for this year's schedule of games. First-years are reminded that they are not permitted to own their own broomsticks. If this rule is broken, the broomstick will be confiscated."
Bruce muttered under his breath about a "little git Potter" who had been given special permission to have own broomstick the previous year.
"And now -- since there are no further announcements -- we shall sing the school song!" He waved his wand above his head and a string of words floated from it, formulating the school song line by line.
The entire Great Hall erupted into a cacophony of sound as every student sang the school song to their favorite tune, indiscriminately. This year, the Weasley twins had made up a little dance to go with it, and bobbed around at the Gryffindor table singing, "Hogwarts, Hogwarts, hoggy warty Hogwarts!"
When the song was done, they were dismissed, and the hall divided into four swarms of people moving toward the common rooms. The Slytherin exodus was headed up by Riggs. "This week's password is 'esoteric'," he announced fussily.
"I'll say," drawled Draco Malfoy.
When the climbed into the Slytherin room through its secret door behind a blank stone wall, the group dissipated by gender and class. Some of the first-years hung around the common room uncertainly, admiring the high-backed chairs and low green lamps, until Riggs pointed out the directions of their bedrooms. A few upperclassmen gathered by the fire to catch up on summer conquests, but for the most part, they trundled upstairs and went straight to bed.
Beth was exhausted from the train ride and full from the feast. It was no time at all before she lay snuggled in her bed with the canopies drawn. Before she drifted into a deep and unbroken sleep, she thought how nice it was to be back -- where she had friends to talk to, classes to learn in, house elves to clean for her, and teachers to protect her. The solid walls and turrets of Hogwarts had become her home, and as much as she loved Dorset, it was always wonderful to return.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Author's Note] Dumbledore's start-of-feast blather is a poem (beautiful, IMHO) from John Gardner's novel Grendel. Notably, Grendel is itself fan fiction, for while a classic novel in its own right, it is a retelling of the epic poem of Beowulf from the POV of the villain. It's pretty philosphical (read: whacked out) but I would highly recommend it anyway.