Chapter 4
Harry, Ron, and Hermione filed of the train, stepping lightly around the fresh puddles of rain. It had been drizzling for the past hour, though it was almost clear now. Harry looked up. The sky was a deep, deep blue color and the stars were brighter than He had ever remembered them. They looked so far away. Harry could have just kept looking at them forever, or at least until Ron waved a hand in front of his face.
"Earth to Harry.Where are you?"
Harry shook his head "Sorry." He murmured, and kept on walking.
They marched up to Hagrid, who was collecting all of the dumbstruck first years.
"Hey Hagrid!" Harry called. He ran up to him, Ron and Hermione followed, greeting him as well.
" 'Ello there! And 'ow was yer summer 'Arry, Ron 'Ermione?" He said while giving them a warm smile. "It's so nice to see you all again."
"Fine thanks. Nice to see you too." They all said, returning the smile.
"Yeh better run along now. I think the carrages are about ter leave." He pointed behind them. "How 'bout comin ta my place after yer classes tomorrow?"
"All right. See you!" Harry said. And they sped off behind them.
They jumped in one of the now familiar horse-less carriages just as the first one was speeding off toward the castle.
"Phew! I thought we weren't going to make it!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Yeah. And I'm starved! How bout you.Harry?" Ron paused. Harry had his head out the window, looking at the sky. Again.
"Umm.Harry? Just what is so interesting about the sky tonight?" Ron looked at him funny.
"That's a good question Harry." Hermione added.
"Come here and look," He said to them, and moved over so they could get their heads out the window to. "Look at the color. It looks so deep. And the stars.they're so far away.and so clear.and I saw another shooting star."
"Well It's past eight now. So it's not unusual to be seeing them." Hermione pointed out.
Suddenly the carriage jerked to a halt.
"Okay snap out of it Harry. You'll have plenty of time to look at it in the great hall." Ron said as he pulled them both out of the carriage and up to the door. They walked in to the great hall. They all sighed a sigh of relief, for it felt good to be back in the warm familiar place. They took their seats and immediately started to look around for any changes. Soon their eyes fell upon the Defense against the Dark Arts chair. And who was sitting in it but the one and only Remus Lupin.
Ron punched the air, "YES! We've got Lupin again!"
Professor Lupin waved to them, and they waved back.
"I wonder how the whole werewolf thing got cleared up." Harry said
A moment later Hermione grabbed Harry's arm, "Harry! LOOK!" Hermione pointed under the table to his feet. There was lying a shaggy dog. Snuffles.
Harry and Ron's mouth dropped. "But.but.butbut.but.but. butbut.butbutbut.but." They both stammered staring at it. Hermione looked equally surprised.
"But.but.Ron.I thought.your dad said.they.caught.him." Harry said.
Ron replied, "I.um.um.thought so too."
"M-maybe it's another dog." Hermione said.
"Yeah, yeah, maybe that's it." Harry nodded and looked away. He didn't know what to believe.
Then Professor Mcgonagal burst through the doors leading a line of first years and to the trio's surprise the new girl who looked their age was in line at the back. There at the other end of the hall she brought out the stool and the sorting hat. Then she stepped back and let the sorting hat sing:
"Way back when, in history, When I was just a cap, There were three founders, For this school, And these founders had a map."
"They planed and planed a castle, To educate the young, On wizarding things, And other things, That I just might call fun!"
"Ravenclaw was clever, And Gryffindor was bold, Mr. Slytherin was sneaky, And Hufflepuff was loyal, This ends my song for the year, And now back to my Toil!"
Everyone applauded for the hat. As soon as it was done Professor Mcgonagall explained the sorting to all the nervous looking little first years. Then she began to call up names.
"Adensbourg, Adam!" A nervous looking little kid with tousled sandy hair stumbled up to the stool and put the hat on. "Ravenclaw!" The hat shouted. And he went over to join the table of cheering Ravenclaws.
"Barnacle, Matt." Became a Hufflepuff. And after him "Cutter, Mary" became a Gryffindor.Then, "Hardy, Rebecca" was announced to be a Ravenclaw and the hat shouted "Hufflepuff!" for "Rich, Amy". After a ways more down the alphabet "Lumpkin, Rachel" joined the Slyterins and "Ricka, Lindsey" joined the Gryffindors. Then after that "Reyes, Mandy" joined the Slytheins but "Shoock, Julia" and "Solstice, Ashley" came to the Gryffindor table. Finally after more time "Verne, Austin" became a Hufflepuff and last and least, "Xavier, Zachariah" joined the Ravenclaws.
"Wait, wait!" Professor Mcgonagal said before everyone started clapping, "One more thing, may I introduce Anna Roptter. She's a transfer from Ireland and is going to be in the fifth year." Anna stepped forward and put on the hat. After about twenty seconds on her head the hat shouted, "Gryffindor!" And the Gryffindor table erupted with applause. Then Anna went to join the Gryffindor table and to Ron's surprise she sat down next to Ginny and started to chat.
After all the applause died down and the new students were settled at their tables, Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts stood up.
"Another year and so many new faces." He smiled, "Welcome, welcome, welcome. Now I have not many announcements to make this year, except a couple. First off, Please welcome back our new defense against the dark arts Professor Lupin! And he has brought with him his dog, Snuffles." He winked at Harry.
Harry stared at him with disbelief. Then he glanced at Ron and Hermione who were staring at him as well and with equal amazement. 'Could this be real?' He thought. He could not simply believe his ears.
He continued, "Also, The Quiditch season will resume this year. I believe that Gryffindor will need a new keeper and the Slytherins will need a new chaser. The dates for tryouts are to be determined by the house leaders." A large cheer broke out from all the tables
"Next up," Dumbledore said, looking away from Harry, "just a few words: Baka nasu, kapusta, mooka, squeegee, and kachoo! And Last, please welcome Professor Charles Weasley who will join Hagrid in teaching Care of Magical Creatures as his assistant!"
"Cool!" said Ron. He and all the Weasleys looked surprised.
"Thank you and dig in!!!"Dumbledore added
Just as he said 'dig in' the golden goblets and the plates filled with every delicious food you could imagine. Harry looked at Snuffles. But Snuffles was already looking at him. Then he made his way over to Harry with something in his mouth.
"Hi Si-Snuffles." Harry said and patted the "dog's" head. Hermione and Ron greeted him also. He wagged his tail and Harry took the paper out of his mouth. It read:
"Harry, Professor Lupin and I will meet you, Ron, and Hermione in Dumbledore's office tomorrow"
"We'll be there." Harry whispered to him. Hermione and Ron nodded. Snuffles barked and ran back to the staff table.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione filed of the train, stepping lightly around the fresh puddles of rain. It had been drizzling for the past hour, though it was almost clear now. Harry looked up. The sky was a deep, deep blue color and the stars were brighter than He had ever remembered them. They looked so far away. Harry could have just kept looking at them forever, or at least until Ron waved a hand in front of his face.
"Earth to Harry.Where are you?"
Harry shook his head "Sorry." He murmured, and kept on walking.
They marched up to Hagrid, who was collecting all of the dumbstruck first years.
"Hey Hagrid!" Harry called. He ran up to him, Ron and Hermione followed, greeting him as well.
" 'Ello there! And 'ow was yer summer 'Arry, Ron 'Ermione?" He said while giving them a warm smile. "It's so nice to see you all again."
"Fine thanks. Nice to see you too." They all said, returning the smile.
"Yeh better run along now. I think the carrages are about ter leave." He pointed behind them. "How 'bout comin ta my place after yer classes tomorrow?"
"All right. See you!" Harry said. And they sped off behind them.
They jumped in one of the now familiar horse-less carriages just as the first one was speeding off toward the castle.
"Phew! I thought we weren't going to make it!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Yeah. And I'm starved! How bout you.Harry?" Ron paused. Harry had his head out the window, looking at the sky. Again.
"Umm.Harry? Just what is so interesting about the sky tonight?" Ron looked at him funny.
"That's a good question Harry." Hermione added.
"Come here and look," He said to them, and moved over so they could get their heads out the window to. "Look at the color. It looks so deep. And the stars.they're so far away.and so clear.and I saw another shooting star."
"Well It's past eight now. So it's not unusual to be seeing them." Hermione pointed out.
Suddenly the carriage jerked to a halt.
"Okay snap out of it Harry. You'll have plenty of time to look at it in the great hall." Ron said as he pulled them both out of the carriage and up to the door. They walked in to the great hall. They all sighed a sigh of relief, for it felt good to be back in the warm familiar place. They took their seats and immediately started to look around for any changes. Soon their eyes fell upon the Defense against the Dark Arts chair. And who was sitting in it but the one and only Remus Lupin.
Ron punched the air, "YES! We've got Lupin again!"
Professor Lupin waved to them, and they waved back.
"I wonder how the whole werewolf thing got cleared up." Harry said
A moment later Hermione grabbed Harry's arm, "Harry! LOOK!" Hermione pointed under the table to his feet. There was lying a shaggy dog. Snuffles.
Harry and Ron's mouth dropped. "But.but.butbut.but.but. butbut.butbutbut.but." They both stammered staring at it. Hermione looked equally surprised.
"But.but.Ron.I thought.your dad said.they.caught.him." Harry said.
Ron replied, "I.um.um.thought so too."
"M-maybe it's another dog." Hermione said.
"Yeah, yeah, maybe that's it." Harry nodded and looked away. He didn't know what to believe.
Then Professor Mcgonagal burst through the doors leading a line of first years and to the trio's surprise the new girl who looked their age was in line at the back. There at the other end of the hall she brought out the stool and the sorting hat. Then she stepped back and let the sorting hat sing:
"Way back when, in history, When I was just a cap, There were three founders, For this school, And these founders had a map."
"They planed and planed a castle, To educate the young, On wizarding things, And other things, That I just might call fun!"
"Ravenclaw was clever, And Gryffindor was bold, Mr. Slytherin was sneaky, And Hufflepuff was loyal, This ends my song for the year, And now back to my Toil!"
Everyone applauded for the hat. As soon as it was done Professor Mcgonagall explained the sorting to all the nervous looking little first years. Then she began to call up names.
"Adensbourg, Adam!" A nervous looking little kid with tousled sandy hair stumbled up to the stool and put the hat on. "Ravenclaw!" The hat shouted. And he went over to join the table of cheering Ravenclaws.
"Barnacle, Matt." Became a Hufflepuff. And after him "Cutter, Mary" became a Gryffindor.Then, "Hardy, Rebecca" was announced to be a Ravenclaw and the hat shouted "Hufflepuff!" for "Rich, Amy". After a ways more down the alphabet "Lumpkin, Rachel" joined the Slyterins and "Ricka, Lindsey" joined the Gryffindors. Then after that "Reyes, Mandy" joined the Slytheins but "Shoock, Julia" and "Solstice, Ashley" came to the Gryffindor table. Finally after more time "Verne, Austin" became a Hufflepuff and last and least, "Xavier, Zachariah" joined the Ravenclaws.
"Wait, wait!" Professor Mcgonagal said before everyone started clapping, "One more thing, may I introduce Anna Roptter. She's a transfer from Ireland and is going to be in the fifth year." Anna stepped forward and put on the hat. After about twenty seconds on her head the hat shouted, "Gryffindor!" And the Gryffindor table erupted with applause. Then Anna went to join the Gryffindor table and to Ron's surprise she sat down next to Ginny and started to chat.
After all the applause died down and the new students were settled at their tables, Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts stood up.
"Another year and so many new faces." He smiled, "Welcome, welcome, welcome. Now I have not many announcements to make this year, except a couple. First off, Please welcome back our new defense against the dark arts Professor Lupin! And he has brought with him his dog, Snuffles." He winked at Harry.
Harry stared at him with disbelief. Then he glanced at Ron and Hermione who were staring at him as well and with equal amazement. 'Could this be real?' He thought. He could not simply believe his ears.
He continued, "Also, The Quiditch season will resume this year. I believe that Gryffindor will need a new keeper and the Slytherins will need a new chaser. The dates for tryouts are to be determined by the house leaders." A large cheer broke out from all the tables
"Next up," Dumbledore said, looking away from Harry, "just a few words: Baka nasu, kapusta, mooka, squeegee, and kachoo! And Last, please welcome Professor Charles Weasley who will join Hagrid in teaching Care of Magical Creatures as his assistant!"
"Cool!" said Ron. He and all the Weasleys looked surprised.
"Thank you and dig in!!!"Dumbledore added
Just as he said 'dig in' the golden goblets and the plates filled with every delicious food you could imagine. Harry looked at Snuffles. But Snuffles was already looking at him. Then he made his way over to Harry with something in his mouth.
"Hi Si-Snuffles." Harry said and patted the "dog's" head. Hermione and Ron greeted him also. He wagged his tail and Harry took the paper out of his mouth. It read:
"Harry, Professor Lupin and I will meet you, Ron, and Hermione in Dumbledore's office tomorrow"
"We'll be there." Harry whispered to him. Hermione and Ron nodded. Snuffles barked and ran back to the staff table.