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Chapter 5
"What did it say Tom?" Arthur asked excitedly. "Attention, attention please!" Professor Dumbledore called. The students fell silent, "Headmaster Dippet is ready to make the start of term announcements." He said.
Headmaster Armando Dippet wasn't the most healthy looking man Tom had ever seen, as a matter of fact he looked rather feeble. "Welcome to yet another year at Hogwarts!" He said. "First years please take note, students are not allowed into the Forbidden Forrest. Also I would like to take this time to introduce our first year students to our caretaker, Mr. Pringle. You would do wisely to stop in at his office and see the list of items that are forbidden within the school and it's grounds. I hear it's grown to more than 200 items." He said smiling.
"Now, as there are no more announcements, we should eat." He waved his hands and the tables filled with luscious foods Tom had never been allowed to eat. Turkey, ham, great bowls of potatoes, yams, there were so many things to choose from Tom didn't know where to start. Seeing that he was having a hard time Arthur grabbed a large turkey leg and dumped it on Tom's plate. "Eat up, we'll be getting sent off to bed if you wait too long." He smiled. Tom nodded his thanks and dug into the yams.
Stuffed nearly to bursting Tom thought the meal was over when to his utter surprise all manner of deserts appeared on the tables. Cakes, and sweets as far as his eyes could see. "I'm going to like it here!"
Tom had never eaten so much or such good food. All he ever was given at the orphanage was gruel and stale bread. When all the plates were clean Headmaster Dippet stood again. "Very good meal indeed. Now, first years will please follow their Prefects back to their dormitories. Goodnight." He said and with his robes billowing behind him he left the Great Hall.
"Not very social is he?" Arthur said. Tom agreed, "Doesn't seem so does it?" "First years! First years this way!" A rather pointy faced boy called. "Where's our dormitory?" Tom asked. "Don't know, we have to follow the prefects anyway, all the dormitories have passwords." Arthur shrugged. "Passwords? Who's guarding them?" Tom said puzzled. "All mum said was that there were portraits guarding the entrances, she wouldn't tell me who they are though."
They walked out of the Great Hall and followed the girl down into what looked to Tom like dungeons. He kept turning his head so much he resembled and owl. They stopped in front a portrait of a rather shifty looking fellow, "Password?" he growled. "Purity!" He exclaimed and the portrait swung open. They walked into the common room where the pointy faced boy turned and told them, "Boy's dormitories to the right. Girls to the left, get to bed!" Tom and Arthur followed the other first year boys to the right of the common room and found themselves going down another set of steps. "Tom here we are look this one has our names on it!" Arthur called. Tom walked up and saw four boys names; Clairbourne, Donaldson, Prentence, and his own Riddle.
They entered their dormitory and found each of their trunks next to a bed. Tom went to his, changed out of his robes, and climbed into bed. "Goodnight Arthur." "Night Tom." He drifted off to sleep thinking about the beautiful woman he found out was his mother. They embraced but neither one spoke. She walked with him in his dreams. They walked for what Tom thought were hours until she turned to look at him, "Tom, it's time to wake-up." She smiled. "Tom! TOM GET UP! We're going to be late for breakfast!" Tom's eyes snapped open. "Arthur?" He asked groggily. "No I'm the ghost of Christmas present." He said sarcastically. "Come on let's go!" He urged.
Tom jumped up as Arthur left him to dress. He threw on his robes and raced out the dormitory door running headlong into the pointy faced boy he only knew was a prefect. "Watch where you're going!" He snarled. "Sorry." Tom said hurrying to find Arthur.
The first class of the day was Transfiguration with Professor Dumbledore. "Welcome!" He said smiling. "Transfiguration is one of the hardest branches of magic, and I have no doubt that some of you will find that this class can be rather difficult. Now for your first lesson I'll be showing you how to transfigure a porcupine quill into a needle." It turned out to be very easy for Tom. It only took him two tries to transfigure the quill. It took Arthur all period.
They had Potions with Professor Davis next. She was a bit too happy, in Tom's opinion. But never the less his first Potions lesson was again rather easy. But then Tom had always been an excellent student. He had Care of Magical Creatures next with the Gryffindor's down by the game keepers hut. Professor Kettleburn beaming at them and showing them the most boring creatures Tom had ever seen in his life, Flobberworms. Well, they didn't really do anything, just sort of laid there.
The bell sounded loudly from somewhere near the castle and Tom and Arthur set off for lunch. "Maybe History of Magic will be better." Said Tom hopefully. "I doubt it, that bloke, Hall, he's the prefect, told me old Professor Binns is as dull as butter knife." Arthur smiled. Tom rolled his eyes and clucked his tongue, "Oh, that's just what I need. I'm tired enough as it is without being bored to sleep."
"What did you think of that Professor Dumbledore? Bit of an odd one he is." Arthur said suddenly. "Yes, a bit odd." Tom said slowly. He didn't really know why but the more he saw his Transfiguration professor, the less he liked him. He found out that Professor Dumbledore was also the head of Gryffindor House, and listening to the other students from his house they didn't much care for the Gryffindor's. According to Arthur's mum the Slytherin's didn't much care for any of the other houses. The Ravenclaw's were thought to be too smart for their own good and the Hufflepuff's well, they were a bit of a joke around the Slytherin common room.