Chapter 13: College Food, Consoles and Crashes
The five arrived at the hall just as the bell rang. There were four small tables, each with seats for six. The teachers sat at one and a couple of others were gradually filling up with students from the two other years. A hatch on one wall let into the kitchen.
"I think we sit here," said Lizzy, pointing to the empty table. They sat down around it. Professor Confessus stood up and smiled around at the students, who were all aged between eighteen and twenty-five, with a single exception – one wizard looked like he was in his late thirties. There were five other teachers at the staff table – two wizards and three witches. Harry recognised two of them: Kingsley Shacklebolt, a tall, black, bald Auror and a member of the Order of the Phoenix, and Madam Hooch, the Hogwarts Flying mistress.
"What's she doing here?" he hissed to Ron.
"Dunno," replied his friend.
"Welcome," said Professor Confessus. "Welcome back, to Andros Auror Training College. Before we begin our first meal together, I think we should become acquainted." He picked up a roll of parchment from the table. "Ready? So that we all get to know each other, when I call out your name please stand up. I'll start with our newest students. Hannah Brittain?"
Hannah stood up. There was a smattering of polite applause.
"Rudolf O'Hare?"
Rudolf stood up, and waved.
"Harry Potter?"
Harry stood up nervously; he could hear mutterings and whisperings throughout the hall. It was almost exactly the same as seven years ago on his first day at Hogwarts, except with fewer people. He obediently brushed back his hair to show his scar.
"Elizabeth Pullman? Ronald Weasley? Welcome. Now for our older students – Lyra Macmillan?"
"It's Ernie's sister," whispered Ron. Ernie Macmillan had been the Hufflepuff prefect in Harry's year.
"George Ollerton?" A sporty looking young man stood up. "Tessa Robinson? Maximillian Shimpling? And the third year – Pegasus Equiner? Samuel Mesalla?" The tall wizard that stood up was covered in cuts and bruises – he looked like an active sort of person. "Alexandra Ramsbottom? James Taylor? Good, good. All here, I see. Now, unfortunately a student has left us this year, so the second-year will be continuing without Tony Pratchett. Now, I think we'd better introduce the new students to the teachers – firstly, myself, Professor Confessus, here we have Professor Potts, Professor Gabriel, Professor Shacklebolt and our two part time teachers, Madams Hooch and Masters. Thank you. All that remains to be said is to tell our new students to report to Room 3 tomorrow at nine o'clock. Eat." He clapped his hands and four house-elves came in carrying plates of food.
"Good thing Hermione's not here," whispered Ron as a house-elf ladled food onto his plate. Harry grinned.
It took them over an hour to eat. The food was not as good as Hogwarts', but filling none the less. After eating they went along the corridor to the common room. Harry slumped down in a chair next to Ron who was busy feeding Pig – the owl had just arrived down the chimney. Hedwig was outside, hunting. She and Pig would sleep in the owlery, a shed near the spell practice paddock.
"GO AWAY!" shouted Ron to Pig, who was refusing to leave. "Want to play chess?" he asked Harry. Wizard's chess was different from Muggle chess because the pieces were not inanimate, and shouted advice that wasn't always that helpful. "OK," said Harry.
The game kept them occupied for another one and a half hours. Harry and Ron both won a game. After many years, Harry was finally getting quite good. This might have been because Ron's pieces were so old now that the magic was wearing off and they didn't always behave, however, they were often falling asleep or trying to take their own pieces.
"Still playing?" asked Rudolf, coming over.
"No," said Ron. "Harry just beat me."
"Do you vant a go on the Tri-X?" asked Rudolf. "No-one else iss using it."
"They've got a Tri-X?" said Ron. "Cool!"
"What's a Tri-X?" asked Harry.
"It's a thing for playing games on," said Ron. "I've always wanted one."
"Oh!" said Harry. "Like a PlayStation!"
"A bit, but about a hundred times better. The games are really 3D."
"Let's go and look at it," said Rudolf. "It's ofer here."
Harry and Ron followed to a small desk where a glass pyramid sat connected to a magical typewriter like the one in the dormitory. They sat down around it.
"What games in?" asked Ron.
"Nothing," answered Rudolf. "Shall ve play Broomstick Race Pro?"
"That sounds good. Put it in."
Rudolf picked up a triangular shaped cartridge and put it into a slot in the bottom of the pyramid. It slid into the centre of the base. Ron pressed the spacebar on the typewriter and the triangle flickered into life.
"TRI-X MAGICAL GAMES," flashed up three-dimensional writing in the middle of the glass box. "VIRTUWORLD PRESENTS – BROOMSTICK RACE PRO!"
Music blared out around Harry, submerging him in the game although it wasn't actually very good.
"Press space," read out Rudolf. "Go on."
Ron tapped the key again and a menu flashed up. "CHOOSE TRACK." He chose. "CHOOSE RACER AND BROOMSTICK." He selected. "BEGIN RACE."
Ron pressed the spacebar again and the game launched into life. A tiny 3D broomstick and rider were navigating their way around a track that seemed to extend beyond the Tri-X and even through the wall behind. Harry was transfixed as he watched Ron pilot the broomstick. It was like he was actually riding it. Despite actually being 3D, the graphics weren't very good, but it still seemed like an amazing game. It was a miniature world inside that glass box. If this could be combined with the best Muggle games it would sell a billion copies.
"3rd," said Ron. "Want a go, Harry?"
"OK," said Harry. He sat down in the central seat and chose his track and racer. The race began. It was harder that it looked. Harry crashed twice in the first minute. "Look where you're going," said Ron. "You're in last place."
"I AM looking where I'm going," shouted Harry. He turned back to the Tri-X. He was veering off course towards solid rock – CRASH! The sound erupted around him and everything went black.