Chapter 2
Though I have no real eyes
I see things you don't see
I know of prophecies that today have come to be
A war is just beginning, as everyone believes
The question is, all of you, on whose side will you be?
Godric Gryffindor was of brave heart
His courage knew no end
Rowena Ravenclaw was witty and smart
There was not a jinx she couldn't mend
Helga Hufflepuff was just and true
And loyal to the other three
While Salazar Slytherin was most resourceful
And cunning as could be
But think and think and think again
Of this war I have just mentioned
Shouldn't we just all be friends?
Forget past rivalries, and make amends?
And to the dear new students
You have so much yet to learn
But lesson 1: stick together
And, regardless of your house, look out for each other
Now that I have said all I need to say
No longer shall I delay in
Doing my rightful job today
Now, let the sorting begin!
Yet again, the Sorting Hat felt it its duty to give out a warning to the students. And yet again, it conveyed the same message—Stay together. Harry squirmed in his seat. He knew very well what prophecy had come true. After all he was the subject of it. He and Voldemort. The Sorting Hat probably knew the whole story, since it took residence in Dumbledore's office. Nobody else knew about it except for Professor Dumbledore and Harry. Even Voldemort did not know the whole prophecy, for if he did, he would not have made the terrible mistake he made sixteen years ago. Harry pushed his thoughts to the back of his head, not wanting to dwell on his horrible fate that was yet to come.
When Harry decided to turn his attention back to the Sorting, it was practically done. The last student, (Winston, Martha) joined the Hufflepuff table. The clapping subsided as Dumbledore got up to speak.
"Welcome to another year in Hogwarts. Let the feast begin!"
The table was filled with platters of roast pork, roast beef, turkey, ham, sausages, steak, mashed potatoes, treacle fudge, chocolate pudding, and cherry mousse. Ron, on his left side, had already started shoving down bites of turkey. Hermione, on his right, was talking to a timid first year. ("Do you have any idea how much slave labor was used to make the dinner you see before you?!") The small boy looked too alarmed to do anything but nod fervently at her, a piece of sausage halfway to his slightly open mouth. Harry snickered quietly to himself.
"'Choo laffin' about?" said a pimply-faced boy sitting across Harry. There was something familiar about that face...
"Er... you wouldn't happen to know Stan Shunpike, would you?" he asked.
"Course I do? 'E's my cousin! My name's Herbert Shunpike. You are?"
"Harry Potter."
"Not the 'Arry Potter? Stan's told me stuff 'bout choo. Rode the Knight Bus once, din' you? Said you was Neville Longbottom!"
"Yeah, that's right," Harry said, glancing nervously at Neville, four seats away from him. He wondered what Neville would say if he knew that Harry had pretended to be him.
A few minutes later, the plates were magically wiped of all food, leaving them sparkling and gold. Dumbledore got up once again, and all eyes were turned towards him.
:"Please allow me to make a few start-of-term notices before we all retire to our beds. The Forbidden Forest is out of bounds to all students. Curfew time for fifth years and above is 9:00 pm, for fourth years and below, 7:00 pm. No magic is to be used along the corridors. Quidditch matches will take place this year. The decision of team captain is for the Heads of the Houses to make."
Harry grinned as he heard the last statements. He had hoped he might become captain of the Gryffindor team this year. He was a bit nervous. After all, it was only Ron, him, Alicia and Katie on the team now. They'd have to hold tryouts soon. He glanced at Alicia and Katie across him. They grinned at him.
"You're definitely going to be captain this year," Katie said, smiling. "We don't mind, though. You deserve it more than we do."
"Thanks guys," he said.
"Well then," said Dumbledore. "Off to bed with you all!"
Harry followed the rest of the Gryffindors to the portrait of the Fat Lady.
"Bodrod the Bearded," Hermione said. The portrait swung open and people clambered in, anxious to get to bed. Ron was waiting for Harry at the foot of the stairs. Harry followed him up to their dormitory. Dean, Neville and Seamus had already collapsed onto their beds, fast asleep.
"That was some dinner we had, wasn't it?" Ron murmured sleepily. Harry yawned in reply. He flopped heavily onto his bed, removed his glasses and fell asleep at once.
He dreamt that Draco Malfoy was at a beach, and then suddenly, his face was covered in blood, and he was shouting, "This is your entire fault, Harry!" Then Dumbledore appeared, with suntan lotion on his nose. He said, "Sirius is dead, Harry. He's dead." Then Lupin appeared, wearing Dobby's tea cozy. "He is gone Harry, Let go." Harry then cried, "Riddikulus!" And everything went black.