CHAPTER 9
They headed towards the castle and were worried to see that it was Professor McGonnagal who was herding the first years into the boats so they could traditionally cross the lake.
"Where d'you think Hagrid is?" Neville asked as he watched Professor McGonnagal now climbing carefully into a boat herself.
"Dunno." Said Ron and Harry together. "Maybe he's on another... journey." Said Ron hastily with a warning look from Hermione.
"Yeah," said Harry. "Probably."
They arrived at the Entrance Hall to find that once again, Peeves was the centre of the chaos. He was dive bombing a group of third year boys who were all grinning and egging him on. The new students had just arrived, many of them looking wet, no doubt from the lake.
. They entered the Great Hall and sat down at the Gryffindor house table. The enchanted ceiling above them twinkled with stars. They looked over at the teachers table to see Albus Dumbledore, Sitting next to a good looking, tall man with brownish blond hair, know with a slightly glazed look about him, as though he were looking straight through Dumbledore at Professor Flitwick who was sitting on Dumbledore's other side. "That must be Luna's Dad!" Hissed Hermione, looking at Professor Lovegood herself. Harry could see the resemblance between him and Luna now. Harry turned to face Colin and Dennis Creevy who were whispering his name from down the table.
"Do you know that man Harry!" Hissed Colin he also gazing at Mr Lovegood as he chatted happily to Dumbledore.
"Er, no." Said Harry, turning to look at the new students. Pierres was unmistakable right at the end of the que, grinning over at Malfoy and looking rather bored. Ron yawned loudly. Finally Dumbledore stood up and the whole of the great hall fell silent.
"Welcome back to another year at Hogwarts." He said smiling at the students. "And for some," he looked over at the new students who were all eyeing him nervously. "This will be our first year. I would like to introduce to you, our new Defence against the Dark Arts teacher." He indicated to Professor Lovegood. "This is Professor Lovegood everyone." Professor Lovegood stood up modestly while everyone clapped. Harry could see many people staring in awe at Luna who blushed furiously and sunk down in her chair. "Now," continued Dumbledore, "Let the sorting begin!" Everyone looked over to the sorting hat that was sitting on the stool as usual. It opened its mouth wide and began its song:
(NOTE: Sorry If I got some of this from the books, I wouldn't want to offend the JK so sorry if its copyright ;-) )
Many Hundred Years ago, I said to you before, Hogwarts founders walked among us, In total they were four.
Said Gryffindor; the boldest were the ones mighty and just, Said Ravenclaw, the cleverest, to teach them, we must, Said Hufflepuff, I'll have them all, I won't have favourites from the throng, Said Slytherin; the ambitious ones will take over once I'm gone.
In past years, at Hogwarts school, We've created many great Wizards or witches, You see, at Hogwarts School, it's courage or virtue, It's not all about the riches.
You may belong in Gryffindor, And turn out to be brave, Or maybe you're a Slytherin, Ambition they do crave.
Or perhaps you are a Hufflepuff, Who are just and true, Or maybe you're a Ravenclaw, The cleverest, maybe you.
You'll never know if you don't try me on, I'm clear as crystal you see, The sorting hat will find your house, That sorting hat is me.
Everyone applauded the hat as it ended, Harry could see many people whispering to their neighbours across the table.
When they looked back at the hat, a nervous looking first year girl with ginger hair was pulling it on. The hat fell silent for a moment then yelled, "Hufflepuff!" The girl, looking pleased, hurried off to the Hufflepuff table and a small boy pulled on the hat so it fell over his eyes. At once the hat yelled, "Gryffindor!" Harry cheered with the rest of the Gryffindor's as the small boy sat down at the far end near Colin and Dennis Creevy. After "Orion Sue" had been sorted into Ravenclaw and "Peters Kevin" into Hufflepuff, Pierres Polkins stepped confidently forward, running a hand through his hair to make it spike up. He pulled on the hat and Harry could hear it whispering faintly as the whole of the Great Hall watched, waiting for the hat's decision. "Hmmm," The hat whispered. "Yes, yes I think it should be..." Harry could see Pierres was anything but thinking of the house he wanted to be in, if anything he looked rather bored. Harry saw him catch Malfoy's eyes and grin at him. "Oh," The hat whispered. "No, no, Well, I suppose, mmmm...SLYTHERIN!"
Harry saw Pierres smirk at Malfoy then watched as he slipped away over to the Slytherin table, who were all applauding. Harry turned round to see a golden plate had appeared in front of him. He was in the process of piling liberal amounts of mashed potato onto his plate when he saw Seamus look nervously over Harry's left shoulder. "Leave the spuds Harry," hissed Seamus, "You've got a visitor." Harry turned to see Professor McGonnagal hurry over to him clutching a note in her hand.
"Potter, Weasley," She said indicating at Harry and Ginny. "I am sorry to disrupt the feast, but I believe serious magic was done just yesterday at the Burrow." Harry and Ginny exchanged nervous looks. "Surely I don't have to tell you Potter," she said eyeing Harry angrily, "that this is very serious. You are both underage wizards."
"Sorry Professor," said Ginny getting to her feet looking very shaken. "It was my fault."
"Yes, I know that!" Snapped Professor McGonnagal. "Well anyway, you must understand that-" She was stopped in mid speech by Ginny flinging down her fork and dashing out of the great hall. Professor McGonnagal hastily put down the two notes she had been carrying and hurried off.
"What was all that about?" Asked Ron. All eyes were still on the Gryffindor table.
"I dunno." Said Harry. "It's really odd isn't it?" People were starting to chat amongst themselves again. Harry turned to the notes professor McGonnagal had left. Ron leant over to read them.
"Oh, at least it's only detentions." Said Ron with a sigh. "It could be worse you know."
"Yeah." Said Harry. "Yeah I suppose."
They went up to the Gryffindor Common room that night feeling exhausted. Ginny was sitting in the corner of the common room. They approached her. She was still looking very upset. A large trunk lay beside her. "What's up?" Ron asked her.
"Oh as if you don't know!" Ginny howled. "Don't try and make me feel better Ron!" She buried her head in her knees again. "I was hoping she wouldn't know." Ginny moaned.
"What's all this?" Said Ron indicating at the large trunk sitting by Ginny. He fumbled inside. "Ginny-" He said now laughing.
Harry, realising what Ginny was so upset about laughed too. "We're not expelled Ginny!" He said grinning at her as she sat up, looking amazed.
"But last time you did magic-"
"Yeah, it is odd, but what are we complaining about?" Said Harry cheerfully, handing Ginny the note, who was looking very relieved.
"Well in that case," said Ginny now smiling at Harry, "I'll go and unpack my trunk." She hurried off up the stairs.
"It's a bit strange isn't it," said Ron. "Well I suppose it is the first time for Ginny, but you Harry-" Hermione entered the common room looking flushed.
"Oh, there you are." She panted. "Where's Ginny?"
"Up there." Grinned Ron jabbing his thumb girl dormitory direction, "would you believe this Hermione, she thought,"
"Yes, yes I know." Said Hermione frowning. "It's very odd isn't it."
They headed towards the castle and were worried to see that it was Professor McGonnagal who was herding the first years into the boats so they could traditionally cross the lake.
"Where d'you think Hagrid is?" Neville asked as he watched Professor McGonnagal now climbing carefully into a boat herself.
"Dunno." Said Ron and Harry together. "Maybe he's on another... journey." Said Ron hastily with a warning look from Hermione.
"Yeah," said Harry. "Probably."
They arrived at the Entrance Hall to find that once again, Peeves was the centre of the chaos. He was dive bombing a group of third year boys who were all grinning and egging him on. The new students had just arrived, many of them looking wet, no doubt from the lake.
. They entered the Great Hall and sat down at the Gryffindor house table. The enchanted ceiling above them twinkled with stars. They looked over at the teachers table to see Albus Dumbledore, Sitting next to a good looking, tall man with brownish blond hair, know with a slightly glazed look about him, as though he were looking straight through Dumbledore at Professor Flitwick who was sitting on Dumbledore's other side. "That must be Luna's Dad!" Hissed Hermione, looking at Professor Lovegood herself. Harry could see the resemblance between him and Luna now. Harry turned to face Colin and Dennis Creevy who were whispering his name from down the table.
"Do you know that man Harry!" Hissed Colin he also gazing at Mr Lovegood as he chatted happily to Dumbledore.
"Er, no." Said Harry, turning to look at the new students. Pierres was unmistakable right at the end of the que, grinning over at Malfoy and looking rather bored. Ron yawned loudly. Finally Dumbledore stood up and the whole of the great hall fell silent.
"Welcome back to another year at Hogwarts." He said smiling at the students. "And for some," he looked over at the new students who were all eyeing him nervously. "This will be our first year. I would like to introduce to you, our new Defence against the Dark Arts teacher." He indicated to Professor Lovegood. "This is Professor Lovegood everyone." Professor Lovegood stood up modestly while everyone clapped. Harry could see many people staring in awe at Luna who blushed furiously and sunk down in her chair. "Now," continued Dumbledore, "Let the sorting begin!" Everyone looked over to the sorting hat that was sitting on the stool as usual. It opened its mouth wide and began its song:
(NOTE: Sorry If I got some of this from the books, I wouldn't want to offend the JK so sorry if its copyright ;-) )
Many Hundred Years ago, I said to you before, Hogwarts founders walked among us, In total they were four.
Said Gryffindor; the boldest were the ones mighty and just, Said Ravenclaw, the cleverest, to teach them, we must, Said Hufflepuff, I'll have them all, I won't have favourites from the throng, Said Slytherin; the ambitious ones will take over once I'm gone.
In past years, at Hogwarts school, We've created many great Wizards or witches, You see, at Hogwarts School, it's courage or virtue, It's not all about the riches.
You may belong in Gryffindor, And turn out to be brave, Or maybe you're a Slytherin, Ambition they do crave.
Or perhaps you are a Hufflepuff, Who are just and true, Or maybe you're a Ravenclaw, The cleverest, maybe you.
You'll never know if you don't try me on, I'm clear as crystal you see, The sorting hat will find your house, That sorting hat is me.
Everyone applauded the hat as it ended, Harry could see many people whispering to their neighbours across the table.
When they looked back at the hat, a nervous looking first year girl with ginger hair was pulling it on. The hat fell silent for a moment then yelled, "Hufflepuff!" The girl, looking pleased, hurried off to the Hufflepuff table and a small boy pulled on the hat so it fell over his eyes. At once the hat yelled, "Gryffindor!" Harry cheered with the rest of the Gryffindor's as the small boy sat down at the far end near Colin and Dennis Creevy. After "Orion Sue" had been sorted into Ravenclaw and "Peters Kevin" into Hufflepuff, Pierres Polkins stepped confidently forward, running a hand through his hair to make it spike up. He pulled on the hat and Harry could hear it whispering faintly as the whole of the Great Hall watched, waiting for the hat's decision. "Hmmm," The hat whispered. "Yes, yes I think it should be..." Harry could see Pierres was anything but thinking of the house he wanted to be in, if anything he looked rather bored. Harry saw him catch Malfoy's eyes and grin at him. "Oh," The hat whispered. "No, no, Well, I suppose, mmmm...SLYTHERIN!"
Harry saw Pierres smirk at Malfoy then watched as he slipped away over to the Slytherin table, who were all applauding. Harry turned round to see a golden plate had appeared in front of him. He was in the process of piling liberal amounts of mashed potato onto his plate when he saw Seamus look nervously over Harry's left shoulder. "Leave the spuds Harry," hissed Seamus, "You've got a visitor." Harry turned to see Professor McGonnagal hurry over to him clutching a note in her hand.
"Potter, Weasley," She said indicating at Harry and Ginny. "I am sorry to disrupt the feast, but I believe serious magic was done just yesterday at the Burrow." Harry and Ginny exchanged nervous looks. "Surely I don't have to tell you Potter," she said eyeing Harry angrily, "that this is very serious. You are both underage wizards."
"Sorry Professor," said Ginny getting to her feet looking very shaken. "It was my fault."
"Yes, I know that!" Snapped Professor McGonnagal. "Well anyway, you must understand that-" She was stopped in mid speech by Ginny flinging down her fork and dashing out of the great hall. Professor McGonnagal hastily put down the two notes she had been carrying and hurried off.
"What was all that about?" Asked Ron. All eyes were still on the Gryffindor table.
"I dunno." Said Harry. "It's really odd isn't it?" People were starting to chat amongst themselves again. Harry turned to the notes professor McGonnagal had left. Ron leant over to read them.
"Oh, at least it's only detentions." Said Ron with a sigh. "It could be worse you know."
"Yeah." Said Harry. "Yeah I suppose."
They went up to the Gryffindor Common room that night feeling exhausted. Ginny was sitting in the corner of the common room. They approached her. She was still looking very upset. A large trunk lay beside her. "What's up?" Ron asked her.
"Oh as if you don't know!" Ginny howled. "Don't try and make me feel better Ron!" She buried her head in her knees again. "I was hoping she wouldn't know." Ginny moaned.
"What's all this?" Said Ron indicating at the large trunk sitting by Ginny. He fumbled inside. "Ginny-" He said now laughing.
Harry, realising what Ginny was so upset about laughed too. "We're not expelled Ginny!" He said grinning at her as she sat up, looking amazed.
"But last time you did magic-"
"Yeah, it is odd, but what are we complaining about?" Said Harry cheerfully, handing Ginny the note, who was looking very relieved.
"Well in that case," said Ginny now smiling at Harry, "I'll go and unpack my trunk." She hurried off up the stairs.
"It's a bit strange isn't it," said Ron. "Well I suppose it is the first time for Ginny, but you Harry-" Hermione entered the common room looking flushed.
"Oh, there you are." She panted. "Where's Ginny?"
"Up there." Grinned Ron jabbing his thumb girl dormitory direction, "would you believe this Hermione, she thought,"
"Yes, yes I know." Said Hermione frowning. "It's very odd isn't it."