Chapter Four – The Evening Feast And Fantastic Surprises!

Once the Sorting had finished and the Welcoming Feast was underway, filling the Great Hall with excited chatter and noise, Harry turned to Ron and whispered, "Those girls, the new three, how do you reckon they get Sorted?"

Ron shrugged, "Hard to say. I'm thinking Dumbledore might just put them into their own Houses of choice. Or maybe put them somewhere personally. Home schooling wizardry is uncommon – it only happens with very rich families. And transfers, well, that's just as odd..."

"I think it'd be a bit callous to let them pick their own House, Dumbledore will assign them somewhere, I'd have thought!" declared Hermione as she nibbled her way around a slice of ham and mushroom quiche, "Although I DO hope we get that Elisabeth girl. She seems quite studious and determined. It'd be nice to have a serious study partner!"

Grinning into their food, Harry and Ron kept their heads low, when Dumbledore's voice rang out suddenly across the Hall, "One more thing, everyone!" called the flowing silvery haired wizard who had been the Head of Hogwarts for many years now, "It is my pleasure to announce that FIVE new students will be joining us this term!"

"FIVE?" squealed Hannah Abbot over at the Hufflepuff table.

"Yes, Miss Abbot!" replied Dumbledore with his eyes twinkling, "Four transfer students. Two from Marchpeace Witches' Academy in the Swiss Alps! Miss Emily Theroux and Miss Elisabeth Crowe, would you both like to stand up? Excellent. Now, Miss Emma Farrell, yes Miss Abbot," and Hannah who blushed red clamped her hands over her mouth following her loud whispering, "A young lady who has until now been taught at home. Our final two transfer students are from the Lancebeck Wizarding Outpost at the North Pole. Would Andrew LaSalle and Kathryn Routille stand up please?"

With the five now standing, Dumbledore called for utmost silence, "Each house will have one transfer student, bar one which will get two. I want you all to make them feel at home. They are now students at Hogwarts just like any of you! After discussing at great length with the staff members, it has all been decided. Elisabeth Crowe, you will be in Gryffindor! Kathryn Routille, you shall be in Ravenclaw. Emma, you will also be in Gryffindor. Emily, you shall join Hufflepuff. And finally, Andrew, you shall be in Slytherin! Would you all please join your House tables?"

The five, who until then had been seated in a parallel table to the teachers, stood and hurried away. The Gryffindors all clapped and cheered as Elisabeth and Emma sat down, Hermione eagerly gesturing for Elisabeth to sit close to her, while Ginny and Seamus parted to let Emma sit down...

At the Slytherin table, Andrew walked forwards and narrowed his eyes at Crabbe and Goyle.

"Excuse me..." he said, then stood perfectly still.

Malfoy, with an expression of amused interest, turned and leaned back, watching the proceedings.

"Move," said Andrew quietly, to Crabbe and then Goyle.

The two, who had more in common with trolls than men, stood and cracked their knuckles threateningly. Many had glimpsed them from a distance and hurried away – but there had been none who'd ever stared Crabbe and Goyle in the face then survived intact to tell the tale. The two took a single step closer and, smiling sweetly. Andrew slipped into their space. Then, he turned and said, "I'd like a bit of civility next time. Learn from that." And, turning to Malfoy, Andrew announced, "Andrew, Andrew LaSalle!"

"Malfoy," drawled Malfoy, "Draco... So, the North Pole?"

Andrew smiled, "Only temporarily. My family have researched wizarding ways in the Frozen North for the past two or three hundred years. Its how we made our fortune. Terribly dull, but there's some fascinating stuff to find out!"

Malfoy grinned, "I'm sure. I must admit, it takes guts to stand up to those two. Tell me, do you like Quidditch?"

"This is wonderful!" squealed Hermione as she walked arm in arm with Elisabeth up the corridor, "We can do our homework together. This'll be great!"

"Sure!" replied Elisabeth.

They stopped before the portrait of the Fat Lady, who smiled warmly down at them, "Evening dears! Password please!"

"Flying Frenchman!" declared Hermione, then she politely helped Elisabeth through into the Gryffindor Common Room.

Through past the warm fire where Emma and Ron were already playing Wizard Chess, Hermione showed Elisabeth up into the girl's dormitory and settled her down on the newly added four poster bed, which already had all of her luggage on top.

"I'm sure you'll love Hogwarts!" said Hermione, "Everyone here's so nice. Well," she muttered, "Almost everyone..."

Then, dismissing her gloomy comment with an airy laugh, they set about unpacking, sorting everything away so that by the time Emma came up yawning cheerily, they were already in their nightgowns and getting ready for bed.

"You two alright?" called Emma, "Everything sorted?"

Elisabeth smiled shyly and nodded.

"Did you have fun?" asked Hermione, "With Ron and Harry?"

Emma shot the two girls a wicked grin, "That Ron's a cutie, ain't he? Dead fit, that one..."

"Really?" asked Hermione curiously, as though the thought of Ron being attractive was thoroughly bizarre, "Well, I'm sure..."

Emma burst out laughing, "Your face, hun! Nah, the boy's alright. Funny. And friendly. I can tell I'm gonna like it here!"

With full stomachs and cheery hearts, the students all settled down to bed, fires dimming, candles snuffing out, people everywhere crawling into bed...

"Albus, how can you be so secure in your choices?" asked Professor McGonogall nervously, "You never seem to worry!"

Drowning the last of his cocoa, Dumbledore smiled warmly, "Minerva... Confidence is what makes choice work. Every choice can fail, but if you're determined to make it work, it'll work!"

The Transfiguration teacher hung her head a little then smiled wanly, "Well, at least its all happening under our noses. But can we be sure it'll all work out well in the end?"

"Minerva, if we had that assurance, we wouldn't have to prepare for difficulties," sighed Dumbledore, "And we can never have that assurance. So for now, please, concentrate on teaching the students as best you can, keep their minds on their schoolwork and worry about nothing else!"

Minerva McGonogall nodded, sighed and stepped from Dumbledore's study. Of course she was being a silly old woman. Nothing to worry about. Not at all. Even though – even though she had seen a brief swish of black cloth sweep past the window and the glint of silver in the moonlight.

This school year was going to be trouble...