CHAPTER 3 - Back to School Again
The riddle of the sliver wolf was still the main topic of conversation as the trio left the train and got into the horseless carriages that took them up to the castle. It hadn't changed one bit. They sat down at the Gryffindor table, all the time greeting their friends.
Harry scanned the top table and saw all the usual faces - Dumbledore, with perhaps a few worry lines on his face, Flitwick, Sprout and the rest. Snape was looking as malevolent as was normal. There was an empty chair - the Defence Against the Dark Arts position had apparently not been filled - along with McGonagall's seat. She must be meeting the first years at the entrance. Some things really never change.
'Speak of the devil,' Harry thought as every head in the Great Hall turned to see Professor McGonagall leading the new students straight down the centre. All the first years looked rather pale and nervous except for the odd one or two who looked like nothing on this earth could possibly faze them.
Professor McGonagall placed an old, battered hat on an equally old and battered stool. It was always fun to see the new kids react when the hat opened what appeared to be a rip near the brim and being to sing:
'Oh, I may not be handsome,
My skin holds no surprise,
But I'll pay a king's ransom
For a hat more old and wise.
The Founders four they made me
When their task here was done,
To carry on their dynasty,
Of their Houses once they were gone.
In Ravenclaw the pupils are
High flyers to the core,
In Ravenclaw you will get far
If intelligence you store.
In Hufflepuff, Fair Hufflepuff,
The zealous find their place,
For the steady and the tough
Whose diligence is their grace.
In Slytherin the aspiring
Will find they fit in best,
For those keen folk are desiring
To outstrip all the rest.
Or maybe yet in Gryffindor
Is where your heart rings true,
Where those lions of valour
Will do their best for you.
So put me on and don't be shy
To find where you belong,
And see within whose House you'll fly
For I am seldom wrong.'
The Great Hall immediately burst into applause, which just as quickly died down as Professor McGonagall unrolled the parchment of names and lifted the Sorting Hat off the stool.
'Aaron, Jeremy!'
A thin, strawberry-blonde boy walked tremblingly up to the stool. The Sorting Hat was placed on his head and announced as 'GRYFFINDOR!', the Gryffindor table erupted into cheers and the year truly began.
To be honest, Harry wasn't really paying much attention, he was lost in his own daydreams. He clapped when Ron did, but didn't hear the names of those who joined Gryffindor House. It wasn't until McGonagall read one name out that he woke up a bit.
'Finnigan, Aisling!'
'Seamus, is she anything to do with you?' Ron asked.
'Aye, she's my little sister.'
Harry looked at the girl now mounting the platform and liked her immediately. She had chestnut brown hair with red streaks working their way through it and stunning grey eyes. She was confidently smiling, she obviously didn't care which house she was put into, but the grin grew wider when the hat shouted 'RAVENCLAW!'
'She was always the smart one, so my Mam always said, she'll be well pleased!'
The Sorting continued and the column grew shorter as the newbies found their places at the house tables. With 'Zacher, Allesandra!' 'SLYTHERIN!' the Sorting was done and Professor McGonagall removed both stool and hat. When she returned and took her seat at the top table, Professor Dumbledore stood up.
'Welcome, students new and old. Before we eat I must make a couple of announcements. The Dark Forest is out of bounds to all students, as are the castle corridors at night. These rules will be more strictly enforced this year due to exceptional circumstances.'
Harry didn't need any further explanation, nor did any who were at Hogwarts at the end of last year. There were a few loud sniffs as those who had known Cedric Diggory well still got tearful at the vaguest mention of his murder last year. Only the first years looked a bit baffled. The Ministry still hadn't released the information about Voldemort's return. Harry could imagine from what Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic, had said while he was in the Hospital Wing that probably very few of the Ministry officials, including Fudge himself, believed that He Who Must Not Be Named had returned. God help them all when he made it known to the world.
'As yet we have no Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, ('I wonder why,' Ron whispered to Harry,) so I myself shall be filling that position, along with a very good teacher whom most of you already know, until a permanent teacher can be found.' Harry couldn't help noticing the smug look on Snape's pointed face. 'I have only one thing left to say - Tuck in!'
The gold plates in front of them filled immediately with the most delicious looking food. Everyone helped themselves to their favourites and talked to their friends, indulging in all the luxuries that Hogwarts had to offer.
As Harry closed the curtains of his four-poster bed that night, he couldn't help thinking how much he felt like he was home and that there was no safer or better place he would rather be.
The riddle of the sliver wolf was still the main topic of conversation as the trio left the train and got into the horseless carriages that took them up to the castle. It hadn't changed one bit. They sat down at the Gryffindor table, all the time greeting their friends.
Harry scanned the top table and saw all the usual faces - Dumbledore, with perhaps a few worry lines on his face, Flitwick, Sprout and the rest. Snape was looking as malevolent as was normal. There was an empty chair - the Defence Against the Dark Arts position had apparently not been filled - along with McGonagall's seat. She must be meeting the first years at the entrance. Some things really never change.
'Speak of the devil,' Harry thought as every head in the Great Hall turned to see Professor McGonagall leading the new students straight down the centre. All the first years looked rather pale and nervous except for the odd one or two who looked like nothing on this earth could possibly faze them.
Professor McGonagall placed an old, battered hat on an equally old and battered stool. It was always fun to see the new kids react when the hat opened what appeared to be a rip near the brim and being to sing:
'Oh, I may not be handsome,
My skin holds no surprise,
But I'll pay a king's ransom
For a hat more old and wise.
The Founders four they made me
When their task here was done,
To carry on their dynasty,
Of their Houses once they were gone.
In Ravenclaw the pupils are
High flyers to the core,
In Ravenclaw you will get far
If intelligence you store.
In Hufflepuff, Fair Hufflepuff,
The zealous find their place,
For the steady and the tough
Whose diligence is their grace.
In Slytherin the aspiring
Will find they fit in best,
For those keen folk are desiring
To outstrip all the rest.
Or maybe yet in Gryffindor
Is where your heart rings true,
Where those lions of valour
Will do their best for you.
So put me on and don't be shy
To find where you belong,
And see within whose House you'll fly
For I am seldom wrong.'
The Great Hall immediately burst into applause, which just as quickly died down as Professor McGonagall unrolled the parchment of names and lifted the Sorting Hat off the stool.
'Aaron, Jeremy!'
A thin, strawberry-blonde boy walked tremblingly up to the stool. The Sorting Hat was placed on his head and announced as 'GRYFFINDOR!', the Gryffindor table erupted into cheers and the year truly began.
To be honest, Harry wasn't really paying much attention, he was lost in his own daydreams. He clapped when Ron did, but didn't hear the names of those who joined Gryffindor House. It wasn't until McGonagall read one name out that he woke up a bit.
'Finnigan, Aisling!'
'Seamus, is she anything to do with you?' Ron asked.
'Aye, she's my little sister.'
Harry looked at the girl now mounting the platform and liked her immediately. She had chestnut brown hair with red streaks working their way through it and stunning grey eyes. She was confidently smiling, she obviously didn't care which house she was put into, but the grin grew wider when the hat shouted 'RAVENCLAW!'
'She was always the smart one, so my Mam always said, she'll be well pleased!'
The Sorting continued and the column grew shorter as the newbies found their places at the house tables. With 'Zacher, Allesandra!' 'SLYTHERIN!' the Sorting was done and Professor McGonagall removed both stool and hat. When she returned and took her seat at the top table, Professor Dumbledore stood up.
'Welcome, students new and old. Before we eat I must make a couple of announcements. The Dark Forest is out of bounds to all students, as are the castle corridors at night. These rules will be more strictly enforced this year due to exceptional circumstances.'
Harry didn't need any further explanation, nor did any who were at Hogwarts at the end of last year. There were a few loud sniffs as those who had known Cedric Diggory well still got tearful at the vaguest mention of his murder last year. Only the first years looked a bit baffled. The Ministry still hadn't released the information about Voldemort's return. Harry could imagine from what Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic, had said while he was in the Hospital Wing that probably very few of the Ministry officials, including Fudge himself, believed that He Who Must Not Be Named had returned. God help them all when he made it known to the world.
'As yet we have no Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, ('I wonder why,' Ron whispered to Harry,) so I myself shall be filling that position, along with a very good teacher whom most of you already know, until a permanent teacher can be found.' Harry couldn't help noticing the smug look on Snape's pointed face. 'I have only one thing left to say - Tuck in!'
The gold plates in front of them filled immediately with the most delicious looking food. Everyone helped themselves to their favourites and talked to their friends, indulging in all the luxuries that Hogwarts had to offer.
As Harry closed the curtains of his four-poster bed that night, he couldn't help thinking how much he felt like he was home and that there was no safer or better place he would rather be.