Harry and Draco walked hand in hand into the Great Hall with Ron and Hermione and paused, looking around. They all looked rather windswept, thanks to the strong gusts blowing about outside. Draco glanced over at Harry and snickered.
"What?" Harry asked at the sound.
"Nice hair, love," Draco responded cheekily, reaching over and brushing Harry's hair out of its stuck-up style. Harry blushed and grabbed hold of Draco's hand, kissing it.
"Oh, for Merlin's sake, let's go!" Ron urged, pushing Harry and Draco towards the Gryffindor table. They took their seats at the Gryffindor table, Hermione and Ron sitting across from Harry and Draco. They watched their friends and classmates trickle in, waving and calling out when they saw good friends. Seamus and Dean made their way to sit next to Ron and Harry. Ginny, Neville, Lavender Brown, and Parvati Patil followed them and greeted the four Gryffindors already sitting. A shadow fell over the table. Harry saw Hermione and Ron glance up and grin at something. At the same time, a hand clapped down on Harry's shoulder. He looked up and grinned, the smile lighting up his whole face.
"Hagrid!"
"How are yeh, Harry?" Hagrid asked, looming over the table. "Been doin' all righ'?"
"Yeah, the holidays were all right. It picked up a lot, though, when I met Ron, Hermione, and Draco at the Leaky Cauldron," Harry told him, looking at his friends and fiancé and grinning. Hagrid looked a bit thoughtful.
"Ohhh, tha's righ'," he murmured. "Yeh an' Malfoy . . . I bloody fergo'. Well, 's long as yeh're happy, tha's all tha' matters."
He looked down the hall when he heard Professor McGonagall call his name. He nodded at Harry and the others and ambled off down towards the doors. Harry and his friends were then distracted by Luna Lovegood coming over to greet them. Harry was a little surprised she did so; she hadn't approached him or his friends since before he and Draco had gotten together last year.
"Um . . . hello, Luna," he greeted cautiously.
"You're Draco Malfoy," she said dreamily, ignoring Harry and staring a bit disconcertedly at Draco.
"Yes, I am," the blonde replied, struggling to hold in an outburst of laughter.
"Lovely," she said before turning and walking away. Draco stared after her unbelievingly for a moment before dissolving into laughter.
"Is it just me or did she become even stranger over the holidays?" Harry asked Ron and Hermione.
"Who's gotten stranger?" Ginny asked, popping up next to Ron.
"Loony Lovegood," Ron replied.
"Oh, she gets odder every year," Ginny reassured him. "Don't give it another moment's thought."
Just then, the doors to the Hall opened and perhaps fifty scared little eleven-year-olds hurried in, clustered together as they followed Professor McGonagall's billowing emerald robes to the front of the Hall, where a three-legged wooden stool stood, a tattered black wizard's ht perched atop it. She stopped and motioned for the soon-to-be first years to do the same. She then gestured for them to turn their attention to the ratty hat. The rest of the Hall was already watching it eagerly. Uncertainly, the new students did the same. The hat twitched once or twice before the familiar rip opened at the brim of the hat.
"A tale has been told
To the young and the old
Of great wizards in all the world's view
But they lack, you see
What is known by me
And now shall divulge unto you.
Years ago before
My time and yours
Four talented minds sat down
Silk robes wore two
A dress of blue
And the last wore a purple gown.
They started to think
And before I could blink
They decided to start Hogwarts School
I loudly protest
They call me a pest
And proceed to call me 'Old fool' "
Harry and Draco grinned at each other. The Hat seemed to enjoy its moment in the spotlight every year.
"I soon stopped my yelling
They then started telling
All of their friends their new job
School was in session
But stop my regression
The four were attacked by a mob
They decided to send
A letter to mend
Their mistake in declaring public school
They swore to hide
The school and bide
Their time-that's their first rule
The four, it seemed,
Could not be deemed
The best of friends they were
They bickered and fought
And constantly wrought
Chaos between them, for sure
They prized different students
Of this, they thought prudent
And made their own Houses for them
To choose who goes where
With some thought and some flair
I was to decide where to put them
Those that were brave,
Smart, loyal, and gave
In Gryffindor's House they'd go
If they were kind
And patient they'd find
In Hufflepuff there's a show
Those that have smarts
And an eye for the arts
They'll be in Ravenclaw, for sure
With cunning and dreams
And skillful in means
You'll be shown Slytherin's door
You have nothing to lose
By placing me on your head
I know where you go
To you I'll show
For I'm the Sorting Hat, I said."
The Hat finished its song to tumultuous applause, as it received every year when it finished. After a few moments, Professor McGonagall stepped up to the foreground and called everyone's attention to her.
"Now, when I call your name, step up to the stool. I shall place the Sorting Hat on your head and then, we shall see where you belong," the Transfiguration professor instructed, unrolling a scroll of parchment. "Aaron, Rachel!"
A small, blonde girl with pigtails scurried up to the stool and eagerly sat down. The Hat was silent for a minute before shouting, "HUFFLEPUFF!"
Rachel jumped down and ran to her new house.
"Ackroyd, Charles!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Birch, Melissa!"
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Branfield, Briana!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
The voices of Professor McGonagall and the Hat droned on. Most of the school began zoning out, clapping automatically whenever a House was called. Hermione, as always, paid rapt attention. Her boyfriend's interest, however, wandered. Ron was talking animatedly with Seamus and Neville, sitting next to him. Draco's head had dropped onto Harry's shoulder and it appeared the blonde young man had actually fallen asleep. Harry lightly kissed his head and joined in his friends' conversation. After about ten minutes, the role-call began to wind down.
"Weatherby, Mark!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"Williams, Jennifer!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Yen, Sarah!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Zoia, Matthew!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll as Zoia comma Matthew ran to the Gryffindor table. She moved the stool to the side of the table and sat down. Professor Dumbledore stood up.
"Welcome, students old and new, to another year at Hogwarts!" he greeted, holding his arms wide. The students applauded while Ron groaned quietly. Harry, Draco and Hermione looked at him.
"What's wrong?" Draco hissed.
"Oh, I'm bloody starving!" the redhead moaned. "He can't be planning on making one of his bloody long speeches now?!"
"While there is a time and place for speeches, this is not it," Dumbledore continued, his sparkling eyes landing on the Gryffindor table. Ron looked hopefully back at him. "At the moment, I believe we all need a bit of food warming our insides. So . . . my friends, I bid you bon appetit!"
At his words, the golden plates and bowls filled to the brim with delicious looking foods. Ron sighed in happiness as he sank his teeth into a roasted chicken drumstick.
" 'F ee uz-oof, 'd arry Dumbl-ore ight ow," he told his friends blissfully, his mouth full to bursting. Harry, Hermione, and Draco stared at him openmouthed.
"What?" Hermione asked him, repulsed.
"I said, if I was a pouf, I'd marry Dumbledore right now," Ron repeated after swallowing his impossibly large mouthful. Harry shook his head at his friend.