James did not get to sit next to the pretty red-head, but managed a seat across from Remus and Sirius, next to Peter. Looking down at the table, set for a king, he clutched his stomach as a roaring noise issued from it. He had not realized how hungry he was in all the excitement.

Professor Albus Dumbledore stood up from his throne behind the staff table when McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away having just have finished the Sorting Ceremony. The Great Hall fell silent as he cast a warm smile around at his students.

"Welcome!" he said in his soft, clear voice. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts!" A silence so intense filled the hall, James thought his eardrums would burst. "Before the feast begins, I have a few words. Ordo est prognatus in septem annus! Thank you!"

James didn't know whether or not to laugh. A few classmates who obviously knew Latin or whatever language in which he had spoken were mumbling as they mindlessly banged their hands together, but despite the hiss of questions, Dumbledore, not only seemed oblivious, but unaffected.

The golden platters before them which had been empty moments before had suddenly filled with food. James's mouth was open, smiling. He wanted to eat absolutely everything on the table, from the roast chicken to the peppermint humbugs (his mum had never let him try them before). His face was so stuffed with food he didn't even realize when a pearly white figure made its way to the table and took a seat next to him until James's hand passed through the ghost as he repositioned himself on the bench.

"Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington. Pleasure to meet you," said the ghost, smiling down at James. "Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower. I'd shake hands, but … well—" He looked down gloomily at his transparent hands.

"Wait," said James, a chicken leg halfway to his mouth. "My dad told me about you— you're Nearly Headless Nick!" he exclaimed.

Peter dropped the lamb chops he had been devouring, trying to eat the same way as Sirius, who was completely unaware that anything was happening, his focus on how much food he could shovel into his mouth and how quickly he could swallow it. "N- n-" He swallowed. "Nearly Headless?"

"How can you be Nearly Headless?" asked Remus, tearing at a piece of pork.

"Every blood year," he mumbled to himself. He took a great chunk of his hair in a fist and pulled his head down to rest on his shoulder, revealing a somewhat severed neck. He had obviously not been beheaded properly.

"What happened!" said Remus, his appetite gone and his unfinished dinner resting in his plate. He had paled significantly at the site of the inside of Nick's meaty neck.

"Must stop sitting with the first years," he said to himself.

"Sorry?" said Peter, leaning in.

"Nothing. It's, well, it's a long story."

"We got time," said James, tacking another bite of potatoes.

"I was afraid of that. Well!" He cleared his throat, making it quite clear to the new Gryffindors who were listening that he was about to recite a story which he had rehearsed and performed many times before them. He took a deep breath and looked into space dramatically, his hand on his heart, then deflated and said, "Now, this was originally a song, so it's in poem form, so you'll excuse me." James nodded and Nearly Headless Nick took another deep breath, exhaled and said, "If you don't like it, just be sure to tell me and I can always change it, you know."

"Just get on with it!" yelled James impatiently.

"Right, right. OK." And Nearly Headless Nick's tragic story of his decapitation began.

"It was a mistake any wizard could make

Who was tired and caught on the hop

One piffling error, and then, to my terror,

I found myself facing the chop.

Alas for the eve when I met Lady Grieve

A-strolling the park in the dusk!

She was of the belief I could straighten her teeth

Next moment she'd sprouted a tusk.

I cried through the night that I'd soon put her right

But the process of justice was lax;

They'd brought out the block, though they mislaid the rock

Where they usually sharpened the axe.

Next morning at dawn, with a face most forlorn,

The priest said to try not to cry,

"You can come just like that, no, you won't need a hat,"

And I knew that my end must be nigh.

The man in the mask who would have the sad task

Of cleaving my head from my neck,

Said "Nick, if you please, will you get to your knees,"

And I turned to a gibbering wreck.

"This may sting a bit" said the cack-handed twit

As he swung the axe up in the air,

But oh the blunt blade! No difference it made,

My head was still definitely there.

The axeman he hacked and he whacked and he thwacked,

"Won't be too long", he assured me,

But quick it was not, and the bone-headed clot

Took forty-five goes 'til he floored me.

And so I was dead, but my faithful old head

It never saw fit to desert me,

It still lingers on, that's the end of my song,

And now, please applaud, or you'll hurt me."

There was a slight stunned silence after Nearly Headless Nick finished his poem, and then a few feeble claps.

Sirius looked up from his plate, gravy dribbling down his chin and staining his fingers. Seeing several clapping students and a sheepishly smiling ghost, he frowned and said, "What?"

OK, so it's short and most of it was written by JK (the song - ) but it's a fast update and the chapter had to be put in there. i mean, you can't very well skip the opening feast, can you?

that's what I thought.

So, review, and the next chapter will be more interesting. Btw, you should try to find a latin english dictionary and translate the latin phrase dumbledore says. it's like
the most obvious foreshadowing ever, so take a look. tell me in your review if you cant find it or if you're too lazy.