After the dinner had been magically cleared, leaving the gold plates as clean as they had been before, the Great Hall was packed with desserts beyond imagination. Even though James had filled himself to the brim with dinner foods, he still managed to take seconds of everything, though he proved no match for Sirius. When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the desserts, too, disappeared and Professor Dumbledore stood up again, resettling the Great Hall into a more familiar silence.
"I realize that you are all anxious to get to bed and digest all the wonderful foods, but I'm afraid I must borrow you for a few more moments before releasing you. Some simple start-of-term notices.
"First years should be warned that the forest on the grounds of the castle is forbidden to all students, and a few of our elder students must be reminded of that as well."
Dumbledore paused, his eyes twinkling.
"I have also been asked by Mr Filch to remind you that no magic is to be used in the corridors between classes and the list of all forbidden items has been posted on his office door and shall be further posted in all common rooms.
"Quidditch trials will be held during the second week of term. Anyone interested in trying out should contact Madame Hooch.
"As well, I regret to inform you that our previous Grounds Keeper, Ogg, has retired. On a higher note, I would like to introduce our new Keeper of Keys and Grounds of Hogwarts, Mr Rubeus Hagrid!"
A giant of a man who James recognized had led the boats to Hogwarts for the first years – which he had not ridden, being sent directly to McGonagall's office for detention with Sirius and Remus – stood up, knocking over a few goblets on the table. He had a large friendly face hidden behind a bushy beard and a wild tangle of hair atop his head, but his beetle-black eyes shone with an innocence which strangely reminded James of his mother. After the feeble applause died down, Rubeus Hagrid took his seat once more and looked at his hands, embarrassed.
"And now, finally, one last thing before we go to bed. The school song! Everyone pick their favourite tune!"
Dumbledore gave a quick flick to his wand and golden ribbons came slithering out of the tip, forming themselves into words.
"Off we go!" said Dumbledore, happily, and the school began to sing.
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts…"
The song was beyond anything James had ever heard, but something about the uncoordinated tune of the off key singers had a strange comfort to it, no matter how loud and hideous the song sounded.
"Ah, music. A magic beyond what anyone can be taught," sighed Dumbledore after the last slow singers of the song ended with whatever tune they decided to attach to it.
Stuffed beyond comfort, the students made their way to their common rooms led by the prefects. The Gryffindor common room, unfortunately, was a tower, so they had to climb a countless amount of staircases before reaching the entrance. James paid no attention whatsoever to where they were going until he noticed they were all waiting in front of a large portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress.
"Blubber," said the prefect, and the portrait swung open revealing a hole in the wall through which he climbed, all the Gryffindors following his lead.
The Gryffindor common room was a large circular room with a roaring fire across from the entrance. Big red armchairs were scattered in groups around the common room, some of them around tables on which to do homework. The prefect directed the girls up one staircase to their dormitories and the boys up another.
Not talking for fear of losing their dinners, James, Sirius, Remus, Peter and another Gryffindor first year boy, Frank Longbottom, made their way to their dormitory room at last. They didn't even bother to change into their pajamas or unpack their trunks which they found at the foot of their beds, but instead collapsed into their scarlet four-poster beds and fell instantly asleep.
"Wake up, Sirius!" screamed James as he bounded on all five beds around the dormitory. "Wake up, Remus! Wake up, Peter! Wake up, Frank!" Several loud and annoyed groans were issued from the lumps covered in the red blankets of the beds as they rolled over, pressing their pillows to their ears. James continued with his chanting until he landed on Remus's foot and fell on top of him with a muffled, "Oof!"
Sirius, who had just peeked his head from under his covers began to laugh hysterically.
James and Remus untangled themselves from the covers and James was pushed off of the bed. Remus pocked his head out from the sheets, sitting up in bed. His eyes were lined with dark shadows, a startling contrast with the rest of his face, ghost white, making him resemble a more modern version of Nearly Headless Nick. His hair was arranged in a flock-of-seagulls style, the tip of the highest strand waving slightly in the cool breeze blowing in from the open window near James's bed.
"What the heck, James?" he croaked, blinking, not even bothering to look at James on the floor.
"It's the first day of school!" said James excitedly, jumping up and waving his head around in front of Remus, who didn't move.
Sirius, who had fallen back asleep already, was back under the covers and snoring loudly. Peter got up drearily in his blue flannel pajamas patterned with white clouds and slid into his slippers which lay next to his bed in a manner that reminded James of his father.
Frank had ignored the four of them, seemingly intimidated and was already dressed and ready to get lost on his way to breakfast when James, Remus and Peter all rushed to Sirius's bed to begin the near impossible task of separating him from his bed.
At breakfast – once they had found the Great Hall in the maze of Hogwarts (a ghost had told them "If you find any stairs, go down," which had helped significantly) – Professor McGonagall had handed out timetables to all the Gryffindors.
Remus seemed to be ecstatic about the classes.
All Gryffindor first years had the same classes, so James wouldn't have to worry about being separated from Sirius, Remus and Peter. First, they had Transfiguration with the Ravenclaws, then a double Charms with Slytherins. After lunch, it would be Potions with the Slytherins and double Herbology with Hufflepuffs.
James was looking particularly forwards to his Transfiguration class. He had read a few of his mother's books and found Transfiguration the most fascinating of subjects. Dumbledore was rumoured to have been the Transfiguration teacher before he became Headmaster.
In one of this mother's books, James had read about Circe, a witch from the time period of Greek Mythology, who was famously known for turning sailors into pigs. When James was a child, he would play with his ABC Wand and pretend to change his stuffed animals into sailors, acting as the savior of the men of the sea.
His father had always encouraged his fetish with Transfiguration. After all, it was supposed to be important for Aurors to know how to transfigure and untransfigure properly and that was the career that Mr Potter had in mind for his son. Luckily enough, Mr Ollivander had given James a wand that was supposed to be good for Transfiguration. Or, as Mr Ollivander would have said, "The want that chose James."
After the four had eaten their share, they made their way down to Professor McGonagall's classroom for their very first lesson. They had been smart enough to leave five minutes early in case they got lost.
They did.
But it took them more than five minutes to find Transfiguration.
Sorry for the delay, and the fact that it's so short. Sucks for writer's block. But this should be the last chapter I write under the influence.
For those of you too lazy to look up the Latin in the previous chapter, it means:
"The Order is born in seven years."
That's as closely translated as it can get.... at least to my knowledge.
Anyway, you know the drill. Here are responses to reviewers. The good people who review. lol
lilycrazy9224 sorry bout the poems and songs. i took out the school song that was originally in this chapter. but it's just to try to get out of WB, which sucks,and don't worry, cuz no further songs have been planned for the remainder of the story, at least not for a while. hope you enjoy the future chappies more.
Padfoot cough narcissist cough lol, jk. no, but im glad i could make you dance on the table. yay for prongs!
ditzychick1228 yay! one person who 1.) liked the songs and 2) understood the latin. judos to you!!! you made me smile, so thank you for that. hope i dont let you too down with the continuation of this story. lol
Inuyashastwin i've done the best i can. hope you like this chapter despite it's suckiness. lol. ill try to update the good chapter asap.
Ghost of Allknowing sorry for another short chapter. :P I'll try to make the next ones longer. and thanx for keeping me off my arse, though literally on it, cuz thats where i am when im writing. lol
Stella Blu theres the translation!