Disclaimer: Everything in the following chapter belongs to J.K. except for the plot, the House Dueling Competition, the new Sorting Hat, and Gallon Malfoy.

Authors Note: I introduce quite a few new concepts in this chapter. The story comes upon an interesting twist with Gaylon Malfoy, along with a few others. Keep sending in the reviews and critiques. P.S. I've tried several times with several different methods to replace this chapter with manageable paragraphs, but the program keeps on taking out my paragraph breaks. I suggest you increase the text size and just get through this chapter. Thanks – ender74361

Ch.4: The Welcoming Feast

Harry got up before Ron or Hermione and got dressed. He quickly ate, threw on the Cloak of Happenstance, and headed off for Professor Flitwick's office. "Hello Harry," Flitwick said as Harry entered the Professor's office, "we'll begin this lesson by showing you your new office. If you'll follow me Harry." Harry had a time trying to keep up with the short Professor. It was amazing how quickly his stubby legs could carry him. Harry wasn't surprised when they arrived at the office that he had known for five years, under five different instructors, but he had never imagined that it would be his in his sixth year. "This is your office. Normally, teachers live in the quarters that are located directly above their offices," Flitwick gave a flick of his wand, and a plate of glass slid over the desk, sealing the papers that were laying there. The desk then broke down into steps that ascended into the ceiling. "Naturally, we don't expect you to do this, but it may come in handy. Along the same lines, Dumbledore asks that you be present at the staff table, only for the Welcoming Feast. Otherwise, you may sit at your house table. On your desk, you will find a list of rules about punishments. You are only allowed to give out punishments during your class. In the corridors or the dormitories, you are just a Hogwarts student. I would show you your classroom, but I expect you'll use the Room of Requirement. The one you have been assigned though, is the old Defense Against the Dark Arts room."

Lessons continued by day while Quidditch and Hogsmeade trips continued by nights and weekends. The month quickly passed in which Harry not only learned the rules of teaching, but also learned how to teach. Ron was getting quite good at his keeping position, and Harry was quite sure that Ron would hold his spot on the team. Before any one of them knew it, the month had passed, and September the first would be the following morning. That night, Dumbledore stepped into the Gryffindor common room to have a word, "Ron. Hermione. I'll need you two to ride the Hogwart's Express tomorrow morning back to Kings Cross. You have your Prefect duties to uphold. Harry, our annual beginning of year staff-meeting will take place tomorrow morning. I expect you to be there. Good night."

"Good night Professor Dumbledore," they said in unison.All three were excited about the new term and wanted to stay up late, talking. Hermione reminded them that they needed their rest, though, and Harry and Ron obliged.

When Harry got up the following morning, Ron and Hermione had already left. Harry dressed and ate his breakfast. He put on his cloak before crawling through the portrait hole. As he was walking towards the staff- room, he tapped his beautiful red cloak with his wand, which turned it into a black color with the Hogwarts coat of arms on the back and the teacher's seal on the sleeves. Once Harry reached the staff-room, Professor Mcgonagal, who had a bandage wrapped around her arm, greeted him. "The danger in working for the Order," she whispered, "Do you like the staff- room?" Harry looked around. There were a lot of armchairs in a circle. It reminded him of a house common-room. "The chairs are usually arranged randomly, but they're like this for the staff meeting." "So, Mr. Potter. Come to join the ranks of the teachers?" This voice told Harry that Professor Snape had entered the room. "I hope that will not be a problem, Severus," Dumbledore stated as he entered the room behind Snape. "Certainly not, Professor. I was just welcoming young Mr. Potter here."

"Well, I'm sure he will be ecstatic at your receptiveness. I assume that you two will be able to work together this year?" Harry and Snape looked at each other and nodded. "Let us hope so. It looks as though all of are here," Dumbledore said, now speaking to everyone as a whole, "so I suppose we can begin." He extended his hand toward the circle of chairs. When everyone was finally situated, Harry had ended up with Professor McGonagal on his right, and an empty seat on his left. "Well, now that we're comfor- ," "Sorry I'm late e'rybody," Hagrid bellowed as he entered the staff-room, "'Arry! How're you doin'? I was so 'cited when Dumbledore here.oh.er. I's in'eruptin' wasn't I? Sorry 'bout that." Hagrid looked overly embarrassed as he said that last line. Harry couldn't help but smile as Hagrid took the empty seat next to him and nudged him as he did so. "As I was saying," continued Dumbledore, giving Hagrid a forgiving look, "now that we are all comfortable, we can begin. As we all know, this year will be a bit unusual with Harry being a teacher and a student. Professor Flitwick told me that you successfully completed your training, and I trust you to do well. Remember, you are to use the Time-Turner only for this express reason."

The meeting went on for hours in which they went over the existing school rules and enforcement procedures, and things of that sort. They broke for lunch when their food appeared on the tables in front of them. Dumbledore thought that that was a good queue for lunch. The members of the staff made small talk while they ate. "It feels real good ta 'ave ya workin' with me this year 'Arry," Hagrid was saying. Professor McGonagal chipped in, "Harry'll be up to his neck in work this year with teaching, studying, Quidditch, and the new house competition."

"What new house competition?"

"Dumbledore will go over it after lunch," she said with a smile. 'What could this be,' Harry thought. He didn't have to think very much when they reassembled. Dumbledore started in again with the normal type of stuff but soon got to this 'house competition'. "There will be a new competition between the houses this year. We will be reinstating the Dueling Club, but instead of it being an entire school activity, it will be a house competition. I feel like the kids need to learn to defend themselves against other wizards and witches of equal or greater strength. Since the Dueling Club is now divided into competing houses, it will be called the House Dueling Competition. The heads of each house will pick a Dueling Team Captain for their respective house. Any sixth or seventh year student may join, but it will be up to the Dueling Team Captain as to which five will be in each of the three classes. The house that wins the most classes will be named House Dueling Champions. If three houses each win a class, then there will be a duel off in which each Dueling Team Captain will participate. The teams that won B and C class will duel first, then the winner of that match will duel with the winner of the A class. Harry, Professor McGonagal has asked that you be the Gryffindor Dueling Team Captain. I've already sent and gotten replies from Ernie Macmillan for Hufflepuff, Draco Malfoy for Slytherin, and Cho Chang for Ravenclaw. They have all agreed. What about you?"

"I'll do it."

"Do you think that you can handle that and everything else you've been given this year?"

"I'm pretty sure that I can, but if not, I'll give it up to the next person in line for captaincy."

"A wise and well thought out decision, Harry. I don't think you'll be disappointing me."

"No sir." They got out just in time to get cleaned up and head off for their spots at the staff table. Hagrid had to leave early though, to go and get the first years. Harry took the Defense Against the Dark Arts seat that was now his on Dumbledore's right. He looked down the row of teachers and saw that everyone was present except for Hagrid, of course. "Are you nervous, Harry," Dumbledore was asking. "Just a little." Dumbledore chuckled, "you'll be fine." The second years and up started filing in, and McGonagal stood up and left as Hagrid sat down. Many of the students were shyly looking at him then talking in their little groups. Ron and Hermione were beaming at him. Harry spotted Cho at the Ravenclaw table. She was staring at him in a disbelieving manner. Harry had to look away before breaking out into an uncontrollable smile as to not hurt Cho's feelings. 'Why do I still care about her feelings? Was she caring about my feelings when she made a public display of me at that coffee shop?' Professor McGonagal then walked in with a stool and a rather new looking hat. A timid trail of first-years followed her. "Where's the Sorting Hat," Harry implored of Dumbledore. "Well, you know the Sorting Hat. He can be rather temperamental, and he asked for a day off."

"And you gave it to him seeing as he only works one day a year?"

"Yes as a matter of fact. After 500 plus years of service, I would say he deserves it."

"I think you're right on that one Professor." McGonagal started her routine, "When your name is called, please come to the front, place the hat on your head, then sit at the table of the house that the hat calls out." The kids looked extremely nervous. "Abbot, Miranda." The timid young girl walked slowly to the front and pulled on the hat, "Ravenclaw!" it shouted. The Ravenclaw table applauded loudly as the girl took her seat. The ceremony crept onward. "Kingston, Brian. Livingston, Marie." McGonagal started to say the next name on the list, stopped, looked at the paper harder, and then called, "Malfoy, Gaylon." The young boy walked forward. When the hat was on his head it cried, "Gryffindor!" Not a single soul clapped due to the shock. "Are you sure," McGonagal asked. "Oh yes," it replied, "I'm really sure about that one. That first one though, it was hard to decide if she should be Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, but this Gaylon has been my most accurate one all night. I'm quite sure he belongs in Gryffindor."

"Well then, Gryffindor it is." There was an attempt to applaud, but most people were just too shocked. Soon the sorting was over and Dumbledore stood up, "It's good to see new and familiar faces alike, but I don't expect I shall see them anymore as they will most likely be buried in your plates of food." Everyone laughed as the food appeared in front of them. The other students ate haughtily, but Harry was growing very nervous. "Harry, if you eat, it'll take those butterflies away," Professor McGonagal had taken her seat next to Harry, "I remember my first Welcoming Feast. Dumbledore there told me to eat, and it really did help." She had a smile on her face. Harry made a feeble attempt to eat but soon gave up. When the feast had ended, Dumbledore stood up once again, "I would like to tell the new students and remind a select few older students that the forests on these grounds are off-limits. Mr. Filch, our care-taker would like to inform everyone that a list of banned items is on his office door and that no punishment will be given if such items are willingly turned in. Now that business has been taken care of, I would like to note the new staff change. Some of you know him, and I'm pleased to inform you that your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is Mr. Harry Potter!" The Gryffindor table erupted with applause. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff soon followed suit, but not one Slytherin even raised so much as a finger in Harry's direction. Harry expected as much.

"Your schedules will be handed out tomorrow at breakfast. I think that is all, so have a good night." The students from all four tables stood to head towards bed. Harry could hear Ron and Hermione with the new fifth year Prefects saying, "First years, follow us." Harry ran to join the crowd. People patted his back and breathed words of congratulations as he went. He took a short cut up to the dormitory, so he was the first one there. He quickly said the password, and once inside, he wrote in the sky with his wand, 'If any sixth or seventh year would like to join a Gryffindor Dueling Team, go see Harry Potter after your first class with him.' Harry heard the portrait swing open, and so he hurried off to his four poster bed. He was already in his pajamas when Dean Thomas walked in, "Well, if it isn't Professor Potter!"

"Hey Dean."

"Man! That's really neat Harry. er . or should I call you Professor?"

"Only in the classroom. Here, I'm a student."

"Good. I was worried you'd go Percy Weasly on me there." Ron and Seamus walked in a little later, and they stayed up talking until they drifted off to sleep.