"There they are." Willow pointed to Ron, Harry, and Hermione, who shuffled in at the tail end of the crowd. Most of the other Gryffindors had claimed seats, but Ginny and Neville had saved spaces for them. "What do you think? Did they accept?"

          "They better have," Jess grumbled from Grey's other side. "We're not spendin' an entire year workin' with only that one kid."

          "That would be rather disappointing," Giles agreed.

          "Don't talk about it," Grey said. "We'll get in the habit and before you know it the Daily Prophet will be doing a five-parter on it."

          "Someone's grouchy," Willow teased. Grey said nothing, instead sweeping the crowd with his eyes. "Grey?"

          He looked at her, one eyebrow raised. Otherwise his impassive mask was firmly in place, as it had been since leaving his parents' apartment.

          "You're being unfriendly guy today. Is something wrong? Did I do something?"

          A wave of contrition passed through him, and he softened his expression. "No, you didn't do anything. I'm just … a little tense. Don't worry about it."

          She frowned but didn't comment, waiting for him to finish.

          "I wish you had told me about the lightsaber," he said quietly after a few moments of silence.

          "You would've tried to stop us. It was too important."

          "We don't even know that it'll be any stronger."

          "Dumbledore said it would. So did your father." She paused. "It didn't … hurt, did it?"

          "What? No, Will. It didn't hurt. Not physically, if that's what you mean. It was really intense."

          "Do you want to talk about it? I'd like to help, if that's what's making you cranky."

          "I'll be okay." Her concerned gaze held steady. "I'll tell you about it afterwards. Will that be enough?"

          She smiled and nodded. "I'd like that." She put a finger to her lips. "Now ssshhh, I wanna see this."

          Willow's second sorting ceremony went just as quickly as the first. The kids were still tiny, still nervous, and still adorable. Some (whose parents were muggles, Willow figured) absolutely gawked at the sorting hat, their eyes wide as it sang and then wider as it spoke to them.

          "This is so neat! I wish I had gotten sorted," she whispered to Grey. He nodded, silently amused at her giddiness.

          "Maybe next year," Tara, also amused, said from Willow's other side. She patted her friend on the shoulder. "You're an excellent candidate for sorting, hon."

          "You're making fun of me," Willow pouted. "I'm serious. I wanna know. Don't you?"

          The edges of Grey's lips twitched upward in a tiny grin; Tara laughed at Willow's insistence, stopping herself with a hand to her mouth when some of the professors glared.

"Good evening, good evening," Dumbledore said over the quieting post-meal din, his right hand raised to implore silence. "I hope you have all enjoyed this sumptuous feast. For those of you joining us for the first time, welcome to Hogwarts. Many of you have been here before, of course, and to you I say, welcome back." A round of applause ricocheted across the room; Dumbledore waited for its end before resuming his speech. "Now, before we depart for the dormitories, those of you returning students will be shocked to learn that I have a number of announcements to make."

The expected laughter brought a twinkle to Dumbledore's eye. This was his favorite evening of the entire year, always filled with promise and possibility without ever a disappointing note. He took great pride in overseeing a school where his students (and he did think of them as his, though he hadn't taught them in years) returned every year with excitement in their hearts.

For the next sentence, he added a hefty dose of gravity to his voice. "Please remember, all of you, new or old, that entering the forest is extremely forbidden." One or two of them would venture in, he knew, likely receiving the scare of their lives. It often took only one trip to make the dire warning hit home. "Do not enter it at any time." His eyes worked their way across the room, letting the warning sink in, before he continued.

"Excellent. With that out of the way, I shall proceed to some happier news. For the first time in a good long while, we have had our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Giles, return for a second year." Cheers went up among the crowd. "As for new additions, they are remarkably few this term. It is my great pleasure to formally introduce Miss Tara Maclay; many of you know Miss Maclay, as she came to us in the middle of last term. I felt, however," he looked at Tara, who stood behind him, blushing, "that a formal introduction should be made. Miss Maclay will be assisting Professor Snape's Potions classes."

He waited for the applause to die down and for Tara, now thoroughly embarrassed, to take her seat again. On the dais, Willow squeezed her arm and smiled.

"This leads me nicely into my final announcements. Now, as many of you no doubt recall, last year Gryffindor revived the tradition of a Deputy Head of the House. More than a hundred years ago, the Hogwarts staff did away with that position, but historically it performed a very important function for the community."

          He paused, the crowd listening intently now. "For many years, the school appointed as Deputy Head a recent Hogwarts graduate to provide a friendly ear for the students of their former house. In times past, every house had one. Students were encouraged to use this person as a resource, both for school and for life after Hogwarts. Though it had been discontinued for some time, the current faculty felt that we would quietly reinstate it last year, on a trial basis, with Gryffindor House and Mr. David Grey." The Gryffindors clapped loudly. "Yes, yes, I think we all agree that despite Grey's lack of a Gryffindor background, it was a great success."

          "Because that was the case, we are happy to say that the program is being expanded. First, in Gryffindor house, I am sorry to say that Mr. Grey will no longer serve in that capacity. He will instead be assuming a new position, that of Assistant to the Headmaster, through which he will perform a variety of roles." Dumbledore glanced back at Grey, then spoke directly to the Gryffindor table. "He also demanded that I mention that any Gryffindors who wish to speak with him as they did in his former capacity should feel free to do so. He is rather fond of you all, it seems."

The clapping started again, but he waved them to silence. "As for his old position, that will now be filled by Miss Jessica O'Brien." Jess stood up and waved to the table. The older students, impressed, led a hearty ovation; Jess soaked it in, returning their applause with a bow and a demure smile. "Miss O'Brien, as many of you I'm sure have read, graduated from Hogwarts and went on to a distinguished career as an auror. We are very glad that she chose to join us."

He paused, shifting his gaze to the Slytherins. "As for the expansion of the program, we were unable to find a Slytherin, Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw to fill the vacant positions. We urge those of you who are seventh-years to consider this position when you leave, so that we will not have to repeat such a deficit."

          "However," he went on, "this does not mean that all of those houses will be without a Deputy Head. I am pleased to report that the faculty has appointed Professor Maclay to serve as Deputy Head of Slytherin house for the coming year."

          Most of the Slytherins applauded, some more warily than others. Snape had a slight sneer on his face, the only reflection of his elation that Dumbledore had accepted his suggestion. Willow, Jess, and Grey all turned to Tara, stunned at the news and full of questions.

          The look of shock and horror on Tara's face made it perfectly clear that she had no answers.