Chapter 4
"Harry! Come, sit down!" McGonagall called Harry into the great hall. All the staff were sitting around the table at the top of the hall, enjoying a big feast. Harry walked over to join them.
"Here, pull up a chair Harry!" Flitwick said, and with the flick of his wand, a chair zoomed up behind and into Harry, causing him to promptly sit down.
"Harry. Every year we have our own feast before the children arrive. Tonight we join to eat before preparing for the comings of tomorrow." McGonagall explained. Harry nodded and turned back to his plate, which was patiently waiting to be filled with the most amazing looking food. But before Harry had managed to grab the nearest platter of food, Slughorn stood up.
"I propose a toast!" He exclaimed, and the scraping of chairs filled the air as everyone grabbed their goblets and rose.
"To Harry Potter! We welcome you to Hogwarts as a wizard, not a student! Finally, to a good year!" Slughorn bellowed.
"To a good year" the teachers replied. Harry sat down with everyone else and began to fill his plate with the most amazing food he had eaten in ages. Spending so much time away from Hogwarts had made him forget how delicious the food was.
It was getting late when the last of the trifles, puddings and cakes dissolved to leave the plates wiped clean. Harry made a mental note to go and visit the house-elves down in the kitchen when he next had time. Slowly, the staff made their excuses and left, so finally the only people left at the table were Harry, Hagrid & McGonagall.
"Well, as pleasant as it is to spend time with my colleagues, I must be going. We need to make sure all will go smoothly with the arrival of the students tomorrow evening. Goodnight!" and with that, McGonagall transfigured into a tabby cat, and disappeared through the door.
"Well 'Arry! It looks like it'll just be me n you then eh?" Hagrid commented.
"Yeah Hagrid. Wow, its strange sitting up here. I still feel like a student!" Harry explained, as Hagrid started eating what looked like a whole plateful of food he had stashed in his pocket.
"Oh yeah, I know what'ya mean. I felt jus' like that when I started 'ere as gamekeeper. Anyhow 'Arry, I jus' though' you migh' like this, it's a Himbulthomas Himbatulus…" Hagrid said as he rummaged around in his coat pocket and then produced a small, bright pink fluffy thing which slightly resembled a cactus.
"Ahh….what exactly does it do Hagrid?" Harry asked. He knew Hagrid loved dangerous creatures and expected the thing to start shooting out poison at any moment.
"It's an amazing one Harry! It 'ere gives off a beautiful smell 'nd 'olds your ink for yeh. Put yeh ink in it 'nd yeh just poke it with yeh quill ta get some outta it" Hagrid explained with a huge grin
"Oh…umm…wow..thanks Hagrid!" Harry forced a big grin back.
"Well im sorry, but I better go. I need to get ready for tomorrow, and I haven't finished unpacking my things…" Harry said
"Oh yeh of course yeh do, my apolgies fer keepin' yeh Harry" he mumbled. With that, Harry made his way out of the Great Hall. Slowly he made his way up to his office, only stopping to have a chat to peeves the poltergeist who seemed to be just as mischievous as he had always been.
Harry slumped down into an armchair in his room. He had been pleasantly surprised as to what his living space was like. The room was McGonagall's old room, so was situated across the corridor from the Gryffindor common room. At one end of the room was Harry's office, complete with desk and bookshelves, while the other end had a wardrobe & bed. A small door in the corner led to a little bathroom and there was a large fireplace in front of which Harry had situated himself. The young man stayed gazing into the flames and it wasn't long until he had drifted off to sleep.
Harry awoke with a start. The light was flooding in through the window as morning had arrived. He reached over to the table, grabbed his glasses and put them on. He remembered the night before, watching the flickering flames, drifting off to sleep, waking to see the face of…
"RON! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN MY FIREPLACE?" Harry yelled. He had looked back into the flames and sure enough, there bobbing around in the ashes was the face of none other than Ronald Weasley.
"Thought I might come say hello, check out your new place…" Ron said with a smile.
"Wow Ron! Its great to see you! You just gave me such a fright!" Harry exclaimed
"Ha! Well you deserve it! Sleeping in till 10! I thought you would be getting ready for classes or something!"
"Oh yeah…well McGonagall said that I'm really only here to help her, so I don't really have to do much"
"Slacker! Well sorry to have to cut it short, but I really gotta go. I'm meeting up with this girl for morning tea or something…See ya soon Harry!"
"What! Ron…who's the girl?" Harry yelled, but Ron had already disappeared.
A/N sorry its a short chapter...im hoping to make all the next chapters much longer..got exams this week though. Be patient with the whole Harry/Ginny thing. It just takes a while to set the story!Please review! Thanks to everyone whose read until here.. lolxoxo