The Welcoming Feast
To distract himself, Harry looked at the teacher's table. Hagrid's chair was empty, as he was of course busy bringing the first-years over the lake, and Professor Flitwick, the new Deputy Headmaster, was also missing, but apart from them, everybody else was present, among them Dawlish. The new Defense teacher looked just like many of his former colleagues at the office: edged and sharp face, short, grey hair and a wrinkled forehead. Harry had asked Williamson and Savage about Dawlish and they had both said: 'a good auror, but without any sense of humour.'
Dawlish sat on Flitwick's old chair between professors Sprout and Sinistra who looked just as serious as McGonagall. The headmistress's eyes searched through the hall and Harry hastily looked away as she fixed on the Gryffindor table.
''Strange to see her sitting there'', Hermione said quietly.
''Strange to be sitting here again'', Ron murmured.
Parvati, Lavender, Dean, and Seamus sat down around them.
''Hey, guys'', Neville said and then accepted their congratuations to his new badge with a wide grin.
''So, no nightly trips and detentions this year?'', Lavender asked.
Neville shook his head. ''I guess there's no reason for that any more.''
- ''We'll be busy learning all year as it is'', Seamus said grimly. ''This'll be worse than OWLs, you'll see.''
- ''It's not going to be that bad'', Ron said rather optimistic.
As expected, Hermione's eyes went wide. ''Are you mad? We haven't done anything for an entire year - I bet I won't remember anything-''
Professor McGonagall cleared her throat loudly and thereby stopped Hermione's speech before she could really start. Everybody turned around full of expectation as the doors opened and Professor Flitwick led the first-years inside. In his hands the tiny professor, who was smaller than all of the first-years, carried the Sorting Hat.
''Quite a large bunch, aren't they?'', Ron said. He was right, as this year's class was of course bigger than usual, as the muggle-borns who hadn't been accepted last year were with them now. Flitwick brought them over to the teacher's table where they formed a line and stared at the hat which he had placed on a chair. For a moment, everybody stared at the hat, then it started to sing:
It has been a thousand years
That Hogwarts was built here
And back in those old times
Trust was not an issue.
It were our founders four
Who, united in their strength
Constructed this mighty castle
In this once swampy place.
Gryffindor chose the brave
Who always strive for greatness,
Ravenclaw the clever
For whom wisdom means the world.
Slytherin the ambitious,
Those of oldest blood,
Hufflepuff said I take the lot,
I teach every child.
But the unity of our founders four
Was broken in short time,
And though their quarrel was long ago,
It never really ended.
Horrid things have happened here
In this past year, you know,
Which is why I say: Beware!
If you don't heal the wounds
Which darkness made right here,
Then it may happen once again
What happened in your days.
The hat bowed and a mixture of applause and whispers erupted in the Great Hall.
''Quite dark, wasn't it?'', Seamus asked.
''And rightfully so'', Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost said, who leaned over towards them and almost lost his head in the process. ''Only if we stand together we can heal the wounds of the war, we ghosts always knew-''
He stopped talking, because Professor Flitwick called the first name.
''Ackerley, Denise!''
Denise Ackerley, a tiny, blond girl with lots of freckles around her nose, stumbled towards the chair, stretched out her hands to grab the hat - and then screamed loudly, as the hat rose into the air.
''Peeves'', Nearly Headless Nick moaned and indeed it was the poltergeist who had hidden under the teachers' desk, had taken the Sorting Hat and was now flying towards the doors over the Ravenclaw table. A couple of older Ravenclaws tried to hit him with some spells, but Peeves avoided them elegantly. His movements made some younger Ravenclaws fall from their benches which caused their classmates at the Slytherin table to laugh scornfully.
''Peeves!'', a hoarse voice called and the Bloody Baron, the Slytherin ghost, rose into the air.
''Beg your pardon, Mister Baron, sir!'', Peeves called, who apparently couldn't be stopped by him today, and carried on to fly through the doors, from which suddenly long arms appeared that ripped the hat out of his hands. The poltergeist was so surprised that he didn't even stop flying and promptly collided with an armour in the entrance hall. The doors closed and at the teachers' table, McGonagall coolly put her wand away again, while a Ravenclaw picked upt the hat and brought it back to Professor Flitwick.
''Thank you, Miss Zane. If you could all sit down again, so that we may continue with the sorting ceremony. Miss Ackerley, carry on.''
- ''What's happened to Peeves?'', Ron asked grinning widely, while Denise Ackerly stumbled towards the hat for the second time.
''He is outraged because we ghosts did not allow him to to participate at the feast'', Nick said tightly. ''Peeves thought that he had earned that right last year. But you've seen what he-''
The applause of the Hufflepuff for Denise Ackerley made it impossible to understand the rest of his reply, and the rest of the sorting was definitely less spectacular, apart from the loud rumbling which Ron's stomach made at ''Singh, Lana'',
''This takes bloody long this year'', he grumbled while Lana Singh was declared a Gryffindor. Finally, after ''Zeller, Stephen'' had been made a Slytherin, Professor Flitwick carried the hat away and Ron happily took fork and knife into his hands, but Professor McGonagall had other plans.
''Before we start with the feast, I must ask you all to gather in the entrance hall'', she said briskly.
Everywhere in the hall, students rose from their seats, but nobody said a word. To Harry it seemed that the temperature had dropped for several degrees. They gathered around the memorial, ordered by houses and classes. Ginny stood directly in front of him so that he could take her slightly shaking hand into his own, which calmed him down a bit. Professor McGonagall shortly looked around and then started to talk.
''This is not a school year like any other before. For nobody. Behind uns lies the darkest year which Hogwarts has seen in its thousand years. Some of us it cost their lives'', she said and pointed at the names at the wall. ''Some, who are among you, can be found on this wall, because they fought - for their school, their friends, their beliefs. I ask the other students to not ask them about the battle, for these questions may bring dark memories to the surface.''
McGonagall made a short break.
''54 names on this wall represent people who paid the highest price for their beliefs and their courage. Every house has contributed: Severus Snape, Colin Creevey, Anthony Goldstein, Justin Finch-Fletchley, all of them have, as different as they've been, fought and died for the same cause. And we, who we are still here, must keep fighting for this cause, for there are still dark forces in our world who hate everything that's good and pure. It is you, the students, who must close the wounds which this war has made. Some of you have parents and siblings who have fought on the other side. They belong here just as much as everyone else. It is time that we stop looking too much on what seperates us, and instead focus on what we have in common, so that something like this can never happen again. So that these 54 are the last who had to give their lives at Hogwarts.''
Harry shot a glance over to the Slytherins and felt anger rise inside of him when he saw Nott whispering something into Malfoy's ear, grinning.
They returned to the Great Hall, where the tables were already full of dishes. Harry ate only a bit at first, but after a while, his appetite returned and then he tucked in heartily. While others seemed to be as depressed as himself, some talked about McGonagall's speech.
''Have you seen how Nott was grinning?'', Seamus asked furiously.
Parvati nodded just as angry. ''That cursed bastard. He'd better hope that he doesn't cross my way in a deserted corridor...''
Hermione sighed quietly. ''That's exactly what McGonagall was talking about'', she whispered to Harry.
''They're still right'', he said. ''Nott did grin. And before I reach my hand out to shake his, I'll cut it off.''
Up at the teachers' table, McGonagall stood up again and the conversations stopped.
''Well, welcome to a new year at Hogwarts. At first some rules which especially our new first-years should keep in mind: Mr Filch, our caretaker, wishes to let you know that every products from a store called Weasley's Wizard Wheezes is banned, just as a number of other items. A full list of them can be found at his office door.
Students who wish to play Quidditch for their houses should let their head of house know, the same applies to those who wish to act as commentators. The Forbidden Forest is forbidden to all students-''
- ''Hence its name'', Ro murmured boredly.
''We are happy greet two new members of staff: Professor Jordan who will teach Muggle Studies, and Professor Dawlish, who will take over Defense against the Dark Arts.''
Dawlish nodded sharply to accept the polite applause.
''I bet there's no fun with that one'', Ginny said.
Harry shrugged. ''By now, I guess that it says so in the job description.''
Around them people started to rise, apparently McGonagall had sent them to bed. Hermione and Neville hurried over to the first-years, but Ginny and Ron stayed with him and followed the other Gryffindors up to their tower.
''Something was wrong with those oysters'', Ron murmured, massaging his stomach.
''Something's wrong with you, if you eat five pounds of oysters all by yourself'', Ginny said. ''You'll never make the team this way, dear brother.''
- ''When do you want to hold tryouts, Harry?''
Harry shrugged. To be honest, he thought that he already had his team: Dean could replace Katie and would also be used to them, as he had played for her once already.
''Next week, I guess, though I don't think we'll find some hidden prodigies.''
- ''It still is necessary'', Ginny said while Ron was nodding energetically. ''You don't want to lose against Malfoy for the first time in your final year, do you?''
They had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady who looked at them haughtily.
''Eight years, and she still won't let us enter without the password'', Ron murmured. ''Carpe Diem.''
- ''Indeed!'', the Fat Lady lilted and the portrait opened so that they could climb into their cozy common room. When the younger students saw them, they stopped talking and stared at them with huge eyes.
''This'll be a long year'', Ginny sighed and kissed Harry. ''Well then, I'll see you at breakfast.''
When Harry and Ron entered their dorm, Seamus and Dean were already busy unpacking their trunks, while Neville sat on his bed and looked at them.
''Aren't you going to take out your things?'', Seamus asked.
''I guess, as he's now so important, he has a personal elf who'll take care of that for him'', Ron joked.
''It's nice that you're back, you know'', Neville said pensively.
''I should think so'', Dean said. ''An entire year alone with Seamus in here...''
- ''It was splendid without you'', Seamus said. ''So much space. I could sleep in four different beds - nobody snored-''
- ''I don't snore, Finnigan'', Ron said piqued.
''You sound like the school train'', Harry said.
''You're a bunch of idiots'', Neville laughed and opened his trunk.
Harry suddenly had Hermione's voice in his head, saying 'Boys.'
He laughed and started to unpack his trunk.