A Hogwarts Feast

Eloise Midgeon's POV

It was dusk when we finally reached the Castle. Dusk, that peculiar moment in time when the last rays of the sun have set and the world is being wrought of its colour. When your eyes receive naught but washed-out grey images of the world, its daily splendor lost though faint glimmers of it persist at the edge of your vision. All attempt to catch these shades a futile endeavor. Amongst the clatter of wheels and the murmur of voices, I paused to breathe in the smells of the evening air. The dust of the road, the hint of thriving green things and of rich earth, the dry stone heated by the summer sun, the sharp edge of coming fall, all was laced with the heady scent of magic

Walking up the step of the castle, I was soon but one of the many students that flooded to their house tables. I waved goodbye to my Ravenclaw friends and elbowed my way over to my Hufflepuff year mates.

Hannah and Susan were already sitting with their head's together in confidence. They were nice girls and fun to talk to, but their profound intimacy dating from their pre-Hogwarts days had created a barrier on how far our friendship could go. They never tried to exclude me, quite to the contrary. I had always just known that with them, I would always be second rate. Luckily, Rebecca Moon was also there, always up for a bit of trouble and a smile to brighten your day.

Then there were the guys. Ernie Macmillan, the pompous git, that everyone liked anyway. Justin Finch Fletcherly, that I have always had a bit of a crush on. For which, may I add, I have been teased mercilessly by Zacharias. He never really knows when to shut up.

With a bemused smile, I sat down facing Rebecca and Zacharias.

"Lo mates. How's it hopping?"

"Itis hopping at about the same speed and velocity It was hopping last time you spoke to us. Approximately 2 minutes ago. As for how I have no idea as pronouns are not generally known to have any legs," muttered Zacharias distractedly. "When's the ritual segregation going to start? Wish the old dictator would get a move on. I'm bloody famished."

"Ritual segregation?" questioned Rebecca,

"Sorting trial, whatever you want to call it."

"What do you Muggle-borns have against the sorting anyway?" said Moon. "It has only been done for a thousand years and none of the wizard raised seem to think of it as odd."

"That's hardly a justification for the institutionalized stupidity that takes place. Don't you resent being sorted into a narrowly defined little box? The world is much more complex than four distinct categories. The ridiculous system they have set up encourages us to think within those boundaries. I don't like people telling me how to think. Besides which, if one was to sort any number of a group of friends, it is my theory that any group would be separated among the houses. If the first years weren't sorted, the stupid house rivalries would cease almost immediately," I replied.

"But the houses are there to cultivate certain qualities," said Rebecca looking decidedly unimpressed.

"The houses may cultivate particular qualities but I believe that any advantage gained is counteracted by a much greater loss, that of only interacting with a certain type of people."

"So Zacharias and I are the same type of people?"

"That's not what I mean. Look at it this way: the houses cultivate, exaggerate certain characteristics. In different situations, these characteristics can be either qualities or defects."

"I don't get it."

"Help me out here Zacharias," I pleaded turning to him. Unfortunately, he was morosely staring at his plate sighing about treacle tart and the likes, so was no help at all.

"Never mind Becca."

Just then, McGonagall entered, a straggly line of terrified first years in her wake. A hush descended upon the hall.

"Is it just me or do they look fewer in number than usual," said Justin Finch-Fletcherly leaning over to whisper to me. "How was your summer by the way?"

"Great, just great," I replied smiling stupidly.

Justin nodded in response before turning his attention back to the sorting. I was about to do the same when I received a kick from Zacharias under the table. He smirked and raised his eyebrows at me teasingly. I could not help the blush that crept over my cheeks, though that just started him chuckling quietly at me. I glared at him and gave a kick under the table.

"Ow! What was that for you bint?!" snapped Moon.

"I was trying to hit Zacharias!"

"What did he do this time?"

"I was merely being sickened by Eloise's display of passionate luv."

"Oh. Justin again eh?" she giggled.

"Stop it both of you," I whispered frantically, kicking them both. "What if he hears you?"

"He will either return your tender sentiments…"

"Or run away screaming…"

"Either should be great fun."

"Stop giggling. Both of you!"

"I wasn't giggling!" retorted Zacharias, incensed. "It was a very manly snigger."

It was my time to smirk. "Oh suuure… Very manly. Whatever helps you sleep at night."

Our fun was cut short by Susan turning to us disapproving and whispering angrily, "Show a little respect! The sorting hat is signing!" She then turned self righteously away.

The sorting hat had indeed begun its song. But I didn't listen as I was too annoyed at Susan. We usually got along fine but often clashed whenever she thought I was not being sufficiently 'proper' or 'respectful'. Which, come to think of it, was most of the time. She had a real gift for making me feel out of place.

My resentful eyes surveyed the hall. Everyone's attention was riveted to the sorting. The soft light of the candles illuminated the scene, Dumbledore looking out over his hordes like an ancient king of old. (Albeit, a king with a rather peculiar sense of fashion.) I noticed the new teacher, a rather fat unpleasant looking man. His oily smile made my blood run cold. I quickly turned away. Playing with my fork I noticed that Snape was no longer at the teacher's table. Strange, I thought, I could have sworn he was there when we entered the hall. Potter was missing too, as were a few other students. Their parents must have decided to keep them home because of the threat of You-Know-Who.

I looked over at the Ravenclaw table. If Slytherins are drawn to power, I am drawn to knowledge, that which many of the Ravenclaws possess. I don't purposefully try to make friends with the smartest and most knowledge thirsty, but time and time again I find myself falling in with the intellectual crowd. This has happened far too regularly to be simple coincidence, undoubtedly the result of the machinations of my unconscious mind...

The sudden cheering of my housemates startled me dreadfully; the first student had been sorted into Hufflepuff. Pulling my hair out of my mouth (I had been unconsciously chewing it for quite some time), I joined in the cheering.

All of the green-tinged and trembling children were eventually sorted; Dumbledore made his customary short speech, which went unheard by me as I was busy sneezing (When I said short, I meant short – Anyone would refrain from any long winded oration when face by hundreds of threateningly impatient and hungry teenagers); thus the meal began.

"Sho how d'ju all do on jhe Owls?" asked Ernie still trying to look dignified though his mouth was full of mashed potatoes.

Justin groaned, "Ernie! Mate! Can we please not talk about them until tomorrow? I know you did well, but I would like to enjoy my first night back at Hogwarts without having to worry about which classes I'm eligible to take. What did you guys do this summer?"

"Well, I got a job helping out the receptiowitch at my aunt's office," smiled Susan. "She thought it would be good for me to see the inside workings of the ministry, to help me make up my mind for which courses to take this year. Of course, I'd already decided that I'll be helping her out as soon as I graduate, but it was still a fantastic opportunity."

I swallowed my resentment over her previous comments and put on a pleasant face, burying my anger deep within me. There was no point getting upset over something so stupid, she meant well and I knew that I would soon forgive her in any case. "It must have been great. So what dastardly political plots have you uncovered?"

"No dastardly plots, just a lot of office gossip," she laughed before leaning in conspiratorially, "Though I did find out that Emilia Beetlebod –Fudge's public relations manager- was having an affair with the Dubois heir –the French ambassador."

Ernie choked on his pumpkin juice. "You're kidding! That would be a terrible scandal, it might put off his engagement to the …"

Susan rolled her eyes. "Why do you think the prophet hasn't mentioned it? It's been all shushed up. The Dubois are paying a high price in bribes for their heir's meanderings. He's being called home in disgrace. Hopefully, the news won't spread across the channel. The Richelieus would not take kindly to being humiliated in such a fashion and everyone knows they're very powerful and not exactly light."

Macmillian and Moon were shocked into silence. The rest of us, not being involved in pureblood politics, were interested in a slightly different line of questioning.

"So how d'you find out? Hearsay? Or did you have more substantial evidence," said Zacharias.

Susan shuddered, "Far too substantial if you ask me, I was looking through a box in the corner of the supply cupboard when they entered for one of their thirsts."

The table roared with laughter.

"You've got to be kidding!" hiccupped Finch Fletcherly wiping tears from his eyes.

"I wish. He had her robe half off before I managed to sneak by them."

"How d'you manage that?"

"It's called crawling my dear, an undisputedly important skill for anyone working at the ministry. It comes in handy in all sorts of circumstance."

We were still snickering sporadically when Hannah noticed Potter stalking past the Hufflepuff table, his face was covered in blood. All of our eyes were soon set upon him. I felt sorry for the guy, he looked angry and humiliated. I'd be pissed too if I couldn't even cross the great Hall without soliciting an audience.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The feast was soon over, our stomachs full. Dumbledore felt compelled to give his real beginning-of-year speech.

"The very best of evenings to you!"

"What the bloody hell happened to his hand!?" exclaimed Zacharias, completely ignoring Susan's reproving glance.

"Looks disgusting," said Rebecca screwing up her nose

"Looks like the roast I burnt this summer," I added.

"That's hardly a recommendation," put in Smith. "Remind me never to eat your cooking."

"I got distracted. There's usually nothing wrong with my cooking!"

"I believe the relevant word here is usually."

"Oh shut up!" I said before returning my attention to the headmaster.

"…We are pleased to welcome a new member of staff this year. Professor Slughorn, is a former colleague of mine who has agreed to resume his old post of Potions master. Professor Snape, meanwhile, will be taking over the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts."

Loud whispering immediately spread through the hall.

"Well…" spoke Ernie. "This is unexpected."

"And unwelcome," I said staring at the head table, hoping Dumbledore would say it was all a joke. "I can't believe we've put up with five years of Snape, and just when he could really start teaching us something, he's switched to DADA."

"Doesn't make much difference, does it. They're both bastards," said Zacharias indifferently.

"But Snape's a brilliant bastard at potions!" I stuttered. "Have you read his treatise on veritaserum? His pedagogical methods may be truly awful but his ingenuity, his depth of knowledge in Potions is equal to some of the greatest minds of the present world! We were only just getting to the point where we could appreciate it. Damn! I was looking forward to Potions! Now we'll be stuck with the unpleasant-looking undoubtedly-incompetent blob that Dumbledork tugged out of Merlin knows what dark corner."

"Pardon me for being unsympathetic, not many got the marks to get into his NEWTS class and I was going to dump Potions anyway. I'm more concerned with the fact that Snape's going to ruin DADA class for good," Hannah said snidely.

"Least DADA didn't have much to ruin," I put in dryly, earning a glare from Abbott.

Dumbledore then solemnly went on with his speech; something about You-Know-Who, Death Eaters, reporting on you fellow students and sticking to curfew. Much of Hufflepuff house listened with rapt attention, still feeling Diggory's death more than a year later. Call me insensitive if you like, but I was wrapped up in the teacher switching and had other things on my mind. We were sent off to bed with a "Pip pip!" and as I rose from my seat, I wondered what other surprises this new school year would bring.

There you have it. It took me forever to write this chapter as it kept coming out all wrong. I'm still not sure I like it. In any case, PLEASE REVIEW! I welcome any constructive negative commentary.

Quote unrepentantly stolen from Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.