Latest chapter folks, hope you enjoy it. Thanks for reading. Valfreya
Chapter Eleven.
Amelia turned the page, and smiled at the title. She remembered her own sorting, she was a proud Gryfinndor. She had many fond memories of Hogwarts. She got the feeling however her Grandson, wasn't going to be so lucky.
CHAPTER SEVEN - THE SORTING HAT
The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green
robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Harry's first thought
was that this was not someone to cross.
Minerva Allowed her self a small smile, she hoped that potter would be in her house. She had no doubt he would be a credit to his name and house. She also hoped that he would be a little bit better protected under her watchful eye.
Padfoot smiled " Nah, you really don't want to cross her Harry" he said, then seeing the look he was getting from the said professor padfoot stage whispered to Harry
"but she is a great professor, to have on your side" He added. Harry nodded in understanding, Minerva, smiled and shook her head, always the charmer that boy. She though to her self.
"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."
She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have
fit the whole of the Dursleys' house in it. The stone walls were lit
with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too
high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to
the upper floors.
They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Harry
could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right
-the rest of the school must already be here - but Professor McGonagall
showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They
crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have
done, peering about nervously.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term
banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great
Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very
important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be
something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with
the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free
time in your house common room.
"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and
Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced
outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your
triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose
house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is
awarded the house cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a
credit to whichever house becomes yours.
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the
rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as
you can while you are waiting."
Prongs and Harry both ran a hand over their hair. While James and Albus, shifted their own hair Amelia smiled and called over
"No use boys, its a potter thing, my dear husband's fault" She said.
Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened
under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose. Harry nervously tried to
flatten his hair.
"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall.
"Please wait quietly."
She left the chamber. Harry swallowed.
"How exactly do they sort us into houses?" he asked Ron.
"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he
was joking."
"FREDRICK FABIAN WEASLEY. HOW DARE YOU SCARE YOUR BROTHER LIKE THAT." Molly screamed. She knew her son was only joking, but after hearing how Ron felt he had a lot to live up, she wanted him to be free of all the pressure.
Fred went to open his mouth to argue with his mother, but found he couldn't speak. He looked around all the adults in the room, and found Hugo slipping his wand out of sight.
Harry's heart gave a horrible jolt. A test? In front of the whole
school? But he didn't know any magic yet - what on earth would he have
to do? He hadn't expected something like this the moment they arrived.
He looked around anxiously and saw that everyone else looked terrified,
too. No one was talking much except Hermione Granger, who was whispering
very fast about all the spells she'd learned and wondering which one
she'd need. Harry tried hard not to listen to her. He'd never been more
nervous, never, not even when he'd had to take a school report home to
the Dursleys saying that he'd somehow turned his teacher's wig blue. He
kept his eyes fixed on the door. Any second now, Professor McGonagall
would come back and lead him to his doom.
Then something happened that made him jump about a foot in the air -
several people behind him screamed.
"What the -?"
He gasped. So did the people around him. About twenty ghosts had just
streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent,
they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing
at the first years. They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat
little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him
a second chance -"
"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He
gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost - I
say, what are you all doing here?"
A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years.
Nobody answered.
"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be
Sorted, I suppose?"
A few people nodded mutely.
"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you
know."
"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to
start."
Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away
through the opposite wall.
"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and
follow me."
Feeling oddly as though his legs had turned to lead, Harry got into line
behind a boy with sandy hair, with Ron behind him, and they walked out
of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors
into the Great Hall.
Harry had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place. It was
lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair
over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting.
These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the
top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting.
Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a
halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them.
The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the
flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the
ghosts shone misty silver. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Harry
looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. He
heard
Hermione whisper, "Its bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read
about it in Hogwarts, A History."
"you read the book before going to school" Ron breathed, is disbelief.
Hermione glared at him, of course she would read her school book before going to school. How else would she learn.
It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the
Great Hall didn't simply open on to the heavens.
Harry quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed
a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she
put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and
extremely dirty. Aunt Petunia wouldn't have let it in the house.
Maybe they had to try and get a rabbit out of it, Harry thought wildly,
that seemed the sort of thing - noticing that everyone in the hall was
now staring at the hat, he stared at it, too. For a few seconds, there
was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened
wide like a mouth - and the hat began to sing:
"mmm I wonder what the hat, will sing about this year, since Harry has finally came back into the wizarding world...Do you think it may have something to do with Voldermort?" Remus asked Dumbledore.
Dumbledore, thought that over for a few minutes, if his theory was correct, then it was very possible, that Tom had found away to return.
"It is very possible Remus, if my theory is correct. However I do not have enough evidence at the moment" Dumbledore replied.
Lilly, looked scared. She didn't want to think about her baby boy, near Voldermort again. She and Prongs shared a look, that said they were thing the same thing.
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffis are true And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
if you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It
bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.
"So we've just got to try on the hat!" Ron whispered to Harry. "I'll
kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll."
Harry. smiled weakly. Yes, trying on the hat was a lot better than
having to do a spell, but he did wish they could have tried it on
without everyone watching. The hat seemed to be asking rather alot;
Harry didn't feel brave or quick-witted or any of it at the moment. If
only the hat had mentioned a house for people who felt a bit queasy,
that would have been the one for him.
Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of
parchment.
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to
be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"
A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the
hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moments pause
"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.
The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at
the Hufflepuff table. Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving
merrily at her.
"Bones, Susan!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next
to Hannah.
"Boot, Terry!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws
stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.
" Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender"
became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded
with cheers; Harry could see Ron's twin brothers catcalling.
"Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin. Perhaps it was Harry's
imagination, after all he'd heard about Slytherin, but he thought they
looked like an unpleasant lot. He was starting to feel definitely sick
now. He remembered being picked for teams during gym at his old school.
He had always been last to be chosen, not because he was no good, but
because no one wanted Dudley to think they liked him.
"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
Sometimes, Harry noticed, the hat shouted out the house at once, but at
others it took a little while to decide. "Finnigan, Seamus," the
sandy-haired boy next to Harry in the line, sat on the stool for almost
a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.
"Granger, Hermione!"
Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.
Hermione, sat up straight, she was edger to know what house she would be in, she was already planning, what books, she would read.
The whole room was sitting on the edge of their seats, dying to know what house the young girl would be in. Snape and Minerva were paying close attention.
"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat. Ron groaned.
"Congratulations Hermione" Said Lilly, she gave the girl a warm hug. Prongs followed suit, giving her a brief hug.
"Congratulations, Miss Granger" Minerva said giving the girl a warm welcoming smile
There were many calls of congratulations, and applause Hermione, swelled with pride.
A horrible thought struck Harry, as horrible thoughts always do when
you're very nervous. What if he wasn't chosen at all? What if he just
sat there with the hat over his eyes for ages, until Professor
McGonagall jerked it off his head and said there had obviously been a
mistake and he'd better get back on the train?
Harry hung his head, he really didn't want to go home.
"Harry, sweetheart, don't worry. You are a wizard. You belong at Hogwarts" Him mother comforted him. He nodded. But until her heard what house he was in, he would continue to worry.
When Neville Longbottom, the boy who kept losing his toad, was called,
he fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide
with Neville. When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville ran off
still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it
to "MacDougal, Morag."
Malfoy swaggered forward when his name was called and got his wish at
once: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"
Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with
himself.
There weren't many people left now. "Moon" "Nott" "Parkinson" then a
pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil" then "Perks, Sally-Anne" and
then, at last - "Potter, Harry!"
Harry gulped loudly, his nerves had been building up to this point.
The rest of the room, were sitting on the edges of their seats waiting a little impatiently
As Harry stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little
hissing fires all over the hall.
"Potter, did she say?"
The Harry Potter?"
The last thing Harry saw before the hat dropped over his eyes was the
hall full of people craning to get a good look at him. Next second he was looking at the black inside of the hat. He waited.
Hmm," said a small voice in his ear. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty
of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, A my goodness,
yes - and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting...
So where shall I put you?"
Harry gripped the edges of the stool and thought, Not Slytherin, not
Slytherin.
"Not Slytherin, eh?" said the small voice. "Are you sure? You could be
great, you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you
on the way to greatness, no doubt about that - no? Well, if you're sure
- better be
The were some unintelligible noises round the room. Dumbledore look at Harry with a strange look on his face, could this be more evidence of his theory. Maybe it was true.
Severus, Look at Harry for a few minutes, Hmm maybe not so much like his father after all. If the hat considered him for Slytherin. He hoped the boy would be put in his house, it would mean he could protect the boy better. After all he had promised Dumbledore he would do so, and he promised Lilly years ago when they were children he would do anything for her.
Prongs, Padfoot and Mooney were is complete shock. Prongs couldn't believe it. HIS son being considered for Slytherin. Both he and Lilly had be true Gryffindor's at heart.
It was Draco that broke the silence
"Well Harry, if you are in Slytherin, I will make sure you have plenty of friends" The offer was a sincere one, Harry appreciated it. He nodded his thanks to Draco. But he still had his heart set on Gryffindor
"GRYFFINDOR!" Amelia shouted
The room burst into applause, Prongs fell back against the chair the relief written all over his face.
"Congratulation Mr Potter" Dumbledore & Mcgongall said.
Ron and Hermione couldn't believe their luck at least they would be together at school. Hermione was really hoping she was friends with these two boys. She never had friends at her muggle school. Because she was clever. They had called her a book worm, and a nerd or teachers pet. She didn't do it on purpose, she just enjoyed learning.
Amelia let the room settle down a bit more before she continued to read.
Harry heard the hat shout the last word to the whole hall. He took off
the hat and walked shakily toward the Gryffindor table. He was so
relieved to have been chosen and not put in Slytherin, he hardly noticed
that he was getting the loudest cheer yet. Percy the Prefect got up and
shook his hand vigorously, while the Weasley twins yelled, "We got
Potter! We got Potter!" Harry sat down opposite the ghost in the ruff
he'd seen earlier. The ghost patted his arm, giving Harry the sudden,
horrible feeling he'd just plunged it into a bucket of ice-cold water.
He could see the High Table properly now. At the end nearest him sat
Hagrid, who caught his eye and gave him the thumbs up. Harry grinned
back. And there, in the center of the High Table, in a large gold chair,
sat Albus Dumbledore. Harry recognized him at once from the card he'd
gotten out of the Chocolate Frog on the train. Dumbledore's silver hair
was the only thing in the whole hall that shone as brightly as the
ghosts. Harry spotted Professor Quirtell, too, the nervous young man
from the Leaky Cauldron. He was looking very peculiar in a large purple
turban.
And now there were only three people left to be sorted. "Thomas, Dean,"
a Black boy even taller than Ron, joined Harry at the Gryffindor table.
"Turpin, Lisa," became a Ravenclaw and then it was Ron's turn. He was
pale green by now. Harry crossed his fingers under the table and a
second later the hat had shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"
Again the room gave a small round of applause, Ron was congratulated by his whole family, and the professors. But the congratulations he liked the most was the ones from Harry, and Hermione.
Rose and Lilly were smiling widely at this. And Scorpius stage whispered to James and Al.
"And that is where the story of the golden trio begins...Really?" James shook his head.
"The golden what?" Asked Prongs and Lilly together
it was Hugo that answered "that's what mum, dad and uncle Harry. Become known as. Later on" he explained, he loved dropping tip bits of information. He knew that Sirius would have loved it, and so would Dumbledore. He cast his eyes around the room, and true enough the old man sat there eyes twinkling madly with a smile on his face.
Sirius cracked up laughing, "the golden trio..." more laughing. He pushed Prongs slightly
"Think your son got the better name for him and his friends. It perfect, and very Gryfinndor too. Why didn't we thing of something like that?" he asked his friends his laughter under control now
The both shook their heads. "if I am not mistaken, it was Remus that came up with the name of our group" Prongs said smiling at his other friend. Remus put his head down, a quiet giggle escaping his lips.
Harry clapped loudly with the rest as Ron collapsed into the chair next
to him.
"Well done, Ron, excellent," said Percy Weasley Pompously across Harry
as "Zabini, Blaise," was made a Slytherin. Professor McGonagall rolled
up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.
Harry looked down at his empty gold plate. He had only just realized how
hungry he was. The pumpkin pasties seemed ages ago.
Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students,
his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to
see them all there.
"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin
our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit!
Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!
The room giggled, and all eyes turned to Dumbledore who chuckled.
"Really Albus, why do you do that?" Minerva asked the old man she had called friend for 40 years. She found this quiet amusing.
"Why not my dear Minerva, it keeps the children happy, and I do enjoy the sound of children laughing" he replied.
"Thank you!"
He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. Harry didn't know
whether to laugh or not.
"Is he - a bit mad?" he asked Percy uncertainly.
"Mad?" said Percy airily. "He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But
he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Harry?"
"Thank you Mr weasley" Dumbledore said to Percy chuckling, who was trying very hard to hid his head.
Harry's mouth fell open. The dishes in front of him were now piled with
food. He had never seen so many things he liked to eat on one table:
roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon
and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding,
peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint
humbugs.
The Dursleys had never exactly starved Harry, but he'd never been
allowed to eat as much as he liked. Dudley had always taken anything
that Harry really wanted, even if It made him sick. Harry piled his
plate with a bit of everything except the peppermints and began to eat.
It was all delicious
"That does look good," said the ghost in the ruff sadly, watching Harry
cut up his steak,
"Can't you -?"
I haven't eaten for nearly four hundred years," said the ghost. "I don't
need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don't think I've introduced
myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost
of Gryffindor Tower."
"I know who you are!" said Ron suddenly. "My brothers told me about you
-- you're Nearly Headless Nick!"
"Oh now you've you done Ronnie boy, Nick hates being called that" Called Sirius. Watching the boys face turn as red as his hair
"What?" Ron yelled
"you 'll see" said Prongs.
"I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy -" the ghost began
stiffly, but sandy-haired Seamus Finnigan interrupted.
"Nearly Headless? How can you be nearly headless?"
Sir Nicholas looked extremely miffed, as if their little chat wasn't
going at all the way he wanted.
"Like this," he said irritably. He seized his left ear and pulled. His
whole head swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder as if it was on
a hinge. Someone had obviously tried to behead him, but not done it
properly. Looking pleased at the stunned looks on their faces, Nearly
Headless Nick flipped his head back onto his neck, coughed, and said,
"So - new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the house
championship this year? Gryffindors have never gone so long without
winning. Slytherins have got the cup six years in a row! The Bloody
Baron's becoming almost unbearable - he's the Slytherin ghost."
All the kids in the room made disgusted noise. While the adults laughed at their response, most of them had acted the same way, when they first met nick.
"Do Gryffindor win the house cup this year? " Prongs asked of the future kids. The just smiled in return.
Harry looked over at the Slytherin table and saw a horrible ghost
sitting there, with blank staring eyes, a gaunt face, and robes stained
with silver blood. He was right next to Malfoy who, Harry was pleased to
see, didn't look too pleased with the seating arrangements.
"How did he get covered in blood?" asked Seamus with great interest.
"No one knows, Sirius asked him in second year, the Baron howled at him." Mooney explained
"yeah, then decided to followed padfoot round for days, scaring the hell out of him, poor padfoot nearly had a heart attack" Prongs laughed out.
There where a few giggles round the room, Sirius look white
The kids from the future smiled knowingly.
"YOU KNOW!" shouted Sirius. The laughed
"tell us" Prongs asked.
The all shook their heads.
"it gets explained as some point" Said Scorpius
"I've never asked," said Nearly Headless Nick delicately.
When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food
faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment
later the desserts appeared. Blocks of ice cream in every flavor you
could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate eclairs and jam
doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O, rice pudding - "
As Harry helped himself to a treacle tart, the talk turned to their
families.
"I'm half-and-half," said Seamus. "Me dad's a Muggle. Mom didn't tell
him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock
for him."
The others laughed.
"What about you, Neville?" said Ron.
"Well, my gran brought me up and she's a witch," said Neville, "but the
family thought I was all- Muggle for ages. My Great Uncle Algie kept
trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me - he
pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned - but
nothing happened until I was eight. Great Uncle Algie came round for
dinner, and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by the ankles
when my Great Auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let
go. But I bounced - all the way down the garden and into the road. They
were all really pleased, Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you
should have seen their faces when I got in here - they thought I might
not be magic enough to come, you see. Great Uncle Algie was so pleased
he bought me my toad."
"Well, your mother was a bit of a late bloomer, Mr Longbottom, you have nothing to worry about." said Minerva offering the the boy, some comfort. Neville relaxed.
"yeah, Neville, you are brilliant at magic" Al said with a look at his brother, asking a silent question. James nodded and Al continued
"Neville, you become a professor at Hogwarts, you teach herbology, you are nearly everyone's favourite teacher" Al said, with much enthusiasm. Al loved herbology. Partly because of how Neville taught it, but because he found it required more theory than, practical work. He loved potions too despite his Aunt teaching him.
Neville looked pure white, him teach. How was that even possible?, Luna smiled at the boy and he felt a sudden rush of pride. This girl was having a strange effect on him, and he didn't understand it.
On Harry's other side, Percy Weasley and Hermione were talking about
lessons ("I do hope they start right away, there's so much to learn, I'm
particularly interested in Transfiguration, you know, turning something
into something else, of course, it's supposed to be very difficult-";
"You'll be starting small, just matches into needles and that sort of
thing - ").
"wow!" Hermione cheered. She was very edger to give it a try.
Lilly saw the look on her face, she remembered feeling the same way, she felt a connection with this young girl, she was so much like her in so many ways.
"I can you show you later, if you like Hermione, or perhaps Minerva might, she is the transfiguration professor, She really is the best at what she does" Lilly offered, Minerva smiled.
She had always though of Lilly Evans as one of her favourite students. Although she never said it out loud, she was very fond of the marauders too. They did make her laugh. Their years at school were some of the happiest she had.
"Of course Miss Granger, I would be delighted to show you, perhaps Lilly and I could give you a small demonstration of the things you will be learning" Minerva said, She was now in professor mode.
Harry, who was starting to feel warm and sleepy, looked up at
the High Table again. Hagrid was drinking deeply from his goblet.
Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Dumbledore. Professor
Quirrell, in his absurd turban, was talking to a teacher with greasy
black hair, a hooked nose, and sallow skin.
It happened very suddenly. The hook-nosed teacher looked past Quirrell's
turban straight into Harry's eyes - and a sharp, hot pain shot across
the scar on Harry's forehead.
Several sets of eyebrows lifted, and all faces turned to look at Harry.
"Has this happened before? " Mooney asked before Lilly or James could even register what they had just read.
Harry shook his head.
"If it does you must tell someone right away, okay Harry?, Promise me you will tell someone?" Mooney asked quickly, it felt urgent that Harry told someone, so they could figure out what that scar was all about. Harry nodded again quickly.
"Ouch!" Harry clapped a hand to his head.
"What is it?" asked Percy.
"N-nothing."
The pain had gone as quickly as it had come. Harder to shake off was the
feeling Harry had gotten from the teacher's look - a feeling that he
didn't like Harry at all.
"Who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?" he asked Percy.
Oh, you know Quirrell already, do you? No wonder he's looking so
nervous, that's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want
to - everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. Knows an awful lot about
the Dark Arts, Snape."
Harry watched Snape for a while, but Snape didn't look at him again.
"Sev, you are going to be completely horrible to my son aren't you? " Lilly asked, sadness in her tone.
She had a feeling that, Sev wouldn't be happy with her. He hated James Potter with a passion. And now looking at Harry she could see just how much he looked like his father. Sev was going to hate Harry because of that.
"Since it hasn't happened yet for me I cannot say for sure, but yes I suspect I will not treat Harry completely fairly" Severus said. Hating that he could do this to her son. But if Dumbledore was right it was for the best.
At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to
his feet again. The hall fell silent.
"Ahern - just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I
have a few start-of-term notices to give you.
"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to
all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember
that as well."
Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley
twins.
Molly glared at her boys, "what have you done now?" she asked.
Dumbledore chuckled slightly. He stopped when Molly's glare moved to him.
"Nothing to worry about Molly, they have always been under a watchful eye" Dumbledore explained, to the onlooker he was calm and composed, but under the surface, he was more than wary of Molly weasley. She had a temper that even he wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of.
"I am warning you boys, you go near the forest again. And you wont step foot in Hogwarts. Do you understand me?" she threatened
The twins gulped and nodded.
"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all
that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.
"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone
interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.
"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor
on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to
die a very painful death."
Harry laughed, but he was one of the few who did.
"He's not serious?" he muttered to Percy.
"Must be," said Percy, frowning at Dumbledore. "It's odd, because he
usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere - the
forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he
might have told us prefects, at least."
"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried
Dumbledore. Harry noticed that the other teachers' smiles had become
rather fixed.
Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a
fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose
high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.
Prongs, Padfoot and the weasley twins jumped to the feet and sang.
Many women in the room looked like they would slap the hell out of them, but couldn't help laughing
"Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"
And the school bellowed:
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Whether we be old and bald
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we've forgot,
just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot.
"Wonderful boys, just wonderful" Dumbledore cheered. Clapping loudly. The rest of the room was in various stages of laughter.
Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the
Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march.
Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they
had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.
"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here!
And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"
The Gryffindor first years followed Percy through the chattering crowds,
out of the Great Hall, and up the marble staircase. Harry's legs were
like lead again, but only because he was so tired and full of food. He
was too sleepy even to be surprised that the people in the portraits
along the corridors whispered and pointed as they passed, or that twice
Percy led them through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging
tapestries. They climbed more staircases, yawning and dragging their
feet, and Harry was just wondering how much farther they had to go when
they came to a sudden halt.
A bundle of walking sticks was floating in midair ahead of them, and as
Percy took a step toward them they started throwing themselves at him.
"Peeves," Percy whispered to the first years. "A poltergeist." He raised
his voice, "Peeves - show yourself"
A loud, rude sound, like the air being let out of a balloon, answered.
"Do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron?"
There was a pop, and a little man with wicked, dark eyes and a wide
mouth appeared, floating cross- legged in the air, clutching the walking
sticks.
"Oooooooh!" he said, with an evil cackle. "Ickle Firsties! What fun!"
He swooped suddenly at them. They all ducked.
"Go away, Peeves, or the Baron'll hear about this, I mean it!" barked
Percy.
Peeves stuck out his tongue and vanished, dropping the walking sticks on
Neville's head. They heard him zooming away, rattling coats of armor as
he passed.
"You want to watch out for Peeves," said Percy, as they set off again.
"The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even
listen to us prefects. Here we are."
At the very end of the corridor hung a portrait of a very fat woman in a
pink silk dress.
"Password?" she said. "Caput Draconis," said Percy, and the portrait
swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. They all scrambled
through it - Neville needed a leg up - and found themselves in the
Gryffindor common room, a cozy, round room full of squashy armchairs.
Percy directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and the
boys through another. At the top of a spiral staircase - they were
obviously in one of the towers - they found their beds at last: five
four-posters hung with deep red, velvet curtains. Their trunks had
already been brought up. Too tired to talk much, they pulled on their
pajamas and fell into bed.
" Great food, isn't it?" Ron muttered to Harry through the hangings.
"Get off, Scabbers! He's chewing my sheets."
Harry was going to ask Ron if he'd had any of the treacle tart, but he
fell asleep almost at once.
Perhaps Harry had eaten a bit too much, because he had a very strange
dream. He was wearing Professor Quirrell's turban, which kept talking to
him, telling him he must transfer to Slytherin at once, because it was
his destiny. Harry told the turban he didn't want to be in Slytherin; it
got heavier and heavier; he tried to pull it off but it tightened
painfully - and there was Malfoy, laughing at him as he struggled with
it -then Malfoy turned into the hook-nosed teacher, Snape, whose laugh
became high and cold - there was a burst of green light and Harry woke,
sweating and shaking.
He rolled over and fell asleep again, and when he woke next day, he
didn't remember the dream at all.
"The chapter is over" Said Amelia.
Harry yawned.
"Maybe we should get some sleep" Molly said, watching the golden trio look around sleepily.
James spoke " there are two bedroom here, we have extended each room with enough bed for everyone. Since you cannot leave the cottage. All the boys are on the right and the girls are on the left. " He pointed to the rooms labelled boys and girls.
The gather group made their way to the room, and got changed for bed. Small conversations broke out between the groups.
"so, Son. How do you like the book? Are you looking forward to go to Hogwarts?" Prongs asked
Harry looked " It sounds great, dad. What is going to happen next? I mean after you and mum...?" he couldn't finish the sentence he didn't want to think about it.
The rest of the men in the room, moved to the other end giving Prongs and Harry some space
"Well son. I'm not sure, I don't know how we can change this, but if anything does happen to your mother and I, Remus and Molly will raise you, and now matter what happens your mother and I will, always love you, and will be very proud of you. You will be a great wizard". Prongs pulled his son to him. He just wanted to hold him. The stood both just clinging to one of the things they never wanted to live without.
The murmurs in the room brought the potter boys back to their surroundings.
" go get ready for bed son" prongs said. Harry nodded and headed towards Ron. They began whispering and laughing. Neville join in, and Draco not long after. Soon all four boys were laughing hard. Dudley watching jealous. He had always been the centre of attention, he was used to getting everything and anything he wanted. Now in this place he was nothing compared to Harry. It was all about Harry. Then he thought about dinner, His aunt Lilly. She had been so nice to him. Treated him like Harry. would it be so bad to try and get on with Harry, sure he was a wizard, he might even show him some cool tricks.
Meanwhile in the girls room, Hermione had stuck close to Lilly.
"Mrs Potter, I know I shouldn't ask, but what is going to happen to Harry? I mean after" she couldn't finish the sentence she had tears in her eyes. She was so happy to have friends, but she didn't want to watch Harry suffer the loss of his parents.
Lilly pulled Hermione to her arms. She felt the pain the girl was feeling, because she was feeling it herself.
"Well Hermione, we have asked Remus and Molly to look after him. But if we can change, what has happened we will. " she said. Both girls had tears in their eyes. Molly rushed over and hugged both of them.
"Maybe we should get some sleep, dears, I'm sure it will be a long day tomorrow" she said kindly.
Soon all the girls were wrapped up under their covers whispering