Harry Potter
Book 7
The Society of Dragons
Chapter 7
The Final Song
Harry had spent the next few hours trading new Wizard Cards with Ron and Luna when The train had finally rolled to a stop in the train stop on the outskirts of Hogsmeade. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Luna, Neville, and Ginny walked down onto the platform and found their favorite Gamekeeper Hagrid, calling out to the first years
"Firs' Years!" Hagrid bellowed. "Firs' Years This way! Hello 'arry! Have a good summer!"
"It was descent" Harry remarked "You?"
"Oh a bloody good one as a matter 'O Fact" Hagrid said with a smile "Been with Grawp. We were taking care 'O them Dragons them Society blokes came in on."
Hagrid nodded and went back to escorting the First years to the Boats.
"Harry" Hermione said "There's only one carriage left, you coming"
Harry ran over to the final carriage. Luna sat next to Ron and Neville. Hermione was sitting next to Ginny, the only available spot was next to her.
Ever since their breakup last spring, It was highly awkward for the two.
Harry climbed up and stared at the Thesteral the whole ride to Hogwarts.
Once at the courtyard, they climbed down and entered the great hall. Nearly Headless Nick was floating nearby giving his yearly hello, with the portraits bowing to the students as they entered. Peeves had been quite different as Harry noticed when they passed him. He was calm and considerate. He didn't even play a joke on them
"What are you up to peeves" Hermione said as she happened to notice as well.
"Oh nothing" He said with a wide grin
Yup, the same old Peeves, up to no good. Harry pushed Hermione to continue walking. They made their way into the Great Hall, Students sitting at the tables.
"I forgot" Ron said "Were Seventh Years now, we get back row seats"
They sat at the end, Hermione in her Head Girl robes. Professor Flitwick was sitting next to Professor Sprout, talking about a possible wand movement due to Flitwick's wand moving as he was talking. Professor Slughorn was showing a Blue liquid filled vile to Professor Dumbledore, obviously something worthy to discuss. Professor Trelawney had come down from her tower and was reading Professor Vector's hand. Professor Ragnum was seated quietly inspecting a book he had brought with him.
After a few minutes of giving hello's to fellow Gryffindor's Seamus and Dean, and other members of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, Professor McGonagall entered the hall with the shy First Years. Before they made it past the half way mark, Peeves entered down from the cloudy ceiling with hundreds of stick pellets. Before they could land on the first years, Professors Ragnum and Dumbledore had raised their wands and dissolved the Pellets into streams of candy. Students pocketing them wherever they landed. Ragnum had detained Peeves in a jar, with a weird symbol on the side. Other Professors clapping at his deed.
"Wonder what he put him in" Ron said
"it's a Poltergeist Jar." Hermione said "Back in Ancient Egypt, high Priests would put unwanted souls into the jars to keep them away from the wanted ones."
"And where did you learn that?" Ron said
"Professor Binns told us in our second year" Hermione said, giving him the "you should have paid attention stare"
"Oh, right, I remember now" Ron said
The First Years had arrived at the front of the Hall. The hat became alive and began to sing.
In times of old, when I was new,And Hogwarts barely started,The founders of our noble schoolThought never to be parted. United by a common goal,They had the selfsame yearningTo make the world's best magic schoolAnd pass along their learning."Together we will build and teach"The four good friends never did they dream that theyMight some day be were there such friends anywhereAs Slytherin and Gryffindor?Unless it was the second pairOf Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw,So how could it have gone so wrong?How could such friendships fail?Why, I was there, so I can tellThe whole sad, sorry tale. Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just thoseWhose ancestry's purest."Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whoseIntelligence is surest."Said Gryffindor, "We'll teach all thoseWith brave deeds to their name."Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lotAnd treat them just the same."These differences caused little strifeWhen first they came to each of the four founders hadA house in which they mightTake only those they wanted, so,For instance, SlytherinTook only pure-blood wizardsOf great cunning just like only those of sharpest mindWere taught by RavenclawWhile the bravest and the boldestWent to daring Gryffindor.
Good Hufflepuff, she took the restand taught them all she knew,Thus, the houses and their foundersMaintained friendships firm and Hogwarts worked in harmonyfor several happy years,but then discord crept among usfeeding on our faults and fears. The Houses that, like pillars fourhad once held up our schoolnow turned upon each other anddivided, sought to for a while it seemed the schoolmust meet an early with dueling and with fightingand the clash of friend on at last there came a morningwhen old Slytherin departedand though the fighting then died outhe left us quite never since the founders fourwere whittled down to threehave the Houses been unitedas they once were meant to now the Sorting Hat is hereand you all know the score:I sort you into Housesbecause that is what I'm this year I'll go further,listen closely to my song:though condemned I am to split youstill I worry that it's wrong,Though I must fulfill my dutyand must quarter every yearstill I wonder whether sortingmay not bring the end I , know the perils, read the signs,the warning history shows,for our Hogwarts is in dangerfrom external, deadly foesAnd we must unite inside heror we'll crumble from withinI have told you, I have warned you...let the Sorting now begin.
Professor McGonagall had finally reached the head table, where the Sorting hat was seated on a wooden stool. Harry had remembered 6 years ago when he sat upon the stool. He had pleaded with the hat to not put him in Slytherin.
"When I call your name, come forward and I will place the hat upon your head." McGonagall had stated as usual. "Atwin, Ryan."
A young boy with silver hair had walked up to the stool, nervous, and sat. the hat thought for a second and bellowed "RAVENCLAW!"
After a few Hufflepuffs and another Ravenclaw, McGonagall yelled "Dale, Drew"
A young boy who seemed taller than the rest, walked forward. The hat placed on his short black hair. The hat seemed to take a moment before bellowing "GRYFFINDOR!"
Harry and the others clapped, for there newest member of their house. The sorting went on and on until McGonagall read the final name "Ragnum, Alexandra"
Harry looked up, a young girl, with blue hair walked up to the stool and sat, Was there a connection to his newest Professor?"
"Ah an American" the hat said. Students began to murmur. "Great knowledge, can lead to great power. I know where to put you. Sl…..no? Are you sure? Very Well then, GRYFFINDOR!"
The table jumped in excitement. Harry had just witnessed another person able to convince the hat to not place themselves into another house. She sat at the final spot, and looked up at the table. Harry noticed Professor Ragnum giving her a wink and clapping.
Dumbledore rose, the whole hall quieting down.
"Welcome first years to your new home. To the others Welcome Back!" He said with a big smile "First, I would wish to remind you, as Mr. Filch has reminded me so many times I have lost count, that the Forbidden Forest is off bounds to all students. Also, the newest items from Weasley Wizard Wheezes are banned like all the other items. Also, we have a foreign Exchange student this year. Alexandra Ragnum has come all the way from America to be with us this year. She will return to the American School, Salem, next year. Meanwhile Her Father, Markus Ragnum, has decided to take up the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher. Now lets all fill our bellies with a wonderful meal"
He clapped his hands and the tables were filled with the Feast they longed to eat.
Harry dug into the Turkey and Pumpkin Juice. Hermione gave a small glance at the food and turned away
"Oh don't tell me your starting up the SPEW thing again" Ron stated, filling his mouth with Sheppard's pie.
"No, I'm just not eating, not when its rotten" Hermione said
Harry looked down at the platter in front of them. The Pie was rotten and the Turkey was spoiled.
Harry and Ron both spit out their food and gave faces of sickness
"What the bloody hell is happened" Ron said picking a spider web out of the pie.
"A nasty joke this is" Harry said "Dobby!"
A small pop and the house elf appeared under the table
"Harry Potter Sir," He squeaked "We are not to be seen during feasts. Is something wrong?"
"Yes, sorry to disturb you Dobby" Harry said "But this food is rotten. What's going on in the kitchen."
"Oh yes sorry sir" He snapped his fingers and fresh food appeared before them "Kreacher is making a mess of the kitchens sir. HE is handing out rotten food."
With that, Dobby dissaparated away. Harry looked up to find Ron deluging into food and Hermione eating a small dumpling.
After they ate, and finished their cream puffs, Dumbledore rose once again
"One last announcement before you tuck yourselves into warm beds." He began "Quidditch captains are to bring their rosters to their Heads of Houses by October 1st. Any later and your team will not participate. Tryouts will be scheduled by the Captains Draco Malfoy of Slytherin, Zachariah Smith of Hufflepuff, Michael Corner of Ravenclaw, and Harry Potter of Gryffindor. That is all. Pip Pip.
The Hall gathered up in commotion once again. Hermione and Ron stood up to perform their duties while Harry stood up and greeted Dean once more
"Harry, any open position on the field?" he asked
"Just one, Katie's." Harry said "That's if anyone from last year doesn't want to participate."
"Cool, let me know when tryouts are" He said and walked away with Seamus. Neville walked by
"Hey Harry. Professor Ragnum wants to speak to you"
He pointed a the staff table. Ragnum was the only one sitting there. Harry walked up and greeted him
"Hello Professor" Harry said "You wanted to speak to me?"
"Yes," He said "Your lessons along side Ronald and Hermione are to begin tomorrow night. 9 o'clock my office. Have a good day Potter"
He smiled, got up and walked away.
Harry made his way to the Fat Lady Portrait on the 7th floor.
"Password" she asks as usual
"Gobstones" Harry said, remembering the password from his conversation with Seamus and Dean from the Feast.
She let him in, climbing through the hole, and sat on the sofa, letting Crookshanks cuddle up in his lap
He starred into the fire, the same one that he had seen Sirius in in his fourth and fifth years. There were too many memories here, and with him leaving in May, it would be too soon to leave. He wanted to stay for as long as he could. Hogwarts was his true home. He wanted to make the best of it. Ron and Hermione made there way back after giving the First Years a tour.
"Oh I forgot to mention" Harry said "You two are invited to private lessons with Ragnum with me Tomorrow night. 9 O'clock."
"Really?" Ron said "About time we get to learn something cool"
"Yes but that's not a really good time" Hermione stated. "We have shifts at 10."
"Obviously not" Ron said "So what are we learning?"
"His directs words were a little of this and a little of that" Harry said
"didn't Dumbledore say that to you last year?" Ron said
"Yup, but there old friends so I assume they have common words" Harry said
The rest of the night, they met with fellow students, playing exploding snap, wizards chess, and talking about their eventful summer.
Harry went to bed that night, feeling back at home.