The sorting ceremony was over, and mass chatter ensued as people got to know their new classmates. Some first years moaned about the house the hat had put them in, or boasted that they knew they would be in that house because that house was the best. This all of a sudden ended when Professor McGonagall stood up, walked to the eagle shaped book stand and cleared her throat. 'Welcome to another year, or indeed your first year at Hogwarts. During your time here, myself and the other Professors expect your behaviour to reflect the reputation of dignity, class and decorum this school has earnt. Especially, as this year some of you will be representing the school in another country'. Whispers across all four tables added to the air of suspense that statement had created. Albus couldn't help but think McGonagall had a flair for the dramatic, and would probably in the muggle world have made an excellent theatre coach. She glared at the hall over her half moon spectacles and the hall fell silent. 'Many of you know about the great tradition of the tri-wizard tournament, and the tragic death of Cedric Diggory, which ended the tri-wizard tournament for many years. Our Minister for Magic, Mrs Hermonie Weasley-Granger, has been working tirelessly to reinvent a safer tournament and has decided to allow it to take place'.
Nalia was taken aback at this, Minister for magic? Did that mean there was a Ministry? Was it like the muggle government? And wasn't Hermione Weasley-Granger, Rose's mother? She had to be, the name wasn't at all common. Wizarding competitions? A death? Nalia felt overwhelmed by how little she knew, but was comforted to see she was not the only one. The students in the great hall all wore an expression of confusion, fear,excitement or awe. Scorpius and Albus had already started whispering furiously about how they were going enter the competition and be the best there.
McGonagall continued, 'This year, four schools will be taking part, and it will known as the Wizarding School Championship. As well as Hogwarts, Durmstrang and Beauxbatons academy, Draíocht will be competing. As this is the first time they will be competing, they will host the competition at their school in Northern Ireland. In previous years, the school has been considered too small, but after a great increase in the population of witches and wizards in Ireland, the school has massively increased its size and student intake. Only those in your 5th year or above will be able to put yourselves forward for the competition,however students of all years will be able to come and watch and join the festivities. Remember privilege as with respect,is earned, not given. In the spirit of this, myself as head of Gryffindor house, and the other head of houses, will be choosing the students who we feel will represent the school well, and who we feel deserve this exciting opportunity'.
There was loud groans from many of the students around the hall, who were either too young to enter the competition, or would have to behave to be considered. 'The heads of house and our caretaker, Argus Filch will be joining those who are going to Draíocht. Normal lessons will ensue between challenges and we will travel the day before the challenge returning the day after, bringing with us a handful of Draíocht, Durmstrang and Beauxbaton students with us to experience Hogwarts. This is an exciting opportunity to engage with witches and wizards from different cultures, so please don't embarrass yourselves or the school by acting like a bimbling, bumbling, band of baboons. Now, other start of term notices: Hagrid is keeping a pair of Erumpents in the care of magical creatures area'. Rose thought she could detect a note of disdain in McGonagall's voice. 'They are a breeding pair, so If you wish to keep all your limbs and your dignity, it is advised you stay away from them without Hagrid's close supervision. Students are reminded that bedtimes must be strictly adhered to, and this year, it has been decided, that during their free time, before 8 O'clock in the evening, students may use other houses common rooms for socialisation and study purposes. This is in order to encourage inter house cooperation'. There was a resounding cheer, Rose, Albus, Scorpius and Nalia beamed at each other from their house tables, and McGonagall smiled. 'Mealtimes will still be at your usual house tables in the event of special feasts, speaking of which it's about time we all ate'.
McGonagall clapped twice and the plates up and down the tables started filling with the most delicious food from all over the world. Everything from fish and chips, to green Thai curry and jasmine rice. 'Enjoy the feast!' McGonagall said and sat down at the head table with the other professors. Over at the Slytherin table, the excitement was palpable. Scorpius and Albus were piling as much on their plates as they could and excitedly discussed the exciting news about the wizarding school championship. Albus swore that a lot of the girls from Beauxbatons had Veela blood in them, and they were most gorgeous girls you would ever see. Scorpius was more excited that Durmstrang had produced some of the greatest wizards of all time, including Quidditch legend, Victor Krum. Over at the Gryffindor table, Rose Weasley-Granger was in the middle of an intense discussion about magic from other schools and countries, particularly Irish Folklore. Would it be different, and if it was, would they be learning any of this new magic? Nalia was altogether more quiet at the Hufflepuff table, until another first year girl who was sat next to her, accidentally knocked her drink over. Nalia offered to help her clean it up, but before they could,the spillage disappeared. The girl introduced herself as Bathilda Bones. Bathilda had long raven coloured hair, that was half shaved on the left hand side. Her eyes were a Royal blue and she smiled nervously. Thanking Nalia ,she said she was glad to have met a friendly face. Tilda, as she liked to be called, was a half blood. Nalia had to have this explained to her, but in its simplest terms, her mother was a muggle, her father a wizard. The girls bonded over their food and took great comfort in the fact they would be learning together.
Once people were finished, the food disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. It was replaced by the most tempting desserts that any of them had ever seen. Plates piled high with ice cream, profiteroles, apple pie, custard, fruit of all types and various flavours of yoghurts filled the hall with a very sweet smell, which at any other time may have been considered altogether too sickly. As people finished their desserts, the general atmosphere in the hall changed. People were quieter and more relaxed as the late time and the copious amount of food they had eaten tired them out. McGonagall stood up, thanked the house elves for the beautiful food,and conducted all of the pupils in a rendition of the school song before excusing them from the great hall and directing the prefects to take the students to their common room and show the first years to their dormitory.
As the students were slowly making their way out of the hall, Scorpius and Albus decided they quite frankly did not want to be restricted to the Slytherin common room in the dark, damp and dingy dungeons just yet. They snuck off, miraculously undetected, among the crowd of students and hid behind a portrait of Barnaby Wulfric Bigsby.
Behind the portrait there was a secret passageway Albus had learnt about from his Uncle George over the summer. When the general buzz of noise from students and teachers on their way to their common rooms or staff quarters had ceased, Scorpius slowly pushed open the portrait slightly, and checked through the crack for anybody who may be lingering around. Seeing no one, they decided it was safe to leave the passageway. Now they had successfully avoided being confined to the common room, they were actually not quite sure what to do. The Gryffindor and Hufflepuff common rooms would not let them in at this time, so they could not go and pay Nalia or Rose a visit. Besides their common rooms were either halfway across the castle or right by the kitchens, so it was far too risky.
Realising they had not thought this through very well at all, the boys decided to search for more of the secret passages that Albus had been told about. Of particular interest to the boys was the passageway under the one-eyed witch, which allegedly lead all the way to Hogsmeade, ending in the cellar under honeydukes. As only third years and above were aloud to visit Hogsmeade, finding this passageway would be very useful as it would allow the boys to sneak out and join the Hogsmeade visits undetected. It would also mean unlimited access to Honeydukes sweets, which was always a bonus. If they were feeling generous, they may even let Rose and Nalia in on the secret, and let them join their prohibited visits. The statue of the one-eyed witch was located under the stairs at the bottom of the astronomy tower,so Albus and Scorpius set off making as little noise as possible to avoid detection by Filch or Mr Gibbous.
As they turned round the corner on second floor corridor, they encountered Peeves, the Hogwarts poltergeist, taking great pleasure in switching the door signs of the classrooms to confuse the first years.
Before they could scurry back round the corner, Peeves spotted them. 'Ooh, Wee Potty and Mouth boy are out of bed! Should tell McGonagall I should', Peeves shouted whizzing above their heads. 'You do that and I'll tell Filch it was you who swapped the class signs!' threatened Albus, who seemed altogether unphased. He knew if he told Filch, the Bloody Baron, ghost of Slytherin house, would be summoned. The Baron was the only thing Peeves was afraid of. Conceding a loss on this occasion, Peeves dropped all of the door signs he was holding, which made an awful clatter. He then made a very rude noise, directed at the boys, and disappeared into the upstairs corridor. Feeling quite smug that they had successfully managed to deal with Peeves, the boys continued on their mission. Suddenly they stopped dead. They saw, right at the other end of the corridor they were now in, a shadow. It was the shadow of what appeared to be a rather tall, lanky man. Not sure who it was, the boys stood frozen, fearing they were about to be caught by one of the professors. 'What do we do Albus?', Scorpius asked, panicked. Before the boys could figure out a plan, the shadow appeared to shrink and change. It was replaced by the shadow of a rather large cat. Confused, the boys stood watching the shadow, wondering what could have made it. As if from nowhere, Mr Gibbous appeared by the shadow and growled at them. He glared at the boys then ran, presumably to get Filch. They did not hang about to find out, and raced back along the corridors and down into the dungeons, finally arriving in the Slytherin common room.