39 chapter 7:Witnessing The Sorting

"Harry!"

Harry took a step back to absorb the impact as a brown-haired projectile cannoned into him, making a valiant attempt at squeezing his ribs into powder.

"Hey, Harry." Neville said with a small wave. "What happened?"

"Something forced me to take a detour." Harry explained as Hermione finally let up on her Hug of Doom. "I've already dropped my stuff off at Hogwarts and you'll never guess who the new DADA teacher is."

Hermione gave him a searching look, then suddenly her face lit up. "Gilderoy Lockhart?"

"Right in one." Harry laughed, then he looked round as a new voice spoke.

"Lord Potter."

"Heir Malfoy." Harry returned just as formally.

"My mother sends her greetings and congratulates you on your social coup this summer, as do I." Draco continued. "If all goes well, I look forwards to matching my skill as a Chaser against your skill as a Keeper."

"I look forwards to it." Harry replied and Draco gave him a small bow before walking off. "Okay, what the hell happened? Is that Draco or have they replaced him with a lookalike?"

.

"What was that all about?" Nott asked and Draco gave his fellow pureblood a measuring look. "Using that list again?"

"I have been learning some valuable lessons on how to manipulate people and events, as well as the need to think things all the way through, Theodore." Malfoy explained. "Having Potter as an active enemy rather than a mere obstacle, especially when he has been personally trained in dueling by Professor Flitwick, is not something that will end well in the long term and his actions last year indicate a degree of political awareness that approaches that of a member of the Wizengamot. I need to improve in order to be able to match him and so my mother arranged tutoring in the areas my father neglected to teach me. Oh, make no mistake, I still wish to defeat Potter and have him kneel in front of me, but I have learned that it will take far more than merely following my father's instructions to achieve that. As for following his example, that brawl he got into during our shopping trip to Diagon Alley? Most uncivilized and since I have no interest in taking a boot to the groin…"

Nott nodded thoughtfully.

"Point taken."

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"Was that Potter?" Ginny asked breathlessly as she pulled herself away from the window and followed her best friend into the now-emptying corridor. "He was already here when the train pulled in… I wonder why?"

Luna shrugged, but her normally carefree expression vanished into one of curiosity as she put her book into the trunk that she had been resting her feet on.

"I wonder if it'll make a good story for the Quibbler…" She muttered to herself.

"Firs' years over 'ere!" A loud voice called as they descended from the train carriage. "Firs' years!"

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"Huh, Thestral-drawn carriages." Harry mused as they reached the parking area through which the other students were filtering, most of them heading towards the front. As each of the front row carriages was filled, the pair Thestrals harnessed to them would start pulling the carriages towards Hogwarts without needing instructions.

"I hope not many of the students can see the Thestrals." Harry mused and Neville nodded in agreement, remembering the requirements in question.

"Come on!" Hermione called. "Get in, then you can tell us where you've been!"

"Oh, just a little town you've probably never heard of, then I got a lift to the gates." Harry grinned. "By the way, it would seem that the Centaur herd is taking their new duties very seriously."

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The hall went quiet as Minerva McGonogall strode towards the large door. Reaching it, she paused and a few seconds later, the loud thumps of Hagrid hitting the door from the other side echoed.

"Just think." Neville teased. "Your pen-pals are on the other side of that door."

Hermione gave him a quick glare and Neville raised his hands in surrender even as Hagrid led the new students into the hall. As the first-years-to-be milled uncertainly, McGonogall made her way to the Teacher's Table where she retreived a stool and hat very familiar to the students. Making her way back towards the new pupils, she placed the stool down and then carefully put the Sorting Hat on top before stepping back. There was a long moment of stillness, then the Hat started to sing jauntily.

"To learn of magic's why you came / To Hogwarts like a moth to flame,

And now you stand right here before / I send you to the Houses four.

But which House will be your fate / To find out, you will have to wait,

And when you wear me on your head / The choice I reach will soon be said.

"To Gryffindor I may send you / A house of courage through and through.

With Hufflepuff you may depend / On finding many new true friends.

To Ravenclaw you may aspire / Their thoughts they go higher and higher.

Or Slytherin is just your style / With cunning, ambition and guile.

"But please note that although I sort / It means much less than you have thought.

The Houses should not drift apart / All have magic in their heart.

And now at last the time has come / To sort you all now one by one,

As soon upon your heads I'll sit / And tell the world where you will fit!

"And so upon your heads I'll sit / And Sort you all and that is it!"

The Hat fell silent and Harry joined in the spontaneous round of applause that filled the Great Hall. After several minutes of clapping, McGonogall held up a hand and the Hall quietened.

"When I call your name, come forwards and sit on the stool." She commanded, then she lifted a scroll and unrolled it. As she called out the first name, their year-mate Morag McDougal leaned forwards.

"That's Gilderoy Lockhart at the table over there!" She hissed. "Why do you think he's here?"

"He's going to be our DADA teacher." Neville replied calmly. "That would explain why we had to buy all of his books."

"I've had a brief read through them and he's done a lot!" Hermione gushed as quietly as she could while the Sorting continued.

"Creevey, Colin!"

"Gryffindor!"

"I've had Jor-El take a look at the books and he spotted some… problems." Harry countered, earning several interested looks from around the table.

"What sort of problems?" One of the older boys asked intently.

"Harper, Maximillian!"

"Slytherin!"

"According to Holidays with Hags, he made a potion under the same eclipse as the one he watched in Wanderings with Werewolves, for starters." Harry began. "The spell used against the Waggawagga Werewolf doesn't actually have any effect by itself unless it's used in conjunction with a potion which isn't mentioned in the book."

Harry paused and looked round at the other Ravenclaws who were either paying rapt attention or arguing quietly with each other.

"In Travels with Trolls, he refers to one tribe as the Gnarled Branches, but their range is actually close to three hundred miles south of where he claimed to have met them…"

"Lovegood, Luna!"

"She's one of my Pen-pals!" Hermione spun round, craning to catch a glimpse of the girl she only knew through exchanged letters.

"Ravenclaw!"

"Luna! Over here!" Hermione called out as the blond girl skipped over, beaming happily. ""Everyone, budge up!"

Laughing, Neville scooted along to clear space for the new first-year to sit down beside Hermione.

"Everyone, this is one of my Pen-pals, Luna Lovegood." Hermione announced proudly. "Luna, these are…"

"MacDougal, Morag!"

Hermione halted in her introductions and her eyes darted to Morag, who looked slightly embarrassed.

"I'm Morag Isabel MacDougal." the girl explained. "That's my younger sister Morag Katrina MacDougal… we still don't know what mum was thinking at the time…"

"Hufflepuff!"

"Oh, thank Merlin." Morag sighed. "It would have been really confusing to have us both in the same House."

"So, what are we discussing?" Luna asked curiously.

"Lockhart's books." Neville replied. "Harry's house-spirit did some cross-checking for him and it seems there's quite a few mistakes in the books, especially when you check against other sources."

"They're quite good stories, although it would seem he hasn't encountered any Crumple-horned Snorkacks… shame. Dad and I go searching for them every summer."

"The sorting's almost finished." Hermione noted. "In fact… that must be Ginny Weasley. She mentioned that like her brothers, she was a red-head."

"She'll be a Gryffindor." Luna sighed as the girl in question was called forwards. "It's a point of pride for them. You see, for generations, every single Weasley has been sorted into…"

"Ravenclaw!"

Luna's eyes widened and she spun round so fast that she fell off the bench. At the Gryffindor table, all four of Ginny's brothers had shot to their feet and were staring at her in shock.

"Well." Luna's voice came up from ground level. "That was unexpected."

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The clinking of cutlery and the murmur of conversation died as Dumbledore rose to address the school.

"Well, now that your bodies have been fed, it is time for me to make a few final comments before you head off to your comfortable beds, perchance to dream of the magics you have yet to learn.

"First of all, may I introduce you all to none other than the famed Gilderoy Lockhart, world famous author, adventurer and this year's teacher for Defense Against the Dark Arts."

The blond man rose to his feet, flicking his cape outwards as he did so, thus making it look like a pair of wings was raising him, then he bowed deeply to the applauding students and grinned at them, his teeth briefly sparkling in the light of the thousand floating candles near the rafters.

"Thank you, Gilderoy." Dumbledore smiled as Lockhart returned to his chair. "Next, Mr Filch has asked me to remind you all not to use magic in the corridors. Be aware that the list of banned items has been updated recently and currently all seventeen feet of it are mounted on the wall outside his office for you to peruse at your leisure.

"Third, as I am certain that many of you noticed, the Centaur Herd has begun patrolling the borders of Hogwarts and has posted sentries at the gates. I would remind you all that Centaurs are a proud people who do not take well to being insulted. Madam Pomphrey has asked Professor Snape to brew some highly effective yet truly foul-tasting healing potions for anyone who angers our guardians and thus has to report to her to have the arrows removed.

"Fourth, over summer our Quidditch pitch has been upgraded…"

Dumbledore had to pause while the cheering and wild applause crashed through the Great Hall. After a couple of minutes, he lifted his hand for silence, then unleashed a cannonblast when it failed to arrive.

"I am so glad to see how happy you are." He twinkled. "As I was saying, the pitch has been upgraded to professional standards, including the layered safety charms on the turf. In addition, the stands have been expanded and reinforced while several new sections have been added for visiting parents and the Wireless Wizarding Network announcers who will be providing commentary for us.

"Finally, I am sad to say that our resident dragon has departed our grounds and is even now settling into her new den in the Romanian Dragon Preserve. Hagrid intends to visit her in September and those who helped to raise Norbert as part of their Care of Magical Beasts class last year will be given the opportunity to go with him for a fee of three galleons to cover transportation and other costs.

"Now, since you all undoubtedly wish to get settled into your lovely beds and have pleasant dreams, ready for reacquainting yourself with Hogwarts tomorrow and starting your lessons on Thursday, let us finish with our beloved school song! Pick your favorite tune and let us express our joy at being here!"

Dumbledore waved his wand and the words floated in the air above him.

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.