A friend like never before <| Harry Potter Book 1

3 ~ Dinner is Served

The sound of someone ticking on an glass made everyone look up. Professor McGonagall stood at the end table with Professor Dumbledore on her right.

"Your attention, please." Professor McGonagall began before sitting back down.

"Let the feast...begin." Professor Dumbledore ended. Food magically appeared on the tables causing some of the students to awe and chatter. Some chicken and bread appeared on Rose's plate. She smiled and looked back at the others who still hadn't noticed her sitting next to them.

"Wow." Harry breathed. Everyone began to eat while Ron nearly inhaled his chicken.

"I'm half and half. " a boy spoke two placed next to Rose. A boy had taken a seat next to her. Brown hair that reached his forehead and a dreamy look in his eyes. "Me dad's a Muggle. Mam's a witch. Bit of a nasty shock for him when he found out." Rose giggled just like the boy next to her making him look at her. His cheeks turned hot pink.

"I-I'm N-Neville" Rose nodded with a sweet smile.

"I'm Rose" The boy gulped and nodded before he went back to eating his food. Rose smile and looked at her friends. Harry asked the boy left to him something which made them point at one of the Professors at the head table. Ron, just having finished his chicken wing, reached for the bole to grab another one when an head popped out.

"Ahh!" Ron yelps retracting his hand. Rose just stared at the ghost like any other first year.

"Hello! How are you? Welcome to Gryffindor." The ghost smiled not moving his head from the table.

They all looked up when ghost started to pour from the walls, just floating around the hall.

"Hello, Sir Nicholas. Have a nice summer?" The boy next to Harry asked the ghost who was still in the table.

"Dismal." The ghost or Sir Nicholas spat floating up. "Once again, my request to join the headless hunt has been denied." He gave them a nod before he started to leave.

"Hey, I know you! You're Nearly Headless Nick!" Ron suddenly called after him.

"I prefer Sir Nicholas if you don't mind." Sir Nicholas frowned, turning back to them.

"Nearly headless? How can you be nearly headless?" Hermione asked.

"Well he's-" Rose started but was cut off by Sir Nicholas.

"Like this." Rose quickly looked away not wanting to lose her appetite.

A sickening noise could be hear and an 'aah!' from Ron before she looked up again. Hermione now, noticing Rose, eyes widen.

"When were you sorted?!" She asked making everyone look at her. Rose noticing all the heads turning her way felt a little uncomfortable.

"Just after Harry" Some nodded and started eating again while Hermione, Ron and Harry just looked at her. How did they miss it?

-1-

After dinner they followed the boy who sat next to Harry, or Percy as Rose now knew his name, up the staircases.

"Gryffindors, follow me please. Keep up. Thank you." Percy said making them walk even faster. Rose was walking next to Hermione who was smiling.

"Ravenclaw, follow me. This way." Another boy with an pointy head said at the other side of the stairs.

"This is the most direct path to the dormitories." They stopped and looked into the very high room. Staircases filled the room just like the painting on the wall. They looked up to see even more staircases but some of them moved. "Oh, and keep an eye on the staircases...they like to change. Keep up, please, and follow me. Quickly now, come on. Come on." Tearing their eyes away from the stairs they followed Percy up another set of stairs. Rose looked at the paintings at the walls. They moved!? A painting of an woman in her wedding gown smiled at her so she gave them one back and a small wave.

"Seamus, that picture's moving!" A boy breathed behind them.

"Look at that one, Harry!" Ron smiled pointing at one.

"I think she fancies you." Harry shot back.

"Oh, look! Look! Who's that girl?"

"Welcome to Hogwarts." A painting greeted them.

"Who's that?"

After a lot of staircases they approached an large painting with an large woman in a pink dress.

"Password?" The woman asked.

"Caput Draconis." Percy said. The lady moved her arm in an welcome gesture before the painting opened. "Follow me, everyone. Keep up, quickly, come on." Percy assured them into the room. It was a small and reddish room. A small fireplace stood at the wall with the door while a spiral staircase stood in the other. A red carped lay on the floor and a couple of red chairs at one of the corners.

"Oh, wow." Rose breathed taking everything in. It just felt so homey.

"Gather 'round here. Welcome to the Gryffindor Common Room. Boys' dormitories, upstairs and down to your left. Girls, the same on your right. You'll find that your belongings have already been brought up." Percy explained before he bid them goodnight and left. Some of the students stayed in the room while some of them like Rose, Ron, Hermione and Harry went up to their rooms.

It was already midnight when Rose and Hermione walked into the sleeping dorm. As explained, their belongings were already there. Rose's bed was next to the door while Hermione's was next to hers. Rose smiled as she sat on her bed facing Hermione who was checking all her books to see if they were damaged. Rose smiled as she heard a miauw next to her. She looked up to see her black tabby looking at her. Hermione, who was now done with checking her books, sat on her bed and looked at Rose's cat.

"What's his name?" It was an Small black kitten with white spots on his paws.

"Church" Rose spoke not looking at Hermione as she petted Church trough her cage. Hermione nodded looking at the small car.

"Are you religious??" Rose shook her head turning to Hermione, who was looking at her with a big smile on her face. Rose shifted so that she was sitting cross legged facing Hermione.

"I just liked the name" Rose smiled, her gaze from Hermione to Church. They talked for a while, while Rose got her bag ready for tomorrow. Soon they all went to bed to get a good night sleep.