Raised by Wolfstar

Chapter Nine

Dumbledore stands up making everyone quieten down as he smiles at all his students, his arms opened wide "Welcome. 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! Thank you!" he tells them, sitting back down. Harry looks at Percy in bewilderment "Is he -- a bit mad?" he asks. "Mad? He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Harry?" Percy asks, making Harry realise that the golden dishes on the table had been piled with food. Harry, Hermione, Ron, Matty and Eliza all grin at each other before piling their plates with food "That does look good." the ghost in the ruff says sadly, watching Harry cut up his steak. "Can't you-?" Harry starts. "I haven't eaten for nearly four hundred years. I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don't think I've in troduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower." Nick explains. "I know who you are! My brothers told me about you, so did Padfoot and Moony, you're Nearly Headless Nick!" Ron realises. "I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-" the ghost start, only to be interrupted by Seamus Finnigan. "Nearly Headless? How can you be nearly headless?" he asks. "Like this." Nick responds irritably; grabbing his left ear and pulling, his head swinging off his neck and onto his shoulder like a hinge.

Looking happy with the stunned looks on their faces, Nick flips his head back onto his neck and coughs "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." he explains. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Matty and Eliza all look over to the Slytherin table to see a ghost wearing robes stained with silver blood "How did he get covered in blood?" Matty asks. "I've never asked." Nick responds as everyone finishes their food. Once they have, the gold dishes refill with desserts this time as everyone talks about their families "I'm half-and-half. 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." Seamus explains, the others laughing. "What about you, Neville?" Eliza asks. "Well, my gran brought me up and she's a witch 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." Neville explains.

"What about you Harry?" Seamus asks. "I live with my Uncles, Sirius and Remus. I call them Padfoot, that's Sirius, and Moony, that's Remus. Those are their nicknames from when they were here, they were my dad's best friends and took me in when my mum and dad were killed. They've always taken care of me and made me go to Primary school to make sure I socialised with children my age." Harry explains. "They act like our uncles too, Hermione, Neville, my brother's, sister and I are always round their house." Ron smiles. "They're the ones who realises I had magic at a young age, they spoke to Min- Professor McGonagall and got permission from the Minister to explain everything to me and my family." Hermione adds, smiling. "They're great, my Gran loves going round as Moony always makes her tea the way she likes it." Neville tells them. "What about you two?" Seamus asks Matty and Eliza. "We live with our mum." Eliza responds. "We don't really remember our dad but he sends presents and cards for Christmas and our birthdays." Matty adds. "Also our mum has pictures of him for us so we remember what he looked like." Eliza smiles sadly, Matty grabbing her hand under the table.

Harry looks at the head table and spots a teacher with greasy black hair, a hooked nose and pale skin looking at him "Ron, teacher next to the one with the purple turban." he whispers. Ron looks over "You think that's him?" he asks. "Looks like your brothers, Moony and Padfoot described." Harry shrugs, looking at the teacher again. "Fred, George, that Snape at the end?" Ron asks. "Yeah, that's the greasy git." Fred nods. "Ouch!" Harry exclaims, putting a hand on his forehead as he feels a sharp pain shoot through it. "What is it?" Percy asks. "N-nothing." Harry responds, the pain disappearing as fast as it came. Hermione looks at Harry with a small frown 'I'm fine.' he mouths making her nod as they finish their desserts. Dumbledore stands up as the plates clear, everyone falling silent once again "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. 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." he tells the school.

Harry laughs but stops when he realises he's one of the few that have "He's not serious?" he asks Percy. "Must be. 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." Percy responds with a frown. "And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" Dumbledore smiles. Harry looks at McGonagall and notices that hers and some of the other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed. Dumbledore gives his wand a little flick and a long golden ribbon flies out of it, rising high above the tables and twists itself into words "Everyone pick their favorite tune and off we go!" he tells the school. "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." everyone sings, finishing at different times. The Weasley twins being left to sing along to a slow funeral march, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Matty and Eliza giggling quietly. Dumbledore conducts their last few lines with his wand and is one of the loudest people to clap at the end "Ah, music. A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!" he smiles, wiping his eyes slightly.