Patrick Stump and the Flying Car Brigade

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

After getting off of the train, we got onto the carriages. I decided to sit next to Pete on the carriage ride. "I can't believe I'm in seventh year already," Pete said as he held my hand while the carriage took off. I couldn't see them, but I knew that there were thestrals pulling the carriages. We had learned about them the year before.

"I can't believe I'm in sixth," I told Pete. "Time flies, doesn't it?" Pete nodded. In retrospect, that probably would have been a good time to tell him that this was going to be my last year at Hogwarts too, but I didn't have the courage to do that yet. I was too afraid of breaking his heart.

"It seems like just yesterday when you and I started dating," Pete said.

"Well, we are the kids from yesterday," I said. Pete turned around to talk to the kids in the carriage behind us, while I simply stared ahead. It seemed that Pete was going to carry on Gerard Way's tradition of terrorising the second years who were riding the carriage for the first time.

"Oi! Were you talking about second year?" he said. The two second years nodded. "You'll hate it. You have to deal with Cornish pixies in Defence Against The Dark Arts, and if you can't Transfigure a bird into a goblet by the end of the year, then you're expelled from Hogwarts!"

"Pete, don't lie to the children," I said. I turned to the carriage behind us. "You won't get expelled."

We finally arrived at the entrance to Hogwarts. All of us got off of the carriages and wandered into the castle. I looked around once I got inside. The Great Hall never failed to amaze me. Candles lit the room, and all of the professors were already at the High Table. I made my way towards the Hufflepuff table and took a seat next to Miss Jackson. "You're just in time for Sorting," she whispered to me as I adjusted my yellow and black tie.

At that moment, a long line of first years entered the room, and the Sorting Hat broke into song. The song wasn't particularly great, but it didn't matter. Soon enough, the ceremony would be over, and then we would all get to eat.

"Allington, Hector!" Professor Flitwick called. A small boy walked up to the front of the room, sat on the stool, and put on the hat. The hat deliberated for a while before coming to a verdict.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

All of the Gryffindors, including Pete, cheered. "Avery, Fiona!" The next girl confidently strutted up to the Sorting Hat and put it on her head.

"SLYTHERIN!"

All of the Slytherins cheered. "I hope the next one's a Hufflepuff," Miss Jackson said.

"Baskerville, Constance!" This girl was a little bit more shy with the Sorting Hat, and the Hat took nearly four minutes to decide where to put her.

"RAVENCLAW!" it finally called out.

The Ravenclaws all cheered, while we simply waited for a Hufflepuff to welcome to our house. The Sorting continued for a while, and I wasn't paying much attention for most of it. This is how I disappear, I thought as I heard yet another name being called. "Lupin, Edward!" Another first year stepped up to the Sorting Hat, this time a blond-haired boy.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" the Sorting Hat exclaimed. The boy smiled and walked over to our table while we all cheered. He ended up taking the seat across from Miss Jackson.

"Hello," I said. "You're Edward, right?"

"I prefer to be called Teddy," the boy said.

"Okay, Teddy," I said as the ceremony continued. "I'm Patrick Stump. It's nice to meet you."

"I'm Judy Jackson, but everyone calls me Miss Jackson," Miss Jackson added.

"It's nice to meet you," Teddy said.

After what seemed like forever, the last name was called (Yelverton, Florence), and Professor McGonagall stood up to give her speech. "Hello everyone, and welcome back to another year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," she said. "I have a few words to say to you before the feast. The Forbidden Forest is still out of bounds for all students, especially the Gryffindors..."

"I don't care what you think, as long as it's about me, Professor!" Pete shouted. Tyler and Josh had gotten in a lot of trouble the year before for going into the Forbidden Forest, but all of the Gryffindors seemed to support them.

"Five points from Gryffindor for so rudely interrupting my speech, Mr Wentz," Professor McGonagall said. "The village of Hogsmeade is also out of bounds for all below third year. I would also like to remind you that broomstick flying outside of the Quidditch pitch is against the rules at this school due to the tragic occurrence that we had two years ago." Everyone turned to look at the Slytherin table, where Mikey Way was sheepishly trying to avoid the hundreds of eyes now on him. It wasn't exactly his fault that he was a ghost now - it was common knowledge that Augustus Rookwood had jinxed his broom - but that rule had been enacted because of him. "It's for your own safety," Professor McGonagall reminded us. "That's all for now. Have a great year, everyone, and enjoy the feast!"

All of the food for the feast suddenly appeared on the table, and I took generous helpings of almost everything, from potatoes to peas and carrots to Yorkshire Pudding to treacle tart. As usual, all of it was delicious.

"Is the food at Hogwarts always this tasty?" Teddy asked me.

"Of course it is," I said. "It's one of my favourite parts of being at Hogwarts."

The feast was over far too quickly, and all of us had to go back to the Common Room. I knew that I would appreciate all of the time that I had to relax before classes started the next morning. I did have some breaks in my schedule that year, but I knew that wouldn't make up for all of the NEWT-level classes that I was taking.

Of course, I wasn't paying any attention at all when I felt something drop on my head. I rubbed my head and looked upwards.

Peeves had just dropped a crystal ball on my head.