Together (A Harry Potter love story) 1

8

I looked down at my golden plate, and suddenly realised how hungry I was. The pumpkin pasties seemed ages ago.

Professor Dumbledore got to his feet, beaming at everyone with his arms open wide as though nothing could please him more than to see us all here.

"Welcome!" he said. "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 sat back down. Everybody around me clapped and cheered. I didn't know whether to laugh or not.

"Is he - a bit mad?" I asked the twins uncertainly.

"Mad?" one of them replied, laughing. "He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yeah. Potatoes, Millie?"

My mouth fell open. The dishes in front of me were now piled with food. I had never seen so many things I'd like to eat on one table; roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, chips, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, mint humbugs. My face went from shock to pure glee.

I began piling my plate with a bit of everything, except the humbugs. Instead, I sneaked a few into my pocket for later. I looked up to find Harry's eyes glued to me. I winked as he shook his head, before beginning to eat - it was delicious.

"That does look good," said one of the ghosts, watching me cut up my steak.

"Can't you-"

"I haven't eaten for nearly five hundred years," said the ghost. "I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don't think I've introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor tower."

"I know who you are!" Ron exclaimed suddenly. "My brothers told me all about you- your nearly headless nick!"

I coughed and looked at Ron.

"Ron! Don't be so rude!" I said, glancing up at the ghost sympathetically.

"Rude? How am I being rude?"

"Thank you, young lady." The ghost said to me, then turned to Ron. "I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas-" the ghost continued stiffly, but Harry interrupted.

"nearly headless? How can you be nearly headless?" I glared at him while Ron sniggered.

"Like this," he said irritability.

"Oh, you don't have to-" Mione began, but the ghost had already seized his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder as if it was on a hinge. Someone had obviously tried to behead him, but not done it properly. I grimaced as he flipped his head back onto his neck, coughed and said, "So - new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the house championship this year? Gryffindor have never gone so long without winning. Slytherin have got the cup six years in a row! The bloody barons becoming almost unbearable- he's the Slytherin ghost."

I looked over to the Slytherin table and saw a horrible ghost sitting there, his robes stained with silver blood. He was right next to Malfoy, who didn't look very happy. I giggled.

"What's funny?" Harry asked me, turning back around whilst everyone continued talking to Sir Nicholas. I stopped laughing at once.