Cold Beauty (Harry Potter)

Welcome Back to Hogwarts!

As the carriage moved on, the chilly air in the night blew on my face. When the carriages entered the gates, the carriages were swaying dangerously as the winds grew stronger and colder. Once the carriage stopped, Nicholas, Bella and I dashed up the stairs into the warmly lit Entrance Hall. "Let's quickly get to the Great Hall. I'm freezing- AH!!"Bella exclaimed.

A bright red water balloon fell on Bella and drenched her. I looked up to see Peeves the Poltergeist throwing water balloons randomly at students. "Peeves! Are you kidding me?" I said, annoyed as I narrowly missed a blue water balloon. A very angry Professor McGonagall stomped into the Entrance Hall and yelled at Peeves to stop, to which Peeves stuck out his tongue and threw the rest of the water balloons at the students before finally going away, cackling as he did so. "Well, move along then!" Professor McGonagall said to the chaotic crowd quite sharply. 

Everyone moved forward into the Great Hall. Nicholas and I took a seat at the front of the Slytherin table so we could get a good view of the front. "Why are the seats at the Teachers table emptier than usual?" Nicholas said as he observed the Teachers' table. The seat for the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher was empty. "There's no one sitting in the Defence Against the Dark Arts seat either," I added, also observing the Teachers' table. But I didn't care at that moment.

My mind was set on finding my father at the Teachers' Table. It had been so long since I had last seen him. I finally found him sitting next to Professor Sinistra. I raised my hand and gave him a wave. He noticed me, surprised at first but then smiled and waved back. 

Nicholas ignored my point and instead said, "I'm starving. I could eat anything right now." I rolled my eyes at this sudden remark.

The Great Hall was filled with chattering as many students greeted and told each other how their summer went. Suddenly, the doors opened as Professor McGonagall entered with a herd of anxious first years following her. 

Professor McGonagall stood before all the students. "When I call out your name, you will come and put on the Hat and sit on the stool. When the Hat announces your house, you may join your peers in your respective House table."

Professor McGonagall paused before going on, "Ackerly, Stewart!" A trembling boy stepped out, put on the Hat and sat on the stool. "Ravenclaw!" The Hat shouted without a moment's hesitation.  Stewart Ackerly took of the Hat and rushed to the Ravenclaw table and sat down. Malcolm Baddock got sorted into Slytherin while Eleanor Bradstock got sorted into Hufflepuff.

The Sorting finally finished half an hour later. There were a few new Slytherin first-years who came to the Slytherin table. A shy looking girl with bushy platinum blonde hair approached me. I was recognized myself as one of the new Slytherins. "Er, can I sit here?" she asked me shyly. 

I smiled at her, "Of course." She sat beside me but at the same time, she looked like she was really scared of me. She avoided eye contact and tried to scoot away from me too. I gave out a chuckle and said, "You know, I don't bite," I reassured her. She seemed a bit more relaxed as she relaxed her tensed up shoulders. 

Professor Dumbledore finally got up from his seat at the head of the Teachers' table. "I only have two words for," he spoke, "Tuck in!"

Immediately, the golden plates were filled with delicious food items. I was starving and I didn't waste any time as I helped myself to some steak and roasted potatoes. Nicholas ate like a wolf, to which I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "Slow down, buddy. You're gonna choke on your food soon enough," I told him.

"You know," A seventh year Slytherin who sat across from me started talking to me, "We're lucky to have a feast today. Heard Peeves caused trouble in the kitchens."