Mass Collision

11. Wordless Magic

The sorting had come and gone and everyone was eating dinner. "Draco, stop staring at Potter, you're just making yourself depressed," Natalia told him, not looking up from her food. To be honest, they had a better time with Draco when Potter wasn't around. Then again, they did have several drinking games about Draco's stories when he said Potter.

"Anyway, so what classes are all of you taking?" Daphne asked. They went around and everyone said what they were taking. Most of them were staying in Potions, Charms, transfiguration, and DADA. Natalia and Theo were the only ones staying in Arithmancy. No one was staying in divination. Natalia and Draco both decided to drop Astronomy and everyone except Natalia was leaving Care of Magical creatures.

Just after they had finished eating, Dumbledore got to his feet at the staff table. The talk and laughter echoing around the Hall died away almost instantly.

"The very best of evenings to you!" he said, smiling broadly, his arms opened wide as though to embrace the whole room.

"What happened to his hand?" gasped a few third years around them. They weren't the only ones who had noticed. Dumbledore's right hand was as blackened and dead-looking as it had been on the night he had come to fetch Harry and her from the Dursleys. Whispers swept the room; Dumbledore, interpreting them correctly, merely smiled and shook his purple-and-gold sleeve over his injury.

"Nothing to worry about," he said airily. "Now . . . to our new students, welcome, to our old students, welcome back! Another year full of magical education awaits you . . ."

"What did he do?" Theo questioned, trying to get a better look. Draco shrugged.

"Probably some dark magic or something," he said, visibly looking more relieved, maybe he could kill the old man after all.

". . . and Mr. Filch, our caretaker, has asked me to say that there is a blanket ban on any joke items bought at the shop called Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

"Those wishing to play for their House Quidditch teams should give their names to their Heads of House as usual. We are also looking for new Quidditch commentators, who should do likewise.

"We are pleased to welcome a new member of staff this year. Professor Slughorn" — Slughorn stood up, his bald head gleaming in the candlelight, his big waistcoated belly casting the table below into shadow — "is a former colleague of mine who has agreed to resume his old post of Potions master."

Blaise smirked proudly, "told you!"

"Potions?"

The word echoed all over the Hall as people wondered whether they had heard right.

"Professor Snape, meanwhile," said Dumbledore, raising his voice so that it carried over all the muttering, "will be taking over the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

The entire table of green started clapping and Natalia looked over at other tables and plenty of students paled at the thought of Snape teaching them DADA.

Snape, who was sitting on Dumbledore's right, did not stand up at the mention of his name; he merely raised a hand in lazy acknowledgment of the applause from the Slytherin table.

Dumbledore cleared his throat. The whole Hal had erupted in a buzz of conversation at the news that Snape had finally achieved his heart's desire. Seemingly oblivious to the sensational nature of the news he had just imparted,

Dumbledore said nothing more about staff appointments, but waited a few seconds to ensure that the silence was absolute before continuing.

"Now, as everybody in this Hall knows, Lord Voldemort and his followers are once more at large and gaining in strength."