Return of the Stag :: Book two #wattys2017

Chapter 6

EDITED

Once everyone was seated, Minerva led the first years in. The sorting went rather fast. Each house gaining a handful of new students before the feast started. The feast seemed to go by faster than James remembered it going. After everyone had finished with the feast, Dumbledore stood up and the talking in the hall ceased to the occasional murmur.

"To our new students, welcome, to our old students, welcome back! Another year full of magical education awaits you." Dumbledore started his speech. James' eyes wandered down to where Harry sat with Hermione and Ron. He noticed that the three of them seemed to be talking instead of listening to Dumbledore.

"And a friendly reminder that there is a blanket ban on any joke items bought at the shop called Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Those wishing to play for their house quidditch teams should give their names to their head of house as usual. We are also looking for new quidditch commentators, who should do likewise.

"We are pleased to welcome two new staff members this year. Professor Slughorn," - A bald man stood up on the opposite side of the table that James was on, his waistcoated belly casting the table below into a shadow - "A former colleague of mine, who has agreed to resume his old post of Potions master." This news caused a murmuring to ensue over the hall as people were wondering what Snape was now teaching.

"We are also welcoming, Professor Potter to our staff, who has agreed to take the position of defence against the dark arts this year. He shall be working alongside Professor Snape in this position." There was an outburst of talk at this. It was fairly well known that Snape had a disliking for Harry, meaning that he must have an even larger disliking for James. Harry and most of the Gryffindors that knew just how much Snape and James hated each other, had looks of pure shock on their faces, and it was obvious that neither Severus nor James knew of Dumbledore's plans for them to work together as both of their expressions were almost identical. Showing their shock, anger, disbelief and hatred for each other. James was so shocked that he forgot to stand up, but it was fairly clear which teacher he was, what with his resemblance to Harry.

Dumbledore raised his hand, and silence overtook the hall. "Now, as everybody in this Hall knows, Lord Voldemort and his followers are once more at large and gaining in strength."

The silence seemed to tauten and strain as Dumbledore spoke. Harry glanced at Malfoy. Malfoy was not looking at Dumbledore but making his fork hover in midair with his wand, as though he found the Headmaster's words unworthy of his attention.

"I cannot emphasize strongly enough how dangerous the present situation is, and how much care each of us at Hogwarts must take to ensure that we remain safe. The castle's magical fortifications have been strengthened over the summer, we are protected in new and more powerful ways, but we must still guard scrupulously against carelessness on the part of any student or member of staff. I urge you, therefore, to abide by any security restrictions that you teachers might impose upon you, however irksome you might find them--in particular, the rule that you are not to be out of bed after hours. I implore you, should you notice anything strange or suspicious within or outside the castle, to report it to a member of staff immediately. I trust you to conduct yourselves, always, with the utmost regard for your own and others' safety."

Dumbledore's blue eyes swept over the students before he smiled once more. "But now, your beds await, as warm and comfortable as you could wish, and I know that your top priority is to be well-rested for your lessons tomorrow. Let us, therefore, say goodnight. Pip pip!"

With the usual deafening scraping noise, the benches moved back and the hundreds of students began to file out of the Great Hall toward their dormitories. Harry, who was in no hurry at all to leave with the gawping crowd, nor to get near enough to Malfoy to allow him to retell the story of the nose-stamping, lagged, pretending to retie the lace on his shoe, allowing most of the Gryffindors to draw ahead of him. Hermione had darted ahead to fulfil her prefect's duty of shepherding the first years, but Ron remained with Harry.

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However, instead of going to their designated rooms, James and Severus both went straight to Dumbledore's office, wanting to discuss what had been said at the feast and what it meant for them. As they reached the staircase to Dumbledore's office, it became a momentary fight as to who would get to the office first. They had both said the password at the same time and were pushing and shoving each other to get up the stairs.

In the end, James won just because of the height and athletic ability advantages he had over Severus. He knocked on the door, receiving a tired 'come in', and with that, he opened the door, both of the men tumbling into the office as they had been struggling to get in first.

Albus was sitting behind his desk, watching the two with an amused expression. "You are here to talk, though I assume most of it will be yelling, with me?" He asked the two. They both nodded. Both men opened their mouths to start yelling at Albus, both saying the same thing, at the same time. "HOW IN THE WORLD COULD YOU DO THIS TO US ALBUS? WE HATE EACHOTHER!!"

By the way, I posted for the new book I mentioned in the last update thing, and put some stuff up there. You can find it on my profile page under my published books, along with another book that I started, that anyone who likes the Marauders will like.