In The Shadows² ★ Draco Malfoy

*Back to school

Briar found its song to be as long as last year's, and it made her as bored as last year's too. So like everyone else she applauded with relief when the Sorting Hat's song finished

She and her friends watched the sorting half-interested, only clapping when a new Gryffindor was sorted

"Creevey, Dennis!" McGonagall called 

Denis Creevey staggered forwards, struggling under the weight of Hagris's coat. But he managed to make it onto the stool and when McGonagall placed the hat on his head he shot his older brother a smile, who held up his crossed fingers in response so Colin's friends did it too to comfort the new boy

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted. 

The Gryffindor table, particularly Briar and her friends burst into cheers as Denis Creevey, beaming widely, took off the hat and hurried over to join his brother

"Colin, I fell in!" He cried happily "It was amazing! And something in the water grabbed me and pushed me back in the boat!"

"Cool!" exclaimed Colin "It was probably the giant squid, Dennis!"

"Wow!" Briar and Ginny both laughed. Only the Creevey brothers could be excited by something like that. "Dennis! Dennis! See that boy down there? The one with the black hair andglasses? See him? Know who he is, Dennis? It's Harry Potter!"

Briar and Ginny both stifled their laughs behind their hands as they watched Harry look away and fix his stare on the continuing Sorting Ceremony, to avoid any more pictures or autographs by them

When the sorting ceremony finally ended, all of the students' mouths began to water with anticipation for the delicious food that would soon appear

But before it could Professor Dumbledore got to his feet and opened his arms wide in welcome, a smile gracing his face "I have only two words to say to you," He said "Tuck in."

"Hear, hear!" Harry and Ron chorused as the empty gold dishes finally filled before their eyes

During the meal Briar finally got to speak to Dennis and hear about how he fell in the lake, and then the conversation of course switched back to the Quidditch World Cup and when their friends heard they had gone they swarmed Ginny and Briar with more questions about the match and the attack afterwards

When the desserts had been finished, the plates became clean and Professor Dumbledore stood up once more to address the hall

"So!" he said to them all "Now that we are all fed and watered I must once more ask for your attention while I give out a few notices. Mr Filch has asked me to tell you that the list of objects forbidden inside the castle has this year been extended to some four hundred and thirty-seven items, I believe the full list can be viewed in Mr Filch's office. As ever I would like to remind you all that the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds to students as is the village of Hogsmeade to all below third year. It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."

"What?"

Several cries broke out across the hall, especially from the Gryffindor table as they had been hoping to defend their title from last year

"This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year - but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts-"

Suddenly there was a deafening rumble of thunder above them and the doors to the hall hanged open. A man dressed in a soaked black travelling cloak, leaning on a long staff, barged his way in. He had messy, dark grey/brown hair. And as he made his way towards the staff table there was a dull clunk on his every other step. As he got closer Briar could see that a large chunk of his nose was missing, and the rest of his face was scarred. Most noticeably, across the top of his head he had a sort of belt contraption, which held a socket over his left eye, and in the socket was a vivid, electric blue eye which moved without blinking and rolled around