The welcome feast was always a grand event at Hogwarts. Watching the first-years, some timidly dragging behind as Bagsy had done in her first year, others confidently striding ahead, like Mezrielda had, was always interesting. The sorting ceremony was loud and long but Bagsy, who'd found the abrupt cheering from each house table jarring, now discovered there was some fun in lightly clapping her hands and smiling with the rest of her house when another small, terrified first-year was led to their table.
She was still disappointed when, during big feasts such as this one, Mezrielda had to split away from her and head for the Slytherin table. Bagsy remembered back when she'd watched Mezrielda be sorted into the other house and how her stomach had sunk in misery. She found a warm feeling of relief upon realising that it hadn't mattered – Mezrielda and Bagsy were friends, and though she was missing out on guessing which student would go to which house with her, at least she got to enjoy Mezrielda's know-it-all aura at other times.
Once the sorting ceremony was finished and Professor Fitzsimmons, the head professor of Hogwarts, stepped onto the podium and held their hands aloft for silence, a hush fell over the hall.
Bagsy noticed a tall, gaunt man step forward from next to the teachers' table. She recognised Mr Mortem and wondered, angrily, what he was doing sticking his tiny, nasally nose in Hogwarts' business.
'And so, another year begins,' Fitzsimmons announced proudly, their large eyes, amplified by their bug-like glasses, taking the students in. 'I hope you are all prepared for a year of education and fun.' Fitzsimmons then proceeded with their usual warnings. Bagsy had paid little attention to them before but now, she noticed, one warning had repeated the same each year. 'The forbidden forest is, unsurprisingly, forbidden to each and every student. Regardless of whatever dire need you may perceive yourself having, nothing can excuse a single step into those trees. Do not be mistaken – any student found in the forbidden forest will be severely and without hesitation punished.' Fitzsimmons stilled, looking around the hall, their unassuming white and brown robes sweeping down around them, reaching the floor easily from the height of the podium. Their hair was dark brown and cut short to the jaw line, with impossible curls at its ends.
Bagsy noticed Mr Mortem was eyeing Fitzsimmons disdainfully – clearly, he didn't like their attire or hairstyle, and as Fitzsimmons' silence stretched on so did the displeasure on Mr Mortem's face, dragging the deep bags below his eyes even lower, the corners of his mouth turned down so severely they nearly touched his chin.
At last, with the silence in the hall beginning to bubble with awkwardness, Fitzsimmons abruptly turned to Mr Mortem. 'Ah, yes,' Fitzsimmons said, as if they'd just found a set of keys they'd misplaced. 'You had a little thing or two to say, didn't you, Hagas?'
Mr Mortem's face looked like it was melting it was so wrinkled with fury. 'Something quite important, actually, Dantes.'
'Address them as Professor Fitzsimmons or not at all,' Professor Starrett snapped from the teachers' table, her hands clasped tightly together.
Mr Mortem puffed out his chest and approached the podium. When Fitzsimmons didn't step down, he addressed the students from where he stood, Fitzsimmons looking down at him as if he were a curious artefact in a museum.
'The Ministry has been made aware of a severe threat,' Mortem began. 'Someone amongst you is an inferno.' A rumble of curiosity and concern bounded between the students. 'You will listen to me!' Mortem snapped angrily. The students fell silent, more out of stunned confusion at the abrupt outburst than obedience. 'I am head of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. As such it is my duty to protect wizard kind from the evil creatures who mean us harm. Inferno are such creatures. You may have heard of them in bed time tales by another name but allow me to impress upon you the recently discovered truth; inferno are real, and they are hidden among us.'
Mortem walked forward, pacing amongst the tables, turning his beady eyes from one student to the next. Some cowered below his gaze, to Mortem's pleasure. Others did not. 'Inferno hide among you, yes. They look like you, talk like you, and act like you. But they do not think like you. They do not feel like you do. I need not say anything on what they can do. All you need know is they can do more than enough, and that they mean to trick you and they mean to harm you.' Mortem stopped abruptly next to Winifred and Robin, who were sitting next to each other at the Ravenclaw table. Bagsy would have expected the two to shoot hate-filled glares back at the horrid man, but instead they ducked their heads low and avoided his gaze. 'If you see anything suspicious, or suspect anyone of being an inferno, or being in league with the inferno, you must report this to a superior,' Mortem urged the students, moving on from Winifred and Robin. Bagsy looked over at the Slytherin table where Mezrielda was sitting. Mezrielda looked back at her, her lips pursed tightly. She didn't look happy about this new development, either.
Bagsy shuddered – as horrible as Mortem was, the inferno he described sounded worse. Hidden amongst them, waiting to strike? It was like something out of Bagsy's nightmares. If she noticed anything suspicious she'd be sure to tell someone, even if it did mean doing what Mr Mortem advised.
Mr Mortem stood tall, looking important. 'That is all-'
'Thank you, Hagas,' Fitzsimmons cut over him. One of Mr Mortem's eyes twitched and Bagsy saw a vein popping in his forehead. 'Now, before we begin the delicious meal the elves have kindly prepared for us, I would like to say a few more words.' Everyone looked surprised at that, but no one more than Mr Mortem. Fitzsimmons usually ended their speech after their warnings, making sure their instructions hung in each student's mind. Clearly, Mr Mortem had been hoping his ominous words were the last thing they'd hear before eating. 'There is something important about Hogwarts I wish to note,' Fitzsimmons explained, turning to look back at the other professors. 'Do you know what I'm talking about?'
The other professors shared confused glances, except for Professor Starrett, who fixed Fitzsimmons with an odd look.
'We are united,' Starret said, shooting a pointed scowl at Mr Mortem.
Fitzsimmons nodded, turning back to the students. 'Exactly. As a school we are united. We are one cohort, one family, and we are strongest when we stand together. We are united by something special. We are united by trust.' Mr Mortem huffed and walked angrily towards the double doors, meaning to leave the hall. Fitzsimmons ignored his rude departure and continued. 'Trust allows us to get through our day to day lives, and to hold true through difficult times. Be sure to trust your professors, your family, and your friends. Be sure to be united under that trust.'
Bagsy looked at Fitzsimmons uncertainly. She'd trusted Mistress Cora Foncée last year. She'd even asked Cora if she could trust her, and Cora had promised she could.
Cora had lied.
But if everyone was lying, where did that leave Bagsy? Fitzsimmons was right – if Bagsy didn't have trust she had nothing. Someone like Bagsy couldn't go things alone, she was too weak, too timid, too indecisive.
'Now, enjoy your meal!' Fitzsimmons raised their arms above their head dramatically and food appeared on the tables in front of them.
Bagsy's eyes widened – there was even more than last year. Sandwiches, pies, potatoes, roast vegetables and Yorkshire puddings were stacked high in front of her. Gravy boats sailed up and down the table, and floating jugs filled cups and mugs with water, steaming hot chocolate or tea. Bagsy's stomach growled hungrily and she realised she'd missed the snacks from the trolley when she'd helped Winifred and Robin avoid detection from Mr Mortem.
Greenda sat down suddenly next to Bagsy, who was mid-way through some roast pokey – a blue, round shaped vegetable served with a creamy dressing – and wrapped her in a tight hug. Bagsy, letting out a yelp of surprise and barely managing to keep her food in her mouth, looked at her.
'How are you doing, Bagsy?' Greenda asked, beaming at her as she settled down and started filling up an empty plate with mashed potato. A gravy boat paused above her food, its sail pulling in, and tipped to the side. Thick, juicy gravy cascaded over her meal.
'I'm good, thank you,' Bagsy said lightly. The roast pokey froze the feeling in her tongue at first, but then sizzled it with the flavours of roast nuts and syrup. It was Bagsy's favourite vegetable and she'd only tried it in first year because Greenda had recommended it. 'You?'
'I'm very happy,' Greenda began, her voice picking up speed and volume as she excitedly rushed out how well she'd done in her exams. 'I managed to get eleven Ordinary Wizarding Levels! Eleven! I thought I'd flunked them all, to tell you the truth, but then my letter arrived, and it turned out I passed all of them with at least E's and a handful of O's!' Greenda spent the rest of the meal eagerly explaining the grading system at Hogwarts, troll was the lowest possible grade apparently, and how excited she was to start her N.E.W.T classes. She said she intended to go into producing healing potions and crystals, or something healing related, and that Professor Blythurst thought she could become famous she was so good at it.
'He says my healing potions are something else,' Greenda explained, 'so I'm considering a profession as a brewer for St Mungo's. Though, I am a fan of healing crystals as well, to be honest, so I'm going to keep my options open.'
As usual, Bagsy loved listening to Greenda. She talked a lot, but that was perfect for Bagsy, who enjoyed listening and finding out all the new, interesting things that Greenda offered in conversation. Besides, even if Greenda talked a lot, she never cut over Bagsy the few times she wanted to say something and would listen with an attentive expression to anything and everything she wanted to say in response.
As Greenda was elaborating on what crystal healing was, Bagsy noticed the scathing look Emmeline was shooting her from down the table. Despite the brief peace offering Emmeline had made last year after Greenda's serious injury during their Quidditch match against Slytherin, Emmeline had returned to her nasty behaviour.
When the feast was done and Bagsy was filled with brownies and hot toffee sauce, she couldn't help but notice how slow Blythurst was. The other heads of house, Professor Wattleseed, Professor Jones and Professor Starrett, all easily walked down to the end of their house tables. Professor Blythurst, the head of Hufflepuff house, was still at the first few seats, barely able to drag his frail legs along. Pausing and letting out heavy puffs Blythurst nodded at Greenda tiredly.
The other tables had already begun their exodus from the hall and, guessing his wish, Greenda rose to her feet, intending to instruct the exit.
Almost instantly, Emmeline shot to her feet also. 'First years, follow me, please!' Emmeline called authoritatively with a glare at Greenda.
Greenda shot a glare back. 'Everyone else, after me!' Greenda added, raising one of her eyebrows challengingly at Emmeline.
Emmeline grumbled angrily as she led the first years from the hall, the rest of Hufflepuff guided by Greenda with the other prefects taking up the rear. As they walked a voice sounded suddenly next to Bagsy's ear.
'That was peculiar,' Mezrielda said. Bagsy startled, wondering if Mezrielda was casting her voice from across the hall, only to turn and see her standing right behind her. Mezrielda could be very sneaky when she wanted to be.
'What was?' Bagsy whispered in response. The Slytherins were already splitting from the Hufflepuffs, heading towards their dungeon common room.
'What Mr Mortem said,' Mezrielda elaborated.
'Oh yes!' Bagsy agreed. 'What do you think the inferno plan to do? And how are we meant to spot them?'
Mezrielda stopped walking and looked at her with a blank expression. 'Bagsy,' she said quietly, 'sometimes you astound me.' Bagsy furrowed her brow in confusion. Mezrielda began walking again, a few Hufflepuffs complaining at her. 'The inferno he's trying to make everyone panic over are Winifred and Robin!' she explained in a hushed voice. 'There's nothing to be scared of but the scare-tactics. Mr Mortem wants to take them away, I'm sure of it, so he's trying to turn the school against them. That's why Fitzsimmons added that odd bit about trust-' Mezrielda had to cut off her explanation as a Slytherin prefect pulled her back to her own group. 'We'll discuss this tomorrow!' Mezrielda called. Bagsy nodded, feeling stupid. Of course, Winifred and Robin were the inferno. That's what Mr Mortem had been looking for on the train, that was why Winifred and Robin had tried to hide so desperately. Bagsy, not for the first time, felt like a fool.
But, then, if the Ministry thought the inferno were dangerous, and the inferno were Winifred and Robin, who was Bagsy meant to trust? She may not like Mr Mortem as an individual, but that didn't mean the Ministry as a whole had bad intentions, her sister worked for them, after all. If they wanted to bring in the inferno they must have a reason. But then, she wasn't about to hand Winifred and Robin over to them when they seemed so scared by the prospect. Bagsy's head ached and she decided not to think on the subject anymore.
Her head swimming with worry, Bagsy followed Greenda blindly to the Hufflepuff dormitory and crawled to her private room, a converted storage space with no wall free of shelves or cupboards. Her head was flooded with so many different worries, she didn't think about the fact she wasn't going to the girls shared dormitory which she'd used in her second year. Instead, she slept soundly in her bed in her private room.