James Potter walked nervously up the center aisle of the Great Hall, directly between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables, eyes on the phoenix carved into the headmaster's podium at the front of the plinth at the front of the school, directly before the staff table. He stepped up onto the platform, crossing the open space where the Sorting Ceremony would be held in just a matter of mere moments, and walked 'round the far end of the faculty table on the end nearest to Gryffindor house. Without looking, he could feel eyes on him, following his trek across the Hall and he flushed, keeping his head down and reading the placards that designated seating assignments along the table. He was shocked to find his was two down from the center seat where Dumbledore sat, sandwiched between Professors McGonagall and Flitwick.
"Hello Mr. Potter!" Flitwick chirped as James sank into his seat. Flitwick's chair was quite taller than the others to account for his short stature and James smiled when he found in these chairs Flitwick was actually taller than he was. "I heard from Minerva that you were going to be this year's flight instructor and I must say that I am quite proud of the assignment! Congratulations, my boy, I am sure that you'll do quite grandly." He took both of James's hands in his own and shook heartily, merry, and James snuck a peek at his goblet once he'd let go, suspecting something stronger than pumpkin juice might be inside of it.
He glanced around the rest of the table, receiving nods and smiles from other members of stafft that were already present, including Professor Sprout, Madam Pomfrey, Professor Slughorn, and even an incredibly tall, impossibly thin woman with voluminous grey hair that was seated on the opposite side of Dumbledore, wearing grey robes that matched her hair, a stark contrast to her dark complexion.
Must be the new Dark Arts teacher, James thought.
Dumbledore looked over and caught James's eyes and he smiled and winked at James before getting up, raising up his hands and clapping them twice. The chatter throughout the hall quieted as students turned to focus on Dumbledore. "Let the sorting begin!" he called out.
James turned to look at the doorway to the room off the Hall as it opened and watched as Professor McGonagall held it opened for a stream of first year students. They looked so tiny - gods alive, had Sirius, Remus, Peter, Lily, and himself really once been that small? - as they crossed over to a huddle in the center aisle, all nervously shifting foot to foot and looking all around them - up at the enchanted ceiling's starry night sky, and the candles that floated all about the room, suspended in mid-air over the long house tables. James smiled, remembering what it was like, seeing all of it for the first time. There was awe and nervousness mixed on all of their faces, but it was easy to tell which of the first years were muggleborns by their extreme, unhinged wonder.
Professor McGonagall walked to the center of the plinth, placed the stool in the middle, and then set the Sorting Hat upon it before taking a couple of steps back.
James leaned forward in anticipation as the Sorting Hat shook itself awake and the brim split open.
A gasp went up from the first years when the Hat made a sound as though clearing his throat.
Tis Hogwarts you've come to for learning and fun
Another year wiser's what you'll be when we're done
You've been through the journey and here you've arrived
Another step closer to goals for which you've strived
We're rootin' for you and you'll root for each other
For here at Hogwarts, you're all sisters and brothers
Bound by the magic and the work of building our brains
Not by things superficial nor by the blood in our veins!
Sorting is not about splitting up or breaking apart
But simply refining the values you hold dear to your heart
For you'll find others like you sort to the house you're in -
Be it in Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffidor, or Slytherin
So gather 'round young firsties, wear me and see
Which of the four your house shall be
It won't hurt, I won't bite - I promise most sincerely
I simply will look about 'til I see your intentions clearly.
Be you a treasurer of wisdom and wit
Then I shall say that Ravenclaw would be your best fit
Or perhaps rather you focus on courage and brawn
Well then, Gryffindor will be where you'll belong
Some see the whole picture with ambition and goal
Slytherin, then, is where you shall go
And if it's balance and truth which comforts your mind
Then in Hufflepuff your house you will find
But at the end of the day, we are together in this very Hall
United as Witches and Wizards - both elder and small -
Having lots to learn and magic to wield
Working together to see the wizarding world healed
From all of the pains and damages and ruin
Caused by the dark war that's quietly brewin'
And the only way through is together, not spread apart --
True magic is made with goodness found deep in your heart.
Quiet filled the Great Hall as the Sorting Hat's song ended and the words seemed to hang almost visibly in the air for a moment for several seconds before everyone began clapping at all of the house tables and there were stamps and shouts from some of the older students around the room and James heard Flitwick let out a whistle of approval and he looked over at the tiny Professor who was flushed as he clapped enthusiastically.
Professor McGonagall allowed the cheering to go on a moment before she stepped up, withdrawing a scroll from her pocket, and took a deep breath, placing spectacles upon her nose as she unrolled the scroll, letting the length of it roll down - it wasn't a very large class this year, James noted, looking over the cloud of first years before him, and he wondered if it might be due to the war raging throughout the wizarding world in the UK. He'd read in the Daily Prophet over the summer that a lot of the prominent families had opted to send their students out of the country to attend other Wizarding schools like Durmstrang or Ilvermorny this year because of the war. Fear was rising steadily as word of attacks like the Giants in Dunegal and the werewolf outbreak in Blackburn spread.
McGonagall cleared her throat loudly, calling the attention of everyone in the room.
"When I call your name, you shall step up, take a seat on the stool, and you will be sorted," she announced, and the first years looked between one another with excitement, jostling about. "Abbott, Arthur!" McGonagall called out.
A short boy with blonde hair and wide brown eyes behind thin rimmed glasses climbed onto the plinth and climbed onto the stool. He clutched his fingers around the seat of the thing and McGonagall placed the hat upon his head. The hat thought, the brim moving the way a person's lips might do when contemplating, and finally the hat called out, "RAVENCLAW!"
A great shout went up from the Ravenclaw table and James watched as the boy slid from the stool and rushed across the plinth to the table where all the kids with blue-lined robes stood waving and beckoning him on.
"Ashton, Breanna!" was a small girl with bright red pigtails who followed Arthur Abbott to Ravenclaw, but "Avery, Quinn!", a boy with black hair and piercing green eyes, was sent to Slytherin. At least his robes will match his eyes, James thought, though they weren't quite as striking as Lily's green eyes - and he wished yet again that she were here with him right then...
"Bell, Noah!" McGonagall called and James's thoughts reverted back to the Sorting as his eyes lighted on the square-shouldered blonde whose bright blue eyes reminded him so much of Derek Bell that there was no way there was no relationship. James watched as Noah climbed boldly onto the plinth and set himself down on the stool, his chin level and eyes darting about the room, as though assessing the tables before the Sorting Hat fell over his eyes.
He's got to be a Gyffindor, James thought, All the Bells are Gryffindors...
But a moment later he was surprised as the hat called out "RAVENCLAW!" yet again and Noah Bell got up and ran to take a seat beside Arthur Abbott and Breanna Ashton at the Ravenclaw table.
Shows what I know, James chuckled to himself, Names clearly mean nothing. But blimey if he isn't a dead ringer for a relation to Derek, I swear it's like looking at a miniature of the bloke!
But Noah Bell was not the only shockingly similar relation that he would see for the next name called up was none other than --
"Black, Pyxis!"
James whipped 'round to look over the first years again and saw from among them came a girl with thick black curls and little pursed lips, grey eyes filled with determination and her chin held high. The hat barely touched her head before it had called out, "SLYTHERIN!" James stared after her as she walked primly to the Slytherin table and sat down beside Quinn Avery, carefully crossing her brown booted ankles and tucking her skirt beneath her thighs. He wondered how she was related to Sirius.
"Bulstrode, Angus!" was sorted to Gryffindor next, followed by "Burke, Aiden!" going to Slytherin, and finally the first Hufflepuff of the 1979-1986 class was called in "Caldwell, Dean!"
James tried not to let his mind wander as the names were called - he was trying to remember them, really, since he'd be working with all of these kids in flying lessons soon enough - but it was such a long list of names that he found himself drifting in and out as the names were listed off...
"Campbell, Kinsley!"
"Gryffindor!"
"Carberry, Willow!"
"Ravenclaw!"
"Carrow, Remington!"
"Hufflepuff!"
"Crouch, Maisley!"
"Slytherin!"
"Cunningham, Piper!"
"Gryffindor!"
"Fitzgerald, Oakley! Galloway, Layla! Gordon, Trenton! Greengrass, Ciaram! Hughes, Hazel! MacGowan, Cormac!" "Macmilian, Roan!"
And then came a shock that snapped James back into listening mode.
"Malfoy, Aofie!" James blinked and watched as a pale faced boy walked up to the plinth and sat and was sorted to Gryffindor without a second thought from the hat.
Blimey, he thought, a Gryffindor Malfoy? That can't be any relation to Lucius...
"McGregor, Edward! Nott, Siobahn! Ollivander, Logan! Ollivander, Sutton!" - He was surprised to see twins separated, one to Ravenclaw and one to Gryffindor - "Ramos, Sueli! Robertson, Huxley! Ross, Elizabeth! Scott, Hamish! Selwyn, Felix! Shacklebolt, Braxton!" - Was that Kingsley's boy? - "Travers, Ralphie! Wallace, Edith! Watson, Sarah!" and, finally, after what seemed a decade of names and houses, "Yaxley, Blaire!" was sorted Gryffindor.
When Blaire had taken her seat at the Gryffindor table, McGonagall collected the Sorting Hat and the little stool, stowed them in the side room off the Great Hall, and made her way to take her seat beside James at the Staff Table.
"Brilliant job, Professor," James murmured as she took her seat. She smiled tight-lipped and turned to face Dumbledore as he stood up and walked 'round to the podium.
Dumbledore clapped thrice again to gain the attention of the chattering students that filled the Great Hall and their faces turned back to the headmaster, falling quiet. "Good evening and welcome back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" he said, and applause broke out across the Hall for a beat or two before dying back down. "I know that everyone here is eager to have their dinner - as am I myself - but first, a couple of announcements..."
Dumbledore shuffled some papers on the podium.
"First, as he has done in every year that he has been appointed Caretaker at Hogwarts School, Mr. Filch has compiled a list of forbidden items which you may peruse at your leisure. It can be found nailed to the door of his office and includes some odd assortment of items that Mr. Filch considers disruptive contraband. Please be sure not to be caught with any of the items on your person and Mr. Filch shall be most appreciative of your cooperation...
"Next, I am pleased to announce that we have two changes to staff this term. Once again, I have acquired for us a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for the thirteenth time becoming headmaster of the school..." He smiled benignly, then turned and waved a palm at the white-grey haired witch sitting down the row. "Please welcome the lovely Miss. Florence Ketterley."
A smattering of applause went up from the Houses as Miss. Ketterley stood up and bowed deeply, a smile upon her thin lips. Her long eyelashes fluttered as she looked about the room, weepy-eyed, clearly touched by the applause, and then she sat down abruptly and stared down at her place setting, her high cheekbones dark with a flush.
"Has there really been thirteen difference Defense teachers at Hogwarts?" James asked, leaning closer to McGonagall.
"Aye," she whispered back. "Every year that Dumbledore has been headmaster. There hasnae been a single professor that's lasted more'n a year in the position."
"Blimey," James whispered, sitting back up right as Dumbledore continued on.
"And, as some of you may have heard over the summer, our beloved Madam Hooch has been accepted to a position at the Ugandan School, Uagadou, helping to prepare the school's new Quidditch teams. This appointment shall lead up to an international quidditch tournament played between the winners of the House Cup in Uagadou and the House Cup here at Hogwarts School. I shall share with you later in the year, once details have been sorted out more properly."
"Whoa!" shouted a familiar voice from the Gryffindor table and James could't help but laugh, his eyes flickering to see Dexter Cardwall excitedly turning to Oliver Kent and Wally Grant, his eyes wide.
"Whoa indeed, Mr. Cardwall," Dumbledore murmured, "Whoa indeed!" He paused, then continued on, "In the absence of Madam Hooch, I have found it necessary to hire on contract a replacement flying instructor and Quidditch coach. Some of you will remember him for his excellent skills on the pitch as a player and a captain of the Gryffindor team - please welcome none other than Mr. James Potter."
James stood up and as he did there was a crack and a great whistling sound and several explosions high above the Gryffindor table - bright fireworks exploded high in the pinnacle of the enchanted ceiling, streaking red and gold sparks that danced and sizzled through the air as they fell. Two - three - four of the colorful things exploded, followed by a fifth that rose high above the others and with a loud BANG! there appeared a giant lion made of golden shimmering sparks, which roared so loudly that the goblets on the tables rattled.
"YEAH! JAMES! OWOWOWOWOWOWW!!!" Wally shouted, standing up on the bench at Gryffindor, holding high the cannon which had set forth the fireworks.
"WOOOO!!" Oliver was on his feet next to Wally and Dexter, too, both shouting and pumping the air with their fists.
James grinned at them and laughed, even as McGonagall shot them each The Look, and Dumbledore had a hand over his heart, surprised by the explosives, staring up at the ceiling as the sparks rained down.
"Bravo, good show!" Flitwick clapped.
"Ought to have expected something of the like," Hagrid rumbled from the end of the row of seats, he was chuckling and clapping, too, shaking his head in amusement.
Oliver, Wally, and Dexter all sat down, as did James, and the Great Hall fell silent once more - most attention turned back to Dumbledore, apart from those who were turning over their goblets to put out tiny sparks that had landed on the table runners on the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables.
"Enough announcements for one night," Dumbledore announced, "Let us enjoy the feast!"
And with a great popping noise - the food appeared across the tables all over the Great Hall - including on the Staff Table, and James grinned, looking over the assortment of delicious things set before him.
"Mmm gods," he groaned happily, reaching for some of his favorite dishes that he hadn't had since graduation. "These feasts are definitely one of the things I missed most of all about Hogwarts," he said. "The elves make the most delicious dishes, I swear... I've dreamed of a meal half as good as this all year!" McGonagall raised an eyebrow, looking at him with a twist to her lips. "But don't tell Lily I said so," he added quickly, spearing a potato jacket with his fork.