At the Feast

At the Feast

The First Years were all amazed by Dumbledore's incredible magic, but having long since grown ravenous, they cared more about the delicious food before them than figuring out how the headmaster had done it.

Albert did know how it had been done. Through magic left behind by Hufflepuff, Dumbledore had transported the food from the kitchens beneath the Great Hall. And Hufflepuff's Cup, which had become one of Voldemort's Horcruxes, had been the first vessel at Hogwarts to assist House-elves in magically transporting food.

Naturally, Albert did not forget to test the Prefect beside him on this, but the other boy's mouth was stuffed with food, and he clearly had no intention of answering.

The feast was lavish. It could not exactly be called refined, but it would certainly fill everyone's stomach.

Albert served himself a steak and began cutting it at an unhurried pace. He was not actually that hungry; he had been eating all the way here.

Everyone else dug in without restraint. Lee Jordan, seated opposite him, gnawed on a chicken leg in one hand, looking rather comical.

After the feast began, the ghosts made their appearances as well, emerging from all corners of the castle to greet the First Years, causing quite a stir.

Gryffindor's ghost was a male nobleman, presumably the legendary Nearly Headless Nick.

"Mr. Ghost." Albert swallowed his beef and greeted Nearly Headless Nick.

"I think I prefer it when people call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington," said the ghost.

"Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington." After reciting the long name, Albert found himself rather impressed by his own instant memory. "Can you be photographed? I mean, can you appear in photographs?"

"What? Child, I don't understand what you're talking about." Sir Nicholas was delighted that someone could pronounce his name. He hated it when newcomers called him "Nearly Headless Nick."

"Photography," Albert said. "Please make time someday to take a photograph with me."

"All right, child. If you want to do that... that thing, ah, photography, on some day, you can come find me." Sir Nicholas agreed. He had taken quite a liking to this polite little fellow.

"May I ask another question?"

"Ask away, child."

"What are ghosts? The souls of the dead?"

"Wizards can leave their marks upon the world, drifting faintly through places they once walked in life. But very few wizards choose this path." Sir Nicholas did not directly answer Albert's question.

"A memory? Not quite. So... it really is a soul?" Albert muttered to himself. He knew souls existed in the wizarding world.

After all, Voldemort had chopped his own soul into eight pieces.

When he came back to his senses from his thoughts, he found everyone nearby staring at him. "What is it?" Albert asked in confusion.

"Nothing." The others quickly looked away.

"I still think you should have been sorted into Ravenclaw," Fred said through a mouthful of food.

"Swallow before you speak," Albert said irritably.

"Why are you so curious about ghosts?" asked a First Year.

"In the Muggle world, there are no such wondrous beings as ghosts," Albert said calmly. "Now that I have the chance to learn about them, naturally I don't want to miss it. Oh, and it feels very cold when a ghost passes through you, so you'd better be careful in the future."

He had just secretly poked Nick with a finger. His finger had felt icy; having one of them pass through you would probably be like getting drenched in ice water.

That definitely would not be pleasant in winter.

"Indeed, there are no ghosts in the Muggle world." A girl sitting two chairs away from Albert spoke up. Her name was Shanna Wilson.

"To be honest, when the letter arrived, my family thought it was a prank for a while. When Professor McGonagall came to visit, they nearly threw her out," Shanna Wilson said with a laugh. "Actually, they didn't really want me to come here."

"My situation was about the same. My mother nearly called the police and had Professor McGonagall arrested," Albert said with a smile. "People from the Science Side usually have a harder time accepting the abnormal. They wanted me to go to Eton College."

"Eton College? That Eton College?" Shanna Wilson was astonished.

"What is that?" Lee Jordan asked, puzzled.

"One of the best schools in Britain," Shanna Wilson explained.

"Hogwarts is the best." George raised an eyebrow.

"Of course I know that. Britain only has one wizarding school, so Hogwarts is naturally the best." Shanna Wilson could not help rolling her eyes at him. "Ordinary people—that is, the Muggles you call them—have thousands upon thousands of schools, and Eton College ranks in the top three. Do I need to explain what that means?"

"Sounds pretty impressive." George was unconcerned. In truth, he really did not understand.

"Enough about us. Tell us about yourselves too." Albert changed the subject and looked at another girl.

"I'm half and half. My mother is a witch, and my father is a Muggle," Angelina Johnson said. "They were honest with each other from the start. Still, we've always lived in the Muggle world. I've been exposed to magic since I was little, so my family wasn't too surprised when the invitation came."

Aylia Spinnet, beside her, said, "I was born into a wizarding family and have been around magic since I was little, so there was nothing particularly novel about it. My family was quite happy when the letter arrived and bought me an owl."

After everyone had eaten their fill, the remaining food on the plates vanished, replaced by servings of dessert.

Albert took a pudding and listened as the First Years shared interesting stories.

After the feast ended, the plates on the tables were cleared again, as though Tom had licked them clean.

Professor Dumbledore stood up again and announced to everyone, "I am delighted that the school has welcomed a new professor. Professor Bard Broad will become the new Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor."

Sparse applause began to sound through the Great Hall.

Professor Bard Broad was an elderly man.

"There are a few more matters to announce." Dumbledore looked at all the students below. "First Years, please note that students are strictly forbidden from entering the woods on the school grounds. Furthermore, our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked me to remind everyone not to perform magic in the corridors between classes. Finally, trials for Quidditch players will be held during the second week of this term. Any students wishing to join their House team should contact Madam Hooch."

"Why can't we enter the Forbidden Forest?"

"There's probably danger in the Forbidden Forest." Albert glanced at the eager Twins.

"If you dare go into the Forbidden Forest, I'll write to Mum." Percy Weasley glared fiercely at his brothers. He knew their personalities far too well.

"We won't," the Twins quickly promised.