A few days later, in the memories of this batch of Hogwarts students, today's End-of-Term Feast had been very different in style from previous years.
Unlike the old way of celebrating with nothing more than giant banners hung overhead, many light, delicate streams now flowed through the Great Hall beneath the starry ceiling, casting mottled, irregular shards of light and shadow across the floor. If you kept your eyes fixed on those spinning, leaping patterns, it was easy to slip into a beautiful illusion.
The Great Hall had been redecorated in Ravenclaw blue and bronze to celebrate their winning the House Cup once again. On the wall behind the staff table, light and shadow drifted, as if countless bronze motes had gathered there and transformed into an eagle soaring high above an unreachable peak.
But on the long tables, unlike in the past when all kinds of sumptuous dishes had been laid out in front of them for the wizards to help themselves, the wizards no longer had to stand up and strain to reach food far away, nor did they need to walk around looking for their favorite dishes.
Just as during the Triwizard Cup, when Beauxbatons Academy and Durmstrang Institute had been entertained, a set of Ravenclaw-colored porcelain tableware had been placed before everyone, silver knives and forks arranged neatly to the side. Menus covered in marvelous magical patterns lay in front of each person. With a light tap on the name of a dish they liked, the corresponding food would be made by House-elves to appear on their plates.
In such a magical and elegant environment, the young wizards of Hogwarts were certainly drawn in by these novel arrangements, but they were also too embarrassed to shout loudly in the Great Hall as they had before, lest