The Hogwarts Express's whistle tore through the September sky, and the ancient castle was once again filled with the laughter and chatter of young wizards.
Sagreles stood in the center of the Great Hall, watching the decorations he had painstakingly designed—color-changing strings of large and small intestine lights floating in midair to the music, along with brains and eyeballs—being taken down one by one by the house-elves under Professor Flitwick's direction.
"My dear, these colors and combinations are rather... avant-garde."
Professor Flitwick stood at the staff table and offered his tactful assessment. "Perhaps more traditional decorations would be more suitable?"
Sagreles raised an eyebrow but didn't argue.
He casually tossed a stack of design drafts into the fireplace and watched them turn to ash in the flames.
Whatever. He'd only made them to pass the time anyway.
On a bench in the corner of the Great Hall, a copy of the Daily Prophet from a few days ago caught his attention.
Sagreles waved a finger, and the newspaper immediately flew into his hand. He gave it a casual glance, but just as he was about to toss it aside, one article made him stop.
"Shocking! The Heads of Two Major Pure-Blood Families Brawl in the Street"—the accompanying photo showed Lucius Malfoy's platinum-blond hair clutched in Arthur Weasley's hand, while the latter had had three shirt buttons torn off. (Mr. Weasley was a little bald, so there was nothing to grab!)
The best part was that the two had actually fought using Muggle methods: grabbing collars, pulling hair, slapping faces, and throwing punches.
The corners of Sagreles's mouth curled up unconsciously. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen such a purely physical conflict...
Night fell, and the Great Hall gradually filled with students.
Sagreles sat at the staff table, idly