Changing Heads of House was impossible, of course. Otherwise, the students of both houses would probably have arranged a swap long ago.
Gryffindor's troublemakers had long envied Ravenclaw for having such a witty, humorous Head of House, while Ravenclaw's top students had long admired Professor McGonagall's rigor and dignity. But Heads of House had always been chosen from wizards who had graduated from the corresponding house.
Even though Professor McGonagall was called a Ravenclaw mistakenly sorted into Gryffindor, and Professor Flitwick was jokingly called a Gryffindor mistakenly sorted into Ravenclaw, the outcome was already settled. There was no changing it.
Qiu could only entertain the thought.
Although the two Heads of House had delayed them a little, the snow had eased somewhat, so Harry and the others did not arrive much later than the students ahead of them.
It was different from last year. Although Voldemort had been active outside then too, the Ministry of Magic had suppressed the news, and Voldemort had made no moves, so businesses everywhere had carried on as usual.
This year, although Voldemort had made no further moves since the Battle of the Ministry of Magic in June, his return had, after all, been confirmed. Everywhere had been affected to some degree. Even Diagon Alley was like that, let alone Hogsmeade.
Had the Ministry of Magic not stationed quite a few Aurors here on patrol, some shops might well have closed.
At the Three Broomsticks, Harry and the others ran into Tonks.
She was chatting with Mundungus Fletcher on and off.
In a rare turn of events, Mundungus had tidied himself up. At least he did not look as scruffy as he usually did.
"Mundungus Fletchley? What a surprise. Have you had a bath?" Ron spotted the pair from a distance as soon as he