Chapter 3. A. Announcement in the dining room.

Aphrodite

As the hour passed at its own slow pace, the voices of the students who had already taken their seats at the long tables of the dormitories, which were now beginning to fill up with children our age and older. The recently empty tables that had been for the teachers were nearly filled except for the chair in the center and two more. While we waited, I guess for all the kids to enter, as well as the principal in the intervening time, I got to know most of the people sitting at the dorm table, except for Ron's twin brothers, their younger sister Jeannie, Neville, Dean Thomas, a kindly smiling boy with a chocolate complexion and sparkling Castanian eyes, the same age as me, quite a nice kid, Lavender Brown, with her bushy blond hair in two braids and the pink bandana she wore to accentuate her bright blue eyes, quite a pretty girl, Seamus Finnigan, with his auburn, brightly cut hair and playful look, Parvati Patil, with her serene skin and strong oriental features, which she did with Lavender, Colin Crewey, with his cantaloupe hair and the dopey face constantly on his face. If he wasn't so annoying, I might have liked him. The excitement of the new school and the new people I knew may have been great, however, the intense emotion my heart felt at every momentary or otherwise encounter my eyes had with Cedric's made me feel like I was flying through the clouds. Of course, there was no shortage of Irene's inexhaustible teasing that had found, albeit belatedly, its amusement.

"Where is the new professor of defense against the dark arts? " asked Hermione looking towards the professors.

I turned to look over there too, but no face made any impression on me except that of Mrs. Burgage who was talking to a woman wearing her hat askew over her tufted grey hair.

"New? " Irene asked, looking at the teachers.

"Yes, the one from last year quit." Harry said wistfully, and I looked at him in wonder.

"Do you think they didn't find one?" Hermione wondered anxiously and I shrugged.

When I turned to look at the teachers, in the centre of the table, I saw the headmaster sitting down. His long silver hair and beard glowed in the candlelight, the luxurious deep green robe he wore Now was embroidered with stars and moons. With his hands clasped together, upon them he rested his head while he gazed at the ceiling lost in thought. I too looked at the ceiling which at that moment at the sound of a flash of lightning was illuminated by its brilliance.

"But what's taking them so long? I'm eating from my hunger..." Ron grumbled once more, but he didn't have time to finish what he was saying and the doors opened.

As the silence spread throughout the Dining Hall, Professor McGonagall led the freshman bunch to the center of the room. As they arrived, the vice principal placed a tripod stool and placed the old and tattered hat that we had just taken down to our dormitory.

The freshmen started to look at it, as did everyone else. There was silence and then a tear near the brim opened like a mouth, the hat began to sing.

"A thousand and one years ago, Once the Needles had sewn me up, Four wizards lived and in our days are still famous. From the waste land Gryffindor the bold, From the wild moor Slytherin the cunning, From the narrow valley Ravenclaw the fair And from the great plain Hufflepuff the fair. Their bold dream they shared, To the education of young wizards they were engaged. And wisely thinking, they made a start, Creating Hogwarts School. So then, of the four great founders, Each creates his own dormitory, And imparts to the pupils the virtues, Which each considers most proper, If first in bravery, at Gryffindor

you will be welcome. And if among the cleverest you are judged, by

by Ravenclaw, thou shalt be much beloved. If diligence be thy virtue, Hufflepuff's entrance thou shalt find open. And if thou follow'st great ambition, thou shalt enter the arms of the cunning Slytherin. So they chose, as they lived, the pupils they preferred. But who would make such a choice, when wizards would leave life forever?

Gryffindor, who thought to fill me with brains. He took me out of my head and here, he said, was the solution: And the four with me gave reason, With prudence the pupils I alone choose! So put me straight in the head upstairs, And know this well: I never make a mistake. I read in the depths of the mind and soul And where each man belongs, he shall know at once. " He finished his hat song and the hall vibrated with our applause.

"To us he did not sing... "whispered Irene and I laughed.

" When our selection was made, he didn't sing the same song" Harry said as he clapped along with the others.

"Every year he says different, he must be living very boringly. He obviously spends his time composing next year's song." Said Ron sarcastically and Irene choked on the laughter that jumped out at her.

Once again the silence prevailed, Professor McGonagall unrolled a long parchment.

"Whoever hears his name will wear the magic hat and sit on the stool, Once the hat says your dormitory you will go sit at the corresponding table." He then said as he started calling out names.

For a few minutes the names of the other dormitories were heard until we heard the name of ours. Freshman Dennis Creevey, who must have been Colin's brother, came to sit with us while we clapped for him.

"Colin, I fell in the lake!" he squealed and threw himself into his chair while I stared up at him.

"It was awesome! Something grabbed me in the water and threw me back into the

Boat!" He continued and I felt Irene's face hit her.

"Fantastic!" said Colin with equal excitement.

"It must have been the giant squid, Dennis!" He added.

With even more questions I continued to watch the proceedings until it was over. Mollis went and sat down in her seat Professor Dumbledore stood up, smiled at the students and

and opened his arms in a warm welcome.

"I have only two words to say to you," he said, and his deep voice echoed

throughout the room.

"Bon appétit!"

At once all the tables were filled with all kinds of food. Chickens, rice, potatoes, and whatever you were craving were in front of us.

"Aphrodite, I'm dreaming," said Irene, and I nodded in the negative.

"Good, good!" shouted Harry and Ron as they filled the empty plates in front of them.

As the carefree conversations trembled they gave and took at the table with Hermione, after she learned that the house elves did ALL the work with no rights and all, not to eat anything. When the desserts were finished and the last crumb of the dishes that were left spotlessly clean had magically disappeared, Albus Dumbledore stood up again.

All conversation was interrupted at once and all that could be heard was the howling of the wind and the rhythmic sound of the rain.

"Well!" said Dumbledore, smiling at the children.

"Now that you have eaten and drunk, I will ask for your attention again because I have some announcements to make. Mr. Filch, the superintendent, has asked me to tell you that to the list of forbidden articles have been added squealing yo-yos, toothy frisbees and rampaging

boomerangs. If I remember correctly, the list includes four hundred

thirty-seven items, and anyone who wishes to consult it may pass through Mr. Filch's office." The edges of the

Dumbledore's lips lifted.

"I would like to remind you that students are forbidden to enter the forest, as well as visiting Hogsmeade Village for first and second graders." he continued.

"I also have the unfortunate duty to inform you that this year there will be no

there will be a quidditch championship this year."

"Oh?" groaned Harry While he looked at Fred and George, who were also staring dumbfounded at Dumbledore having apparently lost their lilt..

"It will not be because of an event that will start in October and continue almost throughout the school year and will take up most of your teachers' time and energy - but I am sure you will enjoy it wholeheartedly. I am pleased to announce that this year it will be held at Hogwarts..." At that moment there was a deafening bang that made the headmaster fall silent before the doors of the great hall opened wide.