Chapter 20: At the Banquet
Chapter 20: At the Banquet
The newcomers were all marveling at Dumbledore's wondrous magic, but their rumbling stomachs had them more interested in the delicious food before them than pondering how the headmaster had achieved such a feat.
Albert, however, knew exactly how it was done. Dumbledore had utilized the magic of Hufflepuff, transporting the food from the kitchen below the Great Hall. The Hufflepuff golden cup, which had once served as one of Voldemort's Horcruxes, was the first vessel in Hogwarts to assist house-elves with the magical transportation of food.
Albert, of course, couldn't resist quizzing the prefect beside him about this, but the other boy's mouth was too full to answer.
The banquet was lavish, if not exactly refined. But it was certainly enough to fill everyone's bellies.
Albert helped himself to a steak and began to cut it slowly. He wasn't very hungry, having snacked along the way.
The others, however, dug in with gusto. Across from him, Lee Jordan was comically gnawing on a chicken leg.
As the banquet began, ghosts started to appear from various parts of the castle, greeting the newcomers and causing a bit of a stir.
The Gryffindor ghost was a male aristocrat, presumably the legendary Nearly Headless Nick.
"Mr. Ghost," Albert said after swallowing his bite of beef, addressing Nearly Headless Nick.
"I'd prefer if you called me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington," the ghost replied.
"Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington," Albert repeated, impressed with himself for remembering the lengthy name. "Can you be photographed? I mean, can you appear in photos?"
"What? Child, I don't understand what you're saying," Sir Nicholas said, pleased that someone had taken the effort to pronounce his full name. He disliked being called "Nearly Headless Nick" by newcomers.
"Photography," Albert clarified. "Please make time to take a photo with me some other day."
"Very well, child," Sir Nicholas agreed, taking a liking to the polite young man. "If you wish to do that... er, take a photograph, come find me."
"May I ask another question?"
"Go ahead, child."
"What are ghosts? Are they the souls of the deceased?"
"Wizards can leave their mark on the mortal world, wandering ethereally through the places they once knew, but very few choose this path," Sir Nicholas replied, avoiding a direct answer to Albert's question.
"A fragment of memory, perhaps? It doesn't quite seem like that, so... it must be the soul, then?" Albert mused, knowing that souls did exist in the magical world.
After all, Voldemort had torn his soul into fragments.
As he snapped out of his thoughts, Albert realized that people nearby were staring at him. "Is something the matter?" he asked, puzzled.
"Nothing," the others quickly averted their gazes.
"I still think you should've been in Ravenclaw," Fred mumbled through a mouthful of food.
"Swallow your food before you speak," Albert retorted.
"Why are you so curious about ghosts?" asked a first-year.
"In the Muggle world, there are no ghosts like this," Albert replied calmly. "Now that I have the chance to learn about them, I don't want to miss out. By the way, it feels very cold when a ghost passes through you, so be careful from now on."
He had just secretly poked Nick with his finger and felt how icy it was. Being passed through by a ghost was probably like being drenched in ice water.
That certainly wouldn't be a pleasant experience in winter.
"Indeed, there are no ghosts in the Muggle world," chimed in a girl two seats away from Albert. Her name was Shannon Wilson.
"To be honest, when I first got my letter, my family thought it was a prank. When Professor McGonagall came to visit, they almost drove her away," Shannon said, finding it amusing. "In fact, they didn't really want me to come here."
"My situation was similar," Albert laughed. "My mother almost called the police on Professor McGonagall. People who live in the world of science tend to have a hard time accepting abnormal abilities. They wanted me to go to Eton College."
"Eton College? As in, that Eton College?" Shannon asked, surprised.
"What's that?" Lee Jordan inquired, confused.
"It's one of the best schools in Britain," Shannon explained.
"Hogwarts is the best," George countered, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course, I know that," Shannon scoffed. "Since Britain only has one magic school, Hogwarts is naturally the best. But Muggles, or ordinary people as you call them, have thousands of schools, and Eton College is ranked within the top three. That should tell you something!"
"Sounds impressive," George remarked, though he really didn't understand.
"Let's not just talk about us, let's hear about you as well," Albert said, turning to another girl.
"I'm half-blood," Angelina Johnson said. "My mother is a witch, and my father is a Muggle. They were honest with each other about their backgrounds early on. But we've always lived in the Muggle world. I've been exposed to magic since I was little, so receiving the invitation letter wasn't a huge surprise for my family."
"I was born into a wizarding family," said Alicia Spinnet, sitting next to Angelina. "I grew up with magic, so there was nothing new or surprising about receiving the letter. My family was happy, and they bought me an owl."
After everyone had eaten their fill, the leftover food on the plates vanished, replaced by desserts.
Albert took a pudding and listened as the first-years shared interesting stories.
At the end of the banquet, the plates were once again cleared, leaving them as spotless as if Tom had licked them clean.
Professor Dumbledore stood up again and announced, "I am pleased to welcome a new professor to our school. Professor Quirinus Quirrell will be our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."
Scattered applause filled the Great Hall.
Professor Quirinus Quirrell was an elderly man.
"There are a few more things I need to inform you about," Dumbledore said, addressing all the students below. "First-year students, please note that the forest on campus is strictly off-limits to students. Additionally, Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to remind you not to use magic in the corridors between classes. Lastly, tryouts for Quidditch teams will be held in the second week of this term. Anyone interested in representing their house should contact Madam Hooch."
"Why can't we go into the Forbidden Forest?"
"It's probably because the forest is dangerous," Albert said, glancing at the eager twins.
"If you dare go into the forest, I'll write to Mum," Percy Weasley said, glaring at his younger brothers, knowing their mischievous nature all too well.
"We won't," the twins promised hastily.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
