Something Just Short of Perfect

The Sorting, it turned out, was another reminder of McGonagall's absence. Tiny professor Flitwick was the teacher assigned to leading the first years to the front, his balding head just visible among the quivering eleven-year-olds. Lily didn't pay attention to the Sorting Hat's song, or the Sorting at all. Instead, she examined the staff table with great interest.

Professor Dumbledore sat at the head of the table, the seat to his left

occupied by Professor Quirrell, the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher who had just returned from a summer trip to Transylvania. Dumbledore and Quirrell were talking with their heads bent close together and had the air of secrecy. The seat to Dumbledore's right was unoccupied, and, as far as Lily could tell, where the new Transfiguration teacher should be sitting, as every other seat at the table was occupied by returning professors.

Dash's comment about Lily not knowing whom the replacement professor was bothered Lily. Not knowing the answer to something greatly agitated her. Would the same thing that caused McGonagall to fall ill attack the substitute as well? Lily felt it her own private responsibility to protect this professor, as she had been unable to with McGonagall. She anxiously waited for her classmate's plates of mashed potatoes and

roast to clear and the beginning of term speech to take place. Tanner leaned over to her.

'Are you all right, Lily?' she asked, wiping custard from her chin. Lily nodded her stomach in knots. Would

everyone hurry up and finish eating?

'Miss?'

Lily turned and faced a timid looking house elf wearing nothing but a dishcloth. The creature's watery violet eyes looked up at her from beside her chair.

'Yes?' said Lily, as the rest of the Gryffindor house strained to face the elf.

'I is to be giving you this,' the elf squeaked. 'He told me to, said it was 'pretty surprise for a pretty lady.' The timid elf hurriedly placed the small cookie on her plate, and scurried out of the Hall. Lily and Tanner examined the cookie carefully.

Lily looked up and smiled at Ryan James, who was sitting at the Ravenclaw table. Ryan, whom Lily had a rather large crush on since the end feast the previous year, smiled warmly back at her. Lily, deciding her cookie was a 'hello!' gift from Ryan, munched happily as Professor Dumbledore rose at the staff table.

'Welcome, welcome!' cried Dumbledore. 'Before I send you off to enjoy the comfort of your dormitories, I have a few announcements. To our first years and returning students, I would like to point out that the Forbidden Forest is exactly as its name suggests: forbidden. Please do not enter, or you shall face punishment. If anyone would like to review any of the other 501 rules, please feel free to contact Mr. Filch.' His eyes twinkled merrily. ' I would also like to introduce the only new addition to our staff. He will be sitting in for Professor McGonagall this year, then enter Auror training when she returns. May I present, Professor James Potter! Wherever it is he is...'

Nearly the entire female population of Hogwarts cheered and clapped

Appreciatively. James was, after all, very attractive and quite well known among the girls. Lily, on the other hand, gasped and choked, sending the gooey remains of her cookie sailing across the table. No, she thought, this can't be happening...

But it seemed that Dumbledore's speech was not yet finished. After patiently waiting out the mumblings and excited giggles of the student body, he cleared his throat.

'I would like to say, that due to a special request of Professor Potter's, the Head Boy and Girl, who as you all know have their own private common room, shall be joined by Professor Potter, in order to make him feel more comfortable. So, to un-confuse some of you, both the Head Girl, the Head Boy and Professor Potter's dorms shall attach to one common room, which they shall share for the rest of the year. Because of this arrangement, I would like to speak with the Heads directly after the feast, which is over and done with now. Enjoy your year, and as the French say, bonne nuit!''