Harry Potter and the Gift of the House-Elf

Chapter 3 - Diagon Alley

Harry crowded himself into the fireplace as Mr. Weasley yelled, "Diagon Alley!"

'Diagon Alley,' he thought. 'Here I come.'

It felt as though he was being sucked down a giant drain. He seemed to be spinning very fast - the roaring in his ears was deafening - he tried to keep his eyes open but the whirl of green flames made him feel sick - something hard knocked his elbow and he tucked it in tightly, still spinning and spinning - now it felt as though cold hands were slapping his face - squinting through his glasses he saw a blurred stream of fireplaces and snatched glimpses of the rooms beyond - his bacon sandwiches were churning inside him - he closed his eyes again wishing it would stop, and then -

He stumbled, caught himself before he fell, and stood up. Looking around, Harry saw that they were in the Leaky Cauldron, and that Fred and George were already there, waiting for the rest of the family to come along.

"Come on, Harry," Mr. Weasley said, pulling him aside. "We need to get out of the way so the rest have room to get out." With a wave of his wand, he cleaned the soot off himself and Harry.

A moment later, Hermione and Mrs. Weasley, followed by Ron and Ginny, emerged from the fireplace, cleaning themselves off.

"Everyone here?" asked Mrs. Weasley. "All right then, we'll meet back here at noon for lunch."

They all went their separate ways and Harry, Ron, and Hermione went over to over to Gringotts. After being bowed inside by a goblin, they walked in, and who could be standing at the counter, but Draco Malfoy with his father.

"Damn it!" Ron hissed. "Why is he always here when we are?"

Malfoy looked over at them, but to their surprise, he ignored the trio and pretended that he hadn't seen them.

"What, no insults to throw at us?" Harry wondered aloud. "What's up with him?"

"Oh come on," said Hermione impatiently, pulling them over to a goblin at the counter. She exchanged her Muggle money, and then they got another goblin to take them to Harry's vault.

When they were all back up at the bank, they decided to get the potions ingredients for the Animagus training first. Heading towards the apothecary, they saw a man with his daughter, both of whom looked very lost and extremely apprehensive. Passing them, Harry heard a snatch of their conversation.

"Where are we supposed to go, dad? We have to buy my school things," said the girl, who Harry assumed was a first year. She had long, straight blonde hair and blue eyes that were shining as she looked around her in amazement.

Hermione turned towards Harry and whispered, "Muggle family." Feeling a bit sorry for the two, Harry stopped and asked, "Do you need any help getting around? You look a bit lost."

The father looked relieved. "Oh, I would appreciate that very much. I don't exactly know my way around here. Could you show us where to buy these school supplies?" He handed the list to Harry.

"Oh, are you starting at Hogwarts this year?" Hermione asked the girl kindly. The girl nodded, and answered eagerly, "My mum went to Hogwarts when she was a girl. I was so happy to get my letter. I don't really know much about magic, because my mum died when I was little, and my dad doesn't really know much about it either. He's been here before, of course, but that was a long time ago. I don't know how I'm ever going to learn magic. I've never seen anyone do it, could you show me? Oh, and what's your name? I'm Kathryn Brianna Lynn Turner, but everyone calls me Kate." She said all of this very fast.

"Pleased to meet you, Kate. I'm Hermione Granger, and these are my friends, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley," she said, introducing them. Kate's father's eyes flew up at the mention of Harry's name, which puzzled Harry, since he was a Muggle, but he didn't say anything.

"We were just heading to the apothecary. You can buy your potions ingredients there," said Hermione in a businesslike matter. The three friends, joined by Kate and her father, headed down Diagon Alley.

Ron joined the conversation, saying, "You definitely won't like the Potions teacher. He's especially horrible to Gryffindors. But you might be a Slytherin, and he's all right to them." He gave Kate a wary look, as though she had already been sorted into Slytherin.

"Well, my dad told me that my mom was in Gryffindor, but I don't really know about all the houses," said Kate.

Hermione launched into an explanation of the four houses. "There's Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. Hufflepuffs tend to be loyal, honest, and hardworking, while Ravenclaw is known for intelligence in its students. Gryffindors are valued for their bravery but don't always obey the rules (here she cast an accusing eye on Ron and Harry), and Slytherin... well, they are supposed to be cunning, ruthless, and have great ambitions."

"And they're evil, and stupid, and great ugly gits," added Ron.

"Ron!" Hermione looked at him disapprovingly. "Oh, don't believe him, not all Slytherins are bad. It just depends on--"

"No, not all Slytherins are bad," Ron imitated Hermione. "It's just that there's not a single Dark Witch or Wizard in England that hasn't been in Slytherin."

"Now you're exaggerating, I bet there are many--"

Kate looked over at Harry, grinning, and asked, "Are they married or something? It sure sounds like it." At this, both Hermione and Ron stopped arguing and turned bright red. "I think we should go in the shade, Harry. It looks like they're getting a bit of a sunburn." Harry snorted, and burst out laughing, getting a smack from Ron.

"Oh, come on," said Hermione hastily, pulling them into the apothecary. Once inside, Hermione produced a long list where she had copied down the ingredients they would need for the Animagus transformation. While Hermione was looking for the ingredients, Harry and Ron helped Kate and her dad find what was on her list of school supplies. After Hermione had everything, Harry paid the hefty bill, while Ron looked on uncomfortably.

Upon leaving the apothecary, they went into Quality Quidditch Supplies, where Harry explained the rules of Quidditch to Kate and her dad. Hermione disappeared into the row of books, while Ron went to admire the merchandise.

"Where to next?" asked Harry as they came out onto the street again. They still had about an hour before Harry, Ron, and Hermione had to go back to the Leaky Cauldron for lunch.

Passing Eeylop's Owl Emporium, Harry noticed Kate's dad slip away from them and into the store. Guessing his intentions, Harry distracted Kate by pointing out the wizard's toy store on the other side of the street. Not soon after, Kate was surprised by a beautiful Great Horned Owl, asleep in its cage. "Wow..." she breathed. "Thanks, daddy. He's beautiful."

They went in to Madam Malkin's Robes for Every Occasion so that Kate could buy her school robes. Harry also was fitted up for new robes, since he had grown over the summer, and his old ones were now too small. They left with their packages, and Ron pointed out the time. "We have to start heading back to the Leaky Cauldron for lunch now." He invited Kate and her father to come with them.

At the Leaky Cauldron, Ron introduced them to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and Mr. Weasley, hearing that Kate's father was a Muggle, immediately started questioning him about Muggle appliances. They met up with the rest of the Weasleys, pushed a few tables together, and ate their lunch. Fred and George showed Harry their purchases and presented Ron with a gift, which turned out to be new dress robes. The twins winked at Harry and he grinned back at them.

They all gathered after lunch to go to Flourish and Blotts to get their new schoolbooks. Inside the bookstore, Harry and Ron found the books on their list.

"Whoever our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is, they sure are piling on the books. We'll probably have a lot of homework," Ron grumbled.

"Hurry up, you two," Hermione said. "Everyone else has already bought their books."

Harry grabbed The Standard Book of Spells - Grade 5 and followed Ron to the counter. After buying their books and waiting for Hermione to buy hers, which was more than Harry and Ron's combined, they headed out of Flourish and Blotts and back to the Leaky Cauldron, where they said goodbye to Kate, and helped themselves to some Floo Powder.

Back at the Burrow, Harry, Ron, and Hermione went up to Ron's room to drop off their stuff. Hermione immediately started to leaf through the Animagus book.

"So did we get everything?" Ron asked her, throwing his books in his trunk and looking over Hermione's shoulder.

"Yes, but this is very complicated. It's probably best if we start as soon as we get to Hogwarts. But..." she hesitated. "I still don't think we should be doing this. I mean, it's not just a silly school rule we'll be breaking. This is illegal and--"

"Lighten up, Hermione," Harry said. "Sirius sent to this me, and he wouldn't have done that if he didn't want us to at least try it. And knowing Sirius, he probably already told Dumbledore.

"I guess you're right..." Hermione said slowly. "But we should at least have a teacher--"

"Hermione!" Ron yelled. "We could do this without you, you know."

"All right," she said, shutting the book with a snap. "We'll start when we get to Hogwarts. However, both of you should read this first, so you know what you're doing. Here," she said, giving the book to Ron. "You can go first."

Ron groaned, flipping through the pages. "So Harry," he said, abruptly changing the subject and tossing the book aside. "You said you were going to tell us about something that happened on your birthday."

"Oh that. It's a long story." So Harry took a deep breath and started to tell his friends about being woken up by his dream, then the arrival of Telly and the Gift, how Snape had come disguised as a postman to deliver his letters, and last of all the arrival of the Brazilian boa constrictor (which was presently loose in the trees near the Burrow).

Ron and Hermione were speechless when he was done. Ron was the first to speak. "But - how did you know it was really Snape if he was disguised?"

"That I don't know... It was kind of like I saw a flicker of his real identity," Harry answered, speaking more to himself than to his friends.

"Harry," said Hermione. "What in the world is the Gift?"

"Er, I don't really know that either. Telly just said something like it was different to everyone who got it, and I might get all of it, or I might get none. It didn't make much sense to me."

"Well, you shouldn't take a house elf seriously, especially if she's related to Dobby," Ron said reassuringly.

Hermione shot him a withering look. "It seems to me as if it would be a special magic power of some sort," she said.

Harry thought about this, wondering whether he should tell them about his newfound ability to talk to animals, but decided against it.

"What about your dream?" asked Hermione softly. "Was it of You-Know-Who?"

A shiver ran up Harry's spine as he remembered the dream he had had of Voldemort. "No, it was nothing," he said. What else could he have told them? 'Oh, Voldemort's just thinking of plots to kill me, that's all.'

Ron and Hermione looked at Harry doubtfully. They obviously knew him too well to believe him. "Then what did you dream about?"

"Er... the Animagus transformation. You know... my dad as a stag," he lied.

"What animals do you think we should turn into?" Ron asked eagerly, obviously satisfied with Harry's answer. "I might want to be a--"

"Oh for gods' sake, Ron," Hermione said impatiently. "If you actually read the book, you would know that you can't just choose to change into whatever animal you please. The animal chooses you. It usually adapts to your characteristics and personality traits."

"Oh," said Ron sheepishly.

"You also might try finishing your homework," she went on. "After all, there's less than a week before term starts, and I'm sure Snape would love to give you a month of detentions for not doing your essay on Truth Potions.

"All right, all right..." Ron answered grumpily. "Only can I see your essay? I'll never finish mine."

"No, you may not see my essay," Hermione snapped. "First of all, you'll never learn, and you--"

"Can I see yours, Harry?"

"Yeah, sure," said Harry, rummaging in his trunk for the parchment and handing in to Ron. Hermione looked at them disapprovingly. "I'm going to fly a bit on my Firebolt," he said, getting up.

Hermione immediately brightened up. "Oh, that reminds me..." She started looking through the large stack of books she had bought in Diagon Alley.

Harry shrugged and headed downstairs with his Firebolt.

Once outside, Harry found Ginny polishing her broom on the porch.

"Are you going to try out for the Gryffindor team at Hogwarts?" Harry asked.

Ginny shrugged. "I dunno. I'm not really that good. Not on this broom anyway."

She was riding a shooting star, Ron's old broom, and it was very battered and extremely slow.

"Do you want to try out my broom?" Harry offered.

Ginny's eyes lit up. "Can I?"

Harry nodded and gave her his Firebolt. Ginny mounted and took off, surprised. "Wow, this is amazing..." She sped up and down the field, doing spirals and spins. Harry watched her with admiration. She really was a good flier.

Harry felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to find Hermione behind him, with an expression he couldn't read on her face. Ginny landed next them, causing her to jump.

"Harry, I have something to show you," she said, holding up a book. "You'll need your broom," she added curtly, looking at Ginny.

"Oh, right. Thanks for letting me try it out, Harry," Ginny said, giving Harry his broom back. She looked longingly at it (or maybe she was looking at Harry).

"Anytime," Harry grinned, then turned to Hermione. "So 'Mione, what's the book about?"

Hermione turned and pulled Harry to the porch, where they sat down. She handed the book to Harry, who looked at the title and turned to Hermione, puzzled.

"The Idiot's Guide to Broom Marketing?" Harry asked. "What, are you planning on marketing brooms, Hermione?"

"Don't be stupid. It's for you."

"Er, I wasn't planning to market brooms either."

"Oh, I know that," Hermione said impatiently, taking the book from Harry and flipping through the pages until she came to a certain chapter. "Here. Take a look at this."

Harry looked at the page Hermione had opened to. It said: Chapter 8 - Charms for Broomstick Improvement (An Idiot's Guide). Intrigued, Harry flipped through the chapter, growing more excited by the second. The book was a treasure trove of charms and spells that would increase a broom's speed, balance, agility, and control as well as various other valuable improvements.

"Wow, Hermione! Thanks!" Harry exclaimed, jumping up. He hugged Hermione, and skipped up the stairs to show Ron.

The next few days at the Burrow passed quickly, and soon enough, it was the first of September, and time for everyone to start packing their trunks and say goodbye to the Burrow. Harry, Ron, and Hermione heaved their heavy trunks downstairs and went into the kitchen for breakfast.

"So 'ow are we getting to 'ogwarts dis year?" Ron asked through a mouthful of toast and eggs.

"By Portkey," Mrs. Weasley answered. "A letter came this morning. You're all to be packed and ready by noon, and teachers from Hogwarts will be arriving with Portkeys sometime after that."

"Wouldn't it be a lot easier to just take the Hogwarts Express?" Ron grumbled.

"Perhaps," Mrs. Weasley answered. "But this way is safer." She glanced at Harry anxiously.

"Do you know if prefects are supposed to leave earlier?" asked Hermione.

"Indeed they are, Miss Granger," said a familiar voice behind Harry. He and Hermione spun around.

"Professor Dumbledore!" exclaimed Hermione.

"Please excuse me for interrupting your meal," said Dumbledore, bowing courteously to Mrs. Weasley. "I have come to take Mr. Potter and Miss Granger to Hogwarts."

"Please do have some breakfast, Albus," said Mrs. Weasley, pulling up a chair.

"How could I refuse?" he said, his eyes twinkling.

"So how is the situation with You-Know-Who? Have there been any attacks?" asked Mrs. Weasley as she piled bacon and eggs onto Dumbledore's plate.

"Not directly, no. But there has been a number of Muggle disappearances, around the village of Little Hangleton, and that is where Voldemort's father lived." Everyone but Harry flinched at the sound of the Dark Lord's name, but Dumbledore did not seem to notice as he buttered a piece of toast. "The Ministry does not think there is any connection between these disappearances and Voldemort (more flinching), but then, they are still refusing to accept the he has returned to power."

Harry thought about this. So Fudge was keeping it all hushed up. Dumbledore had told all the students at Hogwarts about the return of Voldemort at the end of last year, so their parents had probably heard. But he thought it was strange that there hadn't been any attacks so far. Perhaps Voldemort was concentrating on something else. He shivered when he remembered the dream he had earlier that summer. Harry knew what Voldemort really wanted... him.

He stood up abruptly, not noticing that Dumbledore was watching him intently with that piercing gaze of his. "I still need to get my Firebolt," Harry stammered. He went to the backyard, and Harry grabbed his broom. He took off automatically without thinking and zoomed around high above the yard. The breeze through his hair had a calming effect on him, and he felt, like always, as though he had left all his worries back on the ground. Then he noticed Ron looking up at him from the ground, and he landed.

"You all right, Harry?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he answered quickly. "Where's Hermione?"

"She suddenly remembered something and dashed upstairs. Oh, here she is."

Hermione ran out to Harry with a box in her hand. "Harry, are you okay?" she asked anxiously.

"Yeah, I'm okay. What's that?" asked Harry, looking at the box.

"Oh, I just remembered. We still have to get the snake. It certainly can't stay here. We're leaving soon, so we have to hurry. I brought the shrinking chocolates and the shoebox."

"Oh... Here, I'll take it. Be right back," Harry said, and mounted his broom again, with the shoebox under his arm.

"Hurry!"

Harry flew to the edge of the hill, where the trees thickened and formed a small forest. Standing at the border of the trees, he wondered how he was going to find the snake. It could be anywhere. Harry decided that his best bet was to call it somehow, but that led to another problem - he couldn't speak Parseltongue unless he was face to face with a snake. Harry finally picked up a twig, and believed it to be a snake, imagining it slithering on the ground.

"Come," he said simply, only in Parseltongue. He waited for a while, then heard a slithering sound to his left, and saw the Brazilian boa constrictor slide towards him.

"Is it time?" the snake hissed.

Harry nodded then took out one of the shrinking chocolates. "You know what to do," he hissed to the snake, which swallowed the chocolate, and suddenly began to shrink. Harry quickly put it in the shoebox, and jumped back on his broom. He flew back to Ron and Hermione, and they took the snake and the broom to the back porch, where Hermione put the shoebox on her lap and peered in.

"He needs a name," she said to Harry and Ron.

"A name? Well, just leave that to Hagrid. He'll think up a good one. Perhaps something like Fluffy," said Ron sarcastically. "I think it should be named Snake - just Snake."

"No, that's a horrible name, Ron. We should name it Billy Bob."

"Oh, and that's not? It should be Trevor."

"Neville."

"Argus Filch."

"That's an insult to the snake! No, I think it looks like a Mary Sue."

"Oh, I have a good one... Mr. Ed!"

"Er, how about Tiny?"

Harry and Ron laughed at their own pathetic attempts at thinking up a name. "Well, I think it should be a Brazilian name, since it's originally from Brazil," said Hermione. She looked into the box once more. "Your name is... Gui."

"What?" sputtered Ron. "But I liked 'Tiny' better!" They all laughed.

Soon Dumbledore came out, followed by Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. "It's time that we returned to Hogwarts," he said to Harry and Hermione. Dumbledore took a newspaper from his pocket and leaned over it with his wand, putting some kind of charm on it.

Mrs. Weasley rushed over to hug Hermione, then turned to Harry. Her eyes were wet as she hugged him tight. "Take care, Harry. Don't go doing anything dangerous, and look out for Ron and Hermione." Harry nodded.

Then Mr. Weasley came over, wringing Harry's hand. "Watch out for yourselves, all of you. Oh, and good luck on your O.W.L.'s."

"Harry, Hermione... ready?" said Dumbledore. They nodded and stepped closer to the newspaper. "Be sure to hold on to your things."

Harry struggled to hold on to his trunk and Hedwig's cage (Hedwig would fly to Hogwarts), and then stretched his free hand out to the newspaper. A few seconds passed, standing uncomfortably in between Hermione and Dumbledore with his free hand stretched behind him holding his things. Then Harry felt that familiar jerk near his navel, and was swept up in a swirl of wind and colors, his hand glued to the newspaper and his trunk. As soon as it had started, it was over, and they landed in a heap on the ground.

Harry struggled to keep his balance but fell when Hermione knocked into him. "Ow!" he stood up quickly, rubbing his shin. He looked up to see Hogwarts looming above him, reflected magnificently in the lake below.

They had landed in front of the castle, and Harry and Hermione lugged their trunks up to the doors. As they were opened, Harry walked inside with Hermione. They left their trunks in the entrance hall and entered the castle.

Harry froze, gazing in wonder at the Great Hall, which had been decorated for the arrival of the students.

"What is it, Harry?" asked Hermione, turning around.

"Nothing. It's just that... I'm finally home."

Harry and Hermione went to a prefect meeting with Professor McGonagall, who told them their duties and responsibilities. Harry was pleased to see that Malfoy hadn't been made a prefect. Soon they were set to work making last-minute preparations in the Great Hall as students began arriving. Seventh years came first, followed by the sixth years, then finally the fifth years. Harry met up with Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, and Neville Longbottom when they arrived, then Ron came to check up on him. The four left together to look at a secret passageway that Fred and George had just found, and Harry was left behind, wondering if being a prefect was worth it.

Finally the first years began arriving, and Harry and Hermione had the job of calming them down and watching them as all the other students were seated in the Great Hall.

"Hi Harry! Hi Hermione!" Harry heard a familiar voice, and turned to see Kate standing among the first years, looking excited but relatively calm compared to the rest.

Hermione went to talk to Kate, and Harry was stuck with the rest of the first years. Harry noticed a small black-haired girl staring at him with wide eyes, and a shy red-haired boy was hanging back behind the crowd of first years. The rest were talking excitedly.

"Look it's Harry Potter!"

"What's the best house?"

"How do we get sorted? I heard we have to fight a dragon."

"Harry Potter fought a dragon!"

Harry almost burst out laughing as he listened to their nervous chatter. He tried explaining the Sorting. "Don't worry, you don't have to fight a dragon to be sorted. All you do is try on a hat. And I'm in Gryffindor, but there isn't really a house that's better than all the rest."

"Slytherin's the best house by far," said an unpleasant looking boy with slick black hair and dark eyes. He turned and whispered something to those behind him. Harry was strongly reminded of Malfoy.

All of a sudden, there was a commotion in the crowd, and everyone started talking at once.

"He fainted!" someone yelled.

Harry pushed his way past the excited first years, and into the crowd. The shy red-haired boy he had noticed earlier had fainted, and Harry knelt over him with his wand. "Enervate."

The boy's eyes flickered open, and he immediately blushed when he saw everyone leaning over him. Harry pulled him up to his feet, and started walking him to the hospital wing. "Tell McGonagall I'm taking him to the hospital wing," he told Hermione, who nodded and turned to the rest of the first years, trying to calm them down.

"Are you okay?" asked Harry, as the boy stumbled behind him. He nodded. "So what's your name?"

"Paul," he croaked. Madam Pomfrey immediately rushed over to them when the entered the hospital wing.

"Oh, look at you. You're all pale," she said to Paul, sitting him down on of the beds. "Fainted, did he?" Harry nodded. Madam Pomfrey bustled off to get a potion.

"Is - is it true that Voldemort's back?" Paul whispered to Harry.

Harry was surprised at the abruptness of this question - and he had said Voldemort's name. Harry looked at the first year searchingly. "Yes." Paul's expression didn't change, but he looked away from Harry.

"That boy said - he said that we'd better be in Slytherin now that the Dark Lord's back, or we'll end up dead." He paused. "I don't want to be in Slytherin, I heard it turns out a lot of Dark wizards, but - my dad was, and if I'm not, he'll be really mad. And it's not like I have a choice anyway. I have to go where the Sorting Hat puts me, right?" He looked up at Harry with sad eyes.

"No, that's not true." Harry hesitated. "The Sorting Hat wanted to put me into Slytherin, but I didn't want to, so I went to Gryffindor instead. It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." As soon as he said it, he realized that he was quoting what Dumbledore had told him at the end of his second year. Paul looked up at Harry with great respect.

Then Madam Pomfrey bustled over with a potion. "Drink up now. Then sit still for a while, and you can go join your classmates in the Great Hall."

Once Paul had taken the potion (which smelled horribly like smelly socks), they got up and Harry hurried him back to the Great Hall. Peering in, Harry noticed that the Sorting Hat had just finished singing its song. "The Sorting ceremony is just starting, but you'll have time. What's your surname, anyway?"

"Avery."

"Oh no, you've got to get in there. You're right in the beginning."

Harry and Paul entered the Great Hall hurriedly. Harry took a seat next to Ron at the Gryffindor table just as 'Avery, Paul' was called up to be sorted. He watched as Paul went up to the stool and pulled the Sorting Hat over his head. Just then, Harry noticed... 'Avery.' Avery was a Death Eater - and Paul was his son. Harry realized that Paul did not want to be like his dad, and be in Slytherin. He watched anxiously as the Sorting Hat decided his house. His sorting was taking quite a long time. Finally - "GRYFFINDOR!"

Paul's face split into a wide grin as he hurried down the row to sit next to Harry. He then turned to watch as 'Baker, Trish' became a Gryffindor. Harry noticed that it was the black-haired girl that was staring at him earlier. As she sat down across from Paul, she continued staring at Harry once again. He turned uncomfortably and watched as 'Chapman, Charles' became a Hufflepuff. Soon, the Gryffindor table now seated 'Gilmore, Nicolas,' 'Higgins, Laura,' 'Lee, Graham,' 'Lowe, Courtney,' 'Manson, Tiffany,' and 'Prentice, Ryan.' Harry looked over at the Slytherin table, and saw that Malfoy was looking at him with a scowl on his face. He turned away quickly when Harry looked at him.

Then 'Turner, Kathryn' was called, and immediately made a Gryffindor. Harry cheered along with Ron and Hermione as she made her way over to them.

Finally with 'Walsh, Michael' as the last Gryffindor, the Sorting ended, and Dumbledore stood up to make his start-of-term notices.

"I understand that you are all impatient for the feast to begin. However, I have a few announcements to make." Something about the tone of Dumbledore's voice made the hall go quiet. "Last year a student was taken from our midst. Cedric Diggory was a loyal and hard-working student, and he would have been here today had he not crossed the path of Voldemort." The students flinched, and most of the first years gasped in surprise. Harry felt a surge of guilt go through him. "Therefore," Dumbledore continued soberly, looking older than ever, "I would like you all to take a moment of silence to remember Cedric Diggory."

The hall was deathly silent, and as Harry looked down at his empty plate, he felt his eyes stinging. He looked up at the Ravenclaw table to see that Cho Chang was sitting up stone-faced, her eyes glistening. Then glancing at the Slytherin table, he felt a surge of anger seeing Malfoy sitting smugly with his arms crossed, whispering something to Crabbe and Goyle. Furiously staring back at his plate, Harry waited for Dumbledore to speak again.

"On a happier note," said Dumbledore, disrupting the silence, "I would like to say that this year, due to the retirement of Madam Hooch, we have employed a new flying instructor and Quidditch referee. I believe he is out polishing brooms at the moment. However, please welcome - when you see him - Professor Oliver Wood."

There was loud applause and much talking at the Gryffindor table with this announcement. Harry looked up to the table where the teachers sat, and noticed the seat that Madam Hooch had occupied was now empty. With a start, Harry saw that Snape's seat was also empty.

"I would also like to extend a warm welcome," continued Dumbledore, "to our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher - Professor Arabella Figg."

Harry looked back at the teacher's table, and noticed a middle-aged woman sitting up straight, surveying the students with a sharp look. Harry thought that something about that look was familiar...

"Man, she looks strict. I think we're in for a lot of work with her," Ron said to Harry. "She reminds me of McGonagall."

"Well, maybe we'll actually have a decent teacher for once," Hermione added. "We might actually learn something useful."

"Now without further adieu," said Dumbledore. "Let's eat."

The plates magically filled with food, and Harry laughed at the amazed expressions on the first years' faces. As they piled food onto their plates, Harry and Ron talked about the new teachers ("I can't believe Oliver's going to referee the Quidditch games! Do you think he'll favor Gryffindor?" Ron said hopefully.), what dangerous creatures Hagrid had come up with for Care of Magical Creatures, and where Snape could possibly be ("Maybe he's finally been sacked!").

They ate and talked for a long time, until Harry and Ron began to get drowsy, and were too full of food to think properly.

"C'mon Harry," said Ron with a belch. "Let's get back to the dormitory.

"Wish I could," said Harry with a yawn. "But I've got to take the first years up to the common room." He wanted nothing more than to be under the covers in his bed right now, but he had 'prefect duties' to attend to.

"Sucks to be you," said Ron, with another huge burp that made Hermione turn around and glare. Ron shrugged, and headed out of the Great Hall with Seamus, Dean, and Neville, who all joined in quickly to see who could make the loudest belch.

Harry sighed and turned back to the first years, two of whom were currently having a food fight. Trish, the small black-haired girl, was still staring at Harry, the red-haired boy was eating quietly, and the rest of the first years were arguing over who was better, boys or girls.

"Boys have cooties!" said a brown-haired girl with pigtails.

"Girls go to Jupiter to get more stupider," retorted one of the boys.

"Oh puh-lease," said Kate exasperatedly. "There's no such thing as cooties, and 'stupider' isn't even a word."

Harry caught Hermione's eye, and the both burst out laughing. Then Hermione stood up and took charge. Taking a drumstick from a boy who was about to throw it, she cleared her throat.

"If you'll all follow me and Harry, we'll show you up to the common room," she said.

The first years just went back to arguing and throwing food. Seeing Hermione disappointed, Harry grabbed her arm and started heading towards the exit of the Great Hall.

"It's not our fault if you get lost in the castle," called Harry to the first years. "You'd just better hope you don't run into the Bloody Baron."

With that, he exited the Great Hall. There was an immediate scraping of chairs as the first years rushed to get out of the Great Hall. Harry winked at Hermione, who got into tour-guide mode and began pointing out the many rooms and hallways.

As they headed through the Trophy Room, Harry froze. Standing on a shelf in the middle of a trophy case was the Triwizard Cup. All of a sudden, it was as though someone had flipped a switch and turned on a slide show in Harry's head.

The Triwizard Cup was gleaming on a plinth a hundred yards away... Cedric was sprinting as fast as he could toward the Cup... the gigantic spider was lifting Harry into the air... he was falling... Cedric standing feet away from the gleaming Triwizard Cup, refusing to take it... Harry's own voice - "Both of us. Let's just take it together"... grabbing on to the Cup, and finding out that it was a Portkey... they were standing in a dark and overgrown graveyard... Voldemort - "Kill the spare" ... Cedric lying spread-eagled on the ground, eyes wide open and mouth in slight surprise...

Kill the spare... Kill the spare... The words echoed in his mind as he saw Cedric... dead. Harry keeled over on the spot and fainted.