| Subject: Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix (C3) |
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Alison
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Date Posted: 03:28:34 09/20/02 Fri
In reply to:
Alison
's message, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix (C1)" on 03:23:22 09/20/02 Fri
Chapter 3
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Alison clambered onto an empty horseless carriage, which was their usual means of transport from Hogsmeade station to Hogwarts. Alison was now visibly trembling and her cheerfulness had vanished. She jumped at small noises and wrung her wrists, until Hogwarts came into view. She stared open-mouthed at the magnificent castle and Hermione laughed. It was the same look that every new student wore when he or she looked at Hogwarts for the first time. Finally, Alison managed to come out of her trance. “Blimey!” she said weakly.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Hermione said fondly.
“Beauxbatons was wonderful, but this is… I can’t find words!”
Ron s n i g g e r e d. “Yeah, but you will soon! Just you wait till you get to your common room every evening carrying loads of homework! Then you’ll spit on its walls!”
“Ron!” Harry said half-laughing.
“Joking, Harry!”
“I thought so! It can’t possibly be horrible!” Alison said excitedly, “I can’t wait!”
A few minutes later, the procession of horseless carriages drew up, one by one, in front of the entrance of Hogwarts. They all got out and walked inside, Alison lagging behind, staring. Professor McGonagall, a tall, stern, bespectacled witch was waiting near the door and she pounced on Alison as she walked slowly in.
“You must be Alison McKenzie,” she said with a small smile. Professor McGonagall didn’t smile much.
“Errrrr… Y-yes,” Alison stammered. Ron, looking behind him, caught Alison talking to Professor McGonagall and he gestured to Harry and Hermione to turn back.
“Hello, Professor!” Hermione said brightly.
“Hello, Granger, Potter, Weasley. McKenzie, please follow me, you have to get sorted with the first-years.”
“Right, Professor,” with a weak smile at her new friends. “See you all later!”
“Hope you’re in Gryffindor!” said Ron.
“Oh, that reminds me! Potter, Granger, you come with me. I need to talk to the Prefects about their duties.”
“OK, Professor. Ron, keep us a place, will you?”
“OK, bye for now!” And he walked away to the Great Hall.
Professor McGonagall led Alison, Harry, and Hermione to the small room where the first-years usually waited before they were sorted, and told Alison to stay with them till she came back. Alison smiled weakly, gave a small wave, and went in, leaving Professor McGonagall outside in the corridor with Harry and Hermione. She turned to talk to them.
“Now Potter, Granger! You two have been chosen as the new Gryffindor Prefects, which is great honour,” She sounded like she had rehearsed the speech many times. “The password to your common room is Locomotor Mortis. You have the ability to remove points from any rule-breaker’s house. See that you are as fair as possible.”
“Yes, Professor!” Hermione said eagerly. Harry nodded. He wasn’t so sure that being a Prefect was going to be a walk in the park.
“Well, that’s basically it. Any questions?” She didn’t wait for any, but continued immediately. “Come to me if you need any help.”
“Yes, Professor, thanks.”
“Well, goodbye. I have to go to do the Sorting.”
Harry and Hermione started to walk slowly to the Great Hall in silence. Harry was wondering if he’d make a good Prefect, but he drove the thought out of his mind when he remembered that Alison was being Sorted.
“We’re going to miss the Sorting!” he cried and they ran to the Great Hall as fast as they could.
They got in the Great Hall just in time. The Sorting Hat had finished its yearly song and Professor McGonagall was leading the first-years out. Alison was at the very back, looking very nervous and out of place. Harry and Hermione sat down in the seats Ron had reserved for them. Professor McGonagall began the Sorting with “Appleton, Lacey”, who was sorted into Hufflepuff. One by one, the first-years were sorted into their houses and at last, it was Alison’s turn.
“McKenzie, Alison!” The girl stumbled forward and at Professor McGonagall put the Sorting Hat over her head. Hermione crossed her fingers under the table and Harry and Ron leant forward expectantly. Some students murmured to each other at the sight of a fifth-year being Sorted. There was a long silence. Evidently, the hat was finding it difficult to sort her.
The silence was becoming unbearable, until… “GRYFFINDOR!” the hat shouted. The tenseness vanished as the Gryffindor table erupted, clapping and cheering. Alison skipped over to the place Ron had reserved for her just in case. She was very happy.
“I made it!” she said ecstatically.
“Yeah, welcome to Gryffindor!” Ron said, grinning.
“Dumbledore’s getting up,” Harry said quietly.
The old wizard got up slowly, and immediately, silence fell. “Well, the beginning of a new school year!” he said jovially. “And here we all are, waiting to eat! Well, I will not interfere with your hunger! Let the feast begin!” He clapped his hands and food appeared instantly on the empty golden plates.
“Cor blimey!” Alison exclaimed, “This is great!” And she began to attack a large chicken leg, clearly enjoying herself. When they had all eaten and dunk until they burst, Dumbledore stood up again.
“Now that you are all well-fed, I would like to give a few start-of-term notices,” he said. “ All first-years kindly note that the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds to all students. Also, Voldemort,” -several students flinched on hearing the name- “is on the loose. I would like you all to avoid being out at night, save for Astronomy classes, and it is also imperative that you are vigilant. Also, I have great pleasure in announcing your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Mundungus Fletcher!”
A rather untidy-looking wizard got up, smiled, and sat down again. He looked clever, but forgetful. However, Harry thought inexplicably, that there was something different about him, like he had a secret to hide. He shook the thought off, and applauded politely along with all the other students.
“I wonder what he’ll be like,” he said to Ron.
“Can’t be any worse than Lockhart!” Ron replied.
“Ron!” Hermione said, with a slight pink tinge in her cheeks.
“Oh yeah, I forgot… You like him don’t you?”
“Shut up. I don’t!” Hermione said. She sounded like she was lying.
“Oh, cut it out, you two!” Alison said lazily.
Dumbledore began to speak again. “That will be all. Goodnight!” He clapped his hands again and all the food vanished from the golden plates, leaving them sparkling clean.
Slowly, the Great Hall began to empty as the students filed out. Harry and Hermione helped the sixth-year Prefects lead the first-years to the common room and to tell them their password.
“Ah, the common room at last!” Ron said, sleepily.
“Wow! This is so cool!” Alison said, sinking down into one of the armchairs next to the fire.
“Err, aren’t you supposed to be sleepy?” Harry and Hermione had joined them.
“Yeah, I am, in fact! Where do I sleep?”
“I’ll take you to the girls’ dormitory. I expect there’ll be a bed ready for you there,” Hermione said. They said goodnight to the boys and left.
“Ever seen such a live wire?” said Ron to Harry.
“Alison?”
“No, Professor Snape! Of course I was talking about Alison!”
“She’s OK.”
“Yeah, she is. Let’s go to sleep now, I’m dead tired.” And they retreated to their own dormitory to sleep.
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