Ben immediately regretted doing what he had just done. He looked at his clock, to find out there were still a couple of hours left until they'd reach Hogwarts. And now he didn't have a compartment to stay in.

He considered going to Malfoy's, as he had been told to do, but he really really didn't want to see him. So he only stood on one side of the hallway, observing people running up and down as though the train was some kind of park.

All of a sudden, he remembered Audrey still had all of his stuff, including his uniform. Perhaps he could stay there for the rest of the journey, if he made up an excuse as to why he wasn't with Malfoy.

He walked through the hallways, trying not to bump into any of the other first year students who kept chasing each other up and down the train. After a while, he recognised the girl Audrey had been talking to before, so he approached her.

"Erm- Hello!"

She furrowed her eyebrows. "Hi?"

"Do you know my sister?" he asked. "Her name's Audrey Walker."

"Oh," her frown disappeared, and her narrow dark eyes softened. "You're Benjamin, aren't you?"

He nodded. "I'm trying to find her."

She glanced over at the compartment next to her. Ben followed her gaze, and took a small step towards it, but the girl quickly covered the door. He frowned.

"Why? Is everything alright?"

"I'm feeling a bit ill," he lied. "And Audrey has my trunk in there."

The girl stared at him for a couple of seconds. She sighed, and knocked twice on the door. Some moving sounds came from inside the compartment before Audrey slid the door open, her head poking out, hair messy and a frown on her face.

"What?"

"I think I'm dying," he replied, his voice a mere whisper, supporting himself on the wall to add on to the dramatic effect.

"Lovely," she said, glaring at him. So he made his best effort to look very sick, and gave her the saddest look he possibly could. Audrey rolled her eyes. "What happened?"

"I'm feeling terrible, you know I don't like train rides," he complained. The second part wasn't too far from the truth. "So I wanted to stay here with you."

She blinked. "I'm busy."

"I won't bother, please, just let me stay here."

He had never imagined he'd plead to stay with his sister, but there he was. Audrey turned to look inside the compartment, and Ben suddenly realised who was there. Steve. Now he wasn't too sure about wanting to stay there.

"Okay, come in," she finally said. She opened the door, wide enough to let him in. He hesitated. "Merlin's sake, Benjamin, do you want to come in or not?"

"Yeah, yeah", he rushed to enter. Audrey closed the door again. Ben's guess was right; Steve was sitting in a seat next to the window, playing with Audrey's owl, which was still inside his cage. The older boy waved at him, so Ben did the same.

Audrey sat beside Steve. "Are you not going to sit or what?"

Ben sat down, as far away from them as possible, in case they started snogging. "Where's my stuff?"

"There," she pointed at the trunk under the seat in front of him. He bent over to pick up his drawing notebook, his pencil and his rubber, before sitting back down.

"What are you going to draw?" asked Steve, looking genuinely interested.

"I don't know," he shrugged.

"Draw Timothy," suggested Audrey, looking at her owl.

Ben would've really liked to say no, just to get a bit on her nerves, but he honestly did want to draw Timothy. He liked drawing animals, so he agreed.

———————————————

A few more hours went by. Luckily for Ben, Audrey and Steve didn't kiss at any point of the journey. They only chatted, and it felt weird for him to hear her be kind to someone. It was almost as though she was a totally different person than the girl he knew, but it made him feel oddly comfortable. He wished she was that sweet to him, too.

He had been focusing on his drawing, and then he had taken out the watercolours his grandmother Juliette had bought for him on his last birthday, just a couple of days before. He loved opening new paint, and imagining all the drawings he would do with it.

A voice echoed through the train, "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

Audrey and Steve got up, followed by Ben, who didn't know what he was meant to do now. The three of them walked out of the compartment, being joined by Audrey's friend, who was still outside. Ben wondered if his sister had made her stay there all the journey.

The corridor was filled with students who kept pushing each other in order to make their way out of the train as it slowed down, and finally stopped. But Audrey didn't even have to forcefully move anyone out of their way. They were moving away as they saw her. Ben didn't have a good feeling about that, but at least it was easier for him to jump off the train.

The cold night air comforted him after the suffocating sensation of being stuck with so many people in a small space. A lamp swung over the students' heads, and a deep but gentle voice sounded.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" Ben looked up to see the hugest man he had ever seen. Wild, long tales of bushy black hair and a big beard covered most of his face, but the man's wide smile was exposed.

Ben turned to seek Audrey's approval before joining the man, but she was already gone, so he simply did walk towards him.

"Hi, Hagrid!"

"All right there, Harry?"

He saw Harry and Weasley standing next to him. The black-haired boy nodded at the huge man, smiling. He noticed Ben's stare, and glanced over at him. He instantly looked away, and moved a couple of steps away from him.

"C'mon, follow me-any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

They all followed him down a narrow path, slipping and stumbling due to the lack of light. Ben observed the rest of the first year students, and felt his heartbeat rise when he caught a glimpse of Malfoy's blonde head at the front of the row. He wished he didn't see him, or he'd ask about him not joining him during the journey. But Malfoy was busy walking next to Crabbe and Goyle.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," the man called happily, "Jus' round this bend here."

The path they had been walking through had opened, revealing the edge of an enormous black lake. On the other side of it, perched atop a highmountain, was an immense castle with many towers and turrets, its windows sparkling.

A loud "Ohhhh!" was heard from the crowd of first years.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid pointed at some little boats floating in the water by the shore.

Malfoy pushed some people away, and got into a boat, followed by his bodyguards and a black-haired girl with short hair. His eyes scanned the other students, and they stopped on Ben before widening in... surprise? However, he didn't say a word.

The boats were soon filled, but Ben didn't have any friends to sit with, so he didn't really know what to do. He didn't want to intrude by sitting with someone he didn't know, but it wasn't like he knew many people, apart from Malfoy, Harry and Weasley.

"Don' yeh have anywhere to sit?" asked Hagrid as soon as he saw him standing there awkwardly. The boy shook his head. "Go with 'em, then."

He pointed at the boat in which Harry, Weasley, the bushy-haired girl and the boy without his toad were sitting. "But you said no more than four in each boat."

"'s okay, you look light," he said nonchalantly, and patted him on the shoulder.

Ben pretended his arm wasn't hurting now, walked towards the little boat, and sat in a place the girl had saved for him. "Thank you."

"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, after sitting on his own boat. "Right then- FORWARD!"

The fleet of boats moved all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Ben wondered what could be living in it, so he turned around, holding himself to the boat very tightly, and tried to see.

"What are you doing?" Hermione inquired, eyeing him.

"I want to know if there's something there."

"You're going to fall," Harry warned him worriedly from the other side of the boat.

"That'd be very amusing for you and Weasley, wouldn't it?"

"Not really."

Ben ignored him.

"I've heard about this lake," began Hermione.

"And does it say something about what lives in it?"

"There's a Giant Squid living down here, and other creatures such as-"

"My brother George says that the Giant Squid attacks people who swim in the lake," assured Weasley, looking oddly excited. Ben instantly turned around and sat up straight again.

"What happens if somebody falls?" asked Neville, who wasn't crying for his toad anymore, and had been listening to the conversation without saying anything, clearly scared.

"I don't know," shrugged Weasley.

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid when the first boats reached the cliff. Everyone bent their heads as they were carried through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. The boats carried them along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they finally reached a kind of underground harbour, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

"Oi, you there!" Hagrid called for Neville, checking the boats as people climbed out of them. "Is this your toad?"

"Trevor!" the boy cried blissfully, taking his toad carefully.

Hagrid guided the students up a passageway in the rock, stepping out onto the soft, wet grass in the shadow of the castle. They walked up stone steps and stopped, standing around the huge, oak front door.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"

Neville nodded nervously, and Hagrid raised a gigantic fist to knock three times on the castle door. The door swung open, revealing a tall and thin black-haired witch in emerald robes who was looking at the children with a stern face. Hagrid took a step forward.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," he announced.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." She said, opening the door wide enough for them to walk in. She motioned for the students to follow her across a colossal entrance hall, lit with fire torches in the stone walls. They walked behind her, looking around in fascination. The ceiling was incredibly high, so high Ben would bet all of his money that the tallest of the giants could jump around without colliding with it. In front of them, a magnificent marble staircase led to the upper floors.

Professor McGonagall guided the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, too close to each other to breathe comfortably. The woman stood in front of them, and looked at them all before saying,

"Welcome to Hogwarts. The start-of-term banquet will begin very soon, but you will be sorted into your houses before taking your seats in the Great Hall." She made a short pause, "The Sorting is an essential ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be like your Hogwarts family. Your classes will be with the rest of your house, you will sleep in your house dormitory, and spend your free time in your house common room."

The knot on Ben's stomach was back.

"There are four different houses, called 'Gryffindor', 'Hufflepuff', 'Ravenclaw' and 'Slytherin'. Each one has its own noble story, and has produced excellent witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, but any rulebreaking will lose house points. When the year finishes, the house with the most points is awarded with the house cup, which is a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

She shot a look at Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and at Weasley's dirty nose. "I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly." And she left the chamber.

"How do they sort us into houses?" Harry asked Weasley, trying to flatten his hair nervously.

"Some kind of test, I think," he answered. "Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking."

"A test?!"

"It's not a test," Ben butted in.

"How'd you know that?" Weasley raised his eyebrows.

"Because it would be dumb," he replied stiffly. "Why would they sort students by their knowledge of magic, knowing there's muggleborns and people who live with muggles here? It would be stupid, and unfair."

Weasley didn't seem to want to admit he was right, but Ben could tell it by the look on his eyes.

A scream behind them broke the weak muttering. There was a loud, common gasp when about twenty ghosts crossed the wall behind them. They were glowing in a pearly-white and slightly transparent colour. Two of them glided across the room, talking to one another, and hardly glancing at the first years, too distracted in an argument.

One of them, a fat little monk, was saying, ""Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance-"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and he's not even a real ghost," said another ghost, this one wearing a ruff and tights. All of a sudden, he noticed the first years. "I say, what are you all doing here?"

He stared at them for a long amount of uncomfortable seconds, in which nobody was saying anything. Ben feared they would get into trouble if they didn't explain themselves, so he spoke up, "We're waiting to get sorted, sir."

"Ah, new students!" the Fat Friar smiled happily. "Hope to see you in Hufflepuff! My old house, you know."

Before anyone could say anything else- if they were planning to, which seemed unlikely- a sharp voice was heard,

"Move along, the Sorting Ceremony's about to start," declared Professor McGonagall as the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall one by one. "Now form a line, and follow me." The students did as she said, walked across the hall and through a pair of huge double doors.

The morning after Audrey's first day of school, she had sent Ben a letter. The last one she had ever sent him. It hadn't been anything too long or emotional, just a piece of paper telling him how wonderful the Great Hall was. But he wasn't ready to see it with his own eyes.

The rest of the students were sitting on four long tables, lit by thousands and thousands of candles that floated in midair over them. There were many glittering golden plates and goblets in them. At the front of the hall there was another long table, in which the teachers were sitting.

Professor McGonagall led the first years towards there, and Ben's heartbeat increased, scared of having to be in front of so many people. They stood in a line facing the students, and with the teachers behind them.

"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History," whispered Hermione, on Ben's left.

"What?"

She pointed upwards, and Ben's jaw dropped immediately when he saw a jet black ceiling dotted with sparkling stars. "Woah!"

He looked back down and watched Professor McGonagall place a four-legged stool in front of the first years without a sound. On top of it, she carefully placed a patched and frayed pointed wizard's hat that looked extremely dirty.

Everyone in the hall was staring at the hat silently, until it suddenly twitched. A rip near the edge opened like a mouth, and the hat started singing.

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry

Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true

And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

if you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any means

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat bowed to each of the four tables, and then became still again.

"So we just have to try on the hat!" Weasley whispered a few places away. "I'm going to kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll!"

Ben accidentally laughed, but stopped dead when Ron and Harry looked at him.

The boy was quite shocked by the idea of his sister Audrey trying on such a dirty hat, knowing how neat she was. He tried to focus on imagining that instead of on how scared he was by the Sorting.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," Professor McGonagall stepped forward with a long roll of parchment in her hands. "Abbott, Hannah!"

A girl with blonde pigtails walked nervously towards the stool, put on the hat, which covered almost half her face, and sat down. After a couple of seconds, the hat shouted, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

The Hufflepuff table clapped and cheered as Hannah happily went down to sit with them.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Brocklehurst, Mandy" Became a Ravenclaw, and "Brown, Lavender" was the first new Gryffindor. The table on the far left exploded with cheers.

"Bulstrode, Millicent!"

"SLYTHERIN!" Ben started to feel very dizzy, unable to ignore his worry anymore.

A couple of students later, including a sandy-haired boy called Seamus who became a Gryffindor, Hermione's name was called, and the girl almost ran towards the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

When Neville was called, he tripped on his way to the stool, but quickly got up and sat on it with the hat on his head. It took a really long time to decide with Neville, but he ended up in Gryffindor.

The boy got so excited that he ran off still wearing the hat, and had to go back to give it to the next boy while everyone laughed.

After a while, Malfoy's name was called, and he strutted forward like he was at a fashion show. The hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!" and a wave of envy washed over Ben.

There weren't many people left now. "Moon", "Nott", "Parkinson", a pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil", who got sorted into different houses, then "Perks, Sally-Anne", and then...

"Potter, Harry!"

Harry stepped forward, as whispers were heard all over the hall.

"Harry Potter?"

"Did I hear that right?"

"You did,"

"The Harry Potter?"

The boy walked towards the front, and the hat was dropped over his eyes. It seemed to be having trouble deciding where to put him. However, after a while, the hat yelled.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindor table received him with the loudest cheer yet, and the Weasley twins were heard screaming "We got Potter, we got Potter!" at the top of their lungs.

After him, there were only five people left. An incredibly tall boy called Dean Thomas joined the Gryffindor table, "Turpin, Lisa" became a Ravenclaw, and, faster than Ben would've wanted, it was the W's turn.

"Walker, Benjamin."

After taking a deep breath, he walked to the stool, heart beating so hard he thought it would explode. He caught a glimpse of Audrey at the end of the Slytherin table. She was looking at him expectantly as he sat on the stool and waited for the hat to say something.

"Oh, a Walker..." a small voice was heard inside his head. "You've got a lot of Slytherin blood, that's for sure..."

Agreed. Put me in Slytherin too, please, he thought.

"Funnily enough, a couple of minutes ago, another boy begged me to put him anywhere but Slytherin," the hat laughed. "You really seem to want to be there, don't you?"

I do, yes.

"However... I don't think you actually want to. I think that, deep down, you know you don't belong there." It said, "You have many wonderful traits, you see, such as loyalty and courage, and especially a big desire to prove yourself and do the right thing."

Ben couldn't help but be flattered at the compliments. However, he had a growing sensation that this wasn't going to end up the way he wanted it to.

"You might not agree with this decision, or be happy about it, but you will soon understand that the best house for you will be... GRYFFINDOR!"

No.

The whole Great Hall went silent, though Ben didn't notice. He had frozen completely, and he wouldn't have noticed if the whole castle went crashing down on him. He couldn't believe it. It had to be some kind of cruel, evil joke on him. Or maybe just a mistake. But it couldn't be the truth; he was a Walker, he could not be in Gryffindor.

He heard someone call his name, but it was as though he was diving, very deep under water. It wasn't until a hand was placed on his shoulder that he was shot back to reality. "Mr. Walker," Professor McGonagall was giving him a pitiful look. "If you would be so kind as to join your new house mates at the table..."

Ben shook his head, trying to speak, but words wouldn't come out of his mouth. His eyesight was suddenly clouded, and he felt a gruesome amount of embarrassment when he realised that had been caused by tears welling up in his eyes.

"I-I can't," he managed to stutter, after wiping the tears away with a quick gesture. "This has to be a mistake, p-professor. I can't... I can't be a Gryffindor."

"Mr. Walker, if the Sorting Hat thought Gryffindor is the best house for you, it is for a reason."

Knowing he couldn't do anything else, he took the hat off, and placed it carefully on the stool, before walking over to the Gryffindor table, refusing to look at the Slytherin one. He could tell Audrey was staring at him, wide-eyed and surprised. Perhaps even feeling betrayed. And angry and ashamed, too, that's for sure.

He silently sat next to Neville while Weasley's name was called.

"Are you alright?" came Hermione's voice. Ben gave her a quick nod, without glancing at her.

What was he going to do now? Well, what truly scared him the most was what his parents would do. He didn't want to imagine it, but he couldn't get rid of the ideas flashing inside his mind. Being sorted into Gryffindor was definitely going to be his parents' last straw. He already made them mad enough by being him, so it was scary to think of what they'd do now.

Perhaps he could run away. It could seem crazy and reckless, but it was honestly what would assure him some kind of safety. And now that he was at Hogwarts, it would be easier. He could just never come back home again, not even for holidays. Then he would be free. Free from any worries or fears, and he could be and act the way he wanted to.

But there were some problems. Firstly, he would obviously take Alycia with him. There was no way he would leave her there forever, with them, and without his protection. He was worried enough about being away from her during the whole school year, imagine if he left forever. No, that couldn't happen.

Secondly, he had no idea of where they could go. There was a lot of money in their vault in Gringotts, and he could easily find a way to get some of it, but it would be difficult to find somewhere to stay. Mostly, because there was nobody in his family that would help him run away. All of them would hate him as soon as they found out about him being a Gryffindor now. Everybody except grandmother Juliette, or his uncle Christophe, of course. But there was the inconvenience that the woman's husband, his grandfather, would never help, and that his uncle had been dead for years.

The hat bellowed "GRYFFINDOR!" again, and Ben almost jumped in his seat. Weasley collapsed into the chair next to Harry's, a satisfied smile on his freckled face.

"Very well done, Ronald, excellent," said an older red-haired boy Ben assumed was another Weasley, very pompously.

"Zabini, Blaise" was sorted into Slytherin, and Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the hat away, ending the Sorting Ceremony. Albus Dumbledore, Hogwarts' headmaster, had gotten to his feet. He smiled at the students, with his arms wide open, happy to see them all there.

"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we start our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"

"Poetic," commented Ben.

"Thank you!"

Then he sat back down, and everyone started clapping and cheering happily. A second later, the dishes in the table were filled with the biggest amount of food Ben had ever seen. There was roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops, lamb chops, sausages, bacon... And hundreds of other foods that smelled incredible.

Everyone started eating eagerly, but Ben didn't feel like eating. There was a terrible knot in his stomach that wouldn't allow him to eat even if he wanted to, which wasn't the case either.

"That looks good," said a ghost floating while looking at some steak.

"Can't you-?" began Harry.

"I haven't eaten for five hundred years. It's not like I need to, of course, but one does miss it," said the ghost. "Oh, have I introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower."

"I know who you are!" Weasley screamed suddenly. "My brothers told me about you, you're Nearly Headless Nick!"

"I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-" the ghost complained, but was interrupted by a sandy-haired boy called Seamus.

"Nearly headless?" He frowned. "How can you be nearly headless? Is that possible?"

Sir Nicholas de Mimsy pursed his lips.

"Like this," he said stiffly. He pulled his ear and his whole head fell off his neck and fell onto his shoulder as if it was on a hinge.

"How-" started Ben, but decided it wasn't a good idea to ask him about what happened.

The ghost seemed pleased by the students' stunned looks, put his head back on his neck and coughed. "So... new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the house championship this year? Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning. Slytherins have got the cup six years in a row! The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable. He's the Slytherin ghost."

In the Slytherin table, a horrible ghost was sitting with blank staring eyes. His robes were stained with silver blood.

"How did he get covered in blood?" Asked Seamus.

"I've never asked," shrugged Nearly Headless Nick.

The ghost floated away to chat with other students, and the first years talked for the rest of the dinner, interested in knowing more about each other. When the desserts arrived, the conversation turned to their families, so Ben didn't say a word.

He found out Seamus Finnigan's mother was a witch, and his father was a muggle who was very shocked when he found the truth about his wife. So he was a half-blood.

Neville told them he grew up with his grandmother, who was a witch. Apparently his family thought he was a muggle, and they tried to force magic out of him. So one day his great uncle Algie accidentally dropped him out of the window and he bounced all the way down the garden.

"Ouch!" Harry clapped a hand to his forehead when he looked at the High Table.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" asked Ben.

"Y-Yeah, it's nothing."

Ben eyed him suspiciously.

"Who's the teacher talking to Quirrell?" Harry asked the redheaded boy Hermione had been speaking to during the whole dinner. Ben was pretty sure his name was Percy or something that began with a P. Maybe it was Peter.

"Oh, you know Quirrell already, do you? No wonder he's looking so nervous, that's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to. Everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. Snape knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts."

The desserts disappeared too, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet. The hall fell silent instantly.

"Ahem... Just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.

"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."

He looked at Fred and George Weasley who sniggered.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.

"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.

"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Harry laughed, probably thinking it was a joke.

"Wait... Is he serious?"

"He must be... It's odd, though, he usually gives us a reason when he tells us we're not allowed to go somewhere," explained the Weasley whose name Ben didn't know.

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" exclaimed Dumbledore blissfully.

"Everyone pick their favourite tune," he indicated, "and off we go!"

And the school started:

"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,

Teach us something please,

Whether we be old and bald

Or young with scabby knees,

Our heads could do with filling

With some interesting stuff,

For now they're bare and full of air,

Dead flies and bits of fluff,

So teach us things worth knowing,

Bring back what we've forgot,

just do your best, we'll do the rest,

And learn until our brains all rot."

Everybody finished the song at different times. The Weasley twins were the last to finish, singing along to a slow funeral march.

Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest. "Ah, music! A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"