Death by Granger [rewritten version]

3

The welcome feast looked far tastier than Hermione remembered. When McGonagall stood where Dumbledore once stood, the students remembered the late headmaster and joy was quickly replaced with sadness. The replacement reminded them all -- McGonagall herself included -- of the war and all they had lost in it, alone and together. As she took a moment to gather the words she had just had ready a second ago, the hall fell into a solemn silence that not even the rowdiest of students had the heart to break.

"Tonight, I stand where Professor Albus Dumbledore would. He was a great professor and a great headmaster. We will remember him as we knew him to be. I would like to ask the younger students to kindly refrain from overwhelming our older students, although there are some that just crave attention. The forbidden forest is, as named, forbidden, even to our oldest students." She said this with a pointed look in Harry's direction that made his face tinge a few shades redder than normal. "Let the sorting begin."

I am but a hat, dusty and old
But I know the deepest secrets these walls hold
Four founders, each a great quality of their own
Picked students wherein those qualities were shown

Between two, there was a constant fight
Slytherin and Gryffindor, believed the other was never right
The fight grew rougher
Generations later were to suffer

A second war was fought here
We regret it with a tear
Although I am to sort and separate you
House unity will prevent another war, it's true

The Great Hall was once again silent. Not even the teachers had any words for the Sorting Hat's new song. McGonagall cleared her throat. "When I call your name, please step forward to be sorted."

Ron leaned over. "I wonder how many new Gryffindors we'll get this year."

"Carter, William!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Hermione nodded along. Harry launched into a conversation with Ron about how he was sure Gryffindor would get all the best students. Ginny watched them with a fond smile, placing her concerns about Hermione on a back-burner as the Sorting flew by and Ron and Harry couldn't stop talking to one another.

"Rosier, Druella!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

McGonagall was reaching the end of her list of names, and although there was only one more Slytherin than Gryffindor, there were far more Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs than the former two combined.

"Thompson, Jade!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindors cheered -- they had the same amount as Slytherin. Hermione shook her head. At least the rivalry had been toned down to almost friendly. Even across the hall, she could see that the Slytherins weren't their usual snotty, stuck-up selves. Both houses prayed desperately for either themselves to get the last student, or for the little girl to be sorted into Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw. The competition made no sense to most students, but no one felt the need to intervene. It was harmless fun. They hadn't had that in what felt like ages.

"Ziller, Meredith!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

McGonagall clapped her hands twice, and more food appeared as the student body cheered both for the food and for their new housemates. Several students looked as if they were in heaven. The Great Hall filled with chatter and clanking of dishes and students ate and spoke with one another. Soon, Hermione couldn't take the rambunctious joy in the hall anymore. It had begun to feel incredibly stuffy. "I'll be in the library if anyone needs me," she said, hoping it would allow her to leave alone. "Spent six years in there and I still haven't read everything."