The Stone

Chapter Seven

Bella smiled as Professor McGonagall took the sorting hat off her head and she ran towards the Gryffindor table where people from that house were cheering and clapping. She shook a few peoples hands before sitting down next to Hermione but across from Ron and Harry. The golden plates and cups in front of her were empty making her frown a little, when will they be getting food?

"Well done, Ron, excellent," said another ginger haired kid that looked like Ron (who Bella soon found out later was his brother, Percy Weasley) Pompously across Harry as "Zabini, Blaise," was made a Slytherin. Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.

Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster, rose to his feet, he was beaming at the students and his arms were open wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there. Bella grinned feeling a connection towards the old man, she already thought of him as a father figure.

"Welcome" he said and the whole room went silent as everyone faced the headmaster. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts!" everyone cheered for a couple of seconds until it died down and the room fell silent again. "Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"

He sat back down whilst everyone clapped and cheered. Bella didn't know whether to laugh or not. "Ookaayyy then"

Harry looked at Percy. "Is he-- a bit mad?"

Bella nodded. "Seems like it"

"Mad?" said Percy airily. "He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Harry?"

Bella's and Harry's mouth fell open in shock. The once empty plates and cups were now filled with many different foods and drinks. Bella had never seen so many things she liked to eat on one table; roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak,boiled potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and for some reason, peppermint humbugs. 

"FOOD!" Bella screamed helping herself to some roast chicken and carrots. Hermione looked at her like she had three heads. "What? I'm hungry"

Hermione helped herself to some lamb chops and peas shaking her head. "You act like an animal"

"Need I remind you, we are descendants from monkeys so we all have animal instincts. Mine just come out around food"

Hermione ignored her and Bella took her silence as an invitation to dig into her food. She placed some roast chicken in her mouth as she looked around the room, people were chatting away happily as they dug into whatever was on their plates. 

"That does look good" a ghost wearing ruff said sadly making her jump. Why do they keep doing that?!

Harry looked up from cutting up his steak whilst Bella gawked at him wondering if she stuck her hand through his body, would he feel it? Would her hand disappear or would you be able to see it?

"Can't you--?" Harry asked whilst Bella was lost in her own thoughts.

"I haven't eaten for nearly four hundred years," said the ghost. "I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don't think I've introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower."

"I know who you are!" said Ron suddenly making Bella jump out of her thoughts and snap back into reality."My brothers told me about you -- you're Nearly Headless Nick!"

"I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy --" the ghost began stiffly, but sandy-haired Seamus Finnigan interrupted.

"Nearly Headless? How can you be nearly headless?"