The Potter Twins and the Sorcerer's Stone

The Grand Feast and House Dormitories

Suddenly, McGonagall taps her glass goblet with a butter knife to make a loud ringing sound, "Your attention, please." she announced.

Dumbledore got up and spoke, "Let the feast...begin.". Before everyone's eyes, platters and dishes of food appeared all over the tables, leaving the first years in awe.

There was a subtle silence before everyone started chattering and dug in.

There was more food than the twins could imagine.

They both grabbed various things; Harry grabbed steak, mashed potatoes, green beans, and a dinner roll. He poured himself a glass of apple juice from a glass pitcher with a fake gold boar's head with its mouth open for the lid seal.

Rose grabbed some of the garden salad with chicken, a dinner roll, and some fresh already-shucked corn.

While talking, Rose heard Harry ask Percy something so she ended her conversation with Ron who was sat on her right to listen to what her brother was asking; "Say, Percy, who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?" Harry asked.

"Oh, that's Professor Snape, head of Slytherin house," Percy replied, sharply. 

"What's he teach?" Rose asked to help Harry figure out why their scars burned earlier.

"Potions. But everyone knows it's the Dark Arts he fancies. He's been after Quirrell's job for years." Percy responded.

Rose glanced at Percy before looking at the greasy black-haired, hook-nosed man at the far right end of the Staff table. She waved at Hagrid when he noticed her looking up there before resuming her conversations with Harry, Ron, and the Gryffindors around her. 

Ron, who just finished a chicken wing, reaches into the bowl for more, and a ghostly head, pops out.

"Ahh!" Ron screamed, dropping the chicken wing he had just reached for.

"Hello! How are you? Welcome to Gryffindor." the ghost said floating out of the bowl and into the air above the table.

"I know who you are!" said Ron suddenly. "My brothers told me about you -- you're Nearly Headless Nick!"

"I prefer Sir. Nicholas if you don't mind." said the ghost, slightly offended as he started to fly away.

"Nearly headless? How can you be nearly headless?" Hermione asked highly confused.

"Like this," he said irritably.

 He seized his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder as if it was on a hinge. Someone had obviously tried to behead him, but not done it properly. 

Looking pleased with the stunning looks on the students' faces, Nearly Headless Nick flipped his head back onto his neck, coughed, and said, "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."

Harry and Rose looked over at the Slytherin table and saw a horrible ghost sitting there, with blank staring eyes, a gaunt face, and robes stained with silver blood. He was right next to Malfoy which made the twins laugh seeing that Draco was displeased with the seating arrangements.

"How did he get covered in blood?" asked Seamus Finnigan who was now listening in with great interest.

"I've never asked," said Nearly Headless Nick delicately.

When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment later the desserts appeared.