.Abercrombie,.Euan...
The.terrified‐looking.boy.Harry.had.noticed.earlier.stumbled.forwards.and.put.the.Hat.on.his.head;.it.was.only.prevented.from.falling.right.down.to.his.
shoulders.by.his.very.prominent.ears..The.Hat.considered.for.a.moment,.then.the.rip.near.the.brim.opened.again.and.shouted:.
.Gryffindor!.
Harry.clapped.loudly.with.the.rest.of.Gryffindor.house.as.Euan.Abercrombie.staggered.to.their.table.and.sat.down,.looking.as.though.he.would.like.very.much.to.sink.through.the.floor.and.never.be.looked.at.again..
Slowly,.the.long.line.of.first‐years.thinned..In.the.pauses.between.the.names.and.the.Sorting.Hat.s.decisions,.Harry.could.hear.Rons.stomach.rumbling.loudly.
.Finally,..Zeller,.Rose..was.Sorted.into.Hufflepuff,.and.Professor.McGonagall.picked.up.the.Hat.and.stool.and.marched.them.away.as.Professor.Dumbledore.rose.to.his.feet..
Whatever.his.recent.bitter.feelings.had.been.towards.his.Headmaster,.Harry.was.somehow.soothed.to.see.Dumbledore.standing.before.them.all..Between.the.absence.of.Hagrid.and.the.presence.of.those.dragonish.horses,.he.had.felt.that.his.return.to.Hogwarts,.so.long.anticipated,.was.full.of.unexpected.surprises,.like.jarring.notes.in.a.familiar.song..But.this,.at.least,.was.how.it.was.supposed.to.be:
.their.Headmaster.rising.to.greet.them.all.before.the.start‐of‐term.feast..
To.our.newcomers,..said.Dumbledore.in.a.ringing.voice,.his.arms.stretched.wide.and.a.beaming.smile.on.his.lips,..welcome!.To.our.old.hands.‐.welcome.back!
.There.is.a.time.for.speech‐making,.but.this.is.not.it..Tuck.in!..
There.was.an.appreciative.laugh.and.an.outbreak.of.applause.as.Dumbledore.sat.down.neatly.and.threw.his.long.beard.over.his.sholder.so.as.to.keep.it.out.of.the.way.of.his.plate.‐.for.food.had.appeared.out.of.nowhere,.so.that.the.five.long.tables.were.groaning.under.joints.and.pies.and.dishes.of.vegetables,.bread.and.sauces.and.flagons.of.pumpkin.juice..
.Excellent,..said.Ron,.with.a.kind.of.groan.of.longing,.and.he.seized.the.nearest.plate.of.chops.and.began.piling.them.on.to.his.plate,.watched.wistfully.by.Nearly.Headless.Nick..
.What.were.you.saying.before.the.Sorting?..Hermione.asked.the.ghost...About.the.Hat.giving.warnings?..
.Oh,.yes,..said.Nick,.who.seemed.glad.of.a.reason.to.turn.away.from.Ron,.who.was.now.eating.roast.potatoes.with.almost.indecent.enthusiasm...Yes,.I.have.
heard.the.Hat.give.several.warnings.before,.always.at.times.when.it.detects.periods.of.great.danger.for.the.school..And.always,.of.course,.its.advice.is.the.same:.stand.together,.be.strong.from.within...
.Ow.kunnit.nofe.skusin.danger.ifzat?..said.Ron..
His.mouth.was.so.full.Harry.thought.it.was.quite.an.achievement.for.him.to.make.any.noise.at.all..
.I.beg.your.pardon?..said.Nearly.Headless.Nick.politely,.while.Hermione.looked.revolted..Ron.gave.an.enormous.swallow.and.said,..How.can.it.know.if.the.school.s.in.danger.if.it.s.a.Hat?..
.I.have.no.idea,..said.Nearly.Headless.Nick...Of.course,.it.lives.in.Dumbledore.s.office,.so.I.daresay.it.picks.things.up.there...