Sunday roast, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, fish and chips, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, noodles, gravy, and ketchup – and even Toffee pudding had been spread out before them.
"Holy moly!" the kid beside Hazel gasped in shock. "This is so much food."
"Yeah, it's a lot, but there are a lot of students," Hazel said, a bit confused at the other boy's surprise.
"No, I mean, there are so many options," the boy grinned, turning to her. "I've never seen anything like this before."
"You haven't?" Hazel said, surprised. She looked at the feast and thought back to the big dinner parties that her parents hosted or the Weasley family hosted. She had seen so many people, and there was so much food.
"No," Ren shook his head, his smile faltering slightly. "We are – well, my family aren't wizards, so . . ." He didn't finish his sentence; he just smiled again. "I'm Ren."
Hazel didn't ask what he meant, even though she didn't understand what not being a wizard had anything to do with food.
"I am Hazel," Hazel introduced herself, and they shook hands.
Ren instantly dived into the food, piling his plate with anything he could reach for. Hazel tried to cheer herself up as well by looking at the food as she helped herself to roast chicken and roast potatoes. She glanced up at her friends. Willow and Harvey were already chatting with some of their housemates while Cyrus was sitting in a corner, eating quietly. Hazel felt bad for Cyrus. Why did he have to be in Slytherin?
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. Blocks of ice cream in every flavour you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate eclairs, jam and doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O, rice pudding.
Ren, who was still stuffing his face with a piece of lamb chop, looked startled when the food disappeared, and the desserts appeared.
"But I haven't got room for desserts," He mumbled with his mouth full, looking surprised and sad. "I didn't know there were desserts." Ren longingly stared at the desserts. "Do you think they will let me take some to my room?"
"I don't know, Ren," Hazel said, almost chuckling at how he looked with his mouth full.
But her smile disappeared again when he glanced at her friends. Hazel turned back to look at the desserts but didn't pick any. For the first time, she didn't want to eat any of it. She remembered her grandfather's cake and felt like she already wanted to go back home.
Soon, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor McGonagall got to her feet again. The hall fell silent.
"Just a few more words now that we are all fed," she cleared her throat softly and spoke firmly "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. I should also remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. And lastly, Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. Now off you go."
There was an instant commotion hearing, Professor McGonagall. The Gryffindor table stood up first and trickled out. Harvey glanced back at them briefly before leaving the hall. Next, the Ravenclaws started to leave. After that, two older Hufflepuff students stood up with a PREFECT badge on their robes.
"First-year girls, follow me," said the Prefect girl, smiling at them.
Hazel stood up and started following the other first-year Hufflepuff girls while the boys followed the Prefect boy. They had only made it past the double doors when a voice stopped them.
"Imogen, you all can go on, I want to talk to Hazel," Harry said, stepping out of the Great Hall. "I will walk her to your dorm."
"Of course, Professor," The Prefect girl looked surprised but quickly nodded and led the students away. All the students walked away staring at Hazel. As they rounded the corner, Harry pulled Hazel aside as the Slytherins started to leave the Great Hall. Almost all of them glanced at Harry and Hazel in the corner. But Hazel only looked at Cyrus, who was walking with his head down. Though as if he felt Hazel's gaze, he looked up and gave her a brief smile before glancing at Harry for a moment. Cyrus had a weird expression when he looked at Harry, but Hazel couldn't understand what it meant as the Slytherins walked quickly and rounded the opposite corner as the Hufflepuffs.
Finally, alone, Harry turned to Hazel and crouched down to her level.
"You ok, Hazie?" He asked softly, holding his daughter by the shoulders. "I saw you didn't eat much and skipped dessert. You have looked upset since the sorting."
Hazel didn't want to look like she wasn't happy being a Hufflepuff, but she couldn't control her emotions as much as she wanted.
"I just don't understand," Hazel said, sounding a little frustrated. "Both you and Mom were Gryffindors. Then how come I am a Hufflepuff? Harvey's parents are Gryffindors, so he got Gryffindor. Willow's mom was Ravenclaw, so she got Ravenclaw, and even though I don't like it, Cyrus's dad was a Slytherin, and he got Slytherin, then why am I the only different one?"
Harry understood Hazel's frustration; he remembered begging the sorting hat not to put him in Slytherin.
"I'm sorry, Hazie, that you didn't get into the house you wanted," Harry crouched down on the floor to get on Hazel's level. "But remember, I told you all four houses are great. Especially Hufflepuffs. You know how cool Helga Hufflepuff was, right? Mom told you stories about her. And you know what Hufflepuff house stands for."
"Loyalty... hard work, dedication and . . ." Hazel couldn't remember the third one.
"Fairness," Harry smiled, reminding her. "So if the hat chose you to be in Hufflepuff, that means you have those qualities. And if you ask me, those are very good qualities to have."
"I know," Hazel pouted a little. "But I'm brave too. The hat even said so. Then why not Gryffindor? Why do I have to be in a different house than my friends? What about Cyrus? He isn't cunning. He is smart and brave; he should have been in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. He looks so sad in Slytherin."
Harry sighed softly and hesitated for a little bit before speaking. He wanted to tell his daughter the reason she was in Hufflepuff was that her mother, Chris, was decendent of Helga Hufflepuff, and he and Chris always guessed that their children would end up in Hufflepuff. But he couldn't tell Hazel that, because no one else knew about their heritage. So if Hazel told anyone this, they would think she was lying, and Harry knew very well what it felt like to know a truth and yet be called a liar, even if someone important supports you.
"Yeah, you are right, Hazie. He is brave, and so are you. But sometimes the sorting hat sees something in us that we don't," Harry tried to explain. "And I am sure both you and Cyrus, and also Willow and Harvey, all will be great wizards and witches of your house. You four have the chance to be the best and represent each of your houses. Right?"
Hazel took in her father's words and nodded.
"I guess," she said, still a little upset but trying not to sound too sad.
"And you know the best part?" Harry smiled, standing up and taking Hazel's hand in his.
"What?" Hazel asked, looking a bit surprised.
"The Hufflepuff dorm is beside the kitchen, so you can have snacks anytime you feel like," Harry said, grinning as he tried to cheer his daughter up and led her around the corner where the Hufflepuff rounded a few minutes ago. That hallway opened up to a flight of stairs that led them downstairs.
"Hufflepuff dormitory is downstairs?" Hazel asked, surprised. She thought all the dormitories were up on the towers.
"Hufflepuff and Slytherin dorms are downstairs, and Gryffindor and Ravenclaw dorms are up in the tower," Harry explained as he led her through the hallway, which Hazel now guessed was under the Great Hall.
Finally, they arrived at a fork at the end of the hallway. Harry pointed to his left.
"That's the kitchen and this," Harry and Hazel turned right and came face to face with a pile of barrels propped on the wall. "This is your dorm."
Hazel stared at the barrels for a moment, then looked at Harry sceptically.
"The pile of barrels?" Hazel said, not convinced. "Dad, are you joking with me to cheer me up?"
"What? No," Harry laughed before pulling out his wand. "It's the Hufflepuff dorm, just wait. You have to tap a barrel to open the door."
Harry raised his wands but then stopped and started counting the barrels.
"Dad?" Hazel looked confused and a little worried, as if she had a bad feeling about this.
"Wait, wait, I know, middle barrel of the second row," Harry found the barrel and then tapped his wand onto it, rhythmically. "One, two. One, two."
The door didn't open, but out of nowhere, a wave of something drenched both of them head to toe. Hazel stood there, shocked and drenched for a moment before her eyes started to burn and she gagged at the smell.
"Dad! It's vinegar!" Hazel yelled, trying to close her eyes, while jumping frantically as the burning sensation increased in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, I thought I remembered it right," Harry gasped, equally drenched and with burning eyes. "We need water. Come on!"
[To be continued]