Jon was finally free from the faint smell of mold and straw inside the carriage.
He stepped down with the Greengrass sisters.
Draco Malfoy, his face set in a scowl, looked ready to follow them, but was quickly called back by his two close friends, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.
In their brief exchange, Jon caught words like "Potter," "Dementor," and "coma," before the Slytherin trio hurried off.
Jon and the sisters joined the stream of students climbing the steps, passing through the massive oak doors into Hogwarts' Entrance Hall.
The hall was brightly lit, a grand marble staircase rising toward the upper floors.
The door to the right of the staircase opened, and Professor Minerva McGonagall strode out, dressed in her green plaid robes.
Her expression was as stern as ever, her hair pulled into a tight bun, a pair of square spectacles perched over her sharp eyes.
"Miss Greengrass, over here!" She gave Astoria a quick glance, then waved a hand. "Mr. Hart, you as well."
Jon and Astoria quickly made their way over.
"Miss Greengrass, Professor Snape has already informed me you had some trouble on the train?"
"Yes." Astoria nodded. "A Dementor, Professor McGonagall…"
"Just to be safe, Mr. Hart, take her to the Hospital Wing," McGonagall instructed.
"Yes, Professor."
...
They broke away from the crowd and soon reached the Hospital Wing, just a short distance from the Entrance Hall.
Jon knocked on the door, and Madam Pomfrey, the matron, hurried over.
"Another Dementor?" she asked, sounding a little irritated.
"Yes, ma'am," Astoria said quietly.
"Whoever thought it was a good idea to station dangerous creatures like Dementors around a school…"
"Last year it was a Basilisk, this year it's Dementors… I dread to think what we'll have next year — perhaps a few dragons," Madam Pomfrey muttered helplessly. "Hogwarts is a school, not a sanctuary for dangerous magical creatures!"
"Come along, dear…" Her voice softened immediately when she turned to Astoria.
"Professor Snape already gave her a green potion," Jon quickly added.
"That would be a Joy Potion. Professor Snape is quite skilled at brewing it." At the mention of Snape, Madam Pomfrey's expression softened further. "Then you'll just need some chocolate—and bed rest."
Several students were already lying in the beds, some still unconscious. Jon spotted Ginny Weasley on a bed near the far wall, with Neville and Luna at her side.
After greeting them, Jon saw Madam Pomfrey bustling over and tossing him a piece of chocolate.
A loud alarm rang from the counter. Madam Pomfrey moved quickly, handing two bottles of green Joy Potion—one to Luna, and one to a girl standing beside another unconscious student.
"I have to step out," she said briskly. "Professor McGonagall needs me. If anything happens, press the alarm over there and I'll be back immediately."
She left in a hurry, returning about ten minutes later.
Astoria had already finished the chocolate.
After giving her a careful check, Madam Pomfrey said, with a hint of caution, "Overall, she should be fine."
"Then can we return to the Great Hall for the Start-of-Term Feast?" Jon asked quickly.
"Of course… But if anything happens, come straight back to me at once," she said with a firm nod.
They left the Hospital Wing and returned to the Entrance Hall.
"Sorry for the trouble," Astoria said softly.
"It's nothing," Jon replied with a smile and a shake of his head.
...
When they stepped back into the Great Hall, it was a sea of excitement.
Professor Flitwick stood holding the pointed Sorting Hat, calling out names in his sharp, high-pitched voice. The Sorting Ceremony was already drawing to a close.
Jon and Astoria hurried to their house tables. Jon slid into a seat between Steven Lucas and Susan Bones.
"Romilda Vane!" Flitwick called.
A black-haired girl who looked a little timid rushed forward.
"Gryffindor!" the Sorting Hat shouted the instant it touched her head.
The final two first-years—Natalie Yang and Luke Evitt—were sorted into Ravenclaw and Slytherin respectively.
Professor Flitwick carried the Sorting Hat and the three-legged stool out of the hall.
Jon had missed most of the ceremony.
A moment later, he saw Harry Potter and Hermione Granger run in from outside and head for the Gryffindor table, drawing whispers and pointing from all around.
"Welcome!" Professor Dumbledore rose, sweeping his gaze over the students. "Welcome to a new school year at Hogwarts! But before we begin, I have a few words..."
The chatter in the Great Hall died instantly.
"Earlier on the train, you experienced a search. As you now know, Hogwarts is hosting several Dementors from Azkaban. They are here on official Ministry business."
Though Dumbledore's tone was calm, Jon could hear a faint edge of anger—he clearly despised Dementors.
"Dementors will be stationed at every entrance and exit of the school," Dumbledore went on. "While they are here, no one is to leave the school grounds. And do not think to outwit the Azkaban guards with any clever tricks."
"Dementors do not understand requests or excuses, and they cannot be deceived by tricks or disguises... not even by an Invisibility Cloak," he added.
The hall was silent. No one liked Dementors—anyone who came near one felt its effects.
As expected, Dumbledore went on to introduce two new staff members: Remus Lupin as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, and Rubeus Hagrid as the new Care of Magical Creatures professor, replacing the retired Professor Kettleburn.
With that, Dumbledore concluded his speech.
Suddenly, the golden plates and goblets before them filled with food and drink, and the Great Hall filled with the warm buzz of laughter, chatter, and the cheerful clink of knives and forks.