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nd the thick curtain of rain。 Lightning flashed across the sky as their carriage came to a halt before the great oak front doors； which stood at the top of a flight of stone steps。 People who had occupied the carriages in front were already hurrying up the stone steps into the castle。 Harry； Ron； Hermione； and Neville jumped down from their carriage and dashed up the steps too； looking up only when they were safely inside the cavernous； torch…lit entrance hall； with its magnificent marble staircase。
〃Blimey；〃 said Ron； shaking his head and sending water everywhere； 〃if that keeps up the lake's going to overflow。 I'm soak…ARRGH！〃
A large； red； water…filled balloon had dropped from out of the ceiling onto Ron's head and exploded。 Drenched and sputtering； Ron staggered sideways into Harry； just as a second water bomb dropped…narrowly missing Hermione； it burst at Harry's feet； sending a wave of cold water over his sneakers into his socks。 People all around them shrieked and started pushing one another in their efforts to get out of the line of fire。 Harry looked up and saw； floating twenty feet above them； Peeves the Poltergeist； a little man in a bell…covered hat and orange bow tie； his wide； malicious face contorted with concentration as he took aim again。
〃PEEVES！〃 yelled an angry voice。 〃Peeves； e down here at ONCE！〃
Professor McGonagall； Deputy Headmistress and head of Gryffindor House； had e dashing out of the Great Hall； she skidded on the wet floor and grabbed Hermione around the neck to stop herself from falling。
〃Ouch…sorry； Miss Granger…〃
〃That's all right； Professor！〃 Hermione gasped； massaging her throat。
〃Peeves； get down here NOW！〃 barked Professor McGonagall； straightening her pointed hat and glaring upward through her square…rimmed spectacles。
〃Not doing nothing！〃 cackled Peeves； lobbing a water bomb at several fifth…year girls； who screamed and dived into the Great Hall。 〃Already wet； aren't they？ Little squirts！ Wheeeeeeeeee！〃 And he aimed another bomb at a group of second years who had just arrived。
〃I shall call the headmaster！〃 shouted Professor McGonagall。 〃I'm warning you； Peeves…〃
Peeves stuck out his tongue； threw the last of his water bombs into the air； and zoomed off up the marble staircase； cackling insanely。
〃Well； move along； then！〃 said Professor McGonagall sharply to the bedraggled crowd。 〃Into the Great Hall； e on！〃
Harry； Ron； and Hermione slipped and slid across the entrance hall and through the double doors on the right； Ron muttering furiously under his breath as he pushed his sopping hair off his face。
The Great Hall looked its usual splendid self； decorated for the start…of…term feast。 Golden plates and goblets gleamed by the light of hundreds and hundreds of candles； floating over the tables in midair。 The four long House tables were packed with chattering students； at the top of the Hall； the staff sat along one side of a fifth table； facing their pupils。 It was much warmer in here。 Harry； Ron； and Hermione walked past the Slytherins； the Ravenclaws； and the Hufflepuffs； and sat down with the rest of the Gryffindors at the far side of the Hall； next to Nearly Headless Nick； the Gryffindor ghost。 Pearly white and semitransparent； Nick was dressed tonight in his usual doublet； but with a particularly large ruff； which served the dual purpose of looking extra…festive； and insuring that his head didn't wobble too much on his partially severed neck。
〃Good evening；〃 he said； beaming at them。
〃Says who？〃 said Harry； taking off his sneakers and emptying them of water。 〃Hope they hurry up with the Sorting。 I'm starving。〃
The Sorting of the new students into Houses took place at the start of every school year； but by an unlucky bination of circumstances； Harry hadn't been present at one since his own。 He was quite looking forward to it。 Just then； a highly excited； breathless voice called down the table。
〃Hiya； Harry！〃
It was Colin Creevey； a third year to whom Harry was something of a hero。
〃Hi； Colin；〃 said Harry warily。
〃Harry； guess what？ Guess what； Harry？ My brother's starting！ My brother Dennis！〃
〃Er…good；〃 said Harry。
〃He's really excited！〃 said Colin； practically bouncing up and down in his seat。 〃I just hope he's in Gryffindor！ Keep your fingers crossed； eh； Harry？〃
〃Er…yeah； all right；〃 said Harry。 He turned back to Hermione； Ron； and Nearly Headless Nick。 〃Brothers and sisters usually go in the same Houses； don't they？〃 he said。 He was judging by the Weasleys； all seven of whom had been put into Gryffindor。
〃Oh no； not necessarily；〃 said Hermione。 〃Parvati Patil's twin's in Ravenclaw； and they're identical。 You'd think they'd be together； wouldn't you？〃
Harry looked up at the staff table。 There seemed to be rather more empty seats there than usual。 Hagrid； of course； was still fighting his way across the lake with the first years； Professor McGonagall was presumably supervising the drying of the entrance hall floor； but there was another empty chair too； and Harry couldn't think who else was missing。
〃Where's the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher？〃 said Hermione； who was also looking up at the teachers。
They had never yet had a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who had lasted more than three terms。 Harry's favorite by far had been Professor Lupin； who had resigned last year。 He looked up and down the staff table。 There was definitely no new face there。
〃Maybe they couldn't get anyone！〃 said Hermione； looking anxious。
Harry scanned the table more carefully。 Tiny little Professor Flitwick； the Charms teacher； was sitting on a large pile of cushions beside Professor Sprout； the Herbology teacher； whose hat was askew over her flyaway gray hair。 She was talking to Professor Sinistra of the Astronomy department。 On Professor Sinistra's other side was the sallow…faced； hook…nosed； greasy…haired Potions master； Snape…Harry's least favorite person at Hogwarts。 Harry's loathing of Snape was matched only by Snape's hatred of him； a hatred which had； if possible； intensified last year； when Harry had helped Sirius escape right under Snape's overlarge nose…Snape and Sirius had been enemies since their own school days。
On Snape's other side was an empty seat； which Harry guessed was Professor McGonagall's。 Next to it； and in the very center of the table； sat Professor Dumbledore； the headmaster； his sweeping silver hair and beard shining in the candlelight； his magnificent deep green robes embroidered with many stars and moons。 The tips of Dumbledore's long； thin fingers were together and he was resting his chin upon them； staring up at the ceiling through his half…moon spectacles as though lost in thought。 Harry glanced up at the ceiling too。 It was enchanted to look like the sky outside； and he had never seen it look this stormy。 Black and purple clouds were swirling across it； and as another thunderclap sounded outside； a fork of lightning flashed across it。
〃Oh hurry up；〃 Ron moaned； beside Harry； 〃I could eat a hippogriff。〃
The words were no sooner out of his mouth than the doors of the Great Hall opened and silence fell。 Professor McGonagall was leading a long