Seeing the looks on the new students' faces, Robert felt satisfied, as a Ravenclaw, he enjoyed the thrill of sharing his knowledge.
"All right, everyone, let's eat."
The plates before them were suddenly full of food: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops, lamb chops, salami, steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, chips, Yorkshire pudding, pea shoots, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and even peppermint hard candy.
It was simple, roasted, smoked, marinated and fried, but it was a very rich dish in British cuisine.
Tom picked up a few pieces of roast beef, a couple of sausages and bread and ate them, while the other young wizards were evidently hungry too, and they reached for their plates with their knives and forks and took what they fancied, as if there was no end to the food, even if the plates were empty, they would be filled in the next minute.
During the first half of the meal not much was said, everyone concentrated on eating. Once everyone had filled their stomachs, the rest of the food disappeared from the plates, even if many of them were only touched once or twice. But no young wizard ever thought about where the food came from or where it was going.
The plates and forks were as clean as ever. After a while, desserts were served: ice cream of all flavors, apple pie, chocolate cupcakes, jam doughnuts, jam pudding, strawberries, jelly, rice pudding....
That's when everyone was in a chatty mood.
"There's a lot to learn, and I'm especially interested in Transfiguration. You know, turning one thing into another, it must be really hard...", Hermione said.
"You should start with something small, like turning a match into a needle or something...", said a senior student.
This was Hermione exchanging shape-shifting tips with her seniors.
But there was more talk of family background.
"My parents were muggles and I was going to Eton." Tom heard a curly-haired boy say loudly from the Hufflepuff table next to him.
The group ate, drank and chatted, bonding quickly.
Finally, as the desserts disappeared, Professor Dumbledore stood up again and everyone settled back to listen to him.
"Before you get too sleepy, I'd like to give you a few words of advice. Freshmen are reminded that the woods on campus are off-limits to students, and seniors should remember that as well. Secondly, the janitor, Mr. Filch, has also asked me to remind you not to do magic in the hallways between classes. Recruitment for all Quidditch players will take place in the second week of term, so please contact Mrs Hooch if you would like to join the House team. Finally, I must tell you that anyone who does not wish to meet with an accident and a painful death, please do not enter the third floor corridor on the right."
Dumbledore had said all he had to say, then winked and said loudly, "Before we all go to bed, let's all sing the school song!"
At those words, the other professors' smiles froze. If there was one thing Hogwarts didn't have over other schools, it was the school song and, of course, the scholarships for students were not as high as at Beauxbatons. Newt Scamander, one of Hogwarts' top students, was once pushed into the school song by a pair of Ilvermorny sisters.
The song was sung to the strange tune of:
Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hogwarts!
Teach us something, please.
Even if we are old and bald or young with dirty knees, our minds can be filled with some interesting subjects.
For now they are empty and full of air, dead fleas and a bit of fluff.
So teach us things worth knowing, make us remember what we forget, do the best you can, we'll do the rest, and learn till our brains are consumed.
The lyrics are fine, it's the soundtrack that matters,
Professor Dumbledore's choice was the Funeral March...
Judging by the reaction, the young wizards at Hogwarts did not like their school song at all, and all sang it reluctantly, except for the Weasley twins who sang it in its entirety, with Professor Dumbledore conducting for both of them, highlighting the fact that, while they were not embarrassed, it is everyone else who is.
Once the song was finished, Professor Dumbledore declared the opening banquet over and the prefects from different houses led the students to their dormitories. The prefect, Robert, who had just given a talk to the new students, stepped forward and told all the new students to follow him as he led them to the Ravenclaw common room.
Instead of rounding up the new students and pushing them through the Great Dining Hall in a hurry, like the head of Gryffindor, Percy had them gather in a line, making sure everyone was there before leaving through the less crowded exits.
The Ravenclaw students followed Robert out of the dining hall and up the marble staircase. They watched in awe as the portraits in the corridor pointed and whispered to them as they passed. The Prefect clearly knew the secret passages and shortcuts within the school, and in many cases was able to remove what appeared to be mundane panels and curtains to reveal the shortcuts behind them.
Finally, they reached one of the castle's towers and a spiral staircase appeared before them.
The staircase was so steep that it was dizzying to look back. Finally, a wooden door without a doorknob appeared before the new students. The door was a bare board with no doorknob or lock, with only an eagle apparently made of bronze.
The ring beak opened and out came a soft, musical voice: "There are 98 students, 6 more in Slytherin than Ravenclaw, how many in each house?".
Tom: "???"
I thought the eagle only asked philosophical questions, why is he so into math?
Hermione had a thoughtful expression.
Robert smiled brightly, "Getting into the Ravenclaw common room is very simple, we never use a password or anything like that, we just answer a question from the eagle on the door. If you get it right, you can get in even if you're from another house."
"That's what makes Ravenclaw think better than any of the other three houses." Said Robert seriously to the new students, "Try to answer this question, Arithmancy is also important, especially for those who want to take Arithmancy and Divination in their third year. It's a test for you, if you can't answer the question, you'll have to wait outside for someone to answer it."
"I think there are 55 in Slytherin and 43 in Ravenclaw." Tom had already calculated the answer.
"Correct," the Bronze Eagle said, and the door opened.