With the last of the first-years getting sorted, Professor McGonagall rolled up the scroll, took the Sorting Hat, and walked to the teacher’s table, sitting down onto the right of Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of the school and undisputedly the most powerful wizard in the world.

Suddenly everyone in the hall fell silent, as Dumbledore rose from his seat. He opened his arms wide and with a pleased smile on his face, started:

“Welcome, to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!”

After finishing those words, Dumbledore sat down.

Susan, Hannah and Megan were trying to understand what those four words even meant, when suddenly they hear eating noises from next to them. They turn to look at the table, and the plates that were empty before, are now filled with all kinds of foods: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops, lamb chops, sausages, bacon, steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy and many more, including peppermints.

They turn to look at Almira, who in the time they took to take in all the foods on the table, had somehow finished one whole roasted chicken on her own.

“Mira, you aren’t puzzled by the words the headmaster said?”

Susan asks.

“Hm? The ‘idiot, fat, misfit, adjust’ part?”

Almira answers as she piles some more food onto her plate, making the other three confused at the clearly different words.

“No, weren’t they ‘nitwit, blubber, oddment, tweak’?”

Hannah says, little unsure on if she got the words right.

“That’s what I said, ‘idiot, fat, misfit, adjust’.”

Almira says after finishing her plate full of greens, now reaching towards the steaks in the middle of the table. The three are stumped at Almira once again saying the totally different string of words, but then realization flashes through Susan’s eyes.

“You’re saying that that’s what those words mean?”

She asks.

“Yeah. You didn’t know?”

Almira answers and looks as the other three are shaking their heads, before shrugging her shoulders and continuing her meal. Seeing this, the other three glance at each other, before also starting to eat the food before them.

After everyone had had something to eat, the remains of the food on the table faded from the plates, making Almira stop her hand that was reaching for the carrot bowl in mid motion, before continuing as blocks of ice cream appear where the carrots were just moments ago.

The other three, seeing Almira still continuing to eat, can’t help but wonder where she puts all the food, that she brings to her mouth, in her small body.

“So, I’m a half, with my mother being a witch and dad a muggle. What about you?”

Hannah says, trying to start conversation, and looks at Susan, Megan and Almira.

“I’m also a half, but with my mom being a muggle. How about you Megan?”

Susan answers, before throwing the question to Megan afterwards.

“Half, dad a muggle.”

Megan answers and Susan and Hannah start to realize that Megan isn’t really one for words.

The three turn their gazes towards Almira, who’s enjoying her ice cream, but stops as she notices the other three waiting for her answer.

“My moms a witch. Never knew my dad, but he’s part of a magical family for sure.”

She says, to which Hannah replies:

“You are a pure-blood?”

with a little bit of surprise on her face.

Almira opens her mouth to explain some more, but suddenly the desserts, along with their plates, disappear from the table, and the hall falls silent as Dumbledore once again stands up from his seat to speak.

“Ahem, just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.

First-years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few older students would do well to remember that as well.”

Dumbledore stops to look towards the Gryffindor’s table, before continuing.

“I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.

Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.

And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death.”

A few in the hall laughed, but most were listening to the warning seriously.

“And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!”

Dumbledore took out his wand and gave it a little flick. A long golden ribbon flew out of it, twisting into letters, making words appear in midair over Dumbledore’s head.

“Everyone pick their favorite tune, and of we go!”

Dumbledore said, and the school started bellowing:

“Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,

Teach us something please,

Whether we be old and bald

Or young with scabby knees,

Our heads could do with filling

With some interesting stuff,

For now they're bare and full of air,

Dead flies and bits of fluff,

So teach us things worth knowing,

Bring back what we've forgot,

just do your best, we'll do the rest,

And learn until our brains all rot.”

Everyone sang the song in different tunes, and the last ones to finish it were two twins in the Gryffindor’s table, who sung in a slow funeral march, with climbing on top of the table to make it that much more dramatic.

After the twins finished, everyone clapped, with Dumbledore being the one clapping loudest.

“Ah, music. A magic beyond all we do here!”

Dumbledore said as he swiped the tears from his eyes, before continuing.

“And now, bedtime. Off you trot!”