Soon, the last student had seated themselves by the Hufflepuff longtable. For a moment, it was allowed the House to celebrate their newest student before the teaching staff and, subsequently the remaining student body, welcomed the first years with applause.<br/>Harry welcomed the change of pace. His attention once again was turned ahead, when he met Neville's glance across Malfoy's profile, flustered by his reaction to the sorting. Instead of facing his friend teary-eyed, Harry vaguely directed his gaze to their empty plates as he joined in on the cheer.<br/>With some relief, he felt like each time he clapped the lingering itch in his fingertips seemed to dissipate, at least a little. Harry should have expected it. Rationally, he understood the intent behind the gesture; he had just been struck by the realization of how much time had passed, seeing it in the age of the first years.<br/>Somewhere to his left, McGonagall once again stirred, and calm once again settled over the Hall. In contrary to her entrance speech, students were still engaged in hushed conversations and exchanging welcoming words. That, to Harry, felt like the most familiar memory of the first evening at Hogwarts. His eyes had lingered on a group of students from Gryffindor, but his eyes were quick to return to the now speaking McGonagall, when one of the students had glanced over his shoulders.<br/>McGonagall had extended her welcome, once again, to the first years. She had welcomed them not only to Hogwarts but, on the behalf of the Heads, to their new Houses.<br/>"Those with a keen eye will have noticed a change in our teaching staff," McGonagall continued, "I would like to thank professor Livingstone for her 8 years of service, and for all to congratulate professor Malfoy in his ascension to Head of House Slytherin."<br/>Once again the faculty responded to her words with applause, the student body quick to join.<br/>A few seats over, Harry noticed how Neville turned to better face Malfoy, hand resting at the armrest of Malfoy's chair and, no doubt, saying his own private congratulations.<br/>Harry hadn't turned to look, though his attention had naturally been directed at McGonagall. It made his stomach turn, not sure about how to interpret the evident comradery between Neville and Malfoy - and much less so, if he could ever find a way of fitting into that dynamic.<br/>Regardless, Harry, too, offered Malfoy a quiet, "Congratulations, Malfoy."