"This way ter Hogwarts!"  The familiar (to some), booming voice of Hagrid was among the first thing the students heard as they reached the gates.  Outside, the sun was still visible but would soon be falling behind the trees.  Once inside, all the returning students are moved over to their respective tables, prefects calling them over.  After a moment Professor McGonagall appeared with a large, worn hat, setting it upon a stool and quietly walking away.  As every year, a rip in the hat opened as the hat burst into song.<br/><br/>So much has changed, you might have seen,<br/>from last to current year.<br/>But worry not, for you can see,<br/>the Sorting Hat's still here.<br/>Through war and death and closure,<br/>I've sat upon my shelf.<br/>Taking notes, rhyming rhymes,<br/>and singing to myself.<br/>Times of trouble, just like joy,<br/>are guaranteed to pass,<br/>and now is time for Hogwarts<br/>to rebuild from the ash.<br/><br/>But before homework fills your nights<br/>and other plans are thwarted,<br/>we first must gather you all up<br/>and see that you are sorted.<br/>To Gryffindor I will send those<br/>of bravery and daring.<br/>To Hufflepuff the ones who show<br/>strong loyalty and caring.<br/>To Slytherin if you value strength<br/>both of magic and of arm,<br/>And Ravenclaw, for those who use<br/>steady minds to counter harm.<br/><br/>So line up if you are new here,<br/>unsure about your seating.<br/>I'll put you in your proper House<br/>so you can get to eating.<br/>Sit on the stool, just put me on<br/>and we'll have a private chat.<br/>You can be sure that you can trust<br/>The one and only Sorting Hat!<br/><br/>Once the sorting was finished, Professor McGonnagall allowed all of the Houses a few minutes to greet their new members and then approached the podium.  "Good evening, students, and welcome to Hogwarts."  She paused, smiling tiredly as they clapped.  "I am Professor McGonagall, the Headmistress.  It is good to see so many students here again.  I am proud to announce that all of the protective charms over Hogwarts have been reapplied and all of the necessary repairs have been made.  We have also hired several more professors."  She gestured first to a middle-aged man with dark hair and a face that seemed to be locked in a permanent expression of irritability.  "First, professor Simon Hall, our new Transfigurations professor and Slytherin Head of House."  Professor Hall stood and and nodded briefly, as though being acknowledged by a Wizengamot rather than a room full of teenagers.  The Slytherin table gave a token cheer, though the majority of the students seemed to be looking at the younger professors.  "Next, the new Head of House for Gryffindor and teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts,  the first-"she stressed the word first sternly-"ex-Auror Hogwarts has been fortunate enough to host as long as I have been teaching here, Professor Scott Edgar."  The man she gestured to did not stand.  Instead, he lifted his wand slightly and sent a small jet of red sparks into the air above him.  He did not speak any incantation, and only his wrist moved as he cast the spell.  A few of the younger students seemed impressed, but a small group of students at the Slytherin table shook their heads disapprovingly.  Professor Edgar seemed to not even be looking at the students, his gaze locked on something in the back of the great hall.  "We also have Professor Laksha Pillai taking over Care of Magical Creatures, Professor Danial Heatwave in Ancient Runes, and Professor Robin Hart, setting a couple of new precedents, as our Muggle Studies professor.  And now, it is my pleasure to allow our Deputy Headmaster, Professor Flitwick, to say a few words."<br/><br/>Professor McGonagall smiled warmly to Flitwick as she made her way back to her seat.  Professor Flitwick beamed back and all but jumped out of his chair, waving enthusiastically to the students as he directed his chair to walk over to the podium with a few flicks of his wand and then hopped up onto the chair so that his head was visible over the podium.  He set his wand on the podium so he could grip it with both hands.  "Hello!  I am Filius Flitwick, also your Charms teacher, and I look forward to seeing you all in my classes.  I imagine you are quite ready to start eating, so I will simply ask for a nice, loud cry of Hogwarts on 3.  One...two...three...Hogwarts!"<br/><br/>As the students and staff yelled, giant clumps of blinking confetti and streamers appeared above their heads and exploded, falling on the heads of all the students.  Once all of the confetti had fallen, giant bags could be seen hanging from the ceiling.