After the Sorting, bunches of food were magically placed on the tables in the Great Hall. An assortment of foods and drinks were laid out. Everyone eagerly piled food on their plates and dug in. 

Percy had somehow managed to find a pizza and cheeseburgers within the food. Each of the cousins had found cheeseburgers in the food. Nico had managed to scrimmage something that vaguely looked like a Happy Meal. No one knows how they did it. Sally was contently eating pieces of chicken and mashed potatoes with green beans. She also had a glass of pumpkin juice. 

Thalia tasted the pumpkin juice first and found that it was surprisingly tasty so she urged Nico to try it. His opinion was different though. It wasn't horrible but it also wasn't something he would want to drink every day. After Thalia walking up to him and urging him to try the pumpkin juice Percy ended up with the same opinion as Nico. 

The demigods had figured out that as long as they were on their quest they didn't have to sacrifice food to the gods because it would look weird to mortals and maybe just put them one step closer to discovering the secret that had been hidden for centuries ever since the fall of Greece and Rome. Most people other than demigods no longer worshiped the gods as they once did. 

Some peoples'  plates of food disappeared half-eaten as the main course finished and the food on the tables were replaced by lavish deserts. Varying from sweet fruits such as Watermelon and Strawberries to cakes, pies, and fruit tarts. There was something everyone would enjoy. 

"Delicious," Percy unwillingly commented out loud. It was a passing thought that Percy didn't filter but everyone around him nodded in agreement. 

"Of course, it is," one person commented, "every meal is amazing here. The House Elves love to serve and are always eager to give you a meal if you need one. Our common room is right next to the kitchens. I can show you if you like." 

"I said that out loud didn't I?" a sheepish Percy asked. 

"You did," laughed the Hufflepuff. "I"m Hannah Abbott by the way." 

"Percy Jackson, but you already knew that." 

"It's pretty hard to miss the most famous names going around right now." 

"Not a fan of that one." 

"Well, it certainly took some of the heat off Harry and Dumbledore. Now that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is back. Not many people believe it. But last year one of the sixth years in this house was murdered by him. Cedric Diggory was pulled for the Triwizard Tournament. Someone entered Harry's name too and he got drawn into it. He and Cedric were apparently transported to a graveyard where You-Know-Who had Cedric killed  before rising." 

Percy could give his best guess as to who He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and You-Know-Who were and that was the very person they were sent here to help in the defeat of Tom Marvalo Riddle or as he is called now, Lord Voldemort. The person to whom Percy is unfortunately related to. How does he end up with all of the evil grandfathers? First Kronos and now Riddle. 

As the deserts disappeared off the table and off of people's plates, Dumbledore stood up preparing to give a speech. 

"This year we are honored to welcome two more teachers to our school. Professor Grubby-Plank will be taking over Care of Magical Creatures while Professor Hagrid is away," Dumbledore started, "We will also be welcoming Professor Sally Blofis as our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. The usual rules apply. The Forbidden Forest is explicitly Forbidden"-the word forbidden was said with emphasis- "without the attendance of a teacher. Please do not enter the Restricted Section of the library without the signed note of a teacher. Do not use magic within the halls. Our caretaker Mr. Filch has a list of forbidden objects among which are Fizzing Whizebees and other prank-based items. Quidditch will resume this year and Quidditch tryouts times will be given to you by your House's Quidditch Captain. With that, I bid you adieu and rush you off to your rooms for a good night's sleep before classes begin in the morning. First years if you would follow your prefects." 

First years were the first to rise at the urging of their prefects. Percy, Thalia, and Nico followed them. At some point, parts of the Hufflepuff house got mixed in with the Slytherin house since they were headed in the same vague direction. Slytherins were headed to the dungeons and Hufflepuffs towards the kitchens. For the most part, Slytherins tried to stay away from the Hufflepuffs a few did end up talking to each other. The older years got up as the last of the first years left the Great Hall. 

"To enter the common room knock on this barrel." Hannah pointed to a barrel two up from the bottom and in the middle of the second row. "In this rhythm." she knocked out something that vaguely resembled the words Helga Hufflepuff. The entrance to the common room opened and the first years were led into a cozy common room. The ceiling was low but light was reflected from all corners of the room. Banners of yellow and black decorated the walls and plants were spread all throughout the common room (The Demeter kids would love that). A cozy fire was set and burning brightly. Fluffy pillows were all over the couches and blankets were draped over the backs of couches and chairs. The couches and chairs were mismatched which gave the room a more homely feel. The sitting areas looked just as comfortable as the pillows. 

The room was warm and kind just as the founder of the house valued. It was welcoming and felt like a home. Percy would not have been surprised to see Hestia sitting at the hearth. The fire seemed to wink at him and Percy knew Hestia was watching.

"Alright, everyone." Ernie clapped his hands. "Boys will be over this away-" he pointed in one direction- "Girls will be this way." He pointed in the other direction. 

"Girls if you would follow me to your dorms," Hannah called and the first-year girls congregated around her. She led them toward their dorms before coming back down. 

"Boys this way," Ernie called. He led them to a hall a little to their right and dropped the first-year boys off in their dorm and confirming that their stuff had indeed been brought down to the dorms. "Percy, you want to come with me?" 

Percy followed the teenager to the fifth-year dorms. 

"This will be your room. You will share with me, Justin, Wayne, and Zacharias. Your stuff should already be there." 

"Thank you," Percy thanked. Everyone in the Hufflepuff House seemed to be on friendly terms. Throughout the feast, laughter had been heard the loudest up and down the Hufflepuff table.

Thalia and Nico on the other hand were led to the Dungeons where everything was cold and dark. 

"To enter the common room," Draco said, "you must say the password. The password for this semester is 'Darkness.'" As Draco said the word a hidden door slid open revealing a common room that had a view of the bottom of the Great Lake. They could see the fish swimming around above them. A portrait hung above the fireplace that was giving heat to the ginormous room. A couple of chairs and one couch were placed around the fire. A coffee table was in between all of them where students could place their homework while they worked. The room had banners of green and black with snakes on them hung around the room. 

"Girls, follow me," Pansy commanded. The first-year girls nervously followed the fifth-year prefect down a hallway to their left. Thalia was the first to follow the girl looking unafraid because she knew she could take down Pansy if she needed to. 

"Girls your dorms are here. There are dorms for the first years, your stuff should be in there but you will need to claim a bed. Thalia if you would follow me I will lead you to the fifth-year dorms." 

Thalia didn't like the girl but followed her to the dorm regardless. 

"Here is our dorm, we have one bed open. That will be your bed for the year." 

Thalia nodded and walked into the room without a word to the prefect. 

As Pansy led the girls down the hallway Draco motioned for the boys to follow him. They followed him down a dimly lit hallway with sparse decorations. 

"These will be your dorms for the duration of the year. Each year you will be moved up a room as you progress through your years. Your stuff should have been delivered by the House Elves," told Draco to the first years, "Nico, our dorms are just down the hall." Draco pointed towards a door labeled fifth years. 

"Thank you," replied Nico politely. 

Exactly 1500 words. I'm going to try to post more chapters soon.