Harry went to the various freestanding chalkboards around the room He wrote out a tentative agenda so everyone would know what to expect. He wrote headings for various things like favorite subject in school, favorite sports, hobbies, favorite movies, favorite books, favorite sport teams, pets. He wrote his own answers as he went, Then he remembered the games that his cotillion classes had started with and decided to set up for one of them. He started thinking of a list of a dozen random questions like find someone in the room born the same month as you, and find someone who is left handed that would force everyone to interact with everyone else. He was astonished as he thought of such pages, they appeared on a table. "This is so cool." Sheba butted his ear. "What do you think, Sheba, is this room cool or what?"
Over the last week Harry had received lots of strange looks walking through the halls of Hogwarts. Sheba had been with him through most all his classes riding his shoulders, except potions where she didn't seem to like the smells given the way she had hissed then leaped from his shoulder when the dungeon door opened. Her enormous size of eighteen inches at the shoulder and twenty eight pounds and unusual markings set her apart from most the pets of the students and faculty. What was funnier was the caretaker's cat and her reaction to Sheba.
Mrs. Norris was a large cat and apparently she was used to ruling the school. She had thought to intimidate Sheba and hissed at her the first time she ran across Harry and Sheba.
Sheba was usually an easygoing sociable cat. She had been enough new places that she knew she wasn't supposed to fight with other animals when she saw them. However, when Mrs. Norris was hissing at her and growling at Harry, Sheba decided Mrs. Norris was an exception to the get along with rule. Sheba showed the jumping ability her serval grandparent was famous for. She leaped the twelve feet from Harry's shoulder and bowled Mrs. Norris over and to Mrs. Norris' surprise proceeded to attack her tooth and claw. It only took about a minute for Mrs. Norris to figure out that this other cat was bigger, stronger and scarier than she herself was, and to decide to beat a hasty retreat . Harry was quick to scold Sheba, and he called her back to her accustomed perch on his shoulders But from that moment, if Mrs. Norris saw Harry she would turn and go the other way.
Sheba butted him and drew him back to the here and now. Harry looked at the clock he had been too excited and hopeful about this afternoon, because there he was still a half hour away from when students would start arriving and he was already done with set up . He shrugged, oh well, he might as well use the time. He drew his shrunken cello case out of his pocket. Tapped it with his wand. Moments later he played a few scales making sure his cello was in tune then he started to play. Sheba curled up on a chair across from him and watched.
Half an hour later Harry's friends and many of their housemates were approaching the room where everyone is supposed to meet.
"What is that? Draco asked.
"It's coming from the room ." Ernie MacMillian said.
The first years all slowed and gathered quietly around the door. Neville reached out and slowly opened the door.
Harry had lost himself in playing J. S. Bach's cello suite no. 6. When he got to the gigue it so suited his mood and enthralled him that he didn't hear the door open. Nor with his eyes closed did he see the other children and a teacher quietly come in. Many of them while slightly enthralled by the music were even more amazed by the room itself.
As the piece came to an end Harry was startled by the applause of the other people including his Head of House. He blushed a little, as he stood and gave a small bow. "Thank you." He blushed even brighter for a moment before saying, "Um, guess I lost track of time. I'm glad you are all here. Um, as you can see by the agenda I think today should be mostly about getting to know each other, but I've included three twenty minute sessions where we can talk about actual study related stuff. I'm hoping the sessions will give us topics for future meetings. I thought we would start off by introducing ourselves and saying one thing about something we liked. I'm Harry Potter and I like to play cello." He blushed again.
Minerva McGonagall smiled and she said, "I'm Minerva McGonagall and today I'm the faculty monitor and I like that you students are reaching out to one another."
"I'm Draco Malfoy, and I love quidditch and I'm bummed that first years aren't allowed to play."
"I'm Kevin Entwhistle, I'm muggleborn and I have to say I hope this group can help me adjust to the magical world."
"I'm Susan Bones, I like politics and I hope Kevin that this group does help you."
The introductions continued around the room, Harry spent the time memorizing names and faces things went pretty much as expected until they got to Zacharias Smith of Hufflepuff.