Start-of-Term Feast

"Very best evenings to you all. First off, let me introduce the newest member of our staff, Horace Slughorn. Professor Slughorn, I’m happy to say, has agreed to resume his old post as Potions Master. Meanwhile the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts will be taken by Professor Snape. Now as you know each and every one of you was searched upon your arrival here tonight and you have a right to know why. Once there was a young man who, like you, sat in this very hall, walked this castle's corridors, slept under its roof. He seemed to all the world a student like any other. His name? Tom Riddle. Today of course he is known all over the world by another name. Which is why I stand here looking out upon you all tonight, I’m reminded of a sobering fact: Every day, every hour, this very minute perhaps, Dark forces attempt to penetrate this castle’s walls. But in the end, their greatest weapon is you. Just something to think about. Now, off to bed. Pip-pip."

— Albus Dumbledore to the students durining his speech about the dark forces and announcing the staff changes^[src]

The Start-of-Term Feast is the traditional feast of the first night at Hogwarts, and welcomes the start of the school year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It is held in the Great Hall on the night of the First of September following the arrival of the students on the Hogwarts Express. The Welcoming Feast is notable for including the Sorting of all new first year students into their Houses.

The Feast is held in the Great Hall just like all of the other meals at Hogwarts, and is traditionally attended by every student and teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft And Wizardry, other than Sybill Trelawney. During the Feast, hundreds of plates are set on each of the four House tables and are filled with food magically appearing on the empty plates, prepared by house-elves working in the kitchens below. Likewise, it is emptied by vanishing before their eyes when the Feast is complete.

The types of food served are roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops, lamb chops, sausages, bacon, steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, chips, yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and peppermint humbugs.

The Welcoming Feast is also used to introduce new members of the teaching staff to the student body, and to pass out important announcements and messages concerning the new school year. This is usually done in the form of a speech by the Headmaster or Headmistress. They may also choose to say a few words during this time, such as in 1991, when Albus Dumbledore told the students, "Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!", or in 1994, when he said "Tuck In!" Hereby, depending on the mood of the Head, the School Song may be sung, to no particular melody other than the individual's choosing. Sometimes, there is a musical presentation by pupils during the feast, for example in 1993, the school choir led a presentation of Something Wicked This Way Comes before the announcements.

Divination professor Sybill Trelawney usually chose not to attend such functions.

Behind the scenes

In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the Hogwarts choir was seen singing the song Something Wicked This Way Comes conducted by Professor Flitwick, though it is not shown in the book itself.
In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the candidates from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons are introduced during the Welcoming Feast. However, in the book they arrive prior to the Halloween feast.

Start-of-Term Feast

Behind the scenes

Appearances

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