Start-of-Term Feast

Start of Term Feast
Name	Start of Term Feast
Date	1 September
Location	Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Notable participants	Students and staff
Book Information
First appearance	Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Last appearance	Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

The Start-of-Term Feast is an annual event in the Harry Potter book series. It is held every year on the first of September in the Great Hall at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It includes a welcoming speech by the Head of Hogwarts, the Sorting of new students into their Houses, a feast and any school announcements.

About

Every first of September, the Start-of-Term Feast is held in the Great Hall during the evening. Those in the second-year and above take their seats at their House table. The first-years are brought in to be Sorted into their Houses. The Sorting Hat sings about the founding of the school or about each House. After the sorting, the Head gives an introductory speech and commences the feast. They might ask everyone to sing the school song if they wish. Food will magically appear on the table on gold plates and in gold goblets, and when the feast is over, the Head tells everyone any important school announcements, like new staff appointments or important rules and events taking place that year. When the feast is over, everyone will leave and head to their House common room.

Food

The food is made by house-elves in the Hogwarts kitchens. The following food and drink are known to be served at the Start-of-Term Feast:

Roast beef Roast chicken Pork chops Lamb chops Sausages Bacon Steak Boiled potatoes Roast potatoes

Chips Yorkshire pudding Peas Carrots Gravy Ketchup Mint humbugs Pumpkin juice Chicken sandwiches

Events

In 1991, Harry Potter attended his first Start-of-Term Feast. Albus Dumbledore commenced the feast by saying "Nitwick, Blubber, Oddment, Tweak". At the end of the feast, he gave out a few notices, including that the third-floor corridor was now out-of-bounds and should be avoided unless anyone was hoping for "a very painful death".

In 1992, Harry and Ronald Weasley couldn't attend the feast because they had illegally flown a car to school and damaged the Whomping Willow by crashing into it. They had to eat their feast in an office when Professor McGonagall used her wand to put food on the desk.

At the start of his third year, Harry missed the sorting ceremony because he was getting checked out by Poppy Pomfrey after he was attacked by a Dementor. He arrived in time for the food. At the end, Dumbledore informed the school that Rubeus Hagrid was teaching Care of Magical Creatures now. He also introduced Remus Lupin, the new Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor.