The Welcome feast at Hogwarts starts shortly after the arrival of the first year students. The sorting process takes approximately forty-five minutes and it is followed by the welcome speech and introduction. Finally, shortly after 8:30 dinner is served and students are permitted to talk and move as they wish. The ghosts of Hogwarts usually make their appearance at this time, and the Great Hall becomes far more noisy. The feast ends at 9:30 and all students are to make their way back to the dormitories with he first years being led back by the new fifth year prefects.