Chapter 1: The Late Student
Disclaimer: I don't own any of this, other than the story and OC.
"Welcome!" said Dumbledore, the candlelight shimmering on his beard. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our exellent feast..."
Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued "As you will all be aware after their search at the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, who are here on the Ministry of Magic buisness."
He paused, and Harry remembered what Mr. Weasley had said about Dumbledore not being happy with the dementors guarding the school.
"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds." Dumbledore continued, "and while they are with us, I must take it plain that nobody is to leave the school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises - or even Invisibility Cloaks." he added blandly, and Harry and Ron glanced at each other. "It is not in the nature of a dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the perfects, and our new head boy and girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the dementors," he said.
Percy who was sitting a few seats from Harry, puffed out his chest again and stared around impressively. Dumbledore paused again; he looked very seriously around the hall, and nobody moved or made a sound.
"On the happier note," he continued, "I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year."
"First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."
There was some scattered, rather unenthusiastic applause. Only those who had been in the compartment on the train with Professor Lupin clapped hard, Harry among them. Professor Lupin looked particularly shabby next to all the other teachers in their best robes.
"Look at Snape!" Ron hissed in Harry's ear
Professor Snape, the Potions master, was staring along the staff table at Professor Lupin. It was common knowledge that Snape wanted the Defense Against the Dark Arts job, but even Harry, who hated Snape, was startled at the expression twisting his thin, shallow face. It was beyond anger: it was loathing. Harry knew that expression only too well; it was the look Snape wore every time he set eyes on Harry.
"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued as the lukewarm applause for Professor Lupin died away. "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties."
Harry, Ron, and Hermionie stared at one another, stunned. They joined in with the applause, which was tumultuous at the Gryffindor table in particular. Harry leaned forward to see Hagrid, who was ruby-red in the face and staring down at his enormous hands, his wide grin hidden in the tangle of his black beard.
"We should've known!" Ron roared, pounding the table. Who else would have assigned a biting book?"
Harry, Ron, Hermione were the last to stop clapping, and as Professor Dumbledore started speaking again, they saw that Hagrid was wiping his eyes on the tablecloth.
"Before we start I have news that we also have one more student, who was sadly late for two years." Dumbledore said and everyone was silent.
"One more student?" Hermionie asked Ron and Harry who only shrugged at her question.
The students continued to whisper at each other, for there nothing has ever happened like this before "Late for two years?" a student at the Ravenclaw table said. "Nothing has happened like this before." a student at the Hufflepuff table said.
Before they could all argue about the new student Dumbledore continued "This boy will be a fine addition to the students here at Hogwarts, he was only late due to some reasons I can hardly tell you, but with his intelligence, and age he will joining the third years this year."
The whispered argues of the students continued "Who is this guy?" a student at the Slythrin table said. "I bet he'll be in Ravenclaw." a girl said at the back of the said table. "Can he play Quidditch?" a boy said with everyone hearing what he said.
"We will now begin the sorting of this student, now you may enter Mr. Nic-" before Dumbledore could finish the hall doors slammed open revealing a brown owl flying carrying what appered to be a letter. As the owl flew to Dumbledore the students again started to whisper amongst each other. Then the said owl landed next to the Headmadster, and gave the letter to him before flying away in a hurry.
Everyone watched as the owl left, then turned to Dumbledore who was starting to open and read the said letter.
While Dumbledore read the letter there was silence, then the Headmaster spoke to announce what was the message of the letter. "Looks like our new student will not be here tonight because of an emergency." Dumbledore said calmly, before the students would start again Dumbledore finished his announcement "but he has promised to return tomorrow night for his sorting and welcoming to this school." Dumbledore said as he folded the letter.
More whispering happened.
"Therefore that everything has been concluded let the feast begin!" Dumbledore ended vigorously.
As everyone started eating, everyone was rather curious on who would this new (late) student could be. "I wonder who this person is." Hermionie said curiously to Harry and Ron. "I bet he is always late at everything." Ron said mockingly. "Well certainly there must be a very good reason about this." said Hermione. Harry was only silent thinking if this student was related to Black's escape from Azkaban. "sigh* Might as well get ready for classes tomorrow." Harry said vigorously. Then Hermione simlpy replied "Yep you're right." with this Ron only groaned thinking about his classes to which both Harry and Hermione smiled at.
Meanwhile at the Ravenclaw table one particular blonde haried girl thought about her sleeping compartment seatmate for she did'nt see him again even if she tried looking for him at the hall, but unbeknowst to Luna Lovegood that boy was the new student and that he was at the moment, in a certain far away place.
The next day was pretty much enjoyed/hated by everyone. Almost everybody enjoyed Defense against the Dark Arts, including the trio with Proffesor Lupin. They all Still pretty much hated Professor Snape for his usual teaching (minus the slytherins), yet Harry, Ron, and Hermionie enjoyed the whole day, until Ron and Hermionie left for Hogsmeade while Harry didn't because he doesn't have a guradian's permission slip.
While they were all doing their extra-curicular activities at Hogsmeade one Luna Lovegood sat alone at a tree at the school grounds not too far away from the school.
Why you might ask? Luna has been the outsider here at this school having earned the title 'Loony Lovegood', and there she sat silently sad at her current state. Then she thought once again about the boy at the train compartment, as she recalled the boy whom she had been with in the compartment she recalled everything that happened that day. Because she would normally have her own compartment alone, but yesterday every compartment was either occupied or full, and she had to ask for a seat at each compartment (minus Potter's offcourse which was full), to which most of them were full, and she was laughed at. Then after being rejected by many compartments there she was gloomily walking to the last compartment "This is my last shot or I will have to sit at the baggage car" she said to herself. She sighed and reached for the compartment door. When she opened the door that's where she saw him sitting on the seat snoring peacefully. He had brown bangless ear-length wavy not too curly and not too straight hair that showed his forehead, and a white pale-ish tanned face, and he was wearing a black coat that had a big collar ontop of a grey sweater, black jeans, and black Shoes.
Luna's face reddened at the sight of him and she nearly hesitated to leave or ask if she can sit in this compartment. thinking he would reject her upon sight, and that's when she noticed a piece of paper tied to his neck that had magical script on it repeating over and over it said: 'Please don't wake me up I love my sleep, and if you or your group wants to sit here be my guest, but please refrain from being noisy.' Then after Luna read the note tied to his neck. When she had finaly made her desision she just sat down quietly opposite to the boy, stated at him for a few seconds then started to read her copy of the Quibbler.
Back outside the school Luna was still sitting beside the said tree. 'I wonder what was his emergency' she thought while silently watching the sun set remembering what happened that yesterday, then sighed and gloomily walked back to her dormitory after realizing that the boy in the compartment was the new late third year.
As she entered the entrance to the castle she headed to her dorm. Meanwhile a mysterious figure was watching her from a far "It will be only a matter of time and then you will finally be free, and out of the corner Lord Voldemort." then the figure laughed maniacaly.
When she re-entered the castle she noticed it was pretty much more quiet than usual, the hallways were deserted due to the fact that most of the students were at Hogsmeade, and only a few of the many students were still at the castle most of them were either sleeping in or doing their assignments at the library. As she was silently walking to her dorm Luna noticed something unusual in the hallway.
A flying Luggage Trunk that looked to be slowly heading towards the corner. Luna looked at it with a questioned face as she watched it stop at the said corner. Luna moved to look closely at the Trunk. It has a nice brown color, and it had two big silver locks as if it was guarding something big.
Luna moved slowly closer, the reached out to touch the Trunk. But, she heard someone say, "Miss. Lovegood?" and that's when she realized that she was no longer alone in the hallway. She turned around to see who was there, she wasn't at all surprised to see Proffesor Flitwick at this hallway because the library was nearby. After seeing that it was the Proffesor she greeted him enthusiasticaly, "Good Afternoon Proffesor." Proffesor Flitwick smiled as he walked closer to the girl then asked "What are you doing here Miss. Lovegood? Usualy everyone is at Hogsmeade at this hour."
Luna only looked at the little Proffesor with a smile and said "I was just taking a walk around Proffesor, and I didn't go with the others at Hogsmeade because I don't feel like it sir." The Proffesor only nodded and walked forward and said to Luna without looking back at her "Alright but don't go to places that shouldn't be visited, take care Miss Lovegood." he finished vigorously as he left for the library. As Luna saw the Proffesor leave she looked at the corner only to see that the Luggage Trunk was no longer there. She sighed dissapointedly and after a short mental argument raged within her mind wether to find the said Trunk. After a few seconds she just chose to ignore the trunk thinking it not important and continued walking silently to her dorm.
Later that evening inside the Griffindor Common room,"There you go," said Ron. "We got as much as we can carry."
A shower of brilliantly colored sweets fell into Harry's lap. It was dusk, and Ron and Hermione had just turned up in the common room, pink-faced from the cold wind and looking as though they had the time of their lives.
"Thanks," said Harry, picking up a packet of tiny black Pepper Imps. "What's Hogsmeade like? Where did you go?"
By the sound of it, everywhere. Deverish and Banges, the wizarding equipment shop, Zonko's Joke Shop, into the Three Broomsticks for foaming mugs of hot butterbeer, and many places besides.
"The post office, Harry! About two hundred owls, all sitting on shelves, all color coded depending on how fast you want your letter to get there!"
"Honeydukes has a new type of fudge; they were giving out free samples,there's a bit look-"
"We think we saw an ogre, honestly they get all sorts at the Three Broomsticks -"
"We wish we could have brought you some butterbeer,realy warms you up-"
"What did you do?" said Hermione, lookimg anxious. "Did you get any work done?"
"No," said Harry. "Lupin made me a cup of tea in his office. And then Snape came in..."
He told them all about the goblet. Ron's mouth fell open.
"Lupin drank it?" he gasped. "Is he mad?"
Hermione checked over her watch,
"We'd better go down, you know, the feast'll be starting in five minutes..." They hurried through the portrait hole and into the crowd, still discussing Snape.
"But if he-you know-" Hermione dropped her voice, glancing nervously around. "if he was trying to-to poison Lupin-he wouldn't have done it in front of Harry."
"Yeah, maybe," Harry said as they reached the entrance hall and crossed into the Great Hall. It had been decorated with hundreds and hundreds of candle-filled pumpkins, a cloud of fluttering live bats, and many flaming orange steamers, which were swimming lazily across the stormy ceiling like brilliant watersnakes.
"The food was delicious; even Hermione and Ron, who were full to bursting with Honeydukes sweets, managed second helpings of everything. Harry kept glancing at the staff table. Professor Lupin looked cheerful and as well as he ever did; he was talking animatedly to tiny Professor Flitwick, the Charms Teacher. Harry moved his eyes along the table, to the place where Snape sat. Was he imagining it, or was Snape's eyes flickering toward Lupin more often than natural?
After a few more minutes Dumbledore stood up, and spoke. "As you all remember last night a new student was supposed to be sorted-" Now the students are once again murmuring to one another, "-but was unable to do so due some emergency." Dumbledore continued. "What is he going to be late again?" one Hufflepuff asked to her seatmate. "Why don't they just be done with it?" a certain Slytherin complained. "Well, on the bright side the boy was finally able to arrive this evening and is on his way here to this very moment." Dumbledore said with a smile on his face.
The Murmuring started go louder as many students were talking with each other. "Looks like we'll be having a new schoolmate," Ron said to the others. " I s'pose so," Harry and Hermione said at the same time.
Meanwhile the students near the exits,and one Luna Lovegood was looking anxiously at the doors of the great hall waiting to see the new student. 'Who might he be?' Luna thought to herself.
"Now you may enter young Mr. Vanderbosch," Dumbledore said loud enough to be heard behind the door. The tension now rises within the great hall as they would finally see who the new student was.
The Doors opened.
A/N: Not bad eh? What did you think?
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