Chapter 1: New Arrivals
Harry, Hermione and Ron strolled into the Great Hall and took their places at the Gryffindor table. Ron and Harry engaged in conversation with Seamus, Neville and Dean about the holidays while Hermione sat next to Ginny and listened to her ramble on about which boys were looking good this year. All of a sudden something whizzed past Hermione's head and hit Harry on the back of the neck.
"Ouch!" his hand shot to his neck. The Gryffindors looked round the hall to see where it had come from. As they scanned the Slytherin table they saw a group of them sniggering. It included Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson and Blaize Zabini, as well as the rest of their clan.
"What a surprise. They haven't grown up then," Hermione glared over at them, along with the rest of the Gryffindors.
"Just throw it back, Harry!" Ron suggested. Harry thought for a moment before picking it up. He thrust his arm back then-
"Harry! No! Don't stoop to their level," she grabbed his wrist. Harry groaned before dropping the piece of parchment.
"This is way too heavy! What's inside it?" Ron had picked up the roll of parchment to examine it. He slowly unwrapped it, holding it at arms length he could see something brown. He held it out for Seamus to sniff.
"Get out of it!" Seamus backed away fast. Ron looked round at the rest of them, they all shook their heads in disgust.
"I'll do it," Neville lent forward and took in a good sniff. After about a second he started chocking and spluttering.
"Are you alright, Neville?" Dean asked while thumping him on the back. Neville nodded frantically and Dean stopped.
"Well? What is it?" Ron asked curiously. He was the only one that seemed to care about the parchment, the rest of them just watched Neville with concerned frowns on their faces.
"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed. "He just did that for you and you don't even say thank you! Neville, are you ok?" she asked Neville, as his breathing went back to normal he smiled at them all.
"I'm fine," he paused. "It's dung," Neville jerked his head towards the parchment and Ron dropped it with a squeal. Hermione couldn't help but laugh along with the rest of them.
"That will serve you right for being so rude!" Ginny gave her brother a fierce look.
"Right, sorry, Neville," Ron spared a glance at Neville.
"Guys! Proffesor McGonagall!" Harry pointed up at the staff table. They all spun round to see Proffesor McGonagall standing, waiting for silence. She got it nearly straight away.
"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. I hope you have a splendid year. Now…onto business. Firstly, we must welcome our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Proffesor Underhill," she paused as the hall applauded for the tall man with black hair and wearing dark blue robes. "Secondly, we will be sorting the first years, as normal, but with a few extras," she turned as Proffesor Flitwick came scurrying out of the door from behind the staff table, closely followed by five teenagers.
"They look way too old to be in first year," Harry spoke quietly to his friends around him, they all nodded in agreement.
"I imagine you are all thinking they look too old to be first years. You would be correct, they are joining seventh year. If you must know why then you can ask them yourselves, and if they want you to know then they can tell you. All I will say is they are here for personal reasons. I hope you will all help them to settle in. If they are caused any discomfort then I shall know," she looked over at the Slytherine table as she said this. At that moment the giant double doors opened and a group of thirty children came trotting in, pursued by Hagrid. As he passed he gave Harry, Ron and Hermione a wave, which they returned. McGonagall placed the stall and Sorting Hat in front of the staff table. The five new students were staring around the hall, looking worried.
The tallest of the five, a boy with black hair, wearing a grey hoodie and black jeans, appeared the most confidence. The shortest of them was a petite brunette with perfectly straight hair, she was wearing grey skinny jeans and a red coat with lots of black buttons and a belt. The other three were out of the seventh year Gryffindors view.
The sorting had gone well for Gryffindor, they had received ten new first years while Slytherine had only obtained seven. Once the last first year was sorted, into Hufflepuff, the hall fell silent and the five new seventh years came forward.
"Curzon, Amy!" Proffesor McGonagall called first, the brunette in the red coat went up to the stool, sat down and Proffesor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on her head. It took a few seconds for the decision.
"Slytherine!" the Sorting Hat yelled. Amy smiled and walked gracefully over to the Slytherine table. As she got there Pansy Parkinson waved at her. Amy rushed over and sat next to Pansy Parkinson and opposite Malfoy.
"Oh great. We're never going to get to talk to her now," Ron whined, the boys around him all nodded.
"Yeah, and she's a looker," Seamus watched as Malfoy kissed Amy's hand.
"Looks like Malfoy got dibs," Dean frowned.
"Guys! She isn't an item to be owned! No women are!" Hermione exclaimed just so they could hear.
"Hermione, shhh!" Ginny prodded Hermione in the ribs. They all turned back to McGonagall who was waiting for hush.
"Hill, Alex!" McGonagall called. A boy with wavy light brown hair down to his shoulders stepped forward and sat on the stool. He was wearing navy blue jeans and a black army like jacket.
"Slytherine!" the Sorting Hat roared. Alex was welcomed to the Slytherine table by a load of gleeful cheers. He took a seat next to Malfoy as Amy gave him a huge hug across the table, he frowned over her shoulder.
"Another one? Their catching up!" Harry complained.
"There's still three left, we might get them!" Ron hoped. The cheers from the Slytherine table stopped and McGonagall smiled her thanks.
"Price, Chloe!" McGonagall waited for the girl to sit. Chloe had long curly light brown hair with dark purple and red streaks. She was wearing the brightest trousers in the room, vibrant red skinny jeans. She also had a black coat/jacket on with small bits of lace on it. The Sorting Hat didn't take long to decide her fate either.
"Gryffindor!" the Sorting Hat howled, the whole Gryffindor table erupted into applause. Chloe practically skipped up to the table, she looked up and down it nervously, Ginny and Hermione waved for her to sit with them. Chloe sat opposite Ginny and next to Harry.
"Thanks. Hi," she smiled and put out her hand for Ginny and Hermione to shake. She shook the boys hands too.
"Hi. I'm Harry Potter," Harry smiled at the new girl.
"You're Harry Potter? Gosh, it's great to meet you!" she beamed at him.
"Thanks. Well, this is Ron Weasley," he waved his hand towards Ron. "This is Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas," he nodded to Seamus and Dean.
"Hey," Chloe smiled. The boys grinned and nodded a hello.
"And this is Neville Longbottom," Harry pat Neville on the back, Neville looked at Chloe shyly and smiled. She smiled back at him and shook his hand.
"I'm Ginny Weasley and this is Hermione Granger," Ginny spoke fast and pointed to herself then Hermione.
"Well, as you just heard, I'm Chloe Price, my friends call me Chlo," she looked round at them all before watching McGonagall again.
"Edwards, Tim!" McGonagall called and the boy with black hair sat on the stool. It looked like Tim and the Sorting Hat were having a long conversation.
"He'll be in Slytherine," Chloe huffed before her fears were confirmed by the Sorting Hat.
"Slytherine!" it roared again. Tim glanced at Chloe with an apologetic look before sitting with Alex, Amy and the Slytherines.
"Oh no, what if I'm the only Gryffindor?" she looked worriedly at Ginny and Hermione.
"Don't worry, we'll look after you," Hermione assured her, she gave them a weak smile.
"Skates, Elliot!" McGonagall screamed over the racket in the hall. The hall became mute and the last of the five went up to the stool. His most noticeable feature was his hair, it was red like Ron's. He was wearing a blue hoodie and cream coloured combat trousers. Chloe crossed her fingers on the table, closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip.
"Gryffindor!" the Sorting Hat yelled without even touching his head.
"Yes!" Chloe screamed as the Gryffindor table exploded into cheers again.
Elliot jumped up and rushed over to sit opposite Hermione and next to Chloe. Once Chloe had given him a tight hug he looked round at the rest of the seventh years.
"Right, Els. This is, Harry Potter," she paused as Elliot shook his hand.
"Harry Potter! Wow, it's a delight to meet you at last. Of course we already know most about you," he grinned as Harry smiled nervously back at him.
"This is Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan and Neville Longbottom," she gestured to each boy in turn and Elliot shook their hands.
"This is Ron Weasley," she grinned as the two boys noticed the others hair colour.
"Cool hair," Elliot smirked running a hand threw his own red locks. Ron ruffled his own hair and laughed.
"All right carrot top?" Ron joked. Elliot laughed then turned to Hermione and Ginny.
"And who are these two lovely ladies?" Elliot asked.
"I'm Hermione Granger and this is Ginny Weasley," Hermione told him as he shook their hands.
"Good to meet you all. As I'm sure you already know, I'm Elliot. You can call me Els," he said. Once the hall was quiet again McGonagall spoke.
"As I said, you will all do your best to make them feel welcome. And just to let you seventh years know, there will be a party to welcome them, in a month. Only for seventh years. Now, enjoy your meal," she sat back down and the hall burst into conversation, most students were moaning that they couldn't go to the party. The food appeared and Ron tuck in straight away.
"She told us something about a welcoming party," Chloe beamed. They all started to pile food onto their plates, Chloe watched Ron stuff his face, a look of horror on her face.
"Erm," she frowned, turing slowly to Hermione.
"He's always like that. Aren't you Ron?" Hermione called over to him. He looked up, with a bit of sausage hanging out his mouth.
"Wa?" he asked as a loud of mash spurt out of his mouth. Harry and Seamus lent away quickly.
"You're a pig, Ron," Ginny scowled at him, he shrugged before going back to stuffing his face.
"So, Chloe, Elliot? What school have you come from?" Hermione asked very interested.
"'Merlin's School for the Magically Gifted'. You probably haven't heard of it, not many people have. It was very small, there was only fifthteen of us. We had to leave because Voldemort wiped the whole school out, we're the only ones left," Elliot informed them before taking a bite out of his bread roll.
"We're so sorry," Hermione frowned sadly at them. Chloe and Elliot shrugged.
"So, what's life like at Hogwarts?" Chloe asked, changing the subject as quickly as possible.
"It's ok," Ron answered first. The rest of them nodded.
"Just ok? Well, we'll have to change that. Won't we Chlo?" Elliot grinned at her and she nodded happily.
"Are you staying in Gryffindor Tower with us?" Harry asked Chloe.
"No, Proffesor McGonagall said we have our own common room," Chloe told them before eating a forkful of mash.
"What? That's not fair!" Ron moaned loudly. Hermione rolled her eyes as Ginny threw a grape at him. "Ow," he rubbed his eye. They all laughed, Elliot looked over his shoulder at Amy, Alex and Tim.
"They look like they're having fun," he turned away and his shoulders sunk.
"With Malfoy? Yeah right," Harry scowled over at his enemy.
"Why? Who's Malfoy?" Chloe asked looking over her shoulder too, she saw Amy flirting with a platinum haired boy. "The blonde boy?" she spun back to look at Harry.
"Yeah, he's a bloody git," Ron cut in. Elliot and Chloe looked at each other anxiously.
"Why?" Elliot asked quietly. That was the start of a long conversation, Hermione, Ron and Harry told them everything about Malfoy and his parents.
"And to top it all off, he calls Hermione a," Ron lowered his voice. "Mudblood," he finished. Hermione didn't care one little bit about what Malfoy called her, it was just words. But Chloe and Elliot gasped in shock.
"What? That's awful," Chloe looked at Hermione with a sympathetic look on her face. Elliot gave Hermione the same look and took her hands on the table.
"I know I've only known you for half an hour but, don't you listen to him." Elliot frowned. Hermione nodded and gave him a weak smile.
"I never do," she told him. He let go of her hands and nodded at her.
"Good for you," Chloe smiled. The conversation seemed to stop their and no one spoke for a while.
Finally, after what seemed like an age of silence, Neville spoke.
"Have you got any brothers and sisters?" Neville asked Chloe and Elliot. Ron jumped and grabbed his chest.
"Bloody hell, Neville," he spluttered. Ginny and Chloe giggled at Ron while the rest of them ignored him.
"I have one brother, Aaron. He's ten," Elliot answered first. Hermione gave him a questioning look.
"That's a very big age difference," she said. "Not that I have a problem with that," she added quickly.
"It is. My parents waited a long time to have another child," he informed them.
"Oh right. And what about you Chloe?" Hermione asked. Chloe stopped giggling and looked at Hermione.
"One sister, Alice. She's thirteen, goes to a muggle school. She didn't want to become a witch, don't ask why," Chloe shrugged.
"Gosh, was she aloud to do that?" Hermione asked.
"Our old school didn't really care, if she didn't want to go she didn't have to. Why? Do you have to come here, without question?" Chloe looked interested.
"I'm not sure, I assume not. But I'll have to look it up in 'Hogwarts: A History'," Hermione started rummaging round her brain for anything she could remember.
"Oh, don't just on my account," Chloe shook her head.
"No, it's fine. I'm interested now," Hermione assured.
"Yeah, Hermione loves books," Ron told Chloe with a firm nod.
"Shut up, Ronald. I just can't believe I haven't read about it in the last six years," she said.
Hermione, Chloe and Ginny were at the front of the group, the six boys were trailing behind, asking Elliot his views on Quidditch.
"We're meeting Proffesor McGonagall and the other three out here. Look there they are!" Chloe pointed to the bottom of the staircase and ran forward to give Amy, Alex and Tim hugs.
"Chlo! How are you? Where's Elliot?" Amy looked round the Entrance Hall in a panic. Until she spotted him in the babble of boys.
"We're fine," she waved away Amy's concern. "You three this is Hermione Granger and Ginny Weasley," Chloe introduced them. Amy gave them a brief smile then rushed over to the boys, Alex and Tim shook their hands.
"Pleasure to meet you," Alex gave Ginny's hand a light kiss.
"Your jacket is really nice," she studied it closely.
"Thanks," he winked, she felt her cheeks burning. Amy arrived at Elliot side.
"Ah, Amy my lovely. Let me introduce you. This is Harry Potter," Elliot pushed Amy to Harry, she took Harry's hand.
"Nice to meet you," he smiled, she had a pretty face with little make-up, just black eyeliner.
"Harry Potter. Draco has told me all about you," she smirked over her shoulder at Malfoy, Parkinson and Zabini who had just emerged from the shadows at the bottom of the grand staircase. Harry glared at them.
"Not all bad, I hope," he said with a slight sarcastic tone.
"Oh, don't worry, Harry. I'm never swayed by opinion, only fact," she let out a small giggle before tuning back to Elliot. "So, who are the rest of these charming young men?" she pranced into the middle of the boys. As Elliot started to introduce them all Harry made his way over to Hermione and Ginny.
"Harry!" Hermione grabbed his arm and yanked him excitedly over to where they were standing.
"Hermione, you ok?" he asked while giving Alex and Tim dodgy looks.
"Of course I am! Anyway, meet Tim and Alex," she grinned as the boys exchanged greetings.
"Tim's muggle born too!" she beamed at Tim, who returned it.
"Really? But then, Slytherin?" Harry asked, intrigued and confused.
"I know, that's what they said," he nodded over at Malfoy. "But, like I told them, the hat said I'd be great in Slytherin. And, I'm not the best behaved lad you'll ever meet. I like pulling pranks," he said. Hermione wasn't sure what to make of this piece of information, neither did Harry.
"Yeah, he's pretty good at them," Chloe, Alex and Ginny joined the conversation.
"His best one was by far, the Doxie in our old Muggle Studies classroom," Chloe and Alex said together and the three of them laughed. Harry, Hermione and Ginny looked at each other, unsure.
"Yeah, he stuck a Doxie in our Muggle Studies classroom once. When our teacher went inside the next day, he locked her in. She nearly died," Chloe explained. Hermione raised her eyebrows but Harry and Ginny started to laugh.
"Yeah, it was bad, but still hilarious. And he didn't even get caught," Alex added.
"You're welcome to do that to our old Muggle Studies teacher. He's already dead," Ron grinned as he stood next to Harry, the rest of the boys and Amy joined them too.
"So, we're all acquainted?" Chloe asked after Seamus, Dean and Neville and shook hands with Alex and Tim.
"No, no! Wait!" Amy hurried over to Malfoy and Zabini, took their hands and pulled them over to the group. Pansy crossed her arms in a huff and followed. "Chlo, Els. You haven't met Drac and Blaize," she introduced them, using the nickname she had made for Malfoy. They shook hands, Malfoy couldn't believe he was shaking hands with Gryffindors. Chloe frowned before speaking.
"Yeah, we couldn't possible miss them out," Ron muttered and the people in the group who heard sniggered.
"Harry told us about you too," Chloe said to Malfoy.
"I imagine that was all bad," he glowered at Harry who was scowling at him.
"I couldn't lie and tell them you were lovely and caring, could I?" Harry asked mockingly.
"I suppose. But your not exactly a walk in the park yourself, Potter," Malfoy spat.
"Now ,Drac. Don't be mean," Amy shot to his side and clung to his arm.
"Yeah, Amy's right. We shouldn't fight," Chloe said loud enough for the whole group to hear.
"I'll fight with who I want, whenever I want," Malfoy yanked his arm out of Amy's grip and stormed down to the dungeons.
"Drac!" Amy called after him. "Oh dear. Don't worry, he'll come round," she reassured herself more than the others.
"Sure he will," Ron said, his sarcastic tone made Seamus and Dean snigger again. They all stood there for a few seconds before Proffesor McGonagall appeared out of nowhere.
"Sorry I'm late. What are you all still doing up?" she looked round at the ,not so new, Gryffindors.
"We were just saying goodnight," Hermione answered.
"Very well, quickly," she waited for them to say their goodbyes. "Now, off to bed!" she pointed up the staircase and they all rushed off. Once they were gone Proffesor McGonagall turned back to her new pupils.
"Right, lets show you to your new common room," she ushered them up the stairs and they all left for their dorm.