Rated: K

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

Welcome to Hogwarts

Ginny Weasley sighed as she heaved her trunk in the train. She had a tearful goodbye with her parents and both of them told her to be careful. Her mother made her promise to do so. She wasn't sure if she'll keep the promise, but surely, why did her mother make her promise something so hard to keep if there is literally a War going on?

One of her close friends, Luna Lovegood, was following her. They had met in the platform and after a small conversation, headed for the train. Ginny peered into different compartments one by one, only to see most of them being occupied by one group or the other group.

Finally, she spotted a cabin filled with familiar people – Neville Longbottom and Seamus Finnigan. She stopped and Luna bumped into her.

"Oh, is it empty?" Luna asked, with her dreamy like voice.

"Not really, just Neville and Seamus," Ginny said and opened the compartment door. Neville and Seamus were conversing in low tones and looked up at the girls.

"Can we join?" Ginny asked.

Seamus shrugged and Neville gave them a wry smiled.

"Sure," Neville said.

Ginny gave a smile to them and sat next to Seamus and Luna sat next to Neville, facing Ginny. There was a silence. It seemed as if Neville and Seamus were conversing about something rather secret like and stopped when Ginny and Luna entered. Ginny felt like an intruder, but Luna just smiled at the boys and asked, "How was summer?"

"As good as it could have been," Seamus sighed. "Me mom's nagging me to be careful – didn't want to send me to Hogwarts this year, but attendance is compulsory now."

"Summer was okay," Neville said, looking out of the window. Then, after a while, he turned to Ginny and asked, "Harry isn't coming, is he?"

"Of course not," Ginny snorted. "Undesirable No 1. Coming to Hogwarts would be like walking right into a trap. Not that he's not done it before."

"Where is he?" Seamus asked though he got the expected answer.

"On the run, no one knows," Ginny said.

"Harry is going to kill You-Know-Who," Luna said suddenly. "He's probably plotting ways to do it." The others shivered. Seamus looked at Luna, horrified. Neville had a look of awe on his face and Ginny's face showed no expression.

A short silence followed.

"Is-is that true?" Seamus asked, finally. He looked at Ginny's face for confirmation. So did Neville.

Ginny said nothing. She just looked out through the compartment door, into the passageway.

"Is it true, Ginny?" Seamus asked again.

"Are you going to really believe this time or what?" Ginny snapped, turning to look at Seamus.

"So it's true," Seamus said, leaning back. "Wow."

Another silence followed.

"Ron and Hermione are with him too, right?" Neville asked, his voice really low.

Ginny closed her eyes tightly. She suddenly looked very sad and worried. It wasn't that she wasn't that sad or worried before, it was just that she didn't really show it.

A silence followed.

"Yes," Ginny finally said, her voice as low as a whisper.

"How are you covering up Ron?" Seamus asked, looking at Ginny again. "I mean, the attendance is compulsory after all."

"Ron has spattergroit," Ginny said. "The Ministry officials have checked, of course."

"And Hermione's on the run, right," Seamus said, more like a statement than a question. "Missing. Like Dean."

"Dean?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah," Seamus said, looking worried. "Finally told his parents about it. That he's a Muggle-born. That Muggle-borns are… are considered inferior to pure-bloods. Told them all about the War, that a War is starting. That people are getting arrested and dying. That people he knew died."

Seamus took a deep breath. It seemed as if he'd wanted to let it out for some time.

"Told 'em about You-Know-Who," Seamus said. "Told 'em that he - I mean Dean - has to go or run away, away from-from them. He didn't know what else to do! He knew- he knew they'd come and round him up! He knew they'd do it – he's a Muggle-born, after all!"

"Where is he now?" Luna asked.

"Ran away," Seamus said, breathing heavily. "Sent me a letter last month, where he said he's planning to run away. A few days later, I received a-a Patronus with an emergency message. 'Course, I ran to his house and saw his family. It was a mess."

"What happened?" Ginny asked.

"They were crying," Seamus choked. "Pieces of furniture broken. His parents and siblings know me, recognized me. Asked me to explain what's going on – even I didn't know what's going on! A few officials went in his house – asked about affiliation with Harry. His parents were confused. We're close – both of us, to Harry. They came to my house too."

"They asked a few questions," Seamus continued. "And searched the place. But that was it. At Dean's, it was different. They act differently with Muggle-borns. His mom opened the door and didn't understand. It got a little rough. They were mad they his entire family, 'cept him, were just Muggles. Told 'em that they'll have to submit to the wizards. I reckon Dean heard them and sent me the Patronus."

By this time, the Trolley Witch opened the door and asked, "Anyone wan't anything to eat?"

"A few chocolate frogs will do," Luna said.

"Just a cauldron cake," Neville said.

"Anything else, dears?" the witch asked as she gave Neville and Luna their food and took the payment.

"Just some water," Seamus said.

"Oh, I don't want anything," Ginny said. She already had some food that her mom packed for her.

After Trolley Witch went, Seamus continued.

"An argument broke out between Dean's parents and the Death Eaters," Seamus said. "They became very loud and went on and on about wizard supremacy and started a fight. While they were doing that, some others searched for Dean. Couldn't find him. Probably Apparated away – he was always rather good at that, much better than me. If I was as good as him, I'd have Apparated to his house too. Don't know where he went. He knew if he'd come back, he'd be caught on the spot. His house - and mine too, are being watched."

"Was the last I heard from him," Seamus finished.

A heavy silence settled over them.

It was the tensest train ride of Hogwarts any of them ever had.

What would Hogwarts be like, now?

Minerva McGonagall watched as students were Sorted to different Houses in Hogwarts. The applause wasn't as loud and enthusiastic as it was every year. She felt sorry for every first year in the Hall – how happy and excited they must have been to come to Hogwarts! Sure, she was sorry for everyone, but especially first years.

Young children always had a soft spot in her heart. She never did show it and made sure to be as impartial to them as she was to everyone else.

After the Sorting Ceremony, she rolled up the parchment that contained the names of the new students and walked to her chair in the teacher's table.

Severus Snape stood up and any whispering and talking were followed by a hush as the students saw him rise.

"I have been appointed as the new Headmaster of Hogwarts," Snape said silkily. "My name is Severus Snape."

McGonagall looked at him with such loathing but had masked her anger with a neutral expression on her face. She had to remind herself that she was doing all this for the students. She noticed that most students and staff glared at him as he spoke, but no one dared to say anything. Even the first years felt that he was someone you wouldn't want to cross.

"You might as well eat," Snape said, and sat down. McGonagall noticed how he had rather commanded the students instead of simply allowing them to start eating. The Great Hall was suddenly filled with food and everyone began to tuck in rather ferociously. They've all been starving after the long journey and wanted nothing more than to eat and go to bed.

After the feast, Snape stood up once again and addressed the students and the staff.

"I'd like to introduce to you a few new professors," Snape said. "And this is Amycus and Alecto Carrow. Alecto Carrow will be your new Muggle Studies professor and Amycus Carrow will be your new Dark Arts professor."

A murmur followed. McGonagall looked to her fellow professors with the same questioning look that she was wearing on her face – Dark Arts professor?

"The subject Defence Against the Dark Arts will be replaced," Snape said, breaking the whispering among the students. "with Dark Arts."

"Are you serious?" a shocked voice ringed in the Great Hall. There was a heavy silence as McGonagall and the others turned to the person in question.

Seamus Finnigan.

Standing up, he was shaking with anger. He wasn't the type to yell out his thoughts and stand up for the truth - in his year, it was usually Dean or Harry or Ron who did things like that. But he was sick of shutting up and just listening. He was doing this for Dean. For Ron, Harry, Hermione. For his friends, family, and all wizard-kind and even all Muggles. Yeah, he'll face the consequences. What's there to lose? A few stupid points? At worst, his life? At least he won't die in vain.

"My words were clear, Mr Finnigan," Snape said, narrowing his eyes. "Twenty-five points from Gryffindor."

Another shocked silence followed that statement.

"Before the year even started…" Seamus muttered, indignant as he forced himself to sit. But he didn't regret what he said. He felt Neville's hand on his shoulder, and it was supposed to be reassuring.

"First years should note that the Forbidden Forest is off-limits," Snape said. "Except for punishments. I do not think anyone would prefer going there at any cost. Muggle-borns should register themselves in the Muggle-Born Registration Commission. If they do not, they will face the consequences. Prefects, lead the students to the Common Rooms."

Ginny Weasley watched from her side of the table as the Prefects got up and called out for the first years. First years clambered up to them. They all looked curious, tired, excited and scared. Slowly, the Great Hall was being empty of its students as they all hurried to leave for their dorms, and sleep on their warm and cosy beds.

Ginny didn't think this year was going to go well.

In fact, she had a very bad feeling about it. What was to be expected, after all? Hogwarts has changed. With Severus Snape as their headmaster, this is probably going to be her worst year yet. They didn't even have Harry or anyone else to restart the Dumbledore's Army.

Maybe she should...

Nevertheless, things are looking grim. How would this year go? Dark Arts? Why...why Dark Arts? Why would they teach innocent children - children something like that?

Welcome to Hogwarts, she thought bitterly, bracing herself for the next day.

So I hope you guys enjoyed this. Leave a review! Tell me if you liked it, hated it, anything! I always love to read them - and it'd make me so happy! Don't you wanna make this little girl happy?

Also, please tell me - were any of these characters OOC? Did I portray this stuff well? Was this painful to read? Any grammatical errors or something?

Okay, so hope you all have a nice day ahead.

Edit: Found out that Alecto is the Muggle Studies professor. I thought she and Amycus were together Dark Arts professors. Okay, at least I changed it.

Also found out Dean had half siblings, so I added that with his parents. BTW, did you know that he is actually a half-blood but grew up thinking he was a Muggle-born because his father left him at a young age and never told his mom that he was a wizard? Unfortunately, he had nothing to prove it. Anyway, his mom remarried to a Muggle and he has several half siblings, most probably female, according to Wikia. I was reading the whole Wikia page about Dean to make sure I make his run away as accurate as possible.

Interesting, isn't it?