Chapter 1 Different

As usual the Weasley's were late. Ginny and her mother walked quickly through the magical station; the Hogwarts Express was due to leave in two minutes. Ginny kissed her mother on the cheek and made to get on board the train when she was pulled back by Molly.

"Darling, I-I-I love you so much, p-please be careful"

Ginny looked into her mother's face; tears were welling up on her plump cheeks; the war had taken its toll on her. Ginny felt anger, anger at the people that had caused her family to split up, anger at the Death Eaters and above all He Who Must Not Be Named.

"Please don't worry mum, I swear I'll see you at Christmas" Ginny whispered reassuringly to her. "I've got to go….."

Ginny raced to the train, pulling her luggage with her, as the train sped off, she waved to her Mum. She looked at all the other families waving their children off to school, burdened with sadness and breaking down with tears. Gone were the days of happiness, she thought.

Luna made her way down the train's carriages, looking for an empty compartment to read her Quibbler magazine in peace. She approached the carriage that Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Colin Creevey and a boy with sandy hair sat, and saw to her hearts delight Ginny and Neville beckoning her in. Luna slid open the door and smiled serenely.

"Hi everyone" Luna said.

Ginny replied, Luna could always count on her to stick up for her,"Hey Luna, I don't think you know Seamus Finnigan?" the sandy-haired boy waved shyly barely hiding a snigger. 'Why do people always laugh at me?' Luna thought distractedly. Ginny spoke again.

"Listen, Luna we've been thinking about Snape and those Carrows. I think it's gonna be pretty horrible at school-"

She broke off and a sombre mood fell upon the carriage. Neville spoke up unsteadily.

"So, um, well, we were thinking of putting Dumbledore's Army back up; to fight em."

"Yes, I'd like that idea, the DA was like having friends." Luna stated truthfully.

xxx

The thestral driven carriages drew up to the Hogwarts entrance hall and Neville made his way through the doors. He searched for Hannah Abbott and smiled shyly at the Hufflepuff girl and quickly looked away. Seamus accompanied Neville to the Gryffindor table; they had to stick by each other this year as their fellow dormitory-sharers were gone. Neville felt a pang of misery, looking at the staff table at the top of the magnificent magical hall. Snape was sitting on the Headmaster's golden throne, with his gloating smile stretched upon his face. 'That chair rightfully belongs to Professor Dumbledore, not some greasy Death Eater!' Neville thought with vehemence. Neville was surprised at his powerful anger. He had, of course felt anger in the past, but this was an anger that willed him to do something personally about the Death Eaters leading the school. He had only felt this once before; when he had met Bellatrix Lestrange in the Department of Mysteries, she had tortured his parents to insanity when Neville was only a baby, he had wanted to do something about his anger then, as well; he had wanted to kill her.

The sorting of the first years past tediously, Seamus only registered in time to clap the new Gryffindors. He was thinking of Dean, his best friend since his first day at Hogwarts. Dean Thomas was a muggle-born, and had sensibly decided to go into hiding; away from the magical world, as You-Know-Who had come into power. Seamus sighed, he didn't know if Dean was alive or dead, he promised himself to make You-Know-Who pay, somehow, for driving away Dean. Severus Snape stood up, his curtain of greasy black hair swinging dreadfully around his cold, dead, eyes. Seamus could sense the tension in the air, the anger from students and teachers, rise. Everyone immediately fell silent.

"This year at Hogwarts there is a change in its routine. Due to the unfortunate resignation of Charity Burbage" – here a sneer slithered across his face and across the squat and very alike witch and wizard behind him- "Muggle Studies will be taught by Professor Carrow"- the squat, stumpy witch gave a leer in recognition "also, Muggle Studies will now be compulsory for every student." Here Professor McGonagall (head of Gryffindor house and Transfiguration teacher) inwardly shuddered, she was terrified for the innocent students. "Defence Against the Dark Arts will be taken by Professor Carrow." – the squat, lumpy wizard raised his eyebrows in a menacing way "Now the forbidden Forest is out of bounds to all students, any child misbehaving in classes and in their free time will be severly punished. Now, eat."

With Snape's last commanding words plates of food sprang up onto the four house tables. Talk broke out cautiously and Colin Creevey turned to Ginny, clutching his little brother Dennis' hand under the table.

"What do you think of that, then? Do you think we'll be taught about how much muggles are like dogs by that Carrow?"

Ginny replied with a grim smile, placing food onto her empty plate. "Oh I don't doubt it, Colin. I think we'll see the wrath of them pretty soon."

She spat the last words out as if it tasted disgusting in her mouth. Dennis whispered to Colin, sounding frightened.

"It's not going to be a good year, is it Col?"

"Don't worry Dennis, it'll be ok" replied the older brother, though with little certainty.

xxx

Neville and Seamus were in their pyjamas, lying on the beds.

"It's so empty without Harry, Ron and Dean" muttered Neville into the darkness.

"I know" replied Seamus, his voice dripping with sadness.