IMPORTANT A.N. – PLEASE READ BEFORE CONTINUING
For the sake of making my life, as a fanfiction writer that much easier, please assume the following facts:
Order of the Phoenix, Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows have not occurred.
Voldemort *ahem*, sorry, You-Know-Who, was taken down in the summer after Goblet of Fire. Yes, Voldie is going Mouldy!*cue party music and a cackling Peeves*
Death Eaters (basically every Slytherin pureblood parent of years 4 and up + more) is in Azkaban. *Huzzah!*
Harry is dating Ginny. *3..2..1...Awww*
All the people the "Golden Trio" *fake gags* (sorry, I hate that name) met in the Order were met during the summer 'war'.
No-one important died in the war – Tonks, Lupin, Dumbledore, Fred etc. are alive...oh and Dobby! *clapping!*
JK's time frame doesn't apply – I'm writing in 2010 time, not the time that the world of Harry Potter is supposed to be in after the 4th book.
Well, that just about covers it...
...so sit back, relax and enjoy!
Harry Potter stepped onto Platform 9 ¾ with a grin. His hand was loosely entwined with that of one Ginerva Weasley. The usual stares and whispers of excitement at his presence had doubled since the previous year. Well, it wasn't like what had happened during the summer wasn't going to attract attention.
Behind the happy couple walked Hermione and Ron – both sharing Harry's easy going smile. Relaxation was now so much easier after the demise of the single threat that had overshadowed their life.
Trunks were organised under the cheerful fussing of Mrs. Weasley while her husband followed her orders with a wry grin. Harry, Ginny and Hermione hurried onto the train for the sanctuary of a free compartment while Ron tried, rather unsuccessfully, to remove his trunk from the trolley.
10 minutes late and he still wasn't having any luck.
"Ron, hurry up for Merlins sake!" Hermione lent dangerously out of the Hogwarts Express "Just get in the damn train!"
"I can't bloody move this god-forsaken thing!" He yelled back at her. Snickers erupted from behind him. No prizes for guessing who it was, as they were the instigators of the whole problem.
"Having any trouble there Ron?" smirked Fred
"Sod off." Snapped Ron. "Either help me or bugger off so you can get a head start for when I'm going to hex you into oblivion."
George sighed.
"No need to get so touchy." he said, as with an airy wave of his wand, the trunk came loose rather suddenly. Ron was caught off balance, and proceeded to fall over, trunk on top of him. The twins took the chance to escape, laughing as they boarded the train.
Swearing under his breath, Ron was helped by a vaguely amused porter, who magicked his trunk onto the train. Ron himself boarded, entering the compartment already occupied by the others.
"Bloody, incompetent..." began Ron
"Really Ronald, I think you're the only incompetent one here. It was pretty obvious that your trunk had been spelled." snapped Hermione, trying to smother her amusement as Ron scowled
"We haven't even left the station and you've already got your knickers in a knot...what is it this time?" Ron retorted.
Hermione just bit back a laugh before burying her head in an oversized book. Harry had watched the exchange with a small smile. He turned to Ron.
"Wizard Chess?" he suggested
They were barely 5 minutes into the exchange when the compartment door slammed open. Breathless in the door way stood Luna, her expression dreamy
"Luna!" cried Ginny happily at the appearance of her favourite year mate.
"There are so many nargles around the Slytherins. They are making them quite surly."
Ron raised an eyebrow as Hermione buried her head deeper into her book to prevent herself from laughing.
"They really should invest in a morthak" she continued seriously "It would chase them all away and make them so much happier."
Hermione sighed.
"I doubt that'll work Luna. I doubt chasing away the nargles" she winced at the use of the utterly fictitious word "will make them happier – they have lost their parents to Azkaban."
"And serves them bloody well right." said Ron.
Hermione hit him, making him yelp and knock over his knight. He rubbed his shoulder glaring at her.
"They are what their parents have made them Ron. How many of them do you think will act the way they used to without their parents guidance?"
As silence of contemplation descended on the compartment . Harry coughed awkwardly.
"I think I'm going to change into my robes now." stated Ginny, flicking a glance at Hermione and Luna as they nodded in agreement, before all three turned to the boys.
"Out!" They cried in unison, pushing Harry and Ron out of the compartment before drawing the blinds.
Ron huffed, blowing his hair out of his eyes in annoyance.
"Bloody girls. And in the middle of our chess game too."
Harry clapped him on the back.
"Let's go see if we can find that food trolley. And no need to be worried about Malfoy and his cronies. Something tells me that they've lost their edge."
Ron's freckled face immediately became more uplifted.
"Yeah. Food and No Malfoy. I could get used to this. And if he tries to start anything, we'll put him in his place. No daddy to complain to the school board anymore."
With a laugh the boys ambled off down the train, hands in pockets as they contemplated the forth coming year.
Back in the compartment, the girls were changing out of their casuals into the formal uniform – charcoal skirt, white shirt, white knee high socks, black Mary-Janes and their House ties. Gryffindor in red and gold, Ravenclaw in blue and bronze. Over the top went their black formal robes.
"So, ready for another year?" asked Ginny
"Definitely." replied Hermione eagerly "New library books, new lessons, and no impending doom to worry about."
Ginny laughed as Luna smiled on serenely as she tugged a grey sweater over her head.
"Is that all you think about?" she teased lightly
Hermione responded with a mock glare, throwing her own sweater at her giggling friends, before sighing.
"It'll be different alright. I've kind of got used to the overhanging threat of Voldemort characterising my year...and the rivalry with Slytherin. I just hope that this gives us a chance to mend house rivalries and other prejudices."
Ginny and Luna both nodded before Luna added
"Because everyone deserves a second chance."
A silence descended once again. Ginny peered up at Hermione slyly.
"Especially if it means we can get 'Mione here a boyfriend."
After that the girls dissolved into laughter, enjoying the comfort of friendship as the Hogwarts Express steadily chugged on towards what they all hoped would be a trouble free, peaceful year.
However, nothing ever goes to plan. Ever. And something very new was heading their way, yet something that was not totally unfamiliar to one of the gang.
And that is the intro done...so...Accio Reviews!
Now I highly doubt that will work, so please humour me and let me know how I went. For the rest of this story, there will be a song associated with the chapter giving it it's theme. Please feel free to make my life easier and suggest a song. It can be pop, rock, classical or jazz. It can be in another language (I have a soft spot for foreign music)
And so it goes...
...until next time.
Lirio de Incendio