~Author's note - This is my first ever fanfic so try not to think so negatively about it. I don't own anything that belongs to J.K. Rowling. Professor Merry is mine. The American kids are mine. The "disease" is also mine. Thanks to Nit Picker who mention something in a review and I figure out it was something wrong. So here is version 2 of this chapter.
~Chapter One: Harry in a Daze
Plates clatter as dinner was being served on the 2nd night at Hogwarts. Everyone was talking and laughing and talking about summer vacation and classes earlier that day.
"Wasn't that Dark Arts teacher a bit creepy?" Ron mentioned.
"Not creepy, Ron," Hermione stated. "Just young and new. She obviously has new ways to teach."
"New ways to teach," Ron muttered under his breath. "She is young enough to date Bill!"
"Probably is." Harry said. He jabbed his fork into a steaming chicken leg. "I'm just worried that she doesn't have enough experience in the Dark Arts."
"Harry? Did this summer fry your brains? You are talking about a girl who probably is at least 23 years old. Of course she's not experienced in the Dark Arts! She's too young."
"Not really." Hermione put in. "I mean, after graduating school she had about 6 years to do lots of field training. Besides it's really refreshing to have a lady teach the Dark Arts than some weird and kooky men."
"Of course you would defend her. She's a girl!" Hermione just rolled her eyes and started chewing on her chicken. There was a pause between them for a while. "Well at least she had the radio playing. Half the class didn't know how it worked or what it was. I thought you couldn't use Muggle things in Hogwarts."
"You see; she is weird! She got a Muggle thing to work in Hogwarts! She's evil I tell you."
"Ron," Harry said. "I think that Crouch thing still has an effect on you."
"Yes, Ron," Hermione agreed. "Maybe she just got around that 'Muggle things do not work in Hogwarts' rule."
"But no one has done that before!"
"Maybe it is because no one has tried before!"
"They did too!"
"I meant they didn't try other ways to get around that rule. Maybe she used some sort of spell."
"She is evil! Her accent isn't even right!"
"Ron, she's from America! Of course her accent isn't right. But she's trying!"
"She is not trying hard enough! If she wanted to have the correct accent, she could have use a Tongue Spell. That will get the right accent!"
"Ron! Why do you even think she's evil?"
"Because she's American and she's a girl and she is young!"
"Those are truly irrational reasons. Just because someone is a foreigner or a girl or young doesn't always mean that they are evil. Honestly Ron you would think every Dark Arts teacher besides Lupin is evil in some way. Do you have xenophobia or something?"
"What?"
"Xenophobia means fear of foreigners."
"No, I do not have a fear of foreigners!" Ron said offensively. Hermione wore a face that showed signs of disbelief.
"Harry don't you have anything to say?" Ron asked as if Harry would be his last defense. There was a pause as they waited for his response but got none.
"You're awfully quiet Harry." Ron said. "Did the Muggles do anything to you over the summer?"
"They can't do anything possibly more worse than what they are already doing. I just have a funny feeling that something is going to happen; something big."
"I thought having a female Dark Arts teacher was big enough."
"No." He said slowly. "Just not big enough."
"Maybe the feeling is because of those 3 kids from America are coming."
"Now let's sing the school song!" Professor Dumbledore boomed. "Everyone pick your favorite tune and begin!" The school song was sung in a funny fashion. Everyone began and end at different times.
"Now for some news." Everyone quieted down. The Sorting has been done and dinner has been eaten. The golden plates now shine as if they were never eaten upon.
"The Forbidden Forest is still forbidden. Everyone mustn't go near it unless you want to be met with a unfortunate fate." There was a slight chuckle from the teachers and the older students. "Some of the older students still have a hard time remembering that rule." Almost everyone stared at Fred and George.
"What?" they asked innocently.
"We are proud to welcome Professor Sophia Merry, your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher!" A young lady with cascading red hair stood up and smiled. "And she is from America! So you all have a new refreshing teacher with a different attitude."
"You would think Dumbledore is advertising the professor!" Ron exclaim as all of the students and teachers gave a polite applause.
"Furthermore," Dumbledore continued. "As like last year we will be expecting guests for this year." There was a hush quiet.
"Not another Tri-wizard Tournament." Harry mumbled. His eyes furrowed as he concentrated on Dumbledore.
"Three students, also from America, will be joining our school." Suddenly everyone was speaking excitedly.
"Americans? Here? Why?" were mostly the questions that were asked aloud. Dumbledore waited for the students to quiet down. All around the Hall there were hushes of students and a few "be quiets." Soon everyone became silent.
"These three come from the most prestigious wizardry school in America so don't hesitate to ask them anything."
"But why are they here?" Fred asked loudly.
"I was getting there, Mr. Weasley. One of the three is diagnosed with a rare disease, but it's not contagious!" He putted in when gasps came from some of the students.
"This disease is not only rare but unique. It has appeared before but in a different form. A probability to ease the illness is weather. Since Hogwarts is one of the top schools in the world that doesn't have too much warm weather, they are going to be here. They will be treated with respect and do not ask questions about the disease.
"They will have to go through the Sorting Hat and have classes with the 5th years." Excited clamoring came from all the 5th years.
"They will be arriving tomorrow night or in the morning the following day. You are excused. Go to sleep Hogwarts!"
"Maybe," Harry said uncertainly.
"Yes, I think you're premonition is because of anxiety to meet these 3 kids. Isn't that right Harry?" Hermione said.
"I'm thinking so too," Harry replied. "But it's something else also."
"Maybe it is how they are arriving; like the guys from last year." Ron stated. "Maybe they are coming in such a big way it is giving Harry a feeling."
"The correct term is premonition." Hermione said.
"Whatever," Ron shakes his head. "Same thing." Silence follows as no one says anything.
"Boy, he seems really out of it." Hermione whispers. She looks up to see if Harry was listening, but his head was tilted up towards the ceiling and seemed to be in deep thought. His green eyes seemed a bit foggy and unclear.
"Yeah," Ron agreed. "I can't remember him ever being like this."
"You do know that I can hear you." Harry said. Ron quickly became very focused on his peas. "It's really okay. I don't mind." He sighed and dazedly ate his supper. Hermione and Ron looked at each other. They were both really worried about him.
~So what do you think? Not much detail yet. But I'm working on it. Don't forget to review! Also there are more chapters, but I haven't written them yet. I have school for the next three weeks so you won't get an update till then. Laterz~