Chapter One:

Commencement

The dark, heavy clouds spit rain on the Londoners as they hurried in and out of trains at King's Cross Station, holding black umbrellas above their heads so as they did not get their heads wet. God forbid. The wind whipped people's hair around their faces and old newspapers about their feet, making the day feel even colder than it really was. The ground was wet and slick and several yelps could be heard from people who were not properly balanced as they got off the train.

The dreary weather would revoke all hopes of a pleasant day in almost everyone's mind. Except for one boy.

The boy, now just a month past his seventeenth birthday, leaned against one of the barriers between the platforms with a small smile on his face as he inhaled the cold, wet air. A large, heavy-looking brown truck rested at his feet with a wire cage in which was sleeping a beautiful white owl with her head underneath her wing. Nothing could ruin this boy's day.

Today was the day that he, Harry Potter, began his seventh and final year of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

It was amazing how it seemed as if only yesterday Harry had received his first letter from Hogwarts, only to have it confiscated by Uncle Vernon, which initiated the wild game of Hogwarts trying to get Harry's letter to him.

In six years, Harry had exposed his past; he uncovered the secret world of wizards, witches, and magic; he soon found the danger that had driven him out of the wizarding world, and he encountered that danger countless times; he learned how to ride a broomstick, brew a Forgetfulness Potion, transfigure a hedgehog into a pincushion; he discovered that he was destined for something greater than he had ever imagined; he had met his two best friends, whom he was currently waiting for: Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.

The small smile that was already on Harry's face got slightly bigger at the thought of the two of them. Though they had been constantly snapping at each other about this, that, and the other, for as long as he had known them, Harry knew better. There had never been a more compassionate relationship between two people that he had ever seen. Hermione could be on one of her storms of furry where she bites off the head of anyone who crosses her path, and yet Ron would be at her side in a flash, attempting to calm her down. With barely a sentence out of his mouth, a faint trace of blush would creep up her cheeks and her anger would subside.

"Ron, could you please make Pigwidgeon be quiet?" Hermione's voice penetrated Harry's reminisce as a high-pitched, loud hooting could be heard throughout the train station. "I don't know if you're aware, but Muggles aren't exactly accustomed to seeing an owl in a cage. You're drawing so much attention to us."

"I know they're not, Hermione." Ron's exasperated voice could be heard as Harry turned to see them turning the corner as they approached him. "But it's rather hard to keep Pig quiet. You can have a go at it if you think that you'd have more luck at it."

"Harry!" Hermione squealed as she spotted him standing, grinning at the two of them. She dropped her trunk and ran to him, flinging her arms around his neck. "Oh, I wish you didn't have to go back to your aunt's and uncle's house. We've missed you at the Burrow."

"Not that you missed the chores around the Burrow," Ron said as he rolled his eyes and took Hermione's hand as she released Harry. "Mum had us degnome the garden four times. I swear, the woman's gone mad."

"I'd rather deal with the gnomes than the Dursleys. At least you had something to do."

"Oh, look, it's nearly eleven." Hermione was standing on her toes to see around the tall boys to look at the clock. "And some people are already going through. There goes Hannah Abbot."

The boys turned just in time to see a shapely, blonde girl disappear into the barrier dividing platforms nine and ten. She was followed several seconds later by a group of three or four younger students in about their third year.

"Alright, well, let's go so we can get a good compartment this time," Ron said, picking up his trunk along with Pig's cage.

"Where is the rest of your family?" Harry asked, putting Hedwig's cage under his arm.

"They're coming," he said, glancing over his shoulder. "Yes, see, there's Mum and Dad with Ginny. They had to pick up one of her friends."

Harry felt an awkward flip in his stomach as he turned and saw the pretty redhead flip her hair over her shoulder and pick up her trunk with the help of her father. She was talking animatedly with a petite brunette who was holding a cat. As Ginny passed the three of them, it seemed as if everything had gone into slow motion.

Her eyes traveled slowly from Harry's shoes to his face, but she never stopped. She didn't seem embarrassed or guilty or heartbroken. She didn't show a trace of any type of emotion. She held his gaze for perhaps a moment or two and then turned her head back towards her friend and began to chat again.

The emptiness that Harry had been feeling for the past two months seemed to worsen with Ginny's emotionless stare.

"She's fickle, mate," Ron said softly from his left as he followed his sister with his eyes. "She changes her mind as often as she changes her clothes. You didn't do anything wrong."

Harry said nothing, but turned back to grab Hedwig, pretending like the horrible gnawing feeling wasn't occurring in his sickly stomach.

"Come on. Let's go," Hermione said, trying to get rid of the uneasy air that had suddenly blown in with Ginny's arrival. "We've only five minutes left."

The three of them gathered their belongings and headed for the barrier. After waiting for a group of fifth year boys to go, Hermione glanced over her shoulder to make sure that no Muggle was looking. She turned and nodded and the three proceeded into the barrier and onto Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.

"There you three are," Mrs. Weasley said as she hurried over to them, waving to Mr. Weasley to help with their trunks. "You'd better get on the train. Only a few minutes left. No, no, Harry. Arthur will get that for you. Go on, dear." She gave him a warm smile and then pulled him into an embrace. Apparently, Mrs. Weasley had no hard feelings over his and Ginny's separation. In fact, he was quite sure that she was sore at Ginny for passing him up; Mrs. Weasley had always cared for Harry like a son.

"Have a good term," Mr. Weasley said as he loaded the last trunk onto the train. "And keep out of trouble."

"We're no Fred and George," Ron smiled, putting an arm around Hermione's shoulders.

"Don't worry about us."

"Stay safe," Hermione said sincerely.

The whistle blew from the front of the train and with a small jerk, the wheels began to move forwards.

"Write us!" Mrs. Weasley shouted at them as they pulled away, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. "Bless them… in their seventh year already. They're too young…"

All too suddenly, the figures of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley disappeared along with the station. Harry placed his hand on the window and watched the world he had known for the last three months speed pass him, almost as if it was all a dream.

A/N: Ok, so I know that it's a little slow, but don't worry. I didn't want to start with the story going 100 mph. We'll meet the girl in the next chapter. Have no fear. Anyways, I would really love feedback. This is my first Harry Potter fan fiction, though I have written other fan fictions before. Reviews are my addiction. Feed it.