This is a joint effort fic J Hope you enjoy it, and remember that everyone you recognise belongs to JK Rowling.
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Harry Potter glanced at the scarlet steam train, otherwise known as the Hogwarts express. This year he would be in his fifth year at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry and he had been looking forward to it all summer.
"Harry!" A familiar voice called.
Harry didn't even need to turn round to see who was shouting his name. He smiled as his best friend Hermione Granger practically leapt on him, followed by his other best friend Ron Weasley.
"Hermione, can you give me some space to breathe?" Harry asked as Hermione hugged him tight, knocking his glasses askew.
"Sorry." Hermione said, blushing a little and stepping back.
Harry placed his glasses back on and smiled at his two best friends. There was something different about Hermione, something he couldn't quite figure out.
"What?" Hermione asked, noticing that Harry was looking at her.
"Have you grown over the summer or something?" Harry asked, squinting at her.
Hermione looked a little annoyed that he hadn't noticed. "Are you blind?" She asked, folding her arms across her chest.
"She's dyed her hair." Ron hissed at Harry, rolling his eyes.
"Oh . . . right, I knew that all along I was just kidding. Your hair looks great Hermione." Harry said truthfully. It was definitely an improvement. Instead of her thick bushy light brown hair that Hermione had had since Harry had known her she had died it a dark chestnut brown and it looked as if she'd given it more of a brush then usual.
"Thanks." Hermione smiled at him, looking into his eyes and Harry looked away.
"Come on, we better go and find a compartment before they're all taken." Ron said, climbing onto the Hogwarts express.
Hermione and Harry followed and Ron led them to the back of the train where there was a spare compartment.
"Where's Ginny?" Hermione asked as they sat down.
"She's with Fred and George somewhere, mum's hoping that either one of them will be a Head Boy. As if that's going to happen." Ron snorted.
Fred and George were Ron's older twin brother's who were in their last year at Hogwarts. They were always playing pranks or jokes on people and they're sense of humour went a little too far sometimes.
"I wonder if I'll be a Prefect." Hermione said as the train started off.
Harry and Ron glanced at each other and both cracked up laughing. Hermione was the cleverest girl in their year and always came top in exams.
"I'll bet Pigwidgeon that you do become a Prefect." Ron said, referring to his small, annoying little owl.
At the mention of his name, Pigwidgeon fluttered in his cage and Hermione glared at Ron.
"I wonder who will be captain of the Quidditch team." Harry said, changing the subject before Hermione and Ron started arguing.
"I don't know but I wonder who'll be teaching Flying lessons. Madam Hooch has resigned." Ron said.
"Really?" Harry asked.
"Yep, my dad told me." Ron replied. Ron's dad was Arthur Weasley, who worked at the Ministry of Magic.
"Your dad told you what Weasley? That you can no longer fit in that tiny little house of yours and you have to move out?" A voice said in a slow, mocking drawl.
Draco Malfoy, Harry and Ron's worst enemy entered the compartment followed by his two thuggish looking friends, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.
"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry spat as Ron seethed beside him.
"I've just come to take a look around . . . did you know the Ministry are going absolutely mental over you, Potter?" He asked. "They're trying every way to protect you and are just waiting for the day until Voldemort attacks."
"Is there something you want to tell us Malfoy?" Hermione asked, staring long and hard at Draco.
"Don't worry your ugly little head about it mudblood. I see you've dyed your hair Granger. You look so much better." Malfoy teased, not wanting to admit that she did look better.
"Are you trying to insult me Malfoy? Because it's not working. Anything bad that you say about me is a compliment." Hermione said.
"Like I'm bothered, Granger. Come on, Crabbe, Goyle – let's get out of here before we get infected by a mudblood." Draco said, giving one last sneer at the three of them before he turned to leave.
"I don't think he knows how much we hate him." Ron said.
Harry shook his head. "Of course he does, because he hates us back just the same."
Ron grinned as the train pulled to a stop. Harry couldn't believe how fast they had gotten to Hogwarts but when he looked out of the window and saw the shadowy outline of the Hogwarts castle he knew they were there.
They got off the train and into a carriage which took them up to the castle. Once in the castle they were led straight into the Great Hall and sat down at the Gryffindor table. There were four houses at Hogwarts, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Harry, Ron and Hermione were all in Gryffindor as were Ron's older brothers and his little sister Ginny. Draco Malfoy was in Slytherin with Crabbe and Goyle and he glared at Harry across his table.
Harry glanced over to the Ravenclaw table and saw Cho Chang, the girl of his dreams. He smiled as he watched her talk to her friends and then she turned and saw him. She waved at him uncertainly and he waved back.
Up at the teacher's table Professor Dumbledore the headmaster was standing up. Everyone quietened down as Dumbledore began to speak. "Welcome back to Hogwarts everyone. I am sure you are glad to be back and we have a fine year ahead of us. First of all we would like the first years to be sorted." He said as Professor McGonagall brought out a stool and placed an old patched hat upon it. The Sorting hat began to sing and afterwards it sorted the first years into the four houses.
"We have two new teachers with us this year. One will be taking place as the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher and the other will be the flying instructor. Sadly, Madam Hooch resigned at the end of last year due to personal reasons but she sends her regards to all of you. So first of all I would like to introduce our Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Steel." Everyone applauded as Dumbledore gestured to a middle-aged man at the end of the teachers table. He had dark hair and blue eyes which looked nervously around as he scanned the applauding students. He stood up and smiled at them all. "Good day everyone. I hope you will enjoy me as your teacher this year, I'm looking forward to teaching you, Dumbledore has told me about the no end of teacher's you've had here and I hope this year will be fun and educational!"
Dumbledore smiled. "And now for our next teacher, no doubt you'll already know him – Professor Wood."
Harry looked confused for a minute but then he saw him at the end of the teachers table. It was Oliver Wood! The old Gryffindor Quidditch captain who'd left at the end of Harry's third year.
The Gryffindor table went mad and the rest of the school joined in with the applauding. Fred and George Weasley were shouting 'Pick me as the captain!'
"Oliver would you like to say a few words?" Dumbledore asked.
Oliver stood up. "Hi everyone, I am really pleased about coming back here to teach you all. I can't wait for the Quidditch matches to start and I had to assure Professor McGonagall that I will be a fair referee and not take Gryffindor's side." He smiled and sat down again and Dumbledore chuckled.
"Thanks for that Oliver. Mr Filch has asked me to remind the first years that the Forbidden Forest is infact still forbidden. Also, you will all be happy to know that we are holding another Christmas ball this year, so I'm sure you'll all have lots of fun finding partners! Now, I'm sure you are all starving so without further a-due we can all start the feast." He clapped his hands and food appeared infront of them. Harry heard the first years gasp in amazement and smiled as he tucked in.
"You seem happy." Ron commented as Fred passed him the potatoes.
Harry looked up at him and spoke through a mouthful of chicken. "What do you mean?"
"What about You-Know-Who? Aren't you scared?" Ron asked, lowering his voice so no-one but Harry or Hermione could hear.
Harry shrugged, thinking about it. "What can I do about it if something does happen? When I was in my first year Hagrid told me that Hogwarts is the safest place. I guess I'm well protected."
Hermione smiled at him. "It amazes me how brave you are." She looked at him in a different way then usual and he just smiled back at her.
Ron rolled his eyes. "Haven't you been to the library yet Hermione? I thought you'd be queuing up at the door."
Hermione glared at him. "Why do you always have to make fun of me?" She spat.
Harry grinned, he knew the reason and he'd known it since last year. Harry figured that Ron secretly fancied Hermione – but he hadn't mentioned it to Ron because he knew he'd just deny it. Ron made fun of Hermione because it was his way of showing people he wasn't into her – even if he was.
After dinner, Harry, Ron and Hermione went up to the Gryffindor common room and to their separate dormitories. Their stuff had been taken up during the feast and it was all placed neatly on their beds.
"What do you think of the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher?" Harry asked.
"He seems okay. I can't believe Oliver's back!" said Seamus Finnigan – another fifth year Gryffindor student.
"Yeah, I know." Harry agreed.
"Do you think you'll be captain, Harry?" Dean Thomas piped up.
Harry shrugged. "I don't know, but I'd like to be."
Harry looked out of the window to see an owl nearing. The owl soared in and perched on Harry's bedside cabinet.
"Hedwig!" Harry exclaimed, referring to his owl that Hagrid had brought him in his first year.
Hedwig dropped a letter into Harry's lap as Dean and Seamus went into the common room to play Exploding Snaps.
"I think it's from Sirius." Harry said, recognising the handwriting. Sirius was Harry's godfather that had been committed of a crime that he didn't do. He had been sent to Azkaban, the wizard's prison but had escaped and had gone into hiding. But after their last year when Voldemort had returned to full power Dumbledore had sent him to Lupin's. There were only a few people that knew he was innocent including Harry, Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore, Professor Snape and Mr & Mrs Wesley.
He opened the letter hastily and read:
Dear Harry,
It's been a while since I've written to you. I hope you are well, I know you'll be safe at Hogwarts, stay close to Dumbledore and if you notice anything out of the ordinary then go straight to him. We're all trying to protect you, Harry, but you must keep yourself out of harms way and be careful. Dumbledore is in close contact with me, Remus and the other's and he's told me he's keeping a close watch on you. You may find it hard to believe but Professor Snape is also looking out for you Harry. Listen to my advice: Don't go anywhere alone, stay close to Dumbledore and send me a letter right away if you need me. This is serious Harry but we can get our way through it if we work together. Take care,
Sirius
Harry swallowed as he showed Ron the note. "This makes me a little nervous." He said. "It sounds like we're preparing for battle."
Ron smiled at him. "At least your well protected Harry." Inside, Ron was also scared. Being Harry's best friend, he was usually in danger alongside him.
There was a knock on the door, and Hermione appeared, looking cautiously around the dormitory, "There you two are! You've been ages… what's that?" She asked, spotting the parchment in Harry's hand.
"It's a letter from Sirius." Ron replied.
Hermione hurried in to the room and Harry handed her the letter, "Well, he's right, you are safe here. But Harry, you know if you do feel something strange, don't just hide it. You have to tell either us, Dumbledore or Sirius, or even Snape!" She said, handing the letter back to Harry, who tucked it into his trunk, ready for him to reply later.
He nodded, "I know. Let's go back to the common room."
Ron sighed as they left the dormitory and proceeded down the stairs to the Gryffindor common room, "I hope that this year won't be too overcrowded with all the You-Know-Who stuff. I mean, I know it's serious and all, but I hope this year will still be fun – even if we do have OWLs."
"Don't worry, I'm sure nothing serious will happen this year. We have plenty of things to keep us amused." Harry told him, just as the entered the common room to see Neville Longbottom – another fifth year Gryffindor – sprout a tail.
"Tail Fudge!" Fred Weasley was shouting above the laughter, "only five sickles each!" He spotted Harry and grinned, nudging George who nodded at him. Harry grinned back, glad to see that they'd put his Triwizard Cup winnings to good use.
The commotion soon died down after Hermione put a reverse spell on Neville to vanish the tail away, and the three of them settled down infront of the fire along with Fred, George and Ginny, talking about their first day back.
"I still can't believe Oliver's back!" George cried.
Harry agreed, just as eager to talk about Quidditch as the Weasley twins were, "But we need a new captain."
"Angelina, Katie and Alicia were on about asking Oliver to pick the new captain, seeing as he's been a great captain for so long. Plus, we need a new keeper, so we'll have to see if he has any ideas for that aswell. Or we'll hold trials." Fred replied.
"What about Ron?" Hermione suggested, nudging Ron's arm.
Ron burned a bright red as Fred and George laughed.
"Ron be the keeper?!" Fred cried, as if that was the funniest thing he'd heard in ages.
"I could do it." Ron replied bravely.
"Yeah, whatever you say!" George grinned, and the two of them dissolved into laughter again.
Hermione rolled her eyes, "Just ignore them Ron, you have as much chance as any other Gryffindor."
"You should try out." Harry nodded.
Ron shrugged, still blushing as the compartment door opened and Professor McGonagall entered.
She was holding a slip of paper with some names on and she was smiling happily. The Gryffindor's all listened as she spoke. "I have the names of the Prefects here."
Hermione whimpered and clutched her hands to her face as if she had just been told she had failed an exam.
"The Prefect of Slytherin was Draco Malfoy, the Prefect of Ravenclaw was Padma Patil, the Prefect of Hufflepuff was Justin Finch-Fletchley and the Prefect of Gryffindor will be . . . Hermione Granger!" Professor McGonagall announced.
Everyone applauded.
"Oh no one expected that!" Fred Weasley shouted sarcastically.
Parvati was happy that her sister Padma was a prefect but no one was happy that Malfoy was.
"Well done Hermione." Ron said, hugging her unexpectedly. "Sorry for making fun of you earlier."
Hermione smiled as Professor McGonagall walked over to Harry. "Are you alright Potter?" She asked.
Harry frowned. "Yeah, I'm fine."
"Well if there's any trouble . . ." She trailed off.
Harry nodded and Professor McGonagall said goodnight to the other students before leaving.
Hermione jumped up and down excitedly. "I can't believe I'm a Prefect."
"No surprises there." George Weasley grinned.
Hermione blushed proudly.
"How come Malfoy's a Prefect?" Harry asked.
"I don't know but it'll be bloody brilliant him taking points from us all the time won't it?" Ron replied glumly.
"And we've got to find partners for the ball before Christmas!" Harry said.
"Oh great." Ron groaned. He secretly wanted to ask Hermione but he couldn't bring himself to do it infront of the others.
"Who are you going to ask, Harry?" Hermione asked, interested.
Harry shrugged. "I'll probably end up going on my own." He said.
"You shouldn't have a problem! It'll be me that has difficulty." Ron moaned. "What about you Hermione? Who will you ask?"
Hermione glanced at Harry and then back at Ron. "I'm not sure yet . . . but I hope he'll say yes!"
Ron frowned, who was Hermione going to ask? Did she mean him? Or was it someone else. He hoped that if it was him, she would ask him before he asked her.
Harry still didn't know who he was going to ask. He didn't know if he'd have the nerve to ask Cho Chang. Besides, her boyfriend had just died not long ago and she was older than him.
"I'm going up to the dormitory. I want to write to Sirius before I go to bed." Harry told Ron and Hermione.
He left them in the common room and made his way to his dormitory.
He got out a quill and a piece of parchment and began to write:
Dear Sirius,
Thanks for your letter; it was great to hear from you again. I hope I'll be able to see you sometime soon; no doubt Dumbledore will want to see you. I've noticed that a lot of people are looking out for me. Professor McGonagall asked if I was okay. Of course I'm okay, why wouldn't I be? I thought I was safe at Hogwarts so why do I need so much protection. I am afraid of facing Voldemort again but I don't need everyone worrying about me. Besides, if Dumbledore is the only wizard that Voldemort is afraid of then why are so many people worrying. I'm glad that you're all taking care of me and I'm sure I'll be okay. For now anyway. Keep in touch,
Harry
Harry folded up the letter and ran down to the common room. Without anybody noticing, he slipped out of the portrait hole and to the owlery. He attached the letter to Hedwig's leg and she flew off immediately.
Harry looked around. Most of the owls were sleeping and it was so quiet. It would've been almost peaceful if Harry didn't know that someone was planning to kill him.
It was dark now and he quickly started to make his way out of the owlery and back to the common room. He was halfway there when he heard footsteps and a figure appeared down the corridor.
"Potter!" The figure shouted.
The figure stepped into the light and Harry realised it was Professor Snape, the Potions teacher.
"Oh . . . Professor . . ." Harry gasped, out of breath. "You scared me."
"Scared you? You shouldn't even be out of your common room, especially on your own." Snape boomed.
"I had to send a letter to Sirius." Harry explained.
Snape was silent for a moment and then he looked down at Harry. "I assume Sirius has told you all about keeping yourself safe. You're quite a little rule-breaker Potter. People are looking out for you all around the world and here's you, roaming the corridors and sending letters by yourself."
"Why are you so worried?" Harry asked. "I only went to the Owlery. I thought Hogwarts was supposed to be safe and protected."
"You never know what's lurking round corners Harry. I learnt a few years back that you know all about the secret passages. Anyone can enter from anywhere. You ought to know that." He sighed. "I better take you back to your common room."
"I'm sure I can handle that myself." Harry told him.
"Nevertheless, come on." Snape gestured for him to follow and Harry reluctantly obeyed him.
Back in the common room, Hermione and Ron were the only one's up.
"Harry!" Hermione cried as soon as she saw him. She ran up to him, leaving her and Ron's conversation hanging in mid-sentence. "Where have you been?"
"I had to send the letter to Sirius." Harry explained.
"Are you out of your mind?!" Ron exploded. "You-Know-Who could be anywhere. Stop trying to be brave Harry, you could've sent that letter in the morning."
"What's with it with everyone?" Harry asked. "First Snape and now you giving me an earful. I don't need it!"
"Harry, you've got to be careful, you know that. Everyone's worried about you . . ." Hermione started but Harry cut her off.
"I'm fine!" He interrupted. "I know everyone's trying to help but I don't understand why I need all this protection. I don't need bodyguards or anything to take care of me. Christ, I can't even send a letter without someone breathing down my neck! Now I'm going to bed and I trust that there won't be a teacher there to spy on me while I sleep!" Harry turned on his heel and stormed up to the dormitory, leaving Hermione and Ron staring after him in amazement.