The Arrival

"Harry! Nice to see you!"

"Harry, buddy, give me five!"

"Well done, Harry."

"Thank you so much, Harry!"

"Could I please have your autograph, Mr. Potter?"

Hermione saw Harry's smirk. He gave his fan club a wave and walked on. Boy, had he gotten big-headed over the summer! He seemed to be the local celebrity at Hogwarts. Hogwarts! She was at Hogwarts! Finally, after over a year, she was going to study again. She had been looking forward to this. She had not, however, expected Harry to be such a jerk. He'd barely said two words to her since meeting up at King's Cross. Ron on the other hand was all over here. Kissing her and holding hands and chatting casually. He didn't even seem to notice Harry. Sometimes she wished that she was a better girlfriend. She loved Ron so much and had waited for him for so long, so why did this feel so wrong? Why wasn't she completely absorbed in Ron?

She was back at Hogwarts. Even thinking those words made her feel empowered and brave again. She was going to ace every exam and be top of every class, she was going to be Ron's girlfriend and hopefully marry him when the year was up. She was going to get a good job in the ministry and eventually, hopefully, become the Minister of Magic. She was going to have a great life with her wonderful husband and beautiful children who were all going to attend Hogwarts. Her life was going to be perfect.

They entered the Great Hall and took their seats at the Gryffindor table. She noticed that all the tables were just about full except for the Slytherin table, which was completely empty. All the Slytherins were standing in a neat line beside a wall. Among them she noticed some very familiar blonde hair. She had wondered if Draco Malfoy would dare to return. She had been reading the paper all summer and had followed his trial with great interest. The Ministry had not given him a prison sentence. Actually, they had all but pardoned him. It was very strange but she knew that Lucius Malfoy had received a more extreme punishment than expected, 10 years in Azkaban and seizure of nearly all his belongings. Of course there was only Draco left now. His mother had committed suicide after the last fight. Draco and Lucius had not dared to follow in her footsteps. They had always been cowards. And poor Draco wasn't left with a penny of that fortune that he'd always bragged about. Hogwarts was his home now and who knew what he was going to do after this year. That must have been why he had returned. "Education is and always will be the key to a good job" as her primary school teacher had told her. Suddenly Draco looked up and met her glance with unfeeling cold eyes. She suddenly felt sorry for him and looked down quickly. To lose everything in a couple of months couldn't have been easy. At this moment McGonagall stood up and clapped her hands.

"Students, listen up! As you all know this last year has been somewhat chaotic but I am very happy to be welcoming you all back to Hogwarts and welcome especially to the former ex-students who've come to their senses! I'll make a few quick announcements and then the feast can begin."

"First-of-all, I and Professor Snape will be acting as co-headmasters this year. I will be in charge of student matters while Professor Snape will see to teacher matters. So it's me you are to come to if you have any problems. Second-of-all I regret to inform you that the Ministry has strongly advised us to see to the discontinuation of the house of Slytherin."

A chorus of voices was heard all at once.

"The school has therefore made the decision to start a new house in its place but with other pupils. This means that all Slytherin pupils will have to be sorted all over again. This new house will be called the house of Dumbledore! The characteristics of this house will be courage, leadership and excellent planning and organising skills. I wish to remind you that these may be hidden talents. I have a list of the students that are to join this house which Professor Snape will proceed to read after we have sorted the new students and the ex-slytherins."

The Slytherins were accordingly sorted. Hermione held her breath under Pansy's sorting but was relieved to hear a very clear Ravenclaw called out. Draco put on the sorting hat and was sorted into Dumbledore. "I wish to remind you that these may be hidden talents." The headmistress had definitely been right about that. Draco was one of the biggest cowards she knew. After the sorting Snape cleared his voice and waited for silence.

"I shall now proceed to read the list of Dumbledore students. You will not take over the old Slytherin quarters but will instead reside in a tower that has been off-limits to students previously, but you will be told all the practicalities in a very short while. Very well: Rainer Wolfskin…"

The list continued and Snape finally arrived at the 7th years: "…Betty Corskin, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, Bob Barnacle…"

WAIT! What was this? Why was Snape calling her name? She couldn't possibly be in another house. And why was Harry stuck in Gryffindor? If anyone deserved to be in Dumbledore it was Harry! She stood up and walked to the Dumbledore table with the others. Somehow she managed to seat herself behind Draco Malfoy. The feast had begun and there were plenty of dishes to choose from but she wasn't hungry. She ignored Draco throughout the meal and talked to Luna, who'd also been sorted into Dumbledore. She then went with the other Dumbledores to their new quarters. Their head of house who was also the new Defense against dark arts teacher, Mrs. Florgle, whispered the password Lemon sorbet to the fireplace which swung open. They were shown the common room which was a comfortable room with plenty of sofas and books. She caught a glance of an edition of Mein Kampf in the shelf. She got a funny feeling that all was not right with this house. She made her way to her dorm that she was to share with a bunch of people she didn't know very well. All her bags were there, ready to be unpacked. She needed to think so she unpacked without magic. There was a curfew so she couldn't go and see Ron until the next day. What was she going to do? She desperately needed to talk to someone! She pulled out an old teddy-bear from her bag. Well it was better than nothing. So she told him the whole story. It actually made her feel better. Suddenly she realised that she was alone in the dorm.