Disclaimer
I do not own any of the characters mentioned in the following chapter or chapters to come. The only thing I own, as pathetic and self-deprecating as it sounds, is the idea behind this story. Please, enjoy.
Waiting
It was a time when Voldemort laid quietly in his wait – his wait to become ruler of all. He waited quietly and patiently, for his time to strike fear into people's hearts. When that moment finally came, he would play with their fears like strings on a harp by twirling them slowly. He'd make the most beautiful music anyone would have ever heard and just as the music reaches a crescendo, he would cut those taut strings and that fear would be in limbo in their hearts forever.
Forever is a long time, he thought. As a cruel smile escaped from the shell of his body in the dark corner of the world where only he is in, he laid and waited – quietly and patiently.
"Settle down, students," Professor McGonagall's voice resonated in the Great Hall of Hogwarts.
It was the start of the school term and the final year students of Hogwarts gathered around in their respective Houses before their professors.
"I hope I get Transfiguration. That would sound cool." Ron rubbed his hands in anticipation.
"Good luck with that. I just hope I don't get Potions." Harry shudders at the thought. "Can you imagine – three whole months with Snape?"
Ron shudders too.
"I hope I get Muggle Studies," Ginny piped. "I think the subject's just fascinating."
Ron and Harry stared at her with a look of disgust on their faces.
"What?" Ginny said defensively. She looked down at her hands and began twiddling her thumbs.
Ron turned his attention to the stage where Professor McGonagall was still trying to organise the students who were far more excited talking about what they did during their vacation than listening to her.
Harry watched Ginny for a while and smiled inwardly. He adored her and at first he thought it was only the kind of love he had for a sister, if he ever had one, but as time went by, he knew better. He realized that he was attracted to her and that the things she did sometimes put him in a trance.
After what seemed like ages, Professor McGonagall finally got the attention of all the final year students.
"I hope you all realise that you are in your final year of studies. As you may know, all of you would need to complete an assignment before graduating here at Hogwarts. In the past, students were not allowed to have free will over choosing their own assignments. This year," she paused and looked around the Great Hall at everyone's eager faces.
"…is no exception."
"She's gone mad, she has," Ron whispered to Harry.
"Weasley! Is there something you'd like to share with the rest of the school?"
Ron flushed and shook his head.
"I should think so." McGonagall snapped. "All of your names are already in this cauldron." She pointed to the cauldron in front of her. It looked aged and chipped and definitely did not look like it could possibly contain all their names.
"All the teachers will begin picking their students and you will be briefed in your respective classrooms. Need I remind you, that this assignment counts for seventy percent of your grades, so please, for the love of Dumbledore, do something good for yourselves."
At the mention of Albus Dumbledore, everyone kept quiet. No one dared to intrude that moment of silence – that moment when everyone mourned for their deceased Headmaster. Those were dark times and Harry looked outside the windows, because he knew (and he was right) that people would start looking at him.
He couldn't and wouldn't bear those pitiful stares, which just got more unbearable with time. Suddenly, he felt a warm hand on his. He didn't know his hands were trembling until then.
He looked up and saw Ginny smiling gently at him. Harry reciprocated with a small smile but his smile never quite reached his eyes.
Miranda McGonagall knew she had hit a sore spot. She cleared her throat and brought most of the Hall back to the present. "All right now, let's begin."
The cauldron came to life and all of the teachers stood up.
"First up," McGonagall announced, "we have Astronomy."
Ron closed his eyes and prayed fervently that he would not get that assignment. Dean Thomas poked his ribs. "If only that will help, Weasley," he said while stifling his laughter.
"Dean Thomas!" Professor Patricia Thorne announced.
Ron burst out laughing and Harry joined in. Dean's face fell and his smile shattered into a million pieces.
Finally, after what seemed like a long time, Professor Thorne returned to his seat, somewhat pleased with her selection.
"Next up," McGonagall placed her wand near her throat in a Sonorus spell, "Muggle Studies."
Professor Jonah Kingsley moved to the front of the stage and placed his hand in the cauldron.
"Pansy Parkinson!"
"NO!" Pansy shouted out loud, which evoked a glare from McGonagall.
More names echoed around the Hall.
"Last but not least," Professor Kingsley reached his hand into the cauldron once more. "Ronald Weasley!"
Ron's jaw dropped open and Ginny looked at her brother with empathy.
"No…" he whispered and closed his eyes for a few seconds, wishing that it was a dream.
Sadly, when he opened those eyes, Dean was laughing right in his face.
Harry shook his head. "Honestly, I don't know what's worse. Between you and me, though, I think you got the better deal."
Ron looked at him and gave him a look that plainly said he didn't believe Harry.
"Look at her," Harry pointed his chin at Professor Thorne, who had a knowing smile on her face and was looking up at the ceiling of Great Hall.
She looked absolutely insane.
Ron seemed to be slightly appeased by that.
"Defence of the Dark Arts!"
Harry squirmed in his seat. He didn't admit it to them, but a huge part of him yearned to be picked for Defence of the Dark Arts. After what happened with Dumbledore…
He wished he was stronger. He knows the day would come when he would need to be strong for the people he cared for the most. Looking over at Ginny and Ron, he crosses his fingers behind his back.
"Draco Malfoy!"
No surprise there, Harry thought.
The Slytherin table cheered on. Harry watched as Blaise Zabini gave Draco a slap on the back and Pansy clapped her hands in excitement. He couldn't help but notice that Draco looked different. He looked like he has lost weight and his hair did not look as sleek as it used to be when they first entered Hogwarts together. He seemed to realize that someone was watching him and he looked over at the Gryffindor table, at Harry. His eyes seemed to have lost the hatred and anger which Harry was familiar with. His face seemed… etched with worry.
But as quickly as it came, the look on Draco's face passed and he was back to his old self. He glared at Harry before he turned his back and cheered with the rest of his table.
The end came too soon and Harry uncrossed his fingers.
That left only Transfigurations and … Potions. Harry felt a sudden twist in his stomach.
"Potions!" McGonagall's voice rang out.
"Blaise Zabini!"
Draco's dark haired friend smiled cockily and looked around his table, basking in his tablemates' approval. Potions would be easy for any Slytherin, Harry thought bitterly.
The moment Harry dreaded had finally arrived.
"Harry Potter." His name was said in a menacing tone and the underlying meaning beneath that voice was not to be missed.
From the Gryffindor table, Harry watched as Snape's lips curled up in a small smile. Snape's remained impassive, but Harry knew, as he felt a rock sink to the deeper ends of his stomach, that Snape had already formulated a plan to make Harry suffer as much as he possibly could.
Harry heaved a deep sigh and once more, he felt Ginny's gentle touch. He reciprocated by placing his other hand on top of hers and smiled back at her, albeit a bit forcefully.
"Victoria Westwood." Another one from Slytherin and once again, cheers erupted from the table.
She was a new student at Hogwarts who just transferred from the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic at the start of the school term. And like all Beauxbatons students, she was gorgeous. She had long, wavy blonde hair that flowed all the way to the mid-section of her back and her eyes – her eyes were of the deepest blue Harry had ever seen. It reminded him of the Black Lake but that also reminded him of how Cedric Diggory had died in that Triwizard Tournament, so he looked back at the empty table in front of him.
"Honestly, how many more to go? I'm starving!" Ron grumbled.
Charms was up next and Ginny was still not in Charms. When Professor Flitwick returned (or rather, levitated) to his seat, Ginny's smile was huge. She was in Transfigurations.
"Needless to say, the rest of you will be with me, in Transfigurations. And with that, let the feast begin!"
Along with the feast, their final year at Hogwarts began.