A/N:

Everything you recognize belongs to JK Rowling.

This FF starts before the fifth year. The Dark Lord returned to power when Peter Pettigrew went back to him during the third book. Fourth year was spent trying to prove to the ministry that Voldemort is back & every thing that happened in the fifth year in Jo Rowlings book happens in the fourth year as per this fanfic.

this is the first fanfic I had written, so please bear with me. I'm open to positive criticism.

X

CHAPTER I: BACK TO HOGWARTS

The sun had barely risen and already the Burrow was bustling with activity. Mrs Weasley was rushing around the kitchen making breakfast. "Fred, George! Be quick! Don't want to be late do we?"

"Ginny, you've left your History of Magic book by the table dear"

"Oooh, Sorry Mum"

"Go wake Ron & Harry up now, will you?"

"Yes Mum", she shouted running up the stairs. The redheaded entered her brother's room and looked over at the boy with messy black hair, her brother's best-friend and her secret crush, Harry Potter.

"Harry, Harry..its time to get up" she whispered. Harry seemed to be fast asleep, but the frown on his face worried her. Ginny lightly patted his shoulder, "Harry, Harry!"

Harry woke up with a jolt and grabbed her. His emerald eyes looking directly into her brown ones.

"Oh Sorry, Ginny" he muttered

"Were you..were you having another nightmare?" She asked him softly. Harry nodded and Ginny lent forward and gave him a peck on the cheek. "It'll all be fine", she said.

"Yeah", he replied in a much more clearer and alert voice.

"Well then, you better get ready soon. We need to leave for Kings Cross in an hour."

Once they had boarded the Hogwarts express the four Weasley children, along with Harry and Hermione went to find themselves an empty compartment, but it seemed that the carriage they got into was full.

As they passed by the Syltherin compartment, Draco Malfoy looked up at them and smirked. "Oh looks like the Weasleys and their filthy friends haven't found a compartment. I wonder why they're even returning to Hogwarts, now tell me Weaslebee, How exactly did you parents afford to buy you new books for this year?"

"Malfoy.."

"I bet they bought them second hand after having to scrub people's bath..."

But before he could complete, Hermione raised her wand and mumbled 'Mellicus'. Suddenly Malfoy started singing and dancing around the compartment not being able to control himself.

The Weasley twins, Harry, Ginny and Ron roared with laughter. "Good One 'Mione", called out a voice from behind them.

They turned around to see Neville Longbottom. Gone was the round-faced, short, chubby boy with mousy brown hair, instead there stood a tall, leaner than before teenager. He came over and patted Ron's shoulder, "I've got an empty compartment down the wagon with Luna, I think the four of you can join in." He looked up and Fred & George.

"No problem mate", said George "We'll just go find Lee" said his twin and with that they both turned around, glared at Malfoy, then bursting into laughter walked away.

Once in their compartment, Hermione started questioning Neville whether he had started preparing for their OWLs that year.

"Come off Hermione" Ron wailed "Let Neville be alone.."

"Just because the two of you aren't preparing yourself doesn't mean others shouldn't", she said firmly.

"But you needn't bother much this year" said an airy voice. They all turned to the corner where Luna Lovegood, a fourth year and Ginny's friend had been sitting all this time with her head buried in a magazine called 'The Quibbler'.

"It's the Five-Wizards Cup this year, you know?" she said looking at their confused and startled faces.

"The Five-Wizards Cup?" replied Harry looking confused.

"The Five wizards cup is this magical contest held between the five largest wizarding schools from Europe & Asia. Each school is represented by one champion selected by a secret jury. The selected Champions compete in three tasks - traditionally judged by the Headmasters or Headmistresses of the competing schools. It's designed to test magical ability, intelligence and courage of the Champion, you see." Hermione said stopping to take a deep breath. "The Tournament has been known for being extremely dangerous: champions have died while competing, and so it was discontinued after 1792. You see, I read about it in..."

"Hogwarts: A History" chimed Harry, Ron, Ginny and Neville. Knowing Hermione they knew that she'd probably read that book more times than all other Hogwarts students combined.

"It's going to be exciting" said Ron turning to Harry and Neville, "You reckon I should try out?"

"NO!" said Hermione. "I don't think you heard me clearly, People have died. Its not safe"

"But then there must be a reason they are having it again after 200 years" said Harry. "Ron, mate, Go ahead. I'm supporting you"

Suddenly the door of the compartment flew open and in stormed Draco Malfoy pointing his wand at Hermione. "You Filthy Mudb..."

"Don't!" Ginny yelled jumping up pointing her wand at him. "Don't you dare, or I'll hex you with the Exomento charm" Malfoy stopped in his steps. "Don't test me, Malfoy. You know I'm good with my hexes" Malfoy did know that, the Weaselette had bat-boogeyed him terribly in the previous year. He continued to glared at Hermione, then with a strong shrug, left the compartment.

"What's the Exomento charm?" Harry asked Ginny who just looked down at her feet and flushed scarlet.

"The Poo Hex" said Neville, "makes the victim to suddenly and violently lose their bowels and poo in their pants." The entire compartment burst into laughter. Just imagining Malfoy in that situation made them roll around.

The rest of the journey was a silent one with Hermione reading one of their fifth year textbooks, Luna behind her Quibbler and Ginny falling asleep on her brothers shoulder.

Harry looked over at her, she was red from all the laughter and her face looked peaceful. A few strands of her hair falling over to her face. 'She looks beautiful' Harry thought letting his mind go back into the memory of her waking him up in the morning.

The Great Hall looked its usual splendid self, decorated for the start-of-term feast. Golden plates and goblets gleamed by the light of hundreds and hundreds of candles, floating over the tables in midair. The four house tables were packed with chattering students. Harry, Ron and Hermione took their place and started to listen to what Seamus was telling Dean. "Out of the five schools that participate, three are from Europe, Hogwarts, Durmstrang Institute, no one knows where it is situated though. Beauxbatons, that's a French one. The Asian ones, one is in Singapore , Singuruli , I guess. yeah that's it" he paused to think for a moment "and the last one is from.."

"India" Hermione completed

"Yeah, that's it. I don't know its name though" he added looking up at Hermione for clues. Everyone's head turned towards her. She just smiled back at Seamus. She didn't know it either. Well, you couldn't expect her to remember everything, could you?

Just then Professor McGonagall walked in with the first years and the entire hall went quite.

"As I call out your names you shall come forward" said Professor McGonagall. She sounded rather bored today. How long had she been doing this anyway?

"Andrews Clarissa"

A little girl walked who looked like she was going to cry walked slowly up to the stool and sat down. "Ravenclaw!" the Sorting Hat yelled. The entire Ravenclaw table started cheering loudly.

Harry looked up and spotted Cho Chang among the students. She looked prettier than usual and had her hair tied up in a french braid. Harry's mind then went back to what had happened earlier that day. Did Ginny Weasley really kiss him on the cheek? Had she meant to prompt something to him? Or did he just dream it all?

His thoughts were then disrupted when the entire hall fell silent and Harry felt like he'd done something wrong, but Professor Dumbledore had stood up and was looking around at the hall. His eyes met Harry's and he just said two words "Tuck In!"

The golden plates and goblets had suddenly filled up with mouth watering delicacies. Harry had forgotten how hungry he was and decided that decisions about how to approach his crush on Ginny would be made properly on a filled stomach.