Chapter One
Disclaimer: Although some of this story is made up, and belongs to me, the rest does not. So, don't steal it, okay:)
After a long summer with the Dursleys, Harry Potter felt at home on his first day back at Hogwarts, as he and his friend Ron journeyed briskly through the corridor, headed towards their least favorite class. Potions, with Professor Severus Snape, was not their cup of tea. Snape had a pure, cold hatred towards Harry, as well as Ron, and his other close friend, Hermione. Harry had never done anything to make Snape treat Harry like a vomit-flavored Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Bean. The reason Snape disliked him so much, Harry decided, was simply a vendetta, that started long ago, concerning Harry's deceased father, James Potter.
Harry, almost running into a confused and lost first year as he consulted his schedule, groaned.
"Double Potions, today."
"Bloody hell," replied Ron, "and on our first day back, too. What rotten luck. Hi, Hermione!" Ron waved as a smiling young girl approached them.
"Hello, Ron. Harry! How was your summer at the Dur– stupid question," Hermione chuckled as Harry managed a slight grin.
"Same as always. How about you, Hermione? How was your summer?" Harry questioned.
"I have been quite busy, actually. Sorry I didn't write either of you. Didn't have much time," Hermione admitted with a frown. "Well, we've better get going. We wouldn't want to be late to Potions on our first day back, now would we?"
Harry and Ron nodded in agreement as they continued hurriedly on to Potions. As the three of them rushed into the musty, cold dungeon, panting, quite a few heads turned, and a long, recognizable drawl rang through the room.
"You're late."
Hermione piped up, "Yes, sorry Professor," as she glanced at Harry and Ron on either side of her, "it won't happen again."
"I sure hope not," Snape replied, "and just to make sure it does not happen again, ten points will be taken from Gryffindor."
"But Professor – " Harry began.
"Mr. Potter, I suggest that if you would like to keep it at ten, you should refrain from arguing and take your seat."
Ron rolled his eyes at Harry, luckily right after Snape turned back to the blackboard, and sat down in between him and Hermione.
After what felt like hours, Harry, Hermione, and Ron collected up their quills, ink, and parchment and left the dungeon. Once back in the corridor, Hermione broke the silence.
"Snape is unbelievable! Our first day back at Hogwarts, and we already have an essay due by the end of the week. Two rolls of parchment on the history of Wolfsbane Potion."
"I don't find it unbelievable at all," said Ron. "That's Snape for you."
"I know that Ronald, I just think it's completely unfair."
"Quit it you two," Harry interjected, "our first day back and you're already bickering." He rolled his eyes and smirked.
Ron and Hermione looked at each other and smiled, for they knew Harry was right. They hardly did anything, but bicker. Hermione quickly looked away.
"Well," said Hermione, "I forgot my textbook, Numerology and Gramatica for my next class, Arithmancy, so I'll see you two at lunch."
Harry and Ron nodded as Hermione strode off towards Gryffindor tower. As Hermione turned the corner, Harry and Ron heard a loud cackle and as they turned, barely dodged a suit of armor. They looked up and to no surprise, saw Peeves the Poltergeist hanging on a chandelier.
"PEEVES!" shrieked an angry Professor McGonagall, who came marching down the corridor, wand in hand, "don't make me call the Bloody Baron on you!"
Peeves suddenly stopped cackling and quickly took off down the corridor.
"Works every time," said McGonagall, revealing a slight grin. "So, how are you two doing? I don't see Miss Granger around."
"Yeah, she just left us for Arithmancy, her next class," Ron explained.
"I see. Well, I'll see you three later today in Transfiguration. I hope you had a wonderful summer," McGonagall finished as she left the two, and continued down the corridor, stopping to wave her wand and upright the suit of armor.
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"Hi Harry, hi Ron," said Hermione, sitting down to the Gryffindor table for lunch. Harry greeted Hermione in return, while Ron managed to mumble a, "hejo Harmoney", with his mouth full of mashed potatoes. Hermione frowned and scolded Ron for his rude table manners.
"Ronald, it is impolite to – "
"Please don't start, Hermione," Harry interrupted. "I can't take it!"
"What?" Hermione began in defense. "I was just – "
"I know," said Ron, clearly, after swallowing his food, "you were just going to tell me how disgusting and unmannerly I am."
"Well...I just think that there are times when you could pay more attention to your actions around other people."
"Why don't you just lay off, Hermione! You're always on my case about everything. I don't understand why you can't just back off and let me be!" Ron shouted, jumping up from the bench and storming off out of the Great Hall.
"What was that about?" Hermione exclaimed in distress. "He is absolutely impossible! He always takes things the wrong way."
"Well, Hermione," Harry tried, "you were basically telling him he was a pig and that he draws attention to himself."
Hermione sighed and excused herself from the table.
"Well, Harry, I think I'm going to go get an early start on our Potions assignment. You know me, I don't like to procrastinate. I'll be in the library."
Harry smirked, and said, "Ah, the library. You're favorite place in the whole world, eh?"
Hermione smiled in return, and left Harry sitting alone at the Gryffindor table.
Suddenly, Harry heard his name, "Harry!" It was Angelina Johnson, one of the Gryffindor Quidditch team's best players.
"Hi, Angelina. How was your summer?"
"Pretty good. I just wanted to remind you that Quidditch tryouts are on Friday and that I expect you to be there. We're all counting on you."
"Of course I'll be there. You know that."
"Good. Well, I better get going. One of Neville's spells he was practicing backfired and he needs my help. His nose hair is almost down to his knees."
Harry laughed heartily, "Good ol' Neville," he said. "Good luck with that."
"Thanks," she replied, "I'll need it."
Harry, still laughing to himself about Neville's misfortune, left the Great Hall and went up to the Gryffindor common room, where he found Ron, scowling in an arm chair, staring into the fire.
"Hey," said Harry, plopping himself down into a chair next to Ron.
After a few minutes of silence, Ron spoke up, "What is with her? It's like she thinks she's better than everybody else; like I'm not good enough."
"You know she doesn't think that, Ron," encouraged Harry.
"Well, then why the hell does she act like it?" Ron spat, looking at Harry with a look of disgust.
"I don't know," Harry said hopelessly.
Just at that moment, Hermione came rushing through the portrait hole and into the common room. She didn't see Ron because of how his chair was positioned, but saw Harry and said, "Harry! Have you seen Ro –"She stopped, spotting Ron in the chair as she got closer. "Oh, hello Ronald," she said.
"What do you want? Not finished reprimanding me?" Ron demanded coldly.
"Well, I was going to apologize for getting on you at lunch, but because of your rude remark of me 'reprimanding you'," she said sarcastically, "I changed my mind."
"Which means you weren't really sorry to begin with," Ron pointed out.
"ARGH! You are so...so..." Hermione began.
"So...what, Hermione!" Ron barked.
"So stubborn and pig-headed!" Hermione shrieked. "Why do you always have to take whatever I say as criticism?"
"Oh, I don't know, maybe because it is!" Ron said, and mocking Hermione continued. "You just think you're so damn perfect!"
"You know that's a lie, Ronald!"
"And quit calling me Ronald; you're not my mother. Although, you certainly act like it."
For what seemed like ten minutes, Ron and Hermione simply glared at each other, each with a look of anger in their eyes, while Harry simply sat off to the side and watched. Harry was amused, and laughed in spite of himself, as he thought of how these spats always turned out; the next day they would make up and everything would be as it was.
"What?" Ron turned on Harry. "You think this is funny!"
"No, of course not," said Harry.
"Well, then quit laugh – Hey! Where are you going?" He turned his attention towards Hermione.
"I'm leaving," Hermione said calmly, and to Harry and Ron's surprise, with a single tear rolling down her cheek, "before I say anything I'm going to regret." And with that, she quietly went up to the girls' dormitory, wiping her face on her robes as she went.
