"Samantha!" echoed my mother's voice from down the hall, "Are you ready
yet?"
"No, mum, I'm not" I yelled back for what seemed like the millionth
time.
"Well, hurry up, were already running late and you can't miss your
train!"
"Like I want to," I yelled sarcastically, "Besides, I'm almost done
packing."
And I was; I was just throwing the last of my new shirts, skirts, and
Gryffindor robes into the trunk at the foot of my bed. When, at last, I
was done packing, I pulled the over stuffed trunk into the hall before
turning to take one last look at my now semi-bare room. After all, I
wouldn't see it for almost nine months.
"Dad! Will you help me with this please?" I yelled to the living
room where my parents were.
Within just a few moments, my father was standing behind me in the
hallway.
"What is it you need help with, Sam?" He asked.
I moved aside and motioned towards the huge trunk that had been
clearly visible behind me.
"Is it really that heavy?" he asked grabbing the handle on the side
of it, "How much stuff are you taking?"
"Half of my room. I will miss it being gone for so long." I
responded.
"Yeah, I guess I would to if I was gone for nine months!'', he said,
"Don't you need any blankets or pillows or anything?"
"No, Dad. All of that stuff is already at Hogwarts."
"Oh yes, of course it is." he said in a very sarcastic way.
"Dad, please!"
You see, neither of my parents are very happy about me attending a
wizarding school, but they don't complain too much. They know its what I
really want to do. My grandma, on the other hand, loves the idea of me
attending Hogwarts. She even attended as a young girl. I guess that I am
very glad that it skipped a generation. If it hadn't, I wouldn't have the
wonderful friends that I do. I also wouldn't have the unbearable enemies
that I now have.
"Okay, okay, lets just get this thing out to the car."
Together, my father and I heaved the large trunk out to the car in
the driveway. My mom was already there. Both my parents climbed in the
car.
"Wait! Their gifts!" I yelled, turning and running back towards the
house.
"Whose gifts?" My mom yelled after me.
"Harry, Hermione, and Ron's!" I screamed over my shoulder.
I ran back into the house, to my room, and I pulled a open a desk
drawer containing three single, multi-colored, envelopes. I looked over the
three pieces of paper in my hand. A name had been scrawled on each one in
an elegant manor. I slammed the door shut again and ran back out to the
car. I could tell, just by the look on their faces that my parents were
beginning to get upset, so I got into the backseat of the car without a
word to either of them. The car engine started and a new and wonderful
feeling came over me. I was going back!
I spent the half an hour drive to the train station, not talking to
my parents (who were silent anyway), but remembering the past year, where I
had spent half of my seventh grade year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft
and Wizardry. The way I had arrived there was still a total mystery to me.
It had happened while walking home with one of my friends, Jen, after
school one day. We were just walking along, discussing our day when she
found a very odd looking grayish-blue rock on the ground. Well, out of
total confusion and curiosity we picked it up and next thing we both knew
we were attending Hogwarts, along with (what once thought to be just made-
up book characters) my now best friends. Anyway, I spent the rest of the
year there after I received a letter from my mother, telling me that I did
belong and that I should have started almost three years earlier, but she
and my father had thought it best to keep me away from all the 'nonsense'.
Well they had been unsuccessful and I am now going back to Hogwarts, with
the help of my grandmother.
"We're here!", came my mum's voice, interrupting my wonderful
daydream.
I stuck my head out the window and saw the huge building that was
King's Cross Railroad Station. Located in the heart of downtown London,
King's Cross was 'supposedly' an all muggle railroad station. Little did
the muggles know that each year on September first, the station was packed
with witches and wizards all seeing their children on to the Hogwarts
Express, but how could they have known? The large scarlet steam engine was
hidden on platform nine and three quarters (the inevasible platform between
numbers nine and ten where you had to run at the apparently solid wall to
enter it.)
"Lets go then!" I yelled with a big smile on my face as I jumped out
of the car and began to untie my trunk. My father went to get me a cart to
take my things in to the station.
When we had all of my things loaded up, my parents and I made our way
into the crowded railroad station. Along the way to Platform nine and
three quarters I saw many people I either knew or recognized from the year
before, but no one that really stuck out to me, until I heard a all-too-
familiar voice.
"Sam! Sam!" yelled the voice from some place up ahead of me.
I realized right away who it was that was that was yelling for me.
"Hermione!" I yelled back, "Where are you?"
"Over here!"
I looked and immediately saw a hand bobbing up and down above the
crowd.
"Just a minute!" I screamed before turning to my mum and dad,
"That's my friend," I motioned behind me, "Can I go?"
"Wait a minute, Samantha. You can't just go running off in a place
like this, I mean we don't even know this girl's parents."
"Oh, mum, its okay. Hermione's parents are muggles. Just like you
guys."
"Is being a-a- muggle a bad thing all of the sudden?"
"No, I didn't mean it like that at all. Muggles are cool. Well
most of them anyway. Besides I was one for twelve years, so why would I be
saying rude things about my own kind?"
My mum is pretty cool about most things, except when it comes to
school. In those situations, she seems to over react quite a bit.
She surveyed me. Much in the same way she did when I was younger
and had just been caught playing in the mud in the backyard with one of our
dogs. Only this time, I wasn't covered in mud.
I looked at her and she glared back at me.
"Can I please go?"
Another long pause. Why was getting an answer to a simple,
innocent, question taking so long? And so much energy. For some reason I
thought my mum liked doing this to me. Was this some weird way of saying
good bye to her only daughter?
"Grandma would let me go." I stated.
My mother's expression got darker. If there was something my mum
hated more than being back talked to, it was being compared to her mother.
"Fine." she said shortly, "Fine. But your father and I are going
with you to meet this girls parents."
A huge grin came about my face.
"Oh, thanks mum!" I said to her before walking to where I had seen
Hermione's hand earlier.
It took me a few moments of searching to find Hermione. She was
standing close to the brick wall with her parents on either side of her.
The large ginger cat that was Hermione's pet, Crookshanks, was meowing loud
and painfully inside its wicker basket.
"Sam! Over here!" she yelled to me waving her hand in the air.
I walked over to the Grangers with my parents a few feet behind me
but somehow they still got there first.
"Hello," said my mum in a nice voice, "my name is Penni Essig. I'm
Samantha's mother."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Hermione's mom." Mrs. Granger said.
"So I guess that our girls go to school together."
"Yes. Hermione has done nothing all holiday but talk about her
friends and school. And read. She did a lot of that too." Hermione's
mother laughed, "Are you a muggle?" she asked suddenly.
"As a matter of fact, I am. And I'm guessing that you are too?"
"Yes! Where do you work?"
"I'm in the beauty field. I cut hair."
"No kidding?" gasped Mrs. Granger, "I am in dire need of a hair
cut."
"Well you should come by. I'd be happy to give you a ten percent
discount!"
I could tell that both our moms were really hitting it off. I
looked around for my dad and I spotted him about ten feet away with Mr.
Granger. They were talking about some new type of tool or something but I
could tell that they were getting to be great friends too.
I looked at Hermione and she laughed, "This is oddly funny!" she
managed.
"Have you seen Harry or Ron yet?" I smiled.
"No, not yet. But I did get a letter from Ron. He said that Harry
was staying with him over the holiday, so maybe they just got here earlier
than we did and are already on the train."
"Maybe. But that reminds me," I looked at my watch, "we better go
soon or we'll be the ones that aren't seen."
Hermione nodded and then walked up to her mum. I did the same.
"Mum? Mum we need to go." she said.
"Oh, yes, of coarse. The time really got away from me there."
"Its okay but were going to go now, okay?" I said to my mother.
"Yes now you have a good year sweetheart. I love you." She
embraced me in a large hug. Hermione's mom did the same.
"I love you too, mum. And you have a good year as well," I leaned
closer to her and said, "A good me-free year!"
"Don't worry, I wont" she said back, smiling.
"Bye." I said finally.
Hermione and I pushed our carts away from the crowd and strait to
the barrier. We checked to make sure no one was looking right at us, then
we ran. We ran strait at the wall. If you would have been standing there
watching us, would of thought we were crazy. We were only five feet away
now. Three, two, one! BAM! Only we didn't hit. In fact I didn't feel a
thing. When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was the huge scarlet
steam engine, the Hogwarts Express, with many people running around it,
most were seeing their children onto the train safely but some where the
people who helped with the baggage.
"C'mon. Let's go get our seats." I said pushing my cart towards an
open door. Hermione followed.
"Can I take your luggage from you?"
I turned to find a really cute guy standing behind me. He was tall
and looked about seventeen years old; also he was wearing a uniform like
many of the other people who were taking the bags from Hogwarts students.
"Sure." I said turning to him. Then out of no where I asked, "Do
you go to Hogwarts?"
"No." he said with a small laugh, "No. I just help out here, but I'm
guessing that you do. Am I right?"
"Yeah. I'm a fifth year."
"Wow, just two more years and you'll be out of school. Any plans on
what you want to do once you've finished at Hogwarts?" he asked.
"Well," I thought for a moment, "I would really like to be a
journalist for the Daily Prophet, but it really depends upon my parents."
"Muggles?"
"Yeah, how did you know?"
"Mine were the same way. They never did want me to go to a wizard
school but I did anyway and then when I had finished they wanted me to go
back home and pursue a career in criminal justice, but I just told then
that this is where I belong and this is where I want to raise my family.
They didn't like that too much though. I haven't talked to them since."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it. Hey, what's your name?" he asked me.
"Samantha. But most people just call me Sam."
"Well Sam, my name is Carlos. Maybe I'll see you again sometime."
"Maybe." I said smiling but a loud whistle caught my attention, "I
have to go."
"Yeah, you don't wanna miss your ride. Bye."
I turned and waved to him, then I spotted Hermione.
"What was that?" she asked, "Do you like him?"
I gave a faint laugh, "No," but then I decided to turn it around on
her, "Do you like him?"
She gave me a look, "No. I wasn't the one talking to him for who
knows how long. C'mon, we'd better go."
I followed her onto the train and down the corridor until we stopped
at our usual compartment. Neither Harry or Ron were there yet but we sat
down anyway when the train began moving. We must have only been in there
for five or ten minutes before a familiar voice filled the area.
"Where have you guys been?" It was Ron.
Ron was tall, freckally, and had a bunch of red hair, as did his
whole family: six siblings and parents. Three of his siblings attened
Hogwarts as well.
And standing to the right of Ron was Harry. He had dark black hair,
emerald green eyes, glasses, and on the middle of hid forehead was a thin
scar in the shape of a lightning bolt. The scar was a 'souvenir' from the
attack in which the evil and feared, Lord Voldemort had killed Harry's
parents. He had the intention to kill Harry as well but with little
strength left, Voldemort had fled.
"We've been here. Where have you been?" I said smiling at Hermione.
She smiled back.
"Every place but here." Harry said in a tired voice.
The boys came in and sat down.
"Sorry. We'll look harder next time." assured Hermione.
The next few hours on the train where highly enjoyed by everyone. The time was spent talking about everyone's summer holiday (some better than others), playing games of Exploding Snap and Wizard's Chess, and eating the candy that everyone had helped buy when the plump little witch with the lunch cart had come around. Hermione looked out the window, "I think that we will be there soon." It was dark now and it did seem that we should be nearly there. Suddenly the Hogwarts Express came to an abrupt halt, and all the lights went out. I heard gasps from all around me and I rushed to sit back down in my seat. "What's going on?" came Harry's voice. "I don't know," I said, "But- OUCH! Who stepped on my foot?" "Oh, sorry Sam. It was me." said Ron. "It's okay. I just want to know what's going -" "Attention Hogwarts students!" a voice was coming through the speaker on the wall, "It is very urgent that you lock your compartment doors at once and get out of view of any windows. Under your seats is a good idea. If you are not in a compartment please get the nearest place with a lock. This is very important for everyone's safety." and with that the speaker went dead. The next thing we all heard were footsteps then a click and Hermione talking, "I locked the door." she said. "But why did we have to in the first place?" asked Ron. Even though I couldn't see anything I could tell that Hermione was glaring in the direction of Ron's voice. "Do you have to ask a question everytime someone tells you to do something?" There was a long pause. "Um...no." said Ron slowly. I let out a small giggle. Obviously there was nothing funny about this situation but every once in a while it just makes you feel good to laugh at one of Ron's delayed reactions. "C'mon you guys. Let's get under the seats. Whatever's going on, they obviously don't want us to be visible through the windows." said Harry "Yeah," I breathed climbing under a seat. Someone climbed in soon after on either side, "What do you guys think is going on?" I whispered. "I dunno but it has to be something really important." came Hermione's voice. "Like what?" "To shut down the Hogwarts Express? You-Know-Who would have to be on board or something." she replied. "Wow," I said under my breath, "You don't think anything like that has happened, do you?" "It couldn't." said Harry, "Wouldn't my scar be hurting?" "You would think," I said, "But that can't be it. There must be a reasonable explanation. Maybe this is just a drill or something, you know, to see how we would act if that really did happen. You think?" "Maybe," said Ron slowly, "But they have never done that. Even before you started going here, Sam." I though. "Hey," said Hermione, "I think we should stop talking. If there is something out there, it can probably hear us and we don't want it to know we are in here." I shut up. She was right. I didn't want anything to get to us. Suddenly the door began to shake then before long it sounded as though someone was literally pounding on it. I heard someone scream from around me. What in the world was going on? Was I going to make it to be a fifth year at Hogwarts? "Shut up!" I heard my voice along with Hermione's in a whispering hiss. Who ever had been screaming suddenly stopped. The vicious pounding on the door continued for about thirty more seconds before it finally died away. The four of us sat in the dark, silently, for almost a half an hour after that. No one knew really what to say to each other, I think. Finally the reassuring sounds of the train's engine filled our ears and the lights flickered back on. "Thank you all for your cooperation. We will continue to make our way to Hogwarts where everything will be explained to you." The speaker box on the wall said. We all climbed out of our hiding places and sat down. Everyone seemed to have let out a breath of relief.
At long last the Hogwarts Express pulled into the Hogsmeade train station. "I can't wait to see what the teachers have to say about all this." Hermione was saying as we stepped off the train. "I just want to get to the feast! I'm really hungry!" said Ron. "Oh, what's new?" said Hermione impatiently. "Hey, you guys, don't we need to go that way?" I asked jerking my thumb over my shoulder, "Towards the carriages?" I guess that in all the confusion we had been going the wrong way. "Oh yeah." said Harry as we all changed directions. Because we were late to meet the rest of out fellow students, we had a bit of a hard time finding a carriage to hold us all. Eventually we did find one with only three other people inside. Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnagan, and Ginny Weasley (Ron's younger sister) were the occupants inside. "Hi," said Neville as we climbed in and sat down, "How bout' that train ride, huh? Scared the living daylights outta me!" "Yeah, our door started to shake, you know like someone or something was trying to get in. Nothing did, thank heavens!" "That's what happened to us too!" said Ron. "Yeah and you- Oh my gosh, Sam," said Hermione, "What about Jen?" "What? Jen? Oh, right, right! Her parents made her move and they wouldn't allow her to come back this year." I said. "Oh," said Ron in a low voice. We all knew he had liked her, although he had never officially told us anything about it. We all smiled at him. "Shut up! I only meant that, well, she was just getting good at flying. Why should she have to stop now?" We were all still smiling at him even though we didn't say anything more. When we pulled up in front of the Entrance Hall, huge grins began to cross everyone's faces as we looked up at the great stone structure before us. Many memories were held within these walls. Some were good and some were, well, not so good, but at that moment looking up at the lighted windows and stone towers, they all came rushing back to us.
We followed to moving crowd in through the entrance and into the Great Hall where everyone began to break apart, going to there separate house tables. We took our seats at the Gryffindor table. Within a few minutes all of the tables were filled, except a few that were reserved at the very end for the next first years, and waiting for them to arrive was always the hardest part of the night. At long last the doors to the Great Hall flew open and fifty or so little first years came through it lead my Professor McGonagall. "Would you all please gather around here," she was saying, "Now, I will call your name, you will come forward and sit on the stool, then I will place the sorting hat on your head and you will be sorted into your houses." She swallowed and looked around at the whole hall, she then unrolled the large piece of parchment and read the first name. "Bailey, Kathryn." A small girl with blonde hair and glasses stepped forward and sat on the stool. "Gryffindor!" shouted the hat as all the Gryffindors erupted with applause. "Hammond, Alexis." A tall girl with long dark hair stepped forward and the sorting hat placed her in Ravenclaw. Soon everyone had just about been sorted except one boy. He had medium blonde hair and was rather tall. When the sorting hat called out, "Matis, Justin" he stepped forward and sat on the stool. No sooner had he done that than the sorting hat shouted, "Slytherin!" The Slytherin table went wild and for the first time since last June, Harry, Hermione, Ron, and I saw Draco Malfoy. Harry's school rival from the opposite house. I pulled my attention away from him as quick as possible and the other three did the same because Dumbledore looked as though he was going to speak. "I have some notices that need to be said. First of all, first years please note that the Dark Forest on the grounds are off limits to all of Hogwarts students and the that the village of Hogsmeade is also to students under the third year. Thank you." Dumbledore paused and looked around at the hall. All eyes were on him and a silence that was so absolute filled the air. I could tell that everyone was waiting to here what he had to say about the Hogwarts Express incident. I know I was. Finally Dumbledore continued, "Now, I know that you are all wondering about what has happened this evening on the Hogwarts Express." There was a lot of muffled whispers and nods of yes in Dumbledore's direction. "Well, there is really no easy way to explain this to you all, but the reason that the Hogwarts Express was teperaraly shut down was because-," he paused, looking around at everyone in the hall but for some reason I felt as though he was looking at the Gryffindor table more than the others and that worried me. Dumbledore went on, "There were almost one hundred Death Eaters aboard." I heard a lot of gasps and whispers from all around me. Although people's voices seemed quite far off. I think I was in shock or something. "Death Eaters?" someone was saying. "On the Hogwarts Express" "How could this happen?" said a sixth year Hufflepuff girl. "What did they want?" "Please everyone, settle down and I will go on." said Dumbledore, "And, I have just received word that they were only looking for certain people- muggle borns." Harry and Ron both gave us worried looks. Hermione and myself are both muggle born children. I know that I must have looked stunned because Harry looked at me in an odd sort of way. Ron did the same to Hermione. "So," continued Dumbledore over the out bursts of talking, "You will understand it when I say that I would like another student with each muggle born at all times, for the most part, at least until this is all over and we now that it is safe." "That works out great!" said Ron, "You two are both muggle borns and Harry and me aren't! Plus we have all our classes together this year, so we'll protect you guys!" Hermione leaned over to me and said, "Oh, I feel very safe now." in a sarcastic way, and I tried to stifle a giggle. "And you should!" said Harry, smiling. Finally the feast began and Ron reached for just about everything he could reach. He stopped suddenly and looked at us, looking at him. "Aren't you going to eat?" he asked. "Oh, yeah, absolutely, yup." we all said and reached for a roll. The feast was delicious but I was tired and finally we were allowed to go to bed. When at last we were in the Gryffindor common room, we all went up to our dormitories. Slowly I opened my eyes. A blinding light was engulfing our room. I closed my eyes again, yawned, and rolled over. "What time is it?" came Hermione's voice from across the room. I opened my eyes once more and squinted to see my watch because my glasses weren't on. "Seven thirty." I said and then caught my self, "Seven thirty? Hermione, wake up! It's seven thirty!" I jumped out of bed, "Hermione! C'mon! Were going to be late for our first day of lessons!" Hermione jumped up too. We got dressed quickly and silently. Well except for when I fell flat on my face trying to put my shoe on. That caused Hermione to laugh. When I was done getting ready I grabbed my book bag and ran out the door. Hermione was right behind me. Down in the common room, Harry and Ron sat waiting for us. "About time." they said as we skidded to a halt in front of them. "Oh, come on you guys. Were not that late." "We know you're not, but come on of we will be." We all went down to the great hall for breakfast where Fred Weasley handed us each a slip of parchment. "Fifth year schedules," he said through a mouth full of toast. "Oh, no," I groaned, "Look, we have Double Advanced Potions will the Slytherin's first thing. Just once I would like to have it with the Hufflepuffs or even the Ravenclaws but not the Slithering!" "Yeah, but look! Then we have lunch!" said Ron happily. "Then Care of Magical Creatures with Hagrid. Well, that won't be so bad now will it? Its a wonderful day to be down on the grounds anyway." said Hermione. "Well at least we didn't get biting books this year!" said Harry, "Those things were a nightmare!" We finished our breakfast slowly and then headed down to the dungeons. When we finally got to the potions room we found a small table in the back of the room and claimed it. It was a few minutes later when Professor Snape walked babbling his usual start of term lecture. Snape suddenly looked up and stared at us. "Well, well, if it isn't the famous Harry Potter, and his friends, Miss. Granger, Mr. Weasley, and Miss. Essig. Decided to come back did you? I just nodded. I knew that if I just kept my mouth shut there was know way he would be able to take away any points from Gryffindor. "Well," he looked as if he didn't know what to say, "Five points from Gryffindor!" I was wrong again! "What?" I stood up, "Why?" "Miss. Essig. You will sit down now or you might just change that five to a fifty!" he snarled. At long last Potions ended. How could I have been so stupid? Why didn't I just answer him? And now I have just gotten the first points taken away from Gryffindor this year! I felt miserable. "Its okay Sam," said Ron, "Harry and Hermione have gotten the first points taken away loads of times before." "Yeah, and always by Snape too." said Harry clinching his fists, "Hey Ron, what do you mean just me and Mione? You have to!" Ron went red. After lunch the four of us pulled on our cloaks and headed down onto the grounds. It was a nice sunny day but the wind was blowing and that made it fairly cool out. "How'r yer doin' today?" asked Hagrid as we approced. "Not bad. How about you?" asked Harry. "Oh, not bad, not bad." he said, "Got a real interestin' leason fer ya'll today. Think your gonna like it." Within a few minutes everyone else had arrived for class. "Settle down now, settle down." Hagrid was saying, "Fer this tern you'll be workin' with Crups!" Many people around us smiled and looked excited. "Now fer those of ya who don't know what a crup it, well there jus' dogs! Sorta anyway. Dogs with special magical powers. If you can take care of yer crup the whole year than you can take em' home with yer at the end of the year!" Hermione and myself smiled. So did Harry and Ron. "Now if the Gryffindor girls would follow me, ya getta pick yer crup puppies first!" Hermione, Pavarti, Lavender, myself and a few other girls stepped forward. "Ohhh," squealed Pavarti as we reached the pin which held sixty or so little puppies. Some were small, some were big. Some were skinny and others resembled chubby little rolly polies! A few had floppy ears but most had pointed ones. "Go 'head now. Grab the one you want mos'." We all bent down a picked up a ball of fur. Mine was black and had white all along its belly and chin. Also the tip of its tail was white as well and on the side of its neck was a white star shaped marking. She also had a pair of huge floppy ears that reminded me of a basset hound, and when she ran she would trip over them. My little crups name spoke for its self. I named her, Clumbzie. The rest of the night went by in a blur and the next thing I knew we were climbing the stairs to out dormitories. The strange thing was though, I had an awkward feeling in my stomach. Almost like when your nurvase and you have butterflies. Only I wasn't nurvase and this feeling wouldn't go away. It followed me into bed and then into my dreams. I awoke in the middle of that night. The feeling that I had earlier that day was now unbearable. It was actually hurting me. I tried to sit up a bit but the feeling seemed to push me back down. "Sam?" came Hermione's voice, "Does your stomache feel odd too?" "Yeah. It has since last night but it didn't hurt then." I laid in silence for a few more minutes until Hermione suggested that we go down to the Hospital Wing. Maybe this was a viral thing and other students had it too. I agreed with her. It took me a few tries to get myself up but I finally did. Hermione and I pulled on out bathrobes and walked to the Hospital Wing. When we walked in Madame Pomfrey came walking up to us. "Are you two sick as well?" she asked. "Uh," Hermione and I looked at each other, "Sort of." I said She felt our foreheads. "You both have fevers. I think it would be best if you two stayed the night in here. I just want to make sure this will pass." She said then she led us to two beds. I looked at the two beside ours that were occupied. "Harry?" I said. Hermione looked. "Ron?" she said back. We were right. Harry and Ron were in there too. Hermione and myself quickly fell asleep though, not having much time to wonder why Harry and Ron were in here as well. The next thing I knew, light was shinning through my eyelids. I opened them slowly, put my glasses on and looked around. Ron looked to be still asleep but Hermione and Harry were awake and talking to each other. "Morning." said Harry when he saw that I was awake. "Good Morning," I said, "How are you feeling." "Better, I guess, and you?" "Pretty good." I said. At that moment Madam Pomfey strolled by and took all of our temperatures. "Still a bit high," she announced to us all, "but better. Much better. You should be able to leave this afternoon, I think." Around five o' clock that afternoon we were told that we could go. "But I would like you two," she said pointing to Hermione and I, "to stay a bit longer. "Why?" said Hermione jumping up. "Professor Dumbledore insists," she said as she walked away. "But you both may get into you normal clothes if you wish. I just need to speak with you two." Professor Dumbledore had come up behind Harry and Ron. Dumbledore smiled and hurried the boys out. "Sorry about this you two," said Dumbledore," but I do need to speak with you both. It is urgent." "Okay, go ahead." "It's about what happened the other night on the train." he said calmly. "We already know," said Hermione, "They were looking for muggle borns and that's what we are. "Yes, but I'm afraid that it goes a bit deeper than that. The Death Eaters on the train were looking for," he pause, "you." "U-us? Both of us?" I asked. "Yes." "But why us?" Hermione said. "I don't know yet. We only know that its you two they want." "Your not going to send us home are you?" I asked. "No, no, of course not. Well, not until things get out of control and we can't protect you anymore." "So, what are we going to do?" asked Hermione. "First of all I want the two of you to take extra precautions at all times. And I mean all times, girls. Walking in the corridors, using the restroom, even sleeping in your dormitories. Second, always have someone with you. Now I know that you two share a dormitory so your okay there and you have your classes with other students and you two and Mr. Weasley and Mr. Potter are just about inseparable so that should work out great. And last, just be aware of what's around you. You are both great girls and I really don't want anything to happen to you. Do you remember your second year and how much trouble went on then?" Dumbledore asked. We both nodded. I hadn't been going to Hogwarts when I was twelve. But I had been a huge fan of the books before I knew that there was such a place as Hogwarts. Hermione had been there. "Well, we don't want anything like that to happen Aegean." he said. "But we can continue our normal things, can't we? Like-" "Like Quidditch?" I cut Hermione off. Dumbledore laughed before continuing, "Well thats all I have to say. You may leave now if you would like."
We meet up with Harry and Ron in the common room after running the whole way from the Hospital Wing. "What's going on?" asked Ron, following Hermione and myself over to a couch in the corner. We all plopped down on it. The four of us sat there as Hermione and I explained what all Dumbledore had told us. When we finished Harry and Ron looked stunned. "What are you guys going to do?" asked Harry. "Just be careful, I guess. Thats really all we can do." The guys just looked at us. Then Harry (obviously trying to get us off that subject) said, "C'mon. Lets go eat. I'm so hungry" We all got up and went down to the Great Hall for Dinner. The food was delicious, but Hermione and I finished it in a hurry. We had a lot of homework and were going to work in the library. We said good bye to Harry and Ron and flew out of the Great Hall. We ran up the marble staircase and down a corridor. "Hey, Mudbloods." said a voice behind them. Turning they realized who it was, Malfoy. "Go away Malfoy." I said. "Hey, Samantha, calm down. I only wanted to help." he said. "How could you ever help us?" asked Hermione. "No, no. You mudbloods have got it all wrong. I don't wanna help you. I'm going to help the Death Eaters." "What do you mean?" said Hermione but Malfoy pulled out his wand. "You'll go to Azkaban." I said stepping back. "Wanna bet?" he responded, pulling his wand up over his head. Both Hermione and I reached for our wands but it was too late. "Avada Kedavra!" he shouted and there was a blinding green light and I was thrown off my feet and agenst the wall. Hermione landed next to me. The sound of her body hitting the wall and sliding to the floor like mine had just done was the last thing I heard before my eyes closed and I passed out.
The next few hours on the train where highly enjoyed by everyone. The time was spent talking about everyone's summer holiday (some better than others), playing games of Exploding Snap and Wizard's Chess, and eating the candy that everyone had helped buy when the plump little witch with the lunch cart had come around. Hermione looked out the window, "I think that we will be there soon." It was dark now and it did seem that we should be nearly there. Suddenly the Hogwarts Express came to an abrupt halt, and all the lights went out. I heard gasps from all around me and I rushed to sit back down in my seat. "What's going on?" came Harry's voice. "I don't know," I said, "But- OUCH! Who stepped on my foot?" "Oh, sorry Sam. It was me." said Ron. "It's okay. I just want to know what's going -" "Attention Hogwarts students!" a voice was coming through the speaker on the wall, "It is very urgent that you lock your compartment doors at once and get out of view of any windows. Under your seats is a good idea. If you are not in a compartment please get the nearest place with a lock. This is very important for everyone's safety." and with that the speaker went dead. The next thing we all heard were footsteps then a click and Hermione talking, "I locked the door." she said. "But why did we have to in the first place?" asked Ron. Even though I couldn't see anything I could tell that Hermione was glaring in the direction of Ron's voice. "Do you have to ask a question everytime someone tells you to do something?" There was a long pause. "Um...no." said Ron slowly. I let out a small giggle. Obviously there was nothing funny about this situation but every once in a while it just makes you feel good to laugh at one of Ron's delayed reactions. "C'mon you guys. Let's get under the seats. Whatever's going on, they obviously don't want us to be visible through the windows." said Harry "Yeah," I breathed climbing under a seat. Someone climbed in soon after on either side, "What do you guys think is going on?" I whispered. "I dunno but it has to be something really important." came Hermione's voice. "Like what?" "To shut down the Hogwarts Express? You-Know-Who would have to be on board or something." she replied. "Wow," I said under my breath, "You don't think anything like that has happened, do you?" "It couldn't." said Harry, "Wouldn't my scar be hurting?" "You would think," I said, "But that can't be it. There must be a reasonable explanation. Maybe this is just a drill or something, you know, to see how we would act if that really did happen. You think?" "Maybe," said Ron slowly, "But they have never done that. Even before you started going here, Sam." I though. "Hey," said Hermione, "I think we should stop talking. If there is something out there, it can probably hear us and we don't want it to know we are in here." I shut up. She was right. I didn't want anything to get to us. Suddenly the door began to shake then before long it sounded as though someone was literally pounding on it. I heard someone scream from around me. What in the world was going on? Was I going to make it to be a fifth year at Hogwarts? "Shut up!" I heard my voice along with Hermione's in a whispering hiss. Who ever had been screaming suddenly stopped. The vicious pounding on the door continued for about thirty more seconds before it finally died away. The four of us sat in the dark, silently, for almost a half an hour after that. No one knew really what to say to each other, I think. Finally the reassuring sounds of the train's engine filled our ears and the lights flickered back on. "Thank you all for your cooperation. We will continue to make our way to Hogwarts where everything will be explained to you." The speaker box on the wall said. We all climbed out of our hiding places and sat down. Everyone seemed to have let out a breath of relief.
At long last the Hogwarts Express pulled into the Hogsmeade train station. "I can't wait to see what the teachers have to say about all this." Hermione was saying as we stepped off the train. "I just want to get to the feast! I'm really hungry!" said Ron. "Oh, what's new?" said Hermione impatiently. "Hey, you guys, don't we need to go that way?" I asked jerking my thumb over my shoulder, "Towards the carriages?" I guess that in all the confusion we had been going the wrong way. "Oh yeah." said Harry as we all changed directions. Because we were late to meet the rest of out fellow students, we had a bit of a hard time finding a carriage to hold us all. Eventually we did find one with only three other people inside. Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnagan, and Ginny Weasley (Ron's younger sister) were the occupants inside. "Hi," said Neville as we climbed in and sat down, "How bout' that train ride, huh? Scared the living daylights outta me!" "Yeah, our door started to shake, you know like someone or something was trying to get in. Nothing did, thank heavens!" "That's what happened to us too!" said Ron. "Yeah and you- Oh my gosh, Sam," said Hermione, "What about Jen?" "What? Jen? Oh, right, right! Her parents made her move and they wouldn't allow her to come back this year." I said. "Oh," said Ron in a low voice. We all knew he had liked her, although he had never officially told us anything about it. We all smiled at him. "Shut up! I only meant that, well, she was just getting good at flying. Why should she have to stop now?" We were all still smiling at him even though we didn't say anything more. When we pulled up in front of the Entrance Hall, huge grins began to cross everyone's faces as we looked up at the great stone structure before us. Many memories were held within these walls. Some were good and some were, well, not so good, but at that moment looking up at the lighted windows and stone towers, they all came rushing back to us.
We followed to moving crowd in through the entrance and into the Great Hall where everyone began to break apart, going to there separate house tables. We took our seats at the Gryffindor table. Within a few minutes all of the tables were filled, except a few that were reserved at the very end for the next first years, and waiting for them to arrive was always the hardest part of the night. At long last the doors to the Great Hall flew open and fifty or so little first years came through it lead my Professor McGonagall. "Would you all please gather around here," she was saying, "Now, I will call your name, you will come forward and sit on the stool, then I will place the sorting hat on your head and you will be sorted into your houses." She swallowed and looked around at the whole hall, she then unrolled the large piece of parchment and read the first name. "Bailey, Kathryn." A small girl with blonde hair and glasses stepped forward and sat on the stool. "Gryffindor!" shouted the hat as all the Gryffindors erupted with applause. "Hammond, Alexis." A tall girl with long dark hair stepped forward and the sorting hat placed her in Ravenclaw. Soon everyone had just about been sorted except one boy. He had medium blonde hair and was rather tall. When the sorting hat called out, "Matis, Justin" he stepped forward and sat on the stool. No sooner had he done that than the sorting hat shouted, "Slytherin!" The Slytherin table went wild and for the first time since last June, Harry, Hermione, Ron, and I saw Draco Malfoy. Harry's school rival from the opposite house. I pulled my attention away from him as quick as possible and the other three did the same because Dumbledore looked as though he was going to speak. "I have some notices that need to be said. First of all, first years please note that the Dark Forest on the grounds are off limits to all of Hogwarts students and the that the village of Hogsmeade is also to students under the third year. Thank you." Dumbledore paused and looked around at the hall. All eyes were on him and a silence that was so absolute filled the air. I could tell that everyone was waiting to here what he had to say about the Hogwarts Express incident. I know I was. Finally Dumbledore continued, "Now, I know that you are all wondering about what has happened this evening on the Hogwarts Express." There was a lot of muffled whispers and nods of yes in Dumbledore's direction. "Well, there is really no easy way to explain this to you all, but the reason that the Hogwarts Express was teperaraly shut down was because-," he paused, looking around at everyone in the hall but for some reason I felt as though he was looking at the Gryffindor table more than the others and that worried me. Dumbledore went on, "There were almost one hundred Death Eaters aboard." I heard a lot of gasps and whispers from all around me. Although people's voices seemed quite far off. I think I was in shock or something. "Death Eaters?" someone was saying. "On the Hogwarts Express" "How could this happen?" said a sixth year Hufflepuff girl. "What did they want?" "Please everyone, settle down and I will go on." said Dumbledore, "And, I have just received word that they were only looking for certain people- muggle borns." Harry and Ron both gave us worried looks. Hermione and myself are both muggle born children. I know that I must have looked stunned because Harry looked at me in an odd sort of way. Ron did the same to Hermione. "So," continued Dumbledore over the out bursts of talking, "You will understand it when I say that I would like another student with each muggle born at all times, for the most part, at least until this is all over and we now that it is safe." "That works out great!" said Ron, "You two are both muggle borns and Harry and me aren't! Plus we have all our classes together this year, so we'll protect you guys!" Hermione leaned over to me and said, "Oh, I feel very safe now." in a sarcastic way, and I tried to stifle a giggle. "And you should!" said Harry, smiling. Finally the feast began and Ron reached for just about everything he could reach. He stopped suddenly and looked at us, looking at him. "Aren't you going to eat?" he asked. "Oh, yeah, absolutely, yup." we all said and reached for a roll. The feast was delicious but I was tired and finally we were allowed to go to bed. When at last we were in the Gryffindor common room, we all went up to our dormitories. Slowly I opened my eyes. A blinding light was engulfing our room. I closed my eyes again, yawned, and rolled over. "What time is it?" came Hermione's voice from across the room. I opened my eyes once more and squinted to see my watch because my glasses weren't on. "Seven thirty." I said and then caught my self, "Seven thirty? Hermione, wake up! It's seven thirty!" I jumped out of bed, "Hermione! C'mon! Were going to be late for our first day of lessons!" Hermione jumped up too. We got dressed quickly and silently. Well except for when I fell flat on my face trying to put my shoe on. That caused Hermione to laugh. When I was done getting ready I grabbed my book bag and ran out the door. Hermione was right behind me. Down in the common room, Harry and Ron sat waiting for us. "About time." they said as we skidded to a halt in front of them. "Oh, come on you guys. Were not that late." "We know you're not, but come on of we will be." We all went down to the great hall for breakfast where Fred Weasley handed us each a slip of parchment. "Fifth year schedules," he said through a mouth full of toast. "Oh, no," I groaned, "Look, we have Double Advanced Potions will the Slytherin's first thing. Just once I would like to have it with the Hufflepuffs or even the Ravenclaws but not the Slithering!" "Yeah, but look! Then we have lunch!" said Ron happily. "Then Care of Magical Creatures with Hagrid. Well, that won't be so bad now will it? Its a wonderful day to be down on the grounds anyway." said Hermione. "Well at least we didn't get biting books this year!" said Harry, "Those things were a nightmare!" We finished our breakfast slowly and then headed down to the dungeons. When we finally got to the potions room we found a small table in the back of the room and claimed it. It was a few minutes later when Professor Snape walked babbling his usual start of term lecture. Snape suddenly looked up and stared at us. "Well, well, if it isn't the famous Harry Potter, and his friends, Miss. Granger, Mr. Weasley, and Miss. Essig. Decided to come back did you? I just nodded. I knew that if I just kept my mouth shut there was know way he would be able to take away any points from Gryffindor. "Well," he looked as if he didn't know what to say, "Five points from Gryffindor!" I was wrong again! "What?" I stood up, "Why?" "Miss. Essig. You will sit down now or you might just change that five to a fifty!" he snarled. At long last Potions ended. How could I have been so stupid? Why didn't I just answer him? And now I have just gotten the first points taken away from Gryffindor this year! I felt miserable. "Its okay Sam," said Ron, "Harry and Hermione have gotten the first points taken away loads of times before." "Yeah, and always by Snape too." said Harry clinching his fists, "Hey Ron, what do you mean just me and Mione? You have to!" Ron went red. After lunch the four of us pulled on our cloaks and headed down onto the grounds. It was a nice sunny day but the wind was blowing and that made it fairly cool out. "How'r yer doin' today?" asked Hagrid as we approced. "Not bad. How about you?" asked Harry. "Oh, not bad, not bad." he said, "Got a real interestin' leason fer ya'll today. Think your gonna like it." Within a few minutes everyone else had arrived for class. "Settle down now, settle down." Hagrid was saying, "Fer this tern you'll be workin' with Crups!" Many people around us smiled and looked excited. "Now fer those of ya who don't know what a crup it, well there jus' dogs! Sorta anyway. Dogs with special magical powers. If you can take care of yer crup the whole year than you can take em' home with yer at the end of the year!" Hermione and myself smiled. So did Harry and Ron. "Now if the Gryffindor girls would follow me, ya getta pick yer crup puppies first!" Hermione, Pavarti, Lavender, myself and a few other girls stepped forward. "Ohhh," squealed Pavarti as we reached the pin which held sixty or so little puppies. Some were small, some were big. Some were skinny and others resembled chubby little rolly polies! A few had floppy ears but most had pointed ones. "Go 'head now. Grab the one you want mos'." We all bent down a picked up a ball of fur. Mine was black and had white all along its belly and chin. Also the tip of its tail was white as well and on the side of its neck was a white star shaped marking. She also had a pair of huge floppy ears that reminded me of a basset hound, and when she ran she would trip over them. My little crups name spoke for its self. I named her, Clumbzie. The rest of the night went by in a blur and the next thing I knew we were climbing the stairs to out dormitories. The strange thing was though, I had an awkward feeling in my stomach. Almost like when your nurvase and you have butterflies. Only I wasn't nurvase and this feeling wouldn't go away. It followed me into bed and then into my dreams. I awoke in the middle of that night. The feeling that I had earlier that day was now unbearable. It was actually hurting me. I tried to sit up a bit but the feeling seemed to push me back down. "Sam?" came Hermione's voice, "Does your stomache feel odd too?" "Yeah. It has since last night but it didn't hurt then." I laid in silence for a few more minutes until Hermione suggested that we go down to the Hospital Wing. Maybe this was a viral thing and other students had it too. I agreed with her. It took me a few tries to get myself up but I finally did. Hermione and I pulled on out bathrobes and walked to the Hospital Wing. When we walked in Madame Pomfrey came walking up to us. "Are you two sick as well?" she asked. "Uh," Hermione and I looked at each other, "Sort of." I said She felt our foreheads. "You both have fevers. I think it would be best if you two stayed the night in here. I just want to make sure this will pass." She said then she led us to two beds. I looked at the two beside ours that were occupied. "Harry?" I said. Hermione looked. "Ron?" she said back. We were right. Harry and Ron were in there too. Hermione and myself quickly fell asleep though, not having much time to wonder why Harry and Ron were in here as well. The next thing I knew, light was shinning through my eyelids. I opened them slowly, put my glasses on and looked around. Ron looked to be still asleep but Hermione and Harry were awake and talking to each other. "Morning." said Harry when he saw that I was awake. "Good Morning," I said, "How are you feeling." "Better, I guess, and you?" "Pretty good." I said. At that moment Madam Pomfey strolled by and took all of our temperatures. "Still a bit high," she announced to us all, "but better. Much better. You should be able to leave this afternoon, I think." Around five o' clock that afternoon we were told that we could go. "But I would like you two," she said pointing to Hermione and I, "to stay a bit longer. "Why?" said Hermione jumping up. "Professor Dumbledore insists," she said as she walked away. "But you both may get into you normal clothes if you wish. I just need to speak with you two." Professor Dumbledore had come up behind Harry and Ron. Dumbledore smiled and hurried the boys out. "Sorry about this you two," said Dumbledore," but I do need to speak with you both. It is urgent." "Okay, go ahead." "It's about what happened the other night on the train." he said calmly. "We already know," said Hermione, "They were looking for muggle borns and that's what we are. "Yes, but I'm afraid that it goes a bit deeper than that. The Death Eaters on the train were looking for," he pause, "you." "U-us? Both of us?" I asked. "Yes." "But why us?" Hermione said. "I don't know yet. We only know that its you two they want." "Your not going to send us home are you?" I asked. "No, no, of course not. Well, not until things get out of control and we can't protect you anymore." "So, what are we going to do?" asked Hermione. "First of all I want the two of you to take extra precautions at all times. And I mean all times, girls. Walking in the corridors, using the restroom, even sleeping in your dormitories. Second, always have someone with you. Now I know that you two share a dormitory so your okay there and you have your classes with other students and you two and Mr. Weasley and Mr. Potter are just about inseparable so that should work out great. And last, just be aware of what's around you. You are both great girls and I really don't want anything to happen to you. Do you remember your second year and how much trouble went on then?" Dumbledore asked. We both nodded. I hadn't been going to Hogwarts when I was twelve. But I had been a huge fan of the books before I knew that there was such a place as Hogwarts. Hermione had been there. "Well, we don't want anything like that to happen Aegean." he said. "But we can continue our normal things, can't we? Like-" "Like Quidditch?" I cut Hermione off. Dumbledore laughed before continuing, "Well thats all I have to say. You may leave now if you would like."
We meet up with Harry and Ron in the common room after running the whole way from the Hospital Wing. "What's going on?" asked Ron, following Hermione and myself over to a couch in the corner. We all plopped down on it. The four of us sat there as Hermione and I explained what all Dumbledore had told us. When we finished Harry and Ron looked stunned. "What are you guys going to do?" asked Harry. "Just be careful, I guess. Thats really all we can do." The guys just looked at us. Then Harry (obviously trying to get us off that subject) said, "C'mon. Lets go eat. I'm so hungry" We all got up and went down to the Great Hall for Dinner. The food was delicious, but Hermione and I finished it in a hurry. We had a lot of homework and were going to work in the library. We said good bye to Harry and Ron and flew out of the Great Hall. We ran up the marble staircase and down a corridor. "Hey, Mudbloods." said a voice behind them. Turning they realized who it was, Malfoy. "Go away Malfoy." I said. "Hey, Samantha, calm down. I only wanted to help." he said. "How could you ever help us?" asked Hermione. "No, no. You mudbloods have got it all wrong. I don't wanna help you. I'm going to help the Death Eaters." "What do you mean?" said Hermione but Malfoy pulled out his wand. "You'll go to Azkaban." I said stepping back. "Wanna bet?" he responded, pulling his wand up over his head. Both Hermione and I reached for our wands but it was too late. "Avada Kedavra!" he shouted and there was a blinding green light and I was thrown off my feet and agenst the wall. Hermione landed next to me. The sound of her body hitting the wall and sliding to the floor like mine had just done was the last thing I heard before my eyes closed and I passed out.