rA/N: Thank you for reading and reviewing this, it means a lot to me! Now, on with the story! Oh, I own nothing from Harry Potter.

Chapter 2: Arrival

We had gotten our supply lists two days ago, and were now on our way to Diagon Alley to get our things. My own list required I get 5th year books, and it had come with a separate note from Dumbledore, telling me that I would only be taking 5th year classes, but I was welcome to study what I would be missing if I wanted. I finished reading all of Corin's books from his 4th year the week before we got our letters; I never bought new texts, I just used Corin's old ones.

Corin was going into his last year at Hogwarts, and it made me feel a but sad, knowing this would be the last time I spent with him at Hogwarts, and for a while. He was going off to live with Grandad O'Hare, to train and hopefully get a spot on a professional Quidditch team. I was glad for my brother and knew he would be in good hands. After all, being the grandchildren of the famous Darren O'Hare had its perks. Not that we were allowed to use them, Dad hadn't even been able to when he was growing up. Grandad had raised him- and through Dad, us too- to be as normal as witches and wizards can be.

We got into Diagon Alley through The Leaky Cauldron, and had split up to get our things. I had already started reading Corin's 5th year texts, so I was just going to take them with me instead of buying brand new ones. I still needed ingredients for Potions class, and my robes needed to be hemmed a bit. While Dad and Corin went to get his things, Mum and I stopped by the Magical Menagerie so I could buy more treats for my Great Horned Owl, Jasper. We were walking past Quality Quidditch Supplies, which had a huge crowd in and outside of it. I stopped and tried to get a look at what the fuss was about, when I ran into one of my best friends, Aravis Bower. She was in Ravenclaw with me; shorter than me and has short, straight brown hair with green eyes. "Arav!" I yelled over the noise, "What's all this fuss about?"

She fought her way out of the crowd and came up to me, looking excited and speechless. "It's the newest Nimbus model!" she gasped, "The Nimbus 2000!"

"What's it look like?" I questioned

"It's beautiful, polished to perfection. It's supposed to be the fastest broom in the world right now, even Americans are putting in orders for it! My cousin Stacy, she goes to Salem Witches Institute, said that the Sweetwater All-Stars put in orders for the whole team!"

"That must be a good broom! Imagine how good our Quidditch team would be this year with just one of them! Bgut I think I'll stick with my '98 for now until I save up. You find out how much it costs?"

Aravis shook her head. "I don't think I want to, I already know it'll be hideously expensive."

I nodded in agreement and asked if she'd like to come along with Mum and I on our shopping. Aravis ran back into the crowd to ask her parents, then came along with us to the ice cream parlor for a quick treat. Corin and Dad came over just as we were finishing our chocolate ice creams. I nudged Aravis with my elbow and grinned, and she elbowed me back with an embarrassed smile.

"Come off it, Arav." I whispered so no one could hear me, "Corin's not that great of a guy, you've got no reason to fancy him. Trust me, I live with him. He's cranky in the morning and has a bad temper nearly all of the time."

"Oh shut it, you're only saying that because-"

"It's true?" I interrupted with a grin. She huffed but couldn't suppress a smile at my comment.

Corin sat down across from us, and I could practically the nerves radiating off of her. I glanced at her, then sent an amused look to my brother. Our only similar features were our black wavy hair and same olive-toned skin. While my eyes were a light hazel-almost yellow-his eyes were grey.

Aravis casually asked, "You excited to start your last year at Hogwarts, Corin?"

He shrugged and said, "Sort of, but at the same time I'm sad. It's very bittersweet. Oi," he rounded on me, "Did you tell Arav what's going on this year for you?"

While Aravis blushed at the fact that my brother had used my pet name for her, I scowled at him in annoyance. I sighed and glared at him one more time before turning to my best friend, "I wasn't planning on telling you until we were on our way to Hogwarts, but I guess I'll tell you now that the big blabbermouth over here brought it up."

At Aravis's motion for me to continue, I explained, "Dumbledore sent me a letter about two weeks ago, saying that instead of taking 4th year classes with you and everyone else, I'm going to be taking 5th year courses."

"But how will you be prepared for that if you're skipping over 4th year?" Aravis asked frantically. Sometimes I thought she loved studying more than I did.

"I already read the books for 4th year, and have started on 5th year books."

Mum came up to us with Mr. and Mrs. Bower in tow and said, "Harmony, we still need to get your robes hemmed, remember?"

I nodded to Mum and threw away my trash, while Aravis shyly bid Corin farewell, and then turned so we could hug goodbye. "Write me so we can figure out where to meet on the train with the others, ok?" I nodded and said, "I'll write and send Jasper as soon as I can. There's one more bit of news I haven't told you yet, but it'll have to wait."

...September 1st...

I was sitting with my friends in an empty compartment on the Hogwarts Express. We had loaded up with sweets from the trolley, and were talking about our summers. Haley, a tall blonde Slytherin, was telling us about her trip to visit family in Spain, when Amanda Frey poked her head into our compartment. "Hey guys," she greeted us, "Have a good summer?" as she sat down next to me. Amanda was in Hufflepuff, and one of the sweetest girls at Hogwarts. Not even the Slytherins made fun of her, partially because Haley would hex them into next week, but also because no one ever had anything bad to say about her. We all said our hellos to her and listened as Haley went on finishing her story.

After a while we all quieted down and started doing our own individual things to entertain ourselves. Haley and Amanda fell asleep, Amanda's red hair falling into her face. Edmund, a Gryffindor with blond hair and brown eyes, pulled out a book to read. Aravis took to writing in her journal and occasionally petting her cat, Gizmo. It began to grow dark and soon the lights in our compartments switched on. I stared out the window into the country side, watching as it diminished and the outlines ofmountains sprang from the black.

Once the train stopped in Hogsmeade, we got our things and made our way to where the carriages were. Edmund called us over when he found an empty carriage, and we claimed it as our own, then got in as it made its usual walk up the road to the castle. It wasn't too long before the magicked carriages dropped us in front of Hogwarts' great oak front doors. McGonagall was waiting for us, and she led us into the Great Hall before going back to bring in the first years. While Edmund, Haley, and Amanda went to their respective House tables, Aravis and I headed to the Ravenclaw table, right next to Gryffindor. I looked over and saw Corin talking to some friends, but he raised his head and caught my eye, giving me a wave and sending a huge smile to Aravis before turning back to his friends.

I turned to my best friend and asked, "What was that all about?" with a teasing voice.

"I honestly don't know. He's never really said much to me." Aravis said absentmindedly.

"Well of course, Corin's a seventh year, what would he want to do with fourth years? Not to mention he's my brother and isn't too keen on hanging out with me and my friends when he's got his own."

Aravis grinned, "No, one fourth year and an honorary fifth year." I rolled my eyes but returned the smile. I glanced down the table, hoping no one had heard Aravis's words. I knew that the mocking and snide comments would never end if word got out that I was taking different classes than my fellow fourth years, not even my fellow Ravenclaws would stay silent. Soon we grew restless with waiting, and it seemed that right as there was an uproar of kids complaining about hunger, McGonagall walked into the Great Hall, first years nearly tripping over themselves to keep up with her.

The strict witch placed the Sorting Hat on its stool, and it started singing about the Four Founders of Hogwarts, and each house's traits. Once the song was done, the sorting began.

A/N: I hope you all like this chapter as much as you did the last. I promise in the next chapter the story will pick up and move along faster.i