A/N: Hope you like it…

Chapter 2: Aboard The Hogwarts Express

Mr. Granger yelling that they were going to be late if they didn't come out of bed soon awoke Hermione and Nora that morning. They had a small breakfast; neither of them was very hungry after the events that happened last night. Mr. Granger came in after a few minutes and told them to hurry up or they'd be late. The two girls quickly entered the hallway where their trunks lay and put them in the car along with Crookshanks and Nora's snowy white owl Siberia. Her little sister had named it that and it wouldn't listen to anything else anymore. How annoying siblings could be!

They both took seats in the car waiting for Mr. Granger to drive them. Neither of them could wait to start their sixth year at Hogwarts.

This year Dumbledore had decided to change things on the matter of Head Boy and Head Girl. He had decided that four sixth years would be Heads now, two boys and two girls, since the seventh years were usually too busy with their N.E.W.T's.

When Nora and Hermione had received their Hogwarts letters with a list of school supplies, they had also both received a Head Girl badge and their OWL results. Hermione had gotten twelve OWL's, of course, she was too bright to receive less, and Nora had gotten ten. Harry and Ron had sent Pigwidgeon with their results and the little owl zoomed 'round and 'round while the two girls read the letter:

Dear Nora and Hermione,

We've just received our OWL results and I wanted to tell you that we both have seven OWL's! I, for one, hadn't expected to get so many. We're currently staying at Sirius' old house… I really think it's killing Harry; he can't sleep and he says he has a lot of 'weird dreams'. He won't talk about them, though, but I can tell he really misses Sirius.

Ron

The ride to King's Cross was quite silent and Mr. Granger behaved in a normal way, like he hadn't put his wife into a coma the day before. Of course he didn't know. But this really was the Mr. Granger Hermione and Nora had known since they were little.

"Good bye, sweety, have a fun time at Hogwarts. Enjoy yourselves," Mr. Granger said as he started to drive away. The two girls waved him off before walking to platform 9 ¾. After making sure that no one was watching they casually slipped through the secret barrier. They were just on time to catch the train and as soon as the two had found a compartment to themselves the train began moving.

"I'm going to find Harry and Ron. I'll tell them that we want our own compartment. Don't worry," Nora added quickly, noticing Hermione's worried face, "I'll tell them we need to talk or something, ok? They'll probably just think it's about something girly." Hermione chuckled, despite the way she felt. So Nora left their compartment and searched for her other best friends. She found them in a compartment along with Ginny, Neville and Luna.

"Hi, can I talk to you two outside for a minute?" she asked Harry and Ron quietly and then went into the corridor, waiting for the two boys to come too.

"What's up? We didn't see you get on the train; we thought you'd missed it. How come you're not sitting with us?" asked Ron.

"Well we wanted our own compartment. Because we ehm… well, we need to talk about some stuff," Nora replied vaguely.

"Oh, right," Harry said to Ron, who was looking puzzled. "Girl talk, we better not get in the way, we wouldn't understand a thing."

"Oh, right." Then they both went into their compartment and talked to Ginny. Nora was a bit befuddled; she hadn't thought they'd buy it that quickly. She shook her head slightly while heading back to her compartment. Harry and Ron could be so thick sometimes. Nora took a seat across from Hermione, who was reading a book, and knew, by the fact that Hermione's wasn't moving her eyes at all, that she shouldn't disturb her best friend as she was obviously thinking about her father. Slowly a tear rolled down Hermione's cheek and soon another one followed. Nora pretended not to notice. 'Poor Hermione, all that trouble in her family,' she thought. 'I hope her mum's all right; at least she treated Hermione like a daughter. Though I don't know what's making her dad act so strangely. He's never hit his family or been so violent. On the contrary: he once tried to save a fly drowning in his soup… Lord save us all, not that creep Malfoy again. Why can't the stupid prick just leave us alone for one day?'

"Well hello there, mudbloods." Hermione snapped her head up, clearly shocked, and quickly wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. Apparently she hadn't noticed Malfoy enter. "Where are you're boyfriends, Potty and Weasel? Did they decide you mudbloods weren't good enough to them? That's the smartest move they've made in five years," he said smirking.

"Oh, stuff it Malfoy. Why can't you just leave us alone?" replied Nora furiously. She looked beside Malfoy before continuing. "Besides, where are your bodyguards Crabbe and Goyle? Did they finally decide they were sick of protecting a small squirmy ferret like you?" Malfoy's eyes narrowed and he glared around him to see if anyone had heard.

"Is that all you can come up with Glassyd? What happened? Did all of your brain cells fall out through that big, fat open mouth of yours?" Malfoy retorted, recovering from his shock rapidly. 'Note to self, Draco, come up with better insults and comebacks.'

"Oh just leave, you prick," Nora said furiously, standing up and grabbing her wand. She glared into his ice-cold gray eyes for a few seconds before shoving him out of the compartment and closing the door. Then she sat down and stared outside at the slowly changing scenery only to doze off after a while, leaving Hermione alone so she could think.

Harry got out of the Ministry car with Ron at King's Cross. Mrs. Weasley led them to platform 9 ¾ and ordered them through it in pairs; afraid they were going to be late. Harry casually leant against the barrier with Ron and their trolleys and fell through it. Instantly platform 9 ¾ materialized in front of them and a great purple steam engine stood there, waiting, more Hogwarts students standing in front of it, saying goodbye to their families. Harry and Ron got on the train and put their stuff in a free compartment before walking back to Mrs. Weasley."Now you kids take good care, all right? And don't get into any trouble," she added firmly, eyeing her children and Harry with suspicion.

"We won't, mum," Ron muttered, a little agitated.

"Goodbye, then. Have a great year," Mrs. Weasley told them and she gave Ginny, Ron and Harry a big hug before steering them back onto the train. Harry and Ron walked to the back for a compartment with Ginny to find Neville and Luna sitting in one. The three joined them and Ginny immediately began talking to Luna, exited about a new year at Hogwarts.

"Where are Hermione and Nora?" Ron asked Harry, who was staring out of the window.

"Beats me. Maybe they overslept and only just got on?" he replied.

"I don't think so. We're already moving," said Ron.

"What? Really?" asked Harry. He looked out of the window. "Blimey. Where can they be?" As if answering his question Nora stepped inside their compartment.

"Hi, can I talk to you two outside for a minute?" she them quietly. The two boys nodded and stepped outside into the corridor where Nora was waiting.

"What's up? We didn't see you get on the train; we thought you'd missed it. How come you're not sitting with us?" Ron asked her.

"Well, we wanted our own compartment. Because we ehm… well, we need to talk about some stuff," Nora replied vaguely.

"Oh, right," Harry said to Ron, who was looking very puzzled. "Girl talk, we better not get in the way, we wouldn't understand a thing."

"Oh, right." Then the two boys both went into their compartment and talked to Ginny while Luna was reading the Quibbler, right side up, and Neville was taking care of his Mimbulus Mimbletonia, which had grown to an alarmingly large size and snarled when agitated.

Time passed fairly quickly while Harry and Ron were playing exploding snap. Soon the lunch trolley arrived and in half an hour all the food was gone again. Sometimes a few people would come in and have a little chat. So far Seamus and Dean had stopped by with Parvati and Lavender.

Harry and Ron were about to start yet another game of exploding snap when the compartment door slid open again. Ron groaned as he saw who it was. Harry looked up.

"What do you want, Malfoy," he said automatically while thinking: 'Every year.'

"Nothing. Just wanted to check how you were doing now that your dear Godfather has been… well, murdered," replied Malfoy quietly, a sneer on his face. Harry glared, trying not to look stricken.

"Stuff it, Blondie," Ron said bitterly. It was obvious he was working very hard to not attack Malfoy right then and there.

"Calm down, Weasel. Your family might not be able to afford the medical bills if you get into a fight with me now. I'd hate to think of what they'd have to sell. I know that house of yours won't bring up that much money, if you can call it a house," Malfoy snapped. Ron let out a cry of anger and leapt at Malfoy. He would've gotten a few hits if Ginny hadn't been holding on to his robes.

"Get lost," Harry snarled as he stood up. Malfoy didn't budge. "I said get lost." When Malfoy still wouldn't move Harry pushed him into the corridor and slammed the compartment door shut, fuming with rage.

After some time the food trolley being pushed outside their compartment woke Nora and Hermione up. They both bought a bit of everything and began to eat rather rapidly, having only had a very small breakfast. When the food was gone and their stomachs were filled they both put on their Hogwarts Robes and decided to read a while.Gradually it grew darker and darker until the scenery outside was nothing but dark towering figures. Hermione looked outside and stared deep into the dark, feeling somewhat comforted by the darkness surrounding their train. At seven p.m. the Hogwarts Express halted and everybody got off, heading for the 'horseless' carriages that would take them to the Castle. The first-years, of course, had to cross the lake instead, as it was some sort of a tradition.

Nora and Hermione got off the train and climbed into one of the carriages. A few minutes later Harry and Ron joined.

"Hey," the two girls said but the boys just grunted in reply.

"What happened?" asked Hermione. Ron looked resolutely out of the window, leaving Harry to answer.

"Malfoy," he said.

"Ahhhh. Yes, we got a little visit from him, too," Nora told him. Harry nodded but Ron was still staring out of the window as they were pulled up to the Castle; he was a bit embarrassed by what Malfoy had said.

Nora and Hermione had placed themselves across Harry and Ron at the Gryffindor table and were chatting happily. Hermione was starting to be herself again, all of her worries washed away as she looked around the familiar Great Hall with its beautiful decoration and amazing ceiling that was enchanted to show the sky outside. Finally professor McGonagall came into the great hall leading a long line of first-years. She set the sorting hat onto a four-legged stool and for a moment everyone stared at it expectantly, then a tear near the brim opened at the hat broke out into a song:

You may think I'm frayed and tattered,

But do not get me wrong,

For I am the Hogwarts Sorting Hat,

(I sort you where you belong).

There is nothing in your little heads,

The Sorting Hat can't see,

Just put me on and I'll tell you,

Where you ought to be.

Possibly you'll be put in Gryffindor,

When you've courage left to spare,

Those bold and daring actions,

Are never too much to bear.

Or perhaps it'll be Slytherin,

If you've cunning that reaches the top,

and the shrewd and clever plans,

That no one will be able to stop.

But maybe it'll be Ravenclaw,

When you've got eagerness for learning,

And you're desire to gain knowledge,

Impatiently burning.

And otherwise it'll be Hufflepuff,

When loyalty is you,

When you are great at keeping secrets

And always remaining true.

These are the Hogwarts houses,

(There are four of them, if you must know),

And each has different qualities,

(One of which you all clearly show).

But now I'll quiet down,

So let's get on with the Sorting,

But don't get yourself too excited,

For I think it's rather boring.

Ron massaged his stomach all through the sorting, occasionally muttering things like: "Who cares where they're sorted, as long as I get to eat," or "Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up!" Hermione glared at him every so often.

"Ron!" she whispered. "There are more important things in the world than food!" Ron looked at her with a blank expression.

"Like what?" he whispered as his stomach gave a loud rumble.

"Like elf rights!" she snapped quietly before clapping along with the rest of the Gryffindors as a timid looking girl walked over and sat down at their table.

After all of the first years had been sorted Dumbledore stood up to make his annual speech. Ron groaned and he started massaging his stomach again.

"Welcome or welcome back. Pick whichever you like," Dumbledore began. The Gryffindor four all thought that he looked a lot older and wearier than last time he had seen him. "I hope that this year will be another magical experience teaching you all sorts of things that you can forget immediately next summer." There was a hearty laugh and Dumbledore smiled down at them. "Before we begin a delicious meal there are a few important topics. First of all the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all students. Second of all, Mr. Filch, our caretaker, has asked me, for what he thinks is the six hundred and eighty-seventh time, to say that magic is not allowed in the corridors or out of classes and that the list of forbidden items can be found in his office. Now the last thing I have to say is important, and I need you all to pay attention: Lord Voldemort is back, more powerful than ever, and we must stick together and unite. Only then can we stand strong and fight... Having said that: dig in!" he finished and he sat down in his seat. It took a while before everyone began clapping, and when they did it was altered by whispers of fear, but the food smelled brilliantly in front of them and they were rather hungry so they were not bothered for too long. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Nora began piling a bit of everything on their plates and eating it.

"Ron! Calm down! This is not a race!" exclaimed Hermione quietly as she watched Ron fill his mouth greedily with a revolted look on her face.

"So?" he asked as he started chewing.

"Oh, Merlin," muttered Hermione as she looked away.

"Hermione's right, Ron. That's really repulsive," Nora told him, making a face, but he just shrugged.

"Then don't watch," he replied, his mouth full to exploding point. Harry sniggered at the sight but stopped when Hermione and Nora shot him dark looks.

"If looks could kill…" he muttered to himself.

After the feast the new prefects led the first years to their dormitories while Harry and Ron said "Good night," to Hermione and Nora, who would be sharing a different common room with the prefects and other Head's.

"Who do you think are the other Heads?" asked Hermione anxiously as Harry and Ron walked up the Marble Staircase.

"I have no idea," Nora replied. "Are you sure we have to wait here?"

"Yes, it said so in the Hogwarts letter," Hermione answered. Just then Malfoy walked over along with Terry Boot, a sixth year Ravenclaw.

"Malfoy?" exclaimed Nora quietly to Hermione, feeling disgusted. "Malfoy's a Head?" Hermione was too shocked to reply. Just then Dumbledore entered the Entrance Hall and told them to follow him. He led them to their own common room, somewhere between the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw dorms, and the two girls gasped when they entered it, appalled by its beauty.

A/N: That's it for now, hope you liked it. (Chapters will get longer, trust me).