Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this fanfiction. Harry Potter and all characters from the Harry Potter Series are property of J.K. Rowling.
New Beginnings
Chapter Six: New Year, New Changes
It was with a heavy heart that Harry locked Hedwig in her cage and latched shut his school trunk. He had become accustomed to seeing the fine drapery around his bed and the cheerful kitchen of this house, but above all he would miss the people who resided within Grimmuald Places' walls. It had become part of Harry's heart, a place that still brought back painful memories, but had given him a place to cherish as the last remaining remnant of his godfather's life. To leave it and the people in it would be difficult for Harry...
"Ready to go?" said Ron from behind his bed curtains where Harry could hear him piling items into his trunk without much thought.
"Yeah," said Harry vaguely staring around the bare room. "Yeah,"
Five minutes later Mrs. Weasley's shrill voice could be heard from the entrance hall yelling at Ginny and Hermione to get downstairs. Somehow Ginny had got her copy of Magical Herbs and Fungi stuck between the mattresses of her bed and was unable to remove it for five full minutes until Tonks arrived and stunned her mattress, which released the book.
They were once again traveling by the Knight Bus to King's Cross Station, something Ron seemed, once again, reluctant about as he glared at the giant purple bus as it appeared in the drive way. They all clamored on dragging their trunks and pet cages behind them while Stan Shunpike once again tried to engage Harry in conversation. The journey was not long at all as they were only going to downtown London, but never the less Ron was able to fall out of his chair seven and a half times. It would have been eight if an elderly woman getting off the bus hadn't broken his fall. When they came to their stop Harry passed his money to Stan while Stan pretended not to be totally entranced by Harry's scar. Tonks, Lupin, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley led the way for the four students as they stepped off the bus and into the crowded passenger area full of morning commuters.
It was 10:50 Am, according to Harry's watch, meaning they only had ten minutes to catch the train to Hogwarts. Harry and Ron jogged up to platforms nine and ten pushing along their bulky station carts and waiting for the others to catch up. Tonks and Ginny ran threw the seemingly solid barrier between platforms nine and ten first. They were immediately absorbed into the wall and disappeared. Mr. Weasley passed through next with Ron and Mrs. Weasley went with Hermione. Now it was only Lupin and Harry.
"Harry, wait!" said Lupin stopping Harry from heading toward the barrier. "Moody told me to tell you that you three should keep practicing Pain Deflection using hot coals and such. Don't try any of the big stuff and Tonks said keep going with your Metamorphagus training..."
"What about you?" Harry said. "Do we need to practice anything for your lessons?"
"No, no and you'll see why..." said Lupin smiling and flicked his hand to prod Harry toward teh platform. Harry gave him a questioning look but moved toward the barrier. He ran toward the brick wall gaining momentum all the way. A second later he had passed through the barrier and was standing on Platform nine and three quarters, the brilliant scarlet steam engine humming in front him, occasionally pushing steam onto the walkway making the some students jump as the walked along the train. Off in the distance he could see the Weasley's red hair among those with black, brown, and blonde. He turned back to the barrier expecting to see Professor Lupin appear there any second, but Ron and Hermione were already waving frantically to him to come join them and Harry walked towards them thinking that Lupin would be coming soon.
Ron and Hermione had found a compartment in the back of the train and set their stuff down in the rack along the wall.
"Umm... well we'll see you in a little bit, Harry," said Ron scuffing his feet on the floor while Hermione settled Crookshanks in her basket. Harry suddenly remembered that Ron and Hermione had their prefect duties to attend to.
"We'll be back in ten minutes, tops." Hermione said taking out a scarlet and gold badge with a lion on it and pinning it on the front of her shirt. Ron did the same and they both walked out the door, leaving Harry quite alone. Harry wondered vaguely where Ginny was, having spent the previous train ride with her, and the realized she must be sitting with Dean Thomas, her boyfriend.
Harry moodily pushed Ron's trunk up against the wall making more room when he heard the compartment door slide open. Harry turned and saw Luna Lovegood standing in the doorway staring dreamily around the compartment.
"Hi," she said, finally letting her wide eyes land on Harry. "Anyone sitting here?" she asked. Harry shook his head, relieved that he was no longer alone. Though, Harry thought, this wasn't much better as Luna was looked on as a sort of freak all her life. But Harry suddenly realized that wasn't that bad as he had been seen as a freak just in the past year.
Luna was sporting some unusual clothing Harry noted. She was wearing a baggy blue cardigan over her shoulders with a form-fitting white tank-top underneath. She was also wearing some army green khakis that were so long they dragged on the floor. But what caught Harry's eye the most were her dragon-hide boots with scales that glimmered in the light from the window.
Luna sat herself down facing Harry. "Why are you here alone? Where is Ronald Weasley and that other girl?"
Harry raised his eyebrows. "They have prefect duties. They'll be back in ten minutes."
"Ah," said Luna and crossed her legs and faced the compartment door. "Good summer?" Luna asked still looking at the door expectantly.
"Uh, yeah," said Harry trying to adapt to the strange behavior exhibited by his companion. He hoped Ron and Hermione would return soon so he wouldn't have to sit here alone with Luna...
Five minutes later, Harry had immersed himself in Quidditch through the Ages rather than try and carry a conversation with Luna. Every so often Harry would look up and she would still be sitting there looking at the door.
It wasn't until another five minutes later when they heard footsteps coming toward their compartment when Luna turned from the door and said, "My summer was good, though it was a little boring. I helped Daddy with the paper and such...Oh hello Ron!"
The compartment door had just opened to reveal Ron and Hermione. Hermione looked disdainfully at Luna and moved to sit next to Harry. Ron looked regretful that he had not been quick enough to sit next to Harry also and moved slowly to sit next to Luna who had hurriedly scooted over to make room for him.
"So how was your summer, Luna," said Hermione as she scooped up Crookshanks from the floor and onto her lap.
"Mine was fine; I was just telling Harry that I helped out my father with the newspaper. He seemed to think I was quite able to handle the job. It is a big task you know..."
Hermione had pulled her mouth into a solid line so that it looked as if she was stopping herself from saying something. "I'm sure it is," Hermione said barely opening her mouth.
Harry raised his eyebrows at Ron and he too gave him a questioning look. They both knew very well that Hermione had little respect, if any, for Luna's father's newspaper The Quibbler. But neither of them had seen this strong of tension between them before.
It wasn't long before people started stopping by their compartment to chat. Ernie Macmillan, Susan Bones, and Hannah Abbot were first to stop by followed by Seamus Finnigan, Neville Longbottom, Dean Thomas, and Ginny.
"Hey Ron! Hey Harry!" said Dean smiling at his dorm mates. Harry had smiled back and said "Hello" but Ron gave Dean a threatening look and said quite coldly, "Dean."
Dean raised his eyebrows at Harry but Harry had covered his mouth in order to muffle his laughter. Harry knew exactly why Ron was being cold to Dean as was demonstrated when Ginny gave Ron a stern look and wrapped her arm around Dean's waist.
They left quickly after that because Ron wasn't talking to either of them and Harry and Hermione were overcome with suppressed laughter; Luna was once again staring off into space at Ron.
The rest of the train ride was spent with Hermione reading her copy of Advanced Charms while Ron and Harry talked of Quidditch over a game of chess on Harry's trunk. The chess pieces kept getting confused as to what to do by all the Quidditch talk and kept asking Harry to explain what a Wronski Feint was. Luna did either one of two things; reading The Quibbler or staring down at Harry and Ron as they played on the floor.
When the train had finally rolled to a stop four hours later Harry's neck was stiff from leaning against the window, but none the less he was feeling the excitement that always came when he arrived at Hogwarts. Hogwarts had always been his true home; more than Grimmuald Place, more than the Burrow, and definitely more than Privet Drive. It was the one place that he felt more at home than any other and as he saw its many windows glowing off in the distance Harry felt a sense of calm overtake him.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Luna all stepped off their compartment to the familiar bustling and shouting of students all dragging their trunks with the ever-present hooting of hundreds of owls. Off in the distance Harry could here his friend Hagrid's voice yelling "Firs' years! Firs' years this way!" He stood about six feet taller than the tallest first year for Hagrid, though having a pleasant and caring nature, was quite intimidating at first glance. He stood twice as tall as a full grown man and was three times as wide. It wasn't until two years ago that Harry, Ron, and Hermione had discovered that his abundant size was due to his giantess mother, Fridwulfa.
Harry turned to face the hundred or so carriages that students were piling climbing into, laughing and joking with their friends, not a care in the world. But Harry once again saw the skeletal black-winged horses with haunting white eyes that pulled the school carriages. They were called thestrals and only people who had seen someone die were able to see them. Harry sighed as he watched Luna, Ron, and Hermione pile into a carriage in front of him; he had now seen two people die: Cedric and Sirius. He followed Hermione into the carriage and sat down next to her.
It wasn't long before the hooves of the once invisible horses could be heard and the carriages thundered down the dirt road towards Hogwarts. Harry soon saw his first clear look of the castle for over two months. He looked out the window at its turrets and towers dotted with hundreds of tiny glistening windows that reflected its light on to the smooth black surface of the surrounding lake. Harry could see Hagrid's hut on the grounds, smoke curling out of the chimney while a flock of blackbirds emerged from the treetops of the Forbidden Forest.
He felt a hand cover his own. It was Hermione's and she said quite softly to him, "Miss it?"
Harry nodded feeling the warmth of her hand on his cold fingers, "Me too," she said even softer and turned to look out the opposite window.
Harry expected her to move her hand, thinking she had only touched it to get his attention, but she did not remove it. A feeling of nervousness arose in his stomach, something he had never felt around Hermione before. He looked down at their hands and was surprised that he could not even see them as it was so dark in the carriage. He relaxed slightly knowing that neither Ron nor Luna would know that their hands were touching. But then suddenly Harry wondered, "Why does this even matter? How do I know this is nothing but some a sign friendship from Hermione? Harry shook his head and tried to think of a logical reason to why Hermione was holding his hand, "When people hold hands it doesn't mean there is anything romantic going on," Harry loosened, no longer worrying of complicated romantic feelings, convincing himself that Hermione was probably only trying to keep his hand warm once she had felt how cold it was. But Harry couldn't help but wonder, ten minutes later as they reached the giant double doors to the castle, why she hadn't removed her hand now that his hand was quite warm and sweaty...
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Luna stepped into the fabulous entrance hall two minutes later with its giant marble staircase leading to hundreds of rooms and class rooms above.
There were students milling into the Great Hall for the Welcoming Feast while some stood on the steps waiting for their friends to join them from the carriages. Harry, Ron, and Hermione moved into the equally majestic Great Hall and Harry saw the familiar ceiling, which was made to look like the outside sky, and the thousands of twinkling and glowing candles levitated twenty feel above him. In front of him were the four long House tables where the members of the four Houses, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin, sat.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione proceeded to the Gryffindor table while Luna moved to the Ravenclaw table. The table was already mostly filled with talking and laughing Gryffindors discussing everything from their new robes to what they did for the summer. Harry settled himself between Ron and Hermione and was about to reengage Ron in more Quidditch talk when he saw his former girlfriend, if she could be called that, Cho Chang pass by. She looked disdainfully down at Harry and then saw Hermione looking at her too. She glared at them both before proceeding to the Ravenclaw table, grabbing the arm of a dark-haired boy as she passed. Harry presumed that was Michael Corner, Ginny's ex.
Harry looked over at Hermione and raised his eyebrows. Hermione rolled her eyes and smiled giving him a knowing look. The doors to the Great Hall burst open moments later and Professor McGonagall emerged with twenty or so first years trailing her, all looking extremely nervous as the gazed fearfully at the Hall and the students collected their.
Professor McGonagall was carrying a tall three-legged stool a pathetic-looking old wizard hat perched on top. She walked to the back of the Great Hall where the teacher's table was placed, and set down the stool. Everyone was gazing at the patched and fraying wizard hat as she pulled out a long roll of parchment. Suddenly the hat opened at the brim with a life of its own and all the 11-year old's eyes went wide in either terror or surprise. The hat then burst into a song:
(I'm sorry but I have never been good at poetry writing so please bear with me and pretend that the Hat is singing one of its infamous Sorting songs. Thanks! ~Michelle AD)
The Hall erupted in cheers and applause as the Sorting Hat finished its song. The first years were still gazing at the hat as though it was telling them their doom. Professor McGonagall stepped forward and unrolled her Parchment and called out the first name:
"Austin, Jessica!" she said in a ringing voice as a small girl with braided pigtails stumbled forward looking about ready to faint. She sat atop the stool and Professor McGonagall lowered the hat upon her head.
The Sorting Hat only needed about five seconds to deliberate and then brim opened wide and shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"
Harry and the others at their table stood clapping loudly as the small girl sighed with relief and practically ran to Gryffindor table in order to get out of the spotlight. In addition to Jessica, three other girls became Gryffindors: Damiana Carlson, Olivia Harrison, and Marisa Sanders. They received four boys too: Gregory Lapka, Samuel Morrison, Jacob Moore, and Matthew Chen.
When the last first year took her seat, (Williams, Laura; HUFFLEPUFF) the Hall quieted and everyone looked up to the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. He was dressed in deep forest green robes that had twinkling bronze stars embroidered into its fabric. He still wore his half-moon spectacles that sat on his long crooked nose above his long flowing white beard. He was exactly as Harry remembered him, as he stood there smiling at his students, exactly as he always wanted to remember Albus Dumbledore.
Dumbledore opened his arms wide in welcome and said in a calm, yet powerful voice, "Welcome! Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! No doubt all of you are tired from your long journey, so I won't hold you up a moment longer. Tuck in!"
There were murmurs of content and a second later the brilliantly polished golden dishes on each table filled magically with delicious foods and desserts. Ron and Harry dove into the food, Harry choosing to indulge in a huge hunk of ham while Ron ripped off a drumstick from a nearby roast turkey. Hermione shook her head and daintily scooped mashed potatoes onto her plate.
"Honestly you two eat like Neanderthals, didn't you ever hear about that new thing called manners?" she said haughtily as she watched Ron stuff his mouth with rice and broccoli.
"Manners are thor people hoo aren't starvin'!" Ron said through the rice.
Thirty minutes later Harry was gulping the last of his treacle pudding and the Hall once again fell to silence as Dumbledore stood.
"I'd like to welcome all our new first years to Hogwarts and also welcome back all our returning students. I'd also like to make a few announcements. Mr. Filch has asked me to tell you all that all products from the Weasley Wizard Wheezes store are herby forbidden from Hogwarts," Dumbledore stopped, smirking slightly as more than half the students in the hall looked guiltily down at their now empty plates. "The full list of forbidden items is posted in your common room and on Mr. Filch's office door. Also I'd like to welcome back two members of our teaching staff; Professor Hagrid and Professor Trelawnley."
Harry clapped loudly along with the rest of the Gryffindors as Hagrid waved around to them. The rest of the House tables were putting their hands together slowly in unenthusiastic applause. Professor Trelawnley was nowhere to be seen and Harry guessed that she was holed up in her smoky North Tower office trying to unclog her non-existent Eye.
"We also have a new staff member to teach the Defense Against the Dark Arts position as Professor Umbridge, unfortunately, was unable to continue." Dumbledore, however, looked as though this was not unfortunate at all and continued, "Please welcome back Professor Remus Lupin!"
Harry's jaw dropped. He had never noticed that to Dumbledore's left there was a familiar face. Professor Lupin stood and smiled at them wearing royal blue robes that looked brand new as three of the four house tables erupted in cheers and whoops. The Slytherin table had remained quiet, looking mutinous.
Harry couldn't think of a better person to replace Professor Umbridge as he smiled up at Professor Lupin. Things were definitely changing for the better at Hogwarts.
"Settle down, settle down," said Dumbledore grinning as the prolonged applause continued. "I also have another important announcement. It is my pleasure to inform you that the teachers and I have decided to bring back the Yule Ball to Hogwarts..." Dumbledore stopped, for quite a few girls around the Hall had let out shrieks and began whispering and giggling to their neighbors.
Harry turned with his mouth open to Hermione. "You knew didn't you?"
She smiled at him and said, "Professor McGonagall hinted to me their might be one."
"Wow, the things you learn when you're a teacher's pet!" Harry said with an air of mock annoyance.
"Hey!" said Hermione laughing and punched him in the arm lightly. Harry laughed too and turned to face Dumbledore.
"It will be held on the Friday before Christmas break, so that those leaving for the holidays will not miss the Ball," he continued as the Hall quieted. "I have just one more thing to say... Now with the return of Lord Voldemort apparent to the Wizarding World, it is more important than ever to reach out to others and form bonds of friendship and respect..."
Almost everyone in the hall had gasped when Dumbledore had said Voldemort's name and adopted worried expressions of fear and apprehension. But Harry was glad to see that Dumbledore's words were not met with outrage and disbelief, as they would have been a few months ago. Now everyone believed that Voldemort was back. Now everyone believed Dumbledore. Now everyone believed Harry...
"Reach out to those you do not know. Approach someone you wouldn't and learn to respect people no matter how they think or act. Only when we can trust and understand people here at Hogwarts will we be able to face and defeat the Darkness we will meet outside of it. That is all I have to say. Goodnight to all of you and see you tomorrow morning."
Harry got up with the rest of the students and proceeded to follow Ron and Hermione as Ron shouted "Hey all you midgets, follow me!"
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Thanks for all your wonderful reviews everyone! I'm sorry this one is late as I've been having a hectic week. Keep reading and thank you again! ~Michelle AD