Time to get a gun Miranda Lambert
It's time to put something
Between me and the sun
When the talking is over
It's time to get a gun.
When the party is over
It's time to get a gun
Time to get a gun
Riding up to the school with the others Hermione got an apprehensive feeling; like something was wrong or something was going to change. She wasn't sure if it was the horse creatures that she now knew pulled the carriage or the fact that she could be proved totally wrong about who her dad was.
"Hagrid's lights are off." Ron said in an offhand manner.
"Maybe he's in the castle already." Harry said in a tone that let Hermione know he didn't believe it.
"Yeah maybe." She replied back in the same tone.
They walked into the castle under the watchful and creepy eye of Argus Flitch. They made their way to the great hall which was decorated like always with the colors from each house for the start of the term feast. Hermione was happy to be back because she was in the one place that her mother or father never came a place all her own. She was then forced out of her revive by her fellow students whispering.
Hermione noticed a short, curly-haired woman that in her opinion looked like a toad sitting in the new defense teachers spot. "Harry do you know who that is?"
"I don't remember her name but she was the lady that sat next to fudge in my hearing. She's like his second hand or something." Harry replied to her.
Before they can discuss this further because not even two seconds had passed before the great hall doors burst open to let the first years' in. The buzz caused by all the talking in the great hall stopped once Professor McGonagall walked up and placed the stool and the old and frayed sorting hat in the front of the staff table.
She had mumbled something to harry but he didn't say anything back. She then saw what had his attention and it was Professor Grubbly-Plank who had just taken Hagrid's seat at the staff table.
"First years must be here then." Hermione mumbled to Ginny who appeared beside her.
The first-years' faces seem to glow under the candlelight. The whole school waited to see how the sorting hat would start the sorting. The Sorting Hat split open near the brim of the hat and started to sing. Hermione listened as the sorting hat sang about the houses like it did every year but could since a change in tone and realized the hat was giving a warning with the last lines of the song.
And now the Sorting Hat is here
And you all know the score:
I sort you into houses
Because that is what I'm for,
But this year I'll go further,
Listen closely to my song:
Though condemned I am to split you
Still I worry that it's wrong,
Though I must fulfill my duty
And must quarter every year
Still I wonder whether Sorting
May not bring the end I fear.
Oh, know the perils, read the signs,
The warning history shows,
For our Hogwarts is in danger
From external, deadly foes
And we must unite inside her
Or we'll crumble from within
I have told you, I have warned you…
Let the Sorting now begin.
"Has the Hat given warnings like that before?" Hermione asked Fred and George who where across from her.
"Not while we were here." Fred said turning back to George to discuss a prank or something else that could get them in trouble.
"AHH." Hermione said as Nearly Headless Nick popped up from the table.
"Sorry dear but to answer your question the sorting hat has giving only one other warning I can think of and that was long ago when He Who Must Not Be Named was gaining power the first time."
"Thanks nick." Hermione replied to him.
Professor Dumbledore had started to give his customary speech and introduces Dolores Umbridge as the new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher. "...and if you are interested in..."
"Hem. Hem." Interrupted a voice causing Hermione to turn around looking for the source of voice and was not surprised to see that it was the woman from Harry's herring.
Hermione soon turned away and acted as if she had tuned the woman out when she was really in deep thought about everything the woman said. We are not babies! Hermione heard someone say by Professor Umbridge kept on going. Hermione, becomes aware that even thought she tried to look inattentive she looked like that she was she also knew that only Dumbledore and one or two teachers continued to listen.
"Hermione why were you listening to what that toad has to say?" Harry asked Hermione.
"Because among the bull she was selling or trying to sell us she was basically saying that the Ministry of Magic is tiring to meddle with Hogwarts. Now shush Dumbledore is talking again." Hermione said turning her attention back to the staff table. She could tell most of the teachers were ticked about Umbridge's Speech.
"You may go to your dorms now." Dumbledore said finishing his announcements.
Hermione got up from the table and bumped into someone getting up from one of the other tables. She turned around to see that it was Cedric. "Sorry Cedric I was just going to lead the first years."
"I figured I have to do that to. Where is Ron?" Cedric replied.
"With Harry. Don't want Harry to be alone with Draco walking about. I'm sure he knows what harry said about his father by now. Plus he calls the first year's midgets and that get kind of annoying but I have the other prefects to help." She told him.
"Let me know if he doesn't do his job. I'd have to report him to Dumbledore you know." He said in a normal voice. "But if he's helping Harry let it go unless he had patrols."
"I will." Hermione said running off to take care of the few remaining first year's leaving a smiling Cedric in her wake.
Hermione gets to the Gryffindor Tower in no time. She knew immediately that Harry had beaten her there because it was his voice rolling out of the portrait hole. "What is going on Ron?" Hermione asked Ron once she spotted him next to Harry.
"Seamus took a shot at him and I guess Harry was tired of people assuming things Snapped and went off on him. He said something about Seamus's Mum to."
"Well stop him and drag him to your dorm get Fred and George to help if you have to." Hermione replied taking off in the direction of the girl's dorm. She really needed to talk with Ginny.
"Ginny." Hermione called once she got to the spiral stair case.
"Here" Ginny said jumping out and scaring the daylights out of Hermione.
"So what was going on with Harry and Seamus?"
"That fight started when Seamus said his Mum didn't want him to come back to Hogwarts. Apparently she believed the lies that the Daily Prophet printed this summer and Harry said something about his mum being a liar and that set Seamus off again." Ginny told her.
"What about Neville and Dean? I know whose side Ron takes but what about the other two." Hermione asked.
"Neville took Harry's side and Dean didn't take anyone's he just said his parents don't know what is going on so he doesn't tell them." Ginny Replied. "Oh I'll meet you in the library tomorrow." She added before turning away.
"What for?" Hermione asked.
"Looking for your Dad," Ginny replied like Hermione should have known and then walking away.
Oh Hermione said to herself before heading to her own room. She did not want to go. She did not want to go and be surrounded by the squeals and gossiping voices of Lavender and Pavarti who would no doubt be talking about Cedric. Preparing herself for doom Hermione was surprised to find the room quite when she walked in. Pavarti was in her bed on the far end of the room with Lavender Right next to her in her own bed.
"Hello Hermione." Lavender said looking up form and old copy of Witch Weekly.
Hermione felt and integration coming and sat down on her own bed before grabbing her bed cloths to go change to prepare for it. She took her time brushing her teeth and changing her clothes but knew that she would have to leave for her room soon.
"So Hermione did you hear about Cedric?" Pavarti asked before the dorm door even closed.
"What about him?" Hermione replied in an offhand manor.
"He and Cho broke up." Pavarti and Lavender replied at the same time.
"I know. I was there when he got the letter."
"Wait you spent the summer with him?"
"Only a week or two and he came to visit Fred and George." Hermione told them.
"So what's he like?" Pavarti asked as Hermione inwardly groaned.
"He's fine."
"Are you—" Lavender started.
"No. Noting is going on." Hermione said cutting her off.
"The why was he talking to you before you came up here?" Lavender and Pavarti asked.
"He is head boy. He asked if when could take a patrolling round I told him I would have to get back to him after I got my schedule." Hermione replied.
"Oh come on there has to be more to that." Lavender said trying to pump Hermione for more information.
"I'm not even looking for something like that. I just want to get over my mom and find my dad." Hermione replied. "Now I am done answering questions and I'm going to bed now." she added closing her curtains and turning her back to lavender and Pavarti
Hermione woke up the next morning very early to an excited Ginny jumping on her bed. Groaning Hermione pushed herself up grabbed a pillow and chucked it at the young red head. Ginny easily ducked the pillow and hopped off the bed.
"Come on Hermione we got research to do." Ginny replied walking to the door that led to the stair case.
"That's got to wait until later when and or if I have a free period most likely after dinner." Hermione replied.
"Please the libraries open."
"Fine but only two books then we go eat." Hermione told her.
Ginny didn't say anything she just turned back to the door opened it and skipped down the staircase. Hermione groaned again and wondered how a girl could have so much energy. Hermione climbed out of bed left to change into her uniform came back grabbed her bag and left. She made it to the library in no time. Ginny was already at a table with two year books waiting.
"So we only have to look at Gryffindor?" Ginny asked flipping the book in her hand open.
"I would check for anyone the same age or older than my mom but not older than five years," Hermione grabbing the other book on the table.
They made a list of each book skipping over name they knew wouldn't be Hermione's dad like Arthur Weasley (she didn't have the famous hair plus her mom said she had her father's hair), Frank Longbottom (she looked nothing like his son), and James Potter (he was too in love with Lilly) and several others but most names were on the list.
"So when you going to tell Ron and Harry about your search?" Ginny asked Hermione as they made their way down stairs.
"Not sure. I want to but I don't want them treating me like I am a porcelain tea cup." Hermione replied.
"They are boys protecting girls they care about is what they do even if it is over board. Come on look at how Percy was my first year here."
"Please don't remind me. I'll have nightmares that I have an older brother that won't let me leave my dorm unless every inch of skin is covered." Hermione replied.
"I don't think you'll have siblings. Most of the men on the list don't have kids out of wedlock or otherwise." Ginny Replied.