The day finally came, I'm going back to Hogwarts. I was so happy to be going back to Hogwarts, and seeing my friends again. Mum and dad took off a day of work to come and see me off. As we go through the wall, I spot Hermione and her parents. I quickly go over to them.
"Hermione!" I call out to her. She turns around and smiles big. We hug each other.
"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Granger." I greeted them. Mum, dad and Mills come over and greet them as well. The train horn went off which meant it was time to get on. Hermione I say a final goodbye to our parents and then got on the train. We began looking for Harry and Ron but they were nowhere to be found so we just sat in a empty compartment.
"Where are they?" Hermione asked, looking out the door. I sigh. I get up and grab her robe and pulled her in closing the door. I sit her down and sit back down.
"Hermione, calm down," I say as she looks out the window.
"The train hasn't gone yet, and I'm sure they're just in the loo." She sighs. As the train started, she started to panic.
"They've missed it." She said. I shake my head. I see Fred, George and Lee Jordan pass by. I quickly get up and open the door.
"Fred! George!" I call out to them. They stop and look at me.
"Have you have seen Harry and Ron?" I asked. They look at each other and shake their heads no.
"They were with us before we went through the wall." Fred said.
"They're probably somewhere in here." George said. I smile at them and they leave. I go back in the compartment and sit back down.
"I'm sure they're fine." I said. I look at the ground nervously. I have a bad feeling about this.
Finally, we had gotten to Hogwarts, but there was no sign of Harry or Ron. Hermione was getting really worried but I kept telling her everything was fine. Soon the sorting began, Ginny got into Gryffindor, which meant the whole Weasley family were Gryffindors. People have been saying that Harry and Ron were being expelled because they crashed a flying car. Once the feast was over, I go with Hermione to look for Harry and Ron, but we decide to go to the Gryffindor common room and see if they're there. As we got up the stair by the common room we see Harry and Ron outside the portrait, waiting. We look at each other in relief, we run over to them. They turn around.
"There you are! Where have you been? The most ridiculous rumors - someone said you'd been expelled for crashing a flying car -"
"Well, we haven't been expelled." Harry assured her.
"You actually flew here?" I asked amazed. They nod happily.
"Enough!" Hermione said and we stopped.
"Do you -"
"Skip the lecture," Ron said.
"Just tell us the new password."
"It's 'wattlebird,'" Hermione said impatiently.
"But that's not the point -" She was cut off by the portrait swinging open and there was a sudden storm of clapping. I smiled. I look as though the whole Gryffindor House was still awake, packed into the circular common room, standing on the lopsided tables and squashy armchairs, waiting for Harry and Ron to arrive. They reached out and pulled Harry and Ron inside, leaving me and Hermione to scramble in after them.
"Brilliant!" Lee Jordan yelled.
"Inspired! What an entrance! Flying a car right into the Whomping Willow, people'll be talking about that one for years -"
"Good for you," A fifth year said to Harry. I shake my head and chuckle. Fred and George pushed their way to the front of the crowd.
"Why couldn't we've come in the car, eh?" They asked together. Ron was scarlet, grinning embarrassedly. Harry had nudged Ron in the rib and nodded in the far corner. Percy was there and he looked as though he was about to tell everyone off. I waved goodbye to Ron, Hermione and Harry and leave the common room.
The next morning, me, Harry, Hermione and Ron sat at the Gryffindor table, we were all eating, Hermione was reading her copy of Voyages with Vampires. She was still mad at Ron and Harry. Neville on the other hand was still quite cheerful about it.
"Mail's due any minute - I think Gran's sending a few things I forgot." Neville said. Just then, there was a rushing sound overhead and a hundred or so owls steamed in, circling the hall and dropping letters and packages into the chattering crowd. I spotted Milly and she had a package. She drops it and it landed in front of my food. I thank her and she flys off. I open the package and it was my favourite book signed by my favourite author. A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby. I squealed hugging the book. I read the note and apparently Mills said that he got it signed by him a while ago but forgot to give it to me. I shake my head and chuckle. Silly Mills.
"Errol!" I heard Ron said. I look up and see Ron pulling the bedraggled owl by the feet. Errol slumped, unconscious, onto the table, his legs in the air and a damp red envelope in his beak.
"Oh, no -" Ron gasped.
"It's all right, he's still alive." I said, prodding Errol gently with the tip of my finger.
"It's not that - it's that." Ron said nervously, pointing at the red envelope. I look at him confused.
"What's the matter?" Harry asked.
"She's - she's sent me a Howler." Ron said faintly. I look at him confused.
"You'd better open it, Ron," Neville said in a timid whisper.
"It'll be worse if you don't. My gran sent me one once, and I ignored it and" He gulped.
"It was horrible." I looked at their petrified faces.
"What's a Howler?" I asked. But Ron's whole attention was fixed on the letter, which had begun to smoke at the corners.
"Open it," Neville urged.
"It'll all be over in a few minutes -" Ron stretched out his shaking hand, eased the envelope from Errol's beak, and slit it open. Neville stuffed his fingers in his ears. A split second later, I knew why. A roar of sound filled the huge hall, shaking dust from the ceiling and pretty much scaring me.
"- Stealing the car, I wouldn't have been surprised if they'd expelled you, you wait till I get hold of you, I don't suppose you stopped to think what your father and I went through when we saw it was gone -" Mrs. Weasley's yells, made the plates and spoons rattle on the table, and echoed deafeningly off the stone walls. People throughout the hall were swiveling around to see who had gotten the Howler, and Ron sank so low in his chair that only his crimson forehead could be seen.
"- Letter from Dumbledore last night, I thought your father would die of shame, we didn't bring you up to behave like this, you and Harry could both have died - Absolutely disgusted - your father's facing an inquiry at work, it's entirely your fault and if you put another toe out of line we'll bring you straight back home." A ringing silence fell. The red envelope, which had dropped from Ron's hand, burst into flames and curled into ashes. We all sat there stunned, as though a tidal wave had just passed over us. A few people laughed and, gradually, a babble of talk broke out again.
"That..." I trailed off.
"Was amazing!" I said excitedly. I want one! Hermione closed her book and looked down at the top of Ron's head.
"Well, I don't know what you expected, Ron, but you -"
"Don't tell me I deserved it," Ron snapped. Harry pushed his porridge away. He must feel bad. Professor McGonagall was moving along Gryffindor table, handing out course schedules. She handed me mine and I had History of Magic with the Ravenclaws. I left to the History of Magic classroom and Ron, Harry, Hermione headed to Herbology with the Hufflepuffs. As I got to the room, someone bumps into me.
"Watch it, mudblood." I hear Parkinson said. I roll my eyes and ignore her. I sat down on one of the empty chairs. I take the book Mills got signed for me and start reading.
"Got a new book, Backenter?" I hear Malfoy ask. I roll my eyes.
"What's it to you?" I asked, not looking away from my book. He sits down next to me.
"You know you should be nicer to me." He says. My head snaps towards him.
"And why is that?" I asked.
"I could have told Professor Snape that you punch Parkinson first." He said. I shake my head.
"I've also have given you things when I really didn't need too, and what do I get in return? Nothing but you being rude to me." I frown at him.
"I never asked you to do those things." I said.
"Then I never will." He said. I nod my head.
"That's fine with me." I said.
"Fine." Malfoy said rudely.
"Fine." I said it back.
"Fine." He said.
"Fine." I said getting louder.
"Fine." He said louder.
"Fine!" I yelled. Professor Binns shushed us.
Finally, it was lunchtime, I headed down to the Great Hall to meet Harry and the others. After we all finished, we headed outside into the overcast courtyard. Hermione sat down on a stone step and buried her nose in Voyages with Vampires again. Harry, Ron and I stood talking about Quidditch for several minutes before I started feeling uneasy. I looked around and see a mousy-haired boy. He was clutching what looked like an ordinary Muggle camera. Harry seemed to have noticed him too. Once the kid notice Harry was looking at him, he went bright red.
"All right, Harry? I'm - I'm Colin Creevey," He said breathlessly, taking a tentative step forward.
"I'm in Gryffindor, too. D'you think - would it be all right if - can I have a picture?" Colin asked, raising the camera hopefully. I snorted and cover my mouth.
"A picture?" Harry asked eyeing me.
"So I can prove I've met you." Colin said eagerly, edging further forward.
"I know all about you. Everyone's told me. About how you survived when You-Know-Who tried to kill you and how he disappeared and everything and how you've still got a lightning scar on your forehead" He eyes raked Harry's hairline.
"And a boy in my dormitory said if I develop the film in the right position, the picture'll move." Colin drew a great shuddering breath of excitement.
"It's amazing here, isn't it? I never knew all the odd stuff I could do was magic till I got the letter from Hogwarts. My dad's a milkman, he couldn't believe it either. So I'm taking loads of picture to send home to him. And it'd be really good if I had one of you" He looked imploringly at Harry.
"Maybe your friend could take it and I could stand next to you? And then, could you sign it?"
"Signed photos? You're giving out signed photos, Potter?" Malfoy's voice echoed around the courtyard. I groaned. He had stopped right behind Colin, flanked, as he always was at Hogwarts, by his large and thuggish cronies, Crabbe and Goyle, or as I call them: Malfoy's minions.
"Everyone line up!" Malfoy roared to the crowd.
"Harry Potter's giving out signed photos!"
"No, I'm not." Harry said angrily, his fists clenching.
"Shut up, Malfoy." I said angrily.
"You're just jealous," Colin said, whose entire body was about as thick as Crabbe's neck.
"Jealous?" Malfoy shouted, who didn't need to shout anymore: half the courtyard was listening in.
"Of what? I don't want a foul scar right across my head, thanks. I don't think getting your head cut open makes you that special, myself." Crabbe and Goyle were sniggering stupidly.
"Eat slugs, Malfoy." Ron said angrily. Crabbe stopped laughing and started rubbing his knuckles in a menacing way. I shake my head. Is he trying to look scary? 'Cause it's not working.
"Be careful, Weasley," Malfoy sneered.
"You don't want to start any trouble or your Mommy'll have to come and take you away from school." He put on a shrill, piercing voice.
"'If you put another toe out of line' -" Some of the fifth year Slytherins nearby laughed loudly at this.
"Weasley would like a signed photo, Potter," Malfoy smirked.
"It's worth more than his family's whole house -" Ron whipped out his Spellotaped wand, but Hermione shut Voyages with Vampires with a snap.
"Look out!" Hermione whispered.
"What's all this, what's all this?" Gilderoy Lockhart was striding towards us, his turquoise robes swirling behind him. Oh, great.
"Who's giving out signed photos?" Harry was about to speak but was cut short as Lockhart flung an arm around his shoulders and thundered jovially.
"Shouldn't have asked! We meet again, Harry!"
"Come on then, Mr. Creevey," Lockhart said, beaming at Colin.
"A double portrait, can't do better than that, and we'll both sign it for you." I noticed Malfoy was smirking. I shake my head. Colin fumbled for his camera and took the picture as the bell rang behind them, signaling the start of the afternoon classes.
"Off you go, move along there." Lockhart called to the crowd, and set off back to the castle with Harry.
"Malfoy's a right foul git." Ron said. I nod. We had reached Lockhart's classroom. I sat between Harry and Ron and Hermione sat next to Harry.
"You could've fried an egg on your face, you'd better hope Creevey doesn't meet Ginny, or they'll be starting a Harry Potter fan club." Ron said. I snorted.
"Shut up." Harry snapped. When the whole class was seated, Lockhart cleared his throat loudly and silence fell. He reached forward, picking up Neville's copy Travels with Trolls, and held it up to show his own, winking portrait on the front.
"Me," He said, pointing at it and winking as well.
"Gilderoy Lockhart, Order Of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile Award - but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her!" He waited for us to laugh; a few people smiled weakly. He's still full of himself. I frown.
"I see you've all bought a complete set of my books - well done. I thought we'd start today with a little quiz." A quiz! Already?
"Nothing to worry about - just to check how well you've read them, how much you've taken in -" I haven't read any of them! He had handed out the test papers. He turned to the front of the class.
"You have thirty minutes - start - now!" I looked down at the paper and read:
1. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favourite colour?
2. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition?
3. What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?
I stared at the paper in disbelief. Is he serious? I started answering them, of course not knowing all the answers, I guessed. Half an hour later, Lockhart collected the papers and rifled through them in front of the class.
"Tut, tut - hardly any of you remembered that my favourite colour is lilac. I say so in Year with the Yeti. And a few of you need to read Wanderings with Werewolves more carefully - I clearly state in chapter twelve that my ideal birthday gift would be harmony between all magic and non-magic people - though I wouldn't say no to a large bottle of Ogden's Old Firewhiskey!" He gave us another roguish wink. I look around to see if everyone reacted. Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who were sitting in front of us, were shaking with silent laughter.
"... but Miss Hermione Granger knew my secret ambition is to rid the world of evil and market my own range of hair-care potions - good girl! In fact" He flips her paper over.
"Full marks! Where is Miss Hermione Granger?" He asked looking around. Hermione raised a trembling hand.
"Excellent!" Lockhart beamed.
"Quite excellent! Take ten points for Gryffindor! And so - to business -" He bent down behind his desk and lifted a large, covered cage onto it.
"Now - be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizardkind! You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room. Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here." I beg to differ.
"All I ask is that you remain calm." Lockhart placed a hand on the cover. Dean and Seamus stopped laughing now. Neville was cowering in his front row seat.
"I must ask you not to scream." Lockhart said in a low voice.
"It might provoke them." As the whole class held it's breath, Lockhart whipped off the cover. The things were electric blue and about eight inches high, with pointed faces and voices so shrill it was like listening to a lot of budgies arguing. Cornish Pixies! The moment the cover had been removed, they had started jabbering and rocketing around, rattling the bars and making bizarre faces at the people nearest to them.
"Yes," He said dramatically.
"Freshly caught Cornish Pixies." Seamus let out a snort of laughter.
"Yes?" Lockhart said smiling at Seamus.
"Well, they're not - they're not very - dangerous, are they?" Seamus choked. Well, not really but they're quite horrible creatures.
"Don't be so sure!" Lockhart said, waggling a finger annoyingly at Seamus.
"Devilish tricky little blighters they can be! Right, then," He said loudly.
"Let's see what you make of them!" And he opened the cage. it was pandemonium. The pixies shot in every direction like rockets. The two of them seized Neville by the ears and lifted him into the air. Several shot straight through the window, showering the back row with broken glass. The rest proceeded to wreak the classroom more effectively than a rampaging rhino. They grabbed ink bottles and sprayed the class with them, shredded books and papers, tore pictures from the wall, up-ended the waste basket, grabbed bags and books and threw them out of the smashed windows; within minutes, half the class was sheltering under desks and Neville was swinging from the iron chandelier in the ceiling.
"Come on now - round them up, round them up, they're only pixies." Lockhart shouted. One grabbed my hair and started pulling it. Malfoy hits the pixie with his book and the pixie goes back to destroying things. The bell rang and there was mad rush toward the exit. Malfoy pushes Harry and Hermione aside and grabs my wrist pulling me out of the room. He pulls me into an empty room.
"Thanks." I said, awkwardly pulling my arm away from him. I turn around and he quickly runs over to the door blocking it from letting me out.
"You're not going to let me leave?" I asked confused.
"I've helped you many times now. It's time for you to give me something in return." Malfoy said quickly. I look at him peering. Then I look at him annoyingly.
"Fine." I said rudely and folding my arms.
"What do you want?"
"I want you to be my slave for a week." He says smirking.
"What!" I yelled unfolding my arms and looking at him angrily.
"You already agree to it." He said obnoxiously. I groaned out of anger and loudly.
"Fine!" I shouted.
"Now move out of the way!" I pushed him aside and open the door leaving him there to smirk.
That little... bastard! I can't tell the group about this.
Question: Is Nia starting to like Draco?
Answer: Yes, but she doesn't realize it. She can be very oblivious to to her own feelings, but not all the time.
Ask me questions and I'll answer them here!
Sorry it took long to finish this. As you may all know Alan Rickman died on the 14 of January. Words cannot express how sad I am about this. If you don't know who Alan Rickman is he played Snape.
P.s I didn't edit this one but I will later. I have a job interview. My anxiety is off the charts right now ~ Poppy