Voicing is in regular
Thoughts are in italics
Parseltongue is in bold
Mr. Weasley made them get up early the next morning. He wanted to get back to the Burrow before the Daily Prophet came and got Molly all riled up. Unfortunately, the paper arrived before they did and Molly greeted them all enthusiastically. She started rambling about what the Prophet had said.
"This article was written by Rita Skeeter." Hermione sneered, "It's all hogwash and lies."
"Oh, Rita Skeeter is always trying to smear the Ministry…"Percy began haughtily.
"Shut up Percy." Ginny snapped.
Arthur sighed, "I need to go in. See if I can help clean up this mess."
"I probably should go in too. Mr. Fudge will need all hands on deck." Percy puffed his chest out.
"Come on guys." Hermione said as she headed up to Ron's room. "I'll fill you three in later."
When they got to Ron's room, Hermione noticed that Harry was nervous.
"What's wrong, Harry?" Hermione asked. "Harry?"
"The morning that Mr. Weasley came to bring me here, my scar was hurting."
"Are you sure it wasn't a headache?" Ron asked, wanting it to be anything but what Harry was insinuating.
"Yeah, I'm sure. My scar only hurts like that when Voldemort is either near or planning something?"
"Must you say his name?!" Ron shrieked, "Say You-Know-Who!"
"Well, technically his name is Tom Marvolo Riddle." Hermione said in her know-it-all voice, "He goes by Lord Voldemort because…"
Plugging his ears with his fingers, Ron whined "No, no, no do not say his name!"
"Ron, stop being such a child!" Hermione snapped.
Both Ron and Harry looked at her like she had grown an extra head.
"There is a war growing." Hermione growled, "And we are right in the middle. So, either you stop being a child and grow up or you continue to be a child and you die. That's what happened in the last two wizarding wars. Children fought and they either grew up very fast or they died."
"Whu…whu…whu…" Ron stammered.
"Are you sure?" Harry asked, eyebrows furrowed.
"Positive." Hermione asserted.
Harry shook his head.
"What is it Harry, what are you not tell us?" Hermione narrowed her eyes.
"I had a dream and I woke up with my scar hurting." When Hermione raised her eyebrows Harry continued, "Voldemort and Wormtail were planning to kill…someone."
"Someone being you."
"Yeah, but Voldemort…."
"Stop flinching, Ron!" Hermione yelled.
"Voldemort" Harry continued, "was very week and small. He couldn't have been bigger than an eighteen week old. And…"
"And what?" Hermione pressed.
"Voldemort had Nagai kill the old caretaker." Harry muttered. "And I saw it all."
"How could you see it?" Ron asked incredulously.
"Ron, Harry has been connected with Voldemort since he tried to kill him. It's not surprising that he can sometimes see through his eyes." Hermione snapped.
Ron quickly murmured an apology.
Needless to say, the rest of the summer was spent with the boys playing Quidditch, the Twins working on Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, and Hermione studying.
The day that they left for Hogwarts it was pouring down rain.
Once in the train they overheard Draco snarking off about how Durmstrang was better than Hogwarts.
"Is Durmstrang a school like Hogwarts?" Harry asked.
"Yes, Durmstrang, Hogwarts, and Beauxbatons are the three magic schools in Europe. Durmstrang and Beauxbatons not only hide their schools from Muggles, but also from witches and wizards who have not gone to there."
"How is that even possible?" Ron asked.
"There are spells, Ron." Hermione started to explain.
"Hermione, I really don't want to know." Ron snapped.
"Ron…" Hermione began.
"Must you be such a know-it-all!?" Ron muttered.
Snarling Hermione turned her attention to her books for the rest of the trip and when they made it to Hogwarts she sat between Ginny and the Twins.
"You're in trouble." Fred sing-songed when Ron sat down.
The Sorting Ceremony went by without a hitch and afterward Albus stood up to give a speech.
"Would he just get this over with? I'm starving." Ron grumbled.
"Ron! Just listen!" Hermione snapped.
"We have a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." Albus boomed, "Professor Alastor Moody!"
"That's Mad-Eye Mood!" Ron exclaimed, "One of the best Aurors there is!"
Albus continued, "That is not the only new thing this year. We are hosting an event that hasn't been hosted in a century… the Tri-Wizard Tournament!"
"You're bloody JOKING!" Fred yelled.
"No I'm not Mr. Weasley." Albus chortled. "I did hear a joke this summer…"
Minerva cleared her throat loudly.
"Ah, never mind. The Tri-Wizard Tournament…"
Hermione tuned him out, she knew all about said tournament. Her parents had told her about it. They had hoped that it would be reinstated by the time Hermione went to Hogwarts. They had also told her about the other schools that would be participating.
"…and the lovely students of Durmstrang and Beauxbatons will be arriving in October. And since the death toll had gotten so high the Ministry of Magic decided to impose an age limit. No one under seventeen is allowed to participate. Let the feast begin!"
To say that Hermione was furious was an understatement, she wanted to play! Damn it!
Back in the common room the Twins were planning on using an aging potion to get passed the age limit.
"It won't work." Hermione stated.
"Why not?" Fred asked.
Hermione raised her eye brows, "Five words: Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore."
"Well, can't we…" Fed started
"…try it anyway?" and George asked.
Hermione just shrugged her shoulders, "It's your asses."
Classes went exceptionally well. In fact everything went well until Draco insulted Molly Weasley in front of Harry and Ron. Harry had to retaliate and insulted Narcissa, Hermione almost cursed him but Draco hit him with a curse in the face first.
"Malfoy!" Moody yelled, "We do not attack someone when they don't have their wand out." He then proceeded to turn Draco into a ferret and 'teach' him a 'lesson'.
"Professor Moody what are you doing." Minerva exclaimed.
"Teaching."
"T...t…teaching." Minerva stuttered, "We do not use Transfiguration on students!"
"Oh." Moody waved his wand and Draco turned back into a human.
As Moody walked passed her, Hermione snarled "How many times did you attack someone when they didn't have their wand out."
"All the time Princess." Moody flirted.
Hermione smirked as she walked the boys to the common room.
Thankfully there were no more incidents, at least until the day before the other student showed up. That DADA lesson was… interesting to say the least.
It was a Slytherin – Gryffindor lesson, Moody had three spiders, much to Ron's dismay.
"Now, the ministry does not believe that you need to be protected. Dumbledore and I believe differently." Moody began, "Who here knows about the unforgivable curses? Anyone?"
Hermione's hand shot up.
"Miss Granger." Moody smiled.
"Use of any of the three will get you sent to Azkaban. There is the Imperious curse – it will make you do whatever the caster wishes. The Crucio curse it is used for torture. The killing curse – Avada Kedavra – kills."
"Very good Miss Granger, thirty points to Gryffindor." Moody smiled, "Come here."
As Hermione walked up front, Moody continued, "I want to show you a practical demonstration. Hermione here is the only one who knows the curses and she's a Muggle born. Come, here dear. Now, the wand movement is very simple and strong. This isn't charms class."
That caused the whole class to chuckle.
"Hermione, you got them?"
"Yes, Professor." Hermione couldn't keep the smirk off her face.
She turned to the first spider, "Engorgio. Imperio!"
The spider immediately started tap dancing, then jumped into a bucket of water and drowned.
"Very good Miss Granger, twenty points to Gryffindor." Moody exclaimed, "Next curse, please."
"Engorgio. Crucio!" as the spider convulsed on Moody's desk, Hermione had to work hard to keep the smile off of her face.
Moody noticed and he bent down to whisper in her ear, "Princess, I am working for your father, and my real name is Barty Crouch Jr." Out loud he said, "Very good, another twenty points. Now for the final curse, I hope that you remember the last spell."
Smirking, Hermione answered "Of course. Avada Kedavra!"
Needless to say the entire class was a little frightened of Hermione.