*2*
Harry watched as his cousin paraded down the Great Hall with the other muggles and sat down at the fifth table. He could feel his body tensing as his eyes went over the muggle students. He recognized more than half and probably knew them all at one point in his life. Subconsciously he grabbed Ginny's hand.
"What's wrong?"
"I know them." He said, not taking his eyes off the muggles.
"How?" Ginny asked, but before Harry could answer Headmistress McGonagall began to speak again.
"I'd like everyone to welcome our guests from Surrey High School. Now before we begin our feast, I believe an explanation is in order. As many of you know there has been a war in the Witch and Wizard world. This war was against Lord Voldemort and his followers, known as Death Eaters. The Minister of Magic proposed an idea to prove to the muggle world that not all witches and wizards are cruel and dark as Voldemort was. This idea is what is being performed now. A school from the muggle world would be selected to attend our school of wizardry to show that we can live in peace. I hope we can show the rest of the world that this can happen and that we do not need to be feared or at war.
The term muggle is not bad or wrong. It simply means non-magic or non-wizard. I want every student here to treat them equally and our guests to do the same. How wizards and muggles relate to each other could depend on what happens here in Hogwarts. Everyone will be on their best behavior… Now for the rules, which everyone, everyone will follow. There will be consequences for everyone who breaks the rules. Curfew is at 10:30, but you need to be inside the school by eight. Everyone must be in by dark. No one is allowed in The Forbidden Forest. You will run into unfriendly creatures. These can include anything from pixies to werewolves." Harry heard a few muggles laugh, but that quickly died down as they realized that was not a joke.
"A word to the wise, there is a Death Eater werewolf still in hiding. He will not show you mercy, stay out of the Forbidden Forest. I also want you to mingle together so everyone please stand up and away from the tables." McGonagall said behind the podium. She waved her wand causing the five tables to float into the air. The fifth table disappeared as the four house tables grew longer. Slowly McGonagall lowered the tables allowing student to sit back down. The muggle students tried to stay with friends as they split up among the four tables. Two girls sat across from Harry and next to Hermione.
"I believe it is time for dinner. So, in the words of our late Headmaster 'Tuck in." McGonagall flipped her hands up and food appeared making the muggles and some first years jump. The two girls near Harry and his friends stared at the food unsure.
"It comes up from the kitchens downstairs. The House Elves are very good cooks." Hermione said smiling as she faced the girls.
"House Elves?"
"Creatures who cook and stuff for wizards. Like servants." Ron said before stuffing his face and earning a glare from Hermione. Ron turned to say something to Harry, but he didn't hear him. The sounds from the room began to blend together and he felt his body growing hotter.
"By the way, I'm Hermione, Hermione Granger. I'm a muggleborn. And this is Ron and Ginny Weasley and Harry Potter." Hermione introduced her friends. Harry snapped back to the conversation at his name.
"You're here? I thought you went to that boarding school…ah I forget the name, but it definitely wasn't Hogwarts." One of the girls said staring at Harry. Harry sighed.
"No. My aunt and uncle are against magic. It's like a sin to them. As if I murdered someone." Harry rolled his eyes before continuing and taking a deep breath.
"I've been coming here since I was eleven." He said reaching for some treacle tart.
After a few minutes of Hermione explaining everything she could think of to the two muggle girls, Allie and Kristen, Harry poked Ginny and tilted his head towards the doors, not wanting to stay. He had seen a few of the muggle boys staring at him and didn't want to stay long enough for them to place him.
"We'll see you guys later." Ginny said standing up with Harry.
"Bye." Ron and Hermione said. Allie and Kristen watched Harry leave with Ginny holding her hand.
"Are they together?" Allie asked after a minute.
"Harry and Ginny. Yea for a few months. Why?" Hermione said while reaching for some blueberry pie.
"No reason, just when Harry went to our school-." Kristen interrupted Allie.
"He didn't have a friend let alone a girlfriend."
"Weren't you guys like ten the last time you saw him?" Ron asked, trying to reason with himself why a ten year old would need a girlfriend.
"Well yea…but at the time I couldn't picture him going on a date with anyone." Kristen said watching Ginny and Harry turn out of the Great Hall.
"Well, it's been seven years since you last saw him. A lot can change in that time." Hermione said as she stabbed into her pie.
Harry closed his eyes, trusting Ginny wouldn't let him walk into a wall. He tried breathing through his nose to calm himself down. He felt sick to his stomach.
"So." Harry snapped his eyes open to look at Ginny, who gave him a reassuring smile.
"You used to go to school with them… I saw Dursley." Ginny shook her head. A flash of anger came across her face.
"Why McGonagall had him come is beyond me. Want me to hex him for you?" Ginny stopped on a dime to face Harry.
"Just say the word and I'll hex him." Ginny took both Harry's hands in hers. Harry smiled. He could feel his heartbeat slowing down.
"I don't need you to hex him. Not yet at least."
"You know that you have so many people who would be willing to hex any of those muggles for you."
"I know, thank you." Harry smiled, before he leaned in to kiss her. Ginny pulled away first.
"Remember, you're not the same kid you were back then. You go to a school of magic! You defeated an extremely dark wizard! You're the Chosen One. And you survived asking your best friend's sister out." Harry couldn't help but laugh as Ginny began pulling him towards the Gryffindor Tower. She was right, he wasn't the same boy.