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So far... The reborn Hermione launched the secret Cathesis League to fight corruption. Now at Hogwarts, the young girl formed CREST from the trusted members of the old D.A. After an exciting first year, the youngsters are enjoying a well-deserved holiday. Now read on...

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Book 2: Hermione Granger and The Gates of Life

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Chapter 52

High Five


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Neville's Release

The summer of 1992 held mixed blessings for Harry and Hermione. After the first two weeks of the holidays, Ron had once more travelled to France with his family to be with Ginny, while Neville – well, Neville was still mourning. It wasn't for lack of trying. Clearly he was fighting it, and Hermione decided he should have more time to grieve the loss of his friend even if she had only been a painted representation of life. Still, they saw him no more than twice a week, leaving Harry and Hermione to companion with each other.

Little Cadence was a blessing. Harry's new sister rarely cried and then only gently, so sitting with her tended to be very restful. Minor irritations were soothed away and both Harry and Hermione were eager babysitters, leaving Hestia and Sirius – Harry's adopted parents – with more free time.

Came the day near the end of August when Neville had joined them for a morning. Sirius and Hestia were sorting out documents in the study upstairs and only occasionally glancing out the window. The sun was growing stronger so the children had taken shelter beneath the shade of the few trees that graced the side of the long path – more for the sake of Cadence than anything. She was burbling away happily in her carry crib, leafy shadows dancing across her sweet face.

Hermione had been reading softly to the boys from a Muggle storybook. Neville for once had relaxed and he lay back on the grassy slope, his arm flopped on one side as he listened to the buzz of insects, and the swish of the breeze in the branches above, and Hermione's voice...

"'I know it's a – shabby, dingy little place,' sobbed poor Mole, 'not like – your cosy quarters – or Toad's beautiful hall – or Badger's great house – but it was my own little home – and I was fond of it – and I went away and forgot all about it – and then I smelt it suddenly – on the road, when I called and you wouldn't listen, Rat – and everything came back to me with a rush – and I WANTED it! – O dear, O dear! – and when you WOULDN'T turn back, Ratty – and I had to leave it, though I was smelling it all the time – I thought my heart would break. – We might have just gone and had one look at it, Ratty – only one look – it was close by – but you wouldn't turn back, Ratty, you wouldn't turn back! O dear, O dear!'"

And Neville sensed tiny fingers clasping his thumb. Surprised, he lolled his head to the right. Blue grey eyes smiled into his. There was a terrible rush of emotion through his chest which began to heave with sobs. Out from him poured months of misery in as few seconds, leaving him panting and gasping and wondering how a little baby could have touched him so deeply.

Harry stared. Hermione shooed him away and closed the book to follow him. They waited by the movable rabbit hutch that Sirius had lain on the lawn, pretending an interest, not glancing back until they heard Neville clamber to his knees, plucking his thumb away only when he was allowed. An embarrassed smile tweaked his lips and his eyes still glistened in the sunlight despite them being cast only downward at the babe. Cadence had released him at last.

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Draco's Return

Northward into darkness! Hermione, Harry, and Neville relaxed to the swaying of the train as it raced along its track. Ron had missed the Hogwarts express yet again and the remaining three friends could only hope he would return from France in time for the Sorting.

Harry said, "It's his mum every time. He told me she keeps crying and won't come away but I think he's nearly as bad. Do you think when Cadence grows up I'll be like that? That I'll be reluctant to return to Hogwarts?"

"It'll be just you and me on the train then, Neville," said Hermione. She smiled at him. He was sitting more upright these days. Perhaps he was a little taller too. She had high hopes.

"Unless I forget Trevor." He retrieved his errant toad from where it had hopped onto the floor. Neville was grinning which was good. After glancing at the luggage rack above Hermione's head, a question flickered almost visibly across the boy's face. "You send your owl ahead, don't you?"

Footsteps were approaching out in the corridor but Hermione quickly answered Neville, "Yes, Farrimond is extremely smart–"

The door slid open. Draco stood there. Alone. The skin at the centre of both his lips was twisted awkwardly but there was no other sign of the injuries he had sustained the year before. His eyes glanced briefly over Neville and Hermione then focused on Harry.

"Spoke to Zabini. He said I had you to thank. I don't know how you did it. I'd have gutted Daggard and hung her up for the crows if it had been me."

Perhaps it was the presence of Hermione and Neville that made him hesitate but he said "Thanks," then turned away, closing the door behind him.

"Well..." said Neville, "that was... interesting."

"He thinks I arranged Daggard's death?" said Harry.

Hermione said, "Let him think what he will. He's not so pretty now. Hope he balances that with an improved manner."

"He's been okay with me, what little contact we had," said Harry. "I don't know why you–"

"–He's a complete arse," snapped Hermione. "Never forget that, Harry. He has his own agenda and currently it suits him to suck up to you. Don't antagonise him but don't get too close either."

Harry and Neville glanced at one another but said nothing, surprised by Hermione's bitterness. Only she knew the awful things Draco had done in her former life and what he was capable of in this.

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Everything and More

Excitement defined the atmosphere in the Great Hall when they arrived. Perhaps it was the anticipation of normalcy and safety after the previous three terms in which one murder, one attempted murder, several near-misses, and one draconian headmistress had stressed everyone out. Whatever the reason, the three friends watched with interest as the new first-years trooped anxiously up to the front of the hall to await their turn with the Sorting Hat.

"Were we that tiny last year?" grinned Harry.

Hermione began scanning around and was reassured to see Neville taking an interest in the goings-on too. But Ron had still not arrived and hope was fading that he would even be there in time for the last part of the feast. Colin Creevey was present at any rate and babbling excitedly to other newcomers who were either side of him, gazing around in awe and anxiety. Over at the Slytherin table, Zabini, she noted, had spaced himself well away from Malfoy. Good. Little chance then of a repeat meeting of the two in the Astronomy Tower, and, looking carefully, she could not see any replacement for Draco's personal two-colour goblet – the one that had scarred his lips when he had been blasted by Daggard.

Dumbledore arrived and astonishingly received a standing ovation to which he graciously cast a blushing charm upon himself, beaming with delight and surprise at the welcome even if he considered it was mostly powered by confirmation that Umbridge would not return. A few seats away, Professor Quirrell was applauding too and Hermione realised this would be the first time she had ever been taught by the same Defence teacher two years in succession. "No Lockhart, thank goodness," she murmured to herself.

Hermione also clapped heartily with the other Gryffindors when Colin was sorted into their house and he eagerly squeezed into a place next to Dean and Seamus who both had a look of strained patience on their faces. When they'd volunteered at the end of the previous school year to visit and offer Creevey support and guidance, they had no idea what an excitable irritant he could be at this age.

The Sorting ended. McGonagall bustled off with the Hat and stool as the meal began. Neville's appetite had improved and he was chatting with Harry. All good signs of a return to normality. She wished Ron were here though; dinner didn't seem the same without him hoovering up everything in sight. She laughed and only then realised she was truly happy.

"What?" grinned Harry.

"Nothing, just glad to be here," she replied.

When they were all full, Dumbledore made his usual announcement about the deadly Forbidden Forest being forbidden but the school itself was the safest place in the world to be, and then all the students wearily rose to slowly head off towards their common rooms. With Harry on her left and Neville on her right, Hermione didn't mind that the boys were talking across her about the days when they'd played pirates together but soaked up the good humour and contented feelings that were evoked.

Abruptly, Neville stopped walking and she and Harry pulled back a step to look at him. He was staring at the crowd of children ahead. The first-years being led by prefects up the stairs were slowing everyone down, blocking the older Gryffindors behind them. Who was Neville looking at?

"Princess?" He blinked. "PRINCESS!"

Hermione groaned. All good feelings fled. Another girl with fair hair could be glimpsed within the jostling throng up the stair before them. Hermione grabbed Neville's arm but he shrugged her off and pulled away. "PRINCESS!"

His voice was loud enough to carry over the tumult. Faces were turning in puzzlement.

"Neville, please..." begged Hermione as she worked her way after him.

Meanwhile, the attention of the little blonde girl seemed to be on the first-years even further ahead, watching closely which direction they were headed at the top of the stairway. She reached the last step herself and turned right to follow them.

Desperate not to lose sight of her, Neville shoved his way upward and almost caught up to her. "Etherea!"

Only then did the girl turn her head and look back.

"Etherea! It's me!" he cried desperately as he mounted the final step only a few paces from her.

"Sir Neville? How exciting to see you in the flesh!" said the girl, stepping towards him.

To say that Neville's face lit up is to say that the sun rises each morning to brighten the world. "It's you at last! It's really you! I KNEW you were real!"

"Of course I'm real. Why wouldn't I be? Aren't you?" She prodded his arm with curiosity.

Far behind, Hermione, staggered by what she was hearing, struggled on, trying to get a better view of the girl's face but Neville was causing a log jam and a veering of older, taller students around him.

Neville laughed with delight. He glanced back down at Hermione and she saw such rapture in his expression as she'd never witnessed before in the boy – no, not even during the days when he'd regularly visited the painting. And then she finally caught sight of the girl's face. It shocked her to the core.

"HOW...? Wh...? Luna? What are YOU doing here?"

"HERMIONE!" squealed Luna – for such it was – and she seized Neville's arm that she might not lose him to the crowd before Hermione's approach. "And HARRY!"

The four, now together, drew to one side of the corridor above the stair.

"We've been sorted!" Luna cried excitedly, pointing in the direction of McGonagall's office and then, "Ginny went first. She's gone with Ron to the kitchens – but I took ages," she added proudly. "The Hat wanted me in Ravenclaw can you believe, so I insisted and insisted until I wore out the poor Hat!"

Hermione finally took in the scarlet and gold emblem on her robes. "You're in Gryffindor!"

Luna was still clinging to Neville and turned her attention back to him. "Of course. I told myself that Sir Neville was in Gryffindor so that's where I wanted to be too."

Hermione shook her head in confusion, lost for words.

Neville said, "Princess, how did you uuh... get out of the picture?"

A peel of laughter came from Luna's lips. "I painted the picture myself – over a year ago – when we were making the Tutomees and Mum was teaching me to draw and paint magically and–"

"–But how did it get into Hogwarts?" cut in Hermione.

"When Daddy was a boy here at school he produced a news sheet as a sort of project called The Hogwarts Herald. That's how he and Mummy met! She did the illustrations and also made a painting of herself to keep an eye on things. When they finished Hogwarts it got left behind."

"That was your mother up in the turret?" said Neville. "But it couldn't be–"

"No, when they eventually married, Mummy made another painting at home so her first portrait could visit and stay. But she told me that after I was born I became confused between her and the portrait so she painted over her. It's so easy to become attached to portraits, don't you think?"

"Erm... yeah, so who was... how did you...?" Neville tried to puzzle it out.

"When we did the Tutomees, remember? Mum taught me to paint and I used the empty painting to add myself. It wasn't everything of me of course, just my playful side – like when I used to pretend to be a princess."

Hermione said, "So your portrait then visited the frame upstairs here at Hogwarts?"

"Yes. I was at Beauxbatons so none of us knew. Then, last winter, Professor Mcgonagall banished my portrait to our home frame and–"

"'Banished' not 'vanished'!" cried Neville. "I thought she said 'vanished!'"

Luna continued without pausing, "–then asked Mummy to paint me out, but instead Mum fetched me back from Beauxbatons for a weekend to explain and teach me how it's done."

Light dawned in Hermione's eyes. "So that's when–"

"I told myself all about Sir Neville."

"The painting told you, you mean?"

"Yes. Isn't that what I said? She was me after all." Luna turned to Neville whose arm she still clutched. "I knew I'd like you, Neville, because we're already best friends."

"My goodness," cried Hermione as she realised how far behind the others they had lagged, "you'd better hurry after the first-years, Luna!"

Luna hooked her arm through Neville's and they set off at a leisurely pace. "Ginny and I are second-years. We've already done a year at Beauxbatons, you see. Madame Maxime discussed it with Professor Dumbledore at Easter. It was touch and go. He said it depended on our end-of-year tests. That's why we had to be sorted separately."

Neville said, "So you really are Etherea?"

"Yes, all of her – but more as well of course."

"Wow! ... How much did she... I mean, how much did you tell yourself about me and what we did together?"

"All of it," smiled Luna.

"All?"

"Absolutely every little detail."

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Five Friends

They found Ginny sitting in the common room munching on a pasty.

"HARRY! HERMIONE!" She thrust her pie down onto its plate and jumped up to meet them, squinting at Neville as she did so. "Who have you got there, Luna? ... NEVILLE? Is that YOU? We met at Harry's that time, remember? By Merlin, you've grown, Neville."

He gave her a wry smile. "This year's going to be great with all five of us together now, I just know it!"

"Yeah," said Harry. "And I told you about my baby sister, didn't I?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "You only wrote to us about a zillion times."

"Her name's Cadence," he said proudly.

"Can't wait to see her," said Ginny.

"Six of us, you mean, Neville," said Hermione.

"What?"

"You said all five of us. There's six of us now." She turned to Ginny. "Is Ron checking out his stuff up in the dorm?"

"I guess..." said Ginny. "Listen, you told us about Crest. I mean, me and Luna can join can't we?"

"Definitely you can!" cried Harry.

Hermione frowned. "You guess? Ginny, have you had an argument with him already?"

"Who?"

"Ron of course."

"Not that I recall – Luna, have one of these pasties, they're great!"

Hermione sighed. How could Ron and Ginny have fallen out on their first day back together! Hopefully it would blow over by the morrow. "Are those ginger newts that you've got there?"

"Yeah, here, have a few. Dip them in my tea if you want but no longer than you can count eleven else they break off and sink. Nothing worse than a soggy newt at the bottom of your cup."

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Mr Nobody

Ron stared at the palm of his right hand. Tacky with sweat, it had been itching for a minute or two so he'd rubbed it on his trouser leg until it stopped. The evening was very warm and he'd been rushing to transfer his robes and things from travel trunk to wardrobe so he could get back downstairs before all the pasties were eaten.

The door of the wardrobe seemed really stiff so he left it open and dashed across the room to go down to the common room. The iron door latch had always been awkward but tonight Ron appeared to have forgotten the best angle to push on it. "Merlin! Only been away a couple of months and lost the knack already."

After two minutes of fiddling, he stood back in astonishment. Then realisation dawned. "What the bloomin' heck have Fred and George done?" He ran his fingers through his hair then began banging on the door with his fist. "Oy! You lot down there! Help me out will you!"

Five minutes passed. Then ten. He'd stopped, tried again several times – without success. He stepped up to hammer on the door once more...

BANG! BANG! "Oy! When are–!"

Footsteps could be heard ascending at last. Seamus burst in, pushed past Ron and ran to his chest.

"Oh yeah, don't mind me will you! I'm nobody!" Ron stormed downstairs hoping the pasties would still be hot.

Though the fire was not lit this early in the year, his friends were lounged around the hearth in a group of comfy chairs chatting; they didn't look up as he approached. Something was very odd, Ron was beginning to realise. For one thing even though the pasties in the dish on the arm of Ginny's chair were still nicely steaming, his appetite wasn't quite so voracious as it had been.

"Hey guys! How's everybody?" He reached down carefully, trying not to burn his fingers on a particularly nice fat pie. Perhaps he was being too cautious because his fingers slipped off it – or rather his fingers couldn't quite grasp it fully. He tried again. Then again. His face screwed up in a seriously annoyed frown. "What's going on! Are the twins messing me about?"

He scanned the room. Fred and George were at the far end, chatting with Lee. They didn't look up and that wasn't their style; normally they'd be sneaking glances at the results of any of their pranks. "Ginny? Did you jinx the food?" He tried to grab a different pasty.

"Ginny?" He turned his attention to his sister but she was wrapped up in what Neville was saying to Luna. Harry and Hermione were focused on them too.

"So we can still have fun now and again?" Neville was saying.

"Brave knight," replied Luna solemnly, "there is still the awful dragon Brawnscorcher to be slain, and the evil Rankodor the Bloodymost to be duelled!"

The entire group, including Neville, laughed.

"What are you on about?" said Ron, licking his fingers automatically – though he didn't need to because the pasty crusts hadn't seemed too hot, nor could he even taste much.

Neville seized the poker from the fireplace and brandished it over his head. "A dozen Brawnscorchers and a hundred Rankodors wouldst I meet in battle to win thine hand, fair Princess!" More laughter.

"What are you talking about?" said Ron.

"Approach then, Brave Neville, that I might grant thee this boon of sacrifice."

"Oy!" said Ron. "Hello? Knock, knock. It's me! What's with the grub, Gin?"

"So..." said Neville, "Might I still call you Etherea from time to time? It's a lovely name."

Luna smiled. "Of course. We're best friends."

"But 'Luna' is a beautiful name too," said Neville.

Ron took a step back and stared at Neville's face. He'd never seen him look so happy. Not ever. He was twelve now, Ron realised, but he looked a little more grown up than that – or maybe it was that he'd always seemed... immature for his age before?

"So...?" Ron began. Two first-year girls pushed past him and scurried towards their dormitory stairs. "Watch it!" cried Ron. He noticed then the general flow of youngsters being directed by Percy up to bed. The entire common room was busy with movement and noisy with chatter. Ron was immersed in it and yet felt... detached.

He frowned again. "Hermione, do you get the sensation that something's wrong?"

"So is Cadence," said Harry. "I love that name. And Hermione is beautiful too." His face flushed terribly as he realised what he'd said. "I mean, you can't abbreviate it can you, not nicely."

Hermione smiled. "You're not bad yourself, Harry."

Ron snapped, "Hermione! I'm talking here!"

"You second-years better not be up much later either!" called Percy as he shepherded the final first-years up to their dorm.

Hermione yawned. "He's right. We haven't got our timetables for tomorrow yet so I want an early start. Think I'll sort out my – hey! which dorm are you two in?"

Hands on hips, Ron stared in disbelief.

"We're with you of course," said Ginny, gesturing up the stair. "The other dorms had no more space either so we chatted with the elves and they enlarged your room." She headed off in the way she'd been pointing. "Come on, let's have a pillow fight!"

Quickly following her, Luna shrieked. "I love pillow fights! We had them every week at Beauxbatons!"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Well we do not indulge in such childish behaviour here at Hogwarts." Yet she hurried after them.

From the top of the stair, Luna exchanged waves with Neville then he and Harry headed to the boys' stairs. "Have you sorted out your stuff yet, Harry?"

"No rush. I'll leave it till tomorrow."

Ron's mouth was gaping now. He sank down onto the seat that Ginny had vacated, certain that he'd been cursed. A prod at the nearest pasty didn't move it at all. His eyes fell on the poker that Neville had discarded. After staring for a while, he kneeled down and reached for it, fearing the worst. He couldn't lift it. Somehow it eluded his grip.

"FRED! I'll kill you!" He ran down to where the twins were sitting with Lee. All three were quite expressionless; they seemed to be having a gag-fight and there were three shiny Galleons in a jar at stake.

George was saying, "If we're all here to help others then why are THEY here?"

Fred said, "I hate it when I accidentally talk to myself in the mirror."

"Actually, polishing mirrors is something I could see myself doing in detention next week," said Lee.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME!" bellowed Ron.

"Seriously though, can you tell me how to get rid of my boomerang?" said George.

Fred's mouth twitched.

"OUT! OUT! OUT!" gloated Lee and George, pointing at Fred.

George threw another Galleon into the jar and speeded up. "I had a real eye-opener when I woke up this morning."

Lee threw his extra Galleon in and snapped back, "I haven't slept for days – that would be far too long."

"I didn't speak to Mum all summer – I didn't want to interrupt her."

"My sister worries she's fat and ugly and I said at least you've got good eyesight."

George wiped a smirk of his face but wasn't fast enough.

Up jumped Lee, rattling the jar. "I reign supree–ee–eeme! Nah-nah-ni-nah-nah!"

Percy shook his head and began to approach them.

"Percy!" cried Ron with some relief. Here at least was someone he could rely on to be sensible. "They're freaking me out!"

Percy brushed by him. "Will you please stop this racket!"

Ron windmilled his hands in front of Percy. The older boy didn't even flinch. Ron turned away, chilled inside suddenly. They can't see me. Nobody can hear me.

He looked back one more time. Percy was still chastising the twins. Ron waited. As Percy, angry-faced, walked back, Ron slapped him hard across the face but his palm skidded off without even stinging. Percy didn't even notice – though he did vaguely rub away an itch on his face as he went on his way.

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Limited Perceptions

Ron was miserable. He'd failed to get into his dorm before Dean shut the door on him for the night and so for two or three hours he sat in Ginny's former chair in the common room. Not long after midnight a house-elf cleaned up around him, disposing of the box of cold pasties and even standing on Ron's stomach to brush away a few crumbs wedged in the seam of a cushion. About two-thirty the boy nodded off and did not awaken until six-thirty when Oliver Wood sat on him while he did up his shoelaces, passed generous wind, and scratched himself covertly before heading off for breakfast. Ron followed him, leaping nimbly through the Portrait hole before it closed.

The Great Hall was not yet crowded and Ron took a seat near a serving dish full of bacon rashers. They smelt good, so, without even trying to use a fork, he leaned forward and tried to bite one. He could taste it in a diluted sort of way, and slip his tongue over it, but it eluded any serious purchase by his teeth. After sucking on the juices for a while, he swallowed and sat up with a sigh. A tureen of porridge caught his eye and he plunged in his mouth like a horse at a trough and tried to swallow. Certainly he was absorbing a little, and its flavour was not too weakened, but the task was hard work compared to the reward.

Lacking the appetite for anything else he looked around. More students were streaming in so he removed himself quickly before he was sat on again. The staff were arriving and Ron idly wished he could pour the steaming porridge over Snape's head. The world seemed to be continuing quite happily without him: Ernie was chatting with the Fat Friar, Draco appeared to be relating his entire last year's experience to those around him who would listen, and – ah! Harry and the rest of the gang were coming in the door.

As they took their places, Luna was saying, "So I'm looking forward to taking Care of Magical Creatures next year." She helped herself to a pile of whole grain toast and began spreading the top one with lashings of marmalade. "Until then I can explore the Forest for Bowtruckles and – oh, I expect it'll be full of abominable snowbabies around Christmas! They must be so cute!"

"Uuh... if they're cute, won't that mean they're not erm... abominable?" said Ginny.

"All babies are cute, Ginny, everyone knows that, and all yetis are abominable as well. So their babies must be abominable and cute. Stands to reason."

"You can't go in the Forest, nobody can," said Harry. "Didn't you hear the Headmaster yesterday?"

"They weren't at the Opening Feast, remember?" said Hermione, who'd been gazing wistfully back and forth between a bowl of cornflakes without sweetener and a delicious sausage cob oozing with calories.

"Luna, you can help me gather herbs and fungi at the edge of the trees," said Neville to Luna. "I often see little creatures."

Ginny said, "No, we were sorted in the Deputy Headmistress's office. We had to discuss our test results and she gave us supplementary booklets."

"What for?" said Hermione.

"I'd like that, Neville," said Luna through a mouthful of toast, "and perhaps the abominables will come to us. They love people. Nothing more tasty."

Ginny said, "Well, we didn't cover a few things in the Hogwarts curriculum but we're ahead on others so when those classes come up we are supposed to study the booklets and catch up on the parts we missed in first year – oh, look!"

Professor McGonagall was moving along the Gryffindor table, handing out timetables. "Miss Granger, a word if you please."

Hermione had anticipated this. She held out a document which McGonagall took and began to examine. "You have a second-year qualification as well?"

Hermione nodded. "So...?"

"Very well, carry on giving your Potions lessons as before; I'm sure the Headmaster will be agreeable and the results of your students last year were – well, they were all outstanding."

"Thank you, Professor."

But McGonagall was frowning at the last remaining second-year timetable she had in her hand. She glanced around, then handed it to Ginny. "Give that to your brother next time you see him, would you?"

Ron jerked to attention, but as McGonagall moved on, Ginny's attention was focused solely on her eggs and bacon and the timetable slipped from her hand. "Oh this is heaven! They simply couldn't make real crispy bacon at Beauxbatons."

When Ron leaned over to look more closely, there could be no doubt. The schedule had his name at the top. He'd been overlooked yet again and after listening to his friends chat for a while, he moved away; it was very dispiriting to never get a mention in their conversations. He might as well be–

"Dead!" Ron's eyes bulged. "I'm dead!" It was so obvious now. "I'm a ghost!" What had happened? How had he died? And yet...

He strode off towards Ernie and the Fat Friar. The jolly spirit was perfectly visible; why wasn't Ron?

"Excuse me..." said Ron.

"But you can smell the food?" Ernie was asking the Friar.

"Almost," said the ghost sadly.

Ron pulled up short. He himself could smell and even taste the food, perhaps he wasn't dead at all! "I say..."

But the Fat Friar was drifting away after being reminded by Ernie of his limited perceptions. Even he hadn't noticed Ron Weasley sinking down onto the nearest bench and putting his head in his hands in despair.

In between? That was it! Ron jumped up again. He must be in some intermediate limbo before becoming a ghost proper. Later, he'd be able to walk through walls and travel anywhere within the castle, even... He smirked as he contemplated the girls' showers. Perhaps there might be compensations for being dead after all. And no classes or homework! Yes, this might work!

.

—oOo—

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Author's Notes

1000 points to Gryffindor if you worked out who Etherea really was! Tiny hints were there in the story but I doubt anyone suspected. Yes, I really tightened the screws on poor Neville this last year but he's found his happiness at last. :)

This Book 2 is the third of a planned eight, novel-length books (Books 0 to 7) each one being a complete story but included in this one long fic. Currently I'll be adding chapters about every 8 to 10 days. I'm temporarily marking the fic 'complete' at the end of each book to give readers who filter for completed stories a chance to read the finished books.

So, here we are on the threshold of all-new Hogwarts adventures, challenges, dreadful villains, and above all, friendship. Enjoy!

Many thanks for all comments and reviews. These are most welcome and very encouraging. Let me know of any weaknesses or faults — I'm always trying to improve my writing so feedback is really useful. :)

– Hippothestrowl

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