Chapter Two

Welcome to Hogwarts!

            Jess woke the next day around ten thirty and stared at himself in his full-length mirror.  He didn't think he could look any worse.  He hurried into the shower and rejuvenated himself with refreshing scented lavender body wash and Herbal Essences Jasmine and Honeysuckle shampoo and conditioner.  After drying off he wrapped the towel around his waist and he painted a clear coat of gloss on his finger and toenails.  He let those dry and then ran a blow drier through his hair and applied Aspen scented body lotion.  He rubbed on some body glitter and then sprayed on rose scented body mist. 

            He went to his room and began looking through his closet for an outfit.  He choose a white, sleeveless, ribbed V-neck shirt and a pair of white cargo khaki shorts with a thick black leather belt.  He choose a pair of brown clog leather sandals for shoes and dressed himself.  He then looked in his full-length mirror and knew he looked sensational.  Something was missing though.  He added a thick gold chain, a silver bracelet, and a pair of small gold hoops.  He then went back to the bathroom and styled his hair.  He went downstairs then to have some breakfast.  He found his parents at the table already.

            "You're looking quite stylish today, Jess," his mother commented from the table and took a sip of coffee.

            "Don't I always?" Jess asked and poured a bowl of cereal.

            "Of course," his mother replied.

            Jess poured milk into his bowel and brought it to the table where he sat down to eat.  "What time are we leaving for Diagon Alley?"

            Anglica looked up.  "As soon as you brush your teeth."

            "I still can't believe summer vacation is over," Jess said and glanced out the window. 

            "There will be others, Jess," his father replied without glancing up from the Daily Prophet.

            Jess gave his father a dirty look and continued to eat his breakfast.  After a few minutes he asked, "are we traveling by Floo powder?"

            "Is there another way?" Anglica asked.

            "Yes, Apparateing," Jess said.

            "You know that you're underage," Anglica said sharply.

            "I know, Mom," Jess said and gave a sunny laugh.  "I was just teasing!"

            Jess finished his breakfast and then brushed his teeth.  He headed down to the living room and found his parents waiting. 

            "Ready?" John asked.

            "As I'll ever be," Jess muttered.

            John threw Floo powder into the fire and it turned emerald green.  Jess stepped inside and shouted "Diagon Alley!" A moment of swirling darkness and then he opened the door and was there.  His parents were waiting for him.

            "Let's go to Gringotts," Anglica said and led them to the beautiful snowy white wizarding bank with her purple robes flowing behind her.  Jess looked around and wondered if he'd see any of his friends.  He spotted a group and waved them over. 

            "Jess, hi!" Florence Behanlen said.  "What's going on?"

            "I'm going to get money out of the bank to buy some school supplies," Jess replied. 

            "Oh, yeah, that's right," Florence remembered.  "You're going to Hogwarts, huh?"
            "Yes," Jess agreed darkly.  "I'm not too happy about it, either."

            "I wouldn't be," Lila dePario said.  "Even if Dumbledore is there."

            "Jess!" Anglica called.  "Let's get a move on!"

            "I'll see you guys later," Jess said.  "Don't forget to write!"

            "We won't!" they called back.

            A few days later Jess was standing with his parents at Platform nine and three quarters with his family. 

            "Do be sure to write, dear," Anglica said.

            "I will Mom," Jess replied and gave her a hug.  He turned to his father.  "I'll see you next summer, Dad," Jess said and hugged him too.

            "We'll be waiting," John said.  Anglica clutched her husband.

            Jess turned to his trolley and made sure his trunk and Polgara's cage was in place.  With one final wave to his parents, he ran straight for the platform and in a flash found himself on the other side where the Hogwarts Express was waiting.  He didn't see anybody else so he hauled up his trolley and handed it to one of the helpers.  He took Polgara's cage with him.  Shortly after entering the train he ran into a blond boy with a snake like face and pale skin.  At his side were two boys who looked more like gorillas then humans.  The blond boy stopped him.

            "I've never seen you before," he said.  "You seem awfully big for a first year."

            "I'm not a first year," Jess replied.  "I'm a fifth year.  I transferred from Beauxbatons."

            "Why?" the blond boy demanded. 

            "None of your business till I know your name," Jess answered airily.

            The blond boy looked shocked.  "I'm Draco Malfoy."

            "Jess Rice," Jess said and shook Malfoy's hand. 

            Malfoy took back his hand and it fell to his side.  "Rice, you say?"

            "Yes," Jess said evenly.

            "So your family's pure blooded?" Malfoy asked.

            "I believe so," Jess replied.  "But who cares?  That doesn't mean a thing to me."

            "It should," Malfoy said.

            "Well, it don't," Jess countered.  "And if that's all you care about, I have no business with you.  You're probably not popular anyway."  And with that Jess spun on his heel and left Draco standing there with his mouth open.  Jess went into another apartment and found a dark haired boy with brilliant green eyes and glasses.  Next to him was a red haired boy with white skin and a girl with bushy brown hair.  "Do you mind if I sit with you?"

            "No, not at all," said the girl.  She moved over and Jess sat down.

            "I'm Jess Rice," he said.

            "Hermione Granger," said the girl.

            "Ron Weasley," the red headed boy said.

            "And I'm Harry Potter," said the boy in glasses.

            "Great!" Jess said.  "I'm new to Hogwarts even though I'm a fifth year."

            "I don't get it," said Ron.  "Why are you going to Hogwarts when you're a fifth year?"

            "My parents decided Beauxbatons wasn't safe enough for me," Jess explained.  "So they wanted me closer to Dumbledore to protect me from You-Know-Who." 

            All three of them nodded grimly.

            "Are you in a house yet?" Harry asked.

            "No," Jess said.  "I'm being sorted with the first years."

            "If I were you, I'd want to get into Gryffindor," Ron said.  "I mean, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw are good enough, but Gryffindor's the best."

            "Are you in Gryffindor?" Jess asked them.

            "Yes," all three of them said. 

            "I thought there were four houses at Hogwarts," Jess said, a frown on his flawlessly tan forehead.

            "There are," Hermione said.  "The fourth house is Slytherin."

            "Is there something bad about that house?" Jess asked.

            "It turned out Voldemort and his kind," Harry said softly.

            "Oh," Jess said and shivered.  "I don't want to be in that house then.  I can't stand Dark magic.  Even though I had to learn it."

            "That's a good thing," Ron remarked causally and then caught what Jess had said.  "You had to learn it?" he demanded.

            "Yeah, at Durmstrang," Jess answered.  "It's required."

            "Weird," Ron said.

            "I heard you had a second run in with Voldemort last year, Harry," Jess said.  "Is it true?"

            "Yeah," Harry replied.  "It was scary."

            "I'm sure it would be," Jess agreed.

            Just then a set of red headed twins, obviously seventh years, came into their compartment.

            "Who's the blond?" one of them asked.

            "I'm Jess Rice," Jess said.  "Who are you?"

            "I'm Fred," said one of the twins.  "And that's George."
            "They're my brothers," Ron said.

            "Interesting," Jess said with a raise of his brows.

            "Where did you come from?" Fred asked.

            "Beauxbatons," Jess replied.

            "Did you like it there?" George asked.

            "Yeah, my whole life was there," Jess explained.  "My friends, my status, and my boyfriend."

            "Boyfriend?" Ron asked, swallowing hard.

            "Yeah," Jess replied, giving him a funny look.  "My boyfriend Sean."  He looked at Ron's, Fred's, and George's blank faces.  "You've never heard of gay people before?"

            "What?" Fred asked.

            "Gay people are people who are attracted to members of their same sex," Hermione explained.

            Realization dawned on the Weasley's faces.

            "Oh, okay!" Ron said, his eyes lighting up.  "I get you!  You like boys like girls like boys, right?"

            "Yes," Jess answered evenly.

            Fred and George didn't say anything, they just looked at Jess with interest.

            "Tell us more about this gay thing," George begged and sat down on the other seat.  Fred followed suit.  "I'd like to know more about it."

            "Me too," Fred agreed enthesisatily.

            Jess then launched into an all out talk about gays and everything to do with them.  It took him the entire ride to Hogwarts to satisfy the group's curiously.  It was dark when they arrived at Hogwarts.  Jess was taken aside by Professor McGonagall and then led to the Great Hall.  He stood in front of the professors' table to be sorted into a house.  The students of Hogwarts filtered in and sat down at their house tables.  Soon the first years filed in behind Professor McGonagall and the Sorting Hat was taken out.  She then explained to them the process and got down to business.  And the end of the sorting, she called Jess up.

            "Students," Professor McGonagall began.  "We have a new fifth year transferring from Beauxbatons School of Witchcraft and Wizardy.  Welcome Jess Rice."

            The students broke into applause and Malfoy and his groupies just glared at Jess.

            "Now," Professor McGonagall said, "he will be sorted into a house.  Sit on this stool, please."

            Jess did as bid and waited to be sorted.  When the hat was put over his head, it couldn't decide what house he was to go in.  After some time and thinking, it finally shouted out, "Gryffindor!" and that table erupted with applause.  Jess went over to join his house. 

            "Here Jess!" George called out.  "Sit right here!"  He patted a chair next to him.

            "No, Jess!" Hermione yelled.  "Sit here with Harry, Ron, and me!"

            Jess looked from the famous trio to the infamous twins.  He couldn't believe he was getting this popular already.  There was an empty chair next to Fred who sat with a good-looking African boy.  Ron, Harry, and Hermione were right there too.  Jess took that seat.

            "Hi," said the African boy.  "I'm Lee Jordan."

            "Nice to meet ya," Jess said.

            Then Dumbledore stood up and clapped his hands.  "This year it seems like we will be returning to school on a somber note.  Alliances have been made with all the magical creatures who would listen to us.  We are also starting an order dedicated to fighting Lord Voldemort's forces.  This will be called the Order of the Phoenix and everyone is welcome to try out.  Those who are the best of the best will be admitted.  Other than that, there's no real news.  Welcome back, students, and first years, welcome to Hogwarts!"  He clapped his hands together and food appeared at the table.  Everyone dove in.

            "Are any of you going to join this Phoenix thing?" Jess asked.

            Everyone said they would.

            "I was thinking of doing the same," he declared.  If there was one thing he wanted to do, it was fight Voldemort.  And that was exactly what he would be doing if he joined the Order of the Phoenix.  He couldn't wait to get started with his new life at Hogwarts.  It appeared things were already looking up.  And if there was anything Jess liked, it was things going his way.  Jess looked around at his new friends.  He couldn't wait to really get into this school and become the most popular boy ever!