[Chapter 6: Until we meet again.]
The four friends spent the rest of the week catching up and buying last minute school supplies. Time flew by, excitement grew and soon it was September 1st and before you know it, they were on platform 9 3/4, Harry carrying Hedwig in her cage and lugging his broomstick as Sirius helped him with his extra heavy suitcase. Next to Harry, Ron was busy saying goodbye and Hermione was chasing after Crookshanks. Before long, they had all said goodbye and were boarding the train that Harry felt like saying something to Sirius. He got off the train with 5 minutes to spare and went to his godfather.
"Now that it's time for me to go, I don't want to. Can't you come with us? I'm sure Dumbledore will let you stay and you can get a place in Hogsmeade. Please come. I've just only started a new life with you and here I am, saying goodbye."
"Harry, I've got some things to deal with here and well, as for me coming and staying at Hogwarts, well, you'll see." Harry had a feeling that Sirius was hiding something from him. The train's horn sounded. "Go on now, Harry, don't worry about me. Just enjoy and have fun and make sure you score high in your O.W.L.S."
"Bye Sirius."
"Goodbye Harry...Until we meet again," he said, winking.
"Goodbye everyone," Harry said, running to catch up to the train.
"Goodbye Harry," replied the Weasleys.
***
Harry opened the compartment door to see Hermione, Ron and Ginny (who still blushed near Harry) arguing about something. Ron seemed to be in the middle of it.
"No, I doubt they'll re-post Lockhart as the new DADA teacher. He's too much of a nutter."
"Ron, he's more than just good looks you know," countered Hermione. " I mean, he's probably the best candidate there is for that job. You never know."
" I agree," Ginny said.
"You know what, guys, I think that if we could have Lupin bck as our DADA teacher, that would be awesome. Sorry, Herm, but I gotta agree with Ron here. Lockhart was a total, er, girl." Harry said resisting the urge to laugh. Ron guffawed.
" You have a point, but it would just make our school year so much better, if Lockhart was there....." Hermione sighed and then she and Ginny both giggled.
"Mental, they are these ones," Ron said shaking his head.
Harry sat down next to them and they talked some more. Soon they found that they ran out of interesting conversation and quietly sat lost in their own thoughts. The trolly came by and they busied themselves with chocolates. There was a new assortment of chocolates out and they were called 'TongueTwistersBrainSplitters HARD candy'. Ginny and Hermione passed but Ron and Harry each bought one.
"On the count of three ok?" Ron advised. Harry nodded and unwrapped the candy. Ron counted to three and they both stuffed it in their mouths. Hermione and Ginny watched as both Ron's and Harry's faces turned purple and their eyes bulged out and they desperately tried to pry their mouths open (so they could spit it out) but the candy seemed to have glued their mouths together. Hermione and Ginny started to laugh as the boys' eyes started to water. Then after two minutes of agonizing pain, on the boys behalf, their faces returned to normal and their eyes returned to their respectful sockets. Finally they were able to open their mouths.
"Woah!!! My tongue was literally twisted inside my head..." started Ron.
"And my head felt as if it was going to split right down the middle."
"True to their name then, you guys should really read the package before you try something, " piped Hermione.
" You should've seen your face, your ears were practically steaming!!" Ginny said between jolts of laughter.
"Harry what do you reckon we send some of these to Percy?"
"Don't. Unlike you he can read," snapped Hermione.
"Hermione, do you really think we're that stupid? (Ginny coughed which sounded very much like 'yes'.) Well, we're not. We're gonna change the wrapper and make it like one of those Alberian Nuts he enjoys so much. " Ron said but then realising that Hermione wasn't interested, he and Harry busied themselves with how they were going to send them.
The Hogwarts Express passed through bright green fields and dark tunnels and before long, the sun had sank and the train slowed down and finally came to a stop at the Hogwarts school platform. By this time, they had changed into their dress robes and their excitement was at a peak. Hermione got off first, since she was a prefect and held the door for others to exit the train. Harry could tell that she felt really important.
"First years this way, " said a gruntled and miserable voice a complete opposite of Hagrid's cheerful voice. Harry and Ron turned around to face the new gamekeeper and were surprised to see who it was.
Never without the company of his cat, Mrs Norris, there stood Filch, obviously Hogwarts new keeper of the keys. He gave Harry a disgruntled look and ushered the first years over to the boats.
"Him?!? What was Dumbledore thinking?" Ron asked.
"I dunno. Guess we'll find out soon enough."
"Are you two going to spend the whole night out here? C'mon lets go over to the carriages. We don't want to miss the Sorting," Hermione ordered.
They got on their carriages, all of them too excited to say anything and after a while before them stood the gleaming towers and turrets of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry.
The four friends spent the rest of the week catching up and buying last minute school supplies. Time flew by, excitement grew and soon it was September 1st and before you know it, they were on platform 9 3/4, Harry carrying Hedwig in her cage and lugging his broomstick as Sirius helped him with his extra heavy suitcase. Next to Harry, Ron was busy saying goodbye and Hermione was chasing after Crookshanks. Before long, they had all said goodbye and were boarding the train that Harry felt like saying something to Sirius. He got off the train with 5 minutes to spare and went to his godfather.
"Now that it's time for me to go, I don't want to. Can't you come with us? I'm sure Dumbledore will let you stay and you can get a place in Hogsmeade. Please come. I've just only started a new life with you and here I am, saying goodbye."
"Harry, I've got some things to deal with here and well, as for me coming and staying at Hogwarts, well, you'll see." Harry had a feeling that Sirius was hiding something from him. The train's horn sounded. "Go on now, Harry, don't worry about me. Just enjoy and have fun and make sure you score high in your O.W.L.S."
"Bye Sirius."
"Goodbye Harry...Until we meet again," he said, winking.
"Goodbye everyone," Harry said, running to catch up to the train.
"Goodbye Harry," replied the Weasleys.
***
Harry opened the compartment door to see Hermione, Ron and Ginny (who still blushed near Harry) arguing about something. Ron seemed to be in the middle of it.
"No, I doubt they'll re-post Lockhart as the new DADA teacher. He's too much of a nutter."
"Ron, he's more than just good looks you know," countered Hermione. " I mean, he's probably the best candidate there is for that job. You never know."
" I agree," Ginny said.
"You know what, guys, I think that if we could have Lupin bck as our DADA teacher, that would be awesome. Sorry, Herm, but I gotta agree with Ron here. Lockhart was a total, er, girl." Harry said resisting the urge to laugh. Ron guffawed.
" You have a point, but it would just make our school year so much better, if Lockhart was there....." Hermione sighed and then she and Ginny both giggled.
"Mental, they are these ones," Ron said shaking his head.
Harry sat down next to them and they talked some more. Soon they found that they ran out of interesting conversation and quietly sat lost in their own thoughts. The trolly came by and they busied themselves with chocolates. There was a new assortment of chocolates out and they were called 'TongueTwistersBrainSplitters HARD candy'. Ginny and Hermione passed but Ron and Harry each bought one.
"On the count of three ok?" Ron advised. Harry nodded and unwrapped the candy. Ron counted to three and they both stuffed it in their mouths. Hermione and Ginny watched as both Ron's and Harry's faces turned purple and their eyes bulged out and they desperately tried to pry their mouths open (so they could spit it out) but the candy seemed to have glued their mouths together. Hermione and Ginny started to laugh as the boys' eyes started to water. Then after two minutes of agonizing pain, on the boys behalf, their faces returned to normal and their eyes returned to their respectful sockets. Finally they were able to open their mouths.
"Woah!!! My tongue was literally twisted inside my head..." started Ron.
"And my head felt as if it was going to split right down the middle."
"True to their name then, you guys should really read the package before you try something, " piped Hermione.
" You should've seen your face, your ears were practically steaming!!" Ginny said between jolts of laughter.
"Harry what do you reckon we send some of these to Percy?"
"Don't. Unlike you he can read," snapped Hermione.
"Hermione, do you really think we're that stupid? (Ginny coughed which sounded very much like 'yes'.) Well, we're not. We're gonna change the wrapper and make it like one of those Alberian Nuts he enjoys so much. " Ron said but then realising that Hermione wasn't interested, he and Harry busied themselves with how they were going to send them.
The Hogwarts Express passed through bright green fields and dark tunnels and before long, the sun had sank and the train slowed down and finally came to a stop at the Hogwarts school platform. By this time, they had changed into their dress robes and their excitement was at a peak. Hermione got off first, since she was a prefect and held the door for others to exit the train. Harry could tell that she felt really important.
"First years this way, " said a gruntled and miserable voice a complete opposite of Hagrid's cheerful voice. Harry and Ron turned around to face the new gamekeeper and were surprised to see who it was.
Never without the company of his cat, Mrs Norris, there stood Filch, obviously Hogwarts new keeper of the keys. He gave Harry a disgruntled look and ushered the first years over to the boats.
"Him?!? What was Dumbledore thinking?" Ron asked.
"I dunno. Guess we'll find out soon enough."
"Are you two going to spend the whole night out here? C'mon lets go over to the carriages. We don't want to miss the Sorting," Hermione ordered.
They got on their carriages, all of them too excited to say anything and after a while before them stood the gleaming towers and turrets of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry.