A/N: Hello again! Sorry it took so long to post this
chapter, but I had an evil math teacher who gave me
hours worth of homework. Ah, oh well, schools out
now so expect more chapters in the near future. Oh, and just so no one sues me, none of this is mine, ok? And Floo powder
will be added to flames so I can get away from this mental institution.



Encounters With A Ferret

A couple weeks later...

Harry had forgotten the dream by the next morning and went about with his new life. Living with Sirius was interesting because things exploded unexpectedly, much to Sirius' amusment. The day before Harry was due at Kinng's cross, the two had gone to Diagone Alley to buy Harry's school supplies
( Harry had recieved a new list the day after he had moved in.)

Harry woke up on September the first to Sirius barging into his room yelling,"Harry, get up!!! You'll be late for the train!"

Harry immediatly snapped into action. He jumped out of bed and hurried over to his desk where his books, quills, and parchment were. He shoved them into his trunk and grabbed Hedwig. He made his way into the living room and opened the door to go. It was then that he felt a draft on his legs. Upon looking down he saw that he was still in his boxers.

The landlady lived across the hall from Harry and Sirius and was always fussing about how much noise they made. She heard the normal crashing and banging and rushed to her door to yell at them. She opened her door and almost fell back in shock. She stared forward, her eyes as big as saucers, at Harry.
Harry's head jerked up and saw her standing there. He slammed the door shut and ran to his room. He threw on some muggle clothing, ran out the door with his things, and met Sirius downstairs by the ministry car. They hopped in and were at Kings Cross in no time flat, just to see the clock strike 3 til 11:00.

"Run Harry!!!" yelled Sirius as they got out of the car. They dashed through the barrier, not caring if any muggles saw them. When they got onto the platform they saw that the train was already moving. Ron, seeing Harry's plight, threw open the door to the last compartment. Harry rushed over and shoved all of things on. Ron grasped Harry's wrist and hauled him abourd just as the platform barrier whizzed past.

"Thanks Ron," Harry panted as he sat down out of breath," Where's Hermione?"

"She's sitting with the prefects. She got the letter the day after the party. So it's just you and me, and possibly your girlfriend, if you see her. Padma's sitting with Parvati and Lavender, so she's busy. Want to play a game of Exploding Snap?" He asked. "Sure," Harry replied.

Ten games went by with each of them winning five. Ron was just starting to deal for the tie-breaker when their least favorite people walked in. Draco Malfoy and Gregory Goyle. Harry had to surpress a thin lipped smile as he remembered what happened to Crabbe. Crabbe, finally displaying some smarts, had stolen Harry's Firebolt the year before. He rode it around the pitch until Harry had seen him. Harry had run out under him and had yelled,"Accio!" The broom had jerked out from underneath Crabbe so fast that he didn't have time to react. He fell to the ground and shattered his spine. He spent a few painful hours in the hospital wing before he had died.

"Oh, look. It's Potty and the poverty stricken Weasel,"Malfoy said as he smirked.

"Better a weasel then a ferret Malfoy,"Ron shot back. Harry chuckled. They had been calling Malfoy a ferret ever since their fourth year.

Malfoy's face flushed red as he said,"Fuck you Weasley. Fuck you."

"Go to hell Malfoy," Ron said as he jumped up, looking like he fully intended to send him there. That's when the witch pushing the food cart came in.

"Would any of you dearies like something to eat?" She asked in a sickly-sweet voice. "No," Malfoy replied irritably. He quickly pushed his way past the witch and walked off. Goyle followed obediantly.

Ron sat down angrily as Harry bought some pumpkin pasties and chocolate frogs.

"I swear I will beat that piece of shit into the ground. I swear I will." He said, his eyes showing his anger.

"Calm down Ron. I know how you feel. But you know he is Volde- '" Don't say his name!" Ron said angrily.'-all right, You-Know-Who's best boy. You hurt Malfoy he will kill you and you know it." Harry said evenly.

"Ok, ok. Now I'm tired because I was so pissed off.
(A/N: Do any of you know how that feels?) I think I'm going to get some sleep. Wake me when we get there." Ron said as he layed his head on the seats armrest. He was fast asleep in minutes. Harry put his head on his hand and looked out the window. He was only interrupted when Hermione popped in to say hi.

********************************

Why didn't I stay with him thought Hermione as she made her way back up to the prefects car. He looked so lonely

Her thoughts were quickly interrupted as she tripped over someones outstretched foot. It was Draco Malfoy's.

"Oh look, Goyle. It's the mudblood. And her friends are no where to be seen. We could have some fun with this. SERPENSORTIA!!!!!" He yelled. Then, out of Malfoy's wand, erupted a thick, twelve-foot, red-on-black king snake.It slithered toward Hermione, who stood rigid with fear. She had had her fear of snakes ever since her second year. She stood rooted to the spot as the snake came closer and closer...

(A/N: I was going to stop here, but I can't be that cruel.)

"BANISHIUS!!" A voice yelled behind Hermione. The snake dissapeared in a flash of smoke and light. Malfoy turned disgustedly to see who had destroyed his snake. There stood Harry, his wanding pointing straight at Malfoy. He walked slowly toward Hermione, keeping his wand straight.

"You basterd. How could you do that to her?" Harry said angrily.

"We're just having some fun with the mudblood. No need to get so offended," Malfoy replied with a smirk.

"Come on Hermione. Let's get out of here," Harry said as he pulled her arm. As soon as the two were safely out of the compartment Harry turned to Hermione," Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Just a little shaken up. Why were you there anyway?' asked Hermione.

"I was looking for..." Harry said as Hermione interrupted him,"Never mind. You don't have to say it. Oh look! We're here." She was staring pointedly out the window. Harry turned to look and saw that they were pulling into Hogsmead Station.

"Harry, I thought you were going to wake me. Oh, we're here." Ron said sleepily. He had walked up behind them while they were talking. The trio got off the train and headed for one of the horseless carriages. They were ravenously hungry when they got to the castle.

When they sat down the sorting hat was just finishing it's song. The first years filed in nervously, led by Professor McGonagall. She grabbed her list and read off the first name.

"Anheim, Alfred!"

The boy at the front of the line walked nevously up to the stool. He looked at the hat for a moment, as if unsure of what to do. That's when the hat did something it had never done before.

"Sit down boy! What, are you going to wait until Christmas? Put me on!"

Anheims eyes opened wide with surprise. He then sat down and shoved the hat down on his head. Moments later the hat screamed out,"HUFFLEPUFF!"

The sorting continued on as normal after that. The final tally for new students were twenty Gryffindors, nineteen Hufflepuffs, eighteen Ravenclaws, and fifteen Slytherins. Once all the new students were sorted and seated at their house tables Dumbledore stood up to make an announcement.

"Hello, new students. We are very happy that you are here. As a reminder there is no walking on the grounds at night. Also, the Ministry has finally decided to acknowlage that Voldemort has returned. I ask you to look toward our new Head Boy and Girl for support. That means no more Hogsmead trips. Now I would like to introduce our new professors this year. The new Defense Against The Dark Arts Professor is Professor Excon." The man next to Dumbledore stood up. Upon closer inspection Harry realized that he looked remarkably like Reamus Lupin.

Dumbledore turned to the room again,"The staff and I decided together that there should be a new course this year. The new course is the Animagi course. Teaching this class is Professor Black." Sirius stood up from the far end of the staff table and nodded his head.

"Thank you professor. Everyone dig in," Dumbledore said as the tables filled up with food. Harry ate quickly and hurried up to Gryffindore Tower. They told the Fat Lady the password ( Honeycream) and climbed into the common room. Ron and Harry said goodnight to Hermione and walked up to their room where they found Neville, Dean, and Seamus unpacking. Harry quickly unpacked, gave a glance toward the window, and crawled under his blankets. He had one last look around and fell asleep.

*********************************

"Goodnight,Harry." Hermione said to Harry. She walked quickly to her room and flopped down on her bed. She started to sob into her pillow. She had realized her feelings for Harry at the end of last year. She loved him, but was afraid to tell him for fear of their friendship and because he already had love. She cried herself to sleep, not knowing what to do.



A/N: So, what do you think? Please R/R and tell me. Oh, and to those who guess who Harry's girlfriend is I might put you in my story. And will someone tell me if I am on their Favorite Author list or their Author Alert list?