A/N Thanks for the reviews!
Taco Queen: Your question will probably be answered in either this chapter or the next one. And thanks so much for being one of my best readers!
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling except for Ginny's friends.
Harry stood, facing the train, luggage in hand. He let out a happy sigh. The Dursleys had driven him to the train as they where "heading in that direction anyway." Harry doubted it. The name Sirius Black served for good bribe material.
Harry broke out into a run and approached the barrier. He held his breath, remembering the incident in second year. He let out a sigh of relief when he found himself in the midst of chattering witches and wizards. He was aboard the Hogwarts Express.
"Hey, Harry!" Colin Creevy said excitedly.
"Er ... hi," Harry answered back.
"How ya doing? Ma said she met you!" Colin shouted enthusiastically.
"Yeah, we met."
"Wow! That's cool. I can't believe she didn't meet you before. Boy she's been missing out these past for years!"
"I'm sure, Colin."
"You know, you can sit with my friends and I."
Harry was saved by Hermione's voice. "Harry, over here!"
"Thanks Colin, but I already told Hermione and Ron that I'd sit with them. Thanks anyway. Harry bolted toward Hermione, just as Dennis Creevy walked up to Colin. Harry followed Hermione through compartment to compartment until they reached one that just contained Ron.
"Hey, Harry."
"Hey."
Soon Ron and Hermione got into a heated argument on the topic of Transfiguration. Ron seemed to think it was pointless. ("What if you'd rather stay human?"), but Hermione insisted it was one of the most important subjects.
Harry tuned them out until he heard the compartment door slide open. Ginny walked in, followed by Ari, Cat, and Ma.
"Hiya guys!" Ma screeched.
"Hey Ron," Cat giggled.
"Hi everyone. What's up? I'm so excited about school! I mean we get to see everyone again! I can wait for the test though. I hate them! I hope I do well. Potions is my worst subject. How about you guys? Which subjects do you like? Huh? Huh?" Arianna said, over hyper.
"What?" Ron asked.
"Nothing," Arianna replied dully.
"Are you feeling better?" Harry asked Ari.
"Suppose so." Ari retreated to a corner and stared at the wall.
Ma shrugged. "Cat, is that blue eye shadow you're wearing? You know it's not your color. Now orange ... that's what I call a shade."
Cat just rolled her eyes.
The compartment door opened again and the people on the bottom of Harry's 'Who I'd like to see right now' list walked in. In other words, Malfoy, Goyle, and Crabbe.
"So Potter. I see you've made new friends," Malfoy said, eyeing Ma distastefully.
"Shut up," Harry replied.
"You shouldn't be telling me to shut up. Not after that stunt you and your little friends pulled on the last day of school on this very train," Malfoy said, snarling.
"What did we do?" Hermione asked.
"You don't remember. Well, I never expected Mudbloods to have brains," Malfoy hissed.
Ron abruptly stood up, but Hermione pushed him back down.
"Isn't that getting a little old, Malfoy? But, oh yes, I didn't expect little slimy Slytherins to come up with much better," Hermione replied confidently.
Draco hesitated a millisecond, then spoke again. "Would you rather I call you worse? Such as a ..."
"Shut up, Malfoy," Hermione said, yawning. "I'm getting quite bored with this conversation. Would you mind leaving so I can continue talking to more intelligent people?"
"Like who? I don't see any smart people here."
Hermione smiled before replying. "My point exactly. So you admit it."
"What?" Malfoy asked.
"I say and I quote, 'I don't see any smart people here.' I believe you Malfoy are considered here."
Malfoy looked bewildered and then his smirk came back. "I'd watch what you're saying, Mudblood. You'll get it someday." Before anyone could react, Malfoy pulled out his wand. "Stupidify," he muttered. Hermione went rigid then fell.
Harry suddenly remembered the events of the last day of school of the previous year. He, Ron, Hermione, George, and Fred all had cursed Goyle, Crabbe, and Malfoy on the train. Harry stood to attack Malfoy, but unfortunately Malfoy and his stupid sidekicks left.
Harry looked to Hermione. Ron was leaning over her anxiously.
"Wake up, Hermi. Wake up," Ron was muttering, lightly slapping her face. He had a look of worry flickered across his face.
"Calm down Ron!" Harry said, "Enervate."
Hermione opened her eyes to see Ron's face in front of hers. Instead of turning her face away, she stared up at Ron blissfully. About five seconds passed before Ron and Hermione both jumped up, faces very red.
"Who said that?" Ari asked.
"Said what?" Cat asked back.
"Who said that spirits are ... never mind," Ari said.
"Right..." Cat said, drawing out the word.
"Who are you?" Ari asked to thin air.
Everyone just stared at her.
"I'm Ari. Can you talk? No? Oh well. And these are my friends," she said gesturing to the group.
Ginny walked to Ari. "Ari? There's no one there."
"No. There is, Ginny. Are you blind! There is! There is!" Ari shrieked. Then she became unnaturally quiet and occasionally muttered to herself about vocation.
It was then that Harry realized how thin Ari was. Even thinner than at Diagon Alley. And how weak she looked. Pale and weak.
Ginny noticed Harry was looking at Ari and she noticed how concerned he looked.
"It's okay," Ginny muttered.
But Harry knew things weren't okay. And he was determined to find out what was wrong.
A/N So what is the deal with Ari? And how will the crew get back at Draco. What's going on between Hermione and Ron? Does Harry like Ginny? What about Cho? And how is Cho reacting to Cedric's death? How is Dumbledore dealing with the rise of Lord Voldemort? Find out that and more in the next chapter!