A/N: Ok this chapter is kinda just an add in and I've recently discovered (thanks to one of my reviewers) that the charm with the secret keeper is called the fidelius charm and I couldn't remember the name before so yah. Oh and I apologize in advance for my TERRIBLE sorting hat song because I'm a terrible poet! This story will get more exciting eventually I promise! In the meantime read and review pleeeeeze!
Thanks
***StarliteStarbrite***
Chapter 4
Home Sweet Home
Harry coughed as he stepped out of the fireplace at the Leaky Cauldron, a small grungy wizard's pub that conceals the entrance to Diagon Alley. Harry brushed the soot off of himself and jumped forward as Hermione banged into the back of him. "Ow," he started.
"Oof!" Hermione said rubbing her elbow gingerly. "I hit my elbow on something I'm not really sure what."
Once the rest of the Weasleys and Annette made it through the fireplace they all trooped outside to the back of the Leaky Cauldron. Mrs. Weasley took out her wand and tapped the third brick on the left above the trashcan. The stone wall suddenly opened up into a giant archway. A small iron sign hanging above the entranceway read DIAGON ALLEY.
The group's first stop was Gringott's Wizard Bank. Gringott's was a large white building with miles of underground vaults, and it was also run by goblins. Harry always felt bad when the Weasley's vault was opened, they were the nicest family you'd ever meet but they were also very poor, there was usually very little in their vault. But, Harry felt ten times worse when his vault was opened. His vault was full of piles of gold Galleons, silver Sickles, and bronze Knuts. Harry's parents had left him a small fortune when they died.
When they finally escaped the underground rollercoaster of Gringott's Harry, Ron, and Hermione were looking at a free day full of shopping. The group decided to meet back at the Leaky Cauldron for a quick dinner at six.
Ron, Hermione, and Harry bustled along the street buying all their school stuff. They went into Flourish and Blott's to buy all their books, Madam Malkins for new robes, and they visisted the Apothecary to refill their stock of potion ingredients. And, when Hermione was in Parkinson's Perfect Potions for Haircare Ron slipped back into Flourish and Blott's to buy Hermione a birthday present.
Harry wandered next-door to Damsel's Diamonds, a jewelry store. He wandered around looking at all the necklaces, bracelets, and rings. A shockingly blue stone on a silver chain caught his eye. The stone looked like it had a drop of water encased inside of it. "You like?" asked a short Asian looking wizard.
"Yes, it's gorgeous, how much is it?" Harry replied.
"For Harry Potter I make special price only 5 galleons 7 sickles," the store-keeper replied. Harry considered it for a minute, that was an awful lot for a necklace, but Hermione was one of his best friends and she had been for like 4 years now. He made up is mind. "I'll take it," he replied.
Five minutes later Harry was back out in the bright sunshine. He found Ron outside of Parkinson's Perfect Potion etc. "She's been in there for ages!" he complained, "Did you get her something?"
"Yah," Harry replied, "I found this awesome necklace next door!"
"Lemme see," Ron said just as Hermione walked out of the store.
"Later," Harry replied. The rest of the day went rather well. They spent the day looking in other random wizard shops. Ron and Harry spent twenty whole minutes inside Quality Quidditch Supplies oggling over the latest broomstick. By the makers of the Firebolt, were new Lightening Bolts, slimmer handle and tail making for a more aerodynamic shape. The day was really pleasant with only one minor run-in with a terrified looking Draco Malfoy who sneered a nasty comment at them and then ran off.
"Wonder what he was so scared of," Ron said grinning.
At five minutes until 6 the three of them trudged back to the Leaky Cauldron heavily laden down with packages.
"Oy Ron!" Fred called out as soon as they walked through the door. Fred threw a package at Ron. "Compliments of me an' George. So you don't embarrass us at any dances this year." Ron tore open the package and unfolded a nice set of black velvet dress robes with satin trim.
"Whoa, thanks," Ron said to the two of them.
"Yeah those are really nice!" Hermione beamed, "How on earth did you two buy these?" she asked turning to the twins. "We suddenly came across a lot of money!" George said as he winked at Harry. Hermione eyed them suspiciously, but she didn't persue it further.
After a nice five-course dinner where they all learned a little bit more about Annette (she's 25 and works in the Wizadry Relations department at the Ministry of Magic) they headed back through the fireplace to the Burrow and straight to bed.
* * *
The last two days at the Burrow were some of the greatest for Harry. Mrs. Figg stopped by for lunch one day and the next day Charlie and Annette announced that they'd set the date for their wedding, December 20th. That seemed rather soon for a wedding, but Hermione reminded him that wizard weddings were probably nothing like muggle weddings and they probably took a lot less time to plan.
All to soon their trunks were packed up and loaded into the ministry cars that Mr. Weasley had borrowed. Charlie was coming to the station to see them off but Annette said she had someplace else to be but would be seeing them soon. "She does have a wedding to plan," Ginny said matter-of-factly.
They arrived at King's Cross Station with 10 minutes to spare. Mr. Weasley hustled them through the barrier in threes and fours. At once they had all walked through the barrier between platforms 9 and 10 and onto Platform 9 ¾. They heaved their trunks into an empty compartment. Mrs. Weasley embraced each one of them for rather longer than usual. "You all be careful this year!" she called out to them her eyes glistening as they clambered onto the train. "I don't want any owls saying you've been blown to pieces!" she called as the train started to move.
"I'll see you all in December!" Charlie yelled after them. Harry watched them as the train pulled away gathering speed. One second they were little dots then the next they disappeared.
"Do you believe this is our last train ride to Hogwarts?" Fred asked George incredulously. Harry was surprised by the amount of sadness in Fred's voice. But he figured that he would be sad to, Hogwarts was an amazing place.
"Just enjoy your last year here ok?" Came Ginny's soothing voice as she hugged her brothers.
The boys settled down to play a rather noisy game of Exploding Snap, and Hermione and Ginny wandered off down the corridor.
When the witch with the lunch cart came by the girls still hadn't returned. Around 3:30 they finally strolled back in whispering and giggling.
"Where have you guys been?" Ron asked anxiously.
"Well we went to change," Harry noticed they were both wearing their black Hogwarts robes already, Hermione's had a shiny badge with the letter P on it.
"And we got caught up talking to Lavender Brown. Seems she and Seamus kinda hooked u over the summer and she was just bursting to tell someone!" Ginny giggled.
"Well you gave us a fright, you'd been gone for so long . . ." Ron sighed.
"Oh chill out!" Ginny snapped, "You're starting to sound like Percy!" Ron took this as a personal insult and clamped his mouth shut. But Ginny was right, Harry thought, Ron did sound a bit like Percy.
Just at that moment the compartment door slid open and in walked Neville Longbottom, a rather accident-prone Gryffindor 5th year. "Hullo!" he said cheerfully.
"Hey."
"Howdy."
"Hi."
Neville too was already wearing his black Hogwarts robes and he too had a silver Prefect badge on.
"Look I'm the other Gryffindor prefect," he said pointing to his badge, "Professor Sprout nominated me because I always do so well in her class and Dumbledore thought it'd give me a confidence boost. I was so excited and shocked when I got my letter and badge, and my gran was so proud she bought me an owl!" Neville gushed.
"Wow, Neville that's great!" Harry said.
"Yeah that's awesome!" Ginny said.
"That's ludicrous!" Came the cold drawl of Draco Malfoy, an albino Slytherin 5th year with a pointy face. Malfoy had picked that exact moment to come strolling into their compartment, as usual flanked by his oversized cronies Crabbe and Goyle.
"Ooh, a big word from such a small brain!" Fred cracked. Harry, Hermione, and the Weasleys cracked up, Crabbe and Goyle looked confused like they didn't get it, and Malfoy just glared at them all.
"Shut up Weasley, don't even get me started on you and your family," Malfoy said menacingly. All at once Harry and Ginny had drawn their wands, and Ron had tried to launch himself at Malfoy but Hermione grabbed the back of his shirt. Neville swelled up a bit and swallowed hard a determined look on his face.
"Malfoy, get out. Don't go making trouble before term even starts, or I'll be forced to-to report you!" Neville looked a bit startled with himself and everyone else stood gaping at him.
"Yeah, okay Longbottom," Malfoy said sarcastically. "There's already gonna be trouble this term, and you all will be the first to go. Especially you Potter," he sneered.
"And you'd know that how? Did the Dark Lord come and have coffee with your Daddy this summer?" Harry asked mockingly.
"Yeah, is that why you looked like a scared little mouse in Diagon Alley?" That one came from Hermione.
"Y-you don't know what you're talking about," Malfoy stammered quite shakily. A look of pure terror flashed across his eyes.
"Get out!" Hermione barked at him. Malfoy took one final look at the people in the compartment, turned on his heals, and left with Crabbe and Goyle following after him.
The next few minutes were spent making fun of Malfoy, but that conversation eventually lost interest and the compartment became eerily silent. All of them were remembering that Voldemort had returned, and wondering what he was planning.
"How 'bout a game of chess?" Ron asked Harry breaking the awkward silence. The last couple of hours on the Hogwarts Express were quite fun. They changed into their robes and continued talking and playing chess and Exploding Snap.
When the train finally reached the station they all stepped out into a warm September night. "Firs' years! Thisa way, follow me! Alrigh' there Harry, Hermione, Weasleys?" The all smiled up into the small eyes of the Hogwarts grounds keeper, Hagrid. Hagrid was a huge man (he's half giant) with massive amounts of tangled hair and beard.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny climbed into a carriage and waited for it to set off towards the castle. Nobody said anything the whole of the short trip. When they reached the castle they scrambled out of the carriage and into the crowd trying to get through the massive oak doors. As Harry made his way through the entrance hall and into the Great Hall he looked up at the ceiling. It was enchanted to look like the sky outside, and tonight it was a velvety black dotted with diamond-like stars. Harry couldn't help but feel safe here. No one could get him while he was at Hogwarts under the care of Albus Dumbledore. He was finally at the castle, finally at home, he thought as he took a seat at the Gryffindor table and waited for the feast to begin. He looked up towards the staff table as a line of scared looking first years walked in. Professor McGonnagall followed carrying a stool and a tattered looking wizard's hat. The whole hall sat staring at the hat. Suddenly it stirred and a rip near the bottom opened like a mouth, and it began to sing.
A thousand years, about, ago
This school was made by four
To teach to children magic was
What they truly did adore.
In students each they valued
Different traits to posses
They picked out the ones they liked
And ones that passed their tests.
See Slytherin liked those with ambition
And Gryffindor loved braveness
Sweet Hufflepuff liked those who worked
And Ravenclaw valued cleverness.
So slap me on your head
I'll look inside and have a peek
To tell each founder if you
Are one that they do seek.
The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. A somewhat relieved look washed over some of the first years. Others looked just as queasy as they had before. Harry remembered how nervous he'd been at his sorting especially when the hat wanted to put him in Slytherin. So Harry felt sympathetic towards all those scared first years.
"That was really short," Ron whispered to Harry as Professor McGonnagall started to read off the names of the first years.
"I guess he didn't feel very creative this year," Harry whispered back.
All the students watched as each of the first years in turn stepped forward, sat on the stool, and placed the hat on their head. The hat then yelled out which house you were best suited for (Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin). When all of the first years had been sorted (Gryffindor had gained six new students) Professor McGonnagall picked up the hat and stool and carried them out of the hall. Professor Dumbledore then stood to address his students. As soon as he stood a hush fell over the hall.
"Welcome to a new school year, I trust that you've all emptied your heads quite nicely this summer." He said smiling. Then a very serious look fell over his face, "And I'm sure you all remember my announcement at the end of last term. So in light of that the Forbidden Forest is of course forbidden and I hope you all take extreme heed of this rule because I have instated EXTREMELY severe punishments for anyone who breaks that rule. Also I would like to introduce two new staff members to you . . ."