Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Chapter Eight: Hogwarts Calls... Literally!
Hermione yawned widely, and squeaked open the door of Ginny's room. She looked back inside and saw her friend dreaming peacefully, and she could guess what they consisted of. Actually, she had been having dreams of Harry too.
Hermione strolled down the stairs of the Burrow, wanting to help Mrs. Weasley cook, and probably pick up a few tips. Then, all of a sudden, a large looming voice filled her head and called, "Students! Come back to Hogwarts, classes will start earlier this year. Platform 9 and 3/4 is already open!"
She looked to the bedrooms, and saw that all Hogwarts students had popped their heads out, inquisitive looks on their faces. And at the same time, the Weasley children yelled, "MUM!"
A flushed Molly Weasley stopped at the top of the stairs to catch her breath. "Yes?"
"Hog-"
"A voice."
"Come back."
She interrupted her children's remarks with a wave of her hand. "Start talking, one at a time..."
Ron pointed to himself first. "Well, I was sleeping and all of a sudden there was this voice...
The twins took this as a sign to talk, "Yeah, Ron's snoring woke us up."
"I do not snore!"
"You did last night!"
"Boys, boys, please continue...."
"Mum, can I speak?"
"Of course, Ginny."
"The voice said, 'Students! Come back to Hogwarts, classes will start earlier this year. Platform 9 and 3/4 is already open!' and we all looked out of our doors."
"But we have two weeks left of summer!"
Mrs. Weasley sighed. "If Hogwarts is calling, you have to respond. You already have your supplies, just go!"
Harry mumbled, "If they start it early, maybe the mid-year breaks would be longer. And then I'll be able to stay away from the Dursleys for a while."
*~*~*~*
They arrived at Kings Cross Station with thirty minutes to spare. Somehow the Weasleys had managed to get prepared early, without any last minute procrastination times.
"It's okay children, we could just walk around for a bit after entering the barrier... you could reacquaint yourselves."
They quickly filtered off into different directions, each joining their groups of friends as they came in.
And without the children noticing their disappearance, Arthur and Molly smiled to themselves and snuck away.
*~*~*~*
"Hey Seamus! Dean! How were your summers?"
"Awesome, Harry! Seamus invited me over and we had the time of our lives!" Dean exchanged a glance with his best friend and they both burst out laughing.
Hermione turned to Harry, "I don't get it..."
He replied, "I don't think you want too..."
Later more classmates filed in, until Harry's rival, Draco Malfoy swaggered in, looking for all the world like an impudent king.
However, many people (of the female gender) had to admit that through the impudence, the boy was just striking to the eye, and had grown well from the snobbish little brat in first year.
Though he had changed in looks, it seemed that he hadn't changed in persona.
"Potty and Weasel..." he sneered, "and Granger the suck-up --" He was further interrupted by the noise of the incoming train. When the three stepped aboard, he couldn't hesitate to finish "filthy Mudblood."
With a self-absorbed smirk, as if the world revolved around him (which in truth, his world did,) and a signal wave of his hand, Draco Malfoy and Co. walked aboard the train, leaving the Malfoy servant to drag the trunks.
*~*~*~*
"Goodbye Ron, Harry. I have to go sit with the prefects... speaking of that, I believe I have to change into my robes. Could you leave or something?"
The boys nodded solemnly and stood beyond the door like guards. And guards they were, for they were protecting their side of the compartment from further intrusion.
They didn't protect the other side of the compartment.
"HOW DARE YOU WALK IN! GET-- GET OUT OF HERE!"
Harry and Ron rushed inside (after knocking of course) and found their friend very flushed pink, her Prefect robes hurriedly rushed on, and hair bushier than ever from the excursion.
"Hermione, are you okay?"
"No, I'm NOT okay!"
"What the hell happened here?"
Hermione pursed her lips angrily until they turned almost white, and performed some pointed mouthings before answering.
Narrowing her eyes, she answered softly, "It was that--insolent g-"
"You don't mean," Harry interrupted.
"It was --" Ron interrupted seconds after Harry.
Hermione nodded. "Malfoy walked into the compartment."
*~*~*~*
Draco Malfoy sank behind the safety of his compartment door. He had just wanted to find a place to change into his Prefect robes, he didn't know about her. He didn't know about her--or what she was wearing-er-not wearing.
"Prefect glory doesn't seem too good now, huh Draco."
He looked down at his chest where he sported large bruises from the incessant beatings of his father. Draco closed his eyes and could picture the moment, detail upon meticulous detail.
His mother had rushed in and hugged her son. "Draco, my baby! You made Prefect! I'm so proud of you!"
Draco offered her a small smile. "Thanks Mum."
His father clenched his fists at the Prefect list before him. "You were made the second Prefect? Under the filthy Mudblood? That's even worse than not becoming a Prefect at all..."
Narcissa paled, mumbling, "Can't you even congratulate your son...?"
Lucius's ears twitched slightly, lifting a hand, prepared to fire it at her face. "He's not my son! He's your son... all yours! No defect like that could be of my blood!"
Draco slid himself between the hand and his mother, his temper starting to flare. "Don't ever hurt Mum."
"How dare you stop her from receiving the chastising punishment? She needs to learn discipline, and obedience. And so do you!"
A hard punch was thrown straight over his heart and Draco doubled over with pain.
Narcissa bent over to help her son, but Lucius stopped her with a smack. "He needs to learn, you've been protecting him--I won't allow it any longer!"
To the rhythm of Narcissa's soft tears landing on the marbled floor below, Draco received beating after beating, until his father's breathing started slowing, indicating he was tired.
His father leaned back from the prostrated boy on his floor and stood. "You deserved it. Every single blow."
And with that, he turned his back on his family and swept away.
Draco looked back at the retreating figure of his father, hatred and defiance shining from his storm gray eyes.
Narcissa whipped him around so he was facing her. "Draco, promise me something..."
"Anything Mum."
"Promise me you won't kill your father."
"I promise."
Narcissa breathed a sign of relief. "I trust you to hold to your promise, baby."
*~*~*~*
"Malfoy had better hide his ugly mug from us for the rest of the year!"
"Ron, I beg to differ, although the boy has the lowest moral code of us all, he is a wonderful looking person..."
"Hermione!"
"How could I not notice?"
Harry yawned. "Does this mean we can't beat him up?"
"No, we still have my honor to protect..."
Ron grinned evilly and asked, "What exactly did he see?"
Hermione just turned scarlet.
*~*~*~*
The rest of the train ride was completely uneventful, and they arrived at Hogwarts in the late evening. Year Two and above rode to the castle under the stars in carriages magically pulled while the First Years traditionally went across the lake led by Hagrid.
The oak doors to the Great Hall opened smoothly, and they soon settled down for the Sorting Ceremony.
Dumbledore stood the hat upon its respective place on the stool, and McGonagall lined the first years single file and alphabetically before it. Many were eagerly (and yet nervously) whispering on the task ahead of them. No doubt Fred and George had told them about the battle with the troll, though they were starting to doubt it now.
The hat opened its brim wide and started to sing a new song for them all.
So you are the people I heard of,
Ones who traveled far.
Awaiting your future soon,
No more helpless than the czar.
Oh, I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat,
And I was taught to think!
Just put me on your head
and you'll be sorted in a wink.
There was a time so long ago
When four brave ones met.
Their names are known to all,
Into one house you will be set.
The first was Gryffindor,
Proud and brave and strong.
The second was Ravenclaw,
Who could think for long.
Third was Hufflepuff,
Working was her game,
And fourth was Slytherin,
That wants all to know his name.
But that time was long ago,
And the characters long dead.
So how do you react,
When you place me on your head.
Will you show me traits of courage,
Or of a resolute ambition,
Will you show me loyalty,
Or of an intellect well hidden.
So put me on your head,
You know that I won't bite.
After all is said and done,
You'll join your friends from sight.
Everyone in the audience clapped and cheered, until even the first years themselves started grinning madly.
"Hermione, I don't see a new face, do you?"
"No, Harry, I guess not."
The first person, "Archer, Benjamin," sat down for a full five minutes before he was made the first "GRYFFINDOR!"
"Archer, Diana" stepped up to the stool, ("Hey, you related?") shook her head and sat down. She rolled her eyes at the people making eyes at her below and was soon sorted as a "SLYTHERIN!"
"Too bad," Ron whispered sadly as Hermione elbowed him.
Next was "Benford, Joshua" as the first "RAVENCLAW!
And came "Chen, Jackie," she was made into another "RAVENCLAW!" with "Ford, Kelly" as another "GRYFFINDOR!" "Foracko, Sable" was the first "HUFFLEPUFF!" and so many others after. "Highland," "Jones," "Lenner," "Maxwell," "Moltri," "McNolty," "Nottingham," "Polozzi," "Pristou-Globokar," "Ruiz," "Rebabou," "Smith," a pair of twins, "Swaine," and "Swaine," until the last person was called, "Zabini, Elizabeth," became a "SLYTHERIN!" like her brother before her.
Dumbledore seemed to be waiting for someone, ("Probably the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," Harry figured) and after a few minutes of waiting after the Hogwarts Song was sung, he stood up and started his impromptu speech.
"I all welcome you to Hogwarts. I hope your stay here is as wonderful to you as it is to me. The Forbidden Forest is off-limits and so is the first and fifth astronomy towers. Now I invite you to partake in the grand feast before you."
They had a large opening feast where Hermione kept mumbling adamantly about house-elves and soon each of the respective head of houses took them to the common rooms. The trio was walking through the hall when Professor McGonagall tapped him on the shoulder. "Harry, I think Dumbledore wants you..."
Dumbledore stood like an imposing figure, his cloak swishing behind him and white beard flying from an invisible wind, and was standing meters behind while waiting for him almost impatiently.
A/N: Thanks to all the below people for reviewing, you guys are awesome!
SaneLunatic: Harry trusted Slyther because he thought it was Slither--um--like snakes slither? Yes, I know that was a little OOC, but I had to incorporate something now for the future chapters.
Ravenclaw_Filly: Yay! I can spell, and pretty well, I'm very proud! They're beating me chapter-wise because I started later...
Bandy: Heh, heh. You love the snake... I have a plan for it...
Darth Yoda: Thanks for reviewing, wait a sec... you reviewed theirs too? grr... (j/k)
Rachel Granger-Gryffindor: what? you don't understand... I'm hurt... (j/k) hope you keep reviewing though, if you can't understand, chances are that someone else can't either.
Kelzery: I'm trying to edit these chapters really fast! I'll get them up as fast as I can, I promise!
Shadow: confusing cliffhangers? They should make more sense now... Don't worry, my reviews sound even cornier.