Chapter 1- News of a student exchange.
Harry shivered and reluctantly rolled out of his warm, inviting four-poster bed in the Gryffindor dormitory. It was a particularly drafty Saturday in January. Why did Gryffindor fifth-years have to have double potions at seven o'clock on a Saturday morning? He thought bitterly.
Harry slipped on his glasses and peeked at his watch- it was already 6:45! Ron was still asleep!
"Ron!" yelped Harry. "Wake up already!"
"Ugh." moaned Ron. "I was having the most wonderful dream. Dumbledore was announcing that we had another week of vacation, and. Why did you have to wake me up anyway?"
"Because we have less than fifteen minutes to get to potions!" Harry exclaimed.
Harry and Ron hurriedly threw on their cloaks and raced out the door. They stopped briefly in the Great Hall to grab some cold toast, and continued their sprint towards the dungeons. Storming in through the door, they gasped for breath and sheepishly made their way to their seats.
Harry eventually stopped examining the dungeon's floor and looked at Snape. He shuddered. The only thing less inviting than rolling out of bed was the frigid dungeon, and the even colder stare on Snape's face.
"I am glad that some students know the importance of being punctual," Snape snarled maliciously. "However, some other students could do with a reminder. Potter, Weasley, see me tomorrow with an essay on the importance of punctuality. Three scrolls!"
Ron just stood there with his jaw hanging open, until Harry nudged him to sit down. Malfoy sniggered at them, and Hermione had on one of those 'you- deserved-it' looks on her face.
The next hour and a half was pure misery. They were making an aging potion, and it smelled quite musty and stung whenever you got some on yourself. Finally, they were free to go.
"Finally," sighed Ron. "A day of relaxation."
"Not for you," said Hermione, bringing him down to Earth. "You two have to write that essay for Snape."
"He's never serious about that stuff," Harry retorted. "He assigns so many of those extra essays that he forgets who's writing what and when it's due."
"But still," Hermione said. "He did assign it to you, and it's your duty-"
"You worship teachers, don't you?" Ron snorted.
"Hmph," Hermione sniffed, acting like she had more class than the two of them combined. "What happened to the ethics of education?"
"What's so ethical about Snap assi-"
"Harry!" someone said.
Harry turned around and saw Cho Chang smiling at him. "Harry, can I talk to you?"
"Uh, sure," Harry stuttered. "I mean, I guess so." Why would Cho want to talk to me? Harry thought.
Harry and Cho strolled away from Ron and Hermione, where no one could hear them.
"Harry," Cho started. "Was- was Cedric happy when he died? Content? I've been wondering about that for months. I just needed some closure to this."
"Yeah, I guess so," Harry said, a little bewildered about Cho's request. "He had just won the tournament."
"Thank you," Cho said gratefully. "I just need a little closure. and to move on. That's why I will be leaving Hogwarts."
"You're leaving Hogwarts?" Harry gasped. He really liked Cho, and was shocked that she was leaving. Why would she want to quit school? It made absolutely no sense.
"Not forever," Cho laughed. "I'll be back. eventually. And I'm only going as an exchange student."
"Where?" Harry inquired. He couldn't picture Cho attending Durmstrang, or even Beauxbatons.
"Some school in America," replied Cho. "I believe it's called the Salem Academy of Magic. A girl named Anna something will be taking my place. I just have to leave this place. Everything reminds me of Cedric. I just have to move on."
"Well." Harry sighed. "I guess I'll see you around." He trudged slowly towards the Gryffindor tower.
Harry was really disappointed that Cho was leaving. He had liked her for years, and then she just had to fall in love with Cedric. A few months after he died, Harry thought that she might like him, too. However, that was apparently not the case. He and Cho would occasionally talk to one another, but Cho always wanted to talk about Cedric. Harry sort of understood how she was feeling, but he felt that it was due time for her to move on. Maybe it was a good thing that she would be an exchange student, but Harry still wished that she would stay at Hogwarts.
Harry reached Gryffindor tower. He muttered the password and stepped into the Gryffindor common room.
"How about a game of Wizard's Chess?" he asked Ron, who was sitting in an armchair, still debating with Hermione about whether he should write the essay.
"Sure!" replied Ron, eager to change the subject. Hermione sighed and stormed off to the girls dormitory.
As they were setting up the board, Harry asked Ron "Do you know anything about the exchange student?"
"Yeah, weren't you listening at dinner Thursday?" Ron asked quizzically.
"Not really," Harry replied.
"Okay, here's the scoop," Ron began. "Cho and a girl from Salem Academy of Magic are switching schools for an unknown amount of time. The girl from Salem Academy will be arriving tomorrow, and Cho will be leaving Monday."
"Okay, thanks," Harry said.
"Oh, and one more thing," Ron added.
"What's that?" asked Harry.
"Checkmate!"
Harry shivered and reluctantly rolled out of his warm, inviting four-poster bed in the Gryffindor dormitory. It was a particularly drafty Saturday in January. Why did Gryffindor fifth-years have to have double potions at seven o'clock on a Saturday morning? He thought bitterly.
Harry slipped on his glasses and peeked at his watch- it was already 6:45! Ron was still asleep!
"Ron!" yelped Harry. "Wake up already!"
"Ugh." moaned Ron. "I was having the most wonderful dream. Dumbledore was announcing that we had another week of vacation, and. Why did you have to wake me up anyway?"
"Because we have less than fifteen minutes to get to potions!" Harry exclaimed.
Harry and Ron hurriedly threw on their cloaks and raced out the door. They stopped briefly in the Great Hall to grab some cold toast, and continued their sprint towards the dungeons. Storming in through the door, they gasped for breath and sheepishly made their way to their seats.
Harry eventually stopped examining the dungeon's floor and looked at Snape. He shuddered. The only thing less inviting than rolling out of bed was the frigid dungeon, and the even colder stare on Snape's face.
"I am glad that some students know the importance of being punctual," Snape snarled maliciously. "However, some other students could do with a reminder. Potter, Weasley, see me tomorrow with an essay on the importance of punctuality. Three scrolls!"
Ron just stood there with his jaw hanging open, until Harry nudged him to sit down. Malfoy sniggered at them, and Hermione had on one of those 'you- deserved-it' looks on her face.
The next hour and a half was pure misery. They were making an aging potion, and it smelled quite musty and stung whenever you got some on yourself. Finally, they were free to go.
"Finally," sighed Ron. "A day of relaxation."
"Not for you," said Hermione, bringing him down to Earth. "You two have to write that essay for Snape."
"He's never serious about that stuff," Harry retorted. "He assigns so many of those extra essays that he forgets who's writing what and when it's due."
"But still," Hermione said. "He did assign it to you, and it's your duty-"
"You worship teachers, don't you?" Ron snorted.
"Hmph," Hermione sniffed, acting like she had more class than the two of them combined. "What happened to the ethics of education?"
"What's so ethical about Snap assi-"
"Harry!" someone said.
Harry turned around and saw Cho Chang smiling at him. "Harry, can I talk to you?"
"Uh, sure," Harry stuttered. "I mean, I guess so." Why would Cho want to talk to me? Harry thought.
Harry and Cho strolled away from Ron and Hermione, where no one could hear them.
"Harry," Cho started. "Was- was Cedric happy when he died? Content? I've been wondering about that for months. I just needed some closure to this."
"Yeah, I guess so," Harry said, a little bewildered about Cho's request. "He had just won the tournament."
"Thank you," Cho said gratefully. "I just need a little closure. and to move on. That's why I will be leaving Hogwarts."
"You're leaving Hogwarts?" Harry gasped. He really liked Cho, and was shocked that she was leaving. Why would she want to quit school? It made absolutely no sense.
"Not forever," Cho laughed. "I'll be back. eventually. And I'm only going as an exchange student."
"Where?" Harry inquired. He couldn't picture Cho attending Durmstrang, or even Beauxbatons.
"Some school in America," replied Cho. "I believe it's called the Salem Academy of Magic. A girl named Anna something will be taking my place. I just have to leave this place. Everything reminds me of Cedric. I just have to move on."
"Well." Harry sighed. "I guess I'll see you around." He trudged slowly towards the Gryffindor tower.
Harry was really disappointed that Cho was leaving. He had liked her for years, and then she just had to fall in love with Cedric. A few months after he died, Harry thought that she might like him, too. However, that was apparently not the case. He and Cho would occasionally talk to one another, but Cho always wanted to talk about Cedric. Harry sort of understood how she was feeling, but he felt that it was due time for her to move on. Maybe it was a good thing that she would be an exchange student, but Harry still wished that she would stay at Hogwarts.
Harry reached Gryffindor tower. He muttered the password and stepped into the Gryffindor common room.
"How about a game of Wizard's Chess?" he asked Ron, who was sitting in an armchair, still debating with Hermione about whether he should write the essay.
"Sure!" replied Ron, eager to change the subject. Hermione sighed and stormed off to the girls dormitory.
As they were setting up the board, Harry asked Ron "Do you know anything about the exchange student?"
"Yeah, weren't you listening at dinner Thursday?" Ron asked quizzically.
"Not really," Harry replied.
"Okay, here's the scoop," Ron began. "Cho and a girl from Salem Academy of Magic are switching schools for an unknown amount of time. The girl from Salem Academy will be arriving tomorrow, and Cho will be leaving Monday."
"Okay, thanks," Harry said.
"Oh, and one more thing," Ron added.
"What's that?" asked Harry.
"Checkmate!"
