There's some really weird things going on.
Disclaimer: See last chapter.
Harry was waiting on platform 9¾ for his friends, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley to arrive. He was early, they still had
fifteen minutes, but he couldn't wait much longer. He hadn't heard from anyone in the wizarding world, except for the usual
Hogwarts letter. They probably hadn't sent him in case one of the DeathEaters might find it. It was for his own safety, but
without letters Harry felt very lonely with the Dursleys, who had spent the summer avoiding him. He looked at the clock.
Thirteen minutes.
"Hey Harry, long time no seeing!" One of the Weasley twins had come through barrier. "Ron'll be here any minute!" He walked
away, to join his friends, who were already waiting for him. His twin followed soon after that.
Sure enough, Ron came through as well, followed by his sister, Ginny. "Hello Harry, how are you?" Ron asked.
"Fine, and you?" Harry asked.
"Okay. Oh, Hermione was right behind us, she should arrive pretty soon as well." And the second Ron had said it, Hermione
walked on the platform.
"Hello Harry, Ron." Hermione greeted them.
"So, how was your summer with Krum?" Ron asked, reluctantly.
"Didn't go, what with You-Know-Who around." She answered, looking a bit sad. She turned to Harry. "Which is why I didn't
send anything, sorry."
"Oh, I almost forgot! Here's a letter from Sirius." Ron took the letter from his coat and gave it to Harry.
'Dear Harry,' it read. 'I know this is a unusual way of getting you this letter, but it was safer. I can't really tell you
any details, but this year at Hogwarts will be a little different from the previous ones. It has to do with he who came back
last year, but it's better if you don't know too many details. We're searching for him throughout Europe, and I'll let you
know when we find him.
Sirius.
PS Don't write me. Someone might intercept it. Best of luck.'
Harry put the letter in his trunk. "I wonder who he means with 'we'?
"I'm wondering what he means with the 'year will be a little different'." Hermione said, sounding rather worried.
"Let's just get in the train, it's leaving soon." Ron was still looking a bit glum.
Around noon Draco paid them a visit, as usual. His 'bodyguards,' Crabbe and Goyle, were with him. "So Potter, still feeling
safe without him, do you?" He said.
"Without who?" Harry asked, feeling this would be a repeat of Draco's visit from last year, when he kept talking about the
Triwizard Tournament.
Draco was wearing a smug grin. "You don't know, Potter? I thought he would've let you know, since you're his pet and all.
Guess he doesn't think you're that important."
Hermione looked annoyed. "Just say what you're talking about and get lost."
"Oh look, little Mudblood's getting angry." Draco laughed. "You'd better safe that anger for when the Dark Lord comes after
you."
Ron jumped up, and looked he was about to start a fight with Malfoy, but Crabbe gave a warning growl, and he sat back, still
furious.
"How adorable, Weasel trying to protect his Mudblood girlfriend." Draco said, still with a smug grin.
At his words, Ron turned a little red, and Hermione became interested in the fields they were racing past.
"What, you thought I didn't know?" Draco laughed. "It's so obvious. Well Weasel, I wish you best of luck with you Mudblood,
though not for long." And with that, he walked away, with Crabbe and Goyle.
"So he knows, again." Harry looked annoyed. He turned to his friends. "Who do you think is gone?"
"Well, from his hints it could Dumbledore, he was going about feeling safe, and we have to admit, we do feel safe with
Dumbledore around." Hermione said, still looking through the window.
Ron turned pale. "He wouldn't leave, would he? Not now, with You-Know-Who around."
Harry remembered the letter. "Wait, Sirius said they would be looking for You-Know-Who, remember? What if he and Dumbledore,
or someone else from Hogwarts, joined forces?"
"I suppose that's possible." Hermione said.
"Yeah, yeah, maybe he joined with er, Hagrid or something. I mean, you feel safe with him as well, don't you?" Ron asked
Harry.
Harry nodded. "True. And it's more logical for Hagrid to leave than for Dumbledore. I don't think he'd leave unless he was
forced."
They spent the remains of the train ride with being annoyed by Pigwidgeon, talking who could be gone and putting on their
robes.
When they arrived at Hogwarts and got in the horse-less carriages waiting for them, Harry looked around for Hagrid, but
didn't see him. He told Ron and Hermione this. "Well, that's obvious then, Hagrid's the one who has left." Hermione stated.
But the next person missing was the cause for some concern. There was no Professor McGonagall to greet them, and they walked
to the Great Hall themselves, where there was also a lack of Professors and ghosts. "Creepy, isn't it? It's like there's no
adult in the entire castle." Ron said, when he entered the Hall.
When the students sat at their usual tables, the door opened. Normally, Professor McGonagall would bring the first-years in
to get them sorted, but this time it was someone different. "Come along dears, the sooner you're sorted the better." A woman,
probably in her mid-forties, dressed like a maid, was leading a gang of first-years. She was also carrying the Sorting Hat.
When she reached the high table, she turned. "Hello students. I am Mrs Whitlow and I realise this is an unusual welcome,
but I can assure we try to fix everything as soon as we can. I'll answer questions tomorrow. After the sorting and the
feast, you are to go straight to your common room.
Harry looked at Hermione and Ron, who looked just as clueless as he did. The other students looked just as curious, except
for Draco, who knew about this.
The sorting ceremony was rather short, since the woman didn't allow the Hat to sing, who in turn was insulted and looked
grumpy. But the students got sorted and the feast was held, though everyone was busier talking about the lack of adults. The
woman had disappeared, and when the feast ended, most people went to the common room, though some students, Fred, George and
their friend Lee among them, went off venturing throughout the castle.
"I wonder what's going on, all the teachers and even the ghosts are gone." Hermione said, when they had reached the
Gryffindor common room.
"Maybe it's still the difference Sirius mentioned." Ron suggested.
Harry was about to reply, when Fred, George and Lee came in. They all looked very surprised. "What happened?" He asked.
"Really weird." Fred started.
"It was an orang-utan!" George exclaimed, looking a bit scared. At this point, more Gryffindors became interested.
"We were off, you know, walking around the castle," Lee continued. "When all of sudden we hear this footsteps, right, and
before we know, this monkey grabs us, drags us here and waited till we entered the room."
"An orang-utan?" Hermione asked, obviously questioning their mental health.
"Yeah, a huge, hairy and not to mention strong orang-utan." George shivered. The three walked straight to their dorm. The
Gryffindors, who were expecting something more, started talking amongst themselves again.
"An orang-utan?" Hermione repeated several times.
"Yeah, they were grabbed by a monkey, okay?" Ron said, irritated.
Hermione wanted to reply, but they were sent to bed by a prefect, a sixth-year called Calvin Hobbes.
The next morning they went to the hall for breakfast, and it was as usual. Owls dropping in with message and packages,
people talking, but there weren't any adults, except for Mrs. Whitlow and something Harry thought was a brown furry chair,
but turned out to be an orang-utan. When George saw it, he looked horrified and ate less than usual. When everyone was done
eating, Mrs Whitlow, who was sitting on Professor McGonagall's usual seat, stood up. "I have an announcement to make."
Everyone stayed quiet. "You've probably noticed the lack of time-tables now, and that's for a good reason. We are still
working on them, and you'll get them tomorrow. You may use this day to do whatever you want, except for going to Hogsmeade."
Some people looked unhappy with the last announcement, but most students went off to celebrate.
Harry looked at his friends. "We should probably go to Dumbledore, if he's here, he'll know what to do." He whispered.
Hermione and Ron nodded, and followed him to Professor Dumbledore's office, guarded by a gargoyle. "What was it last year?
Cockroach cluster." The gargoyle stayed still. "Alright, Liquorice wand. Fizzing Whizzbeee. Sugar Quill." Harry started to
get irritated and tried other kinds of wizard candy, but the gargoyle didn't move.
"Maybe you should try Muggle candy, perhaps Dumbledore likes those as well." Hermione suggested, to an angry looking Harry.
"Lemondrops! Chewing gum!" Harry yelled all kinds of Muggle candy, but the gargoyle didn't move. He kicked it, and swore.
"Bloody hell!" The gargoyle moved slowly.
"Bloody hell is the password?" Ron said, surprised. "Harry, I thought you said it was some kind of candy."
"At least now we know something is definitely wrong." Harry concluded. "I mean, if someone like Professor Dumbledore changes
his password to foul language, he has to be seriously sick."
"Let's climb the stairs and see what awaits." Hermione said, taking out her wand.
Hmm, it's a bit of cliffhanger, a bad one, but still a cliffhanger. And be nice and review. Thank you!
Disclaimer: See last chapter.
Harry was waiting on platform 9¾ for his friends, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley to arrive. He was early, they still had
fifteen minutes, but he couldn't wait much longer. He hadn't heard from anyone in the wizarding world, except for the usual
Hogwarts letter. They probably hadn't sent him in case one of the DeathEaters might find it. It was for his own safety, but
without letters Harry felt very lonely with the Dursleys, who had spent the summer avoiding him. He looked at the clock.
Thirteen minutes.
"Hey Harry, long time no seeing!" One of the Weasley twins had come through barrier. "Ron'll be here any minute!" He walked
away, to join his friends, who were already waiting for him. His twin followed soon after that.
Sure enough, Ron came through as well, followed by his sister, Ginny. "Hello Harry, how are you?" Ron asked.
"Fine, and you?" Harry asked.
"Okay. Oh, Hermione was right behind us, she should arrive pretty soon as well." And the second Ron had said it, Hermione
walked on the platform.
"Hello Harry, Ron." Hermione greeted them.
"So, how was your summer with Krum?" Ron asked, reluctantly.
"Didn't go, what with You-Know-Who around." She answered, looking a bit sad. She turned to Harry. "Which is why I didn't
send anything, sorry."
"Oh, I almost forgot! Here's a letter from Sirius." Ron took the letter from his coat and gave it to Harry.
'Dear Harry,' it read. 'I know this is a unusual way of getting you this letter, but it was safer. I can't really tell you
any details, but this year at Hogwarts will be a little different from the previous ones. It has to do with he who came back
last year, but it's better if you don't know too many details. We're searching for him throughout Europe, and I'll let you
know when we find him.
Sirius.
PS Don't write me. Someone might intercept it. Best of luck.'
Harry put the letter in his trunk. "I wonder who he means with 'we'?
"I'm wondering what he means with the 'year will be a little different'." Hermione said, sounding rather worried.
"Let's just get in the train, it's leaving soon." Ron was still looking a bit glum.
Around noon Draco paid them a visit, as usual. His 'bodyguards,' Crabbe and Goyle, were with him. "So Potter, still feeling
safe without him, do you?" He said.
"Without who?" Harry asked, feeling this would be a repeat of Draco's visit from last year, when he kept talking about the
Triwizard Tournament.
Draco was wearing a smug grin. "You don't know, Potter? I thought he would've let you know, since you're his pet and all.
Guess he doesn't think you're that important."
Hermione looked annoyed. "Just say what you're talking about and get lost."
"Oh look, little Mudblood's getting angry." Draco laughed. "You'd better safe that anger for when the Dark Lord comes after
you."
Ron jumped up, and looked he was about to start a fight with Malfoy, but Crabbe gave a warning growl, and he sat back, still
furious.
"How adorable, Weasel trying to protect his Mudblood girlfriend." Draco said, still with a smug grin.
At his words, Ron turned a little red, and Hermione became interested in the fields they were racing past.
"What, you thought I didn't know?" Draco laughed. "It's so obvious. Well Weasel, I wish you best of luck with you Mudblood,
though not for long." And with that, he walked away, with Crabbe and Goyle.
"So he knows, again." Harry looked annoyed. He turned to his friends. "Who do you think is gone?"
"Well, from his hints it could Dumbledore, he was going about feeling safe, and we have to admit, we do feel safe with
Dumbledore around." Hermione said, still looking through the window.
Ron turned pale. "He wouldn't leave, would he? Not now, with You-Know-Who around."
Harry remembered the letter. "Wait, Sirius said they would be looking for You-Know-Who, remember? What if he and Dumbledore,
or someone else from Hogwarts, joined forces?"
"I suppose that's possible." Hermione said.
"Yeah, yeah, maybe he joined with er, Hagrid or something. I mean, you feel safe with him as well, don't you?" Ron asked
Harry.
Harry nodded. "True. And it's more logical for Hagrid to leave than for Dumbledore. I don't think he'd leave unless he was
forced."
They spent the remains of the train ride with being annoyed by Pigwidgeon, talking who could be gone and putting on their
robes.
When they arrived at Hogwarts and got in the horse-less carriages waiting for them, Harry looked around for Hagrid, but
didn't see him. He told Ron and Hermione this. "Well, that's obvious then, Hagrid's the one who has left." Hermione stated.
But the next person missing was the cause for some concern. There was no Professor McGonagall to greet them, and they walked
to the Great Hall themselves, where there was also a lack of Professors and ghosts. "Creepy, isn't it? It's like there's no
adult in the entire castle." Ron said, when he entered the Hall.
When the students sat at their usual tables, the door opened. Normally, Professor McGonagall would bring the first-years in
to get them sorted, but this time it was someone different. "Come along dears, the sooner you're sorted the better." A woman,
probably in her mid-forties, dressed like a maid, was leading a gang of first-years. She was also carrying the Sorting Hat.
When she reached the high table, she turned. "Hello students. I am Mrs Whitlow and I realise this is an unusual welcome,
but I can assure we try to fix everything as soon as we can. I'll answer questions tomorrow. After the sorting and the
feast, you are to go straight to your common room.
Harry looked at Hermione and Ron, who looked just as clueless as he did. The other students looked just as curious, except
for Draco, who knew about this.
The sorting ceremony was rather short, since the woman didn't allow the Hat to sing, who in turn was insulted and looked
grumpy. But the students got sorted and the feast was held, though everyone was busier talking about the lack of adults. The
woman had disappeared, and when the feast ended, most people went to the common room, though some students, Fred, George and
their friend Lee among them, went off venturing throughout the castle.
"I wonder what's going on, all the teachers and even the ghosts are gone." Hermione said, when they had reached the
Gryffindor common room.
"Maybe it's still the difference Sirius mentioned." Ron suggested.
Harry was about to reply, when Fred, George and Lee came in. They all looked very surprised. "What happened?" He asked.
"Really weird." Fred started.
"It was an orang-utan!" George exclaimed, looking a bit scared. At this point, more Gryffindors became interested.
"We were off, you know, walking around the castle," Lee continued. "When all of sudden we hear this footsteps, right, and
before we know, this monkey grabs us, drags us here and waited till we entered the room."
"An orang-utan?" Hermione asked, obviously questioning their mental health.
"Yeah, a huge, hairy and not to mention strong orang-utan." George shivered. The three walked straight to their dorm. The
Gryffindors, who were expecting something more, started talking amongst themselves again.
"An orang-utan?" Hermione repeated several times.
"Yeah, they were grabbed by a monkey, okay?" Ron said, irritated.
Hermione wanted to reply, but they were sent to bed by a prefect, a sixth-year called Calvin Hobbes.
The next morning they went to the hall for breakfast, and it was as usual. Owls dropping in with message and packages,
people talking, but there weren't any adults, except for Mrs. Whitlow and something Harry thought was a brown furry chair,
but turned out to be an orang-utan. When George saw it, he looked horrified and ate less than usual. When everyone was done
eating, Mrs Whitlow, who was sitting on Professor McGonagall's usual seat, stood up. "I have an announcement to make."
Everyone stayed quiet. "You've probably noticed the lack of time-tables now, and that's for a good reason. We are still
working on them, and you'll get them tomorrow. You may use this day to do whatever you want, except for going to Hogsmeade."
Some people looked unhappy with the last announcement, but most students went off to celebrate.
Harry looked at his friends. "We should probably go to Dumbledore, if he's here, he'll know what to do." He whispered.
Hermione and Ron nodded, and followed him to Professor Dumbledore's office, guarded by a gargoyle. "What was it last year?
Cockroach cluster." The gargoyle stayed still. "Alright, Liquorice wand. Fizzing Whizzbeee. Sugar Quill." Harry started to
get irritated and tried other kinds of wizard candy, but the gargoyle didn't move.
"Maybe you should try Muggle candy, perhaps Dumbledore likes those as well." Hermione suggested, to an angry looking Harry.
"Lemondrops! Chewing gum!" Harry yelled all kinds of Muggle candy, but the gargoyle didn't move. He kicked it, and swore.
"Bloody hell!" The gargoyle moved slowly.
"Bloody hell is the password?" Ron said, surprised. "Harry, I thought you said it was some kind of candy."
"At least now we know something is definitely wrong." Harry concluded. "I mean, if someone like Professor Dumbledore changes
his password to foul language, he has to be seriously sick."
"Let's climb the stairs and see what awaits." Hermione said, taking out her wand.
Hmm, it's a bit of cliffhanger, a bad one, but still a cliffhanger. And be nice and review. Thank you!
