Chapter One—The New Gryffindors
"New Years up front please" Shouted Percy Weasly, a Prefect at Hogwarts, over the loud students, eager to get back to their common room. All of the First Years started to run in front of the line, towards Percy. "Hold on, Hold on! There's no rush." Percy said, as he led the students up a set of winding stairs.
"This is the way to the Gryffindor Common Room. Don't forget it, or else you might stumble upon something that could become deadly and nasty, and we do not want that. Ah, here we are" Percy said, as he came to a stop. "This, is the entrance to the Gryffindor Common Room. The password currently is 'Hogstail'. Trust me, do not tell anyone this password. There will be consequences."
Percy turned around, and muttered "Hogstail", and a large portal opened, leading to the common room. "Follow me. Watch your step." Percy muttered loud enough so the First Years could hear. The First Years hurried along, right on Percy's feet. A few times, a First Year would trip over Percy's feet, because they were so close.
"Look at them! We weren't that bad when we were First Years!" Ron Weasly, Harry Potter's best friend, said, as he stared at a First Year girl, who was raising her hand and asking many questions about the common room and school. "Actually Ron, that girl reminds me of someone when they were a First Year" Harry muttered, glancing over to his other best friend, Hermione Granger.
"Oh, shut up Harry!" Hermione muttered, as she followed Harry and Ron's eyes over to the First Year girl. Hermione noticed how this girl looked a lot like she did, in her opinion. Curly, out of control brown hair, resting on her shoulders, with a little clip on top. The girl looked very studious, just how Hermione thought every student should be like. This girl is going to go far, Hermione thought. Hermione gave a smile.
"Hermione…Hermione.." Harry said, waving his hand in front of Hermione's face. Hermione shook her head, and the looked at Harry. "Are you there, Hermione?" Harry asked, as he gently placed his hand on her shoulder, shaking her softly.
"Oh, yeah, Hello Harry" Hermione said, coming out of her thoughts about the girl's future.
"All of the First Years went upstairs already. You might want to go up to your dorm, like Percy suggested, to claim a bed." Harry said, recalling the speech that Percy had given while Hermione was spacing out.
"Oh, thank you Harry. Are you and Ron going to be in the common room later?" Hermione asked, as she started to search for Ron. She had not seen Ron since she started to space out, which was very strange for Ron, because he was usually always following his two best friends, Hermione and Harry.
"Well, I am, but I don't know about Ron. Ron went upstairs with Neville a little bit ago." Harry explained, his green eyes shifting around the common room as he spoke. His eyes finally locked on Hermione, and lit up. "What time are you going to come back down?" Harry asked, to make conversation.
"I'll be right back. I just need to get a space. I do hope that I'm not near a First Year, oh how they bother me." Hermione said, as she turned around and headed for her common room, leaving Harry standing in the middle, surrounded by older students. Hermione turned around suddenly, and softly said, "Harry, be sure to be here. I need to talk to you about something important." And with that, Hermione walked up to the Girls' Dorm.
"Excuse me" Hermione said politely to a Second Year girl that was standing in the middle of the room, blocking Hermione's way to an open bed that she saw. The Second Year turned around, and gave Hermione a bratty face, and muttered, "Excuse me!" in a high squeaky voice, mocking Hermione.
Hermione ignored her, used to students mocking her. She walked to the bed that she saw, and sat down. She looked to her right, and noticed that the First Year girl that she had spotted earlier was next to her. "Excuse me," Hermione said again, tapping the girl, whom was reading a novel.
The girl put her book down. "Yes?" She asked, with a polite tone. "I was wondering if anyone took this bed." Hermione asked, patting the bed, to show that that was the bed she was talking about.
"I believe no one is occupying it." The girl said, sounding eager to get back to her book. Hermione smiled, as she saw out of the corner of her eye a house elf coming with her belongings. "I'm Hermione Granger. I'll be staying here." Hermione said, putting out her hand for the girl to shake it.
The girl gave a small smile. "I'm Emma Lanley. And I'm going to be staying here. So, I guess we'll see each other a lot." Emma said, moving her book to the end of her bed. "What year are you again?" Emma asked, turning her body, and sitting on the edge of the bed to face Hermione.
"I'm a Fourth Year." Hermione said happily. Hermione had always dreamed of becoming a Fourth Year because this year was her middle year.
"I'm a First Year." Emma said, looking at the ground. Emma obviously did not enjoy being a First Year.
"I'm sorry Emma," Hermione began, remembering about Harry, waiting for her in the common room. "But I have to go now. I'm supposed to be meeting a friend in the common room. I'll see you later tonight or tomorrow. Bye!" Hermione waved, and she stood up, and walked out of the dorm room.
Hermione reappeared in the common room, as she had promised Harry. Harry, sitting in an armchair and chatting with Ron, whom had returned from helping Neville search for his pet toad, Trevor. "Look! Hermione's back. What do you think she has to talk to you about, Harry?" Ron asked, his eyes locked on Hermione. Harry turned around, and looked at Hermione, whom was right behind his armchair now.
"Harry," Hermione said, as she sat down on the large couch next to Ron, "We need to talk about last year." Hermione said, with a serious tone to her voice.
"What about last year?" Harry asked, pretending that he did not know what Hermione was talking about.
"Harry! You killed a Professor! What isn't there to talk about?!" Hermione exclaimed, looking at Harry with one of her looks that made everyone feel very unintelligible.
"Oh. That." Harry muttered, not looking Hermione in the face. In fact, Harry was too ashamed to look at Hermione. Hermione had a way of making Harry feel guilty of killing Professor Snape, when Harry didn't. Snape had even said that Harry didn't.
"Tell Dumbledore this was a mistake..my own fault, not Potter's." Snape murmured, closing his eyes when he would say every other word. When he finished speaking, his eyes closed, and never opened again. Harry remembered this from the previous year.
"Harry, aren't you afraid of what's going to happen now? People are going to think you're a murderer!" Hermione exclaimed. Hermione usually never cared about what people thought about her or her friends, but when it were about an evil act, like murder, Hermione cared.
"Dumbledore already has said that it wasn't my fault! It was Snape's fault; he gave me those ingredients. It wasn't like I had them! In fact, I never even heard of Plumjuice! I thought it was something my grandmother would drink when you mentioned it!" Harry said, giving a little laugh.
"Prune juice is what you were thinking of, Harry." Ron muttered, as he looked around the room for an excuse to leave the dull conversation. But there was almost no one in the common room that Ron would hang out with. Only older students that were friends of Fred and George, Ron's older twin brothers, were in the common room.
"Well, it's in the past. I don't care about it anymore. He's dead and nothing will bring him back. Dumbledore has already decided that I'm innocent, and it was Snape's fault. There is nothing to talk about now, so let's change the subject." Harry said, in an angry tone. Harry hated it when his friends brought up negative and old things to talk about. Which was almost everything that Hermione would talk about. That was why Harry liked talking with Ron more. Ron and Harry could talk about girls and other guy stuff, which was what Harry would much rather talk about.
"Well fine Harry, we won't talk about it. But it will haunt you, you know it. All the students will be harassing you about it, especially the Slytherin's. I know I'm glad I'm not you. You'll be sorry we didn't talk about it Harry, you'll be very sorry." Hermione said, becoming angrier than she had been. She got up from where she was sitting, and stormed off to the girl's dorm room.
"That's the maddest I've ever seen her!" Ron announced, as Harry and he watched Hermione storm up to the girl's dorm.
"Yeah, I know. But I'm sick of her always talking about! All during the summer she owled me, wanting to talk about last year. I never replied to any of her owls, though. I'm surprised she didn't ask me why I didn't reply." Harry said.
"Yeah, well, anyway, You know that girl that looks like Hermione? The First Year." Ron asked.
"Yeah. It's scary how alike they look." Harry said, looking around to see if the Hermione look-alike was in the room. She was not.
"Well" Ron began, but stopped. Ron started to blush. "Ron..no..no..oh no! You don't..You can't! A First Year?" Harry said, surprised. Ron looked down to the ground, and then eventually back up, facing Harry. "Harry, she doesn't act like a First Year..not at all! She acts like Hermione, except a lot less annoying. And she's as pretty as Hermione, except younger looking. It's only a two year difference!" Ron exclaimed.
"Ron, it's a three year difference." Harry muttered. Ron was never good at math, not even simple subtraction problems. "Harry, I haven't even asked her out! I just think she's cute. And smart. And funny." Ron said, starring dreamily into the ceiling. "Ron! You haven't even talked to her!" Harry said, accidentally shouting.
"How do you know?" Ron asked. Harry looked at him, and then realized that he did not know. But, not letting Ron be right, Harry replied, "We haven't even been here for a day! And I was hanging out with you practically the whole time we've been here!" Ron looked at Harry, and then sighed. "Harry, I actually was talking to her. I wasn't with Neville that whole time. I'd rather be in Snape's class then hang out with Neville that whole time."
"Well, whatever. Are you seriously going to ask her out?" Harry asked, not wanting to admit that he was wrong. "Yeah, I plan on doing that eventually. Once I get to know her more." Ron said, suddenly changing his facial expression from a happier looking one to a scared looking one. "Do you think Hermione would mind not being the only girl in our group?" Ron asked, with a scared tone. For the past four years, it had been Harry, Ron, and Hermione as the best friends. How would Hermione act if another girl joined their group?
"I'm sure she wouldn't mind!" Harry said, reassuringly. Harry actually knew that Hermione would mind a lot, but did not want to tell Ron this. If Ron wanted to let a First Year join their group, Harry was fine with it. Hermione will just have to deal with it, Harry thought. If she's a good best friend, then she will.
"New Years up front please" Shouted Percy Weasly, a Prefect at Hogwarts, over the loud students, eager to get back to their common room. All of the First Years started to run in front of the line, towards Percy. "Hold on, Hold on! There's no rush." Percy said, as he led the students up a set of winding stairs.
"This is the way to the Gryffindor Common Room. Don't forget it, or else you might stumble upon something that could become deadly and nasty, and we do not want that. Ah, here we are" Percy said, as he came to a stop. "This, is the entrance to the Gryffindor Common Room. The password currently is 'Hogstail'. Trust me, do not tell anyone this password. There will be consequences."
Percy turned around, and muttered "Hogstail", and a large portal opened, leading to the common room. "Follow me. Watch your step." Percy muttered loud enough so the First Years could hear. The First Years hurried along, right on Percy's feet. A few times, a First Year would trip over Percy's feet, because they were so close.
"Look at them! We weren't that bad when we were First Years!" Ron Weasly, Harry Potter's best friend, said, as he stared at a First Year girl, who was raising her hand and asking many questions about the common room and school. "Actually Ron, that girl reminds me of someone when they were a First Year" Harry muttered, glancing over to his other best friend, Hermione Granger.
"Oh, shut up Harry!" Hermione muttered, as she followed Harry and Ron's eyes over to the First Year girl. Hermione noticed how this girl looked a lot like she did, in her opinion. Curly, out of control brown hair, resting on her shoulders, with a little clip on top. The girl looked very studious, just how Hermione thought every student should be like. This girl is going to go far, Hermione thought. Hermione gave a smile.
"Hermione…Hermione.." Harry said, waving his hand in front of Hermione's face. Hermione shook her head, and the looked at Harry. "Are you there, Hermione?" Harry asked, as he gently placed his hand on her shoulder, shaking her softly.
"Oh, yeah, Hello Harry" Hermione said, coming out of her thoughts about the girl's future.
"All of the First Years went upstairs already. You might want to go up to your dorm, like Percy suggested, to claim a bed." Harry said, recalling the speech that Percy had given while Hermione was spacing out.
"Oh, thank you Harry. Are you and Ron going to be in the common room later?" Hermione asked, as she started to search for Ron. She had not seen Ron since she started to space out, which was very strange for Ron, because he was usually always following his two best friends, Hermione and Harry.
"Well, I am, but I don't know about Ron. Ron went upstairs with Neville a little bit ago." Harry explained, his green eyes shifting around the common room as he spoke. His eyes finally locked on Hermione, and lit up. "What time are you going to come back down?" Harry asked, to make conversation.
"I'll be right back. I just need to get a space. I do hope that I'm not near a First Year, oh how they bother me." Hermione said, as she turned around and headed for her common room, leaving Harry standing in the middle, surrounded by older students. Hermione turned around suddenly, and softly said, "Harry, be sure to be here. I need to talk to you about something important." And with that, Hermione walked up to the Girls' Dorm.
"Excuse me" Hermione said politely to a Second Year girl that was standing in the middle of the room, blocking Hermione's way to an open bed that she saw. The Second Year turned around, and gave Hermione a bratty face, and muttered, "Excuse me!" in a high squeaky voice, mocking Hermione.
Hermione ignored her, used to students mocking her. She walked to the bed that she saw, and sat down. She looked to her right, and noticed that the First Year girl that she had spotted earlier was next to her. "Excuse me," Hermione said again, tapping the girl, whom was reading a novel.
The girl put her book down. "Yes?" She asked, with a polite tone. "I was wondering if anyone took this bed." Hermione asked, patting the bed, to show that that was the bed she was talking about.
"I believe no one is occupying it." The girl said, sounding eager to get back to her book. Hermione smiled, as she saw out of the corner of her eye a house elf coming with her belongings. "I'm Hermione Granger. I'll be staying here." Hermione said, putting out her hand for the girl to shake it.
The girl gave a small smile. "I'm Emma Lanley. And I'm going to be staying here. So, I guess we'll see each other a lot." Emma said, moving her book to the end of her bed. "What year are you again?" Emma asked, turning her body, and sitting on the edge of the bed to face Hermione.
"I'm a Fourth Year." Hermione said happily. Hermione had always dreamed of becoming a Fourth Year because this year was her middle year.
"I'm a First Year." Emma said, looking at the ground. Emma obviously did not enjoy being a First Year.
"I'm sorry Emma," Hermione began, remembering about Harry, waiting for her in the common room. "But I have to go now. I'm supposed to be meeting a friend in the common room. I'll see you later tonight or tomorrow. Bye!" Hermione waved, and she stood up, and walked out of the dorm room.
Hermione reappeared in the common room, as she had promised Harry. Harry, sitting in an armchair and chatting with Ron, whom had returned from helping Neville search for his pet toad, Trevor. "Look! Hermione's back. What do you think she has to talk to you about, Harry?" Ron asked, his eyes locked on Hermione. Harry turned around, and looked at Hermione, whom was right behind his armchair now.
"Harry," Hermione said, as she sat down on the large couch next to Ron, "We need to talk about last year." Hermione said, with a serious tone to her voice.
"What about last year?" Harry asked, pretending that he did not know what Hermione was talking about.
"Harry! You killed a Professor! What isn't there to talk about?!" Hermione exclaimed, looking at Harry with one of her looks that made everyone feel very unintelligible.
"Oh. That." Harry muttered, not looking Hermione in the face. In fact, Harry was too ashamed to look at Hermione. Hermione had a way of making Harry feel guilty of killing Professor Snape, when Harry didn't. Snape had even said that Harry didn't.
"Tell Dumbledore this was a mistake..my own fault, not Potter's." Snape murmured, closing his eyes when he would say every other word. When he finished speaking, his eyes closed, and never opened again. Harry remembered this from the previous year.
"Harry, aren't you afraid of what's going to happen now? People are going to think you're a murderer!" Hermione exclaimed. Hermione usually never cared about what people thought about her or her friends, but when it were about an evil act, like murder, Hermione cared.
"Dumbledore already has said that it wasn't my fault! It was Snape's fault; he gave me those ingredients. It wasn't like I had them! In fact, I never even heard of Plumjuice! I thought it was something my grandmother would drink when you mentioned it!" Harry said, giving a little laugh.
"Prune juice is what you were thinking of, Harry." Ron muttered, as he looked around the room for an excuse to leave the dull conversation. But there was almost no one in the common room that Ron would hang out with. Only older students that were friends of Fred and George, Ron's older twin brothers, were in the common room.
"Well, it's in the past. I don't care about it anymore. He's dead and nothing will bring him back. Dumbledore has already decided that I'm innocent, and it was Snape's fault. There is nothing to talk about now, so let's change the subject." Harry said, in an angry tone. Harry hated it when his friends brought up negative and old things to talk about. Which was almost everything that Hermione would talk about. That was why Harry liked talking with Ron more. Ron and Harry could talk about girls and other guy stuff, which was what Harry would much rather talk about.
"Well fine Harry, we won't talk about it. But it will haunt you, you know it. All the students will be harassing you about it, especially the Slytherin's. I know I'm glad I'm not you. You'll be sorry we didn't talk about it Harry, you'll be very sorry." Hermione said, becoming angrier than she had been. She got up from where she was sitting, and stormed off to the girl's dorm room.
"That's the maddest I've ever seen her!" Ron announced, as Harry and he watched Hermione storm up to the girl's dorm.
"Yeah, I know. But I'm sick of her always talking about! All during the summer she owled me, wanting to talk about last year. I never replied to any of her owls, though. I'm surprised she didn't ask me why I didn't reply." Harry said.
"Yeah, well, anyway, You know that girl that looks like Hermione? The First Year." Ron asked.
"Yeah. It's scary how alike they look." Harry said, looking around to see if the Hermione look-alike was in the room. She was not.
"Well" Ron began, but stopped. Ron started to blush. "Ron..no..no..oh no! You don't..You can't! A First Year?" Harry said, surprised. Ron looked down to the ground, and then eventually back up, facing Harry. "Harry, she doesn't act like a First Year..not at all! She acts like Hermione, except a lot less annoying. And she's as pretty as Hermione, except younger looking. It's only a two year difference!" Ron exclaimed.
"Ron, it's a three year difference." Harry muttered. Ron was never good at math, not even simple subtraction problems. "Harry, I haven't even asked her out! I just think she's cute. And smart. And funny." Ron said, starring dreamily into the ceiling. "Ron! You haven't even talked to her!" Harry said, accidentally shouting.
"How do you know?" Ron asked. Harry looked at him, and then realized that he did not know. But, not letting Ron be right, Harry replied, "We haven't even been here for a day! And I was hanging out with you practically the whole time we've been here!" Ron looked at Harry, and then sighed. "Harry, I actually was talking to her. I wasn't with Neville that whole time. I'd rather be in Snape's class then hang out with Neville that whole time."
"Well, whatever. Are you seriously going to ask her out?" Harry asked, not wanting to admit that he was wrong. "Yeah, I plan on doing that eventually. Once I get to know her more." Ron said, suddenly changing his facial expression from a happier looking one to a scared looking one. "Do you think Hermione would mind not being the only girl in our group?" Ron asked, with a scared tone. For the past four years, it had been Harry, Ron, and Hermione as the best friends. How would Hermione act if another girl joined their group?
"I'm sure she wouldn't mind!" Harry said, reassuringly. Harry actually knew that Hermione would mind a lot, but did not want to tell Ron this. If Ron wanted to let a First Year join their group, Harry was fine with it. Hermione will just have to deal with it, Harry thought. If she's a good best friend, then she will.