Chapter 2- An unexpected loss

The rest of the summer went by real fast for Harry. He had sent a letter to Sirius and told hime the good news. Sirius responded saying that he now had a house and was ready for anyone to come and start living with him. Harry had never gotten a response from Hermione though, and was wondering why.

Harry didn't let Hermione's absent letter get in the way of his summer fun, though. Since he told his Aunt and Uncle the good news they started treating him a lot better. They actually let him go out every now and then, and he finally realised how many muggles there were in the world.

One time when he went out onto his front lawn he met a girl named Adria. Adria was a nice girl, about two months younger than Harry. The two spent many nights out on the front lawn together. One evening when he was going outside to play with the neighborhood kids he saw Adria and she was inviting him over. Then and there he realised that he would be missing something when her left Privet Drive, and it would be Adria.

When the day came that they had to leave, Harry was very sad. He really did not want to leave, for he had been having the best summer vacation ever. Then Harry realized he was going back to the wizarding world and once again had high spirits about leaving.

Uncle Vernon had a hard time packing all of Harry's new stuff in the trunk. Just a few days before the day they left, Uncle Vernon finnaly took him to get his school supplies. He dropped Harry off at the Leak Cauldron where he went to Diagon Alley and got his stuff. (Diagon Alley is an entirely muggle-free shopping center.)

Harry had inherited a small fortune from his parents when they died so whenever he goes to Diagon Alley he buys a lot. Harry always seems to forget his friends bithdays, so this year he bought them all nice presents. He bought Herione a gift certificate to Flourish & Blotts so she can get whatever books she wants, and he bought Ron a ton of candy. Harry thought that much candy would last the boy the entire year, but then he remebered how much Ron like Chocolate frogs, and thought otherwise.

When they finally reached the train station, Harry knwe exactyly what to do. Every year all of the students had to go to platform nine and three quarters. In Harry's first year he wondered how to do this unttill he met Ron's mom. All you have to do is walk into the barrier separating platforms 9 and 10.

Before Harry even stepped in the train station his relatives were gone without saying goodbye. So, Harry foun the wall and walked through it, and as he went through it seemed like another world opened up for him.

He saw the glimmering Hogwarts Express there. Bt there was something odd about the train station. Normally there would only be one or two guards, but here Harry sawabout thirty. He was wondering why whe he suddenly remebered, the Dark Wars. He didn't think that he would ever be this close to any of the soldiers of the war, but then he remember that even Mr. Weasly probably is.

As soon as he got to the train five of the guards came around him and said, "This way Mr. Potter."

Harry was used to specail treatment because of his troubled past, but he never thought he would have body guards like this. The whole reason of this special treatment is the year before Voldemort tried to kill him. Voldemort's greatest wish is that he will one day get to kill Harry Potter, as Harry found out last year.

The men took Harry up on the train and he saw tons of more bodyguards, one stationed at the entrance of each compartment. Harry walked to the back of the train, and he headed for the compartment he normally shared with Ron and Hermione. When he got back there he saw Ron, Hermione, and Bill (Ron's brother) in the compartment.

Harry said "hi" to everyone and sat down with a puzzled look looking at Bill.

"Good day," he said, "you may be wondering why I am here. You all have heard that the Dark wars have started. Every single worker for the Ministry of Magic has been turned to help fight off he-who-must-not-be- named. The other night the Ministry got a threat that many students will be murdered this year. At that warning, the Ministry jumped into action. I am here to protect you all. Now, if such an attack would accur on this trip, which I doubt it will, every single worker here will aid you as best as possible. Only kids and people in the Ministry of Magic are allowed on the train. In every compartment there is a body guard, and outside every compartment there is one. Now, just to let you all know, Albus Dumbledore is on the train, and as we all know, he is the only person that-murderous-fool is afraid of."

Everyone in the compartment laughed when Bill said "that-murderous- fool" wich made all of their spirits high. Just then Draco Malfoy (Harry's arch-enimie from his first day of school at hogwarts) walked in.

"Excuse me sir," said Bill in a very professional voice, "are you on the list for this compartment?"

"Uh... no." said Draco.

"Well, then would you mind leaving or I may have to move you myself, we are on very strict guidelines here." said Bill in his professional voice.

Draco got this "I don't understand whats going on face" and stormed out of the cabin. Harry looked over at Hermione, for the first time all day, and she had a very tired-sad face on, but she was still laughing.

Harry asked Ron to move over next to Bill so he could talk to Hermione.

"Wasn't that the funniest thing youv'e ever seen?" said Harry.

Hermione nodded, but she still looked very sad.

"Hey, Hermione, whats wrong?" asked Harry.

Hermione's eyes welled up with tears and she sputterd out "V-v-v-olde- mort... k-k-killed... my f-f-fath-er."

Hermione collapsed into her luggage beside her crying. Harry looked at Ron and Bill and they nodded in a kind of "we-already-knew" way. Hary leaned over and hugged Hermione. She got up and hugged him back. Harry knew that Voldemort loved to kill muggles and mud-bloods(people who are half muggle, and half wizard) but he never realized it would hit so close to home. The rest of the trip everyone talked and had a lot of fun, but there was still a sad aura in the air.

When the snack cart came around, Harry, as usual, bought snacks for everyone. Ron finally got his Mertha Jahilda card from the chocolate frogs. For his first time ever, Harry got a metal flavored Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Bean's, and Bill was marveling over a cream puff. Hermione however did not join in the fun, but just layed back and relaxed the rest of the trip.