3
The next lot of days passed quickly. It was the night before school started. After dinner, everyone was busy packing. Harry was excited. He couldn't wait to play quidditch again, to try out his Snitch Pointer.
The next morning was the usual. Everyone was rushing up and down the house. Harry went in the kitchen and ate a few pieces piece of toast. Mr Weasley was reading the Daily Prophet.
"Molly?" he said as he puts down the Daily Prophet.
"Yes Arthur?" said Mrs Weasley, cutting up sandwiches.
"I can't go with you to King's Cross Station. They found a whole ring of wizards selling mivrokaves that sing and edible felefones to muggles." said Mr Weasley shaking his head.
Harry tried not to laugh as he was sure he'd get a piece of pancake lodged down his throat.
"It's strangely busy at my department. Sorry about all this."
"Oh it's alright."
After breakfast they all headed off to King's Cross Station. Mrs Weasley called three taxis like the previous year. This time it wasn't as bad. Hedwig and Pigwidgeon were asleep and Fred and George didn't set anything off. It was a quiet and a fast ride. When they've reached King's Cross Station Mrs Weasley gave them each their sandwiches. And hug them goodbye. They met up with Hermione and they got a compartment all to themselves. Harry was looking around. He was hoping that Linda would come and join them even if their compartment was jam-packed.
Ron seemed like he was doing the same. "Hey isn't Linda coming to Hogwarts? Where is she?"
Then they saw her. She was hugging her mother. She had new shiny leather trunks with shiny gold locks. She had plaited pigtails, with little red flowers. Then she saw them. She waved. At her feet stood a small cat-like creature. Ron and Harry moved over and shoved everything aside so there was room. Ron shoots the rest a stare and they all moved. Not long after she came into their compartment.
"Hi! Is it Ok if I sit there?" Linda pointed to the empty space next to George the rest tried so hard to make.
"Yea of course. Look at how much room there is! " said Ron
She sat down. Her luggage was bigger than anyone else's. On each of her shiny trunks there was gold lettering that says "L.F.Waldenberg". The strange creature followed her in. It had spotless snow-white fur with golden yellow flecks. It also had enormous ears and a tail like a lion's.
"That cat is following you!" pointed Ginny.
"Oh! Neviola is not a cat. She's a kneazle!" Linda said picking up the kneazle and it startled to purr.
In a gold cage she had the big handsome snowy owl Harry had met on his birthday. She also had a very flash Firebolt.
"Hey would you guys like some Bertie Botts Beans?" she asked.
Then she put her hand in one of her bags and got out six packets of Bertie Bott's every flavoured beans. And she gave them to everyone.
"Aren't you gonna have a packet?" asked Fred looking suspicious.
"Nah ate too much in the holidays. Got sick of them."
Harry's first one tasted like glue, he looked around. Everyone else didn't look like they ate a good one. Then Harry took a second one. This time it was orange peel.
"Don't you guys like them?" Linda was looking rather hurt.
"Oh no! Of course we do. We are just very unfortunate to come across all the bad ones first." said Ron eating another one and forced a smile.
Hermione however made a better excuse. "Ah…I better save them till later." she stuffed the packet into her pocket.
"Yea I should too." the rest all did the same.
When they've finally arrived at Hogsmeade Station. They all said hello to Hagrid. George and Fred went with Lee their friend. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Linda went into their own.
Professor McGonagall came up to them and turned to Linda, "Miss Waldenberg would you like to come with me please."
Linda followed Professor McGonagall. They made their way into the Great Hall and sat down saving a seat for Linda between Harry and Ron even if they didn't know which house she is going to be put in. The first years finally arrived. All looking nervous. The sorting ceremony started. Professor McGonagall put down a three-legged stool down and put an old dusty, patched up hat on it. Then the hat started to sing its song.
Come and put me on your head
The house you belong to will be said
Could you be a Gryffindor?
Task without adventure is a bore
Perhaps a Hufflepuff
Your kindness is the most tough
Maybe a Ravenclaw
Wisdom can be raw
Or a Slytherin
Cunning and full of sin
The hat sings a different song each year. Ron said only because the hat gets bored during the year. Harry thought the last year must've been busy for the hat as the song did not compare with the previous ones.
"Abbott, Luna"
"Hufflepuff!"
Over at the Hufflepuff table Harry could see Hannah Abbott cheering and hugging Luna who must've been her sister.
"I wonder where Linda is," said Ron stretching his neck looking around looking for Linda.
Harry did it too. She wasn't anywhere.
"Maybe Professor McGonagall disposed of her!" said Hermione sounding unusually hopeful.
"Catinus, Dominico"
A spotty boy stepped up to the hat.
"Gryffindor!"
Then a few minutes later….
"Frogghut, Jackson"
"…Ravenclaw!"
"Oh hurry up! I'm starving!" Ron said clutching his stomach.
Finally all the first years were sorted. Professor Dumbledore stood up.
"I am please to announce that this year the new students would not only be first years. Miss Waldenberg has come to Hogwarts. Now will you please, Miss Waldenberg and put on the sorting hat."
She wore a nervous smile. She picked up the hat and sat on the stool and put it on her head.
"She's hoping she won't end up sitting with those rotten excuse for Hogwart students," said Ron after Hermione noticed how Linda was chanting something.
"………Gryffindor!" shouted the hat.
Vast cheers burst from the Gryffindor table. She went towards the Gryffindor table and sat down at the saved seat.
Dumbledore began talking again. "Welcome back to another year here at Hogwarts. You must all be hungry. I don't want to be holding you back. Just one more word please. Eat!" he wore a smile and had same flashing eyes.
Food appeared in every bowl and plate. Drinks appeared in every cup and goblet. Harry looked up at the staff table. He saw a new face.
"Hey? Could that be this year's new Defence Against Dark Arts teacher?" Harry said studying the new face. It was a woman. She had flaming red locks and her cheeks were filled with freckles.
"Oh no!" said Ron horror struck. "That's… that's…" he let out a groan and twisted his face.
"Yes Ron!" said George grinning. The twins were sitting opposite them laughing.
"Who is it Ron?" asked Hermione cutting her steak up.
"It's Aunt Dolly" Ron's face had turned very red.
Ginny was next to Hermione and she was giggling uncontrollably.
"Aunt Dolly has taken a liking for Ron." said Ginny still giggling.
"What's so bad about that?" asked Harry who would've like it for his aunt to at least notice him.
Then his question was answered. The lady stood up and started to wave like mad.
"Ronny darling! Hi!" her voice was shrilly. "It's me! Your auntie Dolly! I'm teaching here now! Ronny Bonny!"
Everyone in the Hall started to laugh. Even Harry and Hermione couldn't help it. The loudest laughter came from the Slytherin table. Ron slid down his chair making only his red hair visible. Harry stopped laughing noticing how Ron was. After they all finished eating Dumbledore spoke again, "This year we have a new teacher with us. It's the lovely professor Weasley! And-"
Ron's aunt cutted in "Ronny's aunty!"
"Indeed." professor Dumbledore continued. "She would be taking Defence Against the Dark Arts. Now this year quidditch would be back and try-outs in some houses, the forest is still forbidden and so is doing magic in the corridors. Please head back to your dormitories and rest those heads!"
When they were heading up the marble staircase Neviola trotted down and started to rub itself against Linda's legs. It looked very content then out of the blue it started to hiss loudly at something behind them. It was Malfoy. He shouted, "Oi! Ronny baby! Here! Come and let me give you huge dirty Weasley smooch!" he was imitating Ron's aunt Dolly kissing the air.
To Harry's surprise it wasn't Ron that reacted first but Linda. She took out her wand in a fraction of a second and use the rest of that second and said "Moothony!" Everyone gasp. Malfoy's mouth disappeared. You could see immense terror in his pale grey eyes. Then they heard a cold voice.
"Not a good way of making a first impression Waldenberg." said Snape. "Sixty points from Gryffindor!" he gave Linda a stare Harry knew too well.
He steered Malfoy away and they saw all the rest of the teachers at the door.
"I'm sorry to do this but making a mouth disappear is violating rules professor Dumbledore had just made very clear not to do, is not something you do here at Hogwarts! Detention!" said Professor McGonagall glaring her sharp eyes at Linda. Then all of them walked away to the staff room.
No one talked until they reached the picture of the fat lady "Hustle Thorns" then got inside the Gryffindor common room.
"Was what I hear true?" said George excitedly. "You made Malfoy's mouth disappear!"
"Wow! I admire your braveness and power!" Fred said bowing to Linda.
"This is not good! A spell like that could be permanent!" said Hermione with a this-is-serious tone.
Then at those words Ron started bowing with Fred. Linda blushed a little. Hermione gave a frustrated sigh and marched up the stairs leading to the girl's dormitory.
"I better go as well. 'Night!" then she left and followed Hermione up to the girl's dormitory.
Harry, Ron, Fred and George went up to their own dormitories after Linda. When Harry got up to his dorm, his luggage was already up there. He got out his pyjamas slipped them on. Before he knew it, he was in his bed and drifting away…