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If Harry felt that Dumbledore would allow him to fall back into his rut, he was greatly mistaken. Instead of waking up at 11:00, he heard a great commotion by the portrait entrance around 8:30. It sounded as if the majority of the Weasley family was outside, arguing with the Fat Lady, whose portrait guarded the Gryffindor commons.
"C'mon. I've been in Gryffindor for the last 5 years! Just let us in!" pleaded a voice that sounded like either Fred or George Weasley. Apparently the Fat Lady said something that angered them, because Ron's voice bellowed "What do you mean, 'if that's who you say you are'? Who else would we be?!"
Abruptly, the voices all died down. Harry sat up in bed, wondering what was going on. He heard Dumbledore say 'Virtus Aevum' and a few seconds later Fred, George, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny came through the door. Ginny blushed as she saw Harry in just his pajamas. Nobody else noticed, as they were all talking with Harry.
"I'm sure you all want to get reacquainted with Harry, but I ask you to allow him to get dressed first. He'll meet you down in the Great Hall." Dumbledore spoke up. The Weasleys and Hermione all left Harry. Dumbledore was about to leave when Harry called his name.
"Yes, Harry?" Dumbledore turned around.
"Er, I'd just like to say thanks for all you did for me yesterday." Harry replied.
"You're welcome, Harry. I'll see you down in the Great Hall."
"Why didn't you respond to my letters?" asked Ron as Harry walked into the Great Hall. Harry couldn't think of a good answer for this, but was fortunately saved by another conversation drawing Ron's attention.
"…so I visited Viktor last month. His house is really beautiful, and…" Hermione trailed off, seeing the odd look Ron was giving her, "Maybe now's not the best time to talk about that."
Dumbledore walked into the Great Hall and immediately the conversations stopped. Dumbledore walked the path down the Great Hall and everyone's gaze was upon him. Harry looked at all of this and started sniggering. Soon he couldn't help but laugh. Dumbledore seemed to notice all the attention he was getting. He held his chin up high, puffed out his chest, and walked importantly. Fred and George joined in the laughing, and pretty soon the rest of the Weasleys were as well. Hermione, however, looked scandalized.
Dumbledore noticed this, and sat down next to Hermione. After sitting down, he whispered to Hermione "I don't think they're giving the respect a highly-esteemed gentleman such as myself deserves." At this, he gave a quirky little grin. Hermione looked like she was trying to decide whether to join in laughing, or scold the Weasleys and Harry. This only made the rest laugh harder.
Dumbledore gave a chuckle, and then said "So, I guess you're all waiting for some food. Well several of the house elves volunteered to come back to work early." Harry and Ron cringed, glancing at Hermione. Dumbledore didn't seem to notice, and continued, "Until the day before term starts, you can simply ask your plate, like you did during the Yule Ball last year".
At the mention of the Yule Ball, both Harry and Ron cringed again. Ron looked over at Hermione, and stuttered, "Er… Hermione, uh, if there are any dances this year, who are you going to go with?"
Hermione, who looked like she supremely enjoyed the situation, stated "Well, I don't know…. Who should I go with?" Harry swore he never saw Hermione look more smug. He felt a little sorry for Ron, so he drew everyone's attention away by asking Dumbledore "Professor, are we going to have the Triwizard tournament again this year?"
"I don't know yet, Harry. Both Beauxbatons and Durmstrang are both willing, but we're meeting resistance from the Ministry this year. Since they haven't yet admitted that Voldemort has returned, they still believe Cedric died as a result of an accident. Hopefully, though, we will have our answer before term starts." While it wasn't the answer Harry was looking for, Ron wasn't looking quite as red as before. "Salisbury Steak" Dumbledore spoke to his plate. As if on cue, the rest ordered their food as well and started eating.
"Is the age line still going to be up?" Fred asked hopefully through a mouthful of mashed potatoes. Last year he hated the age line, as it prevented him from entering. Now that he was 17, he apparently wanted the age line in place.
"Yes, of course," replied Dumbledore.
"Why do you care, Fred?" asked Ron, "You'll be of age anyway. You can enter either way."
"Well, if I do enter, I don't want to have to compete with a bunch of 5th years. At this comment, Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked a little upset.
"What do you mean, if you enter? You wanted so bad last year, why are hesitant this year?" asked Ginny. Fred didn't answer though, he just glanced quick at George, then at Dumbledore, and muttered "Nothing."
The last 4 weeks of summer passed very quickly for Harry. They idly wondered what tasks there would be for the Triwizard Tournament (if they got to have one), whether Snape would miss the Defense Against the Dark Arts post again, and whether they would get a quidditch season this year. They even had a mini prank war, in response to a series of dungbomb attacks from Fred and George in the 5th years' rooms. Hermione even got involved a little in the playful attacks; Ron would never forget Fred and Georges faces when they got hit with the infamous Curse of the Bogies, as only Hermione could dish up so well.
Before they knew it, the Hogwarts express arrived. After meeting up with all their other Gryffindor friends, the group walked into the Great Hall for the sorting. After sitting down, Ron's stomach let out an audible grumble.
"Honestly, are you always hungry?" chastised Hermione.
"Hermione, I've had to be very careful about what I've eaten the last 3 days. Fred and George just developed some new products." replied Ron.
"Quiet, the first years are here!" urged Harry.
Sure enough, Professor McGonagall was walking with a gaggle of terrified 1st years in tow. She brought them up to the front, where they all looked curiously at the ragged hat before them. Harry leaned over in anticipation; he couldn't wait to hear this year's sorting song.
Suddenly, the hat sang out
A thousand or more years ago
Four sorcerers formed a pact
To instruct young wizards and witches
In knowledge which they lacked
Yet each sorcerer thought different
In what a student should be
The task of sorting them out
Was wisely left to me
Gryffindor liked his charges brave
Daring, with no fear
No proud Gryffindor would ever run
When the odds were sheer
Hufflepuff valued loyalty
Friendship and hard work
No responsibility a Hufflepuff
Would ever be seen to shirk
Slytherin loved ambition
Striving to be great
If you have cunning and guile
Slytherin could be your fate
Ravenclaw favored intellect
A keen mind with deep thought
Within a Ravenclaw's head you'll find
Answers actively sought
Put me on! Like the rest
Upon this stool they sat
I tell all where they ought to go
For I'm the Sorting Hat.
The Sorting hat became quiet, and the Great Hall burst into applause. When the applause died down, McGonagall unrolled her parchment and fairly shouted "When I call out your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool. When the hat announces your House, you will go and sit at the appropriate table."
"I think she said those exact same words last year," Ron whispered to Harry, as Irene Abeshouse was called up. After sorting her into Hufflepuff, Nancy Adams was called up.
"Oh come on, I doubt that she said the exact same words," Harry whispered back as Nancy was sorted into Ravenclaw and Robert Bowen was announced as Slytherin.
"No, I'm serious. She's probably said the same thing over and over again; she probably doesn't even realize it," Ron argued, as Cardona Edward was sorted into Ravenclaw and Ann Drumm became the first Gryffindor of the bunch.
"Do you even remember what McGonagall said last year? Word for word?" countered Harry, after congratulating Ann.
"Who are you to ask? You missed two of them so far" retorted Ron. John Graham walked to the Slytherin Table.
"Well I'm sorry. One year I had to deal with dementors. But I seem to remember that you were also involved with the epic battle our second year?" Harry said, as Marcus Jones was announced as the second Gryffindor and Denise Lowe walked over to the Hufflepuffs.
"What epic battle?" asked Ron.
"You know, the epic battle. The Ford Anglia vs. The Whomping Willow" croaked Harry. Ron and Harry sniggered all the way through Terry Moser, Roger Reffell, and Jill Stephans. Unfortunately, the two caught the attention of McGonagall, and they both hushed up to avoid her wrath. Worst of all, they noticed that Roger and Jill were sorted into Gryffindor – hopefully they didn't see the two of them cracking up.
"You know, I think you might be right. McGonagall has always been a stickler for routine" Harry admitted as Tom Thornton walked over to the Ravenclaw table.
"Now you're both wrong," muttered Hermione.
"What, she says it different each year?" whispered Ron. Terry Williams was called to the stool.
"No." Hermione shot back.
"What are you talking about?" Ron asked. "SLYTHERIN" shouted the hat.
"Well, she did say the same thing as last year. But the year before she said 'Sorting Hat', not simply 'Hat'. And our first year she didn't even tell us to sit down after we were sorted" Hermione managed to get out as Patrick Zaldivar was made out for Ravenclaw and the Great Hall died down.
Dumbledore stood up and addressed the hall. "I imagine all of you are hungry enough. Let's eat, and make the start of term announcements afterwards." After clapping his hands, the tables filled up with the traditional excellent food. Harry and Ron were eating when they finally noticed the staff table. Every single person there was also teaching here last year.
"Odd," stated Ron, "Usually they have at least one new teacher."
"Of course we have a new teacher," blurted Hermione, "unless you thought that Barty Crouch Jr. was going to be teaching again this year." Harry and Ron gulped. Neither of them wanted to think about the Death Eater, or the Dementor's Kiss which killed him.
"I wonder who will have the defense against the dark arts job, then" asked Harry.
"Harry, you should know – she basically came out and told you last year," chuckled Hermione.
"What? Who told me?" but was interrupted by a new figure coming in. It was Fleur Delacour. Hermione's face was completely neutral. Harry smiled. Ron, when he first saw her immediately closed his eyes and faced forward. At this, Hermione sniggered. At least Ron wasn't openly fawning over her like last year.
"If I could interrupt, I'd like to introduce your new Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor: Fleur Delacour," addressed Dumbledore. As Fleur made her was to the staff table, she drew a large number of gazes, particularly from the guys. Fleur, for her part, didn't even seem to notice. She sat down, and began to eat some Pochouse, a French dish which appeared to be added to the menu for her. Eventually the gazes wandered elsewhere. Harry wondered how long Ron would be able to attend the Defense Against the Dark Arts classes if he had his eyes shut.
Eventually, most of the food was cleared off the tables. By now, Harry and Ron were extremely full and about ready to fall asleep. Dumbledore stood up, and addressed the hall.
"Despite all that happened last year, we are still having the Triwizard Tournament," At Dumbledore's words, most of the great hall burst into cheers. He continued, "The Ministry of Magic in the end allowed it, provided we do it again at Hogwarts." More cheers erupted, and Dumbledore had to wait a bit before he could be heard again. "Like last year, there will be an age restriction, and it will again be restricted to students 17 years old or older." This year, a different set of glares went up; this time Malfoy seemed the angriest about it. At this, Harry, Ron, and Hermione chuckled.
"Finally, I feel that we have been shortchanging the school's quidditch teams. The full quidditch season will be reinstated. Anybody interested in being a part of their house's team, please talk to Madam Hooch. I should point out that first years are not allowed on the quidditch teams," Dumbledore spoke. Harry let out a guilty smile, and got a few amused glances from around the Gryffindor table.
"And seeing how most of you are almost asleep already, I think now would be a good time to send you all off to bed" finished Dumbledore.
Alicia Spinnet, the new Gryffindor prefect, led the Gryffindors off to their tower and supplied the password 'Avis Cremo'. Harry, Ron, and Hermione went straight to bed.
Harry woke up and went down to the Great Hall for breakfast. He sat down next to Hermione, and noticed that she the biggest grin on her face that he had ever seen. He was about to ask her why when she anticipated "Here's the schedule listing for 5th years." He looked at the card – the only class today was Defense Against the Dark Arts.
"You know, you shouldn't enjoy torturing Ron so much," chuckled Harry.
"Oh come on, you can just imagine it – him sitting there hunched over with his eyes closed, trying to ignore her. Oh, I can't wait!" she bubbled.
"Have you ever thought about why he's doing that?" asked Harry.
"Not really. Why, do you know?" Hermione replied. But Ron just sat down for his breakfast, so Harry really couldn't tell her. He just smiled, and started eating his breakfast. Ron joined in, leaving Hermione looking suspiciously at Harry. Eventually, she gave up and ate her breakfast too.
"Did you hear the rumors about who's going to enter the Triwizard competition?" asked Ron.
"What? They haven't even got out the Goblet of Fire!" spouted Hermione.
"Anyway," Ron said, ignoring Hermione, "not too many people are keen to enter this year. Apparently Cedric's death took something out of it. Plus, I think some people aren't entering out of respect for him."
"They're respecting him by not entering? Completely misguided, if you ask me," responded Hermione.
"Does anyone know if they got the Goblet of Fire working again? I mean, did they break Crouch's enchantment?" asked Harry. Last year, a Death Eater managed to enchant the Goblet of Fire to accept Harry as a fourth contestant.
"I assume so. I mean, they wouldn't be having the tournament if they hadn't," Ron replied.
"Well, we had better get our stuff," Hermione said, with a big smile, "I wouldn't want to be late for Defense Against the Dark Arts." Hermione's smile grew even bigger as she heard Ron groan.
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I'm going to try to get chapters posted almost every day, but I WANT SOMEONE TO REVIEW THEM!!!!! How else am I supposed to know if you like it?!
Oh, I also have to apologize if you saw earlier versions of the chapters. I've had a fun time getting the italics and return characters showing up.