Okay.........new note from the author.....
I really appreciate the reviews, people, especially since they all say that my story is good *smiles from ear to ear* But.....I don't know who half of you are! You've reviewed and put no indication as to your email address, or penname if you have one on this site! So please....if you review this, tell me something, anything about yourself so that I can contact you and thank you personally! And, if my story begins to suck, or you spot one too many grammatical errors, it is alright to tell me. I appreciate the constructive criticism! Cya late! bunnie
Chapter 4
Harry and the gang made their usual rounds at Diagon Alley. They first went to Gringotts to withdraw some of their wizard money. All the goblins inside seemed to be on high alert, and were checking everyone's accounts with pictures of them. The creatures had actually been able to obtain pictures of every witch and wizard from the time they were born extending up to the present, with at least one picture per year. Harry guessed that the return of Voldemort had given them quite a scare, as he watched one of the goblins interrogating another client, asking what they had done at the age of two. When they went down to their vaults, Harry made sure that the other didn't catch how much money was in his own vault. When it was his turn, he shoveled the money as fast as he could into his little leather bag.
Ron led everyone Quality Quidditch Supplies, but there they found that there were no new models of broomsticks out yet. They walked over to where Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop had been. The Weasley twins had put them out of business when they moved their first shop there. Then it was off to the Apothecary to replenish supplies for their Potions classes, and Eeylops Owl Emporium. Fred had given Ginny some galleons to buy herself an owl. She walked out with a nice brown one, and continued down the street to a cauldron shop. All four had to buy new cauldrons because of Percy's award winning essay on cauldron bottom thickness from last year. Their current cauldrons were "inadequate" according to the Ministry of Magic's standards now. ("Next thing you know, our scrolls of parchment will be regulated too! Stupid Percy and his essays!") Hermione caught a glimpse of some excited little kids, probably first years, trying out wands at Ollivander's. She did a double take and stopped in front of the window, as the others went ahead of her.
"Oi! Hermione! You coming or not?" Ron yelled at her. That comment broke her concentration, and she turned and joined back up with her friends. "What were you staring at? They're just first years!" Ron sarcastically said.
"I thought I recognized one of them for a second. It was weird. She looked like my friend from Tokyo..."
"Hello? Tokyo? We have no classmates at Hogwarts that are Asian, let alone Japanese!" Ron said.
"You can't forget Cho Chang. She's both, remember?" said Harry, making Ron look down on the ground.
"Sorry, Harry. I forgot about your girlfriend," he said.
"She's not his girlfriend yet," Ginny snapped. "She's...err...just a friend for now, right Harry?" She turned to Harry, who blushed, and both looked at the ground. Their last stop was Flourish and Blotts for their books. Hermione had a hard time carrying her books out of the store, since her stack was about twice as large as everyone else's. She had bought some extra ones for a little bit of "light reading." Ron rolled his eyes at her and caught the stack as it tumbled to the ground. Ginny unloaded her books on Harry, and the two girls skipped off to who knows where, leaving Harry and Ron with nearly 20 books each (Harry was now also carrying some of Hermione's books). They dropped their loads with a big bang beside a table at the Leaky Cauldron. Mrs. Weasley was there waiting for them, and gave them and energetic wave. Harry and Ron waved back, and looked around the somewhat dim bar.
"So, what'll it be boys?" a lovely waitress interrupted their thoughts. They turned to her, and Ron's jaw dropped.
"Oh, nothing right now miss," Harry said. He took one look at the gawking Ron, pushed his mouth closed, and said, "He won't be having anything either." The waitress giggled, smiled, and gave them a wink. Ron stared as the waitress sauntered to another table.
"Just what are you looking at, Ron?" Hermione said angrily. Ron whipped around quickly, his eyes widening again.
"N-n-nothing Hermione," he stuttered. Hermione gave a grunt and sat down in the chair beside Ron, and Ginny took one next to Harry. "Where have you girls been?" Ron asked them.
"Oh, just checking out the, you know, girl stuff," said Ginny. Harry shot Ron a glance, and they nodded to each other.
"And what does that mean?" Harry asked.
"Oh, you know...boys...love charms...periods..." Hermione said. Harry and Ron made faces, got up from the table, and ran to the bathroom covering their mouths. "Gets them every time!" Hermione said, giving a high five to Ginny.
It was another week until school started, and another one of working for the teenagers. Hermione joined them at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, taking the role of second cashier. Harry and Ginny watched her and Ron as they continually fought over how to properly operate a register, how to treat customers, and who was earning more money.
"It's good to have someone to talk to about them," said Harry as he and Ginny sat outside the store to avoid the storm known as Ron and Hermione fighting.
"Yeah. I'm glad that we're friends," Ginny replied. And that was how their summer ended.
Harry was in the Chamber of Secrets again. He went through all the motions, saw the girls tied to the pillars, and once again wielded the Sword of Gryffindor. Looking in its reflect, he caught sight of that other, smaller person. As he turned to see them, he woke up from the vision. He sat up in his bed, and looked at the clock to see what time it was. It was already 6 o'clock in the morning. He had little time to get ready for the trip to King's Cross train station. He ran into the bathroom and started brushing his teeth.
"Woah, Harry," said a fully dressed and ready Ron. "Your scar. It's glowing!"
"I know Ron!" Harry said after he had spit and gargled. He quickly washed his face, then rushed back to the orange room to change into his elephant skins from Dudley. He stopped half way through pulling up his pants to think about how they would get to the station. He finished dressing up, threw his stuff back into the trunk, shut Hedwig into her cage, and ran back out of the room. "Ron, how are we getting to the station?"
"Ministry cars again. In fact, I think most of the students are now being escorted. The Ministry's very frightened of what may happen to the cherished Hogwarts children now that You-know-who is back," Ron replied.
"Just say it Ron. Voldemort," Harry insisted. Ron got the shivers.
"Don't do that, Harry!" he said.
"Why? Does it......scare you?" Harry said. Ron gulped.
"No...." he said in a frightened voice.
"Fine. Voldemort, Voldemort, Voldemort, Voldemort, Voldemort....." Harry repeated over and over again.
"Stop it!" squealed Ron. He put his hands over his ears. Harry just laughed. They dragged their trunks down the stairs and put them into an already huge stack at the bottom. Ginny, Fred, and George were already at the table, eating. Mrs. Weasley bustled about, and handed each of them a brown paper bag.
"Those are sandwiches. Don't worry, Ron, they're not corned beef," she said as Ron handled his sandwich like a bomb. "We have to leave in a couple of minutes, now. Hurry and eat, so we can get your trunks into the cars waiting outside!" They obeyed and stuffed as much food as they could in the last 5 minutes that they had. They then made a mad dash to the pile of trunks at the bottom of the stairs, and dragged them outside where two yellow taxi cabs were waiting for them.
"Those look just like the ones from New York!" Ginny said, excited. She, Harry, and Ron went back inside to fetch their owls. Hedwig was asleep, as was Ginny's new owl, Penelope. But Ron's Pigwidgeon had finally shown his true colors and was whizzing around the cage, ecstatic.
"Aww, stop it Pig!" Ron whined as he stuffed the cage last into the trunk of the second cab. Mrs. Weasley, Fred and George piled into one of the yellow taxis, and Ron, Harry, and Ginny went into the other.
"Why American cars?" Harry asked.
"Dad said that it was to hide that these were Ministry cars. I don't think they did a good job though....these will surely stick out in traffic," Ron said. But, they weren't really taken notice of, since about fifty other taxis were spotted on the way to the train station. Ron had been right before. Other students were also being escorted safely to the trains. They soon arrived at King's Cross, and served with wheeled racks. The Weasley's and Harry put their trunks on the racks, along with the cages.
Walking down the station, they soon came to the point between Platforms 9 and 10. Fred and George ran into the separator first. Then, Ron went, followed by Harry, Ginny, and Mrs. Weasley. Ron spotted Hermione, and the group became whole again. They loaded their trunks onto the train and went back outside to bid farewell to their parents. Mrs. Weasley gave everyone a hug, even Harry and Hermione. Hermione was the last to get a hug, but as Mrs. Weasley had Hermione in her grasp, she whispered something to her. Harry didn't catch what she said, but sure caught the smile that Hermione had on her face as she got into the train after him.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny quickly found a good compartment to sit in. Before Harry knew it, the train was already chugging, and the plump witch with the food cart had come by. Harry, as usual, bought most, if not all, of the cart. As soon as the door closed, it reopened to reveal a tall girl with her Slytherin robes already on.
"Have you....err.....people seen Draco Malfoy?" Pansy Parkinson asked the quartet. She had tried so hard not to say "Gryffindors". Harry and the others shook their heads slowly, their mouths full of sweets. "Well, if you do, tell him that his girlfriend is looking for him." She shut the door again, and when Harry heard her footsteps die away, he swallowed the Chocolate Frog he had been chewing and started cracking up.
"Hahahahaha! I can't believe it! That ugly twit!" Harry said.
"I know! I kind of feel sorry for Malfoy!" said Ron, tears coming to his eyes. "Imagine, being stalked by the most annoying girl in the 5th year class!" Harry and Ron were laughing so hard that the girls were sure that the whole rest of the train would hear.
"I know. It's absolutely devastating," said a familiar, drawling voice from behind the door. Harry and Ron immediately stopped laughing as Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle made their entrance into the booth. "Actually, I'd feel sorry for her. I have to break up with Pansy before this train comes to a complete stop."
"Oh great. What an act of pure kindness!" Ginny remarked sarcastically.
"So, what is the cute little Weasel doing with the Three Stooges?" Malfoy said, turning his attention to Ginny. Ron grew furious as he watched the Slytherins check her sister out.
"You stay away from her, grease-head!" Ron said defensively.
"Oh, I'm so scared. What will the big Weasel do to me?" Malfoy said, snickering.
"Don't forget Malfoy. Or should I say, ferret?" Ron said.
"Perhaps you should add a killer squirrel to that," said Hermione, backing Ron up. Malfoy got a nervous look on his face, grabbed his neck, and backed out of the compartment, closing the door.
"Interesting," Harry said. "I didn't need to lift a finger to make him go away this time!" Harry reopened up the now worn out compartment door to see where Malfoy left. The bleach head was now in front of some other booth. "Check this out, guys," Harry called to the others. They all crowded around the opening to watch Malfoy.
"Did it hurt when you fell down from heaven?" Malfoy said suavely to the compartment down the hall. Crabbe and Goyle sniggered.
"No, because I had idiots like you that could break my fall," said a chirpy little voice.
"Aw, come on, sweetie. You know you don't want to be all alone in that empty little booth. Let a true Malfoy keep you company," Malfoy said, trying to slide in with the girl.
"I don't think so," the girl replied. There was a bright flash from the compartment, and Malfoy was slammed against the wall opposite to the booth. He was covering his face, and continued to do so as he ran down the aisle, and in front of Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, who were now dying in laughter. Wonder who that girl was?, Harry thought to himself. Sounded familiar, but probably because all first years sound alike. That's right, he said to himself, it's just a little first year. But he couldn't shake the feeling that something else was amiss. And as he thought this, he heard a melody, the same lullaby that had set him to sleep many nights ago. His eyelids became heavy, and before he knew it, he had collapsed right there in the partition between the aisle and their compartment. He woke up to Hermione and Ginny talking rapidly.
"Bunnie was the nicest person in the whole world, that is, unless you were mean to her. Then, you had to watch your back!" Hermione said at a million miles per hour. "That girl sure did know how to take care of herself."
"Oh, now I wish I had met her," Ginny groaned.
"You know, there were a couple of strange things about her," said Hermione, going into sort of a daze.
"What, Herm?" Ginny asked.
"Well, I never met her parents or relatives. One day, she went missing. And three weeks after that, she disappeared for two nights, without explanation," Hermione said slowly.
"Maybe she did have her reasons. Maybe, she went to visit a sick uncle or something," Ginny said, trying to offer good reasoning.
"What was stranger was that she was magic too. She begged me to teach her stuff I had learned at Hogwarts, and she learned everything I could instruct her in fast. That's okay, since she's some sort of witch too, right?" Hermione said, scared that she did something wrong.
"I guess so," Ginny replied hesitantly. Harry kept his eyes closed through this conversation, so they wouldn't know he was listening. He then opened one eyes slowly and saw that Ron was also asleep, or pretending to be. His also had one eye open. Ron's eyes wandered to Harry's and they both smiled and put one finger to their lips, a signal to be quiet so that they could find out what the girls really talked about. But, before they could listen any longer, the girls had gotten up, taken out their Hogwarts robes, and walked out to find another empty compartment. Harry and Ron got up.
"That was boring," Ron said, rubbing his eyes.
"I know. Some girl talk," said Harry. He stretched his arms and reached up to get his robes. Ron did the same, they changed, and then lied back down.
"Get back into the position you were in before," whispered Ron to Harry. Harry seemed confused for a moment, then understood and got back into his original position, closing his eyes. Hermione and Ginny walked back inside, took one look at the "sleeping" boys, and gasped.
"How did they do that?" Hermione thought out loud.
"I have no idea. Magic?" Ginny said, just as surprised as Hermione was. The two girls shook them hard. When they didn't stir, Hermione and Ginny backed away, scared. Ron opened one eye, and started laughing. Harry did the same, and watched as the girls' looks of disbelief turned into looks of what seemed like pure hatred.
"How dare you pull a trick like that!" Hermione said.
"I know! You scared us half to death!" Ginny added. The boys went on laughing, until the train stopped. They all went outside to meet their horseless carrigaes that would be taking them to the school. As Harry stepped out, he caught Pansy Parkinson covering her face and leaning against the train. He thought she was crying when she removed her hands and revealed a face ridden full of joy.
"I'm so glad he broke up with me! How would I have known what a nasty fellow he would have turned into during the summer!" she exclaimed to her friends. Harry's eyes went past her and to one of the train's doors, where Cho Chang was stepping down from the train. She was even more beautiful than he had remembered her. Another girl got out behind her, but was herded immediately to the other first years with Hagrid. Hagrid gave Harry a friendly wave, as Ron, Hermione, and Ginny dragged him into the nearest available carriage.
I really appreciate the reviews, people, especially since they all say that my story is good *smiles from ear to ear* But.....I don't know who half of you are! You've reviewed and put no indication as to your email address, or penname if you have one on this site! So please....if you review this, tell me something, anything about yourself so that I can contact you and thank you personally! And, if my story begins to suck, or you spot one too many grammatical errors, it is alright to tell me. I appreciate the constructive criticism! Cya late! bunnie
Chapter 4
Harry and the gang made their usual rounds at Diagon Alley. They first went to Gringotts to withdraw some of their wizard money. All the goblins inside seemed to be on high alert, and were checking everyone's accounts with pictures of them. The creatures had actually been able to obtain pictures of every witch and wizard from the time they were born extending up to the present, with at least one picture per year. Harry guessed that the return of Voldemort had given them quite a scare, as he watched one of the goblins interrogating another client, asking what they had done at the age of two. When they went down to their vaults, Harry made sure that the other didn't catch how much money was in his own vault. When it was his turn, he shoveled the money as fast as he could into his little leather bag.
Ron led everyone Quality Quidditch Supplies, but there they found that there were no new models of broomsticks out yet. They walked over to where Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop had been. The Weasley twins had put them out of business when they moved their first shop there. Then it was off to the Apothecary to replenish supplies for their Potions classes, and Eeylops Owl Emporium. Fred had given Ginny some galleons to buy herself an owl. She walked out with a nice brown one, and continued down the street to a cauldron shop. All four had to buy new cauldrons because of Percy's award winning essay on cauldron bottom thickness from last year. Their current cauldrons were "inadequate" according to the Ministry of Magic's standards now. ("Next thing you know, our scrolls of parchment will be regulated too! Stupid Percy and his essays!") Hermione caught a glimpse of some excited little kids, probably first years, trying out wands at Ollivander's. She did a double take and stopped in front of the window, as the others went ahead of her.
"Oi! Hermione! You coming or not?" Ron yelled at her. That comment broke her concentration, and she turned and joined back up with her friends. "What were you staring at? They're just first years!" Ron sarcastically said.
"I thought I recognized one of them for a second. It was weird. She looked like my friend from Tokyo..."
"Hello? Tokyo? We have no classmates at Hogwarts that are Asian, let alone Japanese!" Ron said.
"You can't forget Cho Chang. She's both, remember?" said Harry, making Ron look down on the ground.
"Sorry, Harry. I forgot about your girlfriend," he said.
"She's not his girlfriend yet," Ginny snapped. "She's...err...just a friend for now, right Harry?" She turned to Harry, who blushed, and both looked at the ground. Their last stop was Flourish and Blotts for their books. Hermione had a hard time carrying her books out of the store, since her stack was about twice as large as everyone else's. She had bought some extra ones for a little bit of "light reading." Ron rolled his eyes at her and caught the stack as it tumbled to the ground. Ginny unloaded her books on Harry, and the two girls skipped off to who knows where, leaving Harry and Ron with nearly 20 books each (Harry was now also carrying some of Hermione's books). They dropped their loads with a big bang beside a table at the Leaky Cauldron. Mrs. Weasley was there waiting for them, and gave them and energetic wave. Harry and Ron waved back, and looked around the somewhat dim bar.
"So, what'll it be boys?" a lovely waitress interrupted their thoughts. They turned to her, and Ron's jaw dropped.
"Oh, nothing right now miss," Harry said. He took one look at the gawking Ron, pushed his mouth closed, and said, "He won't be having anything either." The waitress giggled, smiled, and gave them a wink. Ron stared as the waitress sauntered to another table.
"Just what are you looking at, Ron?" Hermione said angrily. Ron whipped around quickly, his eyes widening again.
"N-n-nothing Hermione," he stuttered. Hermione gave a grunt and sat down in the chair beside Ron, and Ginny took one next to Harry. "Where have you girls been?" Ron asked them.
"Oh, just checking out the, you know, girl stuff," said Ginny. Harry shot Ron a glance, and they nodded to each other.
"And what does that mean?" Harry asked.
"Oh, you know...boys...love charms...periods..." Hermione said. Harry and Ron made faces, got up from the table, and ran to the bathroom covering their mouths. "Gets them every time!" Hermione said, giving a high five to Ginny.
It was another week until school started, and another one of working for the teenagers. Hermione joined them at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, taking the role of second cashier. Harry and Ginny watched her and Ron as they continually fought over how to properly operate a register, how to treat customers, and who was earning more money.
"It's good to have someone to talk to about them," said Harry as he and Ginny sat outside the store to avoid the storm known as Ron and Hermione fighting.
"Yeah. I'm glad that we're friends," Ginny replied. And that was how their summer ended.
Harry was in the Chamber of Secrets again. He went through all the motions, saw the girls tied to the pillars, and once again wielded the Sword of Gryffindor. Looking in its reflect, he caught sight of that other, smaller person. As he turned to see them, he woke up from the vision. He sat up in his bed, and looked at the clock to see what time it was. It was already 6 o'clock in the morning. He had little time to get ready for the trip to King's Cross train station. He ran into the bathroom and started brushing his teeth.
"Woah, Harry," said a fully dressed and ready Ron. "Your scar. It's glowing!"
"I know Ron!" Harry said after he had spit and gargled. He quickly washed his face, then rushed back to the orange room to change into his elephant skins from Dudley. He stopped half way through pulling up his pants to think about how they would get to the station. He finished dressing up, threw his stuff back into the trunk, shut Hedwig into her cage, and ran back out of the room. "Ron, how are we getting to the station?"
"Ministry cars again. In fact, I think most of the students are now being escorted. The Ministry's very frightened of what may happen to the cherished Hogwarts children now that You-know-who is back," Ron replied.
"Just say it Ron. Voldemort," Harry insisted. Ron got the shivers.
"Don't do that, Harry!" he said.
"Why? Does it......scare you?" Harry said. Ron gulped.
"No...." he said in a frightened voice.
"Fine. Voldemort, Voldemort, Voldemort, Voldemort, Voldemort....." Harry repeated over and over again.
"Stop it!" squealed Ron. He put his hands over his ears. Harry just laughed. They dragged their trunks down the stairs and put them into an already huge stack at the bottom. Ginny, Fred, and George were already at the table, eating. Mrs. Weasley bustled about, and handed each of them a brown paper bag.
"Those are sandwiches. Don't worry, Ron, they're not corned beef," she said as Ron handled his sandwich like a bomb. "We have to leave in a couple of minutes, now. Hurry and eat, so we can get your trunks into the cars waiting outside!" They obeyed and stuffed as much food as they could in the last 5 minutes that they had. They then made a mad dash to the pile of trunks at the bottom of the stairs, and dragged them outside where two yellow taxi cabs were waiting for them.
"Those look just like the ones from New York!" Ginny said, excited. She, Harry, and Ron went back inside to fetch their owls. Hedwig was asleep, as was Ginny's new owl, Penelope. But Ron's Pigwidgeon had finally shown his true colors and was whizzing around the cage, ecstatic.
"Aww, stop it Pig!" Ron whined as he stuffed the cage last into the trunk of the second cab. Mrs. Weasley, Fred and George piled into one of the yellow taxis, and Ron, Harry, and Ginny went into the other.
"Why American cars?" Harry asked.
"Dad said that it was to hide that these were Ministry cars. I don't think they did a good job though....these will surely stick out in traffic," Ron said. But, they weren't really taken notice of, since about fifty other taxis were spotted on the way to the train station. Ron had been right before. Other students were also being escorted safely to the trains. They soon arrived at King's Cross, and served with wheeled racks. The Weasley's and Harry put their trunks on the racks, along with the cages.
Walking down the station, they soon came to the point between Platforms 9 and 10. Fred and George ran into the separator first. Then, Ron went, followed by Harry, Ginny, and Mrs. Weasley. Ron spotted Hermione, and the group became whole again. They loaded their trunks onto the train and went back outside to bid farewell to their parents. Mrs. Weasley gave everyone a hug, even Harry and Hermione. Hermione was the last to get a hug, but as Mrs. Weasley had Hermione in her grasp, she whispered something to her. Harry didn't catch what she said, but sure caught the smile that Hermione had on her face as she got into the train after him.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny quickly found a good compartment to sit in. Before Harry knew it, the train was already chugging, and the plump witch with the food cart had come by. Harry, as usual, bought most, if not all, of the cart. As soon as the door closed, it reopened to reveal a tall girl with her Slytherin robes already on.
"Have you....err.....people seen Draco Malfoy?" Pansy Parkinson asked the quartet. She had tried so hard not to say "Gryffindors". Harry and the others shook their heads slowly, their mouths full of sweets. "Well, if you do, tell him that his girlfriend is looking for him." She shut the door again, and when Harry heard her footsteps die away, he swallowed the Chocolate Frog he had been chewing and started cracking up.
"Hahahahaha! I can't believe it! That ugly twit!" Harry said.
"I know! I kind of feel sorry for Malfoy!" said Ron, tears coming to his eyes. "Imagine, being stalked by the most annoying girl in the 5th year class!" Harry and Ron were laughing so hard that the girls were sure that the whole rest of the train would hear.
"I know. It's absolutely devastating," said a familiar, drawling voice from behind the door. Harry and Ron immediately stopped laughing as Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle made their entrance into the booth. "Actually, I'd feel sorry for her. I have to break up with Pansy before this train comes to a complete stop."
"Oh great. What an act of pure kindness!" Ginny remarked sarcastically.
"So, what is the cute little Weasel doing with the Three Stooges?" Malfoy said, turning his attention to Ginny. Ron grew furious as he watched the Slytherins check her sister out.
"You stay away from her, grease-head!" Ron said defensively.
"Oh, I'm so scared. What will the big Weasel do to me?" Malfoy said, snickering.
"Don't forget Malfoy. Or should I say, ferret?" Ron said.
"Perhaps you should add a killer squirrel to that," said Hermione, backing Ron up. Malfoy got a nervous look on his face, grabbed his neck, and backed out of the compartment, closing the door.
"Interesting," Harry said. "I didn't need to lift a finger to make him go away this time!" Harry reopened up the now worn out compartment door to see where Malfoy left. The bleach head was now in front of some other booth. "Check this out, guys," Harry called to the others. They all crowded around the opening to watch Malfoy.
"Did it hurt when you fell down from heaven?" Malfoy said suavely to the compartment down the hall. Crabbe and Goyle sniggered.
"No, because I had idiots like you that could break my fall," said a chirpy little voice.
"Aw, come on, sweetie. You know you don't want to be all alone in that empty little booth. Let a true Malfoy keep you company," Malfoy said, trying to slide in with the girl.
"I don't think so," the girl replied. There was a bright flash from the compartment, and Malfoy was slammed against the wall opposite to the booth. He was covering his face, and continued to do so as he ran down the aisle, and in front of Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, who were now dying in laughter. Wonder who that girl was?, Harry thought to himself. Sounded familiar, but probably because all first years sound alike. That's right, he said to himself, it's just a little first year. But he couldn't shake the feeling that something else was amiss. And as he thought this, he heard a melody, the same lullaby that had set him to sleep many nights ago. His eyelids became heavy, and before he knew it, he had collapsed right there in the partition between the aisle and their compartment. He woke up to Hermione and Ginny talking rapidly.
"Bunnie was the nicest person in the whole world, that is, unless you were mean to her. Then, you had to watch your back!" Hermione said at a million miles per hour. "That girl sure did know how to take care of herself."
"Oh, now I wish I had met her," Ginny groaned.
"You know, there were a couple of strange things about her," said Hermione, going into sort of a daze.
"What, Herm?" Ginny asked.
"Well, I never met her parents or relatives. One day, she went missing. And three weeks after that, she disappeared for two nights, without explanation," Hermione said slowly.
"Maybe she did have her reasons. Maybe, she went to visit a sick uncle or something," Ginny said, trying to offer good reasoning.
"What was stranger was that she was magic too. She begged me to teach her stuff I had learned at Hogwarts, and she learned everything I could instruct her in fast. That's okay, since she's some sort of witch too, right?" Hermione said, scared that she did something wrong.
"I guess so," Ginny replied hesitantly. Harry kept his eyes closed through this conversation, so they wouldn't know he was listening. He then opened one eyes slowly and saw that Ron was also asleep, or pretending to be. His also had one eye open. Ron's eyes wandered to Harry's and they both smiled and put one finger to their lips, a signal to be quiet so that they could find out what the girls really talked about. But, before they could listen any longer, the girls had gotten up, taken out their Hogwarts robes, and walked out to find another empty compartment. Harry and Ron got up.
"That was boring," Ron said, rubbing his eyes.
"I know. Some girl talk," said Harry. He stretched his arms and reached up to get his robes. Ron did the same, they changed, and then lied back down.
"Get back into the position you were in before," whispered Ron to Harry. Harry seemed confused for a moment, then understood and got back into his original position, closing his eyes. Hermione and Ginny walked back inside, took one look at the "sleeping" boys, and gasped.
"How did they do that?" Hermione thought out loud.
"I have no idea. Magic?" Ginny said, just as surprised as Hermione was. The two girls shook them hard. When they didn't stir, Hermione and Ginny backed away, scared. Ron opened one eye, and started laughing. Harry did the same, and watched as the girls' looks of disbelief turned into looks of what seemed like pure hatred.
"How dare you pull a trick like that!" Hermione said.
"I know! You scared us half to death!" Ginny added. The boys went on laughing, until the train stopped. They all went outside to meet their horseless carrigaes that would be taking them to the school. As Harry stepped out, he caught Pansy Parkinson covering her face and leaning against the train. He thought she was crying when she removed her hands and revealed a face ridden full of joy.
"I'm so glad he broke up with me! How would I have known what a nasty fellow he would have turned into during the summer!" she exclaimed to her friends. Harry's eyes went past her and to one of the train's doors, where Cho Chang was stepping down from the train. She was even more beautiful than he had remembered her. Another girl got out behind her, but was herded immediately to the other first years with Hagrid. Hagrid gave Harry a friendly wave, as Ron, Hermione, and Ginny dragged him into the nearest available carriage.