Chapter 1- A Suspicious Surprise
Hermione looked up from her homework to see Ron's little sister Ginny Weasly flounce
into the Griffindor common room. Hermione smiled at Ginny as she headed towards her
room.
"I'll see you at dinner!" Ginny said waving as she headed towards the door.
Hermione went back to reading her book and was once again interrupted by the arrival of
more students. This time it was Harry and Ron.
"Hello." Said both Ron and Harry simultaneously.
"Where were you?" Harry asked.
"The library, of course."
"Of course." Ron snorted.
"Come on Hermione, we'll be late for dinner." Harry said quickly trying to
prevent further argument.
"Oh, alright." She said packing her stuff into her book bag.
The Great Hall was lit be hundreds of floating candles floating in the imitation
sky overhead as the three rounded the corner. The hall was filled with hundreds of dark
robed students clamoring for food.
Harry, Ron and Hermione took a seat at the Griffindor table and caught sight of
Ron's older twin brothers, George and Fred who winked mischievously. They nodded to
several of their friends.
Ginny sat down across the table as the plates automatically filled with food.
Professor Dumbledore raised his glass in a toast as the students dug in. Ron eyed the food
hungrily. Harry and Hermione spend their dinner talking about final exams while Ron
happily stuffed his face.
"What do you think will be on the potions test?" Harry asked Hermione and Ron.
Ron merely shrugged as he took a large bite of chicken. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"I bet there will be at least one very powerful sleeping drought on the test."
Hermione shrugged "and most likely several harder potions. It's a good thing I'm an
chapter 37."
"Aren't we only supposed to read chapter 29?" Harry looked at Hermione
questioningly.
"Well," Hermione looked a bit abashed "I'm a little behind." Hermione's face
turned an unusual shade of scarlet. Ron rolled his eyes.
"If Snape is the Potions master, why can't he figure out how to whip up a potion
to cure his greasy hair?" Ron snickered.
A large owl appeared in the great hall landing in front of Ginny Weasley. The
Owl cocked its head to look at Ginny as she untied the package hooked to its leg. When
she finished the owl gave a harsh screech and took to the air.
Ginny was staring at the bundle in front of her with an apprehensive look on her
face. The package was wrapped in plain brown butcher paper. The only marking on it
appeared to be Ginny Weasley's name scrawled in black ink in the corner of the package
in plain black ink.
"Well?" Ron gasped excitedly "Open it!"
Ginny shrugged and tore the paper open. Inside the paper was a glossy magazine
cover. The title read "Spellbinding Style". Ginny shrugged and showed it to Pavati and
Lavender, two other Griffindor girls sitting next to her. The girls poured over the contents
of the magazine enthusiastically.
Hermione snorted and looked over at her two friends who both shrugged.
* * * * *
Back at the common room Harry, Hermione and Ron sat in Griffindor's large
comfortable chairs mulling over their homework. Or, at least Hermione was. Ron and
Harry were once again shirking their Divination homework.
Ron yawned and looked at the candle lit in front of them.
"What are we doing?" Ron eyed the candle incredulously.
"Divination with smoke." Harry answered staring blankly in the smoke.
Hermione snorted. "Honestly, that is such a useless class. You are wasting your
time."
Ron shook his head at Hermione as she buried herself once again in her books.
"Wouldn't Mrs. Trelawney love it if I saw my own death." Harry muttered
slightly annoyed. "Maybe I could get eaten by one of Hagrid's pets."
Ron grinned. " Or fall of the moving staircase."
Hermione shot them both a dirty look. Ron just clicked his tongue back at her.
All three were startled by the sudden arrival of several Griffindor girls hussled in
a small, close nit circle with none other than Ginny Weasley in the center of it.
The three friends gave each other puzzled looks. The whispers grew quieter and a
few of the girls eyed the Harry, Ron and Hermione like a pack of rabid, half-starved
wolves. An exclamation and a nervous laugh drew the burning eyes away from them.
Hermione, Harry and Ron all unanimously decided it would be best to pack up
their things and go to bed.
Hermione listened quietly in the darkness from the comfort of her blanket as
several of her roommates shuffled into the room whispering secretly. Hermione shut her
eyes and pulled her blankets close around her.
Hermione looked up from her homework to see Ron's little sister Ginny Weasly flounce
into the Griffindor common room. Hermione smiled at Ginny as she headed towards her
room.
"I'll see you at dinner!" Ginny said waving as she headed towards the door.
Hermione went back to reading her book and was once again interrupted by the arrival of
more students. This time it was Harry and Ron.
"Hello." Said both Ron and Harry simultaneously.
"Where were you?" Harry asked.
"The library, of course."
"Of course." Ron snorted.
"Come on Hermione, we'll be late for dinner." Harry said quickly trying to
prevent further argument.
"Oh, alright." She said packing her stuff into her book bag.
The Great Hall was lit be hundreds of floating candles floating in the imitation
sky overhead as the three rounded the corner. The hall was filled with hundreds of dark
robed students clamoring for food.
Harry, Ron and Hermione took a seat at the Griffindor table and caught sight of
Ron's older twin brothers, George and Fred who winked mischievously. They nodded to
several of their friends.
Ginny sat down across the table as the plates automatically filled with food.
Professor Dumbledore raised his glass in a toast as the students dug in. Ron eyed the food
hungrily. Harry and Hermione spend their dinner talking about final exams while Ron
happily stuffed his face.
"What do you think will be on the potions test?" Harry asked Hermione and Ron.
Ron merely shrugged as he took a large bite of chicken. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"I bet there will be at least one very powerful sleeping drought on the test."
Hermione shrugged "and most likely several harder potions. It's a good thing I'm an
chapter 37."
"Aren't we only supposed to read chapter 29?" Harry looked at Hermione
questioningly.
"Well," Hermione looked a bit abashed "I'm a little behind." Hermione's face
turned an unusual shade of scarlet. Ron rolled his eyes.
"If Snape is the Potions master, why can't he figure out how to whip up a potion
to cure his greasy hair?" Ron snickered.
A large owl appeared in the great hall landing in front of Ginny Weasley. The
Owl cocked its head to look at Ginny as she untied the package hooked to its leg. When
she finished the owl gave a harsh screech and took to the air.
Ginny was staring at the bundle in front of her with an apprehensive look on her
face. The package was wrapped in plain brown butcher paper. The only marking on it
appeared to be Ginny Weasley's name scrawled in black ink in the corner of the package
in plain black ink.
"Well?" Ron gasped excitedly "Open it!"
Ginny shrugged and tore the paper open. Inside the paper was a glossy magazine
cover. The title read "Spellbinding Style". Ginny shrugged and showed it to Pavati and
Lavender, two other Griffindor girls sitting next to her. The girls poured over the contents
of the magazine enthusiastically.
Hermione snorted and looked over at her two friends who both shrugged.
* * * * *
Back at the common room Harry, Hermione and Ron sat in Griffindor's large
comfortable chairs mulling over their homework. Or, at least Hermione was. Ron and
Harry were once again shirking their Divination homework.
Ron yawned and looked at the candle lit in front of them.
"What are we doing?" Ron eyed the candle incredulously.
"Divination with smoke." Harry answered staring blankly in the smoke.
Hermione snorted. "Honestly, that is such a useless class. You are wasting your
time."
Ron shook his head at Hermione as she buried herself once again in her books.
"Wouldn't Mrs. Trelawney love it if I saw my own death." Harry muttered
slightly annoyed. "Maybe I could get eaten by one of Hagrid's pets."
Ron grinned. " Or fall of the moving staircase."
Hermione shot them both a dirty look. Ron just clicked his tongue back at her.
All three were startled by the sudden arrival of several Griffindor girls hussled in
a small, close nit circle with none other than Ginny Weasley in the center of it.
The three friends gave each other puzzled looks. The whispers grew quieter and a
few of the girls eyed the Harry, Ron and Hermione like a pack of rabid, half-starved
wolves. An exclamation and a nervous laugh drew the burning eyes away from them.
Hermione, Harry and Ron all unanimously decided it would be best to pack up
their things and go to bed.
Hermione listened quietly in the darkness from the comfort of her blanket as
several of her roommates shuffled into the room whispering secretly. Hermione shut her
eyes and pulled her blankets close around her.