Harry Potter and the Tournament of Demontarity
Hermione quickly made her way through the tangled bodies pressing in on her to get to the Hogwarts express with her rather heavy trunk. She greeted all her friends from last year, all except for Harry and Ron. She hadn't heard from them in two months.
"Hey! Hermione!"
Hermione looked up and saw Ron's noticeable red hair bobbing in the middle of the crowd near the last compartment of the scarlet train. She grinned, feeling warmness spread all through her. She quickly made her way to him. To her left was Fred and George, who were pouring what looked like over-grown spiders down Percy's back and Mrs. Weasley screaming at them with Ginny beside her. But Harry was nowhere in sight.
"Where's Harry?" Hermione asked, lifting her truck into the compartment. Ron frowned, and pointed to the station's exit.
"Talking to Sir-er-Snuffles. S'pect he'll take a while," he said. Sure enough, Hermione could just see Harry, his back turned to them, a far ways off, with a large, shaggy black dog in front of him.
"What are they talking about?" Hermione asked Ron, stepping onto the train. She pushed her trunk into the compartment with the rest of the trunks.
"When did you become so nosy?" asked Ron, smirking, "Dunno. I haven't seen him yet, but his trunk was already here before anyone else's."
Hermione sat down in one of the seats, and Ron sat in front of her. He turned around, and followed her gave out the window at Harry.
"He'd better hurry if he doesn't want to be stuck with those miserable Muggles," he growled. Then he mumbled something under his breath that sounded an awful lot like 'slimy gits'. Hermione shook her head, and looked back out the window at Harry, but he wasn't there. Sirius was gone, and he wasn't in any of the throbbing crowds forcing themselves into a compartment. Then, the compartment door slid open and Ginny burst in. She was red in the face, and her hands were held up to her mouth. Ron looked bewildered.
"Ginny, what's up with you?" he asked her, then his face contorted to rage, "Fred didn't put a slimy spider down your back too, did he?"
Ginny flopped down on a seat, pretending she hadn't heard him. Hermione had never seen her look this nervous before; it looked as though her hands would fall off if she twisted them any more. Just then, the compartment door slid open again, and someone Hermione had never seen before stepped inside. Wait. Had she seen him before? He looked so familiar.
He was wearing Muggle clothes like everyone else, but his jeans and black shirt seemed darker and more conspicuous like. His messy jet-black hair went every which way on his head, leaving his bright green eyes visible. But Hermione could see something else. There was a lightning bolt-shaped scar fixed upon his forehead.
It hit Hermione hard that she was looking at Harry… only he didn't look like himself. He looked so much different and…older…without his glasses in the way. His eyes even seemed several times brighter. Ginny was stuttering in the corner, loss for words. Then Harry saw that Ron was about to ask him something. He shook his head.
"Don't ask," he mumbled, flopping down into a seat opposite from Hermione, "Just don't ask."
Hermione stared at him as he buried himself into his hands, looking very miserable. At this time, Hermione jumped when the train shot forwards, and the station disappeared from view. Harry sighed unevenly, and laid his head back to look at the ceiling. Ron gulped, and forced himself to speak.
"What did you do?" he asked. Hermione shot him an angry look, glaring at him. He shrugged and looked over at Harry.
"Sirius visited me at the Dursleys," said Harry quietly, looking over at them. Hermione's mouth fell open, ignoring Ginny's squeaks from the corner of the compartment.
"W-what?" she asked, "But-why?"
"He told the Dursleys off when he heard they were trying to keep me away from Hogwarts," said Harry, his green eyes fixed on her. It made Hermione shiver, yet she didn't know why.
"Bloody miserable blokes," Ron grumbled angrily, "I bet they deserved it, right?"
"Yeah, they did," said Harry, forcing a weak smile, "Now I can keep my trunk and broom in my room."
"They should let you do that anyways," said Hermione, "I've heard things about you Aunt and Uncle, but this-"
Ron sneered, leaned over to Harry and said-"she only said that because you couldn't do your essays without your trunk." Then he darted out of the way to avoid Hermione's fist.
A few hours went by and a few of their friends came by to visit. Lee Jordan only came in to find his giant spider that he had lost, making Ron leap up to his seat in terror of being eaten. Lavender and Parvati came in to visit Hermione, but were suddenly thrown into a fit of girlish giggles by the sight of Harry. Both Dean and Seamus visited them, and played a game of exploding snap with Ron. Harry didn't want to play, so he sat in his seat and stared out the window at the passing villages. Hermione watched him for a few moments, his heart sinking. She picked up Crookshanks off her lap, and sat down in the seat in front of him.
"What's up with you?" she asked, trying to keep a friendly atmosphere. Harry looked at her, making her shiver again.
"Nothing," he said, but he caught a doubtful look from her, "Nothing. Really."
Hermione soon gave up, and put Crookshanks into his lap.
"You brought him in here?" he asked. Hermione nodded vigorously.
"You don't think I'd leave him in a cage, do you?" she said, smirking. Crookshanks purred, and buried himself into Harry's lap. Harry grinned.
"I think you should read this. Ron too," he said suddenly, reaching into the back pocket of his jeans. He pulled out a piece of parchment with a very hurried scrawl over it. Ron appeared at Hermione's shoulder, and read the writing:
Harry
I hope the Dursleys leave you alone now. But if they do anything else like that, send a word. I've moved closer to Hogwarts is case anything happens. I think Voldemort will leave you alone for a while after last year, so don't worry about anyone but yourself.
You, Ron and Hermione will be doing things differently this year since the Tournament is over and Voldemort is on the loose. Please, Harry, watch yourself, and maybe you could get Hermione to teach you a few more spells you may need. Buckbeak is doing fine, other than the fact that he's been eating all the supplies.
Keep out of trouble this year –Snuffles.
"And your O.K with him staying close to Hogwarts?" asked Ron, as Hermione gave the letter back to Harry.
"No," he answered, "but Dumbledore said the Dementors can't get near him… something about a protection spell."
"Why did he say you-know-who will leave you alone after-" said Ron, but he was interrupted by Hermione stomping on his foot.
"Ow! What did you do that for?" he said angrily, but the compartment door slid open again, and three people Hermione would have least wanted to see were in the doorway: Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. With a scream, Ginny ran out of the corner and flashed past Malfoy into the corridor, blushing magenta at the odd look Harry gave her on the way out.
"Well, isn't it Weasel, Mudblood and Pot-" spat Malfoy, but he stopped when he looked at Harry. His eyes were reduced to slits and he had the same look fixed on his face when he was about to say something stupid.
"What happened to you, Potter?" he asked, while Crabbe and Goyle shook with suppressed laughter, "You changed from four eyes to only two?"
"Stuff it, Malfoy," said Ron, and Harry stood up in case he needed to hold him back. Malfoy laughed, and waved three fingers in front of Harry's face.
"How many fingers am I holding up, Potter?" he asked, sneering coldly. Harry balled his fists.
"To bad, really," he said coolly, "If only Moody was here. You do make a good ferret, Malfoy."
Beside Hermione, Ron howled. He seemed to crack whenever someone mentioned the word 'ferret' at any time. But before Malfoy and his goons could make out what he had just said, Harry pushed them out of their compartment with the back of their robes, and locked the door. The angry pounding on the door lasted for a while until they had given up, and headed back to their own compartment.
"That was brilliant!" cried Ron after he recovered. Hermione watched at Harry flopped back down into his seat, looking even more miserable than before. Ron's happy mood died quickly.
"What's up, Harry?" he asked him, "Do you have any idea what you just did?"
Hermione glared at Ron, and mouthed 'you are so insensitive' to him. Hermione sat in front of Harry, and turned around so she could talk to him.
"He called you a Mudblood again," growled Harry under his breath, "Stupid git."
Hermione went red and she felt rather flattered.
"I know, I heard, Harry," she said, "That's a really good move though, to get Malfoy back like that. Don't let it bother you."
"I can't believe Malfoy," said Ron, punching his seat, "I reckon he'll act like he owns Hogwarts again this year."
"But what does that have to do with you?" said Hermione, "Don't let him get to you, Ron-"
"Him? Get to me? As if!" said Ron loudly, sitting into a seat and folding his arms. Harry and Hermione looked at each other, and shrugged.
What were once small towns and villages were now fields of wheat and dairy cows as they streaked down the countryside. Malfoy and Ginny never appeared in their compartment, which was good for Harry and Hermione; Ron's bad mood continued for the rest of the train ride. Slowly, the clouds lifted, revealing a deep purple sky with bright stars plastered across the horizon. Soon enough, the lady with the food cart came by and Harry bought everything she had to share except the new lemon drops that would scream at you if you chewed them to loudly.
"We must be nearly there," said Harry, leaning forwards to look past Ron into the completely blank window. The words had barely left him when the train started slowing down, and a voice carried through each of the compartments- "Five minutes 'till we reach Hogwarts!"
"Brilliant," said Ron happily, quickly recovering from his temper, "I'm starving. I want to get to the feast."
Hermione pulled off her jacket, and slipped on her Hogwarts robes with Harry and Ron. At long last, the train came to a complete stop, and there was a great hurry to get out; owls hooted, cats hissed and toads croaked. Hermione shivered in the cold breeze on the tiny platform.
"Firs' year this way!" called a familiar voice. Harry, Ron and Hermione turned to see the gigantic outline of Hagrid at the other end of the platform beckoning nervous looking first year towards him.
"All righ' you three?" Hagrid yelled over the heads of the crowd. They happily waved back at him, but had no chance to talk to him as the massive crowd carried them away across the platform. They quickly made their way down a muddy sloping hill with the rest of the students, where at least a hundred stagecoaches awaited the remaining students, each pulled by what looked like an invisible horse.
Harry, Ron and Hermione climbed into one, shut the door, and the coach set off all by itself, bumping and swaying in procession.
"Hey," said Ron suddenly, "I wonder who the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher is. I bet he'll be out to get you, eh, Harry? Harry?"
But Harry wasn't listening. Hermione looked over at him, and saw his face contort to fright as he stared out the window. She looked over the seat, and gasped. She saw about half a dozen towering hooded Dementors, standing guard on either side of the entrance gates. Hermione quickly sat next to Harry closest to the window to block his view. He leaned back in his seat and clamped his eyes shut until they had passed through the gates.
"They better not be here all year," said Harry darkly, looking over his shoulder. The carriage picked up speed on the long, slopping drive up to the castle; Ron was leaning out the window, watching the many towers and turrets draw nearer. At last, the carriage came to a complete halt; Harry, Ron and Hermione climbed out. The three of them joined the crowd swarming up the steps, through the giant oak front doors, and into the grand entrance hall.
The door into the Great Hall stood open at the right; they followed everyone inside. The four house tables were being loaded with anxious students in a disarray of tangles bodies while the staff table was facing to the back, under the enchanted ceiling that was a sunny light blue today. Hermione could see Dumbledore chatting merrily to Flitwick in the middle of the table. They made their way past the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables as quickly as possible; people looked around at them as they passed, and a few pointed at Harry.
"Just ignore them, Harry," said Ron, sitting down in a vacant seat at the Gryffindor table. Hermione sat between Harry and a very nervous looking Ginny, noticing most of the other Gryffindors leaned forwards in their seats to look at Harry.
"Hurry up with the sorting," whined Ron, patting his stomach, "I can't wait."
The words were no sooner out of his mouth when the doors of the Great hall opened, and silence fell. Professor McGonagall was leading a long line of terrified looking first years up to the top of the hall. They filed along the staff table and came to a halt in a line facing the rest of the school. Professor McGonagall disappeared for a moment, and came back with a three-legged stool, and a very ole, battered looking wizards hat. She set them in front of the line of the first years, and they stared at it. So did everyone else. Then a tear near the brim opened wide like a mouth, and the hat broke into a song:
Well, you're the new batch of first years,
Looking quite nervous, I must say,
To ease your vast worries and woes,
I'll tell you a story, of our remarkable history today!
There lived four wizards of enormous powers,
Each with a spot of special know-how,
Of brave, amiable, clever and ambitious,
Their talent has never been matched, until now!
Bold Gryffindor, from wild moor,
All related with fabulous talent,
They are the ones of great deeds and triumphs,
So brave and spirited and valiant!
Now, we must not forget sweet Hufflepuff!
Those achievers know to meet their ends,
Have you met a companion yet?
Depend on those charming to be your friend!
Or perhaps I will tell about Ravenclaw,
Smart in the head and truth do they know,
I could tell you about their bright minds,
Never have they dealt with a bully, rival or foe!
Yet, Slytherin, those eager, young folk,
Are far more different than the rest,
They'll teach you all they know, my friends,
So clearly, they're the best!
These wizards built a fine, young school,
Still popular to this date,
They whipped out their magic and talent,
And now our dim minds lay in their fate!
They made Hogwarts, I tell you,
With all the strength they could seek,
And from now to then, we've flourished,
Our gracious family has reached its peek!
Since then, our founders have passed on,
Perished, disappeared and some say gone,
But now today, it's safe to say,
Their reputation still gives on!
There is some part of them left, however,
And it involves what is in front of you,
I can give you thee chances (though I'm not very patient)
Master Gryffindor left me to choose!
He whipped me off his head in a jovial way,
And sent me to this stool,
Don't judge on what you see, my friends,
For I'm the ultimate Sorting tool!
Place me about your head,
Tuck me over your ears,
Let me choose what house is right for you,
Then be greeted with welcoming cheers!
So go on, don't be afraid,
Let's encourage those who begin,
I'll have a peek inside your mind,
And tell where you'd fit in!
The great Hall rang with applause as the Sorting Hat finished. Professor McGonagall was unrolling a long scroll of parchment.
"When I call your name, you are to put on the hat, and sit on the stool," she told the first years, "When the hat announces your house, you will go sit at the approximate table."
"Amble, Sally"
A short little girl walked forwards, visibly trembling from head to foot, picked up the hat, put it on her head and sat down on the stool.
"Hufflepuff!" shrieked the hat at once. She scurried to the Hufflepuff table as they applauded enthusiastically. Next Baddack, Jeff joined the Ravenclaw table. The line was getting shorter and shorter as Professor McGonagall called out more names. Dean and Seamus leaned over to talk to look at Harry.
"Hey, Harry!" said Dean, "You are Harry Potter, aren't you?"
Harry, however, looked furiously at them as Cauldwell, Freviolr was declared a Gryffindor.
"Of course I am!" he said loudly to them, "Keep it down, will you?"
All attention at the table was drawn upon Harry now. Lavender and Parvati were thrown into a huge fit of giggles, and Ron swore at them.
The Sorting continued; boys and girls all looking frightful approached the hat, and one by one, they sat at their house tables. And finally, when "Whitby, Jason' was declared a Gryffindor, and the applause ended, the hat was taken away by Professor McGonagall.
"'Bout time," moaned Ron, peering expectantly at his golden plate. Dumbledore stood up from the staff table, beaming at the excited students, his arms open in welcome.
"Tuck in!" he called, and instantly, the dishes and plates filled with mouth-watering foods. Hermione forked a pork chop when Harry was holding out a plate that was full of them.
"You gave up that spew stuff now?" asked Ron in a mouth full of potatoes. Hermione swallowed hard in attempt to speak without spitting food.
"It's not spew!" she said crossly, "It's S.P.E.W, Ron. And yes, I gave it up."
"Which means more studying in the library, right?" asked Harry, looking at her over his goblet of pumpkin juice, "Are you planning on getting any sleep this year, Hermione?"
Hermione felt herself flush red in the face, and Ron snickered. But Hermione suddenly jumped at the voice she had just heard over her shoulder. Nearly Headless Nick was staring at Harry with a mixture of cheerfulness and curiosity in his misty eyes.
"What happened to you, Harry?" he asked, "You look so much different, without the glasses and all."
"I'll tell you later, Nick," Harry mumbled with a hasty look, making Nick sit back down at the end of the Gryffindor table. Hermione looked at Harry uncertainly.
"Later," he said again, noticing this. Ron nodded, and continued to scarf down the rest of his leftovers. They didn't talk much after that. Ron only swore at Fred and George for pointing and whispering at Harry in awe, while Hermione cast weary looks in Harry's direction. He was acting do miserable and odd; it made her shiver.
When the puddings, too, had been eaten, and the last crumbs had faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean, Dumbledore stood up from the staff table. The buzz of chatter filling the hall died down almost at once.
"Now that were are all feed and watered," he began, beaming at them all, "I must ask for your attention, while I give out a few notices."
Hermione, Ron and Harry looked at each other.
"It is my pleasure to introduce you to this years Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Silversmith."
He was pointing at the staff table, and when they all looked over, Ron snorted with laughter. The most odd-looking man got to his feet, and waved at them all. Silversmith had the longest fingernails Hermione had ever seen. His hair looked as tough it were a wig, only real; it was to shinny to tell. His neon orange robes clashed badly with the surroundings, while his eyes were completely black. You couldn't tell who he was looking at.
He received a very silent applause from all house tables, but he took this as a real treat. He sat back down after a long glimpse of the Hall. Then Dumbledore continued.
"Now… as you have witnessed at the gates, the school is presently under a watchful…er…eye of the Dementors of Azkaban on a mission from the Ministry of magic," he said, not looking at all satisfied about this, judging by his tone, "They are stationed at every entrance of the grounds. Nobody is to leave the grounds without advisement or permission."
Nobody moved or dared to make a sound. Hermione felt Harry stiffen beside her.
"Once Voldemort is spotted far from here, the security will lift. I am sure it will be soon. He has not been seen at all since last year, as told by the Ministry… you can all guess what Voldemort wants here, but I suppose it's not my liberty to tell you if you do not know," he was looking directly at Harry, as did everyone else in the hall.
"On a happier note, Quidditch is back on for, of course, the inter-house cup," Harry let out a sigh of relief here, while Fred and George hooted hysterically, "The first trip to Hogsmeade will be a week from today. Now… off to bed with you all. Off you go!"
Harry, Ron and Hermione stood up, and joined the fleeting crowd of Gryffindors up the marble staircase.
"Silversmith looks a bit over-done, don't you think?" Ron asked them, grinning ear to ear. Harry said nothing. Hermione looked at him; he was staring at the ground, his eyes narrowed in concentration.
"What's with you today?" she asked him, "You haven't said much."
He merely shook his head, not looking at her. She raised her eyebrows at Ron, and sighed. They quickly made their way inside the portrait of the fat lady, mainly because the other Gryffindors were gawking at Harry in disbelief. Ron tried to block their view by walking in front of them.
"G'night Hermione," said Harry, stifling a yawn.
"And no library for you in the early morning!" added Ron, before he bounded up the spiral staircase after Harry. Hermione groaned, and headed up the staircase to her dormitory. She didn't bother to talk to the other Gryffindor girls; the way they acted around Harry! She just slipped on her nightgown, and drifted off into a deep slumber.
…~'*'~…
A/N: You like? I know the first part might look a bit R/H, but cool your jets. It's not. Pure H/H, and proud of it. Oh, and before I get to carried away, I own lame, old Silversmith (just you wait till the future's chapters!) Everyone else belongs to the wonderful J.K. Rowling. I'm not going to force anyone to review my stories unless you are a good citizen and you have a kind heart (just kidding…)