George was talking animatedly to Lee Jordan about the upcoming Quidditch season, but Fred found he didn't want any part of it. All he could think about was how George had had a girlfriend all summer and not told him. For Heaven's sake, they were identical twins! Weren't twins supposed to share everything, including their secrets? For a moment this baffled Fred, because they really had always shared everything, but now Fred realized, you couldn't share a girl. Even if they did look exactly alike. Maybe George was just more of a ladies man than Fred. Maybe he should try to act more like George...he thought absentmindedly. What was he thinking? He and George were identical twins! So why did all the girls seem to like George better? Fred pondered this awhile but no answer came to him. "Yo Fred! You awake?" it was Lee Jordan. "Yeah, I'm awake." Fred replied. "Want a game of exploding snap?" "No thanks. Why don't you ask George?" Lee grinned and pointed to the ajar compartment door. "He went in there to talk to Katie." Fred scowled and stomped into the next compartment.
**************************************************** George was sitting on the seat wit his arm around Katie Bell. Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet were giggling at George's jokes. "What're you doing?" spat Fred disgustedly, barging through the door. George looked up, still smiling. His grin faded when he saw Fred's expression. George leapt up, apologizing most profusely to Katie, and followed Fred down the corridor. "I cannot believe you!" shouted Fred, his anger increasing with each word. George stood there, completely befuddled. "What did I do?" But Fred just stomped off, leaving George stare after his retreating back, still gaping. "Wonder what that was about." Said Lee Jordan worriedly, popping up next to George. George just stared at his feet and muttered indistinctly. How could this be the best year of his life if he was fighting with Fred?
*************************************************** Ginny was still looking out the window when the train whistle blew, signaling its arrival at their destination. For the first time that day, Ginny smiled. The sight of the huge castle looming before her somehow comforted her, though she had no idea why. She followed Ron, Hermione and Harry out of the train and onto the platform, noticing the abnormally cold weather and pulling her cloak tight. She stepped into one of the horseless carriages, followed closely by Ron, Harry and Hermione. "Bloody Hell, its chill-chilly!" said Ron, his teeth chattering loudly. "You're not kidding me.," said Hermione, pulling her own cloak tighter around her shoulders. The four walked up to the castle, passing the winged boar statues that flanked the entrance. The cold bit cruelly at any skin left exposed. Ginny sighed heavily and watched her breath crystallize in front of her face. As they entered the great oak doors, Peeves called gleefully down to them, "Hello little twirps! Back for another year, eh?" before pelting the unsuspecting students with dungbombs. "Quick into the great hall!" shouted Harry as they dodged another bomb. Ducking into the Great Hall, Ginny saw that most of the other students were already assembled. She, Harry, Ron and Hermione walked past the Slytherins, the Hufflepuffs and finally the Ravenclaws before settling at the Gryffindor table. Ginny sat between Hermione and Lavender Brown. Lavender had her back to Ginny as she was whispering something in Parvati Patil's ear. Parvati nodded and then they both burst into giggles. "I cannot believe that, Lavender! I just cannot believe that!" squealed Parvati. "It's true," said Lavender knowingly, a smug expression on her face. "I saw it with my own eyes." Parvati eyed her friend. "Are you sure?" "Of course!" then they both dissolved into giggles once more. Further down the table, George was talking to Lee Jordan, but he kept shooting distracted glances over his shoulder. Ginny followed George's gaze and was met with a picture of Fred, scowling and looking quite angry. What he was angry about, Ginny had no idea, but she knew an angry Weasley when she saw one. "Ginny, hey Ginny!" it was Hermione, waving a hand in front of her face and interrupting her thoughts. Ginny took her eyes off the scowling Fred and turned to Hermione. "Yes?" "Oh, er, sorry, you were just, er, zoning out?" Ginny raised her eyebrows at Hermione. Since when was "er" such a large part of her vocabulary? "Zoning out?" "Er, daydreaming?" she explained, though she didn't seem too sure of herself. "Where in the world did you get that expression from?" asked Ginny, a curious look on her face "Well, it was this muggle book I read over the summer. It was called the Princess Diaries." Hermione bit her lip when she saw Ginny's bemused expression. "You read a muggle romance novel? I thought all you read was textbooks!" said Ginny playfully, grinning at Hermione. "Oh, shut it, Ginny!" said Hermione, poking Ginny's side. "Hey! That hurt!" Ginny said, recoiling slightly out of Hermione's reach. CLANG All noise in the Great hall came to an abrupt halt. Dumbledore had risen. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts!" he beamed. "As before, the forbidden forest is, er, forbidden. A full list of all objects not to be brought into the castle is posted outside Mr.Filch's office," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled behind his half-moon spectacles. "I am pleased to inform you that your new Defense against the Dark arts professor is Professor Figg!" Everyone burst into applause, trying to get a better look at the new teacher. A petite, raven -haired woman with a pointed nose, stood up. She smiled at the sea of students and gracefully returned to her seat. Harry was gaping at the new professor. "Harry, what are you looking at?" inquired Ron, trying to follow his gaze. "H-H-Her!" Harry croaked, jabbing a finger in the new teacher's direction. "Yeah, so?" "S-She used to baby-sit me!" he stuttered, still open-mouthed. "She what? You are kidding, right?" "No Ron, I'm entirely serious. Whenever the Dursleys went on vacation, they'd leave me with her. I had no idea she was a witch, just that she like cats." said Harry, still looking quite shocked. Ron burst out laughing. He was laughing so hard, pumpkin juice shot out of his nose, like a twin super soaker. "Ron!" shrieked Hermione from across the table. Though Ron had managed to stop laughing, his face was bright red, and his ears were even redder. Ginny had grabbed a napkin and was furiously trying to mop up the puddle of orange on the white tablecloth. Ron, humiliated, took a another napkin from a laughing Harry, and attempted to assist Ginny. Hermione tutted loudly behind them. "Honestly." Ron looked around to face her. "What?" Hermione rolled her eyes and performed a simple soaking spell. The pumpkin juice dissolved into nothingness. Finally the food appeared on the plates and everyone helped themselves to the delicious spread. " 'its the spot" mumbled Ron, spraying Harry with bits of mashed potato.