Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. They are all property of J. K. Rowling.
A/N: Thanks for all of the great reviews. The story is coming along nicely. I plan to have it finished before OOP comes out, so I have less then 2 months to finish it… I better get back to work! J
Chapter Seven
Life at Hogwarts
Walking into the Great Hall Harry was always in awe of the ceiling which reflected the sky outside. They were having the feast at lunch instead of dinner today. Harry realized how hungry he was as he sat down at the Gryffindor table. Ginny sat down in the empty seat next to Harry. Ron was on his other side.
"Where's Hermione going to sit?" Ginny asked.
"I think Ron is saving her a seat." Harry said as Fred and George sat across the table from him. Their friend, Lee Jordan, soon joined them. Looking down the table Harry watched Nevill, Dean and Seamus take their seats. Soon everyone was seated. The Great Hall didn't seem as full as it usually did. Just then Professor McGonagall came in leading the group of scared looking first year students into the Great Hall.
Harry could still remember when he was lead into the Great Hall his first year at Hogwarts. He remembered that the sorting hat wanted to put him into Slytherin, but he begged for anything else. This still bothered him when he thought about it.
"Welcome back to school." Professor McGonagall addressed the returning students. "We are going to begin the sorting ceremony in a minute, followed by opening remarks from Professor Dumbledore." She then unrolled a parchment with a list of names. Then she placed the sorting hat on a stool in front of the students.
As the hat began it's song Hermione got quietly into her seat. "Oh good, I haven't missed the sorting."
"So what's the password?" Ron asked.
"You know I'm not supposed to tell you that yet." Hermione replied blushing.
"Come on Hermione, it's us, you can tell us!"
"Okay, Blue Fairies."
"Cool."
"Ron, you made me miss the sorting hat's song!" Hermione complained trying not to be too loud.
"Sorry, you can hear it next year."
"But it changes every year!"
"If you two would stop arguing we could watch the sorting." Ginny said interrupting their argument.
"Chesterfield, Anna"
"Huffelpuff!"
"Dune, Zachary"
"Ravenclaw!"
As professor McGonagall read out the names the students were quickly sorted into their houses. Harry noticed there was a much smaller group of First years than usual. He assumed they were scared off by the Death Eaters attack this summer.
"Hansen, Renee"
"Gryffindor!"
The Gryffindor table applauded loudly as the new student made her way to the table.
"Harry, isn't that Mrs. Figg sitting up at the teacher's table?" Ron asked, directing Harry's attention away from the sorting ceremony and to the Teacher's table for the first time today.
"Yeah, that's her. What's she doing here?"
"Is she the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?"
"Well, that's the only position that is open isn't it?" Hermione interjected. "Shhhh… the ceremony is almost over you can talk about it later." This settled it; they quieted down to see the last three students sorted.
"Smith, Alison"
"Slytherin!"
"Tsaruda, Angela"
"Ravenclaw!"
"West, Adam" He looked more frightened than any of the other students. Harry guessed he was muggle born knowing how scared Hermione was when she was sorted.
"Gryffindor!" Everyone in the Hall applauded know this was the last student. He took an empty seat by the Crevey brothers. As the applause died down Professor Dumbledore stood up while Professor McGonagall moved the stool and the hat out of the Hall.
"Welcome old faces, and new ones. I am very glad to see all of you this year. As many of you will notice we have lost several of our students. Their parents didn't feel they should be coming back to school with everything going on in the world today. I believe that this is one of the safest places in the world. But moving on, I have a few announcements for you. First all students note, the Forest is strictly Forbidden!! No one is allowed in it. Secondly we will be having two balls this year, as most of you noted in your letters this summer. The balls are only for Fourth year students and above. These students are allowed to ask any other student they wish, so younger students will be allowed to attend if they are asked by an older student." Dumbledore paused letting the whispering die down. "You will also notice that we have a new Defense against the Dark Arts Teacher. Her name is Professor Figg. You will all meet her when you attend class. Now we can eat." With a wave of his hand the tables were filled with food.
Each year the house elves out did themselves. The feast was delicious. Everyone ate third helpings of all of the food, while they talked about their summers.
"I told you it was going to be a witch!" George said after he began to eat.
"What?" Lee Jordan asked.
"Oh, we were guessing who the new teacher would be and I predicted a witch. Too bad she isn't younger." He said with a wink.
"Or a lot younger." Fred added. The feast was enjoyable as everyone laughed and ate, glad to be back at school.
After their plates were cleared Dumbldore spoke up once more, "Now, You will all have the afternoon to do what ever you would like. We will have a regular dinner tonight and tomorrow you will all begin your classes. Prefects, please lead the first years to your House common rooms and give every one the passwords."
When he was finished talking, every one got to their feet and made their way to their common rooms. Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione quickly lead the way for several first years who were gawking at the suits of armor as they passed them on the way to Gryffindor tower.
"Blue Fairies." Hermione said when they reached the Fat Lady.
"Well it's nice to see you too." She replied as she swung open to revel the hole that lead into the common room. Nothing had changed. The room looked exactly as it had in June when they had left it.
"It's nice to be back." Hermione said expressing what Harry was thinking.
"Yeah, I've missed it here."
"Can you believe it's our fifth year?" Ron asked looking at the new students taking in the sights of the room for the first time. "Where we ever that young and innocent?"
"We were that young but I don't' think you were EVER that innocent." Hermione added laughing.
"Well," Ron began but couldn't come up with a retort, so he dropped the subject.
Harry and Ginny moved over to the couch in front of the fireplace engaged in a conversation of Quidditch tactics. She was a truly beautiful person Harry thought looking at her as she talked. Why am I thinking like this? Harry scolded himself for the millionth time. Ron and Hermione who had managed to get into an argument about something soon joined them on the couch. Harry didn't bother finding out what they were arguing about.
The door opened again, Harry turned to see Angilina hand-in-hand with George Weasley coming through the portrait hole. So are they together? Harry asked himself with a grin. It's about time.
"Team meeting." She said meeting Harry's eyes. The quidditch team quickly circled around her in a corner of the common room. Harry was the last to join them, reluctant to leave his friends, but if anything could motivate him it was Quidditch.
"For those of you who don't know, I'm the captain this year. Professor McGonagall is expecting us to make a run at the cup for a second year in a row. I think we are capable of it, I am going to follow in Wood's footsteps." After saying that Fred and George moaned simultaneously. George received a gentle nudge from Angelina in the ribs, while Fred received one from Alicia. "I am going to cut down on the 'pep-talks' so rest assured there will be some changes. We are also starting practice earlier in the year. That's because we have our first game a few weeks early. I want to talk to all of you about our replacement keeper. I will meet you on the pitch in twenty minutes. You can bring your broom if you would like. I'm going to start flying again, so if anyone would like to join me feel free to."
Harry felt rejuvenated knowing that Quidditch would be starting soon. He hurried up stairs to the dorm room. Harry found Dean in the room retrieving a deck of cards to play exploding snaps.
"Hi Harry. How was your summer?"
"Good, how about you?"
"I can't complain. What are you doing?"
"We have our first Quidditch meeting today."
"Wow! That's really early. Wood would be proud." The boys laughed as Harry retrieved his Firebolts and returned downstairs. Woods quidditch antics were famous among all the Gryffindor's.
"What's going on?" Ginny asked when Harry entered the room with his brooms.
"We have practice."
"What?!?! NOW???" Ron asked.
"Well, it's not an official practice but I want to fly again. We are actually having a meeting."
"Why don't you have the meeting in here?"
"Oi Ron!! Your not supposed to know about it!" Fred added having entered the room after having retrieved his broom.
"You ready for practice?" George added over his brother's shoulder. With a last smile Harry made his way down to the Quidditch field. The sky had lightened since they arrived at Hogwarts allowing them to see the field clearly but not have the sun in their eyes.
"Okay team, we are having tryouts on Saturday to find a replacement for Wood, and to find reserve players. Because most of us will be leaving at the end of the year I don't want to leave Harry with the responsibility of taking over and having to train a whole new team, so we are going to find reserve players. We are going to do this through invitations. So we need to make a list of people to invite. Any suggestions?" Angelina said after the team had gathered on the pitch, all carrying their brooms.
"Ron Weasley!" Fred and George said in unison.
"Okay, Anyone think he should tryout other than his brothers?"
"I do!" Harry spoke up grinning. "Ginny Weasley would also make a great chaser."
"Okay, I'll add both of them. What about Dean Thomas, and Seamus Finnergan?"
"Both of them would be good, I know they can fly. Err… I haven't really seen them play quidditch."
"That's the point of tryouts, Madem Hooch provided a list of her best flyers. I'll read off the list: Second Years, Allen Jones and Lucinda Jacobs, Third years, Elizabeth Abbot and Gregory Smith, Fourth years, Ginny Weasley and Peter Bones, Fifth Years, Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnergin. I really am not looking for a Sixth or Seventh year because they will be gone in a year or two and we need people who Harry will be able to train."
"Angelina you say it like I'm going to be captain next year."
"Yeah, that's because you will be. You will be the one with the most experience and this is your fifth year on the team, why wouldn't you be captain next year?"
"Err…" Harry couldn't think of an answer, "I just hadn't really thought about it."
"Oi Harry, How come you haven't thought about it?" Fred asked, jokingly.
"Now that that is done, why don't we get into the air. It's an unofficial practice."
Harry couldn't have been happier to be in the air, he thought as he rose into the air on his Firebolt.
"Harry, Fred was telling me about your upgrade kit! That's great! We are sure to catch the snitch every time! WE have the best seeker in the school!" Angelina shouted before beginning laps around the pitch. The next three hours passed quickly as the team played an unofficial game. When Harry was up in the air it was like nothing else in the world mattered.
When he finally returned to the common room Harry was ready for a good night's sleep. Dreams wouldn't bother him tonight.
"I have a letter to mail, so I'm going up to the owelry." Harry said to Ron, Ginny and Hermione.
"Can we come?" Ginny asked Harry.
"Sure," Harry said glad that he could send his letter to Sirius without having to hide it from Ginny.
Harry hopped up the stairs to the boys' dormitory and retrieved the letter he had written Sirius and hurried back down the stairs to join the group.
"Let's go on and mail these letters before we go down and have dinner." Ron suggested pointing to a letter he had written his mum.
When the group made it into the owelry a majestic tawny owl swooped in and landed on Hermione's shoulder. Harry recognized the owl it was from Victor. He had seen it deliver letters to her at the Burrow while they spent the last few before school together.
"Oh, no, here we go again." Harry whispered to Ginny as Ron starred from Hermione to the owl and back to Hermione.
"What's going on here?!?!" Ron demanded.
"What are you talking about?"
"You know perfectly well what I'm talking about! It's about you and that prat, Vicky!"
"Vic-tor! His name is VICTOR! He's not a 'prat', as you say! And what's the matter with me getting a letter from him?"
"Come on, let's go" Harry suggested to Ginny after picking a nice large barn owl to send his letter to Sirius.
"Yeah, I don't think we should be here."
Harry and Ginny slipped out of the owelry not being noticed by Ron or Hermione. Their voices followed Harry as he made his way down the stairs.
"Why are you still in contact with him? He is the enemy!! How could you do this?" Ron was demanding.
"Ron's being a prat!" Ginny said when they finally were out of earshot. Harry barely heard her because just then Cho walked by surrounded by her friends. She was smiling but it looked forced. Why do I act like such an idiot around her? I need to just talk to her and make sure she doesn't blame me for anything, Harry thought.
"Harry, did you hear a word I just said?" Ginny asked pleadingly.
"Er… sorry, my mind is on other things."
"Oh, er…" luckily Ginny was interrupted by their arrival to the Great Hall. They walked across to the Gryffindor table and found seats. The Crevey brothers hurried over to Ginny and began talking about classes and other things. Soon Ron and Hermione came in still looking angry with each other.
"Where did you go?" Ron asked taking the empty seat by Harry.
"We left because we didn't want to be in the room while you argued, again."
"Oh,"
"Are the two of you talking still?"
"Yeah, Err… we decided to not talk about it." Ron said, looking at Hermione who was talking animatedly to a group of first years.
"Oh really?" Harry questioned but he knew not to go any further in such a public place. He made a note to talk to Ron about it that night in the common room when people were already asleep.
Dinner went well, nothing too eventful happened. Harry received several skeptical looks from huffelpuffs but he was engaging in an animated conversation with Angelina, Alicia, Katie, Fred, George, and Ron about quidditch.
The group returned to Gryffindor tower feeling well fed and excited about the coming quidditch season. When Hermione went to take her bath Harry's thoughts drifted to his time in the Prefects bathroom before the second task. These thought brought his mind to Cedric and then to Cho. Does she hate me? She couldn't possibly blame me for what happened to Chedric, could she? Harry wondered as he idly watched Ron try to build a house out of cards, not muggle cards but exploding snap cards. He had become quite good at building structures with them.
Harry shook his head and decided he would try to talk to Cho about their friendship, and try to see if she blamed him for Cedric's death, but right now he wanted to enjoy his last night of no classes. The group was entertained that evening by everyone in the common room eating a Harry Potter and then talking with one another. The room was filled with multi-colour sparks as they spoke. Fred and George quickly sold out of the stock they had and couldn't believe how much the candy was enjoyed.
"Remember everyone, when you go down to Hogsmeade this year to stop by Zonko's and buy more Weezy's. They are now on sale and we will be introducing new candies to the line soon." Fred told everyone after selling out.
Harry and Ron finally made their way up to bed saying goodnight to Ginny and Hermione on the stairs before making the familiar track up to their dormitory, which was now marked "Fifth Years".
Having a sleep plagued by several dreams, the next morning came too early. As Harry and Ron rolled out of bed and got dressed in silence. They looked around and saw that they weren't the only ones having trouble getting up this morning. Their emotions were mirrored by the look on Neville's, Dean's, and Seamus's faces as they all made their way to the common room.
"Good morning!" Hermione chirped clearly having had a good night's sleep.
"What's good about it?" Ron asked grumpily.
"Well, we are starting classes today, that's what's good about it."
Ron was obviously trying not to argue with Hermione again so quickly and Harry was glad. He didn't want his two best friends bickering again. The group made their way down to the great hall meeting up with other students as they walked. Justing Finch-Finchly and his best friend Ernie greeted Harry with an unexpected smile. It made Harry feel better knowing that not all Hufflepuffs hated him.
While they ate breakfast Hermione excused herself to help Alicia pass out schedules. She finally returned to the group carrying their schedules.
"Here you go. We have Herbbology first, followed by Transfigurations. Then this afternoon we have Care of Magical Creatures and I have Ancient Runes after that."
"Hermione, don't tell me you are taking more classes again this year?" Harry asked with a slight moan.
"It's not like third year but I do want to get as many O.W.L.s as possible. Professor McGonnagall gave me the teacher's schedule over the summer to allow me to schedule my classes. So I don't have to use a Time Turner."
"How many classes are you taking?" Ginny asked joining the conversation.
"Oh, only three more than your brother."
"Wow… maybe you can help me with Ancient Rune's. It is challenging."
"Sure, I'd love to. That class is really educational."
"UGH!! We have Devination's tomorrow after noon. Have you come up with any new creative ways to die yet Harry?"
"No, we can start thinking about it tonight."
"How about dyeing of stupidity?" Hermione suggested with a peculiar look in her eyes.
"What do you mean Hermione?" Ron asked. Harry had to admit he was being quiet thick about the situation.
"Oh, never mind. We also have Defense Against the Dark Arts tomorrow."
"Good, I'm looking forward to the class." Ron said. Harry had to agree that he hoped it would be better then having potions and knowing that his teacher wasn't a disguised Death Eater was comforting.
"Yeah, but we have Poitions on Wednesday and Friday! Why twice?"
"Well, if you didn't notice we have Charm's and Transfiguration twice as well. It is to prepare us for our O.W.L.s."
"Great! Two doses of Snape!" At the end of his statement the owls carrying the mail arrived in the great hall. Harry grabbed another piece of toast as Hermione read her copy of the Daily Prophet.
"Good, still no sign of her." She muttered to herself. It took Harry a minute to process who Hermione was talking about and then remembered the irritating Rita Skeeter and smiled. She shouldn't be writing anything for a long time.
"There was another disappearance. This time it was the child of a ministry worker. Elaine Smith, she is one of the Unspeakable's." Great, Harry thought, that's what is needed another disappearance. He didn't have time to dwell on this, as they were hurried off to class. Hermione not wanting to be late. They said goodbye to Ginny as she left to go to Charms.
