"Crabbe Tree"
Chapter 2: The Letter
Harry got a ride to the train station from his Uncle Vernon, and then he went to platform 9 ¾. He immediately spotted the Weasley family; their red hair gave them away, and ran over to Ron.
"Ron! Hey!"
"Hey Harry! I've missed you this summer!"
"Yes, I know! I got your letter last night. Hermione sent me a letter, too."
"And? Who's the mystery man?"
"I don't know, she didn't say. She didn't even mention a boy friend in her letter."
"The nerve! Holding out on her best friends. Does he even go to Hogworts? For all we know, it could be Krum!"
"Ron, dear! You and Harry should board the train! You'll miss it! Oh, you have dirt on your nose! Come here!" Mrs. Weasley had a bad habit of embarrassing Ron in public.
"Come on, Harry! We don't want to be late!" Ron called, avoiding his mother. "Hermione will just find us on the train if she's not tied up with her 'boyfriend. We don't even know if he's real.'"
Harry and Ron boarded the train and took their usual compartment in the back. Sure enough, Hermione showed up about ten minutes later.
"Good afternoon, Harry. You, too Ron! What a lovely day!" Hermione was smiling like she had just won the Nobel Peace Prize.
"Okay, sunshine, Spill it!" Ron was on her faster than a jackrabbit on a hot tin roof. [A/n: Sorry, I couldn't resist. :-)]
"I really don't know what you're talking about Ron," said Hermione, slightly red in the face.
"You have a boyfriend, don't you? Now who is he? You could have at least told Harry. So now you owe it to us! So spill!" Ron was slightly hysterical at this point.
"Okay, I admit it. I have a new boyfriend. I'm not telling you who he is, so LEAVE ME ALONE!" Hermione slammed the compartment door shut on her way out.
"Okay, help me go through her bags, Harry! Quickly, in case she decides to come back!"
"What are we looking for?"
"A note, a gift, anything! Ah ha! A letter! I'll read it: 'My dearest Angel, How are you, darling? I am simply despondent without your radiant smile in my life! I miss your chestnut tresses and eyes as deep as the Heavens. I miss every unique aspect of you! Your flawless disposition and your impeccable taste in music! I love you! Until I see your shining face again, with all my love, Pooky Bear.'"
I'm guessing that you know Harry and Ron's reaction to the letter. If you said laughter, you're wrong. They were rapturous with laughter! When Hermione finally came back, Harry and Ron had almost stopped laughing, but the sight of 'Pooky Bear's Angel', it started all over again. Hermione didn't understand what was so funny until she saw the paper on the floor.
"YOU WENT THROUGH MY THINGS?! HOW COULD YOU!" Hermione, again, turned red.
"You wouldn't tell us anything! It was our right as your friends to make sure you were ok. You could be on drugs for all we know! Hermione, are you smoking weed? Sniffin' crack? Shootin' the breeze? HIGHER THAN A KITE?" Ron was trying to make his argument with out laughing. He failed.
"Really, Ron. Grow up. True love is not a laughing matter."
"Then why won't you tell us who he is? It's not that big of a deal. Just one little word, or two if you say his last name. Come on! Why not?"
"Because you won't understand! No one understands!" Hermione began to cry and again, ran out of the cabin.
"Whoa, déjà vu. Where does she go?" Harry asked Ron.
"I have no idea. Probably the bathroom, or to meet Pooky Bear! Ha!" Then the train pulled into Hogworts.
"I am so glad to be back! I had to do chores all summer and run away from Dudley. Do you have any idea how tiring that is? Well, believe me, it is. He may look slow, but his friends aren't."
"You should have come to stay with me! My parents would have had you! You can stay next summer. Oh look! We get to go in carriages this year. I'm being sarcastic, Harry. I swear, sometimes you're as dumb as Goyle."
"Duh?" That was none other that the "genious" himself, the kid who could barely spell his own name, Goyle. Wherever there's a Goyle, there's a...
"Well, lookey lookey! It's Harry Potter. You're in luck, Potter. No dementor raids this year." Draco Malfoy walked over to Harry from behind Goyle. He never goes anywhere without his body guards Crabbe and Goyle.
"Shove off, Malfoy. Aren't you late for your flea dip?"
"Oh, you don't have to get feisty, Potter." Malfoy stalked off to go join the other Slytherins.
The whole school was in the Great Hall for the annual feast and sorting of the new first-years. Then it was time for the yearly announcements.
"Welcome new and returning students. I have a few brief announcements before Professor Dumbledore speaks. First of all, Filch the caretaker has asked me to remind that the new list of forbidden items is posted outside his office. He'd also like to remind students that anyone caught taunting, kicking, or in any other way bothering Mrs. Norris will be 'dealt with accordingly'. Professor, are you ready?
"Yes, thank you Minerva. Welcome, students! I would like to say a few words before you all head off to your dormitories. First of all, quidditch is back on for this year. ("Yes!") And my last announcement, there is a dance for all students this fall! We decided that since last year's dance was such a success; it should be a Hogworts school tradition! The dance will be held in exactly one week from today. That is all, goodnight!"
Chapter 2: The Letter
Harry got a ride to the train station from his Uncle Vernon, and then he went to platform 9 ¾. He immediately spotted the Weasley family; their red hair gave them away, and ran over to Ron.
"Ron! Hey!"
"Hey Harry! I've missed you this summer!"
"Yes, I know! I got your letter last night. Hermione sent me a letter, too."
"And? Who's the mystery man?"
"I don't know, she didn't say. She didn't even mention a boy friend in her letter."
"The nerve! Holding out on her best friends. Does he even go to Hogworts? For all we know, it could be Krum!"
"Ron, dear! You and Harry should board the train! You'll miss it! Oh, you have dirt on your nose! Come here!" Mrs. Weasley had a bad habit of embarrassing Ron in public.
"Come on, Harry! We don't want to be late!" Ron called, avoiding his mother. "Hermione will just find us on the train if she's not tied up with her 'boyfriend. We don't even know if he's real.'"
Harry and Ron boarded the train and took their usual compartment in the back. Sure enough, Hermione showed up about ten minutes later.
"Good afternoon, Harry. You, too Ron! What a lovely day!" Hermione was smiling like she had just won the Nobel Peace Prize.
"Okay, sunshine, Spill it!" Ron was on her faster than a jackrabbit on a hot tin roof. [A/n: Sorry, I couldn't resist. :-)]
"I really don't know what you're talking about Ron," said Hermione, slightly red in the face.
"You have a boyfriend, don't you? Now who is he? You could have at least told Harry. So now you owe it to us! So spill!" Ron was slightly hysterical at this point.
"Okay, I admit it. I have a new boyfriend. I'm not telling you who he is, so LEAVE ME ALONE!" Hermione slammed the compartment door shut on her way out.
"Okay, help me go through her bags, Harry! Quickly, in case she decides to come back!"
"What are we looking for?"
"A note, a gift, anything! Ah ha! A letter! I'll read it: 'My dearest Angel, How are you, darling? I am simply despondent without your radiant smile in my life! I miss your chestnut tresses and eyes as deep as the Heavens. I miss every unique aspect of you! Your flawless disposition and your impeccable taste in music! I love you! Until I see your shining face again, with all my love, Pooky Bear.'"
I'm guessing that you know Harry and Ron's reaction to the letter. If you said laughter, you're wrong. They were rapturous with laughter! When Hermione finally came back, Harry and Ron had almost stopped laughing, but the sight of 'Pooky Bear's Angel', it started all over again. Hermione didn't understand what was so funny until she saw the paper on the floor.
"YOU WENT THROUGH MY THINGS?! HOW COULD YOU!" Hermione, again, turned red.
"You wouldn't tell us anything! It was our right as your friends to make sure you were ok. You could be on drugs for all we know! Hermione, are you smoking weed? Sniffin' crack? Shootin' the breeze? HIGHER THAN A KITE?" Ron was trying to make his argument with out laughing. He failed.
"Really, Ron. Grow up. True love is not a laughing matter."
"Then why won't you tell us who he is? It's not that big of a deal. Just one little word, or two if you say his last name. Come on! Why not?"
"Because you won't understand! No one understands!" Hermione began to cry and again, ran out of the cabin.
"Whoa, déjà vu. Where does she go?" Harry asked Ron.
"I have no idea. Probably the bathroom, or to meet Pooky Bear! Ha!" Then the train pulled into Hogworts.
"I am so glad to be back! I had to do chores all summer and run away from Dudley. Do you have any idea how tiring that is? Well, believe me, it is. He may look slow, but his friends aren't."
"You should have come to stay with me! My parents would have had you! You can stay next summer. Oh look! We get to go in carriages this year. I'm being sarcastic, Harry. I swear, sometimes you're as dumb as Goyle."
"Duh?" That was none other that the "genious" himself, the kid who could barely spell his own name, Goyle. Wherever there's a Goyle, there's a...
"Well, lookey lookey! It's Harry Potter. You're in luck, Potter. No dementor raids this year." Draco Malfoy walked over to Harry from behind Goyle. He never goes anywhere without his body guards Crabbe and Goyle.
"Shove off, Malfoy. Aren't you late for your flea dip?"
"Oh, you don't have to get feisty, Potter." Malfoy stalked off to go join the other Slytherins.
The whole school was in the Great Hall for the annual feast and sorting of the new first-years. Then it was time for the yearly announcements.
"Welcome new and returning students. I have a few brief announcements before Professor Dumbledore speaks. First of all, Filch the caretaker has asked me to remind that the new list of forbidden items is posted outside his office. He'd also like to remind students that anyone caught taunting, kicking, or in any other way bothering Mrs. Norris will be 'dealt with accordingly'. Professor, are you ready?
"Yes, thank you Minerva. Welcome, students! I would like to say a few words before you all head off to your dormitories. First of all, quidditch is back on for this year. ("Yes!") And my last announcement, there is a dance for all students this fall! We decided that since last year's dance was such a success; it should be a Hogworts school tradition! The dance will be held in exactly one week from today. That is all, goodnight!"
