SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1Feallan Steorra
Chapter 1: The Beginning of 5th Year
Author's note: My first Harry Potter chapter fic! Please review and tell me what you think! All characters belong to JK Rowling
"Where is she?" Ron asked. "We're going to be late!"
Harry looked up to the clock at they stood in the King's Cross Station. 10:30.
"Oh, calm down, Ron," Ginny told her older brother. "We have plenty of time."
Harry spent the last of his summer with the Weasleys in the Burrows. He enjoyed every minute, since he didn't really want to be with his relatives, the Dursleys. They seemed to be the most selfish, self-absorbed Muggles in the planet. Sometimes, Harry felt he would gladly have open-heart surgery than stay with Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, or his cousin Dudley. So, he spent the rest of his summer vacation with the Weasleys, much to his delight.
The three young wizards, Fred, George, and Mrs. Weasley took a trip the Diagon Alley, getting ready for the upcoming school year. To Ron's brilliant surprise, Fred bought him a brand-new deep burgundy dress robe, a similar design to his school robes. "Feel sorry for you, wearing that butchered cursed dress," Fred laughed about it. Ginny got an exquisite pale rose dress robe from George. When Mrs. Weasley panicked, thinking they stole the money front Gringotts or sold any of their Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, they just smiled. "Don't be silly, Mum," they chimed in unison.
Fred and George were sitting on a nearby bench at the station, scribbling something on piece of parchment. They made sure that their writing was out of view from their mother.
"There she is!" Ginny exclaimed. She pointed to a girl of fifteen, coming their way. Her trolley was stacked with parchments of brown-paper packages, just like Harry, Ron, Ginny, Fred, and George. Crookshanks, her cat, was peacefully in his basket, on top of her items.
Hermione sped up to a quick, even pace, her brown hair bobbing up and down. She was positively glowing as she approached the group. "Hello everyone!" She turned to Harry and gave him a half-hug and a kiss on the cheek.
He half-smiled, a little bewitched by her gesture. Harry had the same, fluttering feeling in his stomach when she did that after their 4th year at Hogwarts. "F-Fine."
Hermione hugged Ginny and Mrs. Weasley. "Oh! I missed you all!" She turned to Ron. "All right there Ron?"
He sheepishly responded, "Aw-all right."
"What?" Fred asked, his tone in fake surprise. "No hug for us? We're hurt."
She smiled. "You two haven't been misbehaving, have you?"
"No, Mummy-Hermione," George joked.
"Come along now, Dearies," Mrs. Weasley instructed. "Let's all get onto the platform now."
In single file, they all walked through the divider and train platforms 9 and 10. They reached their destination, Platform 9 ¾ with an ebony and scarlet steam engine, bearing the sign: Hogwarts Express.
Mrs. Weasley kissed and hugged every child goodbye. "Be careful, Darlings," and she snapped a look to her twins, "And behave."
Be careful… A twitch arose in Harry's stomach. Ever since last year, the wizarding world became askew. News of Voldemort's return had been all over the pages of the Daily Prophet. He promised himself not to worry until the situation was here, but he couldn't help but wonder how things would change now that this murderous wizard is alive and kicking.
They found an empty compartment inside the train. The six placed their things down; Ron, Hermione, and Harry set their pets' cages down near the floor. Pigwidgeon hooted, fluttering in its cage madly, while Hedwig looked at it with disapproving eyes. The train slowly began to move, the whistle sounded, and the six of them waved goodbye to Mrs. Weasley.
"At the end of our 5th year, we take the O.W.L.'s," Hermione pulled out a thick paperback book, with the title So You Want to Ace Your OWLS…
"Yeah…at the end of the year," Ron reiterated. "I can't believe you bought a study guide for a test that's 10 months away!"
"Do you expect anything else from our Hermione?" Harry added.
She shot them a look. "I'm prepared, that's all."
Halfway through the trip, Fred and George left to be with Lee Jordan. Hermione was madly scribbling notes on parchment. Ginny was reading The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4. Ron and Harry were carefully cleaning Harry's broom, the Firebolt, when the compartment flew open.
Draco Malfoy stood at the opening, tall and dignified, with his goons Crabbe and Goyle at his heels. "I thought I smelled something filthy," he sneered. "Potty, a weasel…two in fact…and a dirty little mudblood." Crabbe and Goyle snickered on cue. "I thought you'd be dead by now. Pity--."
Ron jumped to his feet, wand in hand.
"Hah! You think you can hex me?" Draco sneered. "With that 2nd-hand looking wand?"
"It worked well-enough last time," Ron replied. "You were knocked out for a long time then."
"We shall see what hap--." Draco raised his wand. Suddenly, four hexes hit the boys and their bodies flew back, hitting the corridor wall, knocked unconscious.
Ginny kicked Goyle's foot out of the way and closed the door. "He seems to find us every year, just to mock us. I'm getting sick of it."
"I don't know," Ron mused, satisfied. "The year's starting off well so far."
The trios 5th year at Hogwarts started as traditionally as ever. The Sorting Hat sang a new song for the incoming first years and sorted them into the four houses. Professor Dumbledore gave his speech and announced the return of Professor Lupin, much to Harry's delight. Professor Snape scowled, which just added to Harry's happiness. The feast started and then soon ended.
The next day, the three sat in the Great Hall eating breakfast, like everyone else. Professor McGonagall handed out their class schedule.
"You two are still taking Divination?" Hermione asked in disbelief.
"Of course. It concerns no studying; all we have to do is 'predict' the worst of things and we get full marks," Ron reasoned, eating a pastry. "Right Harry?"
"Right." But Harry's reason was different. He hoped he would witness another rare, real prediction from Professor Trelawney. "The Dark Lord will rise again...greater and more terrible than ever..." She predicted that in a trance-like state during Harry's 3rd year and at the end of his 4th year, Voldemort had risen. Maybe another fluke will happen and a real prediction will spill out, ready for Harry to catch.
He, Ron and Hermione finished their breakfast and headed out of the hall. "We need to get our books for Professor Binns and Professor Sprout," Hermione suggested, opening the door, "since we have those–." She came face to face, bumping into a person. Hermione fell on her bottom with a thud.
Book scattered. "I'm very, very sorry," a voice said. "Are you hurt?"
"No, no I'm quite alright," she looked up and saw him looking down at her, his arm extended. He was her age, with a lean physique, dirty-blond hair and dancing blue eyes. She took his hand and he helped her up.
They exchanged smiles but then the boy looked down. "Oh dear, what a mess," he declared, looking at his scattered textbooks. He crouched down to pick them up.
"Here, let me help," Hermione bent over, picking up a few books.
Meanwhile, Ron was pointing to his own Gryffindor crest on his robes. Harry looked down at the boy: a green serpent.
Hermione and the boy stood, all books collected. "Thank you very much." He gave quick glances to Ron and Harry. "Be seeing you," and he scurried away towards the library.
Ron immediately took her by the shoulder, once he knew the new boy was out of earshot. "Do you know what just happened?"
"No. What?"
"He was a Slytherin," Harry informed.
"He was?" Hermione sounded slightly surprised. "I didn't notice."
"Of course you didn't! You were too busy making googly-eyes at each other," Ron accused.
Hermione frowned, slightly fuming. "'Googly'-? Oh Ron, don't be ridiculous."
"It's true!" he insisted.
"Rubbish," Hermione muttered as she stomped away to Gryffindor tower. Ron quickly followed.
Harry looked down towards the direction of the library. He felt a slight twinge on his forehead. If he started a headache, he noted to himself to go to Madam Pomfrey's office...just to be safe.
