This chapter is longer than the last one, but it was very important, I think, to the story. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed. One of the reviewers said that the characters didn't seem to be like in the books, or something like that, and I just have to say that this is my first HP story, and I'm not all that gifted in the writing department. I'll try to work on that though. Also I've been asked a lot when the Hermione/George stuff was going to happen, and all I'm saying is Patience is a virtue :).
Chapter 8
Weeks went by and before they knew it, September 1st was upon them. The students packed their things, and were off to King's Cross to board the Hogwart's Express.
They loaded their things onto the train, and said good-bye to Mrs. Weasley who had come to see them off.
"You boys take care of your sister, you hear me?" she said to her sons, then to the twins, "and you two behave!" She hugged everyone and boarded the train.
Hermione immediately dragged Ron off to the Prefect's car to see who else had been chosen, and Fred and George went off to find Lee Jordan. So Harry and Ginny went to a compartment near the end of the train.
There was an awkward silence for a few minutes, as neither of them knew what to say.
"So," Ginny said, breaking the silence, "What classes are you taking this year?"
"Oh, the usual: Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Care of Magical Creatures. All the one's I had last year," Harry replied, "What about you?"
"The same thing as last year."
"Yeah"
There was another small silence.
"Who do you think will be Quidditch captain this year?" Ginny asked.
"I don't know. It really depends on who the team votes on. My guess would be either Angelina, Alicia, or Katie. Fred and George just don't seem like captain material."
"Well, what about you?"
"Me? I don't know. I suppose if they really want me to do it, I would. But I think they'll choose someone older."
They continued talking about Quidditch and school until Ron and Hermione came back. Ron looked like he had been laughing very hard, and Hermione was giggling.
"You will never guess what's happened." Ron said, still laughing.
"What?" Harry and Ginny asked, wondering what was so funny.
"Malfoy wasn't chosen as a Prefect," Hermione said, giggling, "They made Goyle one instead."
The entire cabin immediately burst into laughter.
"What's so funny?" asked George, as he and Fred came into the compartment. But no one was able to tell them for a few minutes, since they were all laughing so hard. Finally, Hermione got ahold of herself long enough to tell them about Goyle, and they all burst into another fit of laughter.
"What's all this? A giggling party for Mudbloods and Weasels??" Malfoy asked, as he was just walking by. The sight of him caused everyone to burst into even more laughter. "I demand to know what so funny!" When they didn't answer, he stormed off down the corridor.
They were still giggling when the train pulled into the station, and finally stopped when they got into the carriages to take them to the castle.
The Great Hall was decorated with the usual candles floating in the air. The Weasley's, Harry, and Hermione all sat together near the head of the Gryffindor table.
The sorting ceremony was the same as usual, but the announcement Dumbledore made was quite a surprise.
"I have a few announcements before we start the meal. I'm sure many of you have noticed that there are some new faces at our table and there is someone who is no longer with us." Dumbledore said. Harry looked up at the table for the first time, and noticed that Snape was not there, and that Professor Lupin was sitting there next to a man Harry had never seen before. "I'm please to announce that Professor Remus Lupin has returned to the Defense Against the Dark Arts position." There were cheers after this announcement.
"I'm sorry to say," he continued, "that our Potions master and head of Slytherin house is away this year on personal business." The Slytherins looked shocked and confused at this announcement.
"But I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce Professor James Padfoot, who will be taking over for Professor Snape while he is away." Harry's head jerked over to look at this man, as did Ron and Hermione. Professor Padfoot looked over too them and smiled.
"Sirius?" Harry mouthed. The man nodded at him, and looked back to Professor Dumbledore.
"It's Sirius!" Harry whispered excitedly to Ron and Hermione.
"That's just what I was thinking," Hermione whispered back, "but what's he doing here? It's dangerous!"
"I don't know, but I plan on finding out after the dinner's over." Harry said, looking back to Sirius.
The rest of the evening passed uneventfully, and Harry was never so happy as when it was over. He went up to the teacher's table, while Ron and Hermione led the first years to the dormitories.
When Harry got to the table, Sirius was surrounded by Slytherins introducing themselves, Malfoy at the head of the group. So Harry went to talk to Professor Lupin, who told Harry to come to his office, and that Sirius would meet them up there.
They arrived at Lupin's office, and each had just gotten a cup of tea, when Professor Padfoot came in and closed the door. Harry ran over and hugged him.
"What are you doing here? Why didn't I know it was you?" he asked Sirius immediately.
"Calm down," Sirius said, laughing, "I'm using the Polyjuice potion to look like one of my friends I met while in hiding. I'm here because I wanted to be able to keep an eye on you, since Voldemort's out there now."
"But what if someone finds out you're here???"
"Professor Dumbledore has that all covered." he said, smiling back at him, "but we'll talk about this later, you need your rest. Now get up to bed."
Harry gave Sirius one last hug, said good-night to Lupin, and headed to the common room, where Ron and Hermione were waiting. He told them what had happened. He then went up to bed to find that he was extremely tired. His head had barely touched the pillow before he was fast asleep.
Chapter 8
Weeks went by and before they knew it, September 1st was upon them. The students packed their things, and were off to King's Cross to board the Hogwart's Express.
They loaded their things onto the train, and said good-bye to Mrs. Weasley who had come to see them off.
"You boys take care of your sister, you hear me?" she said to her sons, then to the twins, "and you two behave!" She hugged everyone and boarded the train.
Hermione immediately dragged Ron off to the Prefect's car to see who else had been chosen, and Fred and George went off to find Lee Jordan. So Harry and Ginny went to a compartment near the end of the train.
There was an awkward silence for a few minutes, as neither of them knew what to say.
"So," Ginny said, breaking the silence, "What classes are you taking this year?"
"Oh, the usual: Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Care of Magical Creatures. All the one's I had last year," Harry replied, "What about you?"
"The same thing as last year."
"Yeah"
There was another small silence.
"Who do you think will be Quidditch captain this year?" Ginny asked.
"I don't know. It really depends on who the team votes on. My guess would be either Angelina, Alicia, or Katie. Fred and George just don't seem like captain material."
"Well, what about you?"
"Me? I don't know. I suppose if they really want me to do it, I would. But I think they'll choose someone older."
They continued talking about Quidditch and school until Ron and Hermione came back. Ron looked like he had been laughing very hard, and Hermione was giggling.
"You will never guess what's happened." Ron said, still laughing.
"What?" Harry and Ginny asked, wondering what was so funny.
"Malfoy wasn't chosen as a Prefect," Hermione said, giggling, "They made Goyle one instead."
The entire cabin immediately burst into laughter.
"What's so funny?" asked George, as he and Fred came into the compartment. But no one was able to tell them for a few minutes, since they were all laughing so hard. Finally, Hermione got ahold of herself long enough to tell them about Goyle, and they all burst into another fit of laughter.
"What's all this? A giggling party for Mudbloods and Weasels??" Malfoy asked, as he was just walking by. The sight of him caused everyone to burst into even more laughter. "I demand to know what so funny!" When they didn't answer, he stormed off down the corridor.
They were still giggling when the train pulled into the station, and finally stopped when they got into the carriages to take them to the castle.
The Great Hall was decorated with the usual candles floating in the air. The Weasley's, Harry, and Hermione all sat together near the head of the Gryffindor table.
The sorting ceremony was the same as usual, but the announcement Dumbledore made was quite a surprise.
"I have a few announcements before we start the meal. I'm sure many of you have noticed that there are some new faces at our table and there is someone who is no longer with us." Dumbledore said. Harry looked up at the table for the first time, and noticed that Snape was not there, and that Professor Lupin was sitting there next to a man Harry had never seen before. "I'm please to announce that Professor Remus Lupin has returned to the Defense Against the Dark Arts position." There were cheers after this announcement.
"I'm sorry to say," he continued, "that our Potions master and head of Slytherin house is away this year on personal business." The Slytherins looked shocked and confused at this announcement.
"But I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce Professor James Padfoot, who will be taking over for Professor Snape while he is away." Harry's head jerked over to look at this man, as did Ron and Hermione. Professor Padfoot looked over too them and smiled.
"Sirius?" Harry mouthed. The man nodded at him, and looked back to Professor Dumbledore.
"It's Sirius!" Harry whispered excitedly to Ron and Hermione.
"That's just what I was thinking," Hermione whispered back, "but what's he doing here? It's dangerous!"
"I don't know, but I plan on finding out after the dinner's over." Harry said, looking back to Sirius.
The rest of the evening passed uneventfully, and Harry was never so happy as when it was over. He went up to the teacher's table, while Ron and Hermione led the first years to the dormitories.
When Harry got to the table, Sirius was surrounded by Slytherins introducing themselves, Malfoy at the head of the group. So Harry went to talk to Professor Lupin, who told Harry to come to his office, and that Sirius would meet them up there.
They arrived at Lupin's office, and each had just gotten a cup of tea, when Professor Padfoot came in and closed the door. Harry ran over and hugged him.
"What are you doing here? Why didn't I know it was you?" he asked Sirius immediately.
"Calm down," Sirius said, laughing, "I'm using the Polyjuice potion to look like one of my friends I met while in hiding. I'm here because I wanted to be able to keep an eye on you, since Voldemort's out there now."
"But what if someone finds out you're here???"
"Professor Dumbledore has that all covered." he said, smiling back at him, "but we'll talk about this later, you need your rest. Now get up to bed."
Harry gave Sirius one last hug, said good-night to Lupin, and headed to the common room, where Ron and Hermione were waiting. He told them what had happened. He then went up to bed to find that he was extremely tired. His head had barely touched the pillow before he was fast asleep.