A/N: I have decided that I'm entirely too good to you people. Look another
update already!!! What is up with that? Well, I played hookie today and
figured I'd add another chapter. Anyway, I'd like to thank SilverMoon12 for
pointing out that Cho is a year ahead of them. I am ecstatically pleased to
know that I am an equal opportunity writer and do not discriminate based on
year or relation to the Weasley family! Well...maybe just a little! So now
where were we? Oh yes, everyone is back at the castle waiting for dinner.
~Chapter 4~
"Mr. Potter, Mr. Potter, wake up," Harry slowly came out of his sleep. Sitting up he wondered if he had heard the voice in his dream. "Oh good, you're up."
Looking next to him he noticed that Orville was in a small picture that was resting on his nightstand. "Orville what are you doing in here?" Harry asked rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.
"Sir, there is a Ginny Weasley at the door wishing to speak with you."
"Oh, great let her in," Harry said wondering what Ginny was doing out in the halls.
"Very good, sir," Orville said placing his pipe back into his mouth and walking out of the picture.
"Oh wait, Orville?" Orville poked his head back into the picture.
"Yes, Mr. Potter?"
"How can I send a message to someone in the castle?" Harry asked.
"Messages can be sent through me, sir," came a voice from Harry's other nightstand. Harry looked over and noticed a plump woman in the picture frame. "Hello, Mr. Potter, my name is Nani, I'm your messenger."
"Really? That's cool. I'll need you to send a couple of messages to Ron and Hermione for me."
"Of course, sir."
"Please, no more sir. Just call me Harry, that goes for you too Orville. Not Mr. Potter, not sir, just Harry," he said looking from one to the other.
Seemingly oblivious Orville said, "Of course, sir," Harry let out a sigh, "I'll be letting Miss Weasley in now." And with that Orville was gone.
"Don't mind him," Nani said as the portrait swung open and Ginny walked in, "he's very set in his ways, likes to be all proper."
"Bloody good for him," Harry muttered swinging his legs over the side of his bed. "Hey Ginny, what are you doing here? I thought we had to wait in our rooms until we're summoned for dinner."
"I'm the summoner," Ginny grinned. "Mrs. Norris was at my room with a note saying that I should let everyone know that dinner was ready."
"Oh great, I'll go with you to get Ron and Hermione," Harry said standing up.
"They are already on their way." Seeing Harry's disappointed look at the thought that his friends went on without him Ginny added, "The note said that we should make all haste to get to the staff lounge. I guess they don't want anyone straggling around and taking their time getting there."
"No, I guess not. All right then, let's go."
"I'll see you there, I still have to go and get Malfoy. Everyone else should be on their way there," she said as they headed to the portrait.
Hearing Draco's name reminded Harry of the carriages, "Oh, I'm sorry about this afternoon." Ginny looked at him blankly, "You know the carriage ride and all," he added.
"Oh that. I couldn't believe that Cho went with you guys, but it's ok, no harm done," she said nonchalantly. "I'll see you down there then," she said when they reached the stairs.
"All right," Harry said as they parted at the bottom of the stairs and Ginny continued along to another corridor toward the Slytherin dungeons.
Ginny went down to the cold dungeons and headed down a small corridor until she came to a portrait of a dark looking witch who stood at the entry of Draco's room. Ginny shuddered slightly as she looked at the witch with black hair and eyes wearing a long black robe. She was holding a skull in one hand and had a snake wrapped around the other.
The witch looked down her nose at Ginny, "Yes?" she said raising an eyebrow.
"I need to speak to Malfoy please," she said a little intimidated by the look she was getting.
"Wait here," with that the witch left the portrait. Ginny looked down the hall to where the Slytherin common room was. She small gasp escaped her lips when she noticed that the portrait leading to the room was a basilisk.
She quickly looked back to the empty painting in front of her. She didn't want to remember the memories that picture evoked. A second later the witch was back. "He will see you now." With that the door swung open and Ginny stepped in.
The room was dark and as the door swung closed behind her she took a moment to readjust her eyes to the darkness. "Malfoy?" she asked tentatively. She crossed over to the desk and turned on the lamp on top of it. Light luminated most of the room. 'Better,' she thought and glanced around. It had the same set up as Harry's room, but the colors were much darker. The walls were a light shade of gray and the covers and curtains were a deep maroon. Instead of room for an owl cage as Harry had, Draco's room had a stand with a large tank to hold his snake. Even the pictures around the room were darker. All the witches and wizards were wearing dark colored robes some standing outside with stormy skies above them and others with black backgrounds.
Except one. On the desk by where Ginny had turned on the lamp was a picture of a young woman holding a baby. Ginny picked up the frame and looked at the picture. The woman in the picture had strawberry blonde hair and bright blue eyes and the baby had much blonder hair with the same blue eyes. She and the baby were both wearing bright yellow dresses and were in what appeared to be a park. She was smiling and playing with the baby holding it over her head and then bringing it down to kiss its cheeks while the baby giggled and squirmed, apparently enjoying a beautiful day in the sunshine.
Ginny jumped and nearly dropped the picture when she heard Draco's voice, "Seen enough?"
She looked around the room for him and spotted him sitting in a chair in a darker corner of the room looking right at her.
"I-I-I'm s-sorry," she stuttered supremely embarrassed to have been caught looking at his things.
He got up and crossed the room to her taking the picture out of her hands and looking at it. "Who is she," Ginny asked before she could stop herself. Draco's eyes turned a darker gray and Ginny braced herself for the backlash that was sure to come.
To her vast amazement, when Draco opened his mouth it wasn't to rant and rave, "Just someone I used to know." He reverently passed his fingers over the picture and placed it back on the desk. The coldness was back in his eyes when he turned to her. "Now what are you doing here, Weasley? Did you just come to rummage through my belongings or do you have some real purpose?"
She started stammering again, "I-I w-was told t-to get everyone f-for d- dinner."
"Well, your message was delivered. You can leave now." Draco turned his back on her and walked back across the room. Pushing his curtains aside and headed out to the balcony just outside his room.
Ginny stared after him, anger quickly rising in her. This was the third time today he treated her as if she hadn't a wit in her head and she was getting sick of it. She followed him out onto the balcony.
Draco was a little shocked to see her follow him. Her eyes were flashing with anger as she stepped out into the wind.
"Now see here Malfoy!" she started yelling pulling the windblown hair out of her eyes, "I've had just about enough out of you!" she said emphasizing her point by poking him in the chest. "I said I was sorry, you didn't have to bite my head off. I'm sick of your holier than thou attitude! Now, let's get going because as I said, we're expected at dinner." She stood there daring him to say something, he just laughed. Her mouth dropped, "My God, you've gone mad."
"No, it's nothing like that," he replied still laughing. Ginny crossed her arms across her chest waiting for his explanation. "It's just that she-" He broke off, realizing how far he almost went. He cleared his throat and got a hold of himself. "It's nothing really, never mind."
Ginny stood there dumbfounded. She didn't think she'd ever understand his mood swings. "Let's just go," Draco said when she just stared at him. She gave up and they both left the room to go down to dinner.
~~~
When Ginny and Draco entered the room everyone else was already seated and talking excitedly with each other about what would take place. There were three empty chairs in the room signifying that McGonagall hadn't arrived yet. Ginny and Draco took the two empty chairs between Ron and Parvati. Ginny took the seat next to Parvati leaving Draco, quite upset, sandwiched between two Weasleys.
A moment later Professor McGonagall entered the room and took her seat at the head of the table. Conversation immediately stopped. "Good evening everyone, it is so wonderful to see you," she said smiling at each one of them. "I trust that you all had a pleasant trip back to Hogwarts. Now I know that you are all anxious to hear where you are being assigned, but I'm afraid that you'll have to wait just a little bit longer."
Everyone groaned and Parvati whined, "But Professor McGonagall!"
"I insist," Professor McGonagall said as holding up her hand to bar any further conversation on that point. "It has been four years since I've seen any of you and I'd like to catch up before we get down to business." She looked around the table and noted the disappointed looks. "Oh come now," she said, "a little dinner conversation won't hurt any of you. Now let's eat." With that the table filled with food before them.
Everyone tried to hurriedly eat so that they could get around to the business at hand, but Professor McGonagall wasn't satisfied until she had heard from everyone about what they were doing. With eight people recounting four years of their lives, it was over an hour later before McGonagall cleared the table with the wave of her hand. Where their plates of food had been a moment before, each of them now had a folder in front of them.
"Not so fast," she said as they all reached for them at the same time, "before we open the folders, I'm going to go around the table and tell you all what you're going to be teaching, then we will go through the information in these folders." Turning to Cho she said, "Now, Miss Chang, let's start with you, you will be teaching History of Magic. Mr. Longbottom, I'm sure that this won't come as surprise to anyone here, you'll be teaching Herbology. Miss Patil, you'll have Diviniation."
"Really," Parvati said barely able to contain her excitement.
"Yes," McGonagall continued, "Now let's move on, Miss Weasley, I have you down for charms, Mr. Malfoy, you'll be teaching potions, Mr. Weasley, Care of Magical Creatures, Miss Granger, Transfigurations, and finally Mr. Potter, you'll be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts."
Everyone except Draco started talking all at once after hearing what their new jobs were going to be.
"Please that's not all," McGonagall said. Everyone stopped talking again. "As all the teachers are gone, we are also going to need new Heads of House. Harry, Hermione, Ron and Draco, you four will be in charge of the houses as follows. Harry, you will be in charge of Gryffindor, Hermione, you have Ravenclaw, Ron, Hufflepuff, and Draco will be in charge of Slytherin."
Again the table erupted into conversation. "Wow Head of House!" Ron was saying.
"Congratulations guys," Ginny said.
"All right, you'll all have time to discuss this later, let's just get on with this meeting." Everyone simmered down, "Good, let's open the folders and go over some information." Everyone opened their folders. "First we have your class schedules. These are the days and times of your individual classes. The next group of papers is your Ministry approved course objectives. I expect each of you to cover the material contained in those objectives, but you don't have to follow all of the Ministry outlines. I hope that each of you will develop a teaching style that suits you and that you'll have fun with. These are now your classes, I want you to enjoy yourselves." McGonagall put the grouped papers aside and everyone followed in suit. "Next we have your book lists. I expect you all to be up to date with the readings before classes start." A couple of groans accompanied the news. "Now, now, none of that, how can you expect to teach your students from materials you aren't familiar with. Moving on, next you have your class rosters. Remember that attendance is mandatory and that students who decide not to go without valid excuses should be dealt with immediately."
McGonagall spent the next 45 minutes going over how things should be imputed into grade books, fifteen minutes alone on the new long list of confiscateable objects, and proper disciplinary action and rewards for students. "Right then. I believe that that should do it. Oh, one more thing. Tomorrow, you will all be traveling to Diagon Alley to pick up the books on your lists as well as some new robes. All you have to do is go to Madame Malkin's Robes for all Occasions shop where you will be fitted. I will give you your appointment times in the morning. You will need at least five robes for the week and two dress robes for special occasions. The teaching robes must be black, but the dress robes can be any color you choose. The robes will be added to the Hogwarts expense account so you need not bring any money with you there. After that you will have the rest of the day to yourselves to spend as you wish either at Diagon Alley or at Hogsmeade. Please be back tomorrow night by 6:00 for dinner."
The door to the staff lounge opened at that moment and the same eight house elves that had escorted them to their rooms earlier were filing in.
"Ah, perfect timing," McGonagall said. You will each be escorted back to your rooms. I know that none of you are children, but I don't want to have any problems when it comes time to get up and going tomorrow. To that end, I'm just making sure that none of you get, shall we say, 'lost,'" she brought up her fingers in little quotation marks, "on the way back to your rooms," she looked at Harry when she said this.
Harry blushed under her gaze. He was always the one who seemed to be out at night when he should be in bed. "Harry, Draco, Hermione, and Ron, I'll need you four to stay here so that I can give you some additional information on being Head of House. Now, off with the rest of you, I'll see you in the morning."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione said their goodnights to the others as they left the room following their house elves. Dobby and the remaining house elves stood quietly by the door waiting patiently for their charges to finish their meeting.
"I'll try to be quick so that you all can get to bed as well. Now, I picked you all as Head of your respective Houses for one very important reason. I believe that you each exemplify the same spirit as your predecessors who started the houses." She turned to look at Harry, "Harry, you always show great strength and courage. You are quick to help others who need your service. Hermione, you are wise and intelligent. You use your mind to work out problems and find logical solutions. Your love of learning and wit will help you teach your students. Ron, just and loyal. You are always there to help others out. You are unafraid to face danger when someone needs your help. And Draco, you are a survivor. Always coming out on top of situations and finding any means to an end." She leaned back into her chair. "I believe that you four exemplify the original founders so much. Your individual abilities enable you to face the worst that life can give you and still come out a winner. I know that these unique qualities you have will get you all far in life. You will have to enforce the rules in your houses. Also on the first day you will need to collect permission slips from the third years for Hogsmeade." She glanced down at her notes to see what else she had to cover.
"And last but certainly not least, Ron, I will need you to also cover the flying lessons for the first years." She handed a piece of paper to Ron. "Along with that, I would like for you and Harry to oversee the Quidditch practices. I figure that we should have our two resident Quidditch stars in charge of the game."
She stood up signaling the end of the meeting. "All right, I will see you all in the morning then. Good night then." The house elves came forward and led them out the door.
Before Harry could get a moment to talk to Ron and Hermione Dobby was already leading him to his room already in talking, "Harry Potter in charge of Quidditch, this is most exciting, sir!" Harry tuned him out thinking of the best way to get Ron and Hermione to meet him later. He figured that he'd just have Nani run them a message to meet him. But where? Suddenly it hit him.
"Dobby," he said cutting in on whatever praise Dobby was talking about, "has the Room of Requirement been magically sealed off?"
"Oh no Harry Potter, sir, the Come and Go Room is still in the same place. Still only appears when needed, sir."
'Perfect,' Harry thought. As soon as he got back to his room where he'd send a message to Ron and Hermione to meet him in the Room of Requirement. He smiled thinking that he'd finally be able to sit and talk with his friends. "Thanks for walking with me Dobby," Harry said when they reached Orville.
"Oh no sir, it is an honor to walk with Harry Potter, sir!"
"Er- right. Well, good night then." Dobby snapped his fingers and in the next instant was gone. Harry turned to Orville, "Padfoot," he said and the portrait swung open.
'Better make sure the coast is clear before I send the message,' Harry thought crossing to his trunk. He opened it and pulled out a piece of familiar parchment. Harry took out his wand and tapped the parchment with it saying, "I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good." Ink started out from the point where his wand was touching the parchment and a moment later, Harry was looking at a map of Hogwarts. A quick look told him that McGonagall was stationary in her room. 'Probably sleeping,' Harry thought. Filch and Mrs. Norris were in Filch's office also stationary.
He walked over to his bed sat next to the picture of Nani. "Nani, I need you to run two messages to Ron and Hermione."
"Of course Harry," Nani said getting up out of her chair.
"Great. Just tell them to meet me in the Room of Requirement as soon as possible."
"Not a problem," Nani said walking out of her picture.
Harry checked the map once again; the three dots were still in the same place. Folding the map Harry placed it in his pocket and headed for the portrait. He knew that Ron wouldn't have a problem sneaking out for a secret rendezvous, but he hoped that Hermione went against her usual anti- reckless actions and met them as well. As he walked, he couldn't help finding the humor in breaking the rules on his first night back.
A/N: Boy was this a long one! Not only did you get it earlier than expected, but you get a longer one too! I'm such a gracious writer! Thank you all for taking the time to review. I'm glad that you like my story!
~Chapter 4~
"Mr. Potter, Mr. Potter, wake up," Harry slowly came out of his sleep. Sitting up he wondered if he had heard the voice in his dream. "Oh good, you're up."
Looking next to him he noticed that Orville was in a small picture that was resting on his nightstand. "Orville what are you doing in here?" Harry asked rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.
"Sir, there is a Ginny Weasley at the door wishing to speak with you."
"Oh, great let her in," Harry said wondering what Ginny was doing out in the halls.
"Very good, sir," Orville said placing his pipe back into his mouth and walking out of the picture.
"Oh wait, Orville?" Orville poked his head back into the picture.
"Yes, Mr. Potter?"
"How can I send a message to someone in the castle?" Harry asked.
"Messages can be sent through me, sir," came a voice from Harry's other nightstand. Harry looked over and noticed a plump woman in the picture frame. "Hello, Mr. Potter, my name is Nani, I'm your messenger."
"Really? That's cool. I'll need you to send a couple of messages to Ron and Hermione for me."
"Of course, sir."
"Please, no more sir. Just call me Harry, that goes for you too Orville. Not Mr. Potter, not sir, just Harry," he said looking from one to the other.
Seemingly oblivious Orville said, "Of course, sir," Harry let out a sigh, "I'll be letting Miss Weasley in now." And with that Orville was gone.
"Don't mind him," Nani said as the portrait swung open and Ginny walked in, "he's very set in his ways, likes to be all proper."
"Bloody good for him," Harry muttered swinging his legs over the side of his bed. "Hey Ginny, what are you doing here? I thought we had to wait in our rooms until we're summoned for dinner."
"I'm the summoner," Ginny grinned. "Mrs. Norris was at my room with a note saying that I should let everyone know that dinner was ready."
"Oh great, I'll go with you to get Ron and Hermione," Harry said standing up.
"They are already on their way." Seeing Harry's disappointed look at the thought that his friends went on without him Ginny added, "The note said that we should make all haste to get to the staff lounge. I guess they don't want anyone straggling around and taking their time getting there."
"No, I guess not. All right then, let's go."
"I'll see you there, I still have to go and get Malfoy. Everyone else should be on their way there," she said as they headed to the portrait.
Hearing Draco's name reminded Harry of the carriages, "Oh, I'm sorry about this afternoon." Ginny looked at him blankly, "You know the carriage ride and all," he added.
"Oh that. I couldn't believe that Cho went with you guys, but it's ok, no harm done," she said nonchalantly. "I'll see you down there then," she said when they reached the stairs.
"All right," Harry said as they parted at the bottom of the stairs and Ginny continued along to another corridor toward the Slytherin dungeons.
Ginny went down to the cold dungeons and headed down a small corridor until she came to a portrait of a dark looking witch who stood at the entry of Draco's room. Ginny shuddered slightly as she looked at the witch with black hair and eyes wearing a long black robe. She was holding a skull in one hand and had a snake wrapped around the other.
The witch looked down her nose at Ginny, "Yes?" she said raising an eyebrow.
"I need to speak to Malfoy please," she said a little intimidated by the look she was getting.
"Wait here," with that the witch left the portrait. Ginny looked down the hall to where the Slytherin common room was. She small gasp escaped her lips when she noticed that the portrait leading to the room was a basilisk.
She quickly looked back to the empty painting in front of her. She didn't want to remember the memories that picture evoked. A second later the witch was back. "He will see you now." With that the door swung open and Ginny stepped in.
The room was dark and as the door swung closed behind her she took a moment to readjust her eyes to the darkness. "Malfoy?" she asked tentatively. She crossed over to the desk and turned on the lamp on top of it. Light luminated most of the room. 'Better,' she thought and glanced around. It had the same set up as Harry's room, but the colors were much darker. The walls were a light shade of gray and the covers and curtains were a deep maroon. Instead of room for an owl cage as Harry had, Draco's room had a stand with a large tank to hold his snake. Even the pictures around the room were darker. All the witches and wizards were wearing dark colored robes some standing outside with stormy skies above them and others with black backgrounds.
Except one. On the desk by where Ginny had turned on the lamp was a picture of a young woman holding a baby. Ginny picked up the frame and looked at the picture. The woman in the picture had strawberry blonde hair and bright blue eyes and the baby had much blonder hair with the same blue eyes. She and the baby were both wearing bright yellow dresses and were in what appeared to be a park. She was smiling and playing with the baby holding it over her head and then bringing it down to kiss its cheeks while the baby giggled and squirmed, apparently enjoying a beautiful day in the sunshine.
Ginny jumped and nearly dropped the picture when she heard Draco's voice, "Seen enough?"
She looked around the room for him and spotted him sitting in a chair in a darker corner of the room looking right at her.
"I-I-I'm s-sorry," she stuttered supremely embarrassed to have been caught looking at his things.
He got up and crossed the room to her taking the picture out of her hands and looking at it. "Who is she," Ginny asked before she could stop herself. Draco's eyes turned a darker gray and Ginny braced herself for the backlash that was sure to come.
To her vast amazement, when Draco opened his mouth it wasn't to rant and rave, "Just someone I used to know." He reverently passed his fingers over the picture and placed it back on the desk. The coldness was back in his eyes when he turned to her. "Now what are you doing here, Weasley? Did you just come to rummage through my belongings or do you have some real purpose?"
She started stammering again, "I-I w-was told t-to get everyone f-for d- dinner."
"Well, your message was delivered. You can leave now." Draco turned his back on her and walked back across the room. Pushing his curtains aside and headed out to the balcony just outside his room.
Ginny stared after him, anger quickly rising in her. This was the third time today he treated her as if she hadn't a wit in her head and she was getting sick of it. She followed him out onto the balcony.
Draco was a little shocked to see her follow him. Her eyes were flashing with anger as she stepped out into the wind.
"Now see here Malfoy!" she started yelling pulling the windblown hair out of her eyes, "I've had just about enough out of you!" she said emphasizing her point by poking him in the chest. "I said I was sorry, you didn't have to bite my head off. I'm sick of your holier than thou attitude! Now, let's get going because as I said, we're expected at dinner." She stood there daring him to say something, he just laughed. Her mouth dropped, "My God, you've gone mad."
"No, it's nothing like that," he replied still laughing. Ginny crossed her arms across her chest waiting for his explanation. "It's just that she-" He broke off, realizing how far he almost went. He cleared his throat and got a hold of himself. "It's nothing really, never mind."
Ginny stood there dumbfounded. She didn't think she'd ever understand his mood swings. "Let's just go," Draco said when she just stared at him. She gave up and they both left the room to go down to dinner.
~~~
When Ginny and Draco entered the room everyone else was already seated and talking excitedly with each other about what would take place. There were three empty chairs in the room signifying that McGonagall hadn't arrived yet. Ginny and Draco took the two empty chairs between Ron and Parvati. Ginny took the seat next to Parvati leaving Draco, quite upset, sandwiched between two Weasleys.
A moment later Professor McGonagall entered the room and took her seat at the head of the table. Conversation immediately stopped. "Good evening everyone, it is so wonderful to see you," she said smiling at each one of them. "I trust that you all had a pleasant trip back to Hogwarts. Now I know that you are all anxious to hear where you are being assigned, but I'm afraid that you'll have to wait just a little bit longer."
Everyone groaned and Parvati whined, "But Professor McGonagall!"
"I insist," Professor McGonagall said as holding up her hand to bar any further conversation on that point. "It has been four years since I've seen any of you and I'd like to catch up before we get down to business." She looked around the table and noted the disappointed looks. "Oh come now," she said, "a little dinner conversation won't hurt any of you. Now let's eat." With that the table filled with food before them.
Everyone tried to hurriedly eat so that they could get around to the business at hand, but Professor McGonagall wasn't satisfied until she had heard from everyone about what they were doing. With eight people recounting four years of their lives, it was over an hour later before McGonagall cleared the table with the wave of her hand. Where their plates of food had been a moment before, each of them now had a folder in front of them.
"Not so fast," she said as they all reached for them at the same time, "before we open the folders, I'm going to go around the table and tell you all what you're going to be teaching, then we will go through the information in these folders." Turning to Cho she said, "Now, Miss Chang, let's start with you, you will be teaching History of Magic. Mr. Longbottom, I'm sure that this won't come as surprise to anyone here, you'll be teaching Herbology. Miss Patil, you'll have Diviniation."
"Really," Parvati said barely able to contain her excitement.
"Yes," McGonagall continued, "Now let's move on, Miss Weasley, I have you down for charms, Mr. Malfoy, you'll be teaching potions, Mr. Weasley, Care of Magical Creatures, Miss Granger, Transfigurations, and finally Mr. Potter, you'll be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts."
Everyone except Draco started talking all at once after hearing what their new jobs were going to be.
"Please that's not all," McGonagall said. Everyone stopped talking again. "As all the teachers are gone, we are also going to need new Heads of House. Harry, Hermione, Ron and Draco, you four will be in charge of the houses as follows. Harry, you will be in charge of Gryffindor, Hermione, you have Ravenclaw, Ron, Hufflepuff, and Draco will be in charge of Slytherin."
Again the table erupted into conversation. "Wow Head of House!" Ron was saying.
"Congratulations guys," Ginny said.
"All right, you'll all have time to discuss this later, let's just get on with this meeting." Everyone simmered down, "Good, let's open the folders and go over some information." Everyone opened their folders. "First we have your class schedules. These are the days and times of your individual classes. The next group of papers is your Ministry approved course objectives. I expect each of you to cover the material contained in those objectives, but you don't have to follow all of the Ministry outlines. I hope that each of you will develop a teaching style that suits you and that you'll have fun with. These are now your classes, I want you to enjoy yourselves." McGonagall put the grouped papers aside and everyone followed in suit. "Next we have your book lists. I expect you all to be up to date with the readings before classes start." A couple of groans accompanied the news. "Now, now, none of that, how can you expect to teach your students from materials you aren't familiar with. Moving on, next you have your class rosters. Remember that attendance is mandatory and that students who decide not to go without valid excuses should be dealt with immediately."
McGonagall spent the next 45 minutes going over how things should be imputed into grade books, fifteen minutes alone on the new long list of confiscateable objects, and proper disciplinary action and rewards for students. "Right then. I believe that that should do it. Oh, one more thing. Tomorrow, you will all be traveling to Diagon Alley to pick up the books on your lists as well as some new robes. All you have to do is go to Madame Malkin's Robes for all Occasions shop where you will be fitted. I will give you your appointment times in the morning. You will need at least five robes for the week and two dress robes for special occasions. The teaching robes must be black, but the dress robes can be any color you choose. The robes will be added to the Hogwarts expense account so you need not bring any money with you there. After that you will have the rest of the day to yourselves to spend as you wish either at Diagon Alley or at Hogsmeade. Please be back tomorrow night by 6:00 for dinner."
The door to the staff lounge opened at that moment and the same eight house elves that had escorted them to their rooms earlier were filing in.
"Ah, perfect timing," McGonagall said. You will each be escorted back to your rooms. I know that none of you are children, but I don't want to have any problems when it comes time to get up and going tomorrow. To that end, I'm just making sure that none of you get, shall we say, 'lost,'" she brought up her fingers in little quotation marks, "on the way back to your rooms," she looked at Harry when she said this.
Harry blushed under her gaze. He was always the one who seemed to be out at night when he should be in bed. "Harry, Draco, Hermione, and Ron, I'll need you four to stay here so that I can give you some additional information on being Head of House. Now, off with the rest of you, I'll see you in the morning."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione said their goodnights to the others as they left the room following their house elves. Dobby and the remaining house elves stood quietly by the door waiting patiently for their charges to finish their meeting.
"I'll try to be quick so that you all can get to bed as well. Now, I picked you all as Head of your respective Houses for one very important reason. I believe that you each exemplify the same spirit as your predecessors who started the houses." She turned to look at Harry, "Harry, you always show great strength and courage. You are quick to help others who need your service. Hermione, you are wise and intelligent. You use your mind to work out problems and find logical solutions. Your love of learning and wit will help you teach your students. Ron, just and loyal. You are always there to help others out. You are unafraid to face danger when someone needs your help. And Draco, you are a survivor. Always coming out on top of situations and finding any means to an end." She leaned back into her chair. "I believe that you four exemplify the original founders so much. Your individual abilities enable you to face the worst that life can give you and still come out a winner. I know that these unique qualities you have will get you all far in life. You will have to enforce the rules in your houses. Also on the first day you will need to collect permission slips from the third years for Hogsmeade." She glanced down at her notes to see what else she had to cover.
"And last but certainly not least, Ron, I will need you to also cover the flying lessons for the first years." She handed a piece of paper to Ron. "Along with that, I would like for you and Harry to oversee the Quidditch practices. I figure that we should have our two resident Quidditch stars in charge of the game."
She stood up signaling the end of the meeting. "All right, I will see you all in the morning then. Good night then." The house elves came forward and led them out the door.
Before Harry could get a moment to talk to Ron and Hermione Dobby was already leading him to his room already in talking, "Harry Potter in charge of Quidditch, this is most exciting, sir!" Harry tuned him out thinking of the best way to get Ron and Hermione to meet him later. He figured that he'd just have Nani run them a message to meet him. But where? Suddenly it hit him.
"Dobby," he said cutting in on whatever praise Dobby was talking about, "has the Room of Requirement been magically sealed off?"
"Oh no Harry Potter, sir, the Come and Go Room is still in the same place. Still only appears when needed, sir."
'Perfect,' Harry thought. As soon as he got back to his room where he'd send a message to Ron and Hermione to meet him in the Room of Requirement. He smiled thinking that he'd finally be able to sit and talk with his friends. "Thanks for walking with me Dobby," Harry said when they reached Orville.
"Oh no sir, it is an honor to walk with Harry Potter, sir!"
"Er- right. Well, good night then." Dobby snapped his fingers and in the next instant was gone. Harry turned to Orville, "Padfoot," he said and the portrait swung open.
'Better make sure the coast is clear before I send the message,' Harry thought crossing to his trunk. He opened it and pulled out a piece of familiar parchment. Harry took out his wand and tapped the parchment with it saying, "I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good." Ink started out from the point where his wand was touching the parchment and a moment later, Harry was looking at a map of Hogwarts. A quick look told him that McGonagall was stationary in her room. 'Probably sleeping,' Harry thought. Filch and Mrs. Norris were in Filch's office also stationary.
He walked over to his bed sat next to the picture of Nani. "Nani, I need you to run two messages to Ron and Hermione."
"Of course Harry," Nani said getting up out of her chair.
"Great. Just tell them to meet me in the Room of Requirement as soon as possible."
"Not a problem," Nani said walking out of her picture.
Harry checked the map once again; the three dots were still in the same place. Folding the map Harry placed it in his pocket and headed for the portrait. He knew that Ron wouldn't have a problem sneaking out for a secret rendezvous, but he hoped that Hermione went against her usual anti- reckless actions and met them as well. As he walked, he couldn't help finding the humor in breaking the rules on his first night back.
A/N: Boy was this a long one! Not only did you get it earlier than expected, but you get a longer one too! I'm such a gracious writer! Thank you all for taking the time to review. I'm glad that you like my story!