"Firs' year ovr' here'!  Firs' year!"

"Hello there Hagrid!" Harry, Ron, and Hermione shouted.

"All right, there, yeh' all?" Hagrid grinned as led the first years to the lake.

They waved and split into two groups; Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Harry in one carriage;  Neville, Luna, Alex and Melanie is another.

"I can't wait to see who the new DADA Professor is." Said Hermione excitedly.

"Oh bugger,  It's N.E.W.T. Year." Groaned Ron, looking sad.

"And our last," added Harry sadly, "I'll miss it here…"  Ginny cleared her throat. "…But I'll miss my girlfriend and soulmate even more." Harry said, smiling at her.

"Oh?  You two are soulmates now?" Ron asked, grinning at them.  They ignored him and leaned in for a kiss.

"AAAHHHH!" ah-ed Ron, putting his hands in front of his eyes.

"What?  What is it, Ron?" asked Ginny worriedly.

"I'm blind!"

"Let me see!" said Hermoine, tugging at his hand.

"Okay." Ron pulled away his hands and smiled at them, his eyes wide open.

"NO intimacy in the carriage." He said sternly at Ginny and Harry.

"RONALD WEASLEY!" shouted Hermione and Ginny.  "DON'T EVER DO THAT AGAIN!"

"Euh..okay." said Ron, and he climbed out the carriage that had stopped in front of the castle.  Hermione got out after him, still glowering.  Ginny was frowning, but she smiled as soon as she saw Hogwarts.

As soon as they were in the hall…

"Potter!"

"Yes?" asked Harry, turning around to face Professor McGonagal.  "Professor?"

"The Headmaster wishes to see you." She said sternly, and she lead him to the gargoyle in front of Dumbledore's office.  Dumbledore was standing in front of it, talking to it.  He turned around when he heard them approaching.

"Ah.  Thank you Professor McGonagal."  McGonagal nodded and left.  Dumbledore turned to Harry.

"How was your summer?"

"It was fine.  Thank you for sending those owls, I don't think I would have stayed in the house if it wasn't for my friends."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.  "Ah, yes, that is what I thought.  As you might have heard, Voldemort has started attacking Muggles again."

"Yes, I read it in the newspaper…and Mrs. Figg's house blew up.  Remus and Snape came to tell us." Answered Harry.

"ProfessorSnape, Harry.  Yes, Mrs. Figg is dead.  Voldemort has been murdering several families all over England, including the Finnigans."

Harry was shocked.  "Seamus?…"

"No, young Mr. Finnigan is alive and well, though still shocked.  He is in his dormitory now.  He will not be joining the others for classes for a couple of days; until he is ready.  He saw his family die before him."

Harry felt sorry for Seamus.  And he had met Mrs. Finnigan…she had not believed him in his fifth year; but then she did.  And now she was dead…

"I am going back to the Great Hall, Sorting will be over." Said Dumbledore, looking at Harry.  "Are you joining me?"

Harry nodded and followed Dumbledore to the Great Hall.  He was thinking so deeply that he did not look at the Staff Table as he passed it.

He looked at the Gryffindor and saw his friends sitting there.  He hurried over to them and sat down next to Ginny, who had saved him a seat.

"What did he want?" asked Hermione, while Ron massaged his stomach and Dumbledore gave his before the term speech.

"He just wanted to know how my summer was; and he told me about the attacks.  Seamus' family was killed." Said Harry gravely.

Ron and Neville shouted "What?"; Hermione, Ginny and Alex went pale.  The students and teachers in the Great Hall stared at them.

"Euh..sorry." said Neville, blushing a deep red.  Dumbledore started talking again and students stopped looking at them.

"Seamus wasn't killed, though." Harry said hurriedly. 

They let out a sigh of relief.

"We were already worried; he's not here is he?" asked Alex, scanning the table.

"No, he's in the dormitory, he's still in shock." Answered Harry as food appeared on the tables. 

Ron let out a yelp of glee and started helping himself…with generous amounts.

Hermione looked darkly at him.  Ron shrugged and stuffed his mouth full of potato.  Alex grinned at Harry with a meaningful look at Ron and a scowling Hermione.  Harry noticed Luna and Melanie chatting happily at the Ravenclaw Table.

Meanwhile~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-

Seamus laid on his bed, his eyes wide open.  He laid perfectly still; not making a move or a sound.  If someone should come into the room right now, they might think he was dead.  But no, he wasn't.  He was thinking as his memories flashed before his eyes.

There was a flash of green light…

He saw his little sister falling to the ground, her tiny mouth open in surprise. 

He saw his mother crying hysterically and throwing herself on his dead sister.  There was another flash of green light and his mother crumpled on top of his sister.

His father stood there, paralyzed by the things that were happening in front of him. 

Lucius Malfoy turned around and pointed his wand at Seamus, sneering.  He said the words, there was yet another flash of green light, a blur of color, and his father laid at his feet, dead.

Suddenly Aurors Apparated all around them and Seamus was led away from his dead family.  He looked back just in time to see Lucius Malfoy disappearing with a CRACK.

Why?  Why did it have to be his family?



When they were all stuffed, they sat around, drinking pumpkin juice and talking about what they were certainly going to do this year.

"…And in Defense Against the Dark Arts, we won't have to get any more detentions; Umbridge is finally gonnnneee!" Ron was saying.

"Hem hem." Said Ginny, laughing.  The people who sat around her looked worriedly around and then spotted her, they burst out laughing.

"Who is the DADA teacher anyways?" Harry asked Hermione.  Hermione suddenly looked very worried and pointed at the Staff Table.

There sat the last person Harry expected to be teaching. 

Viktor Krum.



Disclaimer;  Hey!  I don't own anything!  Haha!



responses:

Ami-Gryffindor89:  Hehehehehe!  Glad you liked the chapter; what do you mean slow?  Can I prevent it in later chapters?  Tell me!  I don't mind advice! 

Sarahamanda:  Haha…wouldn't you like to know?  I don't know anything *whistles*

Miss Prongs:  Hmmmm..I love gelato!  Here's some sorbet!

Raisinnutbread:  Yes!  Fred and George are hilarious!  They're my favorite characters!  I like to read about them; but I can't really write them that good…oh well!  Thanks!

The strandinatior:  Wow!  I'm totally flattered!  That was so nice of you!  I'm glad you think that!  Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Froggyy1:  Hey!  Glad you're reading my story!  Thank you for correcting me; I never know if it's 30 days or 31 days in July!  I'll be sure to fix that…thank you!  I can't believe nobody else noticed that!  Thank you so much!  I really appreciate it!  I'm glad you like my story!  Thanks for reading and reviewing!