Chapter Seven
Hogwarts never looked so inviting, Harry felt at home once again. He finally felt that he was where he belonged. Sometimes peoples ignorance sickened him, people all around were laughing with there friends, not a care in the world. None of them realized that two of there number almost died on the train that afternoon.
Dumbledore knew already, Harry was sure of that. He wasn't sure how but the Headmaster seemed to know things even though they hadn't happened yet. Very many times the headmaster had known about times when Harry needed him just in the nick of time.
The great hall looked like it always did year after year. Hundreds of floating magic candles, and ghosts floating every which way.
No sooner had they taken there seats, the first years tramped in from there yearly boat ride. Most looked like a mixture of scared, amazed, and impatient. The impatient ones must come from wizarding families, Harry thought. The others must have been just like Harry and Hermione.
"As I call out your names, come and sit on the stool and put the sorting hat on your head." Professor McGonagall's voice rang through the hall clearly.
"Anderson, Andy." a plump bull like boy waddled up to the hat and put it on his fat head. The hat thought for a minute and then called clearly.
"SLYTHERIN"
It wasn't until they got to the 'B's' which was a while later that Harry started to pay attention.
"Black, James"
Harry's head snapped up out of his stupor and looked around at his friends. They had they same stupid blank expression on there faces.
A thin pale looking boy with straggly black hair walked up to the stool. If Harry didn't know better he would have said that the boy was getting some grey hair around the temples. Whoever this kid was, he didn't have an easy life, and his face was chiseled and worn. It seemed that more than just the trio had noticed the name. Harry hadn't heard this kind of silence in the Great Hall during a sorting ceremony since his own name was on the sheet. The whole Hall watched with bated breath on where this mystery boy would be placed.
He slowly brought the hat down to his head, but it never got to touch his hair.
"GRYFFENDOR"
The Gryffendor table clapped the loudest out of the entire hall.
The sorting ceremony ended and the Opening Feast began.
The Feast was exceptional, even by Hogwarts standards. Even after what had happened on the train, sprits were high. Harry wasn't sure if he had to tell Dumbledore anything, but he was going to offer his two cents anyway. Harry was more interested in what the professor had to say to them, then sharing what he had to say. As soon as the feast started it was over.
The food dissolved into the plates, Ron was the only one who seemed to look like he was sad to see it go. Dumbledore rose from his chair at the high table, and silence ensued.
"Ahh, and another delightful feast. Our house elves out did themselves tonight."
Hermione looked a little put out at that.
"I have the usual announcements to make. And some others. I encourage everyone to stay out of the forbidden forest, hence its name. We are sorry that the Hogwarts express had some technical difficulties on the way here." As he said this Dumbledore looked pointedly at Harry and Hermione. Yep he knew.
"I think that Mr. Filch wanted me to tell you again that the list in his office has been lengthened again. It now includes anything from Weaslys Wizard Whezezs. Our Defense against the Dark Arts teacher this year will be coming a little late. Until he comes, I will be teaching that class. Now if I can have the sixth year prefects guide the First Years to there dorms please. Thank you, Off to Bed."
Harry and Hermione bid Ginny and Ron goodbye, and headed off to Dumbledore's office. They slowly made there way out of the Great Hall, there seemed to be a lot more students than in previous years. Many times they had to shove his Head boy badge in someone's face to get them to move. Even Hermione had to use her powers once or twice in a bad jam.
They arrived at Dumbledore's office ten minutes late. The professor didn't seem to mind that they were late. He himself must have just gotten there. Harry felt very sorry for Ginny. She had to lead all those first years up to there dorms.
"Ahh yes my Head boy and Girl. Thank you for coming." Dumbledore said with the usual twinkle behind his glasses.
"Hello sir." Harry said respectfully.
"The reason I first made this appointment was because I wanted to discuss your new responsibilities. In light of recent events I want you to tell me exactly what happened on the train on the way here."
Harry immediately launched into a full explanation of the battle on the express. It seemed to drag on forever, but he finally got to the part about the light and the beam. Harry was hoping for some answers. When Harry started to explain about what had happened, Hermione's head snapped up and looked at him. Harry had decided to leave this out on the train so this news was a bit of a shock to Hermione.
Then he told of Hermione's scar and burn. An emotion crossed Dumbledore's face that Harry had never seen there before. Surprise.
"So, Ms. Granger was hit by the killing curse, and got a scar similar to the one on your forehead?"
"Yes sir" Hermione answered head held high.
"These scars and burns mean something, but I am not completely sure what. I recall something, but I will do some research. Instead of you going and having all the fun of searching in the library, I will. I will inform you immediately when I have found something. Besides you have you N.E.W.T's to study for." Dumbledore said eyes twinkling.
"Off to bed with you, your dorm is on the seventh floor behind the picture of Byong Yu the jumper. The password is Swiss chocolate. Good night."
Harry and Hermione walked slowly to there dorm room. Both thinking over what the headmaster had just told them. It was strange to think that someone other than them would be doing the mass amounts of extra research.
"So what are we gonna do now that there isn't some great mystery to figure out?" Harry asked good-naturedly.
Hermione chuckled and then replied
"Probably something like last year."
Last year had been relatively quiet, Voldemort had been quiet. Harry had had his first normal year, in his sixth. The only thing that had been especially important had been that they found a secret passage in the dungeons after potions. They found out how to add to Marauders Map and added there own room. Now they had somewhere to go when they needed to escape from Snape.
They found their dorm and bid each other good night and fell right to sleep, they could admire there room tomorrow. Sleep overtook them and soon enough their first day of seventh year would begin.
Hogwarts never looked so inviting, Harry felt at home once again. He finally felt that he was where he belonged. Sometimes peoples ignorance sickened him, people all around were laughing with there friends, not a care in the world. None of them realized that two of there number almost died on the train that afternoon.
Dumbledore knew already, Harry was sure of that. He wasn't sure how but the Headmaster seemed to know things even though they hadn't happened yet. Very many times the headmaster had known about times when Harry needed him just in the nick of time.
The great hall looked like it always did year after year. Hundreds of floating magic candles, and ghosts floating every which way.
No sooner had they taken there seats, the first years tramped in from there yearly boat ride. Most looked like a mixture of scared, amazed, and impatient. The impatient ones must come from wizarding families, Harry thought. The others must have been just like Harry and Hermione.
"As I call out your names, come and sit on the stool and put the sorting hat on your head." Professor McGonagall's voice rang through the hall clearly.
"Anderson, Andy." a plump bull like boy waddled up to the hat and put it on his fat head. The hat thought for a minute and then called clearly.
"SLYTHERIN"
It wasn't until they got to the 'B's' which was a while later that Harry started to pay attention.
"Black, James"
Harry's head snapped up out of his stupor and looked around at his friends. They had they same stupid blank expression on there faces.
A thin pale looking boy with straggly black hair walked up to the stool. If Harry didn't know better he would have said that the boy was getting some grey hair around the temples. Whoever this kid was, he didn't have an easy life, and his face was chiseled and worn. It seemed that more than just the trio had noticed the name. Harry hadn't heard this kind of silence in the Great Hall during a sorting ceremony since his own name was on the sheet. The whole Hall watched with bated breath on where this mystery boy would be placed.
He slowly brought the hat down to his head, but it never got to touch his hair.
"GRYFFENDOR"
The Gryffendor table clapped the loudest out of the entire hall.
The sorting ceremony ended and the Opening Feast began.
The Feast was exceptional, even by Hogwarts standards. Even after what had happened on the train, sprits were high. Harry wasn't sure if he had to tell Dumbledore anything, but he was going to offer his two cents anyway. Harry was more interested in what the professor had to say to them, then sharing what he had to say. As soon as the feast started it was over.
The food dissolved into the plates, Ron was the only one who seemed to look like he was sad to see it go. Dumbledore rose from his chair at the high table, and silence ensued.
"Ahh, and another delightful feast. Our house elves out did themselves tonight."
Hermione looked a little put out at that.
"I have the usual announcements to make. And some others. I encourage everyone to stay out of the forbidden forest, hence its name. We are sorry that the Hogwarts express had some technical difficulties on the way here." As he said this Dumbledore looked pointedly at Harry and Hermione. Yep he knew.
"I think that Mr. Filch wanted me to tell you again that the list in his office has been lengthened again. It now includes anything from Weaslys Wizard Whezezs. Our Defense against the Dark Arts teacher this year will be coming a little late. Until he comes, I will be teaching that class. Now if I can have the sixth year prefects guide the First Years to there dorms please. Thank you, Off to Bed."
Harry and Hermione bid Ginny and Ron goodbye, and headed off to Dumbledore's office. They slowly made there way out of the Great Hall, there seemed to be a lot more students than in previous years. Many times they had to shove his Head boy badge in someone's face to get them to move. Even Hermione had to use her powers once or twice in a bad jam.
They arrived at Dumbledore's office ten minutes late. The professor didn't seem to mind that they were late. He himself must have just gotten there. Harry felt very sorry for Ginny. She had to lead all those first years up to there dorms.
"Ahh yes my Head boy and Girl. Thank you for coming." Dumbledore said with the usual twinkle behind his glasses.
"Hello sir." Harry said respectfully.
"The reason I first made this appointment was because I wanted to discuss your new responsibilities. In light of recent events I want you to tell me exactly what happened on the train on the way here."
Harry immediately launched into a full explanation of the battle on the express. It seemed to drag on forever, but he finally got to the part about the light and the beam. Harry was hoping for some answers. When Harry started to explain about what had happened, Hermione's head snapped up and looked at him. Harry had decided to leave this out on the train so this news was a bit of a shock to Hermione.
Then he told of Hermione's scar and burn. An emotion crossed Dumbledore's face that Harry had never seen there before. Surprise.
"So, Ms. Granger was hit by the killing curse, and got a scar similar to the one on your forehead?"
"Yes sir" Hermione answered head held high.
"These scars and burns mean something, but I am not completely sure what. I recall something, but I will do some research. Instead of you going and having all the fun of searching in the library, I will. I will inform you immediately when I have found something. Besides you have you N.E.W.T's to study for." Dumbledore said eyes twinkling.
"Off to bed with you, your dorm is on the seventh floor behind the picture of Byong Yu the jumper. The password is Swiss chocolate. Good night."
Harry and Hermione walked slowly to there dorm room. Both thinking over what the headmaster had just told them. It was strange to think that someone other than them would be doing the mass amounts of extra research.
"So what are we gonna do now that there isn't some great mystery to figure out?" Harry asked good-naturedly.
Hermione chuckled and then replied
"Probably something like last year."
Last year had been relatively quiet, Voldemort had been quiet. Harry had had his first normal year, in his sixth. The only thing that had been especially important had been that they found a secret passage in the dungeons after potions. They found out how to add to Marauders Map and added there own room. Now they had somewhere to go when they needed to escape from Snape.
They found their dorm and bid each other good night and fell right to sleep, they could admire there room tomorrow. Sleep overtook them and soon enough their first day of seventh year would begin.