Disclaimer: All rights and so on of Harry Potter Characters and places and whatever else belong to not me. So don't sue. Angela and the plot, however, ARE mine. So don't steal. Thank you for your time.
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The Burrow was in utter chaos the next morning as everyone rushed around trying to get ready. Mr. Weasley, Bill, and Charlie would not be coming to the station to see them off, as they had to "go in" again, so their goodbyes were said right after breakfast. The twins stayed behind to help Mrs. Weasley get the five Hogwarts students onto the train, which would leave at eleven o'clock on the dot.
Angela surprised everyone by carrying her own trunk downstairs. Even Harry and Ron had to help each other with their trunks. Angela defended herself by saying "I've always been independent. I can take care of myself." What they didn't know, and didn't need to know in Angela's opinion, was that Angela had placed a lightening charm on her trunk, making it about as heavy as a Potions book.
They all got into the car that the Weasley's had acquired since their other car had been flown to and subsequently lost at Hogwarts by Ron and Harry in their second year. It was surprisingly roomy, though Angela figured that it had been magically enlarged to allow them all to fit.
They got to King's Cross Station with a surprisingly large amount of time to spare, according to Harry. They fetched trolleys and wheeled all of their belongings toward Platforms Nine and Ten. All of the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione had all told her all the nuances of getting onto Platform Nine and Three Quarters on the car ride over but she was still slightly nervous. Harry, Ron and Hermione had gone through first to show Angela how easy it was. Angela and Ginny decided to tackle it together, walking headlong into the barrier. Angela was afraid that they were going to hit it but they passed right through it as if it were nothing but an archway, which is what it was when Angela looked back. She looked forward to the most magnificent train that she had ever seen.
It was bright red, gleaming in the sunlight with steam billowing out of the top. She stood there, staring in awe for a moment before moving forward. Harry was waiting for them about ten feet away and smiled when he saw the look on Angela's face.
"She's a beauty, isn't she?" He said, looking at the train lovingly.
"Yeah," was all Angela could manage, looking in awe at the train.
Harry led Angela and Ginny over to where he, Ron and Hermione had chosen an empty compartment, though Ron and Hermione would have to spend some time at the beginning of the trip in the Prefect's compartment at the front of the train. Fred and George were quickly there to help them get their trunks onto the train and soon they were all saying goodbye.
"See ya in Hogsmeade!" Fred and George had said, grinning at them. Angela made a note to ask Harry why Fred and George would be in Hogsmeade.
Mrs. Weasley was saying goodbye to her children and then she turned to Harry, Angela and Hermione.
"I don't know what to say Mrs. Weasley. I had a wonderful time and I do hope that you will have me again sometime. Thank you so much for everything." Angela said, giving the plump motherly woman a hug. She couldn't imagine anyone else that she would want more for a mother.
Harry and Hermione quickly gave their goodbyes and soon they were on the train, waving goodbye to the Twins and Mrs. Weasley who disappeared shortly before they went around the first bend.
Angela sat down next to Harry and across from Hermione. "Why are Fred and George going to be in Hogsmeade?"
Harry and Ron grinned and even Hermione couldn't suppress a smile, while looking slightly disapproving. "They started their own joke shop. It's in competition with Zonko's, the main wizard practical joke shop and they're doing very well. The fact that they were able to take three weeks off during the summer attests to that. They sell all things that they invented. All very popular at Hogwarts." Harry told her.
"So, Angela, where do you think you will be sorted into?" Hermione asked.
"Well, I'm pretty sure that it definitely won't be Slytherin. I think it's pretty much a toss-up between the others though. I don't know. I certainly hope Gryffindor, though from what I hear, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff aren't bad either." She also knew that it was most likely that she would be sorted into either Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff.
"Nah. The best is definitely Gryffindor, but as long as you don't get put into Slytherin it should all be fine." Ron reassured her.
"I certainly hope so." Angela said, looking out the window.
She had never been on a train ride, and she wanted to get the full experience. Harry and Ron began talking about Quidditch and Hermione rolled her eyes before digging out another book. Angela didn't feel like reading right now or she would have done the same thing. She really wanted to show Harry the map and see if it really was his dad that had made the other map. She really wanted to look at the photo album that her mom and dad had left her, but it would be hard to explain why she had an album full of pictures of the Armstrongs to Hermione and Ron who had no idea that they were her parents.
Right about when she was getting hungry a pleasant looking witch came in and asked if they wanted anything to eat. Apparently the others had been hungry also, as they jumped at the chance. A few minutes later the four teens were surrounded by Chocolate Frogs, Cauldron Cakes, and other assorted sweets. They all ate quite happily in silence for a few minutes before Ron decided to strike up a conversation.
"So, Angela. What was it like in America?"
Angela quickly began telling them all about life in the United States. She must have sounded a bit too enthusiastic about it though, because Hermione gave her a worried look and asked her "Do you miss it?"
"Sometimes. I mean, there are just certain American things that I miss. Well, I guess they aren't all necessarily American, mostly just Muggle. Like music. I definitely miss being able to listen to whatever song I want to on a CD player, or the radio. I miss…Fourth of July and barbeques and fried catfish. I miss being able to say "y'all" and be understood." At that point they all looked at her like she was insane, so she decided to stop.
Angela busied herself with the wrapper on a chocolate frog. She ate the frog and looked at the card. "Hey, Ron, have you got this one? I know you collect them and all…" she said, holding up the Agrippa card.
"Hey! Thanks! That's the last one that I needed!" Ron took the card from Angela, looking very excited indeed.
"I'm glad." Angela said, smiling.
"Yeah, now you don't have to steal mine anymore." Harry added with a grin.
Ron grinned back at him and their joyful banter continued for another half an hour when it was interrupted by a cold drawling voice.
"Well, if it isn't Saint Potter and his Wonder Trio. What's this? Someone new?" The pale, blond boy had a sneer plastered across his face.
Angela knew in an instant who it was, and seeing the faces on Ron, Harry, and Hermione's and seeing the large boys standing behind him, looking menacing cemented her idea of who it was. Angela quickly formed a plan and before any of the others could reply she stood and crossed the compartment to the boy standing at the door. His eyes widened slightly in surprise before narrowing again to mach his smirk.
"You must be Draco Malfoy. I've heard so much about you." Angela said silkily, holding out her hand. At the same time she couldn't help but notice that he was very handsome. There was an air of sophistication about him, but Angela also recognized the guarded look in his silver gray eyes, not so unlike the one in her own. She also couldn't see Ron behind her trying to stop her and Harry and Hermione trying to stop him.
"Indeed I am. And you might be?" Malfoy answered, taking her hand.
Angela never had a chance to answer as Malfoy yelped as Angela muttered a spell that shocked him through her hand. He quickly yanked his hand back and looked at her as if he would murder her. Angela looked back unconcernedly and said "Angela Harte's the name. Now what was it that you wanted?"
Malfoy's eyes narrowed as he looked back at Angela. He growled menacingly and said "I wouldn't mess with me if I were you. Do you know who I am?"
"Draco Malfoy. Thought that was established. Did you forget?"
Angela could hear Ron, Harry and Hermione laughing quite loudly. Angela smiled innocently at Malfoy who narrowed his eyes to barely slits said, "Watch your back," and stalked away muttering something about "fucking Americans" and "My Father". Angela slid the compartment door closed and went back to her seat before she began to laugh.
"Did you see the look on his face? That was great! What did you do to him?" Ron said, his face a deep crimson from laughing so hard.
Angela laughed and said, "Oh, just a simple shocking spell."
"That was bloody brilliant. This year is going to be great!"
They all laughed about it and continued talking. Every now and then someone would come by to say hello to the three and by the end of the trip Angela had been introduced to Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, and Neville Longbottom. They were all really nice and by the time the train pulled to a stop she was actually nervous about which house she would be sorted into.
As they stepped off the train Angela turned to Harry. He gave her a quick, reassuring kiss before she walked along side the first years to the boats with Hagrid as Dumbledore had told her to. She felt very self-conscious, standing at least a foot over all of the scared first years, but she knew that they were all just as nervous as she was, if not more so.
Hagrid was a tall man, at least 12 feet tall, and quite scary looking at first. He was very nice, however, and told her that Dumbledore had explained the situation. She rode in the front boat with him across the lake. The grounds looked much the same as they had two weeks ago, though she couldn't keep herself from looking around. Many of the first years were doing the same thing, as this was their first time at the castle.
The boat sailed into what looked like an underground harbor where they all got out. Hagrid knocked on the huge doors and Professor McGonagall came through.
"Firs' years, and this young lady." Hagrid said, pointing to Angela.
Angela felt slightly embarrassed to be pointed out like that, but McGonagall gave her a welcoming smile, which, as Harry would later tell her, is very rare. McGonagall then led them into the Entrance Hall. Angela began feeling a bit more at home, but still very nervous. McGonagall gave a short speech about the four houses and the sorting ceremony before telling them to straighten themselves up.
"I will return for you when we are ready." McGonagall added. "Please wait quietly."
Angela knew what the sorting ceremony consisted of, but the first years began to twitter nervously among themselves about what they would have to do. Someone suggested that maybe they would have to some sort of spell, which the others became very nervous about. "I wish all we had to do was a spell," she thought to herself. She could do any spell, but she was afraid of what the hat would say. Some of the first years began to sound very scared though so Angela turned and reassured them that all they had to do was put on a hat. They all looked very relieved at that.
The looks of relief quickly turned to fear on many faces again as the ghosts began coming into the Entrance Hall. Angela, who, of course, had met all of the ghosts that summer smiled at them and they all waved. Even the Bloody Baron gave a slight tip of his hat to her.
Professor McGonagall came out just a few moments later to tell them that they were ready. They trouped through the Great Hall to the front, where they would be sorted. Angela could feel the stares of other students on her but she focused on the staff table, even missing Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny waving at her. She did, however, see Dumbledore who gave her a twinkle-eyed smile.
Professor McGonagall placed a stool in front of the first years and on it placed a tattered looking hat. Angela immediately recognized this as the Sorting Hat, which she had seen several times in Dumbledore's office. Angela watched as a rip near the brim opened and the hat began to sing, to the amazement of the first years.
Angela was too distracted to pay attention to the song though, her entire mind thinking about the actual sorting that would happen in a few moments. She knew she wouldn't get into Slytherin, but the thought of being in anything but Gryffindor almost made her sick. Harry had said that the hat could read your thoughts and that it placed you according to what was in your mind. He himself had asked not to be put in Slytherin, and the hat had put him in Gryffindor. So maybe if she asked it to put her in Gryffindor it would.
Angela was snapped out of her thoughts by a rather loud applause. Professor McGonagall spoke, "In a few moments we will sort the first years. However, we have a new student from America who will be sorted first. Harte, Angela."
Angela stepped forward shakily and sat on the stool. Professor McGonagall placed the hat on her head and it almost fit her perfectly, so she could still see the entire school staring at her. She closed her eyes just as the sorting hat began to speak to her.
"Ah…never thought I'd see you. I see how they managed it though…quite ingenious of them. Now is the problem of where to put you. You have both the cleverness of Hufflepuff and the talent of Ravenclaw in your blood…but I see a courage here to match Gryffindor's. Hmmm…this is a dilemma." Angela sat there and listened as the hat debated with itself over which house to put her in for several long minutes. Then it did something she didn't expect.
"Which house would you like to be in?" the hat asked her.
"What?"
"Well, I cannot tell which you should go into just by your talents. Do you have one in particular that you want to go into?"
"Well, if you don't mind too much I would very much like to be in Gryffindor."
"Ah, yes. I see your friends. Young Potter, Weasley, Granger. Very well, you shall be put in GRYFFINDOR!"
The hat shouted the last word and Angela felt a huge grin spreading across her face. She thanked the hat before taking it off and walking to the Gryffindor table where a huge applause welcomed her.
Ron slapped her on the back in congratulations as she sat next to Harry. McGonagall began calling out names of the new first years. Hermione gave her a huge smile as Harry leaned over and asked her in her ear, "How'd you do it?"
She knew that he was thinking about her being the heir of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw and that they had both talked about it being unlikely that she would get into Gryffindor countless times over the summer. She looked up at him and smiled. She whispered back in his ear "I asked it to." Harry looked at her bewildered and told her, "I'll have to hear that story sometime."
They sat and listened as the rest of the first years were sorted, finally finishing with "Zarate, Shelly" ("HUFFLEPUFF!") When the applause had died down Dumbledore stood and addressed the students.
"First, I would like to introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Anthony." A tall man with brilliant red hair stood at his name. There was something vaguely familiar about him to Angela, though she couldn't place it. There was a fairly warm applause, which Dumbledore waved his hand to stop after a minute. "For those of you who were here last year," he continued, "the same safety precautions will be taken. These are, for those of you who were not here, curfew at 8:00 for those under fifth year, nine for those at or above, no later. The Dark Forest is off limits at anytime and there will be no walking on the grounds after dark." He said this last bit looking straight at Angela and Harry, who gave him small smiles. "Furthermore, all Hogsmeade visits are now restricted to fifth year and higher and will take place between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Any student not back from Hogsmeade before 6:00 will be dealt with by Mr. Filch in anyway he wishes." At that Filch gave an evil smile, no doubt thinking of hanging students by their toes. "I have but two more words for you. Tuck in!"
Angela smiled as piles of food appeared on the platters in front of the students. They all ate the steaks and potatoes and other delicious foods until they were almost full. When the desserts appeared on the platter Angela almost couldn't eat any of it, but she ate a scoop of the best vanilla ice cream she had ever tasted. Harry and Ron couldn't seem to eat enough and more than once she saw Hermione glance at Ron and mutter "Boys."
Before she knew it though, the banquet was over. All of the remaining food disappeared from the platters, leaving them looking as if there had never been food on them. Dumbledore stood and spoke once again.
"It is late but before we go I would like you all to join me in singing the school song. Everyone pick your favorite tune and we shall begin."
With a wave of his wand words appeared in the air and everyone began singing. Angela looked at Harry, bewildered. Harry grinned at her and sang the song in an upbeat tune. Shrugging Angela began singing the song the song to a tune that popped into her head. It took fifteen minutes for everyone to finish the song, even though it wasn't a very long song. Dumbledore smiled as the last people finished and looked wistful.
"It is now time for bed. I know you are all eager to begin your weekends early tomorrow."
Hermione leaned across the table and whispered, "We've got to go help the first years but the password is 'Pateo Foris'." She got up and started asking the first years to follow her and Ron.
Angela couldn't help herself as she snorted with laughter as Hermione and Ron walked away. Harry looked at her as if she'd gone mad. "I was just laughing at the password. I mean, it's a bit obvious, don't you think?" Harry continued to give her a look that said she was totally and completely out of her mind. Angela realized that as much as they spoke it they wouldn't really know much Latin. "I knew this would come in handy someday." She thought to herself as she laughed. "It means 'open door' in Latin. Get it?"
"Right…has anyone ever told you that you're mental?" Harry said as they headed up the marble staircase.
"Yep. Well, never in those words, but Mel tells me that I'm crazy or insane or psychotic all the time. Of course she's only joking." Angela added, seeing an angry look on Harry's face. It hurt her to think about Mel and how long it had been since she had seen her. She would write her a letter that day. She owed her one; it had been a few days since she had sent her one. Harry, perhaps seeing the sad look on her face, reached for her hand. They climbed up the rest of the steps hand in hand.
Just as they were getting to the fifth floor Peeves decided to show up. He began pelting the students with old pieces of gum, cackling about how he had to so something while waiting for the "Ickle firsties." Angela heard Ginny shriek as she got a piece stuck in her hair. Angela quickly made her way to the front of the crowd, still holding Harry's hand.
"Peeves!" she shouted, glaring at him threateningly.
Peeves' face lost color as he looked at her, if it were possible for it to lose color. "So sorry, your Harteness. I didn't know you were here." He quickly turned and zoomed off to another floor.
Angela heard clapping behind her and she blushed as she turned.
"That was great!" Dean said, reaching them quickly after removing the gum from his girlfriend's hair. "How'd you do that?"
"I didn't just learn school things this summer, Dean," she said, smiling up at him before smiling at Harry, who gave her a kiss.
Angela heard a giggle behind them as they approached the portrait of the Fat Lady. She turned and saw Parvati and Lavender looking at her and whispering, occasionally giggling. She turned around, a deep red blush of anger spreading on her cheeks. She remembered what it was like to be made fun of and didn't appreciate it so blatantly from these girls who had seemed perfectly nice when she had met them on the train. The fact that they would have to sleep in the same room didn't improve anything, but what could she do? "I'll just ignore them. Like I always do," she said to herself as she heard Harry say the password and the Fat Lady swung open.
The Gryffindor Common Room looked exactly as it had two weeks ago, except that now there were many more people. She looked around at the groups of friends, laughing and catching up on what had happened to them over the summer. Angela realized that there was more than just schoolwork that she had to catch up on. She was six years behind on meeting and getting to know everyone.
They were all very tired and all headed up to their separate dorms. Harry gave Angela a quick kiss goodnight before running up the stairs that led to his dorm. Angela knew where she was going and was up in the sixth year girl's dorm before she knew it. Parvati and Lavender were already in there, and they giggled again as she walked in. Still slightly pink from the last time, Angela turned a deep red. She hoped for the first time that Dumbledore wasn't serious about the magic when she was upset or angry. That was the last thing she needed, to accidentally blow up another student on her first real day at Hogwart's.
Angela changed into her night things quietly and then took out some parchment, a quill, and a bottle of ink and lay on her bed, writing her letter to Melissa. She had been writing for a half hour when she realized that the giggling had stopped. She glanced through her bed hangings and saw Parvati and Lavender looking at her bed as if trying to determine if she were still awake. Now assured that she was they looked at each other and nodded. Parvati got up and walked over to Angela's bed. Angela was curious to hear what she had to say, though she was fairly sure that it wasn't going to be good.
"Hey, Angela. We're really glad that you're in Gryffindor. You seem like you're really nice and we're sure that you'll be a great friend. We also wanted to tell you…" she hesitated, looking back at Lavender quickly before continuing, "that we think that you and Harry look cute together."
Angela was astonished. "Was that what you two were giggling about?" Angela asked, knowing that her voice gave away her surprise.
"Yeah. Sorry 'bout all that." Parvati gave her a genuine smile, one that Angela somehow knew she could trust.
Angela returned the smile and said the only thing she could think to say. "Thank you. Really."
Angela returned to her letter as she smiled to herself. She had so much to tell Melissa. She knew that she was up much later than she should have been but she didn't mind a bit. As she drifted off to sleep she couldn't help but think that this was going to be the best school year ever.