Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own Harry Potter. If I did, it wouldn't be nearly so popular.
Sorry about the lack of updates this summer, but I have been at my Grandmother's house for a while, and she doesn't have Microsoft Word. This chapter might be a bit short because my plot line got a little…shall I say…thin? And I'm basically just righting whatever until I can get to a point where I have a plan. But this is where I have the first classes. I hope to get some emotional issues out of the way soon, too.
Tara: =^-^=
Aquagurl13: Longer. Got it. Hopefully.
Mel: I almost feel bad for your friends.
Atlanta-avalon1.1: Yes, my hints give away so little, don't they?
amy: Like I said above; sorry about the lack of updates.
TaioraCrazedGirl: Thanks! I will.
Twyster: I'm serious; lurve is not a word!!! ;-)
Moon Princess: Umm… You probably don't consider this soon do you?
Volley Ball Chicka: In this story it's like November so the quidditch team already has all it's players. I suppose I could make the Seeker injured, but James is actually a chaser in the books, so he's a chaser in my story. I'll think about it.
Carpe Diem
The next morning dawned bright and early. Well, it was early anyways. The sky was dark with clouds, promising a downpour before breakfast ended. Ron and Harry had bundles wrapped in brown paper that, once peeled away, revealed all the school supplies they would need for their classes. After getting dressed, they met Hermione in the common room, where she was already looking through her books.
"Well, these are completely outdated," she exclaimed quietly.
"I wonder why that could be," Ron said sarcastically, which earned him an exasperated look from Hermione.
"I know Ron. I was just saying how much more the Wizarding world has learned in our time."
"Why don't we go down to breakfast," Harry suggested when Ron looked about to retort. They really did fight about the stupidest things. They agreed and the trio went down to the Great Hall, which looked exactly like it did in their own time, the only difference being that there weren't any of the familiar faces Harry had lived with the last seven years. Well, almost none. Ginny was already sitting at the table, deep in conversation with Arabella, and Malfoy was at the Slytherin table, for once sitting alone at the end of the table.
The trio received several curious looks from the few students who noticed three new students walking into the Great Hall, but they were ignored for the most part. As Harry sat down, he noticed the absence of the Marauders. Most likely off getting in trouble. His mother was sitting next to a blonde girl with a round, friendly face that he immediately identified as the future Alice Longbottom. Hermione caught his look.
"I met her last night. She's such a lovely person; I can't believe she's the same woman we saw at St. Mungo's," she whispered sadly. Harry nodded and Alastor Moody's words from two years ago came back to him—Better dead than what happened to them. It surprised him that Neville's parents saddened him more than his own did, but Moody was right. His parents were dead and had been for seventeen years, he had dealt with that and moved on in a way; Alice and Frank Longbottom had been tortured to insanity.
At that moment, the doors to the Hall burst open, revealing a boy with greasy black hair and a hooked nose that practically screamed 'Severus Snape'. His skin was also a violent shade of red. Harry stared, dumbfounded as he walked smoothly to the Slytherin table and sat down next to Malfoy, ignoring the laughter that echoed through the large room, and the dumbfounded look of the blonde boy. Suddenly, Ron burst out laughing, and Harry was inclined to join him, while even Hermione had to fight a smile.
"Like Snivellus' new look?" Harry started as the voice of Peter Pettigrew sounded from behind him and he had to force down a wave of hatred. Standing behind him was the man who had caused the deaths of his parents and others, and he was making jokes! Ron's face betrayed a similar emotion, while Hermione's was unnaturally smooth. Harry turned around and forced a grin.
"Not something we see too often. I'm not sure red is his color though." He heard either Ron or Hermione take a deep breath; he wasn't sure which.
"Personally, I like neon pink better, but we used that last time," commented Sirius, wearing a grin like the one he wore at Harry's parent's wedding. Harry's own smile suddenly wasn't so forced. "Ah, well, we can always use it next time I suppose."
"This is our weekly ritual," said Remus. "Every Wednesday, Snivellus gets a makeover. This is just a regular one though. You should see it when Bella does some of her fancy wand work. He gets make up and new clothes and everything. Lets just say, Snape makes a very nice ballerina."
"No he doesn't!" James cried. "I had nightmares for days after that!"
"Well, it's not my fault," protested Arabella, who had stopped her conversation with Ginny to listen. "Peter requested it, so you can blame him for his sick mind. Besides, must I remind you that he ran back to whatever hole he hides in?"
Their conversation was cut short as Dumbledore stood from his seat at the head table. The Gryffindors scrambled for seats while a hush fell over the room. "I would like to announce the arrival of five new students to Hogwarts. Ronald and Virginia Wesley, Draco Malloy, Hermione Granger, and Harry Potter. I trust you will all make them feel welcome." With that he promptly sat back down and the Hall quickly filled with noise once again.
The girl who looked so much like Neville reached across the table to shake hands with Ron. "My names Alice Reynolds. It's nice to met you."
"Ron Wea—err Wesley."
"I figured," she giggled slightly, not noticing his pause, "you look so much like Ginny!"
"I'm Harry Potter," it felt strange for Harry to have to introduce himself. In seven years, he had been more inclined to hide who he was than to introduce himself.
"Welcome to Hogwarts." Alice turned away to talk to a brown haired boy Harry recognized as Frank Longbottom.
~*~*~*~*~*
Harry sat at a desk in the dark potions room, contemplating how to get out of this. The Gryffindors had potions with the Slytherins, (to which Ron remarked, "They sure don't have much imagination when it comes to the schedules do they?") and the Potions professor, Professor Vallian, was in favor of 'inter-house relations' and insisted that every Gryffindor was seated next to a Slytherin. Harry was sandwiched between Lucius Malfoy and some one named Terry Brooks. And trying very hard not to hex Malfoy Sr. who was making snide remarks every time the teacher turned her back. Not to mention they were going over potions he had covered in fifth year.
All in all, it didn't make for a fun, or even remotely interesting time. When they bell finally rang, signaling the end of class, he all but ran from the room, followed closely by Ron, and even Hermione was walking rather quickly. At least he had his friends. Harry suddenly felt a surge of pity for Ginny.
~*~*~*~*~*
A/N: What do you think? Review and you can yell at me for the shortness and for the long wait between updates all you want. Constructive critisism is always welcomed as well.