******************Author's Note: Here it is, finally! The return to Hogwarts! There's a new sorting song in this chapter which I am particularly proud of, although it doesn't hold a candle to JK's; I try my best. Also, keep your eyes peeled for a guest appearance by my sister in law. (not that anyone will know who she is!)
Thanks again to my reviewers. You guys keep me going!
On that note, I happen to KNOW that there are a lot of people following this story who haven't reviewed. I know this because a few of you have instant messaged me and told me as much. I totally enjoy the IMs, but please—if you're reading, just let me know! I'd hate to get disgruntled due to lack of interest. Especially when we haven't even got to the best bits yet!
Enjoy the new chapter!***********
Chapter Seven
Hogwarts Again
The weeks until their return to Hogwarts passed almost too quickly. There were no more attacks, and things seemed to calm down a bit around the house. Harry spent a lot of time planning new quidditch moves and working up a training schedule. He already had his new playbook half full. As long as he was captain, he was going to see to it that Gryffindor kept up their winning streak. As he poured over every quidditch book he could find, copying down complicated diagrams, he idly wondered if this was how Oliver Wood had felt.
On the last day of August, Mira bustled about, helping them all to get packed. She had taken off her headphones after the fifteenth time Mrs. Weasley had to repeat herself, but she was still constantly humming. She had made sure that all their robes, socks, and t-shirts were freshly laundered and crisply folded, and tucked them all neatly into their trunks.
At precisely nine-o-clock, Mrs. Weasley pushed back from the dinner table, where they had all been enjoying another spirited conversation about the possibilities for filling the open positions on the quidditch team. Ginny was still very pleased with her new broom, and kept quoting the same statistics at them that they had heard from Ron the year before. Mrs. Weasley cut it all short, however, when she stood up and announced that it was time for bed.
"But Mum!" Ginny protested. "It's barely even dark yet! It's so early!"
Mrs. Weasley shook her head. "I'll not keep up our record for nearly oversleeping and being late for the Hogwart's Express. We have to leave early because of our escort, and I'll not have any of you slowing us down because you're too bleary-eyed to see where you're going."
Despite their protests that they wouldn't be able to sleep, everyone finally went off to bed. Harry, for one, was really looking forward to getting out of the house in the morning, and he and Ron stayed up talking late into the night.
It seemed like he had only just drifted off to sleep when Mrs. Weasley was shouting for them to wake up. Harry sat up, rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and jumped out of bed. He couldn't wait to get out of this house. He couldn't wait to get back to Hogwarts.
He dressed slowly and tucked his pajamas into his trunk. Ron, who seemed more asleep than awake, dressed like a zombie, and Mrs. Weasley was already getting irritated by the time they got down to breakfast. Ginny and Hermione were already downstairs, as was Lupin, Moody, Mr. Weasley, Kingsley, and Mundungus Fletcher. Harry assumed they were his escort. A lump rose in his throat as he thought about last year, when Sirius, in dog form, had come along to King's Cross.
"Morning," Mira said, as she dropped heaping plates of egg and sausage in front of each of them. Her headphones were around her neck, along with a gaudy amber pendant, and her cd player was tucked into the waistband of her apron. "Eat up! You'll need your energy for school."
"You all right, Harry?" Ginny asked.
"Fine," he said, dropping into a seat beside Ron and trying to shake away the sudden wave of grief. "Just thirsty." He took a huge glug of orange juice as proof.
There was a squelching noise and a yelp. Everyone looked up.
Mira fished something out of the pancake batter. Apparently, she had dropped her cd player into it again. She held it out at arm's length, like a drowned rat. The cd attempted to keep spinning despite the dripping glop falling out of it. Everyone seemed to be trying hard not to laugh. Ginny gave up and erupted into giggles that she tried to hide by pressing both hands against her mouth.
"Remus, could you?" Mira said pathetically.
Lupin whipped out his wand. "Scourgify," he said, half a smile on his face, and the pancake batter vanished.
Hermione caught Harry's eye. "Remus?" she mouthed. Harry shrugged. Of course, it had always been Mr. Lupin before…
Finally, all the breakfast was eaten and everyone ran back upstairs to get their trunks. Just as he was walking out the door, Harry realized he had almost forgotten Sirius's ring. He darted back to his bedside table where he had put it after he took it off the night before.
It was gone.
"Hurry up, Harry," Ron called from halfway down the stairs. "We've got to go."
"Have you seen my ring, Ron?" Harry shouted. He dropped to his hands and knees and peered under the bed. No sign of it.
"I know what happened to it," Phineas Nigellus said airily.
"Shut up," Harry snapped, pitching his pillow at the portrait. "No one asked you." For some inexplicable reason, he felt a lot of animosity toward the portrait.
"What's the holdup, Harry?" Mr. Weasley said, appearing in the door. "We're going to be late."
"My ring is missing," Harry said apologetically.
"What, Sirius's ring?" Mr. Weasley raised his eyebrows. "Then we better find it. Where was the last place you saw it?"
"Here, on my bedside table," Harry frowned.
"You didn't put it on for breakfast?"
"I—I don't think so," Harry said. He strained his memory. He couldn't remember having it on.
"Can I help, Mr. Weasley?" Mira said, appearing in the doorway.
"Harry's lost his ring, Mira."
"Weren't you wearing it at breakfast? I'll go check the kitchen," Mira said, disappearing into the hallway. Mr. Weasley dropped down to the floor and began peering into corners as well. Harry's face was flushed with embarassment. He knew everyone was waiting on him.
After a moment, Mr. Weasley stood up. "It's no use, Harry. If we wait any longer, we'll miss the train altogether. Molly and I will give the house a good scouring, and we'll send it to you once we've found it," he said with a sigh.
Harry stood, frustrated. He opened his mouth to protest, when Mira appeared at the doorway, ring in hand. "Here it is, Harry!" she said, grinning from ear to ear. "It was on the edge of your plate. Found it in the sink."
Harry took his ring, still frowning. He was sure he hadn't put it on that morning. But how could it have gotten downstairs? He slipped it on his finger. It felt even cooler than usual—it was positively icy.
Mr. Weasley enchanted Harry's trunk so that it zoomed downstairs. Harry grabbed Hedwig's cage, and they hurried out. Mundungus volunteered to bring their trunks, but Lupin jumped in and grabbed the luggage trolley instead. (Harry got the impression that everyone was worried about Mundungus having time to rifle through their things.)
Mira saw them off at the door. "I have to stay here," she said, giving them each a small hug. "You lads have a wonderful year! If you've forgotten anything, I'll send it on. I'll miss you—it'll be so quiet here without you!" She waved at them from the doorway.
They waved goodbye as they set off down the sidewalk. Just like last year, their Guard formed a ring around them, and they made their way to King's Cross. Harry felt more than a little conspicuous in the center of the circle.
When they reached Platform 9¾, Kingsley went through first, followed by Harry. Harry was startled—he had never seen the platform so crowded. There were students and parents all pressed together into a huge mass of people. Cats ran mewling through the crowd and owls in cages squawked and hooted in irritation at being jostled and shaken. When Harry arrived, a murmur went through the crowd.
"What's with all the people?" Ron muttered through clenched teeth as he juggled Pig's cage and his broom.
Harry shrugged, bewildered.
"Oh dear," Hermione murmured, as she pushed her way out of the gateway.
"I was expecting something like this," Mr. Weasley said, shaking his head. He tried to force his way toward the train. "Pardon me, miss. Excuse me, please. Pardon me—"
Harry raised an eyebrow, but then, he caught a little of the conversation running through the crowd.
"Look, it's Harry!"
"It's Harry Potter!"
"What a relief!"
"I knew he wasn't dead."
"Didn't I tell you, Mum? Didn't I?"
"Who'd have thought it…"
Harry felt his face grow hot. They were there to see him. To see if he was really alive. That's why there was such a crowd—no one had gotten on the train yet, because they were all waiting to see Harry.
"Harry!" he heard someone shriek. Neville Longbottom came pushing through the people toward Harry, a look of relief plastered across his round face. "Harry, I was so worried!"
"Hello, Neville," Harry said, smiling.
"What'd you keep us worrying like that for?" demanded Seamus, who had followed Neville and was grinning widely.
"Come on, let's get a car before Harry is totally swamped," said Ron. Quite a lot of the crowd was milling toward Harry—students and parents both seemed to want to get a good look at him.
Mr. Weasley put his arm around Harry's shoulders. "Watch out for yourself, now, Harry," he said. Mrs. Weasley hugged Harry goodbye before her own children. "Take care, Harry dear!" she said, pushing him onto the train. Lupin waved with a smile as Hermione pulled Harry onto the train.
Most of the compartments were still empty, as everyone had been waiting around outside. Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and Neville all crowded into one, pushing their things into corners of the luggage rack. Hermione let Crookshanks out of his basket, and he immediately curled up on her trunk and went to sleep.
"Come on, Ginny, we'll take you down to the prefects' meeting," Hermione said. Ginny, still pinning her badge onto her jacket, stood, and the three prefects left, leaving just Harry and Neville in the car.
"Good summer?" Harry asked, smiling.
"It was okay," Neville said. "Got a new wand," he said, pulling a long, cherry-colored wand out of his robes. "Eleven inches, cherry wood, with a hair from a unicorn's tale. Gran was furious about Dad's though," Neville frowned. Harry tried not to grimace. Neville's last wand had been broken in their fight with the Death Eaters last spring.
The compartment door slid open, and in wandered Luna Lovegood, looking as faraway and dreamy as ever. Her butterbeer cap necklace had been replaced by a string of huge, glittery plastic beads, and her long hair was pulled into two loopy ponytails.
"Oh, hello," she said. "Good summer? Mind if I sit down? Everywhere else is full."
"Go ahead, Luna," Harry said, pointing to the seat across from him. He felt very sorry for Luna, for the way other students treated her. He was inclined to be nice to her, even if it would make the compartment uncomfortably crowded when the prefects returned.
"Thanks," she said. She pulled open a copy of the Quibbler, which she promptly turned upside down and began to flip through. "I'm surprised to see you're not dead," she said, conversationally.
Harry started. "Oh, er, thanks," he replied.
"My father ran an article on your death, you know. I was very upset. There were plenty of witnesses who saw your body removed. How'd you manage it?"
Harry shrugged. "I don't know, really. I left by portkey."
"Oh," said Luna. She shrugged and immersed herself in her magazine.
"I knew you weren't dead," Neville said. "Well, that's not exactly true. I was worried. But Gran shouted and said that the Prophet had no proof, and the sensible thing to do would be to keep you out of sight for a while, so I guess she managed to convince me. But I was worried."
Before Harry could reply, a loud bang went off in the hallway. Harry and Neville both jumped up and ran to the door (Luna continued complacently reading her magazine). In the hallway, Malfoy and Ron were facing each other, both flushed and angry, wands out. There was a terrified-looking first year standing between them. He kept looking back and forth between them. Harry pushed the door open.
"Everything okay, Ron?" he asked casually.
"Oh fine. If only this complete and total GIT would quit using his badge to threaten first years—" Ron snapped, his eyes never leaving Malfoy's face.
"Manners, Weasly," said Draco. "Well, well. The famous Harry Potter makes another publc appearance. Suppose you were terrified to come out of your little hiding place, eh, Potter?" he said.
"Suppose it ruined your year, finding out that I was still alive?" Harry said casually.
"Don't flatter yourself, Potty," Malfoy said. "Anyway, you'll wish you were still in hiding, soon."
"How was your summer, Draco?" Harry asked with mock concern. "Was it dreadfully hard on you—not having Daddy around to tuck you in?"
Draco's eyes narrowed. "You leave my father out of this, Potter," he hissed.
"Push off, Malfoy," Ron snapped.
"Watch yourself, Weasel King," Malfoy snapped. "I'm going anyway. I want to get back to the Slytherin car, where the company is a bit more quality—if you know what I mean. Just be warned—you two have no idea how bad this year is going to be for you."
"What are you on about?" Harry said.
"Nothing," Malfoy shrugged infuriatingly. "Oh, by the way, Potter. I'm the new captain of the Slytherin team. We're planning to destroy Gryffindor."
"Is that so, Malfoy?" Harry said, narrowing his eyes. "Well, I'm the new captain of the Gryffindor team, and we're not about to lose to slime like you."
Malfoy just smiled, and walked away.
"Slimy git," Ron growled.
"Anything off the trolley?" said the witch, as she rolled in with the cart.
They bought a stack of cauldron cakes, chocolate frogs, and some pumpkin juice each, and settled in for a nice talk. Hermione returned a few minutes later, but Ginny had disappeared—Ron said she'd run off with her other friends—so there was plenty of room in the compartment after all.
Throughout the journey, dozens of faces passed by the door of the car, all peering at Harry. He tried to ignore them, despite the heat rising to his cheeks. All the remaining members of the DA stopped by the car to say hello, including, to Harry's surprise, Cho Chang. Harry had imagined that Cho might still be a bit touchy after last year.
"Hello, Harry," she said. "I'm so glad to see you're okay! I was worried."
"Yeah, sorry about that Cho," Harry said, grinning sheepishly. "I didn't have much choice."
Cho shrugged. "I heard you're the new Griffyndor quidditch captain—congratulations."
"Thanks," Harry said.
"Well, I'll see you around then," Cho said, arily.
"Yeah, bye," Harry added, and returned to his conversation with Neville and Ron.
Just before they reached Hogwarts, they all changed into their robes. Ron and Hermione vanished off somewhere to perform their prefect duties. Neville began to worry that he'd lost his toad Trevor, but a quick search of the compartment found him curled up on top of Crookshanks's furry belly. Harry grabbed Hedwig, Luna carried Pig, and Neville ended up carrying Crookshanks and Trevor off the train, as they hurried to grab a carriage for the five of them. There was a thick mist falling outside, giving their skin a cold, sticky feeling.
"Firs' years this way! Firs' years over here!" They heard Hagrid shouting, and everyone smiled. It had been strange, the year before, when Professor Grubbly-Plank had been there instead.
Harry flinched at the sight of the thestrals. Parvati had said they were unlucky… in a way, maybe he believed it now. They had definitely carried him to misfortune last spring.
After a while, Ron and Hermione jumped into the carriage, and they waited for their turn to begin the long amble up to the castle.
When the castle finally came clearly into view, Harry felt a sense of relief… and a sense of nameless dread.
"I wonder who the new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher is?" Neville wondered aloud. Hermione nodded.
"We'll see soon enough," she said.
The carriages rambled to a stop, and they followed the mass of people inside. Harry shouted "See you Hedwig!" over his shoulder as he hurried to keep up with Ron. They took their places at the Gryffindor table, and looked around expectantly.
"Let's go!" Ron said. "I'm starving."
"You're always starving," said Ginny sliding down next to them.
"Where's your boyfriend, then?" Ron said, making a face.
"Down there with his mates," she said calmly, nodding toward the other end of the table, where Seamus and Dean were laughing with some fifth year boys.
Harry noticed an unusual number of faces turned toward the Gryffindor table, and realized that they were still looking for him. He forced his eyes away and scanned the top table. He tried to avoid looking at Professor Snape, whose frozen face seemed to be intentionally refusing to allow anyone eye contact. He found the new face—an older witch with steely grey hair, wearing tweedy robes. She look strangely familiar to Harry, who immediately started searching his memory, trying to place her.
"I don't believe it," Hermione said, staring at the witch. "It couldn't be! Of all people!"
"What?" said Ron, craning his neck for a view of the new professor.
"Look! Look, don't you recognize her?" Hermione said, gesturing toward the witch.
"Recognize who, Hermione?" Ron said, now practically standing on his chair.
But Hermione didn't get to answer. Before she could say another word, McGonagall entered the hall, followed by a trail of first years. They looked impossibly small and nervous to Harry. McGonagall dropped the stool in the front of the room, and sat a battered old hat on it—the sorting hat.
All talk in the hall hushed, and every head turned away from Harry and toward the front of the room. A wide rip in the hat's brim opened, and it began to sing.
"It's been a thousand years or more
Since Hufflepuff last spoke,
Or Ravenclaw did tell a tale,
Or Gryffindor a joke.
And Slytherin, 'tis sad to say,
Has said nary a word
For going on ten centuries,
Or at least, so I've heard.
But once upon another time,
These four, they were the best.
They turned their thoughts, most nobly,
To teaching all the rest.
They used their powers collectively,
Their single dedication:
The founding of a wondrous school
For magical education.
Four houses were established,
A different one for each,
To house the students that that one
Did most want to teach.
Hufflepuff most valued those
Who prized good, honest labor.
The clever and the quick-of-wit
Did Ravenclaw most favor.
To teach the brave and loyal ones
Was Griffindor's sole mission,
And Slytherin sought out those youths
With minds full of ambition.
But one day they'd be gone, they knew,
And then who left would know
To which house each young one that came
Truly ought to go?
Brave Gryffindor, he thought it out,
And had this revolution:
"We'll make this hat a magic-hat,
that will be our solution!"
And so that's how I came to be:
The Sorting Hat am I,
No other hats can match my brains,
No matter how they try.
So come on over, sit right down,
I know where you belong!
Let the sorting now begin, for
Now I end my song."
After the song, loud applause filled the Great Hall. "No warning this year," Harry murmured to Ron.
"D'you reckon it thinks the danger's past?" Ron asked. Harry just shrugged.
McGonagall cleared her throat, and the murmuring in the hall died down. "When I call your name, you will come forward to be sorted into your houses. Adams, Peter!"
A rather tall boy with mousy hair sat on the stool.
"Hufflepuff!" the hat shouted. Applause echoed from the Hufflepuff table, and Peter Adams ran to join them.
"Archer, Angela!"
This was a short girl with dark eyes and bright orange hair. "Hufflepuff!" the hat announced again.
"Broadgain, Allyssa!"
"Gryffindor!" The Gryffindor table exploded with applause as Allyssa, a very pale, willowy girl, sat down at the end.
The sorting went on for some time. Harry got very fidgety around the Ls, and by the time "Moriarty, Maryanne!" became a Ravenclaw, he was almost totally disinterested. He nudged Ron.
"Does she look familiar to you?" he said, nodding toward the new teacher.
"Who, the first year?" Ron squinted at Pearce, Gretchen ("Slytherin!" bellowed the hat).
"No, the new teacher," Harry said, discretely pointing.
"Oh, her. Now that you mention it, yeah. Who is that?" Ron said, frowning.
Harry shook his head. "Don't know. Wish I did."
Finally, Yeats, Michael became a Gryffindor, and the hall echoed with loud applause. Harry and Ron grabbed their forks in anticipation.
Dumbledore stood, and raised his hands to the Great Hall. "Let the feast begin!" he said. Food blossomed on the plates to general cheering from the students, and wonder from the first years.
Harry heaped his plate with roast beef, mashed potatoes, fresh bread and strawberry jam, corn on the cob, and plenty of gravy. Ron was eating so quickly that Harry worried he might get sick, and even Hermione seemed to be eating very quickly. Next came pudding, and Harry heaped his plate once again. Finally, he was so full and sleepy that he could hardly sit still.
Dumbledore stood. "I have a few start-of-term notices to give, and, as they are particularly important with the current situation, I ask that you all pay attention. Quidditch trials will be held in the third week of classes. First years should note that the Forest is out of bounds to students, and magic is strictly forbidden in the corridors between classes. Mr. Filch has asked me to inform you that the list of items banned on school grounds has been updated to include Weasley's Portable Swamps, Weasley's Whizbang Firecrackers, Weasley's Evolving Fluffblasters, Weasley's… actually, most of the Weasley inventory," Dumbledore chuckled. "The full list may be found posted outside Mr. Filch's office.
"Due to current events, I must press upon all of you the importance of remaining on grounds at all times. Only students in third year and above are allowed to visit the village of Hogsmeade. While you are all perfectly safe here at Hogwarts, the world beyond our borders is more uncertain. Any student that goes out-of-bounds this term will be risking more than detention—he will be risking his own life."
There was a hushed murmur at this, as everyone exchanged worried glances. Harry looked at Ron, who shook his head slightly.
"On that note, I would like to introduce our new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Tonks."
"TONKS?" said Harry and Ron together. Of course! Last Christmas, Tonks had escorted them on the Knight Bus wearing that face.
She stood up, bowed severely and sat back down. The applause was rather smattered through the audience; evidently people were worried that this severe-looking witch would turn out to be another Umbridge. Harry, Ginny, Hermione, and Ron all had to stifle laughs as they applauded hard. Tonks knocked over her goblet, sending a puddle of pumpkin juice across the table. McGonagall dropped her head in her hands as Flitwick vanished away the mess. Hagrid patted Tonks's arm.
Finally, Dumbledore smiled. "So, now that we all have full bellies, let's be off to bed!"
There was a lot of cheerful talking as everyone filtered out of the Great Hall. Harry asked Hermione the password as she ran over to help escort the first years.
"Higgledy-Piggledy!" she murmured. "See you in the common room."
Harry walked with Neville and managed to remind him about the trick step on the big staircase just in time. They headed up to the common room, and Harry, whose eyes were drooping with sleep, went on up to the dormitory without stopping. He changed into his pajamas.
"Hey, Harry!" Dean called from behind his bed-hangings. "Glad you're not dead!"
"Thanks," Harry said, and lay down. He pulled his own hangings closed and fell asleep.
Thanks again to my reviewers. You guys keep me going!
On that note, I happen to KNOW that there are a lot of people following this story who haven't reviewed. I know this because a few of you have instant messaged me and told me as much. I totally enjoy the IMs, but please—if you're reading, just let me know! I'd hate to get disgruntled due to lack of interest. Especially when we haven't even got to the best bits yet!
Enjoy the new chapter!***********
Chapter Seven
Hogwarts Again
The weeks until their return to Hogwarts passed almost too quickly. There were no more attacks, and things seemed to calm down a bit around the house. Harry spent a lot of time planning new quidditch moves and working up a training schedule. He already had his new playbook half full. As long as he was captain, he was going to see to it that Gryffindor kept up their winning streak. As he poured over every quidditch book he could find, copying down complicated diagrams, he idly wondered if this was how Oliver Wood had felt.
On the last day of August, Mira bustled about, helping them all to get packed. She had taken off her headphones after the fifteenth time Mrs. Weasley had to repeat herself, but she was still constantly humming. She had made sure that all their robes, socks, and t-shirts were freshly laundered and crisply folded, and tucked them all neatly into their trunks.
At precisely nine-o-clock, Mrs. Weasley pushed back from the dinner table, where they had all been enjoying another spirited conversation about the possibilities for filling the open positions on the quidditch team. Ginny was still very pleased with her new broom, and kept quoting the same statistics at them that they had heard from Ron the year before. Mrs. Weasley cut it all short, however, when she stood up and announced that it was time for bed.
"But Mum!" Ginny protested. "It's barely even dark yet! It's so early!"
Mrs. Weasley shook her head. "I'll not keep up our record for nearly oversleeping and being late for the Hogwart's Express. We have to leave early because of our escort, and I'll not have any of you slowing us down because you're too bleary-eyed to see where you're going."
Despite their protests that they wouldn't be able to sleep, everyone finally went off to bed. Harry, for one, was really looking forward to getting out of the house in the morning, and he and Ron stayed up talking late into the night.
It seemed like he had only just drifted off to sleep when Mrs. Weasley was shouting for them to wake up. Harry sat up, rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and jumped out of bed. He couldn't wait to get out of this house. He couldn't wait to get back to Hogwarts.
He dressed slowly and tucked his pajamas into his trunk. Ron, who seemed more asleep than awake, dressed like a zombie, and Mrs. Weasley was already getting irritated by the time they got down to breakfast. Ginny and Hermione were already downstairs, as was Lupin, Moody, Mr. Weasley, Kingsley, and Mundungus Fletcher. Harry assumed they were his escort. A lump rose in his throat as he thought about last year, when Sirius, in dog form, had come along to King's Cross.
"Morning," Mira said, as she dropped heaping plates of egg and sausage in front of each of them. Her headphones were around her neck, along with a gaudy amber pendant, and her cd player was tucked into the waistband of her apron. "Eat up! You'll need your energy for school."
"You all right, Harry?" Ginny asked.
"Fine," he said, dropping into a seat beside Ron and trying to shake away the sudden wave of grief. "Just thirsty." He took a huge glug of orange juice as proof.
There was a squelching noise and a yelp. Everyone looked up.
Mira fished something out of the pancake batter. Apparently, she had dropped her cd player into it again. She held it out at arm's length, like a drowned rat. The cd attempted to keep spinning despite the dripping glop falling out of it. Everyone seemed to be trying hard not to laugh. Ginny gave up and erupted into giggles that she tried to hide by pressing both hands against her mouth.
"Remus, could you?" Mira said pathetically.
Lupin whipped out his wand. "Scourgify," he said, half a smile on his face, and the pancake batter vanished.
Hermione caught Harry's eye. "Remus?" she mouthed. Harry shrugged. Of course, it had always been Mr. Lupin before…
Finally, all the breakfast was eaten and everyone ran back upstairs to get their trunks. Just as he was walking out the door, Harry realized he had almost forgotten Sirius's ring. He darted back to his bedside table where he had put it after he took it off the night before.
It was gone.
"Hurry up, Harry," Ron called from halfway down the stairs. "We've got to go."
"Have you seen my ring, Ron?" Harry shouted. He dropped to his hands and knees and peered under the bed. No sign of it.
"I know what happened to it," Phineas Nigellus said airily.
"Shut up," Harry snapped, pitching his pillow at the portrait. "No one asked you." For some inexplicable reason, he felt a lot of animosity toward the portrait.
"What's the holdup, Harry?" Mr. Weasley said, appearing in the door. "We're going to be late."
"My ring is missing," Harry said apologetically.
"What, Sirius's ring?" Mr. Weasley raised his eyebrows. "Then we better find it. Where was the last place you saw it?"
"Here, on my bedside table," Harry frowned.
"You didn't put it on for breakfast?"
"I—I don't think so," Harry said. He strained his memory. He couldn't remember having it on.
"Can I help, Mr. Weasley?" Mira said, appearing in the doorway.
"Harry's lost his ring, Mira."
"Weren't you wearing it at breakfast? I'll go check the kitchen," Mira said, disappearing into the hallway. Mr. Weasley dropped down to the floor and began peering into corners as well. Harry's face was flushed with embarassment. He knew everyone was waiting on him.
After a moment, Mr. Weasley stood up. "It's no use, Harry. If we wait any longer, we'll miss the train altogether. Molly and I will give the house a good scouring, and we'll send it to you once we've found it," he said with a sigh.
Harry stood, frustrated. He opened his mouth to protest, when Mira appeared at the doorway, ring in hand. "Here it is, Harry!" she said, grinning from ear to ear. "It was on the edge of your plate. Found it in the sink."
Harry took his ring, still frowning. He was sure he hadn't put it on that morning. But how could it have gotten downstairs? He slipped it on his finger. It felt even cooler than usual—it was positively icy.
Mr. Weasley enchanted Harry's trunk so that it zoomed downstairs. Harry grabbed Hedwig's cage, and they hurried out. Mundungus volunteered to bring their trunks, but Lupin jumped in and grabbed the luggage trolley instead. (Harry got the impression that everyone was worried about Mundungus having time to rifle through their things.)
Mira saw them off at the door. "I have to stay here," she said, giving them each a small hug. "You lads have a wonderful year! If you've forgotten anything, I'll send it on. I'll miss you—it'll be so quiet here without you!" She waved at them from the doorway.
They waved goodbye as they set off down the sidewalk. Just like last year, their Guard formed a ring around them, and they made their way to King's Cross. Harry felt more than a little conspicuous in the center of the circle.
When they reached Platform 9¾, Kingsley went through first, followed by Harry. Harry was startled—he had never seen the platform so crowded. There were students and parents all pressed together into a huge mass of people. Cats ran mewling through the crowd and owls in cages squawked and hooted in irritation at being jostled and shaken. When Harry arrived, a murmur went through the crowd.
"What's with all the people?" Ron muttered through clenched teeth as he juggled Pig's cage and his broom.
Harry shrugged, bewildered.
"Oh dear," Hermione murmured, as she pushed her way out of the gateway.
"I was expecting something like this," Mr. Weasley said, shaking his head. He tried to force his way toward the train. "Pardon me, miss. Excuse me, please. Pardon me—"
Harry raised an eyebrow, but then, he caught a little of the conversation running through the crowd.
"Look, it's Harry!"
"It's Harry Potter!"
"What a relief!"
"I knew he wasn't dead."
"Didn't I tell you, Mum? Didn't I?"
"Who'd have thought it…"
Harry felt his face grow hot. They were there to see him. To see if he was really alive. That's why there was such a crowd—no one had gotten on the train yet, because they were all waiting to see Harry.
"Harry!" he heard someone shriek. Neville Longbottom came pushing through the people toward Harry, a look of relief plastered across his round face. "Harry, I was so worried!"
"Hello, Neville," Harry said, smiling.
"What'd you keep us worrying like that for?" demanded Seamus, who had followed Neville and was grinning widely.
"Come on, let's get a car before Harry is totally swamped," said Ron. Quite a lot of the crowd was milling toward Harry—students and parents both seemed to want to get a good look at him.
Mr. Weasley put his arm around Harry's shoulders. "Watch out for yourself, now, Harry," he said. Mrs. Weasley hugged Harry goodbye before her own children. "Take care, Harry dear!" she said, pushing him onto the train. Lupin waved with a smile as Hermione pulled Harry onto the train.
Most of the compartments were still empty, as everyone had been waiting around outside. Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and Neville all crowded into one, pushing their things into corners of the luggage rack. Hermione let Crookshanks out of his basket, and he immediately curled up on her trunk and went to sleep.
"Come on, Ginny, we'll take you down to the prefects' meeting," Hermione said. Ginny, still pinning her badge onto her jacket, stood, and the three prefects left, leaving just Harry and Neville in the car.
"Good summer?" Harry asked, smiling.
"It was okay," Neville said. "Got a new wand," he said, pulling a long, cherry-colored wand out of his robes. "Eleven inches, cherry wood, with a hair from a unicorn's tale. Gran was furious about Dad's though," Neville frowned. Harry tried not to grimace. Neville's last wand had been broken in their fight with the Death Eaters last spring.
The compartment door slid open, and in wandered Luna Lovegood, looking as faraway and dreamy as ever. Her butterbeer cap necklace had been replaced by a string of huge, glittery plastic beads, and her long hair was pulled into two loopy ponytails.
"Oh, hello," she said. "Good summer? Mind if I sit down? Everywhere else is full."
"Go ahead, Luna," Harry said, pointing to the seat across from him. He felt very sorry for Luna, for the way other students treated her. He was inclined to be nice to her, even if it would make the compartment uncomfortably crowded when the prefects returned.
"Thanks," she said. She pulled open a copy of the Quibbler, which she promptly turned upside down and began to flip through. "I'm surprised to see you're not dead," she said, conversationally.
Harry started. "Oh, er, thanks," he replied.
"My father ran an article on your death, you know. I was very upset. There were plenty of witnesses who saw your body removed. How'd you manage it?"
Harry shrugged. "I don't know, really. I left by portkey."
"Oh," said Luna. She shrugged and immersed herself in her magazine.
"I knew you weren't dead," Neville said. "Well, that's not exactly true. I was worried. But Gran shouted and said that the Prophet had no proof, and the sensible thing to do would be to keep you out of sight for a while, so I guess she managed to convince me. But I was worried."
Before Harry could reply, a loud bang went off in the hallway. Harry and Neville both jumped up and ran to the door (Luna continued complacently reading her magazine). In the hallway, Malfoy and Ron were facing each other, both flushed and angry, wands out. There was a terrified-looking first year standing between them. He kept looking back and forth between them. Harry pushed the door open.
"Everything okay, Ron?" he asked casually.
"Oh fine. If only this complete and total GIT would quit using his badge to threaten first years—" Ron snapped, his eyes never leaving Malfoy's face.
"Manners, Weasly," said Draco. "Well, well. The famous Harry Potter makes another publc appearance. Suppose you were terrified to come out of your little hiding place, eh, Potter?" he said.
"Suppose it ruined your year, finding out that I was still alive?" Harry said casually.
"Don't flatter yourself, Potty," Malfoy said. "Anyway, you'll wish you were still in hiding, soon."
"How was your summer, Draco?" Harry asked with mock concern. "Was it dreadfully hard on you—not having Daddy around to tuck you in?"
Draco's eyes narrowed. "You leave my father out of this, Potter," he hissed.
"Push off, Malfoy," Ron snapped.
"Watch yourself, Weasel King," Malfoy snapped. "I'm going anyway. I want to get back to the Slytherin car, where the company is a bit more quality—if you know what I mean. Just be warned—you two have no idea how bad this year is going to be for you."
"What are you on about?" Harry said.
"Nothing," Malfoy shrugged infuriatingly. "Oh, by the way, Potter. I'm the new captain of the Slytherin team. We're planning to destroy Gryffindor."
"Is that so, Malfoy?" Harry said, narrowing his eyes. "Well, I'm the new captain of the Gryffindor team, and we're not about to lose to slime like you."
Malfoy just smiled, and walked away.
"Slimy git," Ron growled.
"Anything off the trolley?" said the witch, as she rolled in with the cart.
They bought a stack of cauldron cakes, chocolate frogs, and some pumpkin juice each, and settled in for a nice talk. Hermione returned a few minutes later, but Ginny had disappeared—Ron said she'd run off with her other friends—so there was plenty of room in the compartment after all.
Throughout the journey, dozens of faces passed by the door of the car, all peering at Harry. He tried to ignore them, despite the heat rising to his cheeks. All the remaining members of the DA stopped by the car to say hello, including, to Harry's surprise, Cho Chang. Harry had imagined that Cho might still be a bit touchy after last year.
"Hello, Harry," she said. "I'm so glad to see you're okay! I was worried."
"Yeah, sorry about that Cho," Harry said, grinning sheepishly. "I didn't have much choice."
Cho shrugged. "I heard you're the new Griffyndor quidditch captain—congratulations."
"Thanks," Harry said.
"Well, I'll see you around then," Cho said, arily.
"Yeah, bye," Harry added, and returned to his conversation with Neville and Ron.
Just before they reached Hogwarts, they all changed into their robes. Ron and Hermione vanished off somewhere to perform their prefect duties. Neville began to worry that he'd lost his toad Trevor, but a quick search of the compartment found him curled up on top of Crookshanks's furry belly. Harry grabbed Hedwig, Luna carried Pig, and Neville ended up carrying Crookshanks and Trevor off the train, as they hurried to grab a carriage for the five of them. There was a thick mist falling outside, giving their skin a cold, sticky feeling.
"Firs' years this way! Firs' years over here!" They heard Hagrid shouting, and everyone smiled. It had been strange, the year before, when Professor Grubbly-Plank had been there instead.
Harry flinched at the sight of the thestrals. Parvati had said they were unlucky… in a way, maybe he believed it now. They had definitely carried him to misfortune last spring.
After a while, Ron and Hermione jumped into the carriage, and they waited for their turn to begin the long amble up to the castle.
When the castle finally came clearly into view, Harry felt a sense of relief… and a sense of nameless dread.
"I wonder who the new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher is?" Neville wondered aloud. Hermione nodded.
"We'll see soon enough," she said.
The carriages rambled to a stop, and they followed the mass of people inside. Harry shouted "See you Hedwig!" over his shoulder as he hurried to keep up with Ron. They took their places at the Gryffindor table, and looked around expectantly.
"Let's go!" Ron said. "I'm starving."
"You're always starving," said Ginny sliding down next to them.
"Where's your boyfriend, then?" Ron said, making a face.
"Down there with his mates," she said calmly, nodding toward the other end of the table, where Seamus and Dean were laughing with some fifth year boys.
Harry noticed an unusual number of faces turned toward the Gryffindor table, and realized that they were still looking for him. He forced his eyes away and scanned the top table. He tried to avoid looking at Professor Snape, whose frozen face seemed to be intentionally refusing to allow anyone eye contact. He found the new face—an older witch with steely grey hair, wearing tweedy robes. She look strangely familiar to Harry, who immediately started searching his memory, trying to place her.
"I don't believe it," Hermione said, staring at the witch. "It couldn't be! Of all people!"
"What?" said Ron, craning his neck for a view of the new professor.
"Look! Look, don't you recognize her?" Hermione said, gesturing toward the witch.
"Recognize who, Hermione?" Ron said, now practically standing on his chair.
But Hermione didn't get to answer. Before she could say another word, McGonagall entered the hall, followed by a trail of first years. They looked impossibly small and nervous to Harry. McGonagall dropped the stool in the front of the room, and sat a battered old hat on it—the sorting hat.
All talk in the hall hushed, and every head turned away from Harry and toward the front of the room. A wide rip in the hat's brim opened, and it began to sing.
"It's been a thousand years or more
Since Hufflepuff last spoke,
Or Ravenclaw did tell a tale,
Or Gryffindor a joke.
And Slytherin, 'tis sad to say,
Has said nary a word
For going on ten centuries,
Or at least, so I've heard.
But once upon another time,
These four, they were the best.
They turned their thoughts, most nobly,
To teaching all the rest.
They used their powers collectively,
Their single dedication:
The founding of a wondrous school
For magical education.
Four houses were established,
A different one for each,
To house the students that that one
Did most want to teach.
Hufflepuff most valued those
Who prized good, honest labor.
The clever and the quick-of-wit
Did Ravenclaw most favor.
To teach the brave and loyal ones
Was Griffindor's sole mission,
And Slytherin sought out those youths
With minds full of ambition.
But one day they'd be gone, they knew,
And then who left would know
To which house each young one that came
Truly ought to go?
Brave Gryffindor, he thought it out,
And had this revolution:
"We'll make this hat a magic-hat,
that will be our solution!"
And so that's how I came to be:
The Sorting Hat am I,
No other hats can match my brains,
No matter how they try.
So come on over, sit right down,
I know where you belong!
Let the sorting now begin, for
Now I end my song."
After the song, loud applause filled the Great Hall. "No warning this year," Harry murmured to Ron.
"D'you reckon it thinks the danger's past?" Ron asked. Harry just shrugged.
McGonagall cleared her throat, and the murmuring in the hall died down. "When I call your name, you will come forward to be sorted into your houses. Adams, Peter!"
A rather tall boy with mousy hair sat on the stool.
"Hufflepuff!" the hat shouted. Applause echoed from the Hufflepuff table, and Peter Adams ran to join them.
"Archer, Angela!"
This was a short girl with dark eyes and bright orange hair. "Hufflepuff!" the hat announced again.
"Broadgain, Allyssa!"
"Gryffindor!" The Gryffindor table exploded with applause as Allyssa, a very pale, willowy girl, sat down at the end.
The sorting went on for some time. Harry got very fidgety around the Ls, and by the time "Moriarty, Maryanne!" became a Ravenclaw, he was almost totally disinterested. He nudged Ron.
"Does she look familiar to you?" he said, nodding toward the new teacher.
"Who, the first year?" Ron squinted at Pearce, Gretchen ("Slytherin!" bellowed the hat).
"No, the new teacher," Harry said, discretely pointing.
"Oh, her. Now that you mention it, yeah. Who is that?" Ron said, frowning.
Harry shook his head. "Don't know. Wish I did."
Finally, Yeats, Michael became a Gryffindor, and the hall echoed with loud applause. Harry and Ron grabbed their forks in anticipation.
Dumbledore stood, and raised his hands to the Great Hall. "Let the feast begin!" he said. Food blossomed on the plates to general cheering from the students, and wonder from the first years.
Harry heaped his plate with roast beef, mashed potatoes, fresh bread and strawberry jam, corn on the cob, and plenty of gravy. Ron was eating so quickly that Harry worried he might get sick, and even Hermione seemed to be eating very quickly. Next came pudding, and Harry heaped his plate once again. Finally, he was so full and sleepy that he could hardly sit still.
Dumbledore stood. "I have a few start-of-term notices to give, and, as they are particularly important with the current situation, I ask that you all pay attention. Quidditch trials will be held in the third week of classes. First years should note that the Forest is out of bounds to students, and magic is strictly forbidden in the corridors between classes. Mr. Filch has asked me to inform you that the list of items banned on school grounds has been updated to include Weasley's Portable Swamps, Weasley's Whizbang Firecrackers, Weasley's Evolving Fluffblasters, Weasley's… actually, most of the Weasley inventory," Dumbledore chuckled. "The full list may be found posted outside Mr. Filch's office.
"Due to current events, I must press upon all of you the importance of remaining on grounds at all times. Only students in third year and above are allowed to visit the village of Hogsmeade. While you are all perfectly safe here at Hogwarts, the world beyond our borders is more uncertain. Any student that goes out-of-bounds this term will be risking more than detention—he will be risking his own life."
There was a hushed murmur at this, as everyone exchanged worried glances. Harry looked at Ron, who shook his head slightly.
"On that note, I would like to introduce our new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Tonks."
"TONKS?" said Harry and Ron together. Of course! Last Christmas, Tonks had escorted them on the Knight Bus wearing that face.
She stood up, bowed severely and sat back down. The applause was rather smattered through the audience; evidently people were worried that this severe-looking witch would turn out to be another Umbridge. Harry, Ginny, Hermione, and Ron all had to stifle laughs as they applauded hard. Tonks knocked over her goblet, sending a puddle of pumpkin juice across the table. McGonagall dropped her head in her hands as Flitwick vanished away the mess. Hagrid patted Tonks's arm.
Finally, Dumbledore smiled. "So, now that we all have full bellies, let's be off to bed!"
There was a lot of cheerful talking as everyone filtered out of the Great Hall. Harry asked Hermione the password as she ran over to help escort the first years.
"Higgledy-Piggledy!" she murmured. "See you in the common room."
Harry walked with Neville and managed to remind him about the trick step on the big staircase just in time. They headed up to the common room, and Harry, whose eyes were drooping with sleep, went on up to the dormitory without stopping. He changed into his pajamas.
"Hey, Harry!" Dean called from behind his bed-hangings. "Glad you're not dead!"
"Thanks," Harry said, and lay down. He pulled his own hangings closed and fell asleep.