From the last chapter

"This will be a difficult year for you, little one. But I know everything will be alright we are all strong enough to deal with what is to come."

Chapter 4

~ At platform 9 ¾ ~

"Ohh! Where are they?!" A girl exclaimed as she paced on the platform, she was THE second year brainiac and probably would be for the rest of her life. Yes it was Hermoine Granger, the Gryffindor that memorized all her schoolbooks and could study 20 hours a day if she wished. Suddenly pandemonium erupted at the portal entrance, the Weasley's have arrived with Harry. I should've guessed. Of course he would go to the Burrow for vacation, after all the Dursley's HATED him.

"Hermoine!" It was Ron as he raced ahead with Harry as Percy was fighting the last bits of a losing battle to control everyone. And was Fred or George trying frantically to open a corked glass bottle? Poor poor Ginny it was her FIRST year she looks like she's about to run away screaming. Too bad I couldn't dwell on this thought because at that exact moment Ron reached me and PICKED me up! "How was your summer Hermoine?"

"Fine, do you mind putting me down now Ron? I'm wearing a skirt!" He gently placed me on my feet.

"Okay, we had a blast! Not only did we freak out the Dursley's but we got to spend the whole summer practice our quidditch!" Bleh quidditch, what incredible fun! They started to move into the train with Ginny in tow waving to her parents are they left.

"Hermoine have you heard who our teacher for defense against the dark arts is?"

"Well I've heard that it's a past student, apparently she, well I think it's a woman if my information is correct, was HEAD girl and a prefect for most of her years at Hogwarts."

"Well I hope that means that he/she isn't evil."

"Well well well, if it isn't Potter's little gang. With a new member!" Ginny just cowered in the corner as Draco Malfoy and his 'gang' approached.

"That's my sister Malfoy stay away from her."

"As if I would go near her, I do have my standards you know." Ron face went red with anger and was about to retort when… the conductor called for everyone to board the train.

"No comeback? I expected that much from a Weasley." Draco stalked away to the train to find a compartment. I grabbed Ron's arm,

"Let's just go find a compartment. He isn't worth getting mad over Ron." Ron didn't respond and we all boarded the train with our luggage. The ride went quickly we spoke about our summers and I consoled Ginny, she was still very nervous about her first year at Hogwarts. We soon returned to our former conversation, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher.

"Hermione where did you get all your information?"

"There was a newsletter that went out to all the muggle-born students didn't you read it Harry?" He answered with a mute shake of his head; "Well it said that we weren't to worry this year because the new teacher was a very kind and considerate person as well as a former student of Hogwarts and a former prefect. It didn't mention his/her name but I looked at the book Hogwarts: A History and checked for all the prefects from the last few years and their last known whereabouts. Only a few of the women in that list didn't have current job placements in the wizarding world. All the men did." Jaws were on the floor in the whole compartment.

"Hermione you do realize that you were on SUMMER VACATION and didn't have to do projects right?"

"It wasn't a project I was just curious, besides we'll find out at dinner and it gave me something intellectual to do instead of play quidditch all summer. Did you two at LEAST get your assignments done for all your classes?" Ron put his hand on my shoulder,

"Dear Hermione, that's what tonight is for." Hermione's jaw dropped and her eyes widened but she said nothing, as she mentally revised all the notes that she memorized last year in order to help her two BEST friends get good marks on their homework. They soon arrived at Hogwarts and went to the feast. There was an empty chair beside Professor Snape where the DADA teacher usually sat. It isn't possible that I'm wrong is it? During the sorting I started to talk with Mamoru Kanzaki or at least I think that's what his name is, I knew him from last year but he just seemed a little too unfocused for me. But we started talking and I realized that he wasn't unfocused he was just nervous! Nervous about talking to girls, apparently he had an older sister who got married a few months ago to a really rich guy and SHE was a former prefect and HEAD GIRL! It MUST be her who's coming to teach DADA.

"Is your sister the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?" Mamoru looked up at me,

"I'm not supposed to say anything, the Ministry of Magic has placed a ban on locator charms to find her because only family members are allowed to find and visit her."

"Why isn't her position in the books? Why would the Ministry of Magic hide her?"

"She's not living in Wizard England or anywhere where magic is allowed. She's supposed to keep her abilities quiet and it's easiest if letters and people just don't appear out of the sky." The sorting of the new first years proceeding efficiently and Professor Dumbledore stood up to make his announcements,

"I hope that you all had a great summer vacation and are looking forward to the new school year. We have a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who has not arrived yet." There was a column of bluish white light between the house and head tables and when it receded a woman wearing a long green cloak was standing turned away from the students. She lowered her hood, and nodded her head to the professors before turning towards the students, allowing Professor Dumbledore to finish announcing her. "Professor Kanzaki, I knew you always had a flair for the dramatic."

"I apologize for my tardiness Professor, I was tying up some loose ends." Her Fanelian accent and vibrant voice flowed easily through the room.

"No apologizes required Professor. Professor Kanzaki was a prefect for three of her seven years at Hogwarts and was the Head girl for her seventh year. Some of you may remember her, or have heard of her. Well enough introductions, Let's eat!" Hitomi joined the professors at the head table as the plates all filled. Hermione and half the Gryffindor table turned to Mamoru,

"THAT's your sister?!" Was the question most often voiced at the table.

"Yeah it is, I haven't seen her in six months she looks great." Oliver Wood stood up and walked over to where Mamoru was sitting.

"I remember Hitomi, she was like a Goddess. She was always very kind and helpful, although for the life of me I don't understand why she went to most of the dances with a Malfoy."

"She usually went because she loved dances and her boyfriend, actually her husband now, couldn't come."

"She's married?!"

"Yeah she got married six months ago, it was a splendid wedding. It took two years to plan and lasted around three hours, well the ceremonies anyway."

"Three HOURS?! Why did it take so long?"

"I'm afraid that I'm forbidden to say."

"Forbidden? Okay Mamoru. Is she different from before?"

"She's a lot happier, apparently this guy spends every waking moment trying to make her happy. In the months we were staying with him to plan the wedding he was a perfect gentlemen, my father even approved of him. Not to mention he buys her outrageous gifts."

"Like what, Hitomi has never seemed like a material person to me."

"His first wedding present to her was a simple gold necklace with over a dozen one carat emeralds and diamonds embedded in it." Jaws dropped all around the table. "She just smiled at him and asked him to fasten the clasp around her neck and thanked him. Then she scolded him for spending so much money on her. His response was pretty unique too, he said 'I can't help but spending money on you, I wanted to find the perfect token to demonstrate my love for you.' My mother then enveloped him in a hug and called him son and asked my father why he say things like that to her."

"He must be rich."

"Pretty rich although he doesn't act like it, he's very down to earth and polite. He practically the exact opposite of Malfoy." 'I wonder why he's forbidden to answer questions about his sister's disappearance. I wonder how she could have been friends with a Malfoy.' I looked up at the teacher's table and saw her laughing gaily at one of the other professors jokes, she looks very nice and comfortable in her surroundings. What are you hiding Professor?

AN- I would like to mention the addition of a new muse!!! *Waits for cheering and pouts when only faint clapping is heard* Traitors. Well her name is Caliope and she's a close friend of mine. She's also a Harry Potter fan that knows more about Harry Potter than I do so she knows more than their names and what happened in the movies. I'm so happy that I have a new muse.

I realize this is a really sucky ending to this chapter I'm afraid I just ran out of steam towards the end, not to mention it took a lot of willpower just to finish this chapter. I've been working out the last few chapters in my head and unfortunately don't have much for the chapters right now.

I realized that in the last chapter I misspelt Gryffindors, in the future could someone at least TELL me when I make a mistake like that? It's quite embarrassing.

I have a new contest to announce! I'm looking for a name for Draco's older brother and if you win I'll give you a brief summary for each new chapter as it comes out with my version of the author's alert. And your name gets mentioned in my next chapter. The names have to be submitted by Saturday January 18, 2003 to be submitted into the contest. Caliope and I will be the judges we also accept bribes.

Thank you all for your encouraging reviews, some days it's the only thing that keeps me typing… And don't forget about my mailing list please leave your email addy in a review or email if you prefer to be added and emailed whenever I update this story.

Merry Christmas and I hope you all had a very happy New Year!

Ja Ne!