Hey everyone! Keep the reviews comin' lol!! Hopefully the story's getting interesting. I can't stop writing considering my summer's really BORING!!! It's Sooo addicting! LOL!

Thanks to everyone who's read and reviewed my story!! I dedicate this chapter to you!..... Moonkitty, (I'm happy that you're reading and liking my story!! It was fate I guess ) And Kelly/Evie....your very uplifting words have truly been an inspiration.....and remember, you're #1 in my book!!!

Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling nor do I own any of her characters.

Chapter 6: Board the Hogwarts Express

The next morning was hectic and confusing with everyone preparing to leave. As soon as every person had finished eating breakfast, Mr. Weasley helped Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny load their trunks into the car. Before departing, everyone gathered out into the street in front of number 12 Grimmauld Place for their final good byes.

"Well, see you later Ron," Fred said to his brother, giving him a pat on the back then turning to Harry. "Stir up some trouble for us won't you?......and here," he was now whispering so his mother couldn't hear. "Take some of these."

George was now subtly handing Harry a few bags of the colour-coded candies from their Skiving Snackboxes idea. "Yea, sell 'em for us, and you can keep some for yourself too." He winked and returned his voice to a normal volume. "Well, stay out of trouble now Harry."

It was now Lupin's turn to say his farewell. He gently laid his hand on Harry's shoulder. "Harry, don't worry about anything okay? The Order will handle everything and remember, if you ever need anything, I'm here for you."

"Thanks.....Oh wait" Harry said with a smile and remembering something. He reached in his jean pocket and pulled out the other mirror that Sirius had left for him. "Here, Sirius gave this to me so we could communicate to each other with out being spied on. I have the other one, maybe we can use it.....if I need to talk to you."

"This is great Harry," Lupin answered genuinely as he inserted it into the inside pocket of his robe.

"Well, is everyone ready to leave?" Mr. Weasley asked brightly looking around at his passengers. "We best be getting in the car if we want to make it on time."

Slowly, Hermione, Ginny, Ron and finally Harry seated themselves in the back of Mr. Weasley's car and Mrs. Weasley sat in the front. With the turn of the key, the car was off in the direction of King's Cross station.

Once through the barrier between Platforms 9 and 10, Mr and Mrs Weasley helped the children load their belongings onto the train. Soon after Mrs Weasley became close to tears as she pulled out a handkerchief and blew her nose harshly into it.

Ron's face was a slight shade of red from embarrassment. "Mum, you don't have to cry, people are staring at us." He was noticing a crowd of 2nd year students watching them with amusement.

"Oh my little Ronald, my how you've grown in the past 6 years.....You're becoming such a young little gentleman." She managed to say in between sobs. "And you to Ginny, you're a Prefect just like your brothers. Come here and hug your Mummy, both of you." Not giving her children a chance to escape the moment of affection, Mrs. Weasley quickly wrapped her arms around Ron and Ginny so tightly that they were gasping for air.

From inside Mrs. Weasley's strangling arms Ron managed to say with surprise, "Ginny, I didn't know you've been selected to be a Prefect."

Ginny, with much effort to be heard from within her mother's grasp replied, "I know.....I didn't tell anyone.....except for Mum and Dad.....and I told them not to make such a big deal out of it."

"And they actually listened to you?" Ron asked rather appalled.

"I guess so."

Mr. Weasley cleared his throat. "Molly, we better leave the kids....they've got to get on the train now."

Mrs. Weasley finally managed to pry her arms away from her suffocating children, "Right.....silly me, bawling over nothing.....well you two," talking to Ron and Ginny. "Behave yourselves. Hermione, do make sure Ron stays out of trouble for me."

"Of course Mrs. Weasley," Hermione said as she chuckled slightly.

Mrs. Weasley continued, "And Harry dear, don't worry too much about You-Know-Who. The Ministry and the Order are taking care of things." She turned to him and gave him a hug, though it was not as tight as the one she'd given her own children. "Well Arthur.....I suppose we better let these children get on the train." She dried her eyes and returned to her usual cheery state.

After all four of them had found a compartment to sit in, they all looked out the window and waved to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley as the train began to speed off until finally they were just two tiny dots standing in the distance.

Once settled down Hermione turned to Ginny, "Congratulations on becoming Prefect!....." obviously, she had been listening to every word that had been said before boarding the train.

"Yea Ginny, you didn't have to keep it from us though," Harry added.

"I know," Ginny replied sheepishly. "But I didn't want Fred or George making fun of me like they did to Ron."

"Ahh," Ron sighed. "They wouldn't have made fun of you.....they just like to annoy me, being their younger brother and all."

"Oh well, you know I'm a Prefect now.....so it doesn't matter....I wonder who Dumbledore chose to be the other."

"Who knows," Ron said. Then, changing the topic, he asked with much curiosity in his voice, "What was with mum? She's never cried like that before when we left for Hogwarts,"

"I don't really know Ron," Ginny replied. "I think she just thought of the fact that you'll soon be leaving school and it got to her. Plus I bet she doesn't want us to end up like Fred and George.....you know, leaving school before finishing our 7th year to open our own shop." They all laughed, remembering the twins' successful escape they'd made last year.

Shortly, Ginny, Ron and Hermione left to join the other Prefects in patrolling the train and Harry was left all alone. Before long, the food cart was making its way around the train. When it reached Harry, he purchased himself a few Chocolate Frogs, a Pumpkin Pasty, and pumpkin juice.

Harry was reading the Wizard card that he'd just got. It read: IGNATIA WILDSMITH 1227 - 1320, Witch who invented Floo Powder. Suddenly, the sound of the door sliding open came and Harry looked to see who'd come to join him. "Hello Harry," a blonde 5th year girl was now standing in the opening.

"Hi Luna," Harry said, "Want to sit down?"

"Sure," she replied with her pale eyes staring out the window as if searching for some kind of strange activity.

"So how've you been," Harry inquired. He looked out of the window to see what was intriguing her so much and was disappointed to find that there was nothing, although he should have known to expect this since Luna was what most people would called ODD.

It took her a while to escape her bemusing state before replying in her usual dreamly voice. "I've been good. Me and my dad went to Sweden and tried to catch a Crumple-Horned Snorkack."

"Oh, yes. I remember you told me about that last year. How was it?" Harry asked.

"Well we didn't get to see any Crumple-Horned Snorkacks, but my dad said it was just because they were hiding."

"Right," Harry said in a disbelieving tone.

Luna slipped back into her perplexed condition, pulled out a copy of her favourite magazine, The Quibbler, and began reading it. Harry, not wanting to disturb her reading returned to the pile of food he'd purchased and had just opened another box of Chocolate Frogs when Ron, Hermione and Ginny returned from their rounds.

"Oh, hello Luna," Hermione said surprised. Luna merely looked up at her, smiled then resumed her in-depth reading.

"Good, you're back!" Harry said happily. "Have something to eat."

Ron, Ginny, and Hermione had just taken a seat when the door slid open again. "Hello everyone," came the cool voice of Draco Malfoy followed by the loud footsteps of his two cronies, Crabbe and Goyle coming to join him.

"What do you want Malfoy?" Harry asked, knowing that he was up to no good.

"Oh Potter.....can't I come and say hello to my fellow students without wanting to cause trouble?" he said with a rather stunned tone. "I just wanted to tell Weasley here, that I wished I had a mother who cared so much about me."

Ron interrupted, "What do you mean Malfoy?"

Draco began imitating Ron's mother when she had been crying earlier. "Oh my little Ronnykins, my how you've grown. Such a fine young gentleman," Crabbe and Goyle were laughing.

Ron opened his mouth to say something, but Ginny beat him to it. "Well, at least we have a mum that cares about us!" she said defensively. "It's not hard to notice that you were a VERY neglected child when you were younger....That's why you need all this attention."

Malfoy stared at Ginny coldly. "You better watch it Weasley.....I'm a Prefect!"

"So," Ginny replied unimpressed. "I'm one too, and if you ever insult my family again, I'll have you in detention before you can say Bertie Botts Every Flavoured Beans."

He gave Ginny an even colder stare before saying, "Crabbe.....Goyle, let's get out of here, all this filth back here is making me sick!" He just stormed out of their carriage, with Crabbe and Goyle following behind him.

"Great job Ginny!" Harry praised her. Ginny was now looking very proud of herself. Ron on the other hand, sulked into his seat.

"I could've handled it you know," he said glumly.

"Yea, I know Ron," Ginny answered. "But I just hate it when he talks about our family that way."

"I suppose," Ron replied, feeling a bit better. "Did you see his face when he found out you were a Prefect too!" Ron started laughing as he impersonated Malfoy's distorted face.

"Oh, look at the time!" Hermione interrupted as she glanced down at her watch. "We better get into our robes, we'll be arriving at Hogwarts in a little while."

Just as Hermione had said, the train soon pulled into the Hogsmeade station and slowly screeched to a halt. Everyone piled out of the train, into the sea confusion as they all rushed in the direction of the castle.

"Firs' years over here!" came the booming voice of Hagrid as he called the first year students to him. "Over here!" He towered over every single person in the station. "Firs' years! Watch your step now!"

Harry saw the scrawny, little first years scramble over to Hagrid with nervous looks on their faces. It reminded him of when he had just come to Hogwarts. He was young and carefree; he had very little knowledge of this new world that had just been introduced to him, nor did he know that his life would change forever.

Harry and his friends made their way to the carriages that would bring them to the entrance of the grand castle. "I'm back again," Harry thought to himself. "But it could very well be my last." He seemed so certain that something horrifying was awaiting him in the castle, waiting to finally strike.
Well there you go! Another chapter done! Lots more to come! Please remember to review!