Disclaimer: I don not own Harry Potter or anything in relation to J.K. Rowling's books!
A/N: Thanks again everyone for their encouraging words! I'm really enjoying doing this whole thing and I'm hoping to continue with a sequel if this one's popular enough... But even if it's not, I will be writing more stories in time to come. Anyway, this chapter was a little difficult to start since I left at a cliffhanger and sorry if it's a little rocky in the beginning. But, in any case, enjoy...
Chapter 10: Angry Visions
The thestrals galloped up the sloping hillside toward the castle and Harry stared in awe as they neared and got the squirming feeling in his insides. He was coming back to where he belonged, and yet Harry found himself in a since of foreboding for he hadn't heard hide nor hair of Dumbledore and felt as if he were avoiding Harry like he had last term. But, nonetheless, he was returning for the sixth time and he quickly regarded his frustration with Dumbledore.
Their carriage passed the winged boars that were planted on top of stone pillars that held the iron gates which led up to the great oak doors into the castle. The carriage started to slow into a steady halt and he, Hermione, Ron and Ginny began to shuffle around to grab their trunks.
"You wouldn't have the slightest idea who our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is, would you?" Hermione asked no one in particular.
"No," Harry gave her a look over his shoulder as he carried Hedwig and his trunk up to the luggage lobby where house elves- to Hermione's disgust- would carry them up to their dormitories while they were eating in the Great Hall. The Prefects for Gryffindor, - Lavender Brown and Dean Thomas- were leading them into the opened oak doors where they all converged into the Entrance Hall.
"Everyone, this way!" bellowed Lavender over the forest of people, "I'd hoped I wouldn't have to remind the fourth through seventh years where to go, but..." Lavender whispered to Parvati.
"I suspect with nutters like Potter, you can't repeat enough!" cackled Malfoy over the crowd and Pansy, along with many other Slytherins, shrieked with overwhelming laughter. Harry noticed that a few scattered mutters of agreement echoed throughout the Hall and his face began to heat up in rage. He felt a hand grip his shoulder. He turned on his heel and Hermione stared up at him sympathetically and shook her head. He knew that she wanted Harry not to retaliate and he obeyed and decided to act as if he'd hadn't heard. He gave Hermione a sideways glance and saw that she had a weak smile spread across her lips.
The doors to the Great Hall opened and they all walked inside.
"Harry, I think that's the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher! Look!" Ron was shaking his shoulder violently and Harry followed his pointed finger's direction toward a woman that had joined the other teachers at the towering staff table. She had a heart-shaped face that was really attractive and Harry guessed she couldn't have been any older than twenty-five. She had the most bewildering color of hair that was not gold, but not blonde, more like the colors were mingled together, and it was short and thick. Her eyes appeared to be the color of that of frozen tea leaves; they were a weird color that were a bit off of aquamarine. Her robes were a brilliant royal blue and had silver fastenings on them that Harry couldn't tell of their solid shape from his position at the Gryffindor table. While observing her, Harry hadn't noticed that McGonagall had set the three-legged stool to the front and the Sorting Hat opened it's brim that represented it's mouth and had started to sing it's song:
Like the years before,
I've sung my song to you once more
But this time I give you fair warning,
that it's not just Hogwart's founders' past I'm pouring
The hat had not just gotten his attention, but many others who, before were not listening.
For the founders did have foes,
who they were, no one knows
But, ask that we all converge,
Harry was listening intently, but his scar began to prickle unpleasantly and he began to knead it with his bandaged index finger. The Sorting Hat continued to sing and Harry, too absorbed in his scar's abrupt awakening, missed quite a bit of it's song.
"Hello, Harry Potter... Glad I could finally meet you." Harry was so shaken by the sudden feminane voice he heard he let out a yelp.
"What?" he whispered. Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville and a few more onlookers flicked a baffled glance at him.
"What is it, Harry?" Hermione whispered out of the corner of her mouth, giving everyone else narrowed looks, which they whipped glances back at the Sorting Hat, spare Ron.
"Didn't you here it? I- oh, nevermind!" Harry said above a whisper slightly nettled noticing the looks that Hermione and Ron were giving him of complete confusion. Was he hearing another snake like in his second year? No, he couldn't, it sounded as if he were being addressed inside his head, not outside.
"Shhh..." Ginny scolded as a few Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs noticed his obscure behavior and were drawing attention to him.
"I'll tell you later in the common room." he whispered as the Sorting Hat finished his song and Professor McGonagall lifted it and talked over the chattering crowd. Now that he thought about it, the Great Hall was no longer dead silent, but echoing whispers hissed in their ears. What had the Sorting Hat said in it's song? McGonagall coughed curtly and the whispers ceased as she held the Sorting Hat above her head.
"Thank you," she scanned the Hall with a stern gaze, "Now, when I address you, you will come up and I shall place the Sorting Hat upon your head. Then, you shall join your classmates among your registered house." she spoke to the timid looking first-years and unfolded a rolled parchment.
"Cleese, Maggie!" a girl with straight brown hair walked up to the stool and tripped then stumbled, grabbing a hold of the stool for support and quickly sat on the stool, and blushed a deep crimson. A few Slytherins jeered and sniggered, and, upon further observations, Harry found it was Malfoy and his usually gang of friends that were the source of the laughing.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" the Hufflepuff side hesitated, then after seeing the disappointed look on her face, claps scattered timidly across their vicinity.
"Walters, Ian!" a rather skinny and pale boy with black hair walked up shakily and sat on the three-legged stool, which wobbled.
"RAVENCLAW!" the Sorting Hat bellowed. The boy gave a wry smile and jumped off the stool and joined the Ravenclaw table that was cheering and clapping, and Harry noticed Luna Lovegood staring dreamily at the front and stood up and clapped excitedly.
"Walters, Richard!" another boy with the same black hair and skinny physique staggered up to the stool and chewed on his lip.
"GRYFFINDOR!" Harry, along with all the other Gryffindors clapped too. Harry smiled as the boy stared around and caught gaze of Harry and ogled wide eyed at his scar in awe. Harry stopped smiling and tried to smooth out his hair over his scar as the boy whispered excitedly at Colin Creevey.
"Harry Potter? That's him, right? I saw his scar!"
"Yeah, I have pictures, want to see them?" Colin gestured at his camera around his neck, "I took them in my first year!" Richard was nodding and had caught many curious glances from other first-years, who soon noticed what he was chortling about and pointed and stared at Harry.
Harry was in the action of sitting down when his scar gave a sharp pain and he was suddenly bubbling with anger- he wanted to attack- anything- anybody... Scenes were playing in his mind, not the conversation kind, more like a muted scene from a movie. He was pacing a dark room with which candles illuminated on their brackets and was wearing a long black cloak and he was furious with the two men kneeling shakily before him. He was yelling in frustration but no words were coming from him. Faint shouting was becoming more and more audible and a icy voice punctured the air like cold venom.
"How hard is it to find someone when she's right under your nose? You incompetent fools!" Harry's mouth moved but the voice falling from it wasn't his. He knew who he was -or rather the person he was acting as- but the others were still unidentified. Voldemort stopped his pacing and glared down at them and pointed a pale wand equipped hand at the kneeling man one nearest him. "Don't come crawling back to me without her..."
"Y-Yes, M'Lord..." whimpered the man who was being threatened with a wand.
"Note that if you don't I may not be too keen to your living." he hissed.
"Thank you, M'Lord, you are merciful..." the man got up and walked away.
"Now, I- We seemed to have wandering ears..." Harry's head shot with so mush pain he crumpled to the ground and clamped down on the scar with shaky hands.
"Harry!" Hermione, who was standing beside him, had a hold of him from under his arms, was trying to prop him up again without attracting much attention. She was grimacing at him and he soon found that he had dug his nails into her forearms and she kicked Ron in the shin. "Ron, help me..." she said through gritted teeth. Ron grabbed a handful of his robs in the front and Harry tried to regain his use of his legs. He staggered and leaned on Ron for support and sat back down on his spot on the bench. He looked around, there were scattered annoyed gazes at his direction and he acted as though he hadn't noticed. McGonagall rolled up the parchment sternly as a blonde girl with a loose bun atop her head joined the clapping Hufflepuff table.
"You all right, mate?" Ron asked worriedly around Hermione, who was examining her forearm that was pink and showing signs of bruising.
"Hermione, I'm sorry..." he said hoarsely, ignoring Ron's attempt to ask him a question and Hermione looked up at him and her eyes were glazed over with tears.
"It's all right, Harry... You didn't mean to, so it's fine." he grabbed a hold of her arm and she winced and choked back a sob. He was so mad at himself. Why had he reacted that way? Voldemort, he's frustrated... angry, but with who? Harry thought. Not knowing any other way to comfort her, hugged her and offered to take her to Madam Pomfrey.
"How are we going to explain how I got these?" Hermione protested.
"After the feast, we're going." Harry said and released her and turned to the front and, as Hermione didn't protest again, watched Dumbledore stand up to give his beginning term announcements.
"Hullo, and welcome back to those who have returned and for those just beginning their schooling here, welcome!" he smiled and seemed infectious, for the other staff members beamed as well, except Professor Snap, who wore a look that dung was jammed up his nostrils. "I have a few regular announcements that I found is important and apply to all,"- he gave a few twinkling glances at Harry's direction as well as Hermione and Ron, who switched glances- "The Forbidden Forest is forbidden to all students." He gestured at the strange woman at the far end to stand up, "I'd like you to meet out new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Genevieve Thristral." Dumbledore along with the other staff and students clapped as Professor Thristral waved and smiled at them. "Now, as I believe there are no more announcements, let the feast begin!"
A/N: I know this chapter took longer than I said it would and sorry, I usual try to update between three to four days...
Gryffindor620: Thanks for your encouraging words and I can't thank you enough -along with all the others- for returning and reading whatever I have recently updated! Thanks lots!
VoldemortVeela: Thanks a bunch for your corrections! Like I said before, I don't mind if anybody finds something I goofed on and tells me about it. I'm planning on editing and all that junk when I get the time off updating... But, pls, do feel free to tell me anything!
HHromancefreak: Oh, Thank you for bringing up the whole setting of the chapter thing... Um, when I was writing chapter 8, I was also currently planning chapter 9 so the whole planning and sequencing maybe had gotten all jumbled... Thanks again, I hope this clears everything up for those who confused on chapter 8 setting==} they first start off at the Leaky Cauldron at Diagon Alley, then they ride the Ministry vehicles to the train station, King's Cross. It continues on to chapter 9, where they are actually on Platform 9 3/4. Hopefully this clears it up... I'm not really sure if I'm answering this right, but Harry never talked to Dumbledore. Dumbledore wrote to the Burrow not Harry.... I hope I answered your question correctly...
Leviyl: Thanks for r/r for the past couple of chapters I've reviewed! Thanks for encouraging me, it makes me more eager to update faster, as I now makes the readers happier!
And thank you everyone else who has reviewed me recently! I really appreciate it! Anyway, for those of you that may think this interesting -probably not- I'm only going to write HarryxHermione stories for I like this pairing most... Not that I have anything against Harryx ? shippers like HermionexRon, but I just- I dunno, I guess it's just that it just is a wish. I really hope J.K. Rowling will pair Harry and Hermione, but wishful thinking fingers crossed. But, my opinion, I think that in the books Harry fancies Hermione and so does Ron, but Hermione is a little stuck in the middle... just opinion.... but anyway, enough ramblings! pls r/r!
- XHermione's Ink StainX
A/N: Thanks again everyone for their encouraging words! I'm really enjoying doing this whole thing and I'm hoping to continue with a sequel if this one's popular enough... But even if it's not, I will be writing more stories in time to come. Anyway, this chapter was a little difficult to start since I left at a cliffhanger and sorry if it's a little rocky in the beginning. But, in any case, enjoy...
Chapter 10: Angry Visions
The thestrals galloped up the sloping hillside toward the castle and Harry stared in awe as they neared and got the squirming feeling in his insides. He was coming back to where he belonged, and yet Harry found himself in a since of foreboding for he hadn't heard hide nor hair of Dumbledore and felt as if he were avoiding Harry like he had last term. But, nonetheless, he was returning for the sixth time and he quickly regarded his frustration with Dumbledore.
Their carriage passed the winged boars that were planted on top of stone pillars that held the iron gates which led up to the great oak doors into the castle. The carriage started to slow into a steady halt and he, Hermione, Ron and Ginny began to shuffle around to grab their trunks.
"You wouldn't have the slightest idea who our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is, would you?" Hermione asked no one in particular.
"No," Harry gave her a look over his shoulder as he carried Hedwig and his trunk up to the luggage lobby where house elves- to Hermione's disgust- would carry them up to their dormitories while they were eating in the Great Hall. The Prefects for Gryffindor, - Lavender Brown and Dean Thomas- were leading them into the opened oak doors where they all converged into the Entrance Hall.
"Everyone, this way!" bellowed Lavender over the forest of people, "I'd hoped I wouldn't have to remind the fourth through seventh years where to go, but..." Lavender whispered to Parvati.
"I suspect with nutters like Potter, you can't repeat enough!" cackled Malfoy over the crowd and Pansy, along with many other Slytherins, shrieked with overwhelming laughter. Harry noticed that a few scattered mutters of agreement echoed throughout the Hall and his face began to heat up in rage. He felt a hand grip his shoulder. He turned on his heel and Hermione stared up at him sympathetically and shook her head. He knew that she wanted Harry not to retaliate and he obeyed and decided to act as if he'd hadn't heard. He gave Hermione a sideways glance and saw that she had a weak smile spread across her lips.
The doors to the Great Hall opened and they all walked inside.
"Harry, I think that's the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher! Look!" Ron was shaking his shoulder violently and Harry followed his pointed finger's direction toward a woman that had joined the other teachers at the towering staff table. She had a heart-shaped face that was really attractive and Harry guessed she couldn't have been any older than twenty-five. She had the most bewildering color of hair that was not gold, but not blonde, more like the colors were mingled together, and it was short and thick. Her eyes appeared to be the color of that of frozen tea leaves; they were a weird color that were a bit off of aquamarine. Her robes were a brilliant royal blue and had silver fastenings on them that Harry couldn't tell of their solid shape from his position at the Gryffindor table. While observing her, Harry hadn't noticed that McGonagall had set the three-legged stool to the front and the Sorting Hat opened it's brim that represented it's mouth and had started to sing it's song:
Like the years before,
I've sung my song to you once more
But this time I give you fair warning,
that it's not just Hogwart's founders' past I'm pouring
The hat had not just gotten his attention, but many others who, before were not listening.
For the founders did have foes,
who they were, no one knows
But, ask that we all converge,
Harry was listening intently, but his scar began to prickle unpleasantly and he began to knead it with his bandaged index finger. The Sorting Hat continued to sing and Harry, too absorbed in his scar's abrupt awakening, missed quite a bit of it's song.
"Hello, Harry Potter... Glad I could finally meet you." Harry was so shaken by the sudden feminane voice he heard he let out a yelp.
"What?" he whispered. Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville and a few more onlookers flicked a baffled glance at him.
"What is it, Harry?" Hermione whispered out of the corner of her mouth, giving everyone else narrowed looks, which they whipped glances back at the Sorting Hat, spare Ron.
"Didn't you here it? I- oh, nevermind!" Harry said above a whisper slightly nettled noticing the looks that Hermione and Ron were giving him of complete confusion. Was he hearing another snake like in his second year? No, he couldn't, it sounded as if he were being addressed inside his head, not outside.
"Shhh..." Ginny scolded as a few Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs noticed his obscure behavior and were drawing attention to him.
"I'll tell you later in the common room." he whispered as the Sorting Hat finished his song and Professor McGonagall lifted it and talked over the chattering crowd. Now that he thought about it, the Great Hall was no longer dead silent, but echoing whispers hissed in their ears. What had the Sorting Hat said in it's song? McGonagall coughed curtly and the whispers ceased as she held the Sorting Hat above her head.
"Thank you," she scanned the Hall with a stern gaze, "Now, when I address you, you will come up and I shall place the Sorting Hat upon your head. Then, you shall join your classmates among your registered house." she spoke to the timid looking first-years and unfolded a rolled parchment.
"Cleese, Maggie!" a girl with straight brown hair walked up to the stool and tripped then stumbled, grabbing a hold of the stool for support and quickly sat on the stool, and blushed a deep crimson. A few Slytherins jeered and sniggered, and, upon further observations, Harry found it was Malfoy and his usually gang of friends that were the source of the laughing.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" the Hufflepuff side hesitated, then after seeing the disappointed look on her face, claps scattered timidly across their vicinity.
"Walters, Ian!" a rather skinny and pale boy with black hair walked up shakily and sat on the three-legged stool, which wobbled.
"RAVENCLAW!" the Sorting Hat bellowed. The boy gave a wry smile and jumped off the stool and joined the Ravenclaw table that was cheering and clapping, and Harry noticed Luna Lovegood staring dreamily at the front and stood up and clapped excitedly.
"Walters, Richard!" another boy with the same black hair and skinny physique staggered up to the stool and chewed on his lip.
"GRYFFINDOR!" Harry, along with all the other Gryffindors clapped too. Harry smiled as the boy stared around and caught gaze of Harry and ogled wide eyed at his scar in awe. Harry stopped smiling and tried to smooth out his hair over his scar as the boy whispered excitedly at Colin Creevey.
"Harry Potter? That's him, right? I saw his scar!"
"Yeah, I have pictures, want to see them?" Colin gestured at his camera around his neck, "I took them in my first year!" Richard was nodding and had caught many curious glances from other first-years, who soon noticed what he was chortling about and pointed and stared at Harry.
Harry was in the action of sitting down when his scar gave a sharp pain and he was suddenly bubbling with anger- he wanted to attack- anything- anybody... Scenes were playing in his mind, not the conversation kind, more like a muted scene from a movie. He was pacing a dark room with which candles illuminated on their brackets and was wearing a long black cloak and he was furious with the two men kneeling shakily before him. He was yelling in frustration but no words were coming from him. Faint shouting was becoming more and more audible and a icy voice punctured the air like cold venom.
"How hard is it to find someone when she's right under your nose? You incompetent fools!" Harry's mouth moved but the voice falling from it wasn't his. He knew who he was -or rather the person he was acting as- but the others were still unidentified. Voldemort stopped his pacing and glared down at them and pointed a pale wand equipped hand at the kneeling man one nearest him. "Don't come crawling back to me without her..."
"Y-Yes, M'Lord..." whimpered the man who was being threatened with a wand.
"Note that if you don't I may not be too keen to your living." he hissed.
"Thank you, M'Lord, you are merciful..." the man got up and walked away.
"Now, I- We seemed to have wandering ears..." Harry's head shot with so mush pain he crumpled to the ground and clamped down on the scar with shaky hands.
"Harry!" Hermione, who was standing beside him, had a hold of him from under his arms, was trying to prop him up again without attracting much attention. She was grimacing at him and he soon found that he had dug his nails into her forearms and she kicked Ron in the shin. "Ron, help me..." she said through gritted teeth. Ron grabbed a handful of his robs in the front and Harry tried to regain his use of his legs. He staggered and leaned on Ron for support and sat back down on his spot on the bench. He looked around, there were scattered annoyed gazes at his direction and he acted as though he hadn't noticed. McGonagall rolled up the parchment sternly as a blonde girl with a loose bun atop her head joined the clapping Hufflepuff table.
"You all right, mate?" Ron asked worriedly around Hermione, who was examining her forearm that was pink and showing signs of bruising.
"Hermione, I'm sorry..." he said hoarsely, ignoring Ron's attempt to ask him a question and Hermione looked up at him and her eyes were glazed over with tears.
"It's all right, Harry... You didn't mean to, so it's fine." he grabbed a hold of her arm and she winced and choked back a sob. He was so mad at himself. Why had he reacted that way? Voldemort, he's frustrated... angry, but with who? Harry thought. Not knowing any other way to comfort her, hugged her and offered to take her to Madam Pomfrey.
"How are we going to explain how I got these?" Hermione protested.
"After the feast, we're going." Harry said and released her and turned to the front and, as Hermione didn't protest again, watched Dumbledore stand up to give his beginning term announcements.
"Hullo, and welcome back to those who have returned and for those just beginning their schooling here, welcome!" he smiled and seemed infectious, for the other staff members beamed as well, except Professor Snap, who wore a look that dung was jammed up his nostrils. "I have a few regular announcements that I found is important and apply to all,"- he gave a few twinkling glances at Harry's direction as well as Hermione and Ron, who switched glances- "The Forbidden Forest is forbidden to all students." He gestured at the strange woman at the far end to stand up, "I'd like you to meet out new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Genevieve Thristral." Dumbledore along with the other staff and students clapped as Professor Thristral waved and smiled at them. "Now, as I believe there are no more announcements, let the feast begin!"
A/N: I know this chapter took longer than I said it would and sorry, I usual try to update between three to four days...
Gryffindor620: Thanks for your encouraging words and I can't thank you enough -along with all the others- for returning and reading whatever I have recently updated! Thanks lots!
VoldemortVeela: Thanks a bunch for your corrections! Like I said before, I don't mind if anybody finds something I goofed on and tells me about it. I'm planning on editing and all that junk when I get the time off updating... But, pls, do feel free to tell me anything!
HHromancefreak: Oh, Thank you for bringing up the whole setting of the chapter thing... Um, when I was writing chapter 8, I was also currently planning chapter 9 so the whole planning and sequencing maybe had gotten all jumbled... Thanks again, I hope this clears everything up for those who confused on chapter 8 setting==} they first start off at the Leaky Cauldron at Diagon Alley, then they ride the Ministry vehicles to the train station, King's Cross. It continues on to chapter 9, where they are actually on Platform 9 3/4. Hopefully this clears it up... I'm not really sure if I'm answering this right, but Harry never talked to Dumbledore. Dumbledore wrote to the Burrow not Harry.... I hope I answered your question correctly...
Leviyl: Thanks for r/r for the past couple of chapters I've reviewed! Thanks for encouraging me, it makes me more eager to update faster, as I now makes the readers happier!
And thank you everyone else who has reviewed me recently! I really appreciate it! Anyway, for those of you that may think this interesting -probably not- I'm only going to write HarryxHermione stories for I like this pairing most... Not that I have anything against Harryx ? shippers like HermionexRon, but I just- I dunno, I guess it's just that it just is a wish. I really hope J.K. Rowling will pair Harry and Hermione, but wishful thinking fingers crossed. But, my opinion, I think that in the books Harry fancies Hermione and so does Ron, but Hermione is a little stuck in the middle... just opinion.... but anyway, enough ramblings! pls r/r!
- XHermione's Ink StainX