For the past two weeks, Harry had called Charlene up every evening at six and they talked for at least an hour before Harry was thrown off of the phone. Harry presumed that his Aunt and Uncle were timing it, but never really bothered to ask much due to the fact that it was a miracle that they had let him use the phone in the first place.
Anyways, at this precise moment, Harry was hauling his trunk downstairs so that he could wait for the White's, who were going to be taking him to the train station to catch the train to Hogwarts.
When the doorbell went Harry quickly shot up from his seat on the lower stairs and opened the door, pulling his trunk out of it with great difficulty.
"I'm going now." He shouted up the stairs, no one answered so Harry quickly scribbled down a note and left it on the side table before proceeding to pull his trunk further out of the door and onto the drive.
"Morning Harry." Sara said cheerfully, she grabbed the front of his trunk and tried to drag it to the car, but only succeeded in falling over. "What do you have in this?" She asked incredulously, her eyes widening, Harry grinned sheepishly.
"Well, let's just say that it would have been a lot heavier if Moody didn't cast lightening charms on it." Harry told her, Sara stared wide-eyed before she ran back to the car, dragging her Dad out.
"Morning Harry, I take it you couldn't handle your trunk then, Sara's was bad enough." Adam stated with a grin, Harry smirked and grabbed the back of his trunk.
"Thanks for the ride." He said gratefully, Adam nodded and helped heave Harry's heavy trunk into the boot of the massive Volvo they owned.
"Man, that weighs more than the boxes Karla makes me drag into the car for carboots!" Adam exclaimed as he pushed it further in the boot.
"Hey!" Karla exclaimed, "I don't make you do anything." She stated, Adam snorted, "I threaten." She added, Harry laughed and sat next to Sara in the car.
"Morning Karla." He greeted.
"Morning Harry, all set?" She asked, Harry shook his head and clipped in his seatbelt.
"Am now." He stated, he leaned forward and looked to Dawn, who was sitting next to Sara, who was in the middle. "Hey Dawn, bet you can't wait to be the only kid in the house, huh?" He asked the little girl, who nodded enthusiastically.
"Yep yep!" She exclaimed, Sara rolled her eyes.
"Stop copying that silly cartoon." She moaned.
"Not cartoon! A pogamme!" Dawn reprimanded in a child-like serious way, Harry held his mouth to stop from laughing and he knew that Adam and Karla would be trying to refrain from laughing also. This would definitely be an interesting ride to the station.
They arrived at the station at twenty-past ten and by the time they had trolleys, gotten Dawn out of the car and worked their way through the crowds to platform nine, it was half past ten.
"What's the platform again?" Karla asked.
"Platform nine and three-quarters." Sara recited, looking around in bewilderment. "Where is it?" She asked, looking up to Harry, who grinned.
"Hidden." He stated, he lent his trolley against a wall and leant against it. "Have a run up, it's easier." He stated, and before they could ask, he disappeared through the wall, along with his trolley. Sara looked right at it in determination.
"Well, lets go." She muttered, running up to the wall with her trolley, her parents following her. Sara closed her eyes and just as she expected to hit the wall, she felt no impact and opened her eyes to a platform crowded with students and parents; Harry was standing there with a smug grin on his face.
"Where are your things?" Adam asked.
"On the train already. Asked a friend to take it for me." Harry replied, Sara nodded.
"Wow, there are so many people." She muttered, looking around.
"Yeah, there's a lot." Harry told her, "There's about forty people in each year group, that's not tha-"
"Harry!" Came an excited shout, Harry groaned as a boy flashed a camera in his face then blinked a few times.
"Wotcha Colin." Harry greeted unenthusiastically whilst rolling his eyes slightly.
"Hiya Harry!" The boy exclaimed excitedly, "I just wanted you to know that me and Dennis… we believed you from the start." He stated cheerfully, Harry smiled meekly.
"Thanks Colin." He said, remembering memories he'd rather forget, Colin waved and walked off, Harry rapidly blinked his eyes to get rid of the bright spots blocking his vision; he was wearing his glasses again today as the contacts had been packed.
"Who was that?" Sara asked, Harry turned to her.
An over-enthusiastic housemate." Harry replied, "C'mon, we better get your things into a compartment. I think I know where Neville found one." He said mainly to himself.
Sara took the back of her trunk whilst Harry took the front and her black cat, Barney's cage. He led them through the crowd, people were staring, but Harry ignored it and stepped onto the train, the White's were waiting outside as Harry led the way to the back compartment, he opened the door and faced a three of his roommates.
"Hey guys." He greeted.
"Hi Harry." "Hey." "Good to see you again mate!" The three now sixth year Gryffindor's greeted as Harry lifted Sara's trunk and put it into the over-head compartment, he saw his own trunk up there also.
"How'd you get mine up there? It weighed a tonne!" He asked.
"Wingardium leviosa." Dean told him.
"Who's the girl?" Seamus asked.
"Yeh, she looks like a relative, even a sister, though we all know that you don't have a sister so…" Neville left it hanging and Harry grinned, putting an arm around the blushing young girl's shoulders.
"This is Sara, my honorary little sister." Harry told them, "Sara, this is Neville, Seamus and Dean, three of my room mates."
"Hi." She said shyly.
"Hey Sara, nice to meet you." Neville said with a grin, shaking her hand exuberantly. "You were the girl from Diagon Alley, right?" Sara nodded again.
"Well, me and Sara had better get back to the White's, we'll see you guys later." Harry said with a short wave as he left.
Harry and Sara talked to the White's for about ten minutes or so before...
"Harry mate!" A male voice boomed loudly, Harry turned and grinned at the crowd approaching them.
"Hey guys." He greeted them all. Mr and Mrs Weasley were there, along with Bill and the twins, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, also Remus, Moody and a small redheaded girl who was obviously another Weasley, a slightly nervous one at that.
"Hey Harry." Hermione said happily, she hugged him and kissed him on the cheek. "Nice glasses. Thanks for the help." She added, Harry hugged her back and nodded.
"Thanks and no problem." He replied with a smirk.
"Hiya Harry." Ginny then said, greeting him with a hug also. "How are you?" She asked as she pulled back, genuine concern was etched into her face.
"I'm good, how're you guys?" He asked, looking mainly at Hermione and Ron.
"I'm good, still having to take potions everyday, only two though." Hermione answered in a relieved tone.
"I'm cool." Ron told him, Harry realised the other teen had a long sleeve shirt on, which he rolled up the sleeves to show Harry his forearms. "It's a bit more permanent than I would've liked." He added, looking down at his scars.
"Well, can't be as bad as the thoughts you experienced, right?" Harry asked hopefully, Ron grimaced.
"Well, at least I can hide this mess on my arms with glamour charms." He stated, then the redheaded teen realised his mother was glaring at him. "Not that I would." He added hastily, Fred and George muffled their laughter.
"Like the present then Harry?" George- or was it Fred? - asked, he eyed the black dragonhide jacket Harry was wearing before looking at his own lurid green one.
"Looks very smart." The other stated pompously, Harry rolled his eyes.
"Thanks, all of you, the presents were great." Harry told them with a grin.
"That was no problem Harry mate, you needed some decent clothes." Bill stated, "Like the hair by the way." He added with a grin, Hermione stared at Harry's now shorter and spiky hair.
"Wow, it's great." She stated, approaching him and putting her hand up to test the spikes, Harry realised her own hair was much more curly than when he had last seen her; and he also saw that Ron obviously appreciated the other changes her body had gone through the past year or so, namely the now quite curvy figure. Remus, Mr Weasley and Bill laughed when Ginny also approached Harry and started testing his hair with the palm of her hands as if fascinated.
"Hey hey! I got enough of that from Sara!" Harry exclaimed.
"Sara? Who's Sara?" Ron asked, Harry sidestepped out of the way.
"Sara as in Sara." Harry stated, grinning at the tiny eleven year old. "Honorary little sister." He informed, he messed up Sara's hair.
"Hey! Bugger off!" She exclaimed, batting his hand away.
"Sara!" Her parents reprimanded.
"What's bugger mean?" Dawn asked, Harry stifled his laughs.
"Nothing Dawn, just your big sister saying naughty words." Karla told the tiny girl.
"Why?" Dawn persisted.
"Never mind Dawnie." Adam said to his daughter as he picked her up from her pushchair.
"Why?" Dawn asked again, Harry and Sara laughed as Karla sighed.
"This is your fault." She muttered to Sara in a mock angry voice.
"Hey guys, this is Karla, Dawn and Adam. They brought me here this morning and we met in Diagon Alley a little while ago." Harry introduced before Dawn started and wouldn't shut up.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Hermione." Hermione said to them all, she shook Sara and Adam's hands. "That's Ron, Ginny, Prof- I mean Remus, Pr- Moody, Bill, Fred, George (or the other way round), Lauryn and Mr and Mrs Weasley." Hermione told them.
"Oh, we've heard a bit about all of you." Karla stated, "Nothing bad." She added as they looked suspiciously at Harry. "Just-"
"Auntie K?" Someone asked curiously, a pretty girl with black curly hair that bounced around her shoulders with pink curly strips going through it, she wore a pair of muggle jeans under her half fastened cloak of the latest fashion.
"Charlene!" Sara exclaimed, she hugged the confused young woman.
"Why are you here?" Charlene asked.
"I got accepted into Hogwarts! Do you go too?" Sara asked.
"No, she doesn't." Harry said with a confused look on his face, Charlene turned around in shock.
"Harry!" She exclaimed, she flung her arms around his neck and gave him a huge hug, which he returned eagerly.
"Why are you here?" He asked confusedly.
"I'm starting Hogwarts." Charlene said proudly, "I take it that you also go?"
"Yeah, all five years." Harry muttered, he reached out and picked up a pink lock of the girls curly hair.
"Oh, do you like it?" She asked, Harry nodded.
"Suits you." He said with a grin, Charlene blushed and looked down slightly. "You didn't tell me that you'd dyed it again." He added.
"That's because I didn't." Charlene stated, making Harry sport a confused look. "I'm a colourmorphus." She added in explanation.
"A what?" Sara asked incredulously.
"A colourmorphus." Charlene repeated, "It means that I can change the colour of anything about me." She added for Harry's and Sara's sakes. "Watch." She held up her hand so that her polished nails were facing them and closed her eyes in concentration, her nails changed to a light blue colour with little white clouds on them, she held her hand out to Sara, who gasped.
"Wicked!" The little black haired first year exclaimed, Charlene shrugged.
"I'm used to it." She stated with a roll of her eyes, she turned back to Harry and hugged him tightly again. "I thought I'd have to wait until the next family party to see you." She said in his ear, Harry smiled and hugged her back, ignoring his friend's weird looks.
"Oh well, at least we're going to the same school." Harry stated, Charlene gently pulled out of the hug but still held his hand.
"I need to get my things onto the train, I'll be right back." She said softly.
"Let me help you, you can sit with us lot." Harry stated, Charlene glanced at who she thought old enough to be in Hogwarts.
"You sure?" She asked, Harry nodded and levitated her trunk, then tugged on her hand when she didn't walk.
"Come on, we can come back out and talk in a moment." He told her, Charlene nodded and followed him back into the train.
"Since when did Harry have a girlfriend?" Ron asked incredulously.
"I knew they did more than just talk!" Sara exclaimed.
"Sara!" Karla exclaimed.
"What? It's true!" Her eldest daughter retorted.
"She seems nice." Hermione observed.
"Nice? Hermione, she's a model." Ginny said incredulously, "Do you know how famous she is? She probably doesn't even realise that he's Harry Potter!"
"Don't be ridiculous." Hermione stated, "Of course she knows."
"What's so big about Harry?" Sara asked curiously.
"Didn't he tell you about Voldemort?" Hermione asked, noticing the shivers of the Weasley's she rolled her eyes, "Oh Merlin, it's just a name." She stated, Ron shook his head.
"It's a bad name." He stated, Hermione hit his arm lightly with another roll of her eyes.
"Whatever." She muttered.
"Harry told us about Voldemort and that he's evil, he told us about him being banished and then coming back again, but Harry's just like any other guy I know." Sara stated.
"What's all this about me?" Harry asked as he walked over, still holding Charlene's hand.
"Sara doesn't understand why you're famous." Ginny stated, she rolled her eyes.
"Oh. I already explained it to her though." Harry stated, recognition shone in Charlene's eyes.
"Oh Merlin! How did I not remember?" She asked herself, Harry looked confused.
"What?" He asked.
"Your Harry Potter. How did I not realise?" Charlene asked herself again. "Your scar, I saw it and I knew I recognised it but…"
"Charlene, are you sure you're not blond?" Sara asked, Charlene glared at her cousin.
"Ha ha." Charlene muttered sarcastically. "It was a small mistake, I've been in the States for the past year so leave me alone." They were quiet for a minute until Ginny started giggling slightly.
"What're you laughing about?" Ron asked his mental sister.
"Harry and Charlene." She stated with another giggle.
"What about us?" Harry asked with a strange look that he shared with Ron.
"You two are going to be the hottest couple of the wizarding world, world famous model and The-Boy-Who-Lived." Ginny stated.
"Couple?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow. "Are we a 'couple' now Charlene?"
"Well, we could be." Charlene said to him.
"Do you want to be my girlfriend?" Harry asked with an impish grin.
"I don't know, do you want to be my boyfriend?" Charlene asked, mirroring the look, Harry laughed and kissed her on the lips gently.
"Maybe." He replied.
"Then I may want to be your girlfriend." Charlene replied cheekily with a smirk.
"ALL ABOARD!" One of the Conductors shouted, the teens all said goodbye quickly and ran for their compartment, only just reaching the train as it started moving.
They walked up to their normal compartment and entered, it seemed that the two other boys had left Neville in favour of another compartment and the other teen was staring idly out of the window at the scenery passing by.
"Hi Neville." Ginny greeted with a sweet smile as she sat next to him. Hermione and Ron settled down next to Ginny and Harry, Charlene, Sara and the new Weasley girl sat down opposite them.
"Hi, I'm Harry." Harry greeted the unfamiliar red head.
"Lauryn Weasley." She girl stated, "Weasley by name, Weasley by hair." She added, causing the rest to laugh as soon as she had said it.
"Are you a first year too?" Sara asked her, Lauryn nodded. "Cool, I'm Sara White, nice to meet you." She stated.
"Same here." Lauryn replied with a small smile.
Harry slyly slid his arm around Charlene's shoulders and was shocked when she suddenly leaned into him and rested her head on his shoulder. Ron laughed slightly but tried to muffle it.
"So Neville how was your summer?" Hermione asked curiously.
"It was alright, my Gran was right proud of what we did. Says I'm an auror in the making." Neville stated, though the last bit sounded a little bitter.
"What do you want to be when your older Neville?" Ron asked with force.
"A herbologist." Neville muttered embarrassedly.
"Then be that." Ron stated, Hermione was shocked, she had never heard him sound so grown up before.
"What about-"
"Don't worry about your Gran, be what you want to be, not what she wants you to be." Ron demanded, Hermione had realised that he had seemed to grow up a lot over the summer, probably due to what he had seen and been through at the Department of Mysteries. She also realised that they had gotten closer, his arm rested over her shoulders at that precise moment, it was probably reflex for him after the amount of time they had spent together, just comforting each other and talking at the HQ. He seemed so much more mature, and cute, she had to add to herself that she was noticing him more and more now. She blushed slightly at her thoughts and turned back to the conversation on what they wanted to be when they were older.
"So you still want to be an auror Harry?" Ginny asked, Harry nodded an affirmative.
"Of course, I signed up for all of the courses that I need. What about you Ron? What courses have you chosen?" Harry asked his best friend.
"Um… Charms, DADA, Transfig, Herbology, Divination and Charms." Ron replied.
"I thought you wanted to be an auror?" Harry asked, Ron shrugged.
"Didn't have the grades for Potions and when I said that at HQ Snape muttered something like 'Yes! One down two to go.'" Ron informed them, Harry scowled.
"What a prat." He muttered, "What about you Hermione, still going for the career of locking scummers in the cells?" Harry asked, Hermione looked shocked.
"Harry!" Both her and Charlene exclaimed, Harry rolled his eyes as his two dorm mates snickered at him.
"I have the subjects but I don't think I want to be an auror much anymore." Hermione stated, "It's just too dangerous for my liking."
"And being my friend isn't?" Harry asked, again, Hermione shrugged.
"What do you want to be Charlene?" Hermione asked.
"I'm still and always will be a model." Charlene stated, "Though I'm going to try stay closer to home for shows after I've finished here, and I'm also going to get the qualifications to teach." She added.
"Oh? That's good." Hermione stated, Charlene smiled.
"Yeah, it is, I've always wanted to teach in the Magical Mayhem Infants and Juniors." Charlene stated proudly.
"That sounds fun." Hermione said, "I wish I could've gone there myself." She added.
"Yeah, that's the only problem with it." Charlene stated, "The fact that muggleborns can't go sooner."
"Hmm." Hermione murmured.
"It must be a small school." Harry said, "I mean, there's only forty in a year group at Hogwarts, and most of them are muggleborn."
"But there's also the other magical high schools in the UK." Hermione stated.
"More schools than just Hogwarts?" Ron asked, Hermione nodded.
"There are lots scattered around, Hogwarts is just the biggest and most known." She replied.
"Oh." Both Harry and Ron muttered simultaneously.
"Have any idea what you want to be when your older Ginny?" Hermione asked, Ginny shook her head.
"Nope, but something that involves children would be perfect, maybe a children's nurse? Anyways, I haven't a clue what I want to be." Ginny told them.
"I love children, they are so easy to work with." Charlene stated, "That's why I'm going to teach one day."
They sat in a comfortable silence for a little while, just thinking about their own things.
"So what's with Charlie and Tonks?" Harry asked.
"What?" Ginny asked.
"Charlie and Tonks?" Hermione asked, Harry nodded.
"In my vision, Tonks and Charlie were talking about going on a date." He explained, Ron grinned manically.
"I knew he wasn't 'meeting mates' on those nights." The red headed boy stated fervently.
"Oh, so it isn't common knowledge?" Harry asked nervously, Hermione and Ron shook their heads.
"I knew, but only because I walked in on them, Snape knows too." Ginny stated.
"Snape? How did he find out?" Hermione asked incredulously.
"I was teasing Tonks and Charlie when Snape walked in, he looked bloody annoyed." Ginny stated.
"Ginny!" Hermione reprimanded her best friend for her language.
"What?" Ginny asked innocently.
"Your language that's what, it's becoming worse than Ron's." Hermione stated, Ginny shrugged.
"Oh well." She muttered whilst choosing to ignore Hermione's glare. "So… Did everybody have a good summer?"
"You know about ours already." Hermione stated, "What about you Harry?"
"It was okay after I met Sara." The raven-haired teen boy replied. "I got to baby-sit and get away from the Dursley's then."
"That's good then." Hermione muttered.
They sat in a comfortable silence again. That was until the door to their compartment opened.
"Oh look, Potter's found himself some new admirers." Came a sneering voice, they turned to see Malfoy and his two bulky cronies. Malfoy sneered threateningly at Sara and Lauryn.
"Piss off Malfoy." Harry hissed as he detached himself from Charlene and stood up, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville and surprisingly Charlene all followed suit. "Your not wanted here."
"Oh look, a new Weasley." Malfoy sneered, he glanced the small and definitely inheritor of the Weasley Tempered girl who was glaring at him. He then looked back at Sara. "Didn't know you had a sister Potter, are you sure your real parents didn't dump you?"
"You better leave Sara out of this." Harry pratically growled, Malfoy smirked with satisfaction.
"Sara?" He queried, "Oh, this little mudblood." He added evilly. "And what about the little Weasel brat? Oooh, you scare me so." Malfoy taunted.
"We Weasley women may be small, but size is no guarantee of power Malfoy, we could best you in a duel any day." Ginny stated confidently. "Leave now or pay."
"I think I'm perfectly fine here Mudblood-Lover." Malfoy retorted, he was obviously enjoying annoying them, "And it looks as though you have no club to defend you now Potter. Where are they? Did they ditch you like your dear God-Father done?" Malfoy asked innocently.
All of a sudden, bolts of light flew towards Malfoy and his cronies from all directions. After the light died down, the group saw a little white and pink crossbreed like ferret mixed with a mouse and two huge snails with multi-coloured shells.
"Need help?" Seamus asked, stepping over the snails and mouse-ferret.
"Maybe we should make it bounce." Dean suggested, "Wouldn't we all love to relive that moment."
"Yeah, but now it'd be 'Malfoy, the amazing bouncing white and pink ferret-mouse'." Ginny said with a manic grin.
"Oooh, I like the sound of that." Charlene replied with a huge grin.
"What's going on?" Someone asked curiously, a pretty seventh year girl approached, she wore the Head Girl badge on her casual light blue robes. "Argh! What's going on!" She repeated incredulously, looking down at the three strange animals.
"Well, a few spells were fired, Katie." Harry said sheepishly, Katie looked questioningly at him and the others, Harry was rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, Ron and Neville were sniggering, Seamus and Dean were leaning on each other for support from laughing so much, Sara looked a cross between a little worried and wanting to laugh, Charlene was giggling along with Ginny, Hermione was trying to look annoyed and cross but was failing miserably and little Lauryn was laughing and rolling over the floor from her laughter.
"What do you mean by a few spells?" Katie replied with a hint of knowingness in her voice.
"Meet the new Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle." Ron said with a laugh, all of the teens burst out laughing and Katie was attempting to look disapproving, but let a small giggle escape her lips.
"Okay, okay, you realise that I'm going to-" A flash cut the newly appointed head girl off and Colin Creevey appeared with his brother and both had cameras.
"Everyone's going to want this!" Dennis exclaimed excitedly.
"Creevey's!" Katie shouted, "Go! There's nothing to see here!" The two boys scurried off quickly to avoid the young woman's wrath. "Finite incantatem!" Katie said, the three boys assumed they're normal forms.
Malfoy glared at them all.
"You'll pay for that Potter." He sneered before stalking off, his two cronies following dumbly behind.
"That was good." Katie complimented, "I'll see you guys later at the feast, please behave before then." She begged before starting to walk off. "Oh, and Harry." She turned and nodded to the badge that was proudly pinned onto his chest. "Congratulations Captain."
"Congratulations to you too." Harry said before he entered his now more-than-crowded compartment.
"So what did you guys do during the summer?" Harry asked Dean and Seamus.
"We spend our time watching the Quidditch on the wizarding wireless at Dean's house." Seamus told them, Harry looked confused.
"Isn't the wizarding wireless a radio?" He asked.
"Yes, but it also doubles as a television, you press a special button and it'll work." Hermione explained. "Me and the other girls have one in our dorm, they are always watching the fashion updates and music videos." She added with a roll of her eyes.
"Well I've brought mine in, got it for my birthday, but we can watch the Quidditch on it." Dean stated, "I have WWN Plus, has thousands of channels."
"Actually it only has two thousand channels." Charlene stated, Harry looked at her incredulously.
"Some of them are muggle channels, I like watching them on tours sometimes." She defended. "It's better than listening to some of the bitches I have to put up with."
Like your not a bitch. Zodiac said from Harry's wrist. Harry pulled up his sleeve.
Be nice. He warned, Harry could've sworn that Zodiac rolled his eyes.
"Harry, is that a snake?" Hermione asked, she seemed frightened.
"Yeah, meet Zodiac, I found him in Diagon Alley." Harry replied, oblivious to Hermione's sudden fear, surprisingly, Ginny leant over and stroked the snake.
"Hey Zodiac, nice to meet you." She said, Zodiac slithered onto her wrist and the girl giggled as she stroked him.
No problem. Zodiac replied, Harry rolled his eyes. This girl is nice. He added.
"Hey, you should be glad Ron couldn't hear you." Harry stated.
"Oh Harry, don't over exaggerate, he only said I was nice for Merlin's sake." Ginny said with a roll of her eyes; everyone stared wide-eyed at her as she realised her mistake. "Whoops." She muttered.
"What do you mean Ginny?" Ron asked.
"Well…" Ginny trailed off.
"Ginevra Molly Weasley." Ron warned. Ginny muttered something incoherently, "What was that?" Ron asked.
"I can understand snakes." Ginny muttered embarrassedly.
"What? How?" Hermione asked incredulously.
"I don't know!" Ginny exclaimed, "It just happened after my first year in Hogwarts."
"Tom." Harry filled in for her, Ginny nodded.
"I think so." She replied uncertainly. "It's nothing major though, I can't speak parseltounge, I can just understand snakes." Dean's grip around his girlfriend's waist tightened and he stroked Zodiac softly along his back uncertainly.
"That's cool." Dean stated after a moments thought, Ginny smiled up at him and pecked him on the lips before leaning into his shoulder.
"Thanks." She said to them all quietly.
They sat quietly for the rest of the journey, Hermione was reading, Ron still had his arm around her waist loosely and Hermione was leaning into his shoulder as she read, Harry and Ginny shared knowing looks at that; Luna, who had joined them a bit later, was sitting against the window seat reading her edition of the Quibbler with Ginny peering over at the pages when asked to even though she was reading her new copy of 'Teen Witch' which had a picture of Charlene smiling and waving at them from the cover; Ron was playing chess with Seamus, who was being thrashed badly and was still keeping a hold on Ginny like Ron was doing with Hermione; Sara and Lauryn were talking about what they expected Hogwarts to be like after they had given up on asking the older teens who wouldn't tell them how they'd be sorted a little earlier; Neville sat and watched the games of chess; Harry was talking with Zodiac and Ginny giggled every once in a while at what the pair were talking about and joined in quietly as her magazine got stuffed back into her bag. It seemed that Charlene had fallen asleep amidst it all.
"We shall be at Hogsmeade Station soon, please change into your robes." A voice called over the intercom.
Harry woke Charlene up gently and the girls all left to go change into their school robes. The boys quickly changed and went back to their newly inducted chess tournament.
The girls came back about ten minutes later; Harry was shocked when he saw his grinning girlfriend. She was now a dark-tan colour and had her hair put up with two black sticks, her robes differed from the usual style, they had flaring arms and they were tight in all of the right areas, the most surprising change however was the colour of her hair; it was pink. Bubblegum pink like Tonks'.
"Nice hair." Ron said with a smirk that Charlene mirrored.
"I know." She replied, "I wanted to make an impression."
"People will be staring like crazy." Dean stated, he cocked his head to the side, "It'll be funny to see Snape's face though." He added as an after thought. They all laughed at that.
"Well, I was thinking that I might… randomly change it at odd intervals." Charlene stated, "Just have a little fun."
"Can your body just change its colour without you wanting it too?" Hermione asked curiously.
"What do you mean?" Charlene asked.
"Well, can like, say your hair, just change colour on it's own accord?" Hermione rephrased her question to.
"Not that I know of." Charlene stated, "Could happen I suppose."
"Looks like we're stopping." Ron observed. "Can't wait to see the new DADA teacher."
"Me neither." Dean agreed as the train stopped completely.
"It'll be funny to see what sort of jerk we have teaching us this year." Harry added.
"It could be someone like Remus." Hermione stated.
"I damn well hope it is." Ginny said, Hermione shot a glare at the younger girl, who pretended to hide behind Dean. "Don't hurt me." She begged mockingly, they all laughed and carried on walking.
"Firs' years! Firs' years ove' 'ere!" They heard Hagrid's shout, Harry grinned and made his way over.
"Hi Hagrid!" Harry exclaimed, Hagrid grinned down at the group of friends and hugged Harry in a death grip.
"Hullo Harry!" Hagrid exclaimed. "Loo' Harry, I'm sorry 'bout Sirius, he was a good man." Harry looked down slightly.
"Thanks Hagrid." He replied, they were quiet for a moment.
"Umm, Hagrid, would you be needing to take Charlene across the lake too?" Hermione asked,
"Um, sure." Hagrid replied, his gaze fell to the now violet haired and deeply tanned girl, who had changed yet again. "I think you're goin' ta give Tonks a run fer her money with that hair." He added with a grin to calm the nervous teen. Those who had met Tonks laughed.
"See you later Charlene." They all said, walking away. Harry pecked her on the lips and gave her a smile before leaving.
The thestrals didn't seem to scare him as much as they had the year before; Harry smiled and reached out to pat the one closest to him awkwardly then got into the carriage and let it take them up to the school.
The group split up to their correct tables (namely Luna who moved to the Ravenclaw table) and sat down, waiting for the sorting to begin.
"Hey, that woman must be the new defence teacher." Dean whispered to them, they all turned to see the pretty, well; the boys thought she was very beautiful for her apparent age, light brown (nearly blond) haired woman. Her hair was half pulled up, the top was in a ponytail and the rest flowed beneath it. She wore robes of a dark blue colour, almost sapphire and she was talking animatedly with Snape.
"She's very pretty." Hermione commented.
"But she's talking to Snape." Seamus added, they all turned away from her at that comment.
"Hey look, the first years." Ginny informed them with a nod at the line of new students. Charlene was walking up front next to McGonnagal, who seemed very disapproving of her violet hair, which was now dark purple on the bottom. The teen girls started gasping at Charlene, realising who she was and the teen guys goggled at her and started telling their friends of their proud collection of posters on her. Harry glared at every one of those guys, including a few Gryffindor's in the year above.
The Sorting Hat was placed onto the stool and shocked the first years as it started singing, even Charlene looked shocked.
"When I was new, those years ago,
This school had not so much to show.
Four houses united, never apart,
The same intent deep in their heart.
Gryffindor stood tall and proud,
For our most noble and loud,
They have daring, nerve and are brave at heart.
Or you might belong where great minds are, unafraid of toil
Where those with the patience stay,
Sweet Hufflepuff so loyal.
Or lets not forget dear Ravenclaw,
The smartest minds of them all,
For those who love to read and learn,
With others like their kind.
And finally old Slytherin,
Where the sly and cunning reside,
These sly ones never hide.
So try me on, don't be afraid,
I'll choose your perfect home,
For I'm never wrong and I'm always right,
Put me on now, I promise I don't bite!"
The song finished and everyone clapped slightly.
"When I call your name, please come and place the Hat on your head." McGonnagal said to the first years. "Amling, Amber."
A small girl with a tiny blond ponytail in her hair nervously stepped forward. After the Hat was on her head for a few seconds, it called "GRYFFINDOR!", Harry and his friends burst into applause.
Harry zoned out for a while, clapping when somebody new came into Gryffindor, at least until "Weasley, Lauryn." was called. Harry watched as Lauryn nervously approached the stool. She sat down and nearly immediately, the Hat called "GRYFFINDOR!". Lauryn smiled with relief and skipped down to the table, taking a seat with her fellow first years.
"White, Sara." Was called straight after Lauryn and Harry held his crossed fingers up to show Sara. The young girl smiled and nervously waved to him before setting the Hat on her head.
After what seemed like forever for Sara, the Hat screamed "GRYFFINDOR!", Harry stood and started whooping, making his surrogate little sister blush profusely as she sat down next to Lauryn.
As they finished with "Zanzibar, Mahesh." Going into Slytherin, Dumbledore stood from his seat.
"I'd like to announce that this year, a new student shall be joining our sixth years." He said, chatter filled the hall once again and Charlene looked to the floor to avoid the stares. "Her name is Charlene Therney and I hope you welcome her like any other new student." Dumbledore sat down and McGonnagal indicated for Charlene to sit on the stall.
Even though she was bigger than the first years, the hat still fell over her eyes. A few moments later, it shouted her new house.
"GRYFFINDOR!" The Gryffindor table went up in cheers and huge applause. Harry grinned as Charlene strode over and pecked him on the lips before sitting down with them all. A shocked silence hit the hall and was only broken by Dumbledore standing back up to talk to them all.
"Welcome back to a new year of Hogwarts!" Dumbledore exclaimed, "Now, as this isn't the time for our annual speech, Stuff yourselves full!" He clapped his hands as the food appeared on the table, shocking each of the first years, including Charlene.
"So, glad you're in Gryffindor?" Ron asked her, Charlene nodded.
"Couldn't be happier." She replied happily. They sat in silence for a moment.
"I can't wait until Quidditch practice." Ron stated, Hermione rolled her eyes.
"That's all you ever talk about." She muttered, though Ron, who sat right next to her, shook his head.
"It's not." He stated, "I talk about food too." They all laughed happily with that comment.
"I don't see the big deal with Quidditch." Charlene stated, she put some more roast potatoes in her mouth and swallowed them before carrying on, "When I do see games I find them quite annoying. The only thing I like is the exciting atmosphere."
"I'm like that too but the guys don't understand." Hermione told her new friend, glad that someone shared her opinions on Quidditch for a change. "Neither does Ginny."
"Hey! I'm a chaser, I'm meant to think like that." The redheaded girl explained tartly.
"Oh, you play on the team?" Charlene asked, Ginny shook her head slightly.
"I was Harry's replacement seeker last year after he was banned from Quidditch." Ginny explained. "He plays seeker. But I'm going to try out for chaser this year, I find it so much easier and there's two spots on the team for chasers."
"Banned from Quidditch? But I thought you are Captain of your team? That's what I thought your badge meant." Charlene said to Harry.
"I was banned for life by this ridiculous teacher last year, but obviously that's been lifted." He replied happily. "I didn't have any idea of how I would be able to sit and watch games for the rest of my life without joining in."
"Well…" Hermione muttered. "What classes are you taking then Charlene?" Harry and Ron rolled their eyes but Charlene started to have a conversation with Hermione about the advantages of her classes for her dream job.
A little while later, Dumbledore stood from his position at the Head Table, Harry glared at the wizened old man.
"Well, welcome back to a new year at Hogwarts." Dumbledore started. "I realise that some students have left our school in favour of other smaller schools due to the public return of Voldemort." Gasps and shivers swept across the Hall but Dumbledore ignored it. "Anyway, for the usual start of term notices, I'd like you all to remember that the Forbidden Forest is out of bonds to all students in these dark times and that includes any students who happen to own magical artefacts that they think lets them get away with things." Dumbledore glanced briefly at the smirking fifth (Ginny) and sixth year Gryffindors. "Mr Filch the caretaker has also asked me to remind you that magic is not permitted in the corridors between classes and nor are a number of items, the names of which you can see posted on his office door and that also includes every Weasley Wizarding Wheezes product." A collective groan rippled throughout the Great Hall at that remark.
"Now, there is a change in staffing this year, like with every other year." Most of the elder students and staff laughed at this, "I would like to introduce Professor Alston to you all and she shall be teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts." A round of polite applause filled the hall as the beautiful woman from before stood and waved to them all.
Dumbledore continued, "Tryouts for the Quidditch house teams shall be held as soon as your team captains arrange for them but they shall be held before the third week of term in preparation for the first game of the year.
"With that said, I'd like prefects to direct younger students to their dorms. Goodnight." Dumbledore sat back down and Hermione, Ron and Ginny went to work with sending the younger students to the dorms, Ginny had been made the third Weasley prefect earlier that summer.
"We should get going." Harry said, his dorm mates nodded and the sixth years headed up to their dorms together. Charlene tried to remember her way as they went along, though soon got confused.
"Fiddlesticks." Harry said to the portrait of the resident Fat Lady in the pink dress. She opened her portrait and let them in.
"How did you know that?" Dean asked incredulously.
"Ron told me." Harry replied. "I'm going to head up."
"We will too." Neville stated, Dean collapsed onto a sofa as Seamus, Harry and Neville headed for the stairs.
"Aren't you coming up?" Seamus asked, Dean shook his head.
"Waiting for Ginny." He replied.
"Where are my dorms?" Charlene asked timidly, Harry turned back to her.
"Oh, they're up those stairs somewhere." He replied, "Wait a sec." He approached Lavender and Parvati who were at the foot of the girls' stairs. "Can you do me favour and take Charlene up to your dorms?" He asked.
"Sure." Lavender replied, Parvati giggled and took Charlene's wrist, dragging her up the stairs.
"Night Harry!" His girlfriend called.
"Night." Harry called back before heading up his own staircase. He went to his dorm and quickly changed before collapsing into his warm, burgundy bed.
Wow, longest chapter I've ever done! Even on these pre-written stories I'm testing out! What an achievement! Thirteen pages! Six thousand eight hundred and ninety-two words!