A/N- This one is a bit short but that's because I wanted to stop it here and start the next one at a good spot. That and I have horrendous writers black.. Ugh….
Disclaimer: I own nothing save my poor attempt at copying J.K. Rowlings world of Harry Potter.
Chapter 4
Harry found himself a compartment, with only Neville as company. Ginny had been made a Gryffindor Prefect along with Ron and Hermione, so they were up in the Prefects car getting instructions. Harry and Neville talked about their summer vacations. Neville's had been spent with his grandmother, as usual, but this time, they'd spent the summer talking to people about Voldemort and some basic precautions people could take against him.
Neville had been told all about Dudley before. He laughed as heartily as anyone else had. Then he asked about the one thing Harry could worry about. Quidditch. He'd been given a life long ban by last year's DADA teacher and had heard nothing about it being lifted. He also had to worry about whether Gryffindor could replace the players lost to graduation.
Neville surprised him again. "Think I'm going to try out for Beater this year. I mean we need them, right? Them and Chasers."
Harry nodded. "Need two of 'em. Both Angelina and Katie are gone. Ginny I know wanted to be one. Don't know who we might get for another."
That conversation raised a great debate as they thought of who might or might not be trying out for the position. They both agreed Ginny would get one spot and that Alicia would probably be Team Captain. Having been on the team the longest she would be the best bet to get the position.
Next they wondered who the new Head Boy and Girl might be. Neither had any idea on those positions and soon ran out of thoughts to argue over. The trolley came and went, and still no sign of the two Weasleys and Hermione. Finally Ron, Hermione and Ginny came back. All three plopped into seats, none looking very happy about things.
"Malfoy's here," Ron said, looking disgusted. "Looks right pleased with himself too. Nothing I'd like better than to wipe that smirk off his face."
"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed, trying to look stern. "You're a Prefect! You can't do that." She, Ron and Ginny dissolved into laughter, Neville and Harry joining in.
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The train rolled into Hogwarts, steam billowing and brakes squealing. The Gryffindors all descended from the train, waving at Hagrid. Hagrid waved back, holding up his lantern. "Firs' years over here! Firs' years follow me. This way to the boats." Harry smiled, glad to see him and followed the others to the waiting carriages. He spared a pat for the thestral in the traces of the carriage and climbed in, quickly joined by his friends.
The castle was quickly gained and all of them went into the Great Hall, looking up at the staff table. There, Heather Stone sat, looking completely different from what she had when she'd been with them over the summer. Instead of her Muggle jeans and t-shirts, now she wore robes of such a deep midnight blue, that they looked almost black. Her hair instead of being untidy and falling gently around her shoulders, was held back in a tight French braid. She was seated between Dumbledore and tiny Professor Flitwick, with whom she was smiling and talking with. She looked down and locked eyes with Harry, barely dropping one into a wink. Her attention went right back to Flitwick, her smile genuine.
Hagrid slipped into his place, telling all in the hall that the first years had crossed the lake and would be coming in shortly. Sure enough, Hagrid hadn't settled into his seat when the doors opened gently and in strode Professor McGonagall, a large batch of frightened first years walking slowly behind her.
Harry watched them, all looking wide-eyed and frightened to be here. Had he ever been so young? Could he have ever been?
McGonagall set the stool and the battered Sorting hat down, waiting for the first years to quiet. The entire hall was silent, waiting for the hat to begin its song. What would it say this year? Last year it had spoken of peace between Houses and unity, giving warning to them all. Now they wondered what would it say now?
The slit in the brim parted and it began to sing.
Come to me now,
Wizards that you be,
War is soon come,
With pain on its heels.
Now is the time,
For you to heed,
My strange little ditty.
For Gryffindor's house,
Is where I put those,
With courage strong.
To Ravenclaw go
Those with minds sharpest.
To Hufflepuff, for love of us all,
Go those whose hearts are
largest.
Slytherin gets those who see
The best road to power.
So though I divide you
And times are hard,
Stand together,
O, heed my plea.
Now come one,
Wizards all,
For me to see,
Where you should be!
Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at each other as the first one " Ambers, Gerald!" ascended to be sorted into Hufflepuff. As the names continued to be called, they discussed the song. "War soon comes? Pretty clear meaning there!" Hermione hissed to the other two. Both boys nodded grimly.
They continued whispering, clapping absently as people were added to their own house. Finally with one last name, "Zacharas, Marely!" and a shout of "Gryffindor!" Dumbledore climbed to his feet and held up his hands for silence. It fell quickly. "We are here to eat not to speak so enjoy." As was their want, the tables filled with all sorts of delights.
The three sixth years wasted no time in digging in. Sir Nicholas was sitting next to Neville, looking longingly at the array of food. "Well, doesn't get much plainer than that, does it?" Hermione asked, slicing a pork chop. "Last year, it spoke of unity. This year it was very blunt."
Ron nodded around a mouthful of food. Harry picked at his food and sighed. "Doesn't much matter, does it? I mean, even Fudge has admitted he's back. The Daily Prophet's been writing about it all summer. You'd have to be blind not to have seen it."
"Or Muggle-born and a first year." Hermione pointed out. "Not like the news would have anything about him on." Harry nodded, remembering that he had tried to listen to the Muggle news himself for news of the wizarding world, just the summer before. "Those are going to be the ones we need to talk to most." Harry looked at her startled and Ron looked just as surprised.
"We?" Ron asked, gulping down his mouthful. "What do you mean, we?"
Hermione dropped her voice and leaned over the table towards both boys. "Well, Professor Stone is nice and all, but do we know that she'll be a good teacher? I think we need to plan on still having D.A. at least for now."
Harry's mouth almost fell open. She had acted like she'd liked Professor Stone the whole time they'd been at Grimmauld place. Granted, they didn't know what kind of teacher she was but she had to be better than Umbridge! Then again, Professor Binns, as a ghost, was better than Umbridge had been.
They were about to find out, however. Dumbledore stood once more and raised his hands for silence. The hall fell silent and everyone waited for him to speak. "First a few start of term notices. The caretaker, Mr. Filch has informed me that the list of banned substances has grown to the number of five hundred and forty two. A complete list is available in his office should anyone want to see it. Secondly, all students should note, that the Forbidden Forest is just that forbidden and therefore off limits to all students, as some of our older students should know." The trio shared grins, while carefully not looking at the staff table. "Next, Quidditch tryouts will be in one week and all players, past and present should see their Heads of House before then. Finally, I would like to introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, Professor Stone. Well, as that seems to be all I care to speak of, off to bed with all of you and good night."
Everyone stood and filed out to their common rooms. Hermione walked with Ginny, Ron and Harry, deep in thought. "Did you notice? Not once did he mention what the Hat said." She asked them in a whisper. "Not once. Wonder what that could mean?"
Ron thought for a moment. "Could be he didn't want to draw attention to it. I mean look. Crabbe, Goyle and Malfoy are all still here, while their parents are in Azkaban. May be he don't want to make it harder for them."
"Ron!" Hermione was shocked. "That's brilliant!" The tips of Ron's ears turned almost as red as his hair.
Harry didn't really care. As long as the Slytherins left him alone, he was quite happy. He was more interested in the Quidditch announcement. "What do you suppose the Quidditch bit was about?" He asked them both as they trudged up the stairs, toward Gryffindor tower.
"Pretty clear, really." Ginny said speaking up for the first time. "Dumbledore wants you back as Gryffindor Seeker. Best way to do that is make a school wide announcement, but not single you out. Notice he said 'past and present'? You're the only past player who's not present. See?"
Harry nodded. Put like that, he did see. It also made him feel a bit better. With Quidditch to look forward to, he could probably survive the year.
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Next morning he wasn't so sure. Schedules were handed out and he swore that someone hated him. Double Potions, double History of Magic, followed by Astronomy and Herbology. The last two weren't too bad except that Potions and Astronomy were both with the Slytherins. Unfortunately, they didn't have Defense against the Dark Arts until Wednesday. Two entire days away. Harry didn't know how he was going to survive his curiosity until then.
When he, Ron and Hermione got to the dungeons for Potions, he found out. Snape slammed his way into the dungeon as was his wont. The door slammed behind him as he swept to the front of the room, his robes billowing out behind him. "So, you all have managed, somehow, to pass into NEWT level Potions." He sneered in Harry's direction. Harry, so used to it, never batted an eye. "This means that all of you must have achieved an 'E' on your OWLs." Again the sneer is directed at Harry. Again, he ignores it.
"Now, as you all have found a way to pass, we shall begin."
The following ninety minutes was pure torture. Snape gave them no rest, pushing them all to the end of class, and then assigning twelve inches of parchment on the uses of tirmagon root in the Anti-Nausea Potion they were brewing. It was a complicated potion despite the rather common problem it cured. Once they had all stoppered their vials of the potion so that it could be examined by Professor Snape, they tidied up and left the dungeon.
"Nice to know he's much more pleasant this year eh?" Ron said sarcastically, as they climbed the stairs to History of magic.
Harry snorted. "Yeah, so nice to see his temper has improved toward me."
Hermione even agreed. "Though I don't know why we thought he'd be any different. He's always hated you, Harry. And as I said before we left, everytime we've suspected him, we've been wrong. I say we just do the best we can and try to stay out of his eye."
Both boys exchanged dubious looks but shrugged as they sat down for double History of Magic.
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A/N- Yes I am horrifically blocked. Sorry.. Even my ML fics are set aside for now.. May go back and begin an original again. Got something floating at the edges of my brain. So yeah.. R&R
One quick note.. Thanks to Shahanna (again) and Tk. DuVeraun (again as well) for their help with the Sorting Hat song. Thanks ladies.