Chapter Eight

Return to Hogwarts

The next weeks went by quickly and they had their supplies--thanks to the members of the Order. Harry spent his time polishing his wand. Ron has been using Harry's broom polishing kit on his broom, a Comet Two Ninety. Hermione on the other hand was reading her new course books, as usual.

Finally it was the day they leave for Hogwarts, and Mr. Weasley got the Ministry to lend them some cars to take them to King's Cross. The members of the Order had done a better job of dressing themselves as Muggles. The drivers and the Order help the three of them take their trunks into the trunk of the cars. They were wearing suits that made them look like butlers. Harry, carrying Hedwig in her cage, was closely flanked by Lupin and "Mad-Eye" Moody. Ron, carrying Pig in his cage, and Hermione, carrying Crookshanks in his cage, and Ginny were closely flanked by Tonks and Mrs. Weasley. Harry and Ron followed by their "bodyguards" got into the first car; while Hermione and Ginny got into the second car with their "bodyguards." They made their way to the train station rather quickly since the Ministry's cars can make it through narrow alleys with ease unlike the cars Muggles drove.

They made it there with twenty minutes until the train leaves for Hogwarts. The Ministry drivers went to get trolleys for their trunks and tipped their hats to them and left the station. The station was rather busy and it was difficult to push their way through. After spending near five minutes to make it to where the passageway that will lead them to their platform, Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.

"Okay Harry, you first," Lupin said to Harry.

Harry, flanked by Lupin and "Mad-Eye" Moody, made their way toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten. The way to the platform is to go toward the barrier without stopping. Since the gateway is invisible to Muggle eyes, they don't even glance at it. Harry made it through the barrier and arrived at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. A scarlet train engine leads the train awaiting the departure for Hogwarts. Harry made his way toward an empty compartment and Lupin and "Mad-Eye" Moody lifted his trunk into the compartment. As "Mad-Eye" Moody helped Lupin put the trunk into the compartment, his big blue eyes was scanning the surroundings behind his back. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny had already made their way through the barrier and made their way toward Harry. Ginny had made her way toward another compartment where some of her friends from her year were riding in. Ron and Hermione had help with their trunks into the compartment, and put their cages into the compartment along with Hedwig's cage. They were greeted by fellow students in their year. They were first greeted by Neville Longbottom, a round faced boy, who this past June had his wand broken while in the Department of Mysteries and was forgetful, shared Harry and Ron's dormitory. They were then greeted by Seamus Finnigan, a sandy-haired whom also shared the dormitory with Harry and Ron, shook Harry's and apologized to Harry for ever doubting for believing him that the Dark Lord was back. Many other students, who were members of the D.A., greeted Harry with a hand shake.

The train engine sounded its horn singling its departure. They all bid good-bye to the Order and boarded the train as the compartment doors were shut. "Harry, we need to leave and we will be back soon," Hermione said. Harry nodded and they left leaving Harry alone. Ron and Hermione were both prefects of their house, Gryffindor. Harry shut the door after they left; he let out Crookshanks (since he was pawing at the latch of his cage) and looked out the window as the scenery passed as Crookshanks curled up in the seat opposite of him. He then put one of Ron's old school robes on Pig's cage to muffle out his hoots.

Ron and Hermione had been gone for some time, and had not returned. A smiling, dimpled woman with the cart full of candy arrived. Harry bought two full boxes of Chocolate Frogs, half a dozen Cauldron Cakes and Pumpkin Pasties, and began eating a Cauldron Cake.

Just as Harry was about to unwrap the Cauldron Cake, Ron and Hermione returned to the compartment. Ron took and opened a Chocolate Frog, Hermione took a Cauldron Cake. They began eating their sweets; then the compartment door opened. It was Draco Malfoy and his cronies, a blonde haired boy who Harry always hated since he first attended Hogwarts. Malfoy comes from a wizard family who takes pride in being pure blood and thinks that Hogwarts should be kept to pure blood families and leave out Muggle-born.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Potty, Weasel, and the Mudblood," he sneered and Crabbe and Goyle guffawed. Harry and Ron both quickly stood up to face Malfoy while Crookshanks gave out a strong hiss with his fur standing on its end.

"Watch your manners Potter or you won't live long since the Dark Lord is back."

"I am still standing. Are you afraid to say the Dark Lord's name? How's your father doing Malfoy? I heard he is in Azkaban."

"You and your little friends will pay for putting him there and he will be out before you know it, Potter."

"Malfoy, do you want to end up like last year, like slugs?"

Malfoy looked at Harry with a sneer and left. Crabbe and Goyle followed but Pansy Parkinson looked at Harry with a nasty look then left. After they left, Ron closed the door and sat back down by Harry and Harry gave out a huge sigh.

"Next time he calls me 'Weasel,' I am going to curse him," Ron said trying to calm down.

"Ron, he will just get you detention, and he will try to get Harry into more trouble," Hermione told Ron.

Ron still in a foul mood after Malfoy left and he took a Chocolate Frog and began to eat it. Hermione took a book from her trunk and began reading it, while Ron was busy eating more Chocolate Frogs. Harry ate some more Cauldron Cake. The sky began to turn dark and it began to rain. Harry and Ron stepped outside the compartment to allow Hermione to change into her robes, and she did the same for Harry and Ron as they changed.

The train slowed to a stop and Hermione made sure that Crookshanks was in his cage. Harry and Hermione put their books back in their trunks. They each made their way outside leaving their trunks and cages in the compartment and into the torrential downpour.

"Firs' years! Firs' years!"

Harry heard a very familiar voice. It was Hagrid, the groundskeeper and professor of Care of Magical Creatures, beckoning the First Years toward him, but was very difficult to see him since the rain obstructed his vision.

"Let's go Harry, or you will catch a cold," Hermione told Harry and he followed her and Ron toward the horseless carriages, but they were not horseless to Harry.

They were strange, skeletal creatures called thestrals. They are only seen by those who have seen death; in Harry's case, Cedric Diggory's death at the hands of Lord Voldemort. Harry, although scared at first, was not scared at all now. The door closed and the carriages began to move. The carriages passed the winged boar statues that flanked the gates that lead to Hogwarts, and then stopped at the steps that lead to the doors of Hogwarts. The doors of the carriage opened and they made a run out of the carriage and into the school.

They made their way toward the Great Hall for the Sorting Ceremony. The Great Hall featured four long tables where the students sat with their House, a High Table where the teachers sat, and a ceiling that is bewitched to look like the sky outside. Harry, Ron, and Hermione made their way toward the Gryffindor Table. Each of the tables had golden plates, utensils, and goblets.

Harry could see at the center of the High Table Professor Dumbledore. He also could see his least favorite teacher, Professor Snape, a greasy haired and hook-nosed teacher, who hated Harry since he seen him. Professor Snape hates Harry, because Sirius Black, a friend of Harry's father, James, played an amusing joke on him that resulted in James saving Professor Snape from certain death.

The doors at the back to the room opened, the first years, soaked and scared, lead by Professor McGonagall; a stern looking woman with her hair tied in a tight bun and had square shaped spectacles, entered the room and made their way toward the High Table. She left them and the room, and came back with a three-legged stool and an old looking wizard's hat. She placed the stool down and put the hat on the stool. The room fell silent as everyone's attention was focused onto the hat. A rip near the brim opened and it began to sing:

For centuries I have sorted thee,

Into the House where thee belonged.

I have seen many things,

For I am the Hogwarts' Sorting Hat,

And there is nothing you can hide in your head,

That I cannot see.

I will tell thee,

Where you ought to be,

If thee put me on.

You maybe chivalrous,

Those who are daring at heart,

Make Gryffindor the bravest of them all.

You maybe truthful,

Those who are faithful,

Make Hufflepuff the loyalist of them all.

You may have a ready mind,

Those who are willing to learn,

Make Ravenclaw the wisest of them all.

You can make your real friends,

To achieve your goals to any end,

Make Slytherin the most cunning of them all.

So put me on!

I will tell thee,

Where thee ought to be!

The Great Hall erupted into applause as Professor McGonagall unrolled a roll of parchment. "As I call your name," she announced to the scared first years, "you will put on the Sorting Hat and go sit with your House after you are sorted. Anderson, Amelia!"

A girl with pigtails approached the stool where the Sorting Hat sat and put it on. "HUFFLEPUFF!" The Hufflepuff table erupted with cheers as Amelia joined them.

"Boot, Jessica!" a girl with a ponytail approached the stool. "RAVENCLAW!"

"Did I miss anything?" a voice said. It was a ghost rising from the empty chair across from Harry. He was purely-white, and slightly transparent. He had long curly hair, and had a tunic with a ruff. It was Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, or more commonly known as Nearly Headless Nick. He is also the ghost that resides in the Gryffindor Tower.

"Hello Nick," Harry said to him as "Camp, Jonathon!" was being sorted into Slytherin. "You didn't miss much."

"Good, I don't hope I didn't miss any new Gryffindors," Sir Nicholas said as "Dickerson, Amanda!" became the first Gryffindor and the Gryffindor Table erupted into applause.

"Erickson, Doug!" a black boy with dreadlocks approached the stool. "RAVENCLAW!" the Sorting Hat shouted.

As the Sorting Hat filtered out the remaining students leaving fewer and fewer students. The Sorting Ceremony ended and Professor took the stool and the Sorting Hat away. Professor Dumbledore rose up and the room fell silent. "Welcome, to another year at Hogwarts! I have some announcements to make, but they can wait until we have been well fed and watered." The room erupted into applause as Professor Dumbledore sat down. Food of all kinds appeared by magic and Harry filled his plate and began eating. After everyone ate as much they could; the remains of the food vanished leaving them clean as before. The desserts were served and some of the students told about their families.

After everyone ate their fill of desserts, Professor Dumbledore stood up. "Since we are well filled and watered; I have some announcements to make. First of all, no magic is to be use in the corridors at any time. Second, the Forbidden Forest is off limits to all students. Last of all, there will be Aurors stationed at all times around the school grounds and will stop anyone from leaving the grounds without permission. Off you all go to your towers for some nice earned rest."

Harry stood up as Ron and Hermione called for the first years of Gryffindor to follow them. Harry's mind has wandered elsewhere as he left the Great Hall and climbed up a flight of stairs. Who is the new Defense Against the Dark Arts? Since he had been through five professors. One died, the next lost his memory, one left, another had been lock in his trunk for ten months, and the last was chased out of the school by the school's poltergeist, Peeves. Harry was already climbing up the flight of stairs that took him up to the towers. The stairs of Hogwarts moved and changed position; not caring who was on the flight of stairs at the time. Why are there Aurors stationed around Hogwarts? Harry had heard form Hagrid that Hogwarts was the safest place to be at any given time of danger. Harry had made his way to the picture of the Fat Lady that would take him into the Gryffindor Tower.

"Password?" she asked.

Harry had not even been given the password, and then he heard footsteps behind him. It was Neville Longbottom, breathing hard as he made it up the stairs.

"You don't know the password?" he asked.

"I wasn't given it," Harry answered.

"It's 'aconite,'" Neville said and the Fat Lady opened up the gateway into the Gryffindor Tower.

Harry could only silently laugh and shake his head as he followed Neville into the Tower. Neville had trouble remembering passwords; unless it was something he can remember, such as terms from Herbology. Harry made his way up towards his dorm that he shared with Neville and entered the room. Harry could tell that he and Neville were the first ones there. He changed into his pajamas and got into his four-post bed and pulled the red, velvet curtains around his bed and fell into a dreamless sleep.