Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter concept or characters, however the plot and a few of the characters are mine. Just don't claim anything and we wont have to worry about what's whose.
Author's Note: This is my first attempt at a fan-fic in all honesty. I know this first chapter is slightly boring, slow (It was that way to write it too!), and uneventful, but it will pick up in the next chapter. It will pick up a lot. I promise!
Chapter 1
Harry's eyes darted excitedly toward the first few shops at the entrance of Diagon Alley. Stepping into the alley from the archway leading from the Leaky Cauldron, the lanky sixteen-year-old's face had exhilarated emotion plastered all over it. It was quite apparent that he was thrilled to be in the wizarding world again. That was a plausible assumption after what was certainly nothing less than the summer vacation from hell.
The trip from the Dursley's house to London was enough to categorize as hell in itself. Dudley complained of not having enough air in the car, though he was the one who filled the small vehicle's atmosphere with cigarette smoke, and did not have the common courtesy to roll down the window. Aunt Petunia tried to coax him into it, especially since she didn't approve of this unhealthy healthy habit, but he would not give in. It was a useless attempt really, because the horse-faced woman lacked the courage to put her foot down to her pig-faced son.
Once Harry escaped from the torture of the ride, he got himself a room at the Leaky Cauldron, then immediately out to Diagon Alley he went. As he strolled down the street, he ogled potential birthday gifts, wondering what Ron and Hermione would get him. He made his way through the crowded street toward the Gringotts Bank, as that was his intended destination when he departed from his room at the Leaky Cauldron.
In the bank, Harry withdrew enough money from the small fortune left by his parents to pay for his room, school supplies, and anything else he might want. The aforementioned want this time happened to be a box of a dozen chocolate frogs he purchased on his walk back in the direction of the Leaky Cauldron. As he passed the pet store though, he stopped to buy a bag of Hedwig's favorite brand of owl food, along with a handful of pinky mice which acted as treats for her.
Harry arrived back at his room, arms full of packages of treats for himself and Hedwig. In his room, along the wall left of the door was his queen-sized four-poster bed, complete with his trunk at the foot. Hedwig's cage stood empty atop it, causing Harry to look up in search of his snowy owl, just as she fluttered down from the rafters to perch upon his shoulder. On the wall parallel to the door, there was a simple window, curtains drawn back to let in the afternoon sunlight. Under the window was a desk, upon which sat a quill and ink vial, as usual. Now, however, there appeared to be something else there as well.
Harry set his packages on the bed, then half-stepped, half-leaped over to the desk. There it sat. To Harry, it was the most beautiful thing in the world: His Hogwart's letter.
The excited teen ripped open the envelope and removed two pieces of parchment. He quickly unfolded them and read to himself:
Dear Mr. Potter,
We are pleased to welcome you to your sixth year at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We are also pleased to announce that there will be a new contest beginning this year for a foreign exchange student program with the Salem Institute of Magic in America. Professor Dumbledore will explain in detail the elements of this contest at the Sorting Ceremony.
Also, included in this letter is a list of school supplies needed for the next year. We look forward to seeing you on September 1st.
Sincerely,
Professor M. McGonagall
Harry skimmed quickly over the list, hoping he had gotten enough money out of the bank to cover everything.
A loud knock came from the door making Harry jump and whirl around. Then, a familiar voice came, "Harry! Are you in there?"
A grin claimed Harry's formerly startled face as he shoved the list in his pocket and left the rest of the letter on the desk. The long-legged boy crossed the room in four steps and opened the door.
"Ron!" He said in the face of his red-haired best friend, who grinned to the same degree.
"Hiya Harry! Get your letter yet?" Ron asked enthusiastically.
"Yeah, I just read it. What's with that contest, eh?" Harry stepped back to let him in.
"It sounds like it would be fun, but I'd never get picked. Are you going to enter?" Ron asked.
"I doubt it. I'd rather be at Hogwarts with you and Hermione than at a school full of foreign people that I don't know but certainly know me," Harry chuckled. Ron looked slightly relieved.
"Oh," Ron perked up as he remembered something, "would you mind if I stayed in here with you tonight? I don't want mum and dad paying for another room for just me." Ron's ears went slightly pink. It was apparent that his family's money issues embarrassed him a little.
"Not at all," Harry replied. He felt guilty because the Weasleys were such nice people but did not have a lot of money, and Harry had a lot of money and nothing to do with it. "Is Hermione rooming with Ginny?"
"Yeah. Hermione stayed with us for the past week. You can imagine what fun that was," Ron's tone was sarcastic, but it was known among, well, everyone that he had a crush on Hermione. He just hid it well pretending to be annoying with her all the time.
"Let's head out and get our supplies before dinnertime," Harry said, motioning Ron out of the door and shutting it behind himself.
Harry, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, and Mr. and Mrs. Wealsey headed out into Diagon Alley. They all bought their supplies, and Harry's birthday presents. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley bought Harry a canister of wand-preserving polish and Ginny bought him a box of Blott's Every Flavor Bean. Hermione bought him a book, Famous Quidditch Plays, and when neither Hermione nor Mrs. Weasley were looking, Ron ran in a joke shop and bought Harry a handful of dungbombs.
Once the shopping was complete, the six headed back to the Leaky Cauldron for dinner: chicken pot pie and rice pudding. Dinner ended and Harry and Ron went upstairs to their room to pack most of their things before falling asleep. Harry knew that tomorrow would come soon, as would Hogwarts.
The light shone in through the drawn-curtained window when the morning came. Harry awoke and got up, drowsily rubbing the sleepy from his eyes as he stumbles into the washroom to bathe and dress. When finished, the black-haired teen went back into the bedroom to finish packing his things into his trunk, and he put an annoyed Hedwig back into her cage.
Harry gave her a pinky mouse, just as Ron rolled over in bed, snoring loudly. Harry looked at the grandfather clock on the wall to see that it was 8:00. Might as well wake him up for breakfast, Harry thought.
"Ron," He said, shaking his sleeping friend, "It's 8:00. You should get up and finish packing."
"I'm getting up," Ron mumbled into his pillow, only a clump of red hair visible.
"I'm going down to breakfast so don't fall asleep again," Harry said, stepping out the door and closing it behind him.
Downstairs, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley already sat at the large table in the crowded diner of the inn, and Hermione was just sitting down as well.
"Good Morning," Harry greeted them and they returned the greeting. Harry sat down beside Hermione just as four house elves brought out platter of eggs, bacon, toast, sausage, and muffins.
"Are you excited to go back to school, Harry?" Hermione asked him as she filled her plate.
"I always look forward to school. I could live without Snape and Malfoy, but I'm ready for Quidditch," Harry said, buttering a blueberry muffin.
"I think the world could live without Malfoy," Hermione replied.
The chatting at breakfast continued about random things: school, classes, Mr. Weasley's work. Ginny bounded down the stairs a few minutes into breakfast, her bright orange hair tied up in a ponytail.
Breakfast came to a close and Harry hoped that Ron didn't fall back asleep. It was just the moment that he thought of it that he heard the floorboards of the stairs squeak and crack above them. A drowsy-looking Ron appeared at the top of the stairs, hair wild and flying astray. He plopped down in the chair across from Harry.
"Why are you so tired, Ron? We went to bed early." Harry inquired, concerned for his friend.
"I couldn't sleep. That bed was lumpy and uncomfortable," Ron slurred his words as he shoved a piece of bacon into his mouth.
"I was fine," Harry replied. "Maybe you can sleep for a while on the train."
"I was planning on it," The redhead stated. "If I can get that much silence."
"Have you both packed all of your things?" Mr. Weasley asked.
"Yeah, Dad. I'll help you carry them down as soon as I shove some muffins in my pocket."
"Atleast get a bag, Ron, dear," Mrs. Weasley said, tossing a paper bag in his direction.
"That woman's mad," Ron whispered to a standing Harry as his mother walked away.
The three men got all four trunk down to the car from the rooms upstairs without much trouble. Between all the trunks, pets, and people, there was only enough room because of the spacing charm places on it.
Everyone double-checked to make sure nothing was forgotten. When that was verified, all six piled into the car and left for the train station. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley took the front seat, and the four students squeezes into the back: Harry and Ron sat at either side with Hermione and Ginny in the middle.
The trip was droned with the chatter of excitement for the upcoming school year. The three six-years hoped that they'd have some classes together other than Potions, which was by far their most hated class.
When they arrived at the train station, it was crowded with muggles as usual. The group got their things ready on trolleys and went to the area between platforms 9 and 10. All six took their turn running toward the wall. The bricks vanished around them and they stepped out of the wall on the other side, looking straight at the large, red steam engine, donning the name The Hogwarts Express.
They filed in line by the storage compartment to load their trunk and pets. Other students and parents mobbed through the walkway, mumbling "excuse-me"s as they squeezes through tight spots.
"Here, my dears, I made sandwiches for all of you," Mrs. Weasley handed each of them a wrapped up lunch and gave them all hugs as well. Each tanked her and said their goodbyes before boarding the train.
The beginning of the train ride was uneventful and quiet for the most part. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, and Seamus all got a compartment together. Word got around that Dean had brought a wizard's chess board with him and everyone crowded into another compartment to play or watch the game. Ron had fallen asleep prior, and Hermione and Ginny went to watch. Harry Had been reading his new book by the window for quite some time, but finally he got up and stretched his legs, then headed toward the restroom at the end of train car.
Harry returned to the compartment to see Ron still asleep, but the words "My Name Is Weasel" were written across his white t-shirt.
"Ron, what happened to your shirt?" Harry asked, shaking him awake even though he already had a sneaking suspicion.
"Wha?" A half-asleep Ron answered, slightly confused. He looked down at his shirt and growled, "Damn that Malfoy bastard." Face as red as hair, the enraged boy snatched his robed from the over-head luggage basket and stalked off toward the restroom.
Harry sat down to open his book again as he heard the restroom door slam shut and an arrogant cackle come from the other direction. A platinum blond-haired boy of Harry's age appeared at the door of the compartment grinning malevolently.
"Can I help you, Malfoy?" Harry asked with an annoyed sigh.
"How did your friend like his t-shirt?" Malfoy sneered.
"He though it was quite classy, but I thought you preferred ferrets, not weasels," Harry stated matter-of-factly.
Malfoy's sneer turned into a hateful glare as he walked away.
Ron returned and Harry told him what happened. Ron, of course, though it was hilarious, as he did with any insult to Malfoy.
The remainder of the ride was fairly quick, as they were nearing Hogwarts with the incident happened. The trip over the lake was just as quick and uneventful. The excitement was thick enough to cut with a knife, as was the noise.
The Great Hall filled with students, their chatter a drone echoing off the walls as they took their seats at their house tables.
"I hope there aren't many of the first years to sort. I'm starving," Ron said, to Harry, raising his voice to be heard over the noise as they sat down beside each other. Ginny and Hermione sat across the table from them, close enough for Hermione to hear Ron's comment which she rolled her eyes to.
Everyone waited impatiently while the sorting procedure was explained to the first years. Finally, the two huge doors opened and the first years lined in, in double-file lines. They seemed amazed at the ceiling which was enchanted to look like the nice sky. It was the darkest blue, star-filled but moonless.
Harry's eyes darted down to the still filing first-years. They were already crowding at the head of the room, but there seemed to be no end to them. Ron groaned, clutching his stomach as if he were dying.
The sorting had sang its song which Harry paid little attention to and named were finally called.
"Tara Albany," Professor McGonagall called out and a tiny, sandy blond-haired girl stepped out of the crowd looking terrified.
"Ravenclaw!" The Sorting Hat exclaimed happily.
"Matthew Arnel," The professor said next.
"Hufflepuff!" The Sorting Hat cried out.
This process continued for the next hour and a half as a hundred and fifty-six first years were sorted. With each new name, Ron groaned loudly, bent over and holding his stomach. Harry noted that forty-four first years were made Gryffindors.
When the sorting was complete, Dumbledore stood up, "I was going to give the start of term announcements now, but I will wait until after we eat, so as poor Ron Weasley doesn't die of starvation over there." The old wizard grinned and motioned toward the moaning Ron.
"Yes! For the love of all that is good, feed me!" Ron yelled out. Many children laughed, and Harry heard a rude comment about not being able to afford food from a certain Malfoy across the room, but Ron's eyes lit up as the table began to fill with dishes of food. All of the students began filling their plates and chatting excitedly about the start of term. Hermione ate quickly so she had time to go down to each of the first years and introduce herself as one of the prefects. Most seemed timid, but there were a few brave souls in the first year crowd.
When everyone was nearly through eating, Dumbledore stood and tinked his goblet to hush the crowd. "Another year full of wonder and knowledge has come to us. I do have a few announcements to make. Firstly, your schedules for the new school year will be delivered to your dormitory in the morning. Please also note, first years, that extra parchment, ink, and quills are for sale in the library if you are to run out.
"Secondly, I'm sure many people have heard about the new contest Hogwarts is starting in an alliance with America. Students can enter into this contest nearly anything -- a fictional story, a nonfiction report, an original potion or charm; the possibilities are endless. The deadline for this contest is Friday, October 14th, and the winner will leave on November 1st. The entries will be judged on many elements, possibly including creativity, effectiveness, amount of work put into it, and originality. Of course, all of these will depend of what type of entry it is. All of the teachers along with myself will be judging this contest.
"Now, when you are finished eating, the heads of your houses will lead first years to the house towers."
Harry, who was looking at his plate, heard a voice inside his head. It said, When everyone leaves, I need to see you. Harry's eyes jerked up to Dumbledore, who was looking at him. The headmaster's head tilted in a nod, verifying to Harry that it was indeed his voice he'd heard in his mind.
A few minutes later, people began filing away with the house heads. "Come on, Harry," Hermione said as she got up, everyone else already standing.
"You guys go ahead. I'll be along in a few," Harry said, then added, "I have to do something."
"Okay..." Hermione hesitated and looked at him questioningly before following Ron and Ginny out of the Great Hall.
Harry looked back at the faculty table, but Dumbledore was gone. Come to my office, The old wizard's voice came again.
The black-haired teen stood up and put his hands in the front pocket of his hoodie as he began walking silently out of the Great Hall. He turned the corner to see Dumbledore standing next to the statue of the griffin, waiting.
They both entered the staircase of the griffin and Dumbledore said quietly, "Hippogriff hooves." The staircase moved upward at a slow and steady pace.
Harry followed the white-haired old wizard to his desk where they took a seat at either side.
"I suppose you're wondering what this is about," Dumbledore's kind eyes looked at Harry through his half-moon-shaped glasses.
"Yes, sir," Harry replied.
"Well, it is mostly about the contest. You see, it is designed to send you to America. The Order of the Phoenix has decided that it would be a good idea for you to become familiar with people from other countries, far away, to keep you safe if the need arose in the future. The Salem Institute of Magic is becoming a powerful school. But this is a secret matter decided by the Order. It is the entire point of the contest.
"Does that mean I don't have a choice? I'll have to enter the contest?" Harry asked, not particularly wanting to leave Hogwarts and not wanting the extra work either.
"No, there is no choice, Harry. But you will only be there until Holiday Break. And yes, you will have to enter the contest. But you see, Harry, only Professor McGonagall and myself know about this so the other will be voting honestly. I wrote this to make sure the other would vote well on you and not suspect anything. It is a report on werewolves. You need only to write it over in your hand," Dumbledore held out a rolled scroll, tied neatly by a single red ribbon.