CH 5: The Good and Bad

The next few weeks were the best Harry had ever had. He and Tracy talked every day, and got to know each other very well. Their friendship was very by the time they were to return to Hogwarts.

Tracy was loading her school things into the trunk of her car when Harry came out number four with his school trunk and a cage. "So, are you ready to go to Hogwarts?" Harry asked Tracy when he got over there.

"Well, I'm a little scared." Tracy admitted, "but other wise I'm fine."

"Good. Don't worry Tracy. It's not as scary as it might seem."

"Y, I guess so."

They got in the car and Tracy drove them to Kings Cross (with directions from Harry). When they got to platform 9 ¾, they found Ron and Hermione. Together they found a compartment entirely to themselves.

The moment Hermione and Tracy meet something clicked. They were already laughing and talking together and Harry and Ron were playing Exploding Snap when the compartment door slid open. It was their arch enemy, Draco Malfoy. Everyone was now silent.

"So," Draco said, "you're the new girl. Since you're new, I'll give you a choice. We can be friends, or we can be enemies. What's it going to be?"

"I can find my own friends thank you very much." Tracy replied with confidence. She could tell by his tone that he was bad news.

"I see. Well, that's your choice and you made a poor one. I'll be watching you." And with that he was gone.

"Who was that?" Tracy asked with disgust.

"That was Draco Malfoy."

"Who?"

"He's in Slytherin and he's the meanest person at Hogwarts. I'm glad you choose not to be friends with him." Said Harry.

"Ya well, the tone he was using tolled me that he was a bad apple."

Once again Hermione and Tracy began to talk and Ron and Harry back to their game of Exploding Snap. All too soon, the Hogwarts Express came to a halt.

"First years and" Hagrid looked down at a piece of paper, "Tracy Smith over here." Tracy turned around when she hared her name.

"We'll see you in the Great Hall, Tracy." Hermione said and went off to find a carriage. Leaving Tracy to go over to Hagrid and all the first years who were looking very scared.

"Hi, I'm Tracy Smith." She introduced herself to Hagrid.

"Well Miss Smith, you'll be maken' the trip across the lake with the first years. And you'll be sorted inter' yr house" Hagrid informed her. Tracy made it across the lake. When she and the first years entered the Great Hall, she stuck out like a sore thumb. Tracy was tall and the first years were a lot shorter than her.

"When I call your name, you will come up here and sit on this stool. Then I will place the sorting hat on your head." McGonagall informed the first years (and Tracy)

"Edgar, Allen"

A sly looking boy with brown hair went up to the stool and sat down. McGonagall placed the sorting hat on his hat on his head and almost instantly, the hat shouted:

"Slytherin"

The sorting went on for what seemed an eternity. Finally, Tracy herd her name. She went up to the stool and sat down. She looked over to the Gryffindor table and her eyes meet Harry's. All of the sudden the hat on top of her head shouted:

"Gryffindor"

The Gryffindor table erupted into applause. Tracy jumped up and went over to the table. She sat down between Harry and Hermione. After the sorting was over, Professor Doumbledoore stood up and everyone became quiet.

"This year we have a new student from America. Her name is Tracy Smith. Tracy would you please raise your hand. Yes thank you. Will you all please make her feel welcome. Next, I would like to say, let the feast begin." He clapped his hands and a feast fit for a king appeared.

Ron started grabbing everything within his reach and stuffing his face. "What a pig!" said Hermione. After the feast, they went upstairs to the common room. Tracy sat down and sighed. "Wow, that was the biggest feast I've ever seen! At Wiggleswheet the food wasn't as good as that was ."

"You know, I have a good feeling that this year is going to be a fun one." Harry said.

"Ya, me too," Hermione said, "well I'm off to bed. We still have to go to class tomorrow."

"Ya, I think I'll too." Tracy said getting up to go with Hermione.

"Well, good night." Harry said.

"Don't let the bed bugs bite!" Tracy finished the sentence. She smiled and went up stairs, Hermione right behind. When they got up to their room Tracy laid down on an empty bed and sighed.

"Girl, you got it bad!" Hermione said.

"What are you talking about?" Tracy asked knowing perfectly well what she was talking about.

"I think you know what I mean! You, Harry, that look, and the 'good night don't let the bed bugs bite' thing. I mean come on! Anyone would be able to see that you like him."

Tracy through a pillow at Hermione, but missed. Hermione picked up the pillow off the floor and through it back at Tracy. She ducked and grabbed another pillow and chucked it at Hermione. The pillow flew through the air and hit Hermione in the stomach. "Oh, now it's on!" Hermione said warningly. She picked up yet another pillow and through it at Tracy, but she was too quick for Hermione. She grabbed a pillow and used it as a shield.

Back downstairs, Harry and Ron were talking. "You know you like her Harry."

"I do not!"

"Oh come on, I know that look you gave her." He paused and then added something else. "Anyways, I think she likes you."

"Really? You think so?"

"Ha, you see you do like her. I don't blame you mate. She's not bad looking! But you don't have to worry, she's all yours. I've got my eye on someone else."

"Who?" Harry asked welcoming the change of subject.

"Luna." Ron said quietly.

"What was that? I couldn't here you."

"Luna Lovegood" Ron said a little louder, but not much.

"Was that Luna Lovegood's name I heard? I knew it! I just knew I wasn't seeing things."

"Look, you promise not to tell anyone? Please?"

"Ya, I promise." Harry said still laughing.

"I think I'm going to turn in now. You coming?" Ron asked.

"Ya, I'll be up there in a minute." He said out of breath.

Harry caught his breath and leaned back against the couch. He laid there for a minute and that out of the corner if his eye, he saw a face in the fire, or, at least he thought he did. He sat up and stared at the place where he saw the face, hopping to see it again, but it never came. Maybe it was just my imagination. Harry thought to himself. He decided that that's what it was and once again leaned back against the couch. He decided he would rest his eyes for two seconds and then go upstairs to his fluffy bed. Harry closed his eyes and unwillingly fell asleep.