Krys: Oh, thanks for explaining that for me. LoL. :-) No, she's isn't.
Fuzzyhead: Thanks for reviewing! Sorry, it was necessary mind you I'm not happy I did.
jnsdfsdfhblsdf: Interesting name.
anna a.k.a the strange: Thankies!
hpsk8ergurl: -cackles-clears throat- Why, you ask? Hmmm...several reasons.
A/N: WHOOHOO, another chapter. Kinda short...but I'm working on that, alright? You'll be seeing one of my favorite minor charries and a little hint of R/Hr. But is that the real pairing...hmmm? Enjoy.
Chapter 10: Train Ride
One word described that morning.
Mayhem.
People were running around as early as four to get ready for the trip to Kings Cross Station. Harry was among the many who stifled back lazy yawns as he dragged along his things and trunk down the stairs of Grimmauld Place. As he set thethem down by the front door, Mrs. Weasly shouted over the commotion of everyone and the portraits, "RON, HARRY, HERMIONE, YOUR N.E.W.T'S AND LETTERS ARE HERE!"
They dropped everything they had in their hands and took their letters off the kitchen table, ripping them open in a hurry.
Harry heard Hermione squeal, "All O's!"
He congratulated her and looked upon his exams:
Charms: Outstanding
Transfiguration: Exceeds Expectations
Herbology: Outstanding
Defense Against the Dark Arts: Outstanding
Potions: Exceeds Expectations
Care of Magical Creatures: Outstanding
Astronomy: Exceeds Expectations
Divination: Acceptable
History of Magic: Acceptable
A long sigh of relief was let out at this, he was that much closer to becoming an Auror.
Ron and Hermione stole his results out of his hands and peered at them pryingly, they lookedup approvingly and Ron also seemed satisfied with his own N.E.W.T results.
Next came the Hogwarts letters.
Harry slit opened his letterand felt something cold touch his fingertips, he dug deeper into the envelope and pulled out a badge that read: Head Boy.
His mind began to reel...this couldn't be right. He wasn't Prefect in his fifth year or sixth, how could he get the Head Boy badge? Harryturned tohis friends, "This can't be right." They glanced at him curiously and heheld upthe badge, Hermione began screaming at the top of her lungs and hugging him tightly, "HARRY, YOU'RE HEAD BOY! OH MY GOODNESS, I'M HEAD GIRL! I'M SO PROUD OF YOU!"
He pulled away from her, furrowing his brows, "But Hermione...I wasn't Prefect at all, Ron was. How come he isn't the one with the Head Boy badge?"
"I don't know but aren't you excited at the least bit?" Harry shrugged.
"I guess. I just think they might have made a mistake." She took his Hogwarts letter and read it to herself, Hermione shook her head, "It says that the badge belongs to you, it's written in MgGonagall's handwriting." He found that she was right, maybe it wasn't a mistake.
Harry glanced at Ron's reaction and couldn't find a trace of jealous in his face, satisfied, he shoved it in his pocket, "Alright."
Hermione pulled it back out, "Wait, we have to tell Lupin and everyone." Harry argued.
"I'd rather not Hermione, I don't want everyone to make a big deal out of it."
She rolled her eyes as he took back his badge and placed it securely into his jean pocket. Mrs. Weasly poked her head into the kitchen and told them to get a move on, they tucked away their letters and pushed their trunks into a van that Tonks had obtained from a next door neighbor. After a half an hour, they had arrived at the Kings Cross Station and boarded the Hogwarts Express. Harry saw new and old faces as he found the Head Compartment near the front of the train. Comfortably seating himself, Hermione poked her bushy head into the compartment, "Harry, I'm going to go check on the Prefects. Do you want me to get you anything when the food trolley passes?"
He forced a smile, "That's ok, you go. Er, is Ron coming to sit with us?" She nodded.
"Yes, he's...somewhere."
After she left, Harry realized that they weren't suppose to check on the Prefects until an hour after the train leaves, and that Ron had been gone for a long time.
Maybe... a bit too long.
Smiling, he shook his head and looked intently out the window until they both came back looking perky and a little ruffled. Harry cleared his throat, "You two have fun?"
Ron coughed, "Wh-What?"
"Nevermind," he watched Hermione's cheeks glow.
Later on the redhead and the girl got into some argument or another, Harry didn't care enough to figure it out and turned away snickering, his eyes passing over the compartment door's window. After two seconds his nerves exploded into a frenzy of shock and his emerald eyes grew as big as dinner plates. Staring at the other side of the window, pressing insistently into the glass pane...pale lips moving but no noise sounding...Sirius Black's face.
Harry sprang for the door, whipping it open to find no one standing on the other side but a few second-year girls down the hall, paying for something on the food trolley. Ron and Hermione's voices came to a halt as they started staring at him confused.
"Mate, what is it?" Harry continued looking around wildly.
"Sirius...he was just here..."
Hermione exchange a worried and sympathetic look to Ron. Harry stopped and murmured, "You didn't see him? He was right there, I saw him press his face against the window." They didn't say anything and he insisted, "I swear, I saw him. He was trying to tell me something!"
Ron said slowly, "Harry, I know that Sirius's death hit you hard..."
"I SAW HIM! HE WAS HERE!"
Other students looked out of their compartments nosily, a few people actually got into the halls and continued to stare at him like he was some sort of freak show. In the distance, the Slytherin's were sniggering. Hermione took Harry's arm, trying gently to pull him back into their Head Compartment before he really lost his temper.
"Come on Harry...we'll talk about this in the compartment."
"NO, I AM TELLING YOU, I SAW SIRIUS! I SAW HIM!"
The crowd held their breath as he yanked himself away, falling back against the train wall at impact. Harry felt his scar burst into pain and he clutched his head, groaning.
"Harry?"
His own name was the last thing he heard before a river of black washed over his eyes.
- - - - -
When Harry came to, he felt thefamiliarthinness of the Hogwarts Hospital-Wing sheets. His glassesperched on the bedside beside him, Harry tried to sit up but a figure above him said softly, "Stop fussing. I just want to be sure you can sit up without injuring yourself." This voice wasn't Madam Pomfrey's, ithad younger and sweeter temperment to it. Harry slipped on his glassesto get a clearer picture ofa dark plaited girl in a nurse uniform.
"Susan...Bones?"
She raised an eyebrow, "I didn't think you'd remember me."
"Where's Pomfrey?"
Susan dusted off the front of her robe, "She's out for the night, I've been attending to you. Sort of a...Healer-in-training if you will." She saw the expression on his face and sighed knowingly, "Don't worry Harry Potter, I know what I am doing. Madame Pomfrey wouldn't let just anyone take care of you." Susan asked primly, sitting down in a chair nearby, "Do you remember anything that happened tonight?"
"Well, I remember seeing Si...er, someone's face pressing against my compartment window and when I told my friends, they didn't believe me. Then my scar started to um...burn."
She nodded, "Common symptom...well, for you anyway. Your friends, Ron and Hermione, have been in and out of here all night. I had to literally drag them out so everyone else could have a rest. I have another question, Professor Dumbledore wanted me to ask you, were any visions of some sort?"
Harry shook his head causing young Susan to eyeball him, hunching forward. Her dark blue eyes flashed once, the pupil shutting and he felt a plucking in his head. The girl blinked calmly, her eyes going back to normal, "Everything seem to be in order."
He asked, rubbing his head, a little annoyed by the strangeness he felt, "What did you do?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about. I suggest you get some rest Harry Potter. Classes start tomorrow, your schedule is on the stand, and I'll see you in the morning."
She smiled breifly and spun away, the dark plait flapping against her back.
Harry rubbed his temples dumbstruck, laying back down and falling asleep.
