More story....

Oh, and by the way, I apologize for subjecting you to my attempt at a Sorting song.

CH7: A New School Year

~Hearing this, Lisa exclaimed, "I switched from Muggle Studies to Arithmacy this year, too!" So she, Harry, and Hermione launched into a discussion about it, while Ron trailed behind, grumbling about 'breathing in poisoned perfume alone'.~

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The next day, Remus and his 'dog' arrived to take Harry to King's Cross. They arrived with 10 minutes to spare. Harry attracted a lot of attention on the platform. If this was because he had been captured or because he had grown a lot over the summer or even if it was because Sirius looked remarkably like a Grim, he didn't know. Remus went up to the front of the train, while Harry went to go sit in the Prefects' compartment. When he got there, all the new 5th year Prefects were already waiting.

There was Hermione and him for Gryffindor, Lisa and a boy named Terry Boot for Ravenclaw, Justin Flinch-Fletchley and Susan Bones for Hufflepuff, and Blaise Zambini and Jason Moon for Slytherin. At that moment, Professor McGonagall walked in.

"Attention, new prefects," began the professor, "Congratulation on this wonderful honor. Now, I'm passing out Prefect Handbooks which you are to read through to learn all the new rules." She handed out a little, purple book to everyone. "As 5th years, you are in charge, mainly, of the passwords. I'm going to go talk with the others and while I'm gone, talk to the other prefect in your house on what the first password will be. I'll be back in a bit to find out your choices and inform you common room guards." And then she left.

Harry turned to Hermione. "What should ours be."

"It's got to be really hard so no one else will guess it. How about you pick this time and I'll take next."

"Sounds good." He thought for a moment. "It can be anything?" Hermione nodded. A mischievous grin spread across Harry's face. "Then I know just what it should be." He wrote it on a slip of parchment and put it in an envelope for McGonagall to collect.

After McGonagall collected the passwords (she cracked a small smile at Harry's), the prefects got to know each other. Surprisingly, Jason and Blaise weren't to bad for Slytherins. Jason was a seeker and would have been on the Quidditch team if Malfoy hadn't bought his way on, and he, Harry, Lisa, and Blaise had an intense discussion on which team was better, the Wimbourne Wasps or the Falmouth Falcons, while Hermione read her Prefects guide and talked about rules with Susan. Apparently, Terry's mother was a Muggle and he and Justin were both basketball fans, so they were comparing different games they had been to. Finally, they arrived at the school.

When Harry got off the train, he heard a voice behind him call, "Alright there, Harry?"

He turned around and saw Hagrid. He waved. "I'm fine Hagrid. Did you have a good summer?"

"I'll tell you all about it later." Then he turned back to calling the first years.

Harry caught up to Hermione and Lisa. They got into a carriage with Ron, Fred, George, and one of Lisa's friends, Sally-Anne Perks. They chatted all the way up to the school. The group split up when they got into the Great Hall, Lisa and Sally-Anne had to go to the Ravenclaw table. The rest sat down at the Gryffindor by Dean, Lee, and Seamus. Parvati and Lavender soon joined them. Parvati gave Harry a big hug and told him how worried she was about him. He was saved from a reply by the entry of the first years. McGonagall went up to the front and set up the Sorting Hat. It's brim ripped into a mouth as it began to sing.

Over a century ago

Was when I was made

The years have been hard on me

For now I'm patched and frayed

Though I still can do my job

For that I'm still around

I'll sort you in the houses

'Cause this is what I've found

Gryffindor is where the brave

Will spend most of their time

They will never back down

When other lives are on the line

The house for brains is Ravenclaw

They're the house of smarts

Their thirst for knowledge

Goes right down to their hearts

Hufflepuff are loyal

They work all night and day

You'll always get things done

If you do it the Hufflepuff way

And Slytherin is cunning

A house for those that lie

They have great ambitions

They're witty and they're sly

If you want to know where you belong

You don't have to creep or sneak

Just put me on your head

So I can have a peak!

The school clapped. McGonagall got the list out and started calling names.

"Is it just me or are the sorting songs getting worse?" questioned Seamus.

"It's not just you," replied Harry, Fred, George, and Lee all together.

"Shhhhhh!" said Hermione. "I want to hear this." The table cheered as Devon, Jennifer became a Gryffindor.

They were quiet the rest of the sorting, only making noise to cheer for a new housemate. Finally, Fiona Tristian came up, followed by Robert Turpin. The Sorting Hat took almost 5 minutes for each of them before declaring them a Hufflepuff and Gryffindor respectively.

Harry gave Fiona a small wave before the table erupted with cheers for Robert. Lisa shot her brother a thumbs-up from the Ravenclaw table, before he went and sat next to George and Fred, already willing to help with pranks.

When the Sorting was over, Professor McGonagall took the hat away and Dumbledore stood up for the usual start of the term notices.

"If I could have your attention, please." Everyone looked at the Headmaster expectantly. "Thank you. I want to welcome you all back for another year at Hogwarts. I have a few notices for everyone. I would like to welcome back Professor Remus Lupin for DADA." The hall shook with applause and Remus stood for a moment. "He brought along with him his dog Snuffles. I just wanted to forewarn you, due to his unique appearance." At this, 'Snuffles' came out from under the table and barked. There were several mumbled whispers of "Grim!" across the hall. "I would also like to say that Quidditch is back this year." More applause. "As most of you know, the Forbidden Forest is, of course, forbidden." His eyes strayed onto Fred, George, Harry, and Ron. "This years first Hogsmeade trip, for third years and up, will take place on October 1st. It's been pushed up in case we have to cancel it." There was a short uncomfortable silence. "On to more serious matters, as you know, Voldemort has returned as of last year." Most people flinched at the name, but the first years just stared in shock. This was the first time they were hearing of this. "The Ministry still refuses to believe his revival. There has been a steady rise in Dark Activity and many disappearances." At this his eyes flicked to Harry and they locked gazes. He realized many of the eyes in the hall were on him, but he ignored them. "We all have to be more careful this year. But, you don't want to continue listening to an old man's droning, so, on with the feast!" The food appeared on the plates and everyone dug in.

All to soon the feast was over. When they were dismissed, Harry and Hermione stood up and gathered the first years.

"Alright, my name is Hermione. This is Harry. We're the Gryffindor 5th year Prefects. So if you'll just follow us, we're going to the common room. Anything to add Harry?"

"Nope, you've covered everything. Let's go."

"Um, Excuse me?" Harry turned around to face a firstie he recognized as Bethany Kilnes. "Are you Harry Potter?"

Harry gave a small smile and a nod. A couple of the students began whispering excitedly to each other. "We should probably get going," he said.

Harry and Hermione waved to Lisa and Terry as they led the students upstairs. As they got to the portrait of the Fat Lady, they noticed a small corrugation outside.

"There you two are," called Angelina Johnson, a 7th year and Head girl.

"Sorry, got kind of held up," apologized Harry.

Hermione looked at him as they pushed through the crowd towards the painting.

"What's the password?"

"Snape's a slippery Slytherin slimeball," said Harry to the Fat Lady. The people behind him laughed, but Hermione was quick to reprimand.

"Harry!" she tutted. "Really!"

Harry shrugged innocently. "What?"

Shaking her head, Hermione led the first years through the portrait hole.

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In the paragraph which says what they are doing on the train, I have possibly the longest run-on sentence I've ever written. My personal best. Go me!