CHAPTER 2
'How dare he call Hermione a ...well ...a, a horrible name like that!' Ron snarled. 'Ron, it's ok, really. He just upset me, that's all.' Hermione said, wiping her eyes. Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting in the Weasley's living room, Ron and Harry halfway through a game of wizard's chess. Hermione watched them while stroking Crookshanks. Harry, Ron, Fred, George and Ginny had been very soft and extra friendly towards her after she was found in the Leaky Cauldron, crying in the ladies room. Mr and Mrs Weasley thought this was quite strange, but they didn't know what Malfoy had called her.
Ron stared at her and said 'Look, Hermione, when I'm upset I go in a sulkily mood, maybe throw a tantrum, and yes, I have been known to let a whine out. But I do not start crying furiously.' 'I wasn't that bad' Hermione said, cheeks going slightly red. 'Yeah, yeah,' 'Ron! Harry! Hermione! Come quick, there's other letters from Hogwarts, just for you three!' cried Ginny from the kitchen. The trio rushed in to see the twins, Ginny and Mr and Mrs Weasley surrounding the kitchen table where three letters lay. 'Open them' Fred urged, knowing whatever the letters said it must be important, otherwise it would have came with the list of school things. Hermione picked up the letter that was addressed to her. She opened it and read aloud 'Dear Miss Granger, I am to inform you that on your arrival at Hogwarts, school of witchcraft and wizardry, that yourself and the rest of fifth year will be resorted.'
'WHAT!' Ron and Harry exclaimed. Hermione continued, 'This action was requested by Hogwarts headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. As you know, five years ago our Defence against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Quirille, was a follower of He-who-must-not-be- named. Your headmaster has a great suspicion that he hexed the sorting hat. The re-sorting will occur after the new first years. I do hope this will not interfere the rest of your holidays. Yours sincerely Minvia McGonagall' Ron and Harry exchanged worried glances.
* *
* It wasn't hard to get though the barrier on platform nine and three quarters on September the first. The station was quite empty, since it was a Sunday. Mrs Weasley made sure all trunks and animal cages were safely on the train before taking Ron, Hermione, Harry, Ginny and the twins into a big 'Goodbye Hug'. The children boarded the train and found an empty compartment. The station clock struck eleven, and the train started moving. They waved to Mr and Mrs Weasley as got further and further away. When the train was out of sight, Ron let out a yawn. 'Well, we're on our way, I'm off to sleep' he said. 'Don't be silly, Ron. We've to go to the prefect's compartment, remember?' Hermione said, tapping the prefect badge on her t-shirt. Harry's heart sank. Because they got their letters saying they were prefects, Hermione and Ron had to go to the part of the train where they and the rest of the prefects would gather. They would only be gone for an hour or so, but to Harry, it seemed like forever. Ron looked at him, 'Will you be ok, Harry?' Harry nodded. Hermione checked her watch. 'Yes, yes, he'll be fine, but we won't if we don't move!' she cried. She left quickly. Ron said they'd be back as soon as they would. Fred and George showed off their new jokes which they had invented during the holidays. This included 'The Blow up Quill' and 'The Diversion Bomb', which was a small ball that let out smoke if thrown. Harry, Lee and Ginny watched. After forty-five minutes, the compartment door opened, Ron and Hermione stepped in, both arguing. '...If I hadn't dragged you out of there, you would have got in a fight. Which, if you didn't know, would have lead to you being expelled? His father was a very important man in the ministry, and still is respected by some.' 'That ferret was asking for a bloody nose, if you ask me.' 'Well nobody's asking you, are they?' 'Still! ' 'Honestly, Ron.' Harry looked between the two. 'What wrong?' he asked. Hermione said in a mocking tone, 'guess who decided to get in a fight with Malfoy.' Ginny groaned. 'He's a git!' Ron cried in his defence. Fred, George, Lee and Harry, even Ginny, nodded in agreement. Hermione looked outraged. 'That is no reason to offend his family!' The door slide open. A blond haired, pointy-nosed, sneering slytherin stood at the doorway. 'I do not need a muggle born to defend me, Granger' Malfoy said coldly. Harry was surprised that the two oafs who usually followed him, Crabbe and Goyle, were not there. 'Get lost.' Harry said. Draco turned to him; his eyes were full of hatred as they landed on Harry. 'Or what, get Dumbledore to throw me in Azkaban? Oh, I'm terrified' Draco said sarcastically while rolling his eyes, which then darted back to Harry. Harry paused. What did he mean by 'throw me into Azkaban'? Ron glanced at Harry, and then he understood. Taking a breath, Harry said quietly, 'your father was a death-eater; he deserved to be shut away.' Ginny was shocked; she had no idea Lucius Malfoy was in Azkaban. Draco looked furious. Hermione studied her fingernails while Ron appeared to find something outside the window quite interesting. Fred and George started whistling a funeral march and Lee watched intensely. 'My father was a loyal servant.' Draco growled, 'He, by no means, deserved... To be put away!' 'He was a follower of Voldemort!' 'He is my father!' 'He killed my godfather!' There was a little cough, Ginny. She gave the 'cut it out' sign before pointing behind Malfoy. Everyone turned to see the plump witch, who pushed the trolley full of sweats and cold drinks. Malfoy gave Harry one last furious look before pushing his way to another compartment. The witch stared at the rest of the group before saying weakly, 'anything off the trolley, dears?'
A.N. Thanks for all your e-mails and suggestions, much appreciated, (Wipes tears from eyes) I feel so loved! Keep reviewing!
'How dare he call Hermione a ...well ...a, a horrible name like that!' Ron snarled. 'Ron, it's ok, really. He just upset me, that's all.' Hermione said, wiping her eyes. Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting in the Weasley's living room, Ron and Harry halfway through a game of wizard's chess. Hermione watched them while stroking Crookshanks. Harry, Ron, Fred, George and Ginny had been very soft and extra friendly towards her after she was found in the Leaky Cauldron, crying in the ladies room. Mr and Mrs Weasley thought this was quite strange, but they didn't know what Malfoy had called her.
Ron stared at her and said 'Look, Hermione, when I'm upset I go in a sulkily mood, maybe throw a tantrum, and yes, I have been known to let a whine out. But I do not start crying furiously.' 'I wasn't that bad' Hermione said, cheeks going slightly red. 'Yeah, yeah,' 'Ron! Harry! Hermione! Come quick, there's other letters from Hogwarts, just for you three!' cried Ginny from the kitchen. The trio rushed in to see the twins, Ginny and Mr and Mrs Weasley surrounding the kitchen table where three letters lay. 'Open them' Fred urged, knowing whatever the letters said it must be important, otherwise it would have came with the list of school things. Hermione picked up the letter that was addressed to her. She opened it and read aloud 'Dear Miss Granger, I am to inform you that on your arrival at Hogwarts, school of witchcraft and wizardry, that yourself and the rest of fifth year will be resorted.'
'WHAT!' Ron and Harry exclaimed. Hermione continued, 'This action was requested by Hogwarts headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. As you know, five years ago our Defence against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Quirille, was a follower of He-who-must-not-be- named. Your headmaster has a great suspicion that he hexed the sorting hat. The re-sorting will occur after the new first years. I do hope this will not interfere the rest of your holidays. Yours sincerely Minvia McGonagall' Ron and Harry exchanged worried glances.
* *
* It wasn't hard to get though the barrier on platform nine and three quarters on September the first. The station was quite empty, since it was a Sunday. Mrs Weasley made sure all trunks and animal cages were safely on the train before taking Ron, Hermione, Harry, Ginny and the twins into a big 'Goodbye Hug'. The children boarded the train and found an empty compartment. The station clock struck eleven, and the train started moving. They waved to Mr and Mrs Weasley as got further and further away. When the train was out of sight, Ron let out a yawn. 'Well, we're on our way, I'm off to sleep' he said. 'Don't be silly, Ron. We've to go to the prefect's compartment, remember?' Hermione said, tapping the prefect badge on her t-shirt. Harry's heart sank. Because they got their letters saying they were prefects, Hermione and Ron had to go to the part of the train where they and the rest of the prefects would gather. They would only be gone for an hour or so, but to Harry, it seemed like forever. Ron looked at him, 'Will you be ok, Harry?' Harry nodded. Hermione checked her watch. 'Yes, yes, he'll be fine, but we won't if we don't move!' she cried. She left quickly. Ron said they'd be back as soon as they would. Fred and George showed off their new jokes which they had invented during the holidays. This included 'The Blow up Quill' and 'The Diversion Bomb', which was a small ball that let out smoke if thrown. Harry, Lee and Ginny watched. After forty-five minutes, the compartment door opened, Ron and Hermione stepped in, both arguing. '...If I hadn't dragged you out of there, you would have got in a fight. Which, if you didn't know, would have lead to you being expelled? His father was a very important man in the ministry, and still is respected by some.' 'That ferret was asking for a bloody nose, if you ask me.' 'Well nobody's asking you, are they?' 'Still! ' 'Honestly, Ron.' Harry looked between the two. 'What wrong?' he asked. Hermione said in a mocking tone, 'guess who decided to get in a fight with Malfoy.' Ginny groaned. 'He's a git!' Ron cried in his defence. Fred, George, Lee and Harry, even Ginny, nodded in agreement. Hermione looked outraged. 'That is no reason to offend his family!' The door slide open. A blond haired, pointy-nosed, sneering slytherin stood at the doorway. 'I do not need a muggle born to defend me, Granger' Malfoy said coldly. Harry was surprised that the two oafs who usually followed him, Crabbe and Goyle, were not there. 'Get lost.' Harry said. Draco turned to him; his eyes were full of hatred as they landed on Harry. 'Or what, get Dumbledore to throw me in Azkaban? Oh, I'm terrified' Draco said sarcastically while rolling his eyes, which then darted back to Harry. Harry paused. What did he mean by 'throw me into Azkaban'? Ron glanced at Harry, and then he understood. Taking a breath, Harry said quietly, 'your father was a death-eater; he deserved to be shut away.' Ginny was shocked; she had no idea Lucius Malfoy was in Azkaban. Draco looked furious. Hermione studied her fingernails while Ron appeared to find something outside the window quite interesting. Fred and George started whistling a funeral march and Lee watched intensely. 'My father was a loyal servant.' Draco growled, 'He, by no means, deserved... To be put away!' 'He was a follower of Voldemort!' 'He is my father!' 'He killed my godfather!' There was a little cough, Ginny. She gave the 'cut it out' sign before pointing behind Malfoy. Everyone turned to see the plump witch, who pushed the trolley full of sweats and cold drinks. Malfoy gave Harry one last furious look before pushing his way to another compartment. The witch stared at the rest of the group before saying weakly, 'anything off the trolley, dears?'
A.N. Thanks for all your e-mails and suggestions, much appreciated, (Wipes tears from eyes) I feel so loved! Keep reviewing!