A Special Sort

By Audny

Disclaimer: (To the tune of Satisfaction by the Rolling Stones)

I don't own no, Harry Potter.

Though I wish and I wish and I wish and I wish

But I don't own no, Harry Potter.

Author's Note: Here it is, chapter two! Hooray! Sorry it's a bit short, but I wanted to get something up. I hope you enjoy it and if you're feeling particularly charitable, review! Because reviews make the world go round. They also motivate me to write and make chapters come faster. Anywho, to the story!

Part 2: The Return To Hogwarts

Ginny pressed her head against the cool glass of the window on the Hogwarts Express, watching the students on Platform 9 and 3/4 say their last goodbyes. The morning was as chaotic as she had expected it to be, what with her mum trying to get four kids packed, downstairs and out the door.

Ginny smiled and waved at her mum and dad one last time before the scarlet train started moving. It was slow at first but quickly gained speed and they were trundling through the English countryside toward the ancient castle that housed Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"I'll see you in a bit, Neville." Ginny said to the other occupant of the compartment. "I've got to go to the prefects meeting. I expect it will be dreadfully boring."

"Oh, well, I'll see you afterwards then?"

"Yeah." Ginny left and walked to the front of the train. The other fifth year Gryffindor prefect was Don Livingston. He was a friend of Colin's but Ginny didn't know him very well. She had hoped that Colin would be the other prefect in her year, but he had assured her that he didn't want that kind of responsibility.

The head girl was Hufflepuff, Lauren Freely and head boy was a Ravenclaw, Jonathan Chambers. Ginny sat down next to Hermione and her brother as the other prefects entered.

"I'm so glad you're a prefect this year, Ginny." Hermione said by way of greeting. "You'll have such a wonderful time of it."

"Yeah, you get to tell off Slytherins and take away house points." Ron leaned around Hermione to add.

Hermione frowned.

"Could I have your attention everyone." Jonathan had stood up to address the group. He went on to outline the duties of a prefect. As Ginny had expected it was rather dull. She new most of the prefect duties already. Patrol the halls and the Hogwarts Express, basically just keep everyone orderly. After an hour or so of discussing the many duties of a prefect, they were released.

Ginny went back to the compartment she had left Neville in and Ron and Hermione went off in search of Harry.

"Hullo, Colin." Ginny greeted her friend as she entered the compartment shared by her three best friends, Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom and Colin Creevy. "How was your summer?"

"Oh, it was brilliant, Ginny! We went on holiday to Rome and got to see the wizarding community there! I can't wait to show you all my photos!" Colin Creevy was an avid photographer and he tended to get overly excited about everything. Ginny was quite a bit mellower, nevertheless, she counted Colin as one of her closest friends.

"Did you know that the Italian Minister of Magic used to be a member of the late seventies rock band Accio My Guitar?" Luna asked in a vague kind of voice, looking over the top of the latest Quibbler. "Dad did an exclusive with the former drummer last May." Luna was another of Ginny's dearest friends. Ever since she got to know the girl at the end of her third year, Ginny had developed an appreciation of her friends somewhat quirky behavior.

"Really?" Colin asked seriously. "I hadn't heard that." That was another reason Ginny liked Colin so much. He accepted people as they were without comment, oddities and all.

"What did the Minister do in the band, Luna?" Neville asked, interested. Ever since taking Neville to the Yule Ball in her third year, he and Ginny had been good friends. Although she had none of the feelings for Neville that she did for Harry, Ginny knew she would always have a special place in her heart for the forgetful, yet caring boy.

"Oh, he was the lead singer." Luna answered, looking earnestly at Neville.

Ginny sat back and listened as her friends continued talking about the Italian Minister and his former career. For all the fun she had over the summer with Ron, Harry and Hermione, Ginny was glad to be back with her own friends. Ginny sighed in complete satisfaction, a wisp of a smile on her face. It was good to be back at school.

About half way into the train ride, Ron, Hermione and Harry joined the group seated in the compartment. Ron was spluttering about Malfoy.

"That slimy git," he growled. "If he thinks just because he's a prefect he can do whatever he wants, I'll show him. This year I'm not going to take it. If he steps out of line, I'll just take away house points. Or better yet, I'll send him to detention!"

"Oh, Ron." Hermione sounded exasperated. "If you abuse your powers as a prefect, you'll just be sinking to his level."

"Well, I don't care. He deserves everything he'll get."

Hermione just signed and rolled her eyes.

"What did he do?" Neville asked a bit nervously.

"Oh just his usual antics," Hermione said. "He threatened to give Ron detention."

"That's not all!" Ron began indignantly. "He also called Hermione," he lowered his voice dramatically, "a mudblood!"

"Bloody prat!" Harry sounded outraged.

"Oh, will you two stop it!" Hermione demanded. "He had no right to say that, but that's no reason to get so upset."

"No reason!" Ron practically roared.

"Keep your voice down, Ron." Hermione said fervently. "Or Malferret may just decide to come and see what all the noise is about. And I don't fancy another run in with him today."

Ron looked sullen, but he let it drop.

Ginny was grinning a bit as she listened to this exchange. Ron and Hermione always bickered and she didn't think it was only because they grated on each others nerves. Quite the contrary, she suspected they both rather liked it. At this thought, Ginny slapped her hand over her mouth to stifle the giggle that was about to surface. Ron noticed.

"What's so funny?" He snapped, still a bit sullen.

"Nothing," Ginny answered quickly, trying hard to wipe the grin from her face. Ron looked a bit suspicious, but didn't press it.

The rest of the train ride passed in companionable conversation. To all their delight, Malfoy did not decide to pay them a visit. It seemed he'd had enough earlier.

"Hogsmeade!" Colin exclaimed excitedly, pointing into the dark outside the window. This announcement was followed by a rush of activity as everyone hurried to change into their Hogwart's uniforms. The train slowed to a stop a few minutes later and the level of noise in the Hogwarts Express raised a few decibels.

"Oh, do hurry up, Ron" Hermione said as Ron struggled to get his tie on straight. "We have to supervise the students as they get off the train. And come on, Ginny."

Ron gave one last futile jerk to his tie and followed Hermione out of the compartment muttering something about all the students already knowing where to go, since they had done this before. Ginny followed her still muttering brother.

"We'll save you a spot in the carriage," Harry said as Ginny was leaving. He was trying to pick up both Hedwig's and Pig's cages. They banged together, causing Pigwidgeon to flutter about and Hedwig to hoot disapprovingly.

"Here, let me help you with that, Harry," Colin said eagerly, bounding forward and grabbing Pig's cage from Harry.

"Thanks," Harry muttered.

Colin beamed.

"Okay, thanks." Ginny smiled as she hurried after her brother.

Ginny, Hermione and Ron joined the others as when they began boarding an empty carriage. Hermione took Crookshanks' basket from Neville and climbed in after him. Ginny noticed Hermione looking wistfully up at the castle.

"Oh, I can't wait until classes start. Arithmancy this year is going to be so interesting."

Ginny glanced at Harry, who was sitting across from her and had to stifle a giggle. Hermione had been going on about how amazing arithmancy was all summer. Ron let out a groan.

"Don't go and spoil the feast by talking about classes, Hermione." Ron complained. "We've still got a few more hours before we have to start thinking about them."

Hermione opened her mouth to retort, but surprisingly, Luna beat her to it. "I rather think arithmancy is interesting, too."

Hermione looked a bit shocked and just stared at Luna for a few seconds before saying stoutly, "Thank you, Luna." Luna, however, had already stuck her nose back behind the current issue ofthe Quibbler.

Ginny grinned. She loved Luna for all her eccentricities, but she always felt a little proud when Luna proved her worth to people who were a bit more suspicious of her sanity.

The carriages were pulled to a halt in front of the castle by their invisible mounts. Ginny dismounted and followed the others into the castle. The Great Hall was quickly filling with students and the noise level was quite high as friends who hadn't met up on the Hogwarts Express called to one another.

Luna wandered off to sit at the Ravenclaw table. Harry, Ron and Hermione were already making their way across the room to sit with the other Gryffindors. Ginny, Neville and Colin followed their path over to the Gryffindor house table. The threesome already had their heads together discussing something quietly and Ginny resigned herself to being excluded and started to move towards another part of the table. However, as they neared, Harry looked up and waved them over, smiling. Ginny felt an odd flutter in her stomach, which she did her best to ignore, and changed course to sit down beside Harry.

"Saved you guys a spot." He said simply, before turning back to Ron and Hermione.

". . . I'm telling you, that's what he said," Hermione was saying seriously as they sat down. "I don't think he was trying to — Oh, hi, Ginny. Neville, Colin." Hermione broke off when she saw them, smiling a bit to cover her abrupt change of topic. Neville smiled politely back and Colin grinned, but Ginny was a bit suspicious.

It looked as if the Dream Team wasn't quite as ready to accept new members as Ginny had hoped. It was what she had expected though, so Ginny wasn't too disappointed. Harry did want her to sit by her after all. That could mean something. No! Must not think like this. That train of thought will only lead to disaster, Ginny told herself sternly.

"Who's that?" Ron asked suddenly, staring intently at the staff table. Ginny followed his gaze to see a striking woman with long black hair sitting between Dumbledore and Snape.

"Isn't it obvious," Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "It's the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

"Oh. Well, she certainly looks better than our old one, eh, Harry?" Ron nudged him with his elbow. Ginny and Hermione both rolled their eyes, muttering "boys" under their breath.

"Let's hope she teaches better too." Harry responded wryly.

"She looks young to be a teacher," Neville commented, frowning at the woman.

"Yeah," Ginny said, looking again at the woman. She looked only to be in her mid-twenties. Certainly the youngest teacher at Hogwarts.

Their attention was moved as McGonagall brought out the Sorting Hat and a small stool.

The sorting went by rather quickly and uneventfully. The Sorting Hat had no special messages about interhouse relations this year. The new Gryffindors looked like a good bunch, although Ginny was surprised at how small they were. Surely she hadn't been that short as a first year.

A hush came over the Great Hall as Professor Dumbledore stood up. He beamed out at the sea of students in front of him. "Before you indulge in the wonderful feast that has been so graciously prepared for us– "

"By house elves bound in slavery!" Hermione exclaimed in an indignant whisper.

"–I would like to introduce to you Professor Lasch. She will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts this year right here at Hogwarts. I hope you all will join with me in welcoming our newest addition to the staff."

The students clapped along with Dumbledore as Professor Lasch smiled briefly at them.

"Now then," Dumbledore continued as the applause and chatter died down again. "I only have one thing more to say. And that is: Dig in!"

The five tables in the Great Hall groaned in unison as the golden platters were suddenly filled with mountains of food.

"Finally," Ron muttered, dishing mashed potatoes onto his plate.

"I've been waiting for this all summer." Colin said happily, taking a huge bite of Shepard's pie and smiling contentedly.

Once everyone had eaten their fill, or more than their fill, as was often the case, Dumbledore stood again. He waved his hand and the dishes emptied themselves. "Ahh, an amazing feast–"

"Prepared by slave labor," Hermione muttered.

"–we must be sure to thank the house elves for it." Dumbledore looked in the direction of the Gryffindor table, his blue eyes twinkling. Hermione looked a bit sheepish. "Now, I have a few start of term announcements to make. First, to our new students, welcome, and to our returning students, welcome back. Second, I would like to remind everyone that the Forbidden Forest is in fact forbidden. It's not just a cleverly alliterative name. Third, in regards to the numerous educational decrees that were enacted last school year, the Ministry of Magic has decided that it has matters of more importance that it should focus on besides the schools and has gracefully revoked all educational decrees."

There was a cheer at this news.

Dumbledore held up his hands for silence again. He looked very serious, the twinkle normally found in his eyes gone. "However, in light of the grave events at the end of last school year, there will be some new rules in place." Ginny swallowed and looked over at Harry, who was staring rigidly at the Headmaster. "First, no student is to go out on the Hogwarts grounds after dark without teacher supervision. Second, no manner of sneaking about after curfew will be tolerated." Dumbledore looked pointedly in the direction of Harry. "And finally, Mr Filch would like me to remind you that the list of contraband items is hanging in his office and he urges you all to take a good look at that. I hope to make this an enjoyable and safe year. Now, to bed with you!" The twinkle was back in his eyes as he bid them goodnight.

Ginny helped the other prefects lead the first years up to Gryffindor Tower.

"Abyssinian shrivelfig," She told the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Oh, welcome back, dear." The Fat Lady said, swinging open.

They climbed through the portrait hole and Ginny pointed out the girl's and boy's dormitories. She then climbed the stairs to the girls dormitory, changed quickly into her pajamas and fell into the soft four-poster bed. She was asleep almost instantly.

OOOOOO

TBC