Disclaimer: J. K. Rowling owns the Harry Potter Universe all other claimants to anything to do with the H.P. story are simply hangers on to her glory. I thank her for allowing us mere mortals to play in her world and I promise that while I have Harry in my care nothing bad will happen to him. I will leave that to J.K.R. herself in her books.

LOVE CONQUERS ALL

Chapter 16. The Hogwarts Express.

By half past eight the next morning, they were all washed dressed and packed, they had shrunk their trunks and put them in their magic bags, then they had eaten breakfast.

Harry told Dobby that they would see him at the school and Dobby told Harry that he would have to clean and tidy the flat properly before he too could leave and join them at Hogwarts.

With that they all Flooed to the Orders room in the Leaky Cauldron, from where a ministry car was going to take them to Platform nine and three-quarters at Kings Cross Station.

Professor Tonks was going to 'Apparate' from the Leaky Cauldron to just outside the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade and from there she was going to complete her journey to Hogwarts by broom.

By ten fifteen they had reached Kings Cross Station and were walking through the barrier between platforms nine and ten onto platform nine and three-quarters where they boarded the Hogwarts Express. As they were early they easily found themselves an empty compartment towards the front of the train, the team had settled in as they did not have anybody seeing them off, Parvati and Ron were sitting opposite each other by the window, of course Neville was with Luna and Harry with Hermione, Ginny was between Luna and Ron.

The train was just beginning to move off when the compartment door slid open and a small boy with dark coppery red hair and bright green eyes looked in and pleaded. "Nobody else will let me sit with them, can I sit in here please?"

Hermione looked at him in amazement and said, "Of course you can, come and sit here between Parvati and me. You're new aren't you, what's your name?"

"I'm Mark Evans, my mum and dad didn't seem to know I was a wizard until my letter came from Hogwarts School."

Hermione continued, "Well I'm Muggle born as well," seeing the confused look on his face, she explained to him, "that means that my mum and dad didn't know I was a witch either, until my letter arrived."

"And she's top of just about everything, so don't worry about how your going to get on," said Harry continuing, "so how do you like Dudley Dursley?"

"How do you know Dudley Dursley? His mum is my dad's niece, but she's right stuck up and he's a bullying git."

Harry leaned around Hermione and smiled then he put his hand out and shook Mark's hand, "My name is Harry Potter, nice to meet you cousin."

"Are you my cousin?" all the others were looking as shocked as Mark.

Harry had a cousin.

"Well if my aunt Petunia is your dad's niece then my mum was as well, because they were sisters, I think that that makes us cousins."

First cousins, once removed I believe," said Hermione, having been franticly working it out on her fingers, they could all tell that she was getting excited because she was talking without breathing, "and my name is Hermione Granger and that's Ginny Weasley, we three are Gryffindor prefects he's Neville Longbottom, she's Parvati Patil and she's Luna Lovegood, oh that's Ron Weasley he's Gryffindor Quidditch captain and we don't expect you to remember everything or all our names."

They all shook his hand as Hermione introduced them, so Mark asked, "Do you always talk without breathing and what's Gryffindor and what's Quidditch?"

Hermione was blushing but Ron was in his element, he immediately launched into a long dissertation about Quidditch, which was only slightly interrupted when the door slid back and a smiling witch asked, "Anything off the trolley dears?" Harry bought loads of pumpkin pasties, cauldron cakes, chocolate frogs and Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans then they steadily started eating their way through them. After another hour, of Ron talking about Quidditch, Marks eyes were starting to glaze when, thankfully, the compartment door opened again.

Cho Chang came in and said, "Hello Harry, oh and everybody."

Harry looked at her and said, "Hi Cho I see you're Head girl now, congratulations," all the others added their congratulations.

Then pouting Cho said, "Aren't you going to give me a congratulatory kiss then Harry?" he stood up and gave her a quick peck on the cheek and then sat down again, Cho looked very upset and left, quickly.

Parvati smiled and said, "You know that she still fancies you something rotten, don't you Harry?"

"Well I am perfectly happy with what I have thank you," Harry said and added with an innocent expression, "anyway I would think that she would be more suited to Ron, she's very pretty and she loves Quidditch."

Everyone laughed except Ron who looked horrified but he was getting ready to start up again, about Quidditch when Ginny said quickly, "You asked about Gryffindor as well, didn't you," and they told him about the four houses and what they stood for, then when he asked they told him that they were all in Gryffindor House.

Then he asked about the sorting so they told him that they weren't supposed to tell first years about the sorting, but Luna said, "If you are set on a particular house then if you hold it firmly in your mind, when the time comes, then you will be put where you want to go."

It was time for them all to change into their school robes and the boys and girls took turns to do this, then shortly afterwards the train was pulling into Hogsmeade Station. Mark left them to go, across the lake with Hagrid who also called and waved to the group and then they all boarded two Thestral drawn carriages for the journey up to the castle.

As they entered the castle Professor McGonagall called, "Miss Granger, Mr Potter come with me to my office please." She set off to her office, when the three of them had entered and the door was closed, she continued, "don't look so worried. I said that I would try to help you because of the importance of the very special relationship you have with each other. You will find that when you go to your own beds and draw the curtains around your bed fully, you will be in a bed with each other. There is also a one way silencing charm on your beds, you can hear what is going on in your individual rooms but the people in the rooms will not be able to hear you. That is all, now let us go to the sorting, I mustn't be late."

The pair of them were stunned and stuttering their thanks, as they hurried, all the way back to the Great Hall, they entered and crossed to the Gryffindor table to sit with their friends and told them that what Professor McGonagall had wanted was only prefect things, nothing exciting.

Harry looked along the top table, he saw that all the usual teachers were there plus Tonks who was sitting between Professors McGonagall and Snape, he suddenly realised that Arthur Weasley and Molly were also there, what was happening?

There was a fair bit of whispering going on, especially on the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor tables, they assumed that it was because Luna was sitting at the Gryffindor table, they wondered if Professor Dumbledore was going to say anything. Hagrid was walking up the Hall and he had just greeted them when the Headmaster stood and the room became silent.

The Headmaster said, "There are two announcements I must make before the sorting ceremony begins.

Firstly. I must introduce our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, she is taking a sabbatical from her regular job as an Auror, Professor Tonks please." Tonks stood and bowed to claps, cheers and wolf whistles, when she sat down she was blushing. As usual at the introduction of a new DADA teacher Professor Snape was looking like thunder however he did clap politely.

The Headmaster continued, "Secondly. Some of you may have noticed that Miss Luna Lovegood is sitting at the Gryffindor table and wondered why? During the summer holiday, due to very unusual set of circumstances, about which you will all learn more later this evening, it was assumed that she should be resorted and the Sorting Hat decided to place her in Gryffindor House. That is all from me for now.

Professor McGonagall the sorting of the first years may now begin."

The Deputy Headmistress led a very nervous looking column of first years up the hall and onto the stage where they stopped in front of the teachers. The Deputy Headmistress placed a three-legged stool centre front of the stage and placed the sorting hat on it and after this year's recitation she started calling names off her list. Evans Mark was the seventh name Professor McGonagall called and the hat hardly touched his head before it shouted Gryffindor. He came to their table, accompanied by loud cheers from all the Gryffindors, he sat next to Ron and opposite Harry. The sorting continued and Hermione started looking worried, she eventually told them that there didn't appear to be many new Slytherins and wondered if some of them had gone to Durmstrang.

When the Sorting Ceremony was finished Professor Dumbledore rose again and said, "Bumble Stock Slump." Then as usual all four tables instantly filled with the most magnificent feast and everybody started eating.

When the deserts had been dispensed with and the noise level in the Hall was once again increasing, because people started talking instead of eating, Professor Dumbledore stood again and silence once more settled on the Great Hall.

"I must once again bring to your attention a further sixteen items that our caretaker Argus Filch, has deemed necessary to have added to the list of prohibited articles. The complete list, which currently runs to some five hundred and seventy six items is as usual, displayed on his office door, if anyone feels that they should read it please feel free to do so.

Also I must remind you that despite frequent rumours and actions to the contrary, the Forbidden Forrest is just that, Forbidden to all students, unless accompanied by a teacher. It is an extremely dangerous place and you would all be well advised to keep clear of it."

The Headmaster became very serious and continued, "A very unusual thing occurred during this summer holiday, in that the sixth years, that is last years fifth years, will have received two sets of OWL results. This is because the Examination Board met here over the summer and reassessed all of your results taking in to account the interference caused by the then Minister for Magic and his cohorts.

Now for something altogether more pleasant and I ask you not to applaud, that is if of course you want to, until I have finished. Most of you will have read or heard on the wireless, that a group of Hogwarts students, this summer thwarted an attack, by Death Eaters, on Gringotts Wizarding Bank, for this they have received a monetary award. What possibly none of you are aware of, is that on three other occasions, this summer, the same students, were responsible for the detention of Death Eaters and for this the Ministry of Magic are tonight rewarding them with twenty five thousand Galleons each."

There was a rumble of whispers around the Hall, Dumbledore waited for it to die down, then continued. "Also they, together with your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Tonks, will be receiving the Order of Merlin." Another excited rumble went around the Hall. "This as most of you may know carries its own reward ten thousand Galleons for third class, twenty five thousand Galleons for second class and fifty thousand Galleons for first class. You may applaud now if you wish."

The Hall exploded with cheers and clapping, it gradually quietened down and the Headmaster continued. "Now I call upon the Minister for Magic to make the presentations."

There was loud cheering and applause as Arthur stood up and said, "I don't suppose that you want a long boring speech from me, I am sure that the Headmaster has told you all you need to know. So I will just say, It gives me very great pleasure to make these awards, first Mr Ronald Weasley Order of Merlin third class," Ron walked up to collect his award to very loud applause, Professor Dumbledore told him they were all to wait on the stage.

"Miss Parvati Patil Order of Merlin third class," she walked up to get her award to extremely loud applause.

"Mr Neville Longbottom Order of Merlin third class," he also walked up to very loud Applause.

"Professor Nymphadora Tonks Order of Merlin second class," she stood and went to collect her award to loud applause.

"Miss Luna Lovegood Order of Merlin second class," she walked up to get her award to extremely loud applause.

"I am going to call the last three together, they will all receive the Order of Merlin first class, they are Miss Ginevra Weasley, Miss Hermione Granger and Mr Harry Potter."

By the time Harry's name was called the noise was absolutely deafening so he just went up when Arthur stopped talking and beckoned to him to come, when he was on the stage he noticed that although the Slytherins did not look to happy, maybe they were not quite as sullen as they would usually be.

Professor McGonagall went down from the stage and talked to the Gryffindor girls, seventh year prefect, she was going to have to escort the first year girls to the tower, as the other two female Gryffindor prefects were on the stage, talking with the Minister for Magic.

Professor Dumbledore rose again, after a few minutes the noise died down then he said, "Thank you, thank you, well now you all probably understand why we thought that Miss Lovegood should be resorted." There were more loud cheers, especially from the Gryffindors, he continued. "The Minister for Magic will be talking to the Gryffindor seven for a few minutes and it is time for you all to go to bed, goodnight."

x-x

The Great Hall gradually cleared and the group remained on the stage for about half an hour, Professor McGonagall told them that the password had been changed to Merlin. Together the seven of them made their way up to Gryffindor Tower, when they arrived, as expected there was a party was in full swing.

Almost immediately Lavender Brown came up to Hermione and asked if she knew why there were two extra beds in their dormitory and Hermione told her that they were for Luna and Ginny.

"But," Lavender said flippantly, "they are only fifth years!" the room had gone quiet, all of the house was listening so Hermione decided to put her straight, then told her how Luna and Ginny had studied all summer and gained fourteen and fifteen OWLs by working hard, also how all seven of them had won six NEWTS, each.

Then Lavender asked snidely, "Well how many OWLs did you get then, Miss Smarty Pants?"

Hermione blushed and said, "I would rather not say."

Lavender said gloatingly, "So you didn't do as well as you thought you might then?"

Harry came to her rescue, "She got twenty four and before any of you bother to ask, I only got eighteen," he was absolutely certain that he had the second highest score in the year, "so relatively, that makes me pretty dumb, how many did you get Lavender?" Lavender was cornered but Harry had hold of Luna's hand and had asked her to stop this discussion.

She had waited until this moment to interrupt, "Stop this silliness I thought Gryffindors knew how to party, Harry can you get us some Butterbeer?"

Ginny overheard Parvati saying to Lavender, "Luna really got you off the hook there, that Hermione is scary, she's in Gryffindor which means that she is braver than she is clever and she is just a bit clever isn't she?"

At the same time Harry answered Luna, "I'll try. Dobby."

Pop.

"Good evening Mr Harry Potter sir, what can I get for you?"

"Can you possibly get me five dozen bottles of Butterbeer, please?"

"Mr Harry Potter sir, house elves has to buy them, they are three sickles each." Harry gave him twelve Galleons, Dobby disappeared and reappeared a minute later with four of his friends, they were each carrying a dozen bottles of Butterbeer, which Harry told them to distribute around the room. Dobby kept trying to give Harry his change but Harry told him to keep it he may need to buy something some other time.

Hermione noticed that Lavender had dragged Ron over to one of the corner armchairs and was rapidly trying to prove that it was not a platonic friendship she was thinking of having with him.

Dean and Seamus asked Harry how he made the House elves do things like that? Harry explained that he never ever made any House Elves do anything, he always asked them and anyway, Dobby was his house elf that worked at Hogwarts while he was here, but came to look after him in the holidays.

Harry looked around, he saw that Hermione was talking to Ginny and the seventh year girls prefect, Harry came up behind her and put his hands around her waist and whispered in her ear that he was going to try his new bed. She turned to him and gave him a kiss goodnight and told him that she was going to bed now as well.

They went up their separate staircases, they were communicating by the link, they both got ready and sat in their beds and drew the drapes. They were in bed together, not in either of their own beds, but in a magnificent eight-foot square, soft, comfortable bed.

Harry said, "She certainly did it in style."

"You can say that again, it's gorgeous," they started cuddling.

"Yes it is rather nice," he gave her a kiss.

"Hang on I can hear Ginny calling me. Shall we tell her?" he let go of her.

"Yea lets," he said, she drew the curtain on her side and disappeared, less than a minute later Hermione was back with Ginny who was sat, cross-legged at the bottom of the bed.

She looked around and said, "This is wonderful, isn't Professor McGonagall a sweetie?"

Then Harry said, "I don't have to tell you that you're not to tell a soul, do I?"

"Probably if Ron found out he'd be dragging Lavender in here," said Hermione giggling.

Ginny giggled as well and said. "I don't know, I think Lavender might be the one doing the dragging and from what Luna has told me, Padma wouldn't be too happy about it, because she fancies Ron as well"

Hermione was looking puzzled and said, "Well he can't finish up with both of them, can he?"

Ginny replied, "Luna also told me the other day, that the twins dad has two wives and a concubine, so maybe they do think that they can both have him. But I dread to think what my mum would say if he did, she'd go ballistic."

Tiredly Hermione said, "Well I give up, thank goodness it's not my problem, now its time to get some sleep."

Ginny kissed both of them on the cheek then she opened the curtain she and Hermione disappeared, an instant later Hermione was back alone with Harry and within three minutes they had snuggled up together and had gone to sleep.

x-x

As always one of the highlights of breakfast the first morning of the school year were the heads of their Houses giving them their timetables for the next year's lessons. Although some years when it was double Potions that occupied their Monday mornings, highlight was not the first adjective many of them would have used to describe the event.

Surprisingly the timetable had been the subject of Hermione and Harry's only disagreement so far, it would be truer to say the lessons to be included on it.

Hermione had wanted to take all of the six subjects she was qualified for, this would of left her no free time whatsoever and Harry wasn't in favour of this idea. Harry had wanted to only take three subjects one of which was Divination, to no ones surprise, this included Harry, Hermione wasn't in favour of this idea, 'Vegetating your brain,' was one of the sweeter things she had said to him.

So eventually they compromised.

Hermione wasn't going to take Astronomy and Arithmancy whilst Harry dropped Divination in favour of Potions, which he was qualified to take, plus he was to take Ancient Runes. Ancient Runes was a subject he had never taken before so Hermione had to promise to help him first to catch up and also to keep up, Ginny who was also taking the subject promised to give what help she could as well.

To Harry's mind the main thing in favour of all this was that Hermione and he would again both be taking all of the same subjects, this was for the first time since their second year. Then there only remained the not insignificant detail of getting Harry accepted onto the Advanced Runes course and after much pleading by Hermione, together with support from the Deputy Headmistress they managed to achieve this.

Another surprise was Professor Snape offering both Ginny and Luna places on the Advanced Potions course. This started a debate that resulted in Luna keeping with what she had already decided and Ginny dropping Astronomy in favour of Advanced Potions meaning she was going to have all of her lessons with Hermione and Harry as well.

Checking their new timetables they were going to spend the whole of the day outside and all together, all the morning was to be Care of Magical Creatures and the afternoon was to be Herbology.

When the class for Care of Magical Creatures had assembled Hermione said fairly quietly to Harry and Ginny, "I think that we must have all of the Slytherin sixth years here." In the class were Pansy Parkinson, Daphne Greengrass and Millicent Bulstrode.

Pansy had heard Hermione so said, "Yes we are, although I don't know what has happened to Blaise Zabini he was supposed to come back, but he disappeared a few weeks ago."

Ron joined in with, "Oh he went to visit Draco and took Crabbe and Goyle with him that would be after the three of them were captured attacking Gringotts Bank. Although I don't know just how long they will be visiting for, it won't be very friendly though because I heard that the Goblins keep an imperturbable charm around each cell so that the prisoners can't talk to each other. They only ever get to talk to the guards and that is only when they bring the food three times a day, must be very peaceful in there."

"That must be awful," said Daphne, "it would drive you mad."

"I suppose that it is to stop the Death Eaters from scheming and plotting." Luna said then added in her normal dotty manner, "Anyway they shouldn't be naughty boys, should they?"

Two of the Slytherin girls ignored her but Pansy said threateningly, "You had better watch yourself."

Totally unconcerned Luna said, "Why? What am I going to do?"

Apart from Pansy who looked livid and Luna who had a deadpan expression the whole class burst out laughing.

Quickly Hagrid, who was still chuckling, called the class together and they spent a very interesting morning learning about the really dangerous Chimaera. Obviously Hagrid still had the two they had used in their Newt examinations, with their lion's head, a goats body and a dragons tail they were really odd looking and were in two cages with thick iron bars.

Towards the end of the lesson Hagrid asked, "Would any of you like to face one then?" as though he was offering them all a bag of sweets.

Pansy said to Luna, "Why don't you try then brave Gryffindor?"

"I will if you will." Luna answered instantly, still appearing to be totally unconcerned.

Pansy obviously had not been prepared for this answer and after spluttering for a minute had to either accept the backhanded challenge or appear to be a coward so she accepted and said, "You first."

"Right then," said Hagrid, "first it's Miss Lovegood and then it's Miss Parkinson. Harry, Hermione will you stand by please in case you are needed."

The couple with their wands drawn, stood beside the Chimaera's pen, Luna entered it and Hagrid released the beast from its cage with his wand.

Luna cast four spells in quick succession and first the creature slowed then it fell down unconscious, however Luna had only whispered her spells and the Slytherins didn't know what she had cast.

Harry and Hermione levitated the unconscious animal back into its cage and when they had closed and locked the door Harry cast 'Enervate' to revive it then he went back on guard with Hermione ready for Pansy's turn.

She was trembling as she entered the pen and Hagrid released the other Chimaera that charged at Pansy who appeared to be petrified and did nothing. So Harry and Hermione hit it with synchronised stunning spells and it fell unconscious with its head resting no more than two inches from Pansy's shoes.

She fainted.

Once again the couple put the monster back in its cage and when it was locked they revived the Chimaera then Hermione went over and revived Pansy.

Luna came over and helped Pansy to her feet and asked her in a very kind voice if she was all right and then Luna helped her out of the pen and back to her friends, from that time on Luna never had any trouble from the Slytherin girls.

In their bed that night, before falling asleep, the loving couple concluded that the poisonous plants, which had been attacking them throughout the afternoon in Herbology, were something of an anticlimax after a lesson with Hagrid.

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