Disclaimer: I still don't own anything from Harry Potter! It's all J.K. Rowling's!

A/N: Hey everyone! I found out that Rowling has confirmed the name of book 6! It's going to be The Half Blood Prince. And the half blood prince isn't Harry or Voldemort! I want to know who it is! Please post and say who you think it will be! Oh, and sorry about not posting in a couple days. We have had company over and I haven't been able to use the computer! Please R & R!

Chapter 5- The Heir of Gryffindor

"RON, HARRY! GET UP!" Hermione had walked into Harry and Ron's room and was throwing pillows at their faces. "THE TRAIN LEAVES IN TWO HOURS AND YA'LL AREN'T EVEN UP YET!"

"Alright, alright. We'll be down in a minute, Hermione."

Ron pulled back the covers to reveal some very tight, orange and white-stripped boxers. Hermione covered her eyes and made a sound of disgust.

"Ugh, Ron! Put some cloths on!"

"Well then get out and let me change."

"Fine, but you better hurry. We're leaving in about forty-five minutes." And with that, she left the room, slamming the door behind her.

Thirty minutes later, everyone was dressed, fed and waiting outside Grimmauld Place. Everyone except Harry that is. He had run back inside to grab Hedwig. As soon as he reached his room, however, he felt a blinding pain in his scar. The pain was beyond tolerable. Harry didn't know who he was. He was screaming, screaming louder than he had ever screamed. The pain was worse than any Cruciastus Curse ever placed upon him. He could not even stand but rolled on the floor clutching his scar. It was making him sick, and he knew that any moment he was either going to pass out or vomit all over the floor.

Suddenly he felt ice cold all over his body. The pain began to subside, and once it was gone, Harry heard voices all around him. They were worried. It took a minute for him to figure out why they would be worried, then he remembered the pain he felt. He slowly opened his eyes to see Hermione hugging a shaking Ginny in the corner, Mrs. Weasley talking to Dumbledore and Mad-eye Moody beside the bed, and a very pale Ron comforting a worried Tonks.

Once Dumbledore noticed Harry was awake, he hushed everyone and turned to him. "Harry?" He said with a note of fear in his voice. "Can you tell me what just happened? You were rolling on the floor, screaming, and clutching your scar."

Harry did not answer immediately. He looked down and noticed that he was soaking wet. Then, remembering the ice cold he felt, he realized that someone must have poured water over him in attempt to wake him up. Harry sighed and looked back up at Dumbledore.

"I was walking up here to get Hedwig, and I felt pain in my scar. It was the worst pain I had ever felt." Harry paused but continued. "I heard Voldemort. He was laughing. He was hysterical. But then he was angry and started screaming. His voice was piercing. It just made me hurt even more, but then he felt something that I have never experienced him feel. It was fear and relief."

"He knows." Dumbledore said more to himself than anyone. "Alright, continue, Harry."

"Well...er...that's pretty much it."

"Can you tell me why he was feeling those things?"

"Um, he found out about the prophecy. The rest of it I mean. And that made him happy. I don't know how he found out, but he did. He didn't like what it had to say, so he was angry. The angriest he has been in a long time. But then he was afraid. He was afraid of me and my power. He was relieved that he had no reason to fear you, Professor, but he was scared of me. That made him even angrier that he was scared of a sixteen-year-old boy. He cursed someone in the room, but I don't know whom. That's when I woke up."

"Harry, Voldemort has overcome the next boundary. We must be prepared for an upcoming war. He will not fear Hogwarts as much because he does not fear me. And it is now of utmost urgency that you master Occlumency. Voldemort will try any means to enter your mind. You will continue your lessons every Monday at 6 o'clock in my office. I will be teaching you this year. Now, you all need to hurry and get to King's Cross or you may miss the train. I will see you tonight." And with a small POP! He was gone.

"Alright, children. You heard Professor Dumbledore. We need to get to the train station quickly. I think it best that we take the Knight Bus. It will get us there faster." Mrs. Weasley said as she was ushering everyone out the door. "Harry, dear, are you sure you're alright?"

"Yes. I'm fine." He lied.

Ron and Hermione gave Harry worried looks all the way to King's Cross. They seemed to walk on eggshells when around him. Ginny was the only one who seemed to act normally. She walked up beside him and talked to him the whole way there.

When they boarded the train and found a compartment, Harry was surprised to see that Ginny didn't go with Ron and Hermione to the prefect's compartment.

"Aren't you a prefect, Ginny?" He asked.

"No way. My grades aren't good enough, and I get into too much trouble, opening the Chamber of Secrets, running out of school to go to the Department of Mysteries, attacking Malfoy and Umbridge. I wasn't surprised at all when I didn't get it, and to be honest, I'm kind of glad. I've got quidditch and OWLs this year. I'm going to have enough responsibility."

"Oh. Well good for you then."

"Do you want to sit here? It's the only one open."

"Okay. Fine with me. Hey...wait a minute. Why aren't you sitting with Dean?" Harry just realized that Ginny had been going out with Dean Thomas.

"Oh...er...we broke up. I wrote him a letter saying it wasn't working out."

"Why did you break up with him?"

"I like someone else." And at that, she walked into the compartment and sat down. Harry could tell that the conversation was over.

Luckily the compartment was empty, so Harry and Ginny had it all to themselves. They were having a very nice conversation and were just beginning to wonder where Ron and Hermione were when the compartment slid open. To Harry's disgust, however, it was not Ron and Hermione but Malfoy and his cronies, Crabbe and Goyle.

"Hello, Potter." He sneered. Malfoy had slick blonde hair and seemed to have grown about 6 inches over the summer. Harry was in fact a lot shorter and skinnier than him, but he always stood up to Malfoy no matter what. They had been rivals since their very first train ride. "Have a good summer?" And without waiting for a reply he kept on talking, his voice becoming more menacing. "How dare you land my father in prison? You think you are so great because you have escaped the Dark Lord. Well, Potter, here's a warning. The Dark Lord knows more than you think he does, and you will never escape him. He is much to powerful for you."

"Malfoy, I don't care if Voldemort knows about the prophecy. He needs to know because now he will be ready for me. Once I face Voldemort I want it to be when he is at full power. That way I won't defeat him when he is weak. I will defeat him because I am stronger. So go tell your master to be ready, because I know I'll be."

"Give it up. You will never be as strong as the Dark Lord. You, a filthy half-blood, think that you can defeat the greatest wizard of all time. News flash, Potter. You are not worthy enough to wipe slime off his shoes."

"You do know that Voldemort is a half-blood as well, don't you? And he isn't the greatest wizard of all time, that would be Dumbledore. So why don't you get your sorry a-"
Harry was thrown backwards and landed with a thud against the opposite wall. Malfoy had cursed him when he didn't expect it.

"Harry, Harry, are you alright?" Ginny was screaming.

"Yeah, I'm fine Ginny."

"Oh look, Potter. Your girlfriend is worried about you. I wonder how she is going to take it when the Dark Lord kills you."

"Eat dung, Malfoy!" And Harry raised his hand, and muttered a curse that sent Malfoy sailing out of the compartment. Then Harry commanded the compartment door to shut, which it did. He did all of this without the use of a wand, and it scared him as much as it did Ginny.

"Harry? Wh-what...I mean how did you do that?"

"I'm not sure, Ginny. I think it is another of my hidden powers. Dumbledore said something about wandless magic."

"That was really advanced, even to have a wand."

"I know, and that's what scares me. I've been performing advanced magic without realizing it, lately."

"Wow! You know what? I really hate that Malfoy. He's so rude and arrogant. Unlike you. Your sweet, funny selfless, brave..." Harry was barely paying attention. She was saying so many nice things about him and it made him feel really good. Ginny was so pretty and nice. He was really starting to like her. But what would Ron say? He decided that he needed to talk to Ron about it soon.

"Harry, are you listening to me?"

"What- oh yeah. Um...what was that last question?"

"Oh nevermind. You're just like Ron, you're attention span lasts about 5 minutes."

"I was paying attention at first, but then I got lost in thought. I'm sorry, Ginny."

"It's alright. What were you thinking about?"

"Honestly...you."

"Me? Oh, great. That can't be good."

"It wasn't bad, I promise. I was wondering why you hadn't questioned me about the prophecy yet."

"Oh, that's all? Ron told me about it. He said you didn't need to have to tell it again."

"Well he's right."

"Oh, Harry! That's just awful! I can't believe you have to go through that! Remember, Harry, I am always here for you. Don't be afraid to come and talk to me about anything."

"I won't. Thanks, Ginny."

"Oh my gosh, I can't believe I forgot to give this to you. It is part of your birthday present, but I wanted to give it to you alone. Here." Ginny reached into her trunk and got a square, flat package out. The package was wrapped in a shiny, blue paper with a red bow tied to the front. Harry quickly opened it, and a picture frame fell out. Turning the frame over, Harry noticed a picture of Sirius. But it wasn't like a simple picture; it was like the one's in Dumbledore's office, the kind that talks to you, and think for themselves.

"Hi, Harry! Did you miss me?"

"Sirius! I can't believe it's you! You can not imagine what it's been like without you." Then Harry turned to Ginny and gave her a hug. In fact, it was more than just a hug. He embraced her for what felt like hours. It was wonderful. "Thank you, Ginny. This is the best!"

"Your welcome."

"Alright you two. You can let go now, you little lovebirds." Sirius said, while a very red-faced Harry let go of Ginny. Ginny was blushing and looked down at the floor.

Hermione and Ron didn't show up the whole train ride, and before he knew it, they were at Hogwarts. After taking the carriages to the castle entrance, Ginny and Harry met up with Ron and Hermione. It turned out that sixth year prefects must stay the entire ride in the prefect's compartment. The four then walked up to the castle, in through the front doors, and into the great hall.

The great hall was a magnificent room with a ceiling bewitched to look like the sky outside. There were five tables in the room, four for each of the houses and one for the staff. On top of the tables were golden plates and goblets. They were empty at the moment. And hanging right below the ceiling were about 50 candles suspended in mid-air.

Harry and Ron sat on one side of the table across from Hermione and Ginny. They were waiting for the sorting to begin, a ceremony in which a hat would look into each of the first years heads and shout out which house they belong in, and Ron was complaining loudly as usual.

Professor McGonagall led the first years into the great hall, while carrying an old, frayed wizards hat. She set the hat upon a stool in front of the staff table and stood back to begin the sorting. Suddenly, a tear at the brim of the hat opened, and it began to sing.

Here we are at Hogwarts
Another year had begun
We are in troubled times, and
Many troubles are still to come
That is why it is critical,
You're in the right house, you see
Let me look inside your head
And tell where you should be
May it be in fair Gryffindor
For those are brave of heart
His heir resides in that house
He's the one who's set apart
Or should you be in Ravenclaw
Whose wit is beyond measure
Those cunning folk will use their brains
To achieve their treasure
Then there are sweet Hufflepuffs
Who have befriended all
They will go to any means
To avoid a brawl
You cannot forget the Slytherins
Whose selfishness stands out
When in a fix of life or death
They'd put themselves first without a doubt
Now, we must not worry about the future
But focus on the now
That is why I sit up here
And take my solemn vow
I will place you in your house
And see where you fit in
So sit back and relax
And let the show begin

Among the cheers and anxious looks, there was also whispering and looks of confusion. Everyone was thinking the same thing as Harry; who is the heir of Gryffindor? Before Harry could ponder on it too long, however, the sorting began.

"When I call your name please step forward and place the hat on your head." Professor McGonagall was telling the new students, each of which looked as if they were about to wet themselves. "Allen, Joel"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Blackwell, Alexis"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Bowers, Carter"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Howard, Samuel"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Harry started to drift off as Cecil Johnson was placed in Ravenclaw, but jerked awake when he heard, "Malfoy, Zachary"

The hat didn't take long to decide where Zachary should be. It merely touched his head before shouting "SLYTHERIN!"

"Great, Harry. That's all we need, another Malfoy." Ron was whispering to Harry.

As soon as Zimmer, Evan was sorted to Hufflepuff, Professor Dumbledore stood up and looked down at the school. He had on long purple robes, lined with golden stars and moons. His half-moon spectacles rested on the brim of his nose as he looked down, smiling at the school.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts!" He greeted. "This year many changes will be made as the return of Voldemort (there was a collective shudder that passed around the room) has been confirmed, but now is not the time to speak of them; tuck in!"

And suddenly the golden plates filled with food. There were mounds of mashed potatoes, roast beef, chicken, pork chops, peas, carrots, and Yorkshire pudding. The goblets contained ice-cold pumpkin juice that refilled itself every time the drinker ran out.

Feeling very hungry, Harry helped himself to a bit of everything. He decided to listen to everyone's conversations rather than participate in them. Ron, Hermione, and Neville were discussing the heir of Gryffindor.

"It was rather odd that the sorting hat would single out one person like that." Hermione was saying.

"I just want to know who it is! Do you think it is one of the new first years?"

"Don't be so think, Ron!" Hermione snapped back. "The sorting hat wrote that song over the last year. It had no idea which students were going to be coming. It has to be someone that is already in Gryffindor."

"Whoever it is, is going to be enemies with the heir of Slytherin. Slytherin and Gryffindor were enemies so their heirs must be as well." Neville said very knowledgably.

"Yes, that would make since. The heir of Slytherin is Tom Riddle. He has many enemies. Pick anyone in Gryffindor and they will say that they are an enemy of Voldemort. That doesn't narrow it down at all." Hermione told them.

"Well," Ron was saying with his mouth very full. "It has to be a Gryffindor, second year or above, that hates Voldemort. We have a lot to go by."

"You are forgetting the other part of the sorting hats song. He is the one who's set apart. That has to narrow it down some. Who in Gryffindor is set apart?" Hermone said just remembering that important peice of information.

They all turned towards Harry, realization flashing in their eyes.