Chapter Two

"First years, you go over there," said Hermione to two little girls who looked like they were sisters. They looked absolutely terrified, and Hermione had to admit as she gazed up into the black sky that she didn't blame them. It was a storm to rival the one two years ago, when she started her fourth year.

One of the girls gave a small squeak and pointed at a figure by the shore of the lake who looked as large as a troll and twice as dangerous.

"Hagrid's really nice," Hermione said kindly to reassure them, as the person in question lifted a boat with his bare hands and tossed it into the lake. The girls looked at her sceptically.

"Don't judge by his looks," she went on with a smile. "He's a right angel and he'll take good care of you. Now, I know it might not be the ideal night for sailing, but think of how nice it'll be to get inside to the feast afterwards! I'll see you there. Hope you're in Gryffindor, that's my house. Good luck!"

The girls looked a bit heartened as they set off, hand in hand, towards Hagrid who was shouting his usual "Firs' years… firs' years…" Hermione waved at him and started walking towards the carriages which she now knew were pulled by Thestrals, even if she couldn't see them, turning the collar of her cloak up against the wind. Hopefully Ron and Harry had found a nice and warm carriage so they could…

Before she could finish the thought a hand grabbed her arm and she was yanked forcefully into the nearest carriage.

"Take it easy Ron, I'm not some trunk of luggage," she said huffily, straightening her robes and shaking the water out of her hair. "God, I'm absolutely soaked, had to take care of some – "

"It's me, Brainy," hissed a female voice. Hermione froze in the act of combing through her ponytail.

"Ex-cuse me?" she said.

"Rachel Nott. Where's the freaking lights? Wait a minute…" There was a pause, punctured by sounds of rummaging, and then the carriage was lit up by the light of a small fairy perched on Rachel's hand, jabbering away in its own language with a strange sing-song voice.

"You can conjure fairies?" Hermione asked, astonished and forgetting for a second who she was talking to.

"What are you, stupid?" asked Rachel. "That's Seventh Year magic or something. I keep a few in a box for journeys, it's really useful if you haven't got any light. (OK for Lumos, but it doesn't get you far...)" She paused for a second, and then she almost smiled. "And they're really pretty."

Hermione nodded. She had little respect for the unintelligent creatures, but there was no getting round that they were very cute.

"Anyway," said Rachel, and the near-smile disappeared from her face to make way for a sulky expression, "I wanted to speak to you. What the hell were you on about, asking me how I feel? Who've you been speaking to? Or did you just want to make me look stupid? 'Cos congratulations in that case, you just earned yourself full marks."

"No!" Hermione exclaimed, feeling rather irritated. "You look sick, no offence, you're all pale with these dark shadows under her eyes and you look really skinny so I just worried! Excuse me for caring!"

Rachel stared at her for a long while, until she felt distinctly uncomfortable. Then the Slytherinsnorted andlooked away, propping up her elbow on the small windowsill and resting her chin in her hand. Her other hand rested against her leg, and Hermione noticed several long, faint lines on the back of it, like old scars.

"Are you really alri– "

"Shut up!" Rachel turned back towards her, furious. "Don't ever ask me again! Got it!"

"OK..." Hermione realized that she had shrunk back before Rachels outburst, and sat up straight again. The other girl just turned away however, looking out of the window. Hermione was starting to become really irritated. Well, if she didn't want her to care, why had Rachel come to Hermione in the first place? She was just about to say something to the effect when Rachel spoke again, quietly and hesitantly.

"Someone… told me to go to you."

"Huh? What? Why?" asked Hermione, completely nonplussed. "Who was it?"

"They said you'd know what I should do…" Rachel went on as if she hadn't heard. "And that I could talk to you… that you'd understand… especially Harry Potter. But I don't like him." Rachel scowled darkly as she looked back at Hermione. "He has no respect."

"Well…" Hermione wasn't sure of what to say. She wanted to defend her friend, but she also didn't want to say anything that might upset Rachel. "He's been through a lot… it hasn't been easy…"

She knew immediately that she had said the wrong thing. Rachel's hesitant manner disappeared and the arrogant look came back to her face.

"Oh no, of course," she snapped. "We all know about the tragic hero and his struggles."

She caught the fairy – which had been floating in front of the window for a while, making threatening gestures at its own reflection – in her hand and stuffed it brusquely into its case again, then looked out of the window.

"We're here," she said, and without another word she leapt out of the carriage and ran to join Malfoy and Blaise Zabini. Hermione, who hadn't even noticed that the carriages had been moving, stepped out slowly and went to search for her friends, thinking about the strange conversation. So Rachel had wanted their help? And with what? Who on earth had sent her to them?


"Where did you go?" asked Ron as they found each other in the Entrance Hall. "We looked for you for ages but you just disappeared."

"I – " Hermione hesitated. Somehow she didn't think it was worthwhile to mention the conversation with Rachel to her friends. "I had to take care of a couple of new girls, they were scared to death. I don't remember us being that frightened when we first started at Hogwarts."

"Oh, I don't know," said Ron, with a meaningful glance at Harry. "I know someone who was pretty damn close to peeing his pants…"

"Yeah, and like you weren't…"

Chatting happily about their first time at Hogwarts, the three friends made their way into the Great Hall and over to the Gryffindor table, where they were hailed by some classmates.

"Ron! Just the man I wanted to speak to," grinned Dean Thomas, pulling Ron down to sit next to him. "Have you seen my One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi? I think I must have left it at your house. I asked Ginny and she hasn't seen it, but I thought since I was sleeping in your room…"

Hermione suppressed a giggle as she saw the stony expression on Ron's face. His unwillingness to accept that his sister could have a love life too – admittedly with one of his own classmates, but still – was almost comical. Hermione knew Ginny didn't find it one bit funny though and could understand her – Ron had subjected Dean to a rather harsh round of questioning on his first night in the Burrow, which Hermione thought was taking it a bit far. Especially the part about whether or not Dean intended to molest her in any way, honestly.

"D'you think the Hat will elaborate as much this year?" asked Harry.

Hermione shrugged. "It got its point across last year, I think. But you never know. Here it comes, let's see, shall we?"

Professor McGonagall walked briskly into the hall, carrying the hat and stool and leading the First-years. Hermione was relieved to see that the Stunners that had briefly landed her in hospital didn't seem to have caused any permanent damage. In fact, several of the new boys and girls were almost running to keep up with her.

Hermione caught sight of the two sisters, still holding each other's hands, and wondered what House they'd be sorted into. Maybe not Gryffindor after all – bravery didn't seem to be one of their virtues. Ravenclaw? Or Hufflepuff? Which one would it be? Not Slytherin in any case, they seemed much too sweet for that.

On the other hand… since when where Slytherins necessarily bad people? The thought hit Hermione suddenly, like thoughts always did. She realized that although she had been taught that Slytherins were evil and twisted since she first started at Hogwarts, the logic in Sorting all the bad guys into one house suddenly seemed very lousy. And as for the idea that one quarter of the eleven-year-olds who came to Hogwarts were evil people, it was just ludicrous. So what was the truth?

"...So bang the drum and blow the horn

For witch and wizard young and cool

From evening late to early morn

They'll study here at Hogwarts school!"

Hermione came back to herself just as the Hat sang out the last few lines of its song. The Hall erupted into laughter and applause – especially loud and enthusiastic among the sixth years, who remembered studying like that only a few short months ago... and knew it'd be over one a half year before they'd had to do that again.

"Just the normal song, after all," Harry said easily, clapping along with the rest.

"Uh-huh," said Hermione absent-mindedly, cursing herself for not paying attention.

"I know that look," Ron smiled, pulling her ponytail lightly. "You've been thinking about something again. You know, when you're thinking hard about something your eyes go out of focus like this…" His face assumed a dreamy, lost expression and she stuck out her tongue at him.

"What were you thinking about?" Ron asked, his face returning to normal. "How to achieve world peace and the freedom of house-elves?"

"I was thinking about how nice your head would look on my wall," she retorted. "Shut up, I want to watch the Sorting."

Just then the table started to applaud again and she looked up quickly to see what had happened. One of the sisters had just been sorted, and as she pulled the Hat off her head and stepped forward, Hermione waved and moved over to make a space for her. The girl ran down the table towards her, looking grateful.

"Aniki, Sarah" read McGonagall and Hermione glanced up again as the other sister walked over to the chair and sat down, putting the Hat on her head.

"Did it take a long time Sorting you?" she asked the first sister, who had just sat down beside her.

"Yeah, a while," said the girl, her eyes fixed on her twin, who seemed to be taking her time too.

"SLYTHERIN!" called the Hat finally, and Sarah pulled it off and walked over to join the table on the other side of the Hall. Her sister's face fell.

"Aw, I was hoping we'd be in the same house," she said, looking disappointed, then turned to Hermione. "But we have classes with the other houses, don't we? So I'll be able to see her anyway?"

"Er… yes…" Hermione answered, feeling shocked. One twin in Gryffindor, one in Slytherin! They'd be enemies from now on. But how was that possible when they so obviously liked and depended upon one another? She could see other people around the Hall muttering to their friends, too. That two twins had been sorted into the rivalling houses had never happened before. Well, except for that time with Cain and Abel she'd read about, but that had been a nasty story...

"What's your name, by the way?" she asked, putting the thought away in her head and locking it up, to take it out and examine it later.

"Christine," said the girl, once more looking up at the Sorting Hat. "What's the difference between the houses?"

"Well…" Hermione hesitated. "Like it said, it's all down to what abilities and stuff you have… Like if you're really smart, you get put in Ravenclaw… Or if you work hard, you go to Hufflepuff…"

"Bit boring," said Christine.

"And then in Gryffindor you – what?" said Hermione, as she realized what the younger girl had just said. "What was that about boring?" Christine looked up at her innocently.

"Then you're only with the same kind of people all the time, aren't you?"


So sorry for the delay... I swear my computer has a private vendetta against me.

Well, I don't like him either, so there.

Aaargh! (Runs away as the computer starts ejecting CD's at her)

...Oh, and thank you for the reviews. :)