A New Beginning

A/N: Thanks to Eilidh (that's oki if it was a bit late, you were the first one to review, ha-ha), Jackie (aww, thanks), and minimoon4me (I'm posting right now, ha-ha) for reviewing! Sorry it's been a while since I updated last, I've been too occupied with Diary Entries that I haven't found time to review this one, or the other one that often, for that matter! Please forgive me! Plus I've had to do a bunch of h/w, exams are coming up soon and we aren't done are lessons in Science or Humanities (Social/L.A.)! LoL. Anyhow, onward with the chapter!

Chapter 2 Trip to Hogwarts the Sorting, Part 1

"Hurry it up Hermia, the train's going to be leaving soon!" Hermione yelled as Harry pushed Hermia's cart to the barrier.

Hermia ran over to the barrier beside Hermione – Kasandra had already gotten onto the train. Harry came up beside them.

"Go on ahead Hermia," Harry said, giving Hermia her cart.

"OK," Hermia said before running through the barrier.

"After you Hermione."

Hermione went through the barrier once more, Harry following. Harry went over to where Hermia was and helped her put her trunk and owl onto the train. Hermia got onto the train right afterwards.

"Bye Hermia. Don't give Kasandra too hard a time like you do at home," Harry said.

"I won't! Bye Daddy. Tell Hermione I said bye," Hermia said.

"I will." Harry then proceeded over to where Hermione was saying good-bye to their daughter. "Bye Kay-C-P."

"Bye Daddy," Kasandra said. "Bye Mum."

"Bye sweetie," Hermione said. "Have fun this year."

"I will."

"And get sorted into Gryffindor. But if you get sorted into Hufflepuff, we'll disown you," Harry said seriously.

Kasandra looked at Harry fearfully. Hermione hit Harry.

"I'm just joking Kasandra, don't worry. We'll still love you if you don't get sorted into Gryffindor," Harry said. "Now you better go and sit down."

"OK Daddy. Love you both," Kasandra said before going farther into the train where she was sharing a compartment with Nick and Hannah (Charlie and his wife Sarah's daughter) who were two other first years and were her best friends.

Harry wrapped an arm around Hermione's waist and took her back through the barrier to their car. Little did they know though was that another couple sending their own boys off to Hogwarts were almost doing the same thing.

"I can't wait 'til we get there!" exclaimed Hannah, putting her brown hair that she inherited from her mother into braided pigtails.

"Settle down Hannah," Nick said.

Kasandra smiled and looked at Hannah. "Don't settle down, it's good to be hyper! I drank lots of coffee, coffee, coffee this morning!"

Hannah giggled and Nick just shook his head as Kasandra acted like someone who had escaped from the mental institution (A/N: good 'ol Mental Institution).

"Lighten up Nick," Kasandra said.

"Sorry, I'm just trying to clear my mind," Nick replied.

"Do that later, when we're closer to the school," Hannah said.

"Yeah, so you don't be like this the whole trip. If you are going to be like this until we get there though, I'm going to pretend not to know you," Kasandra said.

"That's what I was going to say about you two," Nick said.

The three laughed.

"I hope we are all in the same house," Kasandra said.

"Since I should be sorted last – there's no other Weasley starting this year – I'm gonna hope that I'm in one of your two's house," Hannah said.

"What if none of us are in the same house?" asked Nick.

Kasandra looked at Hannah and Nick; she hoped they'd be together in the same house. They had been friends since they were babies!

"Hey Hermia, want to check on your sister and her friends?" asked Kaitlin, Hermia's best friend.

"Sure, why not? Wanna come Eric, Chantal, Jack, or Jeremy? I can introduce you to my younger half-sister," Hermia said.

"I already know her though," Jeremy said. "Remember? Our families are close. Like your family is with all the Weasley families and that one Malfoy family."

"So? She doesn't know or know about Eric, Chantal, or Jack," Hermia said.

"What? You didn't brag about me?" asked Eric, kissing Hermia's cheek.

"No sorry."

Eric pouted and Hermia swatted the back of his head. Kaitlin laughed, along with Jeremy, Chantal, and Jack.

"Let's go," Hermia laughed as well, taking Eric's hand and getting out of the compartment.

All of them followed Hermia to the back of the train where she figured Kasandra and her friends were. She opened one of the compartments' doors and she was lucky, it was Kasandra's compartment.

"What do you want Hermia?" asked Kasandra, looking up from her game of Wizard's chess with Hannah.

"Just wanted to see how you were doing. And to introduce you to my friends," Hermia replied.

"I already know Kaitlin though."

"She's not my only friend."

"Well you mustn't be very good friends then, I never hear you talk about them or ask if you could go over to their house or them to ours."

"Shut it Kasandra." Hermia waved her friends' in. "The one with pink hair is Chantal, the one with orange hair is Jack, and the one with blue hair is Eric. And you all already know Jeremy."

Kasandra, Hannah, and Nick shook all the hands of the people they didn't know. "Hermia and Eric are dating; Jack likes Kaitlin; Kaitlin likes Jeremy; Jeremy likes Chantal; Chantal likes Jack," Kasandra said very quickly.

Everyone looked at Kasandra, who just shrugged. Chantal talked first.

"What was that all about?"

"Sorry, I can tell things by touching someone's hand, if I'm in a good mood," Kasandra said.

"I never knew you could do that," Hermia said.

"You don't know a lot of things I can do."

"Right…well we're going to go."

"Bye," Kasandra, Hannah, and Nick said together, as Hermia and her friends left.

"What do you guys wanna do?" asked Hannah.

"I dunno something fun?" suggested Nick.

"Like what?" asked Kasandra.

"Like umm….Exploding Snap."

"Nah, let's play Truth or Dare," Hannah said. "And if you don't wanna do whatever it is you have to do, you get a chicken. First person to three chickens ends the game."

"OK," Nick and Kasandra said together.

"Mmm…the kids are all gone for the day, what do you think we should do?" Hermione asked Harry, hugging him.

"I think we should go over to Ginny and Draco's," Harry responded.

"I was thinking more along the lines of spending the day in the bedroom. But hey, if you would prefer to go to Ginny and Draco's, we can."

"Forget I ever said that. I like your idea way better," Harry said, lifting Hermione over his shoulder. "You're still incredibly light Hermy."

Hermione laughed as Harry ran up the stairs with her to their room. He threw her on the bed and closed the door – what if someone popped by? – before going back to his waiting wife.

"Meadow, leave Shane alone!" Ginny yelled, handing a crying Summer to Draco.

Meadow ignored her mother and continued to chase her younger brother after he broke her favourite pencil crayon. Ginny yelled out in frustration and stopped Meadow in her tracks by lifting her.

"Mummy! Put me down!" she squealed.

"Not until you say you won't bug your brother," Ginny said.

"Fine, I won't bug Shane."

"Good," Ginny put Meadow back down. "Now go get ready, we're going to Grandma Narcissa's for lunch, you too Shane."

Shane and Meadow ran from the room where they were before. Draco walked over to Ginny with Summer.

"Do you wish we didn't have so many?" he asked.

"No, my mum had seven of us. We only have five," she said as she took Summer from Draco. "Are you ready to go to your mum's for lunch?"

"Yes, but to we have to go? I don't wanna!"
"OK, let's go then. Shane, Meadow, let's go!"

Meadow and Shane came back into the room.

"Grab your Floo Powder," Draco said.

Meadow grabbed her Floo first before Shane and yelled 'Malfoy Sr. Manor!' Shane copied his sister. With a simple nod, Draco and Ginny Disapparated, Summer in Ginny's arms.

"Your sister is scary," Chantal remarked when they were back at their compartment.

"I know. I didn't know she was like psychic," Hermia responded. "Maybe she gets it from Hermione…"

"Your mum?" asked Jack.

Hermia groaned and put her head in her hands. Jeremy spoke up since he knew her the longest and knew she didn't like having to repeating her heritage when asked about Hermione being her mum.

"Hermione is her step-mum; Hermione is all her siblings' mum, but not hers. Her mum's name was Madeline Potter, she was killed when Hermia was – we'll say three, Madeline was Draco Malfoy's – one of my uncles – cousin."

"Oh," was all Jack and Chantal said together.

Eric and Kaitlin already knew this. Actually, they all knew this; Jack and Chantal just forgot it.

"Whatever, I'm bored," Hermia said.

"Wanna snog?" asked Eric.

"Sure."

Hermia went over to Eric and sat on his lap before kissing him.

"Why doesn't anyone choose Dare? We all pretty much know the answers to the Truth questions, because we're best friends," Kasandra said.

"And Nick and I are cousins," Hannah said.

"Yeah, but I know Kassie better," Nick said.

"That's because my Daddy and Mum didn't mover back to England until I was eight."

"So?"

"Shut up! Both of you! Let's play!" Kasandra exclaimed.

"OK," Nick and Hannah said.

"OK. Hannah, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare."

"OK, I dare you to go to one of your cousins and tell them you are adopted and want to go out with them."

"No! That's crazy Kassie!"

"Hannah has one chicken."

"My go. Kassie, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare."

"OK, I dare you to go to some kid who looks like our age and kiss them on the lips."

Kasandra didn't answer, she just got up and left the compartment. Nick and Hannah followed her.

"Hey Hermia, look, it's your sister and her friends," Jack said, looking out the compartment door.

Hermia looked out the door as well.

"I wonder what my cousins and Kasandra are up to…" Jeremy said.

"Who cares? I'm not her babysitter anymore," Hermia remarked before going back to the book she had started reading.

Kasandra looked in different compartments until she found one that had two red-headed boys, and a blonde boy. "How old are you boys?"

"I'm twelve, so is he," the older looking red-head said, pointing to the blonde. "And my brother is eleven."
Kasandra grinned and kissed the younger redhead. He was obviously startled.

"And you are?" he asked.

"I'm Kasandra. You?" she replied.

"Kyle."

"Well bye!" called Kasandra before heading back to her compartment with Nick and Hannah.

"I can't believe you did that!" Nick exclaimed.

"It wasn't that hard. Now Nick, Truth or Dare?" asked Kasandra.

"Truth."

"You're no fun. Fine. If Hannah wasn't your cousin, would you want to go out with her?"

Nick looked at Hannah. "No, only because I bet I wouldn't know her that well."

"That's good. I wouldn't date you," Hannah laughed.

"Come on Eric, you're so slow!" called Hermia from the carriage she sat in with her friends.

Eric came running to the carriage, rolling his eyes at Hermia. "I'm not that slow."

"Yeah, whatever."

Hermia and Eric had started dating the year before and Hermia felt like she should dump him. She wasn't a big one on commitments. When she was eight, she stopped doing ballet and figure skating within the second week. Of course she would never tell Eric she wanted them to break up, she only thought it. Not even Kaitlin knew Hermia wanted to break up with Eric. As far as anyone knew, Hermia and Eric were a perfect little couple.

The carriage moved slowly towards Hogwarts. Hermia stared out the window at the rain falling. She was barely listening to her friends talking. Rain, Hermia loved the rain, and the sound of it. Her first kiss with Eric was in the rain. Hermia wanted their last kiss to be in the rain too, but she wasn't going to break-up with Eric tonight. Finally, the carriages stopped out by the castle. They all got out and went to the front doors.

Everybody was ushered in to the Great Hall to their respective table. Hermia, Eric, Kaitlin, Jeremy, Jack and Chantal were all in Gryffindor so they sat at that table. She would never admit it to anyone, but Hermia wanted Kasandra to be in Gryffindor like she was.

The Hall went quiet as Professor Snape walked to the front with the stool, the Sorting Hat, and the little first years behind him. Snape placed the Hat on the stool and it broke into that years' song.

A thousand years or so ago

When I was newly sewn,

Hogwarts was built.

Four founders shared a common goal

A goal to teach young wizards and witches,

Their knowledge of magic.

Gryffindor took the brave and noble,

While Slytherin took only the purebloods;

Ravenclaw wanted the intelligent and witty,

And sweet Hufflepuff took the rest.

Year after year,

I sit upon your head

And take a look in your mind

To see where you shall be Sorted.

Some might be shocked,

Or surprised,

To find that they might not be Sorted

Where they wanted,

Or thought.

Now's the time though

To sit down on the stool

And put me upon your head.

Let me take a look in your mind

And Sort you to where you belong.

The Hat stopped singing and the students clapped.

"When I call your name, sit on the stool and put the Hat on your head," Professor Snape said, unrolling a piece of parchment. "Appleclove, Elizabeth."

A young girl with short blonde hair made her way to the stool. Professor Snape lifted the Hat, and Elizabeth sat down. Snape put the Hat on her head and the Hat only took a second to think before yelling 'Hufflepuff!'

"Bing, Ben," Snape called.

A boy with brown hair walked to the stool. When the Hat was on his head, he was sorted into Slytherin. Next came a girl named Emma Bing – who was obviously the other boy's twin sister – who got sorted into Ravenclaw. More students got called when Nick finally got called.

"Malfoy, Nick," Snape read.

Nick walked up to the stool and sat down. Snape placed the Hat on Nick's head. The Hat fought with itself for quite a while before finally yelling 'Ravenclaw!'

Hermia, Drake, Jeremy, Samantha, Joe, Mitch, and Jeff all looked shocked. Even Snape, who expected Nick to be in Slytherin because of his father or in Gryffindor because of his mother, looked slightly shocked. The Hall settled down, and Snape continued. "Potter, Kasandra."

Kasandra walked nervously up to the stool where she sat down. Snape put the Hat on her head where it immediately started talking into her ear.

"Hmm…plenty of bravery just like your father and mother. Then again, you do have a good mind, plenty of knowledge. Cunning as well. Hufflepuff could be good considering you have traits for each house. Where to put you…I know, I'll make it…"

A/N: Ending on a cliffy, Ha-ha. Where do you think Kasandra will be placed? Or Hannah for that matter? Oh yeah, if you wanna know about Samantha, Joe, Mitch, and Jeff, go to my website, and the Story Characters place (or use this URL: http:)

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