Firstly I would like to say a BIG thank you to Hermione1881 and Katie and Serena who helped me when I was pulling my hair out over the Sorting Hat song! Hope you enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think. Thanks.
Chapter Seven The Return Home Harry slowly tried to open his eyes as he listened to the whispering voices that were surrounding him. Lupin, Ron, Fred, George and Hermione were all sat round his bed talking about what happened in the kitchen, but they stopped abruptly when they saw Harry's eyes open."Dumbledore" Harry croaked quietly; his throat was sore and his head still felt like someone was hammering nails in to it.
"He's not here Harry, he's gone to the Ministry with Alastor and Arthur" Lupin answered gently. At that moment the bedroom door opened and Mrs Weasley blew in closely followed by Tonks; both of them had been crying and Harry suddenly remembered what he had heard last before he passed out.
"Mrs Weasley, Percy ... I didn't see him," he said as she approached his bed.
"It's okay dear, Percy's fine, he is downstairs with Ginny" Mrs Weasley reassured him. "He was stuck in a ... cube tunnel, the train broke down and because it was so full he couldn't disapparate or he might have been seen".
"Is he a bit better now?" Hermione asked concerned
"He's a bit calmer ... still in shock though. He left Cornelius and Kingsley talking in the office because ... because he didn't want to miss the train. When I think ... he must have missed it all by minutes ... they said they were leaving too". Mrs Weasley now had tears running down her face and reached in to her apron pocket and brought out a large handkerchief.
Harry looked up in to Lupins lined face "It really happened then".
"Yes Harry I'm sorry" he answered softly.
"Was it ... was it quick?" Tonks asked shakily looking in to Harry's eyes and he remembered that she had been good friends with Kingsley.
"Yes" he lied; it wouldn't help any of them to know that they had been tortured before they were killed.
"Now Harry, I need you to drink this dear, Dumbledore's orders". Mrs Weasley lifted a small silver smoking goblet to Harry's lips. "It's a sleeping draught you've had one before. You need to sleep now ready for the morning, it's going to be a busy day".
Harry drank the smoking potion and felt his head go numb; his whole body felt as light as a feather as he drifted off in to a dreamless sleep.
"Wakey, wakey, rise and shine" Mrs Weasley called trying to sound cheerful as she flung back the tattered navy blue velvet curtains flooding Harry and Ron's bedroom with light. Harry opened his eyes to see Mrs Weasley trying to tug Ron's bedcovers down from over his head. Only a mop of red hair could be seen at the top of them for a second but then Mrs Weasley won the battle and Ron appeared, sprawled diagonally across his bed in pyjama bottoms two inches too short so his ankles were exposed, shielding his eyes from the light. "Oh mum!"Harry jumped as he suddenly say movement on the right side of his bed out of the corner of his eye. He rolled over and looked over the side of the bed to see Remus Lupin curled up in a tangle of blankets on a rusty old camp bed.
"Morning Harry" he yawned, "time for breakfast yet?"
"What are you doing in here?" Harry smiled; then he remembered and sank back on to his pillow, his stomach doing somersaults.
"Harry ... you okay?" Lupin asked, the bed creaking as he sat up.
"Yeah ... just ... I'm okay" he replied.
"Time to get up then, get your clothes on and come down for breakfast. Dumbledore will be here to pick you all up in an hour and a half and I don't want to keep him waiting" Mrs Weasley called as she went through the wardrobe and the chest of drawers making sure they were all empty. "I've hung up some clean robes for you Remus in your room".
"Thanks Molly but I think I'll just have ten minutes more sleep" Lupin yawned and went to lie back down but as he did the metal leg at the bottom of the camp bed gave way and he rolled out across the floor. "Maybe not then" he smiled as Ron and Harry laughed.
An hour later they were all sat in the kitchen waiting for Professor Dumbledore to arrive. The school trunks were all piled in the hallway with Hedwig and Pig's cages on top, they had finished breakfast and Crookshanks was sprawled across Harry's knees purring; which was quite a feat in itself as he was roughly the size of a full-grown Beagle now. But Harry did not mind, the atmosphere was a bit strained as the others forced conversations about anything and everything except what had happened in there last night. When Harry had come in to the kitchen he had caught a glimpse of the front page of the Daily Prophet showing a picture of Cornelius Fudge under a large bold caption saying 'Ministry Mayhem as Minister Murdered' but Harry couldn't read anymore as Mrs Weasley spotted him looking at the newspaper and quickly removed it and placed it in a draw by the sink. Them not asking did not really bother Harry as he didn't want to talk about it yet anyway, but all the same he would have liked to have known what was going on. He thought of asking but decided not to in case they started questioning him.
Harry looked up at the clock; it was nearly time to leave. He had hoped that Dumbledore might have come early so that he could talk to him about last night but it didn't seem as if that was going to happen now. In a way he was sad that he was leaving Sirius' house because it reminded him of him so much. But at the same time he was kind of glad that he was leaving. It may remind him of Sirius but Sirius wasn't happy here; there were more sad memories than happy ones in this house. As Harry sat thinking about all that had happened last summer he suddenly remembered something and jumped up out of his chair so fast all the others spun round thinking that he had was about to pass out again and they would be facing Voldemort.
"I've just got to go and do something ... I'll meet you all in the hallway".
"Harry dear I don't think there's enough..." but Mrs Weasley didn't bother to finish her sentence as Harry had already raced out of the kitchen.
Ten minutes later the doorbell rang and everyone piled into the hall. Harry came out of the study to join them as Mrs Weasley was bellowing at the twins. There was chaos as everyone started grabbling coats and cages and Mrs Weasley and Lupin tried to quieten down the screaming portrait of Mrs Black. "Fred I am not gonna tell you again, stop pressing the doorbell! It's not funny! Why can't you just come in like everybody else" Mrs Weasley shouted over the din.
Harry turned to look back at the study and smiled, he felt better than he had in a long while. Turning back round again he sighed and looked at everyone rushing around him hauling trunks and bags towards the front door, then caught sight of Mrs Weasley looking at him curiously. He smiled at her then went and picked up Hedwig who was flapping her snow-white wings vehemently in her cage, clearly agitated by all the commotion around her. With his other hand gripping the end handle of his trunk, he took a final look around the hall. The stuffed house elf heads on plaques; the Black family portraits hung crooked on the walls; the umbrella stand that looked suspiciously like a severed troll's leg; the old fashioned gas lamps and the now cobweb-free chandelier in the middle of the winding staircase that Harry had last hung over when he was watching Professor Dumbledore and Mr Weasley rush of the Azkaban. It was definitely time to go; holding Hedwig's cage in front of him and dragging his trunk behind so that he could make his way down the narrow hallway, Harry made his way to the front door of Number twelve Grimmauld Place.
As he stepped out on to the pavement he put down his trunk on the top step behind him and lifted his hand to shield his eyes from the sun. It was so much brighter out here than in the house and Harry welcomed the warm breeze and summer smells that greeted him, instead of the stale air of the house. No matter how much Mrs Weasley had cleaned she hadn't been able to get rid of it. Now that his eyes had adjusted he saw three shiny black Rolls Royce's waiting at the end of the Square; the Ministry of Magic flags flapping in the breeze as the drivers waited to load up their passengers.
"What they doing parking all the way down there!" Mrs Weasley exclaimed coming out of the door behind Harry, pulling her coat on.
"Security Molly" Tonks replied "Dumbledore didn't want them right outside the house. Hiya Harry, give us your trunk; you're in the middle car". Harry moved out of the way as Tonks stepped up to retrieve his trunk. Fred and George were already walking down the road helping Hermione and Ginny take their things to the cars. Harry felt a hand on his shoulder and looked round to see Lupin smiling at him "All ready then?" he asked.
Harry took one last look at the house that was shrinking between its two neighbours then clutching Hedwig made his way towards the cars, flanked by Lupin, Tonks, Mrs Weasley and two black robed wizards that he assumed were aurors. All of them, he noticed, had a hand in their robes clutching their wand.
As they neared the cars he saw Moody at the door of the front one chatting to the driver while his magical eye darted around checking their surroundings. A second later Rons red head appeared out of the door followed by his body "This is great! Dunno why we need three though".
"Right" called Mrs Weasley trying to organise everyone as the drivers loaded the last of the trunks in to the cars. "Ron, Fred, George your in the front with Remus; Ginny, Hermione in the last one with me and Tonks and Harry you go with Alastor in the middle".
"Why can't Harry come with us?" Ron said grumpily.
"Because he's not" his mother snapped "now get in or we'll be late!"
As they all piled in, Moody waited; checking the other car doors were closed before he climbed in awkwardly behind Harry. As soon as Harry had climbed in he gasped in surprise at the unexpected occupant already sat in the car. The windows were blackened on the outside so he hadn't seen that there was already someone in there. Sat calmly in long, flowing bright purple robes with matching purple wizards hat was Professor Dumbledore, gazing in to what looked like a crystal ball.
"Sit down then Harry" he said looking up at him over his half moon purple spectacles and lowering the glass ball on to his lap.
As Moody lowered himself in to the seat next to Harry, the cars started to move.
"How are you feeling now?" Dumbledore asked gently.
"I'm okay," Harry answered hesitantly. Harry went to look down at the glass ball on Dumbledore's lap but he slipped it into his pocket.
"Now Harry, I've asked you to come in here on your own because it might be the last chance we get to speak freely before term starts. You are going to be very busy this year ... we both will be, especially after last night". Harry looked down at his feet not wanting to remember.
"I think it is important that your occlumency lessons resume immediately and I realise that you didn't get on so well last time but I think it would be best if Professor Snape continued to teach you for the time being as I am going to be very busy." A loud snort came from the other corner of the car and Harry turned to face Moody but he didn't add anything else.
"Harry" Dumbledore continued, drawing Harry's attention back to him "I also think it would be wise if you didn't tell anyone else in school about what happened to you. People are already nervous about what's happening with Lord Voldemort and panic easily. And they are always afraid of things that they do not understand. The others are also being told not to talk about it in school".
"Professor ... last night..." Harry started warily "I couldn't do anything ... I couldn't stop it because I didn't know it was happening ... all the other times I saw things I was asleep. What if it happens again?"
"That's why we need to start your occlumency lessons again immediately".
"But it was different, how will they help!" Harry persisted.
"They WILL help, you must trust me Harry. You need to be extra careful in school too Harry; no wandering around on your own in the grounds even with your father's cloak; and be careful around other people too students and adults. Carry your mirror, if your ever unsure or nervous use it. What happened at the Ministry is just the start".
"Sir, this morning in the kitchen" Harry paused deciding how to ask. "There was a copy of The Daily Prophet. I saw the front page and the picture of Mr Fudge but Mrs Weasley saw me looking and put it away. I mean ... what is happening at the Ministry?"
Dumbledore gazed at Harry for a few seconds as if deciding whether to tell him or not.
"Ah Molly" he sighed "she cares a great deal about you, you know Harry but she still thinks of you as a child even though you are a young man. Cornelius' death has been a great shock for everyone ... especially as it was inside the Ministry itself. After your last 'encounter' in the Department of Mysteries security had been tightened and they are still investigating how it happened and how it was exactly who committed such an appalling act".
"Inside job in my opinion" Moody jumped in "but I'll find them and they'll pay for Kingsley ... he was a good man and not even a mention in the paper".
"We can't be certain it was an insider Alastor, there is no proof and you cannot go around accusing people; especially with your history. We have already discussed this" Dumbledore replied.
"Well we will see ... but it just goes to show Harry ... trust no one, even people close to you cos that's how they get you sometimes ... they make you think they're your friend and then they curse you in the back when you least expect it. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"
"Well I don't think Harry's in any immediate danger from Miss Granger or Mr Weasley do you Alastor?" Dumbledore chuckled quietly. "Anyway, as I was saying ... it has been a great shock to everyone".
"Who is in charge now then?" Harry asked.
"Amelia Bones is acting as Minister for the moment until all parties have agreed to make it permanent. She was the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Percy Weasley is helping her as much as he can".
"Or as much as she'll let him!" Moody laughed, his scarred face contorting into a funny shape.
Harry nodded as he remembered her from his disciplinary hearing last August when she asked about his Patronus.
"Which brings us to why we are here now" Dumbledore continued. "Like it or not Harry your life is in constant danger from now on, but alas, you are not the only one. Extra measures are being taken this year to ensure student safety while you are all in my care. So we have placed aurors around the train station and a certain number of them will be joining you all on the train journey back to Hogwarts as well as the teachers and myself".
"But they wouldn't attack a train full of students surely" Harry half shouted shocked that he hadn't thought about it before; after all the death eaters had attacked Ron, Hermione and Neville and the rest when they went to 'rescue' Sirius.
"It is better to be safe Harry" Dumbledore continued "People are nervous about what is happening in the wizarding world and not everyone is keen on sending their children away from home but we cannot be certain how long this threat will be among us so we must continue to train you all how to protect yourselves and while you are in my care I will do my best to look after you".o:p/o:p
Harry gazed out of the car window, deep in thought but not for long as he noticed all the buildings pass by slower as the car was coming to a stop outside Kings Cross Station. The journey had passed quickly while they had been talking and they were soon out of the cars and unloading all their trunks. It only took a matter of minutes, however, and then grouped together and encircled by the aurors, Lupin, Dumbledore, Tonks and Mrs Wealsey, they were ushered through the station to the wall that separated platforms one and two.o:p/o:p
"Extra security measure" Tonks whispered to Harry, Ron and Hermione seeing them look surprised at their surroundings.o:p/o:p
"Right Harry you come through first with Alastor and myself, the others will follow" Dumbledore said quietly as he adjusted the long black trench coat that he had put on over his robes before he had left the car. Gripping Hedwigs cage tightly while Moody pushed his trunk on a trolley, all three strode quickly towards the wall and disappeared through it, emerging on a large crowded platform on the other side; the large red Hogwarts Express stood next to it proudly puffing steam up in to the air. o:p/o:p
Harry gazed around as he noted the difference in the platform from the old one. There was nothing on either side of the large stone platform, just clear green fields; and nothing on the platform itself except a few scattered metal benches along its length.o:p/o:p
"No place to hide!" Moody told Harry seeing him looking around at the minimal surroundings.o:p/o:p
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Harry was just walking forwards towards the train when Fred, George and Ron rushed up behind them.o:p/o:p
"Not as nice as the old one is it!" said Ron gazing round.o:p/o:p
"Na, but look on the bright side, it's much easier to push people off!" said Fred as he peered over the edge. Harry grinned as he noticed Ron speed forward quickly putting himself between Harry and Moody. He also noticed a lot of worried looking witches and wizards keeping a hand on their child and gazing around. Though a few did manage a meek smile when they saw Dumbledore striding towards them up the platform. o:p/o:p
"Right, in you go get a compartment all together" Dumbledore said as Ginny and Hermione joined them by the train. o:p/o:p
"But the prefects have to..." Hermione started but stopped as Dumbledore raised his hand.o:p/o:p
"We are foregoing that tradition this year, you will be given your instructions by your head of house once we have reached Hogwarts. Now I suggest you find yourself a compartment and get yourselves settled".o:p/o:p
"Wish we were coming with you" said George sullenly.o:p/o:p
"Yeah" agreed Fred.o:p/o:p
"What!" exclaimed Mrs Weasley from behind the girls. "You've spent years moaning about school, didn't work properly when you were there and now after you flew out of the place mid-term and didn't finish your NEWTs you're saying you want to go back?!"o:p/o:p
"We had a lot of fun there" Fred replied defensively.o:p/o:p
"You were supposed to be there to learn, not BLOW things UP!" Mrs Weasley went to continue but Professor Dumbledore interrupted. "What you are doing now is just as important ... now Molly" he said as Mrs Weasley tutted her disapproval. "People still need to laugh, now more than ever. If you forget the pleasures in life then what do you have to fight for; don't you ever forget that ... and if you should find yourselves in the vicinity of Hogwarts in the near future then you are most welcome to drop in. Just try and avoid Mr Filch!" he smiled at the twins with a twinkle in his bright blue eyes. o:p/o:p
"Right and it really is nearly time for the train to go so you'd better all get in now" Lupin called over everyone's heads. At this Mrs Weasley went into a frenzy hugging everyone and handing out sandwiches wrapped in cling film. o:p/o:p
"You take care of yourself Harry dear, you know where I am if you need me" she said gently trying to pat down his hair before she swept over to Ginny.o:p/o:p
"Bye" Harry called to Lupin, Fred and George as he clambered on to the train with Hedwig's cage in one hand while Ron helped him push up his trunk into the carriage then followed with his own. o:p/o:p
Students were already racing up and down the carriages between the compartments and there was a pretty tricky situation for Harry and Ron when they had to squeeze past Professor Sprout in the corridor of the first carriage because there were no empty compartments. But in the first one they tried in the second carriage they found Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood sitting on their own looking at holiday photographs. As Harry and Ron piled in, Hermione and Ginny (who had managed to extract herself from Mrs Weasley) came in behind them and flopped in to the seats opposite Neville and Luna. Harry placed Hedwig on the seat by the window and then opened it so that he could look out. o:p/o:p
All the students were on the train now and he could see Mrs Weasley and Lupin talking to Dumbledore who was stood by the door to their carriage. A huge rush of hissing steam came from the engine at the front of the train and Dumbledore stepped up in to the carriage. Harry could just make out Lupin shouting 'see you soon', when the train started moving slowly out of the station. As Harry watched from his window Mrs Weasley, Lupin and the twins disapparated from the platform.o:p/o:p
"What are you doing Harry!" Hermione suddenly screeched, "Get your head back in the window!" He sighed to himself and came back and sat next to Ron. o:p/o:p
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What he didn't know was that as he was settling down in the compartment and looking at Luna's holiday photographs with the others, Mrs Weasley and Lupin arrived back at twelve Grimmauld Place and went straight in to the study to see what Harry had rushed off to do that had cheered him up so much before they left. o:p/o:p
At first glance they didn't see anything but it was Mrs Weasley that then spotted the bright gold lettering. She had tears running down her face as she called Remus over to look at the Black Family tapestry. In new bright gold thread Sirius' name now shone out brighter than any of the others, and a small gold vertical line linked another name beneath his – Harry Potter. o:p/o:p
Harry listened as Luna told them all about her unsuccessful Crumple Horned Snorkack hunt in Sweden while she gazed blankly at the photographs strewn about the seat around her.
"… Father wasn't disappointed though as he found a rather rare species of fire beetle in our first week and then we saw Mr Fudge meeting Lucius Malfoy in an inn on the edge of the town we were staying in". Ron promptly stopped his examination of Neville's latest pot plant.
"Naturally we reported it knowing Mr Malfoy was supposed to be in prison, even sent a photograph but nothing happened. Dad had an owl back saying it wasn't them but it was. And of course then Dad read in the Daily Prophet that they'd all escaped. He's got reporters investigating it now to see if Mr Fudge's death was faked and he's run off with the death eaters.
"What?" Harry had been gazing out of the window at that point having grown sleepy listening to Luna's slow monotone voice but his attention also came sharply back at her mention of Lucius Malfoy and Cornelius Fudge's death.
"That, that … MURDER … was NOT faked! And what about Kingsley? Has he run off and joined Voldemort too? They're dead Luna, DEAD! You tell your father that not everything is a Government conspiracy!"
"Harry calm down" Hermione said glancing towards the door in case any teachers came to investigate the shouting. Harry glared at Luna but she merely raised her eyebrows slightly making her eyes look twice as large and vacant, then turned away and started re-examining her photo's upside down.
"Makes you wonder though, doesn't it" Ginny added thoughtfully from the corner, still reading her copy of last weeks Witch Weekly and ignoring Harry's outburst. "Why was Fudge meeting Malfoy in the first place and why didn't he bring him back to the Ministry?"
"Hmm" Hermione sat curling a strand of hair around her finger as she sat deep in thought trying to think of a logical explanation for Fudge's actions.
"You heard Luna" Harry replied sarcastically "The photograph showed it wasn't them".
"Oh it was, I'm sure" Luna added dreamily "I remember Mr Malfoy from the Ministry room when he attacked us".
"I'm not arguing this anymore, I'm going for a walk" and Harry flung open the compartment door and stalked off towards the third carriage before anyone could stop him.
A couple of people tried to talk to him as he passed but he was so angry he just kept on going. Why did no one understand? To be fair they hadn't seen anything like he had seen, he thought to himself, maybe they wouldn't be so quick to make stupid assumptions if they had. First he'd had to listen to his mother's screams, he'd watched Cedric murdered in front of him, then he'd had to watch Mr Weasley being attacked like it was him doing it himself and now Fudge and Kingsley. It wasn't fake it was real; he knew it was real. He felt the pleasure and excitement as he'd watched them beg and cry in pain. He still felt the same anger and disgust at having been violated again. It was just so frustrating that no one understood and that he couldn't tell them. How did he know for sure that his thoughts were his own, that he wasn't really thinking and doing what Voldemort wanted him to do. Was that why Dumbledore was having Snape teach him Occlumency again?
He stopped in the empty corridor and gazed out the window watching trees, fields and cows fly by. Why was all this happening to him, what had he done to deserve the life he had? He wanted to be normal like everyone else, whatever normal was.
o:p/o:p
"You girl!" a familiar voice boomed at the other end of the corridor. "What are you doing running up and down the corridors? You haven't even started school yet and your already breaking rules". Harry turned to follow Snape's voice and sure enough the tall, greasy black-haired potions master was towering menacingly over a quivering first year with curly brown hair and amazingly bright blue eyes that Harry could see clearly from a distance.
"I …" she started but didn't finish as Snape continued his tirade. Harry felt sorry for her as he realised she'd only just stepped out of her compartment; but not sorry enough to hang around and wait for Snape to spot him. He turned back down the train passing a few aurors and Flitwick on the way but they didn't stop him. He was just about to re-enter his compartment to join the others when a hand grabbed his shoulder and spun him round and he came face to face with Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson and Crabbe and Goyle.
o:p/o:p
"Well look who it is, tell me Potter. What's it like to know you got the only sad person who wanted you killed because you couldn't do what you were told?" But Harry didn't get a chance to raise his wand as a bolt of blue light shot over Harry's shoulder, hitting Malfoy square in the chest lifting him clear off his feet and sending him flying backwards in to Goyle. Harry spun round to see Ginny coming out of the compartment with her wand still raised closely followed by Hermione and Ron, both looking absolutely furious.
"Don't tell me they let YOU back in?" Ron said scathingly looking at Draco as Pansy helped him up.
"I'm surprised you still hang around with him" Pansy said looking at Hermione and Ginny but gesturing to Harry "just look at what happened to poor Cedric!"
"But then he needs them Pansy" Draco added brushing his robes straight and checking his hair "After all, all the 'famous' stuff he's done he's not done on his own has he. It took six of you to get to the Department of Mysteries and one person to die instead of you as well. Not that we're bothered mind, Sirius always was a disappointment to the family!"
Harry lunged forward not even bothering with his wand this time and knocked Malfoy backwards again. Ginny, Ron and Neville had piled in after Harry and they were a heap of flailing arms and legs as a loud voice filled the carriage.
"STOP THAT AT ONCE!!!" Mr Longbottom kindly remove your arm from Mr Crabbe's neck and Miss Weasley let go off Miss Parkinson's hair". They all disentangled themselves and stood back to face an extremely annoyed Professor Mcgonagall in her tartan dress robes; with a mass of student heads peering around the corners of the other compartment doors to see what all the commotion was.
"You're not even back at school yet and your already tearing strips of one another and THREE of you are prefects as well. This behaviour WILL NOT be tolerated am I making myself clear?"
"But Professor…" Hermione started to try and explain what had happened but was cut short.
"No Miss Granger, I don't wish to hear it. You may not have been taking part but you also made NO effort to try and break it up; I'd have thought you better than that. I have enough problems to deal with at the moment without having to sort out your little squabbles. You are Sixth years now and it is about time you started to act like it. Now GO back to your compartments immediately!!"
Harry gave Malfoy one final glare and turned to follow all the others back in to the compartment, slamming the door shut behind him.
"I can't believe Dumbledore let him come back to school after what his father has done" Harry started immediately as they all sat down.
"Well you know what he's like for giving second chances" replied Hermione "and besides you can't really judge one person by what his families like – just look at Sirius".
"Did you hear what he said Hermione?" Ron answered disbelievingly.
"Malfoy is not Sirius!" bellowed Harry.
"Harry calm down" Ginny hissed. "Stop shouting at us all the time, WE haven't done anything wrong".
"All I meant" Hermione added hesitantly "was that Dumbledore must have his reasons for letting Malfoy back and that could be one of them".
"Why are you sticking up for him again" Ron eyed Hermione warily.
"I'm not! Don't start that again Ron. What he said about Sirius was horrible".
"Yeah well, you just remember that" Ron answered turning to Neville. "So what happened to you over the summer Neville? You been having wrestling lessons?"
"Uh, no" said Neville going bright pink "I went to help Ginny with Pansy but Pansy kicked me and I fell backwards … I sort of grabbed at Crabbe to stop myself falling".
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The journey flew by after that. The sweet trolley came and went and they all took it in turns watching the teachers walking up and down through the compartment door as they looked for somebody new who would be their new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. But nobody new passed and after half an hour Neville worryingly concluded that Snape must finally have gotten the job and then sat fretting in the corner. It was only when Ginny asked him if he was all right that they found out why this was bothering him so much. Defence Against the Dark Arts was one of the NEWTs he'd chosen having gotten an O in his exam, and he had dropped Potions so that he could get away from Professor Snape. Snape was the one person in Neville's whole world that filled him with as much fear as his Grandmother did (though she had been a bit nicer to him since he passed his OWLs. He may only have got two Os an E and the A's for the rest but he was pleased with himself. Especially for passing Potions.
o:p/o:p
At the end of their fifth game of Exploding Snap they changes into their school robes. Harry looked out of the compartment window to see the familiar sight of mountains and forests and felt the train start to slow down as a wooden sign saying 'Welcome to Hogsmede' swung in the night breeze as the train passed and they entered Hogsmede station. Gathering all their belongings back together and struggling once again to squeeze down the corridor with trunks and cages, they all stepped out in to the cold night air on a tiny dark platform.
"Firs'-years over here! Follow me" Hagrid's voice boomed from the other end of the platform as he gathered all the first year students together for their traditional trip across the lake to Hogwarts castle.
"So far, so good" said Ron looking at all the new faces that were gathering around Hagrid.
"What?" Harry asked curiously.
"No sign of anymore Creeveys!" Ron grinned.
Harry smiled as he struggled through the crowded platform trying to keep up with Ron as they made their way out of the station. Aurors were positioned every few meters up and down the platform and the teachers hastily escorted groups of students past the station gates and in to the waiting carriages.
"Hey look" called Ginny from somewhere in front of Harry "isn't that Bill down by the end of the train?"
They all turned to look and sure enough Bill Weasley was stood by the last train carriage helping a first year student get her trunk down the steps of the train.
"What's he doing here?" Ron called over everyone else's heads as Harry jumped up and down to try and get a better view (which Hedwig didn't appreciate very much!). Sometimes he envied Ron's height but he never told him because he was a bit touchy about it.
They didn't even get a chance to go and see Bill, however, as Professor Mcgonagall came up behind them and steered them towards the nearest carriage. Ron had his head turned to try and look for Bill as they approached it and Harry only just managed to shout 'Ron!' before Ron walked straight in to, and bounced off, the waiting Thestral.
"Ouch!" he said rubbing his head "Ruddy things should have hazard lights or something!"
Passing the now agitated Thestral carefully, Harry loaded Hedwig in remembering the last time he had ridden one and was certain it would not be an experience he was going to willingly repeat again. He climbed in as Neville and Luna got in to the next carriage with Seamus and Dean. He had only just sat down when Mcgonagall slammed the door and the carriage lurched forward. It appeared that this year instead of the carriages leaving all together they were going one by one at top speed to get the students quickly up to the castle.
As they banged in to each other and Ron clung furiously to Pig's cage in case she fell, Harry wedged Hedwig between himself and the side of the carriage and took in great gulps of air from the window to try and steady his stomach. It was only a matter of minutes however before the statues of the winged boars that guarded the gates of Hogwarts flew past and the rickety carriage made its way up the sweeping driveway with Hogwarts many lighted windows shining brightly in to the night and the many turrets and towers silhouetted against the full moon.
The carriage screeched to a halt at a flight of stone steps and the door swung open. Harry and Ron were just heaving Ginny's trunk down the steps when another carriage slammed to a halt a meter behind theirs and they heard a loud bang followed by Neville's unmistakable cry of pain. As they closed the door to their empty carriage, it raced immediately back down the driveway leaving a cloud of dust to rise up in to the night air. The door to the other carriage shot open and Neville staggered out looking very green with a large red bump on his forehead.
o:p/o:p
They all made their way up the stone steps and through the large oak doors in to the huge, torch-lit Entrance Hall to find the Bloody baron angrily chasing Peeves away from a group of four aurors who were covered from head to toe in something green, smelly and sticky. They left their trunks and cages at the bottom of the marble staircase and made their way to the Great Hall for the start of term feast. Harry sat down on the Gryffindor table by Neville and Ron and as more students piled in to the Hall, Harry looked up at the clear night sky and sighed; he was home.
More students filed in chatting and took their places at the four long wooden house tables while the staff took their places at the fifth table that faced the students. Golden plates and goblets lay perfectly placed up and down the tables while hundreds and hundreds of candles lit the hall, floating in mid-air. Harry was looking up at these when he noticed how quiet the room had become and looked down to see Professor Mcgonagall striding up the middle of the hall carrying a small wooden stool and a tatty old wizards hat, followed closely by a crowd of small, shaking first years. Harry noticed one girl in particular looking up in the air open-mouthed just as he had done when he first came in to the Great Hall. She was the same girl Snape had shouted at on the train and as Harry watched her she looked down and smiled nervously at him.
Professor Mcgonagall had reached the teachers table now and she placed the stool down in front of it and placed the hat on top. Everyone stared silently at it for a moment and then it broke in to song:
o:p/o:p
There were four founders wise and fair,o:p/o:p
Who came together because they dared;o:p/o:p
To challenge foreign magic folk together,o:p/o:p
And teach their skills to their young forever.o:p/o:p
o:p/o:p
Among these vast mysterious grounds,o:p/o:p
This magic school they all did found;o:p/o:p
To teach young wizards how to face,o:p/o:p
The tests and temptations of their race.o:p/o:p
o:p/o:p
Four houses then they all did make up,o:p/o:p
And brought in students who, with luck,o:p/o:p
Would join each house with certain traits,
And move together towards their fates.o:p/o:p
o:p/o:p
Gryffindor students are bold and strong,o:p/o:p
Courageous, brave and hardly wrong;o:p/o:p
Hufflepuffs are loyal and true,o:p/o:p
Whilst Ravenclaws are wise and shrewd.o:p/o:p
o:p/o:p
Slytherins are all cunning and dare,o:p/o:p
To follow their ambitions and do not care;o:p/o:p
They are strong and proud and do not cower,o:p/o:p
As they strive ever forward in their quest for power.o:p/o:p
o:p/o:p
As shadow looms over this school,o:p/o:p
The Dark Lord looks to stand and rule;o:p/o:p
Over all that stands for just and right,o:p/o:p
But we must fight back with all our might.o:p/o:p
o:p/o:p
The time has come for you all to unite,o:p/o:p
To face the struggle and stand and FIGHT!!!!!!!!!Instead of the usual round of applause, everyone sat in silence shocked at the ferocity that the hat had shouted out the last line of the song. To break the silence Professor Mcgonagall moved up and stood next to the stool and unrolled a large scroll of parchment.
"When I call out your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool," she told the first-years. "When the hat announces your house, you will kindly go and sit at the appropriate table".
"Aversham, Selene!"
A small, blond-haired girl with grey eyes picked up the sorting hat, sat down on the stool and placed it on her head.
"Ravenclaw!" the hat roared immediately and everyone applauded while Selene made her way shakily to the Ravenclaw table.
"Hey look!" said Ron quietly as Louis Bennett was being sorted in to Hufflepuff, "what's Bill doing with Hagrid?"
Harry, Hermione and Ginny quickly scanned the teacher's table.
"Probably just came to help get everyone to the castle safely and stayed for the feast" said Ginny.
"Well why didn't mum say he was helping?" Ron replied still watching his brother who turned to see him and grinned.
"Diggle, Amelia!" Professor Mcgonagall called.
Hermione continued staring up and down the teacher's table. "No he couldn't be … but …"
"Hermione stop muttering and spit it out!" Ron hissed.
"Well … there's no new teacher!" she said quietly as the hat was deciding where to place Amelia Diggle. "Gryffindor!" it roared and they all clapped as they continued to watch Bill and Hagrid whispering, smiling and pointing at them.
"Evans, Mark!" Harry's head spun back to see the dark-haired boy walking towards the stool. It was him; the same boy from Little Whining that Dudley beat up because he stood up to him.
"Harry, you okay?" Hermione asked.
"Gryffindor!"
"That boy lives by my aunt and uncle!"
"Well he must have muggle parents like me then because there aren't supposed to be any witches or wizards living in your area".
"Exactly!" he mumbled quietly wishing that Mark Evans had come and sat a bit closer not half way down the table so that he could have talked to him.
"Finnegan, Gabby!" Mcgonagall called and the girl Harry had first seen on the train stumbled forward and placed the hat over her curls with her bright blue eyes gazing nervously around the room as everyone watched her.
"Gryffindor!" it bellowed and she leapt up from the stool, dropped that hat and raced over to the Gryffindor table with a huge smile on her face and sat next to Mark. A few places down Seamus was jumping up and down in his seat clapping and Harry realised the family resemblance. "Hey Seamus! You never said you had a sister".
The sorting continued as Seamus and Dean filled them in on what OWLs they had gotten and what they'd done over the summer; and finally after Yardley, Andrea was sorted in to Slytherin, Professor Mcgonagall picked up the sorting hat and stool and took her place at the teacher's table next to Professor Sprout.
"Great I'm starving!" said Ron rubbing his hands together happily.
"When aren't you" Hermione replied sarcastically but smiling too.
o:p/o:p
Professor Dumbledore rose from his chair and smiled at the now silent students.
"I realise you must all be hungry after your journey but I have a number of announcements I would like to make first". Ron groaned.
"Firstly, as you all may have noticed there will be a few aurors placed at the entrances to the school as added protection. NO ONE is to leave the school grounds or stray in to or near the Forbidden Forest". With this he looked pointedly at Ron and Harry. "This year we will also be introducing a new curfew for everyone. You are not to be out of your common room after 8 O'clock at night unless you are accompanied by a teacher. This applies to sixth years also" and again he made a point of looking at Ron and Harry.
"Now at this point I would like to take a moment to reflect on everything that has happened these past few months and to extend my deepest sympathies to the families that have been victims to one wizard's callous pursuit of power. An attack on one family, is an attack on us all and my deepest condolences go to the Brown family, the Finch-Fletchley family, the Ackerley family, the Dobb's family …"
"Why, what happened to Lavender and Justin?" Harry whispered quietly to Ron as he looked up and down the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables trying to spot them. Ron just looked back at him "Well … they were attacked Harry. It was in the Daily Prophet. Death Eaters got them in the middle of the night. Lavender was at Parvarti's though luckily. Her mum is in St Mungo's, pretty bad by the sound of it, and her dad died. Doesn't look like she's come back to school yet though".
"What about Justin?"
"Well … he's dead Harry; him and his parents. I'm sorry Harry I thought you knew!" Ron looked down at his empty plate glumly while Harry checked the Hufflepuff table again just to be sure. He had read about attacks over the summer but didn't remember seeing any names; his first thought then had been that Hermione was all right.
"It is imperative …" Dumbledore continued gazing at each of the tables in turn "that you all work extra hard this year and that you be vigilant to all that happens around you. Look around you now; you are all in the same position and you all have choices to make. Look after each other and not just yourselves".
Harry followed Dumbledores' gaze over to the Slytherin table to find Draco glaring right at him. He held his stare for a few moments and then turned back to Dumbledore.
"Now for some good news! Due to Professor Umbridge's … departure" cheers went up all round the Hall at which some of the first-years looked a bit worried, "I would like to introduce one of your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers, Professor Weasley!" At this Bill stood up and waved at the students as Ron's jaw dropped and Ginny, Harry and Hagrid cheered heartily with the rest of the students.
"I knew it!" declared Hermione happily.
Dumbledore smiled at a shocked Ron then continued as Bill sat down, "your other teacher hasn't arrived yet but I'm sure you'll make them both most welcome. Now some of you may be wondering why we will be having two teachers for the same subject. Well this is because it has been decided this year that all students will be having extra defence lessons; including sixth years who haven't chosen this subject as a NEWT. Professor Weasley has a very strong background in curses should you wish to ask him any questions and comes highly recommended. Well I think that is enough for now; it's time to eat" and with this he swept his wand hand forward and all the golden plate in the middle of the table filed with food and the first-years gasped. Chicken legs were piled high next to roast potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli and gravy and mashed potato.
"About time" Ron said glumly.
"What's up with you know" Hermione asked him exasperated "I thought you were hungry?"
"I am, but would you want your brother teaching you your favourite subject? If I get something wrong I'll never hear the end of it". Ginny didn't look too happy either.
"Oh Ron grow up!" Hermione replied, "It'll be fun having Bill here; and besides he's not going to be the only one teaching us is he!"
"Hmm, we'll see" Ron answered still not convinced but helping himself to mounds of mashed potato.
Harry grinned; Ron had always been overshadowed by his brothers but obviously Ron's misery didn't stretch to quashing his appetite. And it would be fun having Bill teach them especially after the last few teachers they'd had. Though that still left the mystery of the other Professor because Professor Dumbledore hadn't said who it was.
After an hour of discussing it and Neville still being convinced he was going to be confronted with professor Snape again; they all made their way back to their dormitories to get ready for bed.
As Harry lay in his four-poster with the curtains slightly open so he could look out at the window at the night sky, Hedwig flew on to the ledge and hooted to him then took off again. Harry smiled to himself as he looked out at the stars; he was home.