Chapter Four
Hogwarts Arrival
The train cam to a slow stop. The jolt of the stopping train jerked Ginny and Harry awake. The looked over at Ron, Hermione, and Alex, and saw they were missing. Harry came to the conclusion that they had a Prefect meeting, or they were needed for their Prefect duties. Harry and Ginny got up, and walked out of their compartment. When they got off the train, they heard Hagrid's booming voice, beckoning to the first years. "Firs' years this way! Don' be shy!" he boomed. Harry was about to head over to Hagrid, but he decided that he would wait to say hi. With that, Harry and Ginny walked over to a carriage and got in.
When Harry was closing the door a hand stopped it from closing. "Well, well if it isn't Harry Potter and his little girlfriend Ginny Weasley," hissed Draco Malfoy. Harry looked at Malfoy, slightly red. "She isn't my girlfriend Malfoy," Harry snapped at him. Malfoy smirked. "Sure could have fooled me Potter. I thought you two would be all cuddly this year," said Draco. Ginny looked at Harry, hoping to see him say that they are all cuddly this year. But he didn't. He wouldn't have had the chance to. The driver of the carriage tapped him on the shoulder. "Get in, or walk," said the driver. Draco looked at Harry, and climbed in, followed closely by Crabbe and Goyle. Harry glared at Draco, while Ginny glared at Crabbe and Goyle. "Why don't you three go ride in a Slytherin carriage like your supposed to," said Alex's voice. Apparently Alex saw Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle walking to the carriage. "What are you going to do about it Price?" Draco snapped at Alex. "Apparently you've forgotten you need to listen to Prefects. Besides, you're holding up everything," Alex said in a unruffled voice. Draco then saw the badge on Alex's robes. A "P" with the Gryffindor House crest on it. Draco glared at Alex, then got out, followed by Crabbe and Goyle. Harry looked at Alex. "Wow. I would be scared to use Prefect power," he said. Alex smirked. "Yeah, well…no matter. Ron and Hermione are riding with Fred and George," said Alex.
Alex sighed, and got into the carriage with Harry and Ginny. Just before the carriage started moving Hermione got in and sat down next to Alex. "I couldn't stand being in there with those three," she said hastily. Alex smiled slightly and looked at her. Alex couldn't hold his secret for much longer, but he didn't want to say anything in front of Harry and Ginny. They might think he was a loser or something. He knew it was going to come out sooner or later whether he liked it or not. "So, did you guys do any of your homework over the summer for any of your classes that you know you have?" Hermione asked as the carriages began to depart. Alex looked at her. "I did the one for Snape's class. It was the hardest, but I did it on one of the many trips I took to the Ministry of Magic, so it wasn't as boring," said Alex. Hermione looked at Harry. "What about you?" she asked. "Uncle Vernon locked my trunk up tightly. I couldn't get to anything in it at all," Harry told her. Hermione turned her gaze to Ginny, who only shook her head. "I didn't. I didn't feel like it," she said.
The reason was that she had secretly been dreaming about Harry all summer. Nonstop. Her diary was full of nothing else, but things about Harry. Hermione looked at Alex. "You seem to really be the only one who did their report," she said. "What did you get out of it?" she finished. "Nothing. Just how to make a revival potion. I don't see why he wanted it to be a 5 foot parchment report," Alex testily. "He wants to make sure you know it," Hermione said. "Besides you said you liked doing it," she continued. "I did. It was a nice distraction. And my parents didn't have me running all over the place for them," said Alex. "Well, I don't think it was a necessary report," admitted Hermione. Alex smirked. "I thought so," he said.
Hermione was about to say something, but the site of Hogwarts stopped her. It didn't matter what year she was, Hermione always liked seeing Hogwarts from a distance like this. "Wow…its beautiful," she said aloud. Alex looked at her. "It sure is," he said, still looking at her. Hermione looked at Alex, then looked out the other window at the moonlit lake. The rest of the trip up to the school was ridden in silence. They arrived at the main door. Every carriage door opened. In one long single file line, everyone made their way into the Great Hall. One by one, they all took their seats at their house tables. At the front of the room stood a stool with a old shabby looking witches hat. The hat was called, The Sorting Hat.