Chapter Four
Back to School
The week following up to the trip to Hogwarts was very uneventful for Harry. He spent most of it reluctantly doing his homework. He still had twelve inches to do for McGonnagal, and had a rather nasty essay for Professor Flitwick on making inanimate objects animate. As he sat down on the Sunday before the train ride, he realized that he still hadn't packed. He got up to pack, when he noticed a package at the foot of his bed. He reached down and picked it up a felt that it was surprisingly warm. There was a note attached to it. He picked it up and read it.
Dear Harry,
You're godfather left this in my possession when he passed. It was in James' vault and it is believed to be magical. Be careful if you figure it out. It could be dangerous.
Remus Lupin
Harry unwrapped the paper to see a box about four inches wide by three inches. It looked exactly like muggle rubix cube, and had four different colors of wood that were intricately mixed together. Fortunately for Harry, Dudley had had one of the cubes and had gotten so frustrated with it that he had thrown it at Harry's head.
Harry had taken it into his cupboard and had worked on it all day and all night until he had finally solved it. After that he mixed it up again and again, taking less and less time with each time he did it. So as he sat here, a smile lit up his face. It was almost too easy, and within an hour he was one twist away from unlocking when remembered Remus' advice. He made the final twist and stepped back cautiously. The cube began to glow brightly and inside it was a tiny book. Harry picked it up and and eyed it closely. It seemed to have words on the cover, but they were to small for Harry to make out. He decided to wait to enlarge it so he could do it at school without getting in trouble. He put it in some of his robes in his trunk so he would not forget it. Then he started to pace in his room much like Dumbledore had in his office. The memory of Dumbledore brought tears to Harry's eyes as he remembered the kind and powerful man with the twinkle in his eyes that could make anybody feel like they were safe with him there. But now, with Dumbledore gone, Harry felt more unsafe by the day. He had been keeping up with the Daily Prophet and had learned that they had caught half a dozen of the Death Eaters that had intruded Hogwarts, but Harry would only be satisfied when both Bellatrix Lestrange and Malfoy were dead. Harry sat down on Fred's bed, trying to hold back tears when he saw Ron enter the room when he cleared his eyes up immediately, as he did not want his friend to see him this emotional. "Harry, get up. We're going to King's Cross in ten minutes." Harry sat up and picked up his trunk. He hauled it downstairs and heaved them out to the car that the Ministry had provided. He packed it in the trunk and opened the door, and the car had been magically expanded in the inside so they could all fit comfortably inside it. The ride there was very uneventful. Ginny curled up beside him and they just savored the time that they could spend. When they reached King's Cross Ron got out and got everybody's trunks for them and they headed inside. They passed through the barrier as usual and got on the train. "We have to go to the prefects department, but we will be back shortly."
Hermione said, and with that, they split up.
Harry and Ginny went down the train looking for an empty compartment. They found one towards the end of the train and went inside it. They had just barely sat
down when the compartment door opened and Neville and Luna walked in, hand in
hand. "Hi, Harry." Neville said with a smile on his face. Harry acknowledged this with a nod and a knowing smile, looking in the direction of Luna, who was staring at Neville with a smile on her face. They sat down and started talking with the rest of them. Luna had had a very nice summer telling them that she had gone to America to search for Crumple Horned Snorlacks. The trip was uneventful, but she said she had had a very good time. Neville had stayed in England, but he had gone to visit his Aunt and Uncle in Whilshire. He also had some very good news. His mom and dad were starting to improve on their memory. Just last trip they had both called Neville by his real name. About fifteen minutes later Ron and Hermione came in and sat down, clearly exhausted. "We had to get a group of fourth years to stop racing down the hallway, and they were pretty fast, mind you." Ron panted. The rest of the trip down was very usual, as they talked about quidditch and all sorts of random things. At long last, the magically enhanced voice came on. "Please start getting ready. We will be at Hogwarts in five minutes time. " They slipped on their robes over their muggle clothes, and then sat in silence, anxious to get back to school. The train slowed down to a stop, and the six people from their compartment walked out into the hallway. They walked out to see threstrals waiting for them by the path that led up to Hogwarts. Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered one of the carriages, and Hermione started the conversation. "It will be very hard this year with all of the N.E.W.T. studies. I expect we will get loads of homework. Not to mention McGonnagal will be testing us to see if we have animagus forms." "Yeah," Harry replied," I hope I am an animagus. That would be so cool to just run around in complete freedom." "Yeah, it would." Ron said, with a dreamy expression on his face. They ended up at the castle in about five minutes. They walked into the Great Hall, pleased to pass into it's warmness from the darkness' cold. Three seats were empty at the staff table. Harry suspected that the new teachers would be announced at the speech. "Please sit down, please sit down!" little professor Flitwick exclaimed. The students did as they were told and stared hungrily up at the staff table. Professor McGonagall was sitting in Dumbledore's old seat. She stood up and started to talk. "Hello, and welcome back to Hogwarts everyone! I hope you are ready for this next year we will have a few surprises that I will announce after the feast, so please sit down and enjoy." With that, food magically appeared at the table. Harry helped himself to some mashed potatoes and spare rib. As he bit down into it, the juice came out and exploded all over Ron, who was sitting next to him. Everybody chuckled as Ron wiped it off himself and playfully punched Harry in the shoulder. The laughing calmed down and they ate, talking the whole time with food in their mouths. At last, the final helping of pudding were served and the plates wiped themselves clean. "This year we will be having a few things that usually don't go on at Hogwarts. The Ministry of Magic thought it would be good to tie all of the countries by creating an Inter school Quidditch League, and tryouts for the school team will be held at the beginning of October. There will also be three new teachers this year. Professor Vance is coming to teach Transfiguration this year, since I am taking over the duties of Headmistress this year." At this, a weary old wizard walked in the front doors. He looked to be about seventy, and what little hair he had left was white. He smiled warmly at all the teachers and students as he sat down at the staff table. "The new Potions teacher is none other than the highly renounced auror, Nyphadora Tonks." Every face at the Gryffindor table looked stunned. She walked through the doors and up to the staff table. She was wearing pitch black robes and had dark brown hair. She smiled and sat down, and the stunned silence turned into applause at the Gryffindor table. "And last but not least, we have Emiline Nancy will be taking over for Defense Against the Dark Arts." Harry starred up at the beautiful women that had tested him in his Apparation Test." She wore bottle blue robes and and her hair was tied up in a very pretty bun. All of the boys stared at her, their expressions dreamy. "With that, we welcome all of the new students this year, and we hope it will be wonderful! You may now proceed to your dormitories. Prefects, please escort the new first years to their dormitories." The Great Hall was filled with the scraping of benches as everybody stood up to leave. "We'll see you in the common room, Harry." Hermione said. Harry walked up to the
common room and sat down, waiting for the return of Ron and Hermione. They walked in and sat down next to Harry. "The first years get smaller every year!" Ron exclaimed. "That's just because we're a lot older than them, honey." Hermione cooed,
placing her hand on Ron's knee. "So Ron, what do you think about the new Quidditch Junior World Cup." asked Harry. "I think is wonderful!You are a shoo in for seeker." Ron replied with a smile on his face. Quidditch was his favorite thing in the world, besides Hermione, of course." You could be the Keeper!" Harry said, and Ron just frowned. "I'm not good enough to be Keeper. Someone else will get it." They talked about a few other subjects, and then they went up to their dorms. They went up to their dorms and put on their dressing gowns. "Goodnight Harry." said Ron sleepily. "G'night." Harry replied. The moment his head touched his pillow, he was asleep.