Disclaimer: As you probably already know, I do not own Harry Potter or any of the related things to Harry Potter except the plot and any of the original characters in the story.
Well, another chapter done! Thank you to all of my reviewers! You guys are the greatest! Some more reviews after this (preferably 5 or more) and I'm happy. Well, please read and review.
Chapter 6 - Resorting
Hermione sat in silence for most of the rest of the train ride. She was reading the book that Malfoy had left in there; a book about philosophy.
'I forgot he was the top guy of our year . . . Iconstantly focused on what a stupid git he always was,' Hermione thought as she flipped through the book.
She saw a part with notes written on the margins and underlining of the texts. (note: underlined parts are supposed to indicate the actual book text, only italicized are supposed to be Draco's own words)
Do we really feel pain or do we only think we do? And if so, how do we stop our minds from registering what we think pain is? How can we stop the pain from happening? How do we decide what pain is?
Hermione looked up for a second to see if the train was near Hogsmeade Station. 'Still a good hour for that! Just read already!' her mind shouted at her.
She looked back to the second set of underlined text.
Is the reason we feel pain because we think we are supposed to? If we are hurt do you only feel something because we know we are supposed to? Does that mean that pain only exists in our minds?
Hermione's breath stopped for a second. 'Why would he have all of this underlined? This is like a psychotic view into the world of pain . . . why would he want to read this? Then her eyes grew wider and wider with eachline she read.
So is this saying that if I don't believe in the pain that being beat and cutting myself won't hurt? If so, will I feel mental pain from either of them? Will I feel the pain from neglect and detachment? If I think of it as just another occurrence does that mean the pain will stop?
'Is this something that's going on in Malfoy's life? Or does he just have a strangely deep thought process about this particular topic? I have to quit calling him Malfoy!' she scolded herself.
Hermione heard footsteps just outside the door, and then it opened quickly to reveal Draco.
"I see you're reading my book," he observed.
"Yeah. I must say this is an interesting choice for reading material," Hermione stated as she shut the heavy volume.
"It is, but it keeps me entertained," Draco said as he took the book and sat next to her and opened to a part in the middle and started writing and underlining.
"What are you doing Draco?" asked Hermione.
"What's that? Oh, the book . . . I'm underlining parts and writing my thoughts on them in the different sections that I read a lot," he said absently.
"Oh . . . got it."
They sat in silence all the way to Hogsmeade station, neither really wanting to talk. Each was deeply absorbed in their own thoughts . . . both contemplating the other.
When they reached the station, Hermione exited the train quietly. Draco followed and glared at all the boys who dared to chance a look at her.
The two stepped into a 'horseless' carriage and soon were bound for school.
"Hey Draco?" he looked up at her, "Who are the Head Boy and Head Girl this year?"
"Well, they were going to be Potter and Granger -"
"Please don't call her that," said Hermione quietly cutting him off.
"Sorry, but as you know she can't exactly fill that position any more, so it was appointed to Padma Patil in her stead. And they appointed me as Head Boy at the last minute for some reason involving Potter being emotionally unstable about . . . Hermione's death."
"Congratulations for making Head Boy," Hermione said very much relieved about the last minute switch.
"Thanks," he said. An awkward silence came over them. "So . . . what is your name? I've just realized that in the time we're known each other, I haven't once heard your name."
"Oh . . . yeah, I forgot about that!" Hermione exclaimed. "My name is Phoenix. But folks back in Phoenix, Arizona called me Dallas."
"Phoenix . . . it suits you well."
"Yeah obviously." Hermione looked out the window and finally realized that the carriages were not horseless as many had believed, but they were drawn by bat - like, winged, black horses. 'Thestrals . . . I remember those,' she thought to herself remembering how in their fifth year, Potter claimed there really were'horses' drawing carriages, then their riding them to the Ministry of Magic in that same year.
"So would you rather I call you Dallas or Phoenix?" Draco said trying to catch her attention.
"Huh? Oh! Whichever you prefer, I don't worry about it, I answer to either. Shoot, I sometimes answer to Hermione just because the two of us were so tight," Hermione said wistfully.
"How did you know Granger - err . . . Hermione, Phoenix?" Draco asked quickly fixing his mistake.
"To make a long story extremely short . . . I'm Hermione's adopted sister. We went to America for school a year before Hogwarts, me because it was the only school that sent a letter; Hermione didn't like it there because even though it was an all girls school with an accelerated program,it wastoo far from home; so she went to Hogwarts the following year. I stayed though and graduated last year and was going to go to school with Hermione this year, then she died . . . but I'm still going obviously," Hermione concluded shortly.
"Wow . . . so is that were Hermione learned everything? I always wondered why she knew so much of this stuff."
"You mean considering she's Muggleborn?" countered Hermione.
"No, that's not at all what I meant . . . true there is her heritage, but I always wondered how a witch of her caliber ended up in Hogwarts and how she always knew everything like at least a year in advance. To tell you the truth, the only reason I tortured her throughout the years was because I was insanely jealous of her, and my father wouldn't accept that a Muggleborn could be smarter than a Pureblood, especially me."
"I see . . ." said Hermione contemplatively.
Another silence fell between them. When Draco could see the school he said, "Are you excited about going to Hogwarts?"
"Yes. I always wanted to go here and meet all the teachers and Headmaster Dumbledore. Hermione spoke so highly of them, and I thought the teachers and Headmistress from the school in Arizona were really stiff and arrogant. Don't get me wrong, I liked them all right, it's just that I liked the way Hogwarts sounded much better."
"What house do you want to be in?"
"Excuse me?"questioned Hermione.
"Well, you have to be sorted into a house. You can't just automatically fill in Hermione's place, since you aren't Hermione. Naturally you have to go through the sorting ceremony like every other student," heinterjected pointedly.
"Oh! Well, I guess Ravenclaw or Slytherin would be nice. Anything but Gryffindor," Hermione spat the last word out as though it were poison.
"You'd make either house proud if you're anything like you sister. I personally hope you're in Slytherin, but if you're in Ravenclaw, that's cool too," said Draco sincerely.
"Thanks."
"So what classes are you taking?" asked Draco as the carriage came to a halt.
"Well I'm taking Advanced Potions, Advanced Transfiguration, Advanced Herbology, Advanced History of Magic, Advanced Astronomy, Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts, Advanced Care of Magical Creatures, Arithmancy Level 5, and Study of Ancient Runes Level 5," said Hermione ticking the list off on her fingers.
"That's ironic . . . I have the exact same classes, and since they only offer one class per advanced subject, we'll have all the same classes. And did you realize that only two people can make it into the Level 5 classes per year?" Draco said excitedly.
"I didn't know that. So I guess you're obviously the other person? At least it would seem as such since you just basically impied so."
He nodded his head in agreement. Both of them then stepped out of the carriage and went up to the front steps where they saw Dumbledore waiting for them. "Ah, Mr. Malfoy, I trust you are doing everything in your power to make Miss Turoe feel welcome?" he said with the usual twinkle in his eye. "Miss Turoe, if you don't mind, I need to speak with you."
"Yes, sir I am doing what I can," said Draco. "See you later Phoenix."
"Bye Draco," Hermione said and turned back to Dumbledore. "Sir, you wanted to speak with me?"
"Yes. First and foremost, this is a warning to control your anger . . . now I know that Phoenixes happen to get extremely angry very easily . . . as is evidenced by Mr. Potter's face and that lovely little hole in the train wall. Secondly, you will need to be resorted as I am sure you already know. Third, you must put behind all things of the past bonds and start over fresh, meaning don't go to people you knew, let them come to you if they want to be friends, which I see you are doing quite well without my saying so. Fourthly, do not do anything that will give away your true identity, meaning no more S. P. E. W. and no more going to the kitchen for snacks and visiting the house elves late at night. And most definitely, you have to act as though you have no knowledge of where things are. And lastly, if there is anything anyone can do to make you more comfortable you can either talk to me, your uncle, Professor McGonagall, Hagrid, Miss Patil, or Mister Malfoy as they have all been filled in that you are to be taken care of if you need something. Usually we wouldn't do such things, but you are a very special case and we want to make this transition period as easy for you as possible. All right, now I will announce you, after the first years are sorted, to be resorted. So you may sit wherever you want for the time being, or just hang out in the back of the Great Hall until then. Welcome back."
Hermione went inside with Dumbledore and just before they entered the Great Hall he said, "By the way, you are doing remarkably well acting as though you are not Hermione but her sister. I couldn't have done better myself." With that said, they entered the Great Hall and went their separate ways.
Hermione stood by the door thinking about what house she really wanted to be in. So she did as only Hermione would do . . . analyze the pros and cons of each house.
'Slytherin would mean I get to know Draco better, but I might lose Ron, Lavender, and Ginny. In Ravenclaw I can be friends with all of them. But Padma is Head Girl and she reminds me too much of Parvati . . . but what do I care? I hate Potter and I have no reason to hate those two, it's not like they did anything. No one will really like me too much though if I'm in Slytherin. I really want to remain friends with Ron, Ginny and Lavender. Though I really also don't want any trouble with Snape . . . wait Snape is my uncle and he's trying to help me so there shouldn't be too many problems there.'
Hermione remained in deep thought for the whole sorting ceremony. She then noted that Dumbledore was motioning for her to come up as the last first year sat down at the Hufflepuff table. So she went all the way to the bottom of the steps dividing the teacher's table and the sorting hat from the rest of the students.
"I would like to introduce you to someone, but first, a moment of silence." He nodded at her and she approached the front and turned to face everyone, and the moment ended, "As you may or may not know . . . Hermione Granger and her parents were all murdered over the summer holiday. We have been able to find her adopted sister and get her back to England to take an extra year at Hogwarts. This is Phoenix Turoe. I expect you all to welcome her and treat her well . . . she has suffered many great losses and I want to make her as comfortable as possible. Now, we will let her be sorted and the feast will start."
Hermione sat on the stool and the sorting hat was placed on her head. She had the same silent debate in her head with the hat as she just had with herself. 'It seems you have already made your decision then. Very well,' the voice of the sorting hat said to her softly.
"RAVENCLAW!" shouted the sorting hat.
Hermione proceeded to the Ravenclaw table with the polite applause from other houses and cheers from her new house and sat down for the beginning of the year feast.