A/N: And here's another chapter…

Chapter Four: Another Professor Enemy

Hermione sat stunned.

"His?" Ron asked, completely clueless.

"Ronald, it's obvious. It was Voldemort's memories that attacked you. So now you have his memories all over you."

"Oh," he said, peering wide eyed at the marks all over his arms and visibly shivering with disgust.

"But wait," Hermione said, "Who was the little boy and the teenager?" she asked.

"Tom Riddle," Harry quietly said, "Tom Marvolo Riddle," he repeated.

"Ofcourse!" Hermione whispered, smiling, "Because you fought Tom four years ago!

Harry slightly nodded, but didn't say anything else.

"What did Madam Pomphrey say about those last year?" Hermione asked Ron.

"That they should stop hurting, which they have, and that they won't totally go away. Obviously," he added as an after thought, examining them.

The compartment door suddenly slammed open, "What in the bloody hell have you three been doing in here?" Malfoy shouted, looking frightened.

Hermione felt her eyes widen for a second time that day, "Oh no, did everybody hear?" she asked.

"I could hear it all the way at the other side of the train!" he yelled.

"Oh no, that's not good," she muttered.

"It sounded as if you were torturing someone," he spit, looking at Ron, "I hope it was Granger."

Some one snickered and although Hermione couldn't see who it was, she still knew.

"That's none of you business now, is it Malfoy?" Hermione said, standing up, "So get out and leave us alone," she threatened, pulling her wand out.

Malfoy looked her up and down, making her uncomfortable, "Mudblood," he whispered, glaring at her, then turned on his heal and stalked off to him compartment which was, to Hermione's surprise, at the complete opposite end of the car.

She sat back down and closed the compartment door.

"Was it really that loud?" Ron asked her.

"I didn't think so," Hermione said, "But if everyone on the train could her it…" she let her sentence trail.

"Everyone must know what it was," Harry whispered.

Hermione shook her head, "No, I doubt it."

A few hours later they arrived at Hogwarts and rode the horseless carriages up to the castle. This year it wasn't stormy; but the dark clouds above them were threatening otherwise.

"Harry are you sure you're alright?" Hermione asked him. She had been worrying about him all summer since Sirius had died, but the memory of Ron's had to have crossed the line somehow.

Harry nodded, not taking his eye off of the window.

Hermione looked over at Ron, who shrugged and also looked away.

She sighed knowing that this was going to be a tough year.

The carriage ride to the castle wasn't very long at all, but Hermione some how managed to fall asleep along the journey…

There she was again; the evil side of herself. Just standing there. But suddenly she stirred and looked around to where a shadow of a man stood. Or at least… that's what it looked like. He was very tall and looked well-built.

"Come to me…" he said in an odd voice, "Stay away from them, they mean harm…come to me…"

She recognized the voice, and she associated danger with it yet… she didn't know whose it was…

"HERMIONE!" she heard two voices yell.

She suddenly jerked awake, a piercing head ache pounding in her head. It was now pouring rain and Harry and Ron were standing out side in it.

"Here already?" she tiredly asked, grabbing Crookshanks cage and hopping out of the carriage. She produced a shielding charm above their heads so they would no longer become wet from the rain.

"Hermione are you alright?" Harry worriedly asked her.

"I'm fine, why?"

Ron also gave her a concerned expression, "You were groaning in your sleep. Something about, 'I know him, I know him…'" he let his sentence trail off.

Hermione suddenly realized she couldn't remember a single thing about the dream she had just had. She knew she had one, but she couldn't remember the slightest bit of what it was about.

"I was dreaming that I saw Voldemort at the supermarket and I was yelling, telling people that I knew him, that I knew he was evil," she quickly lied. It was as good excuse as any.

"Erm…alright," Harry said as they walked in to the Great Hall and took their places at the Gryffindor table.

Hermione stared fixedly at the staff table up front.

"Where's Dumbledore," she said, making it more of a statement than a question.

Harry and Ron also looked up at the table and saw there was no Dumbledore, "Dunno," Ron said, sadly staring back at his empty plate.

Hermione felt her eyes narrow, "He's got to be somewhere around here," she said just as McGonagall tapped her fork on her goblet, causing the whole Hall to hush up.

The first years were lead in by Hagrid this year as McGonagall stood up.

Hagrid stopped and turned around to look at the group, "Er…this sorting hat up here will sort all of yeh into yer houses, whicher Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, and Slytherin."

Hermione looked over at the Slytherin table and burned up when she saw Malfoy crossing his eyes and scratching his head, making fun of Hagrid.

"Oh, if I ever get a hold of him again…" she let her sentence trail as Hagrid sat at the staff table, shoulders slumped, and McGonagall gave the greeting for the new school year.

"It's not the same as with Dumbledore, is it?" Ron asked, squinting to see McGonagall.

: "I welcome you all to a new year at Hogwarts," she said to the Hall at large, then shifted her attention to the first years, "When I call your name you will simply sit on that stool and you will be sorted into your houses. Armando, Nicholas!"

A very weedy looking boy carefully walked up to the front and sat on the stool while McGonagall placed the hat on his head.

The hat took a moment to decide, but finally shouted, "RAVENCLAW!"

Hermione turned back to Harry and Ron, "Where dyou suppose he went?" she asked.

"Maybe he got into a duel," Ron said

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Hermione said.

"Well…maybe he…you know, died?" Ron asked.

"Ronald!" Hermione scolded, "Don't say such things! And anyway, if Dumbledore died it wouldn't be from a curse because he is the greatest wizard in the world. He knows how to block Avada Kadavra," she said.

Ron turned to Harry, "But…I thought Moody said that there was no counter jinx for that…"

"There isn't, but that just goes to prove how great a wizard Dumbledore really is. If he died, it would be from natural causes," she concluded.

Ron suddenly looked sad.

"What's the matter?" she asked him.

"This year isn't going to be the same with Fred and George gone…" he said.

Ginny too, looked as if her two older brothers had died.

Well, I suppose they can meet us on a Hogsmede visit or two," Hermione cheerfully said.

Ron looked a bit happier with that thought, then looked up at the staff table which reminded Hermione that they, once again, had a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.

Ron squinted, "I wonder who's going to be brave enough…" he started as a hissing voice interrupted him from the neighboring Slytherin table.

"You don't know who the new teacher is?" Draco Malfoy asked.

Ron looked at him as if he were the dirtiest thing in the world, "No, dyou?" he asked.

Malfoy turned back to Crabbe and Goyle, had a moment's whispered conversation with them, then once again faced Harry, Hermione and Ron.

"The new teacher this year will be the best teacher ever. In fact, he will be better than dear old Professor Umbridge," he suddenly looked like Ron and Ginny had looked a few moments ago and Hermione pitied him until she heard what he had to say, "It's a pity she was driven off. The changes she made…well…at least this guy has the power to do it without the Minister's approval."

Hermione turned to Ron and Harry, curiosity showing on both of their faces, "Well then, where is he?" she asked Draco, "Shouldn't he be sitting up there with the other Professors?" she asked as Dumbledore took his seat.

Malfoy laughed, "What, do you think he likes to be in Dumbledore's company? Dyou think my father's really that crazy?"