Chapter 17
"Hurry up you lot," said Mrs. Weasley as they hurried through the muggle packed station.
"Mum, slow down," said Charlie. "The train's not to leave for another fifteen minutes."
"I don't care," Mrs. Weasley hissed. "Everyone has everything? Nothing was left at home?"
"We have everything," said Ginny.
"Nothing was left at home," said Ron.
"Okay, hurry," said Mrs. Weasley. "Get through right now."
As quickly as they could, each person passed through the barrier between Platforms nine and ten. Beyond the magical barrier were fellow wizarding families seeing off their own children, whether they were first years or seventh years.
"Hurry and get your luggage loaded," ordered Mrs. Weasley. "That way we don't have to worry about it later."
Harry, Hermione, Ginny, and Ron climbed onto the train and quickly found an empty compartment. After storing their trunks away in the compartment, they went back onto the platform to talk to their friends and family. After they said their good-byes, Mrs. Weasley, Blythe, and Charlie went home. Dean, Seamus, and Neville, who were just as happy to be going back to Hogwarts, soon joined them on the platform after saying good-bye to their families.
"Oh great here comes Malfoy," said Dean, a tall Gryffindor student. "And he's got a lady friend with him."
Everyone turned around and there, strolling towards them, was Draco Malfoy. A tall young man of seventeen, with pale blond hair that fell around his thin pale face and pale blue eyes, from the house of Slytherin at Hogwarts.
Fumbling behind him were his goons Crabbe and Goyle, and beside him, seeming to almost float across the floor, was a young lady. Her waist length, raven black hair with bleach tips flowed around her young face and her soft gentle blue eyes glittered in the sunlight. She wore a dark green, dragon hide, knee length skirt, a loose black blouse, black dragon hide high heals, and a sapphire cloak that skirted around her heals.
"Is that Shannon?" Harry whispered to Hermione.
"I think so," Hermione whispered.
"Look who it is," spat Malfoy as he spotted Harry. "It's Potter and his gang of freaks."
"Shove it, Malfoy," Ron said as they approached the group.
"Shouldn't you all be working on your dark arts prevention," Malfoy sneered. "Oh wait! You don't need that ridiculous club anymore since you injured Professor Umbridge."
"Well too bad your father's not here to protect you this year," hissed Hermione.
"Well at least I'm not a filthy mudblood," growled Malfoy.
"Draco!" snapped the young lady. "That's enough. The trains going to leave in a couple minutes now go get on."
"Stay out of this, Shan," snapped Malfoy.
"Your father left me in charge of you so get moving right now," demanded Shannon as she spun Draco around and marched off with him at her side.
"How does she know the Malfoys?" asked Ron.
"Who was that?" asked Seamus, a fellow Gryffindor.
"Dunno," lied Harry. "We better get on the train."
The group quickly boarded the train and found their compartment. Once the train began to move and everyone on board had found a place to sit, Hermione closed their compartment door.
"What was Shannon doing with Malfoy?" asked Ron.
"I have no idea," Ginny said sitting beside Harry. "Thank goodness Charlie wasn't there. No one can tell Charlie that we saw Shannon with Draco."
"I agree," said Hermione. "We don't know why she's with them."
"I wonder who our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher will be this year," said Harry changing the subject.
"It's always a surprise," Hermione said.
The compartment fell silent as they train roared down the tracks.
They were halfway to Hogwarts when it began to rain. Cold, icy sheets of rain pounded on the windows as the landscape passed by. Lighting and thunder sounded in the distance. By the time the train came to a halt, the rain was pouring, soaking everything that dared to set foot outside. The students quickly filled off the train. A familiar voice boomed over the chatter, calling for first years.
"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" called the voice.
It was Rubeus Hagrid, gamekeeper of Hogwarts and professor of 'Care of Magical Creatures'. He just happened to be half-giant. This made him quite easy to find.
"The rest of you move along the path to the carriages," Hagrid said. "C'mon, firs' years follow me!"
The second years followed the older students as they all walked down a cobble stone path to the waiting black carriages. Pulling each carriage were two thestrals. Creatures, you could only see if you had seen a death, resembling shinny black horses with the excepting that they appeared to be just skin and bones, and had leathery wings like a bat.
"This one," said Harry finding an empty carriage.
He quickly helped Hermione and Ginny into the carriage before allowing Ron to climb in and then himself. Once the door was closed, the carriage lunged forward as they started their journey to the castle.
"I hate rain," exclaimed Ginny looking at her soaked cloak.
"Well we had better run into the castle then so that we don't end up like sponges," said Hermione.
Harry leaned over to Ginny, as Ron and Hermione bickered about the weather, and whispered, "So who is it that wanted you to go out with them?"
"Anthony Goldstein from Ravenclaw," Ginny whispered leaning against him. "I'll point him out when I see him."
Harry smiled at the young lady beside him and then looked at his young lover across from them. Her eyes were narrowed as she looked out the window. They road the rest of the way in silence.
As they came to a stop in front of the castle, Harry through the door open and they all jumped from the carriage on a dead run for the front doors. Once inside, Professor Sprout handed them towels to quickly dry off with.
"My, my," said Professor Sprout. "It's coming down harder than we thought it would."
"And I was hoping for a nice clear night," said Lavender as she tossed her towel into a growing pile. "Oh well."
"Everyone hurry along," Professor Sprout said. "The first years will be here in a few minutes."
"Let's hurry and find a place to sit," said Ron as they climbed the stairs to the Great Hall.
"Ginny," called a voice from behind them.
They all stopped and looked at the bottom of the stairway. There, climbing the stairs two at a time, was a young man around Ginny's age with short sandy colored hair and hazel eyes. Once he reached them, he looked Harry over and then turned to Ginny.
"Have you thought about what I said?" asked the young man.
"The answer is still no," said Ginny. "I told you, Anthony. I'm dating someone else."
"Who? Michael?" Anthony said. "Michael doesn't respect you."
"I'm not with Michael," Ginny said.
"Come on, Ginny," Harry said leading her away from the young man.
"Back off, man," said Anthony as he grabbed Ginny's wrist. "We're talking."
"Let go of her," said Harry.
"This has nothing to do with you so buzz off," Anthony said.
Suddenly, another young man about Ginny's age grabbed Anthony's arm and said, "Dude, do you know who he is?"
"I don't care," Anthony said. "Stewart, let go of me."
"That's Harry Potter," said Stewart.
Anthony frowned as he ripped his arm from his friend's grip. "What's Ginny to you?" he asked as he looked Harry over.
"He's my boyfriend," Ginny said.
The color drained from Anthony and Stewart's faces. Harry smiled as he wrapped his arm around her waist, leaned down, and gently kissed Ginny's cheek.
"Come on, we need to take our seats," Harry said.
As Harry led Ginny away, she looked back one last time and saw the two young men staring at them. They looked at each other and hurried into the Great Hall with their fellow classmates.
"Over here, Harry," Hermione said.
She and Ron had found a nice spot in the center of the table. Harry sat down beside Hermione and Ginny beside him. Ron was seated on the opposite side talking to Dean and Neville about what they might learn this year.
"One empty chair," said Hermione. "Same every year."
"I wonder who the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is going to be," said Ginny.
"Who knows," said Harry. "We've had some interesting professors over the last seven years."
"Hey, Draco," said a young lady from the Slytherin table. "Who was the young woman with you today at the platform?"
Harry turned his head so he could hear what Draco's answer would be. "Ya, Pansy's right," said a young man. "Who was she, Draco?"
"She's someone my parents know," said Draco. "She's the only daughter of a highly respectable wizarding family in America."
"What's she like?" asked Pansy, sitting beside Draco.
But before Draco could answer, the doors to the Great Hall opened and Professor McGonagall entered followed closely by several terrified first years. They quickly lined up at the bottom of the stage where the teacher table sat. McGonagall quickly retrieved a three-legged stool and old battered hat and placed it before the new students.
"Silence please," said McGonagall, her voice traveling to the back of the hall.
The hall fell silent as all eyes, with the exception of those belonging to the first years, fell upon the old wizard's hat. Near the top, a rip appeared as the hat began to talk.
"Danger all around.
Beware the darkness,
That creeps ever closer.
We must come together,
Before we are torn apart.
Enemies must form alliances.
Feuds must be put aside.
The lives of everyone,
Hangs in the balance.
"But right now,
I must sort you into your houses.
Which is unnecessary in these times,
But it is my duties.
"You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart.
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where those are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuff's
Are true and unafraid of toil.
"Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you're a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind.
Or perhaps in Slytherin,
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means,
To achieve their ends.
"So heed my warnings,
for I know all that has passed
through these ancient stone walls.
Now put me snug around your head,
And I will put you in your place."
The silence was thick, no one knowing what to do. Suddenly, the sound of clapping filled the hall. All eyes moved towards the sound of the clapping. The hands clapping belonged to the headmaster, Professor Albus Dumbledore. A very elderly wizard who seemed to be going mad at times. He had a long silver beard and hair. His deep penetrating eyes were hidden behind half-moon glasses. Slowly, the rest of the teachers began to clap, soon followed the Gryffindor table and then the other three.
Professor McGonagall raised her hand after a few moments and said, "Quiet please. Quiet." The hall once again fell silent. "As I call your name please come forward and sit on the stool. Adele, Abby."
A young girl stepped forward. She had long blond hair that fell to her waist. As she sat on the stool, McGonagall placed the sorting hat upon her head. The hat thought for a moment before shouting out, "Ravenclaw!"
The young girl sighed as she ran to the table to cheering Ravenclaws, who welcomed her with open arms. The next name to be called was "Adone, Lucas" who was immediately placed into Slytherin right as the hat touched his head.
This went on until every first year was sorted into all four houses. Then Dumbledore stood up and all fell silent once more.
"Welcome one and all," said Dumbledore. "I am very glad to see so many faces. Some new, some old, some for the very last time."
All the tables laughed.
"I have some announcements to make," the old headmaster said. "For you first years, the forbidden forest is off limits to all. No exceptions."
As Dumbledore continued down the usual list of rules that must be spoken, Harry felt something touch his left hand. He quickly looked down and saw that Hermione had laid her hand upon his. They quickly exchanged smiles before looking back at the headmaster.
"As you all can see we have an empty chair next to mine," he said. "This seat belongs to our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Our new professor should be arriving soon."
There was a sudden knock at the grand double doors of the Great Hall. A hushed whisper filled the room. The doors, suddenly, began to open on their own. Once the doors were open far enough for a person to pass through, a figure in a sapphire cloak entered the hall.