As the train pulled to a stop, Ron suddenly jerked away. He looked around, trying to figure out where he was. I'm on the train... and we've stopped... which means... erm... I'm at Hogwarts. Ron thought dully. His mind was highly clouded by the long nap. Just then Ginny stepped into the compartment, followed by Hermione.
"Come on, Ron." Hermione said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Lets go before Harry catches up with us."
"Right. Wouldn't want to be anywhere near the git," Ron said gruffly. He smiled at Hermione and they walked out.
"Thanks for waiting." Ginny called after them, but didn't hurry to catch up.
Harry, having no one to slow him in his departure from the train, was one of the first to enter the Great Hall. He sat unhappily down and the far end of the Gryffindor table, dreading the moment when his friends would arrive. I'd almost rather be back at Privet Drive. Almost... but not quite. Suddenly, he remembered the note from Professor McGonagall, and hurried to her office.
Harry had barely just arrived at her office, when Professor McGonagall opened her door and beckoned him in.
"Sit down, Potter," she said shortly. This didn't worry Harry at all, because Professor McGonagall's voice always sounded very strict.
"You wanted to talk to me, Professor?" Harry asked.
"Yes... I'm sure you'd realized, that with Umbridge gone that you'd have your place on the Quidditch team back. I thought you'd like to have heard it from me, instead of waiting through the entire feast and hearing it from Ms. Johnson. She's very pleased to have you back on the team. However, if you set one more toe out of line, I will suspend your Quidditch privileges. I want a Gryffindor win more than anyone, but I don't want anymore nonsense that you and Weasley usually come up with."
"I don't think that will be a problem, Professor."
"Good... I'm glad to hear that. Well, you may go."
Harry stood up and sulked over to the door.
"Oh, and Potter.... enjoy the feast," Professor McGonagall said, favoring him with a rare smile. Harry nodded his head and smiled back weakly. He made his way back down to the feast and returned to his original seat, the Great Hall having filled very little while he was gone.
"Why so glum, Harry?" Angelina Johnson asked him, plopping down next to him.
"Oh... nothing. Had a bit of a row with Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. Over something stupid. We had a misunderstanding. And --"
"Well, it had better not affect Quidditch. With Umbridge gone, you're un- banned and officially back on the team. With Ron, and probably Ginny. She has serious potential --"
"Right, I know. McGonagall' s just told me," Harry interrupted. "It won't affect Quidditch at all, promise."
"Good," sighed Angelina. "Well... erm..." she stood up, resting a hand on his shoulder, "Buck up. It'll get better."
"Yeah...." Harry said as she walked off to join some other friends.
The Great Hall filled quickly with students, and soon Harry was utterly surrounded by adoring, newly sorted first years. Harry was glad when Dumbledore stood and raised his hands for silence.
"Welcome, welcome! It seems it's been so long since I've seen this school so filled with students. I don't intend to bore you all for long, as I know you've had a long trip and must be as ravenous as I am." Dumbledore said, grinning. Harry chose this moment to stop listening. He lay his head on this arms and closed his eyes, simply waiting until he could take a few bites of food and retreat to his dormitory.
"And so," Dumbledore said, happily finishing his speech, "I wish you all a pleasant feast and a wonderful first night back. Enjoy!"
With that, the golden plates filled with food, goblets filled with drink, and first year's faces filled with sheer delight. Harry, on the other hand, was filled with emptiness that didn't lessen as he ate. He stood up, and slipped from the Great Hall.
As the feast drew to a close, Hermione, Ron and Ginny had almost begun to enjoy themselves.
"Now, I know you all must be full and tired, but I must say a few last words," Dumbledore said. "If I may, I'd like to see all the prefects in the chamber off the entrance hall immediately after dinner. And to all the rest of you, you're dismissed when you wish to be. First years, your heads of house will lead you to your common rooms."
Ron and Hermione looked at each other curiously, and Ron turned to Ginny.
"We'll meet you in the common room, ok?"
"No, I'm going to sleep. I'm exhausted. I'll see you both in the morning." Ginny said. " Tell me all about whatever it is then, ok?"
"Right." said Hermione, smiling. She didn't know how she could have been angry at Ginny. She's one of my best friends... this isn't her fault. Hermione thought.
"Come on, Ron." Hermione said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Lets go before Harry catches up with us."
"Right. Wouldn't want to be anywhere near the git," Ron said gruffly. He smiled at Hermione and they walked out.
"Thanks for waiting." Ginny called after them, but didn't hurry to catch up.
Harry, having no one to slow him in his departure from the train, was one of the first to enter the Great Hall. He sat unhappily down and the far end of the Gryffindor table, dreading the moment when his friends would arrive. I'd almost rather be back at Privet Drive. Almost... but not quite. Suddenly, he remembered the note from Professor McGonagall, and hurried to her office.
Harry had barely just arrived at her office, when Professor McGonagall opened her door and beckoned him in.
"Sit down, Potter," she said shortly. This didn't worry Harry at all, because Professor McGonagall's voice always sounded very strict.
"You wanted to talk to me, Professor?" Harry asked.
"Yes... I'm sure you'd realized, that with Umbridge gone that you'd have your place on the Quidditch team back. I thought you'd like to have heard it from me, instead of waiting through the entire feast and hearing it from Ms. Johnson. She's very pleased to have you back on the team. However, if you set one more toe out of line, I will suspend your Quidditch privileges. I want a Gryffindor win more than anyone, but I don't want anymore nonsense that you and Weasley usually come up with."
"I don't think that will be a problem, Professor."
"Good... I'm glad to hear that. Well, you may go."
Harry stood up and sulked over to the door.
"Oh, and Potter.... enjoy the feast," Professor McGonagall said, favoring him with a rare smile. Harry nodded his head and smiled back weakly. He made his way back down to the feast and returned to his original seat, the Great Hall having filled very little while he was gone.
"Why so glum, Harry?" Angelina Johnson asked him, plopping down next to him.
"Oh... nothing. Had a bit of a row with Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. Over something stupid. We had a misunderstanding. And --"
"Well, it had better not affect Quidditch. With Umbridge gone, you're un- banned and officially back on the team. With Ron, and probably Ginny. She has serious potential --"
"Right, I know. McGonagall' s just told me," Harry interrupted. "It won't affect Quidditch at all, promise."
"Good," sighed Angelina. "Well... erm..." she stood up, resting a hand on his shoulder, "Buck up. It'll get better."
"Yeah...." Harry said as she walked off to join some other friends.
The Great Hall filled quickly with students, and soon Harry was utterly surrounded by adoring, newly sorted first years. Harry was glad when Dumbledore stood and raised his hands for silence.
"Welcome, welcome! It seems it's been so long since I've seen this school so filled with students. I don't intend to bore you all for long, as I know you've had a long trip and must be as ravenous as I am." Dumbledore said, grinning. Harry chose this moment to stop listening. He lay his head on this arms and closed his eyes, simply waiting until he could take a few bites of food and retreat to his dormitory.
"And so," Dumbledore said, happily finishing his speech, "I wish you all a pleasant feast and a wonderful first night back. Enjoy!"
With that, the golden plates filled with food, goblets filled with drink, and first year's faces filled with sheer delight. Harry, on the other hand, was filled with emptiness that didn't lessen as he ate. He stood up, and slipped from the Great Hall.
As the feast drew to a close, Hermione, Ron and Ginny had almost begun to enjoy themselves.
"Now, I know you all must be full and tired, but I must say a few last words," Dumbledore said. "If I may, I'd like to see all the prefects in the chamber off the entrance hall immediately after dinner. And to all the rest of you, you're dismissed when you wish to be. First years, your heads of house will lead you to your common rooms."
Ron and Hermione looked at each other curiously, and Ron turned to Ginny.
"We'll meet you in the common room, ok?"
"No, I'm going to sleep. I'm exhausted. I'll see you both in the morning." Ginny said. " Tell me all about whatever it is then, ok?"
"Right." said Hermione, smiling. She didn't know how she could have been angry at Ginny. She's one of my best friends... this isn't her fault. Hermione thought.