Chapter 2 (Who are you?)

The ride aboard Hogwarts Express was over. Everyone, except Harry, Ron, and Hermione were now with the other students from different houses, riding enchanted stagecoaches to Hogwarts Castle. They would have been in one of those carriages if only…

"Hermione, wake up! Open the door. The other sixth graders are piling out. We're the only ones left," Harry pleaded, knocking loudly on the compartment's door.

He and Ron could not see what was happening inside the compartment because all the curtains were tucked in to let no light pass through.

"Open up or we'll magic ourselves in!" Ron went on.


Meanwhile, inside Hermione's compartment, a gust of cold wind blew off the curtains. A black ball of fire with streaks of red that looked like blood appeared and floated around the compartment. It then took shape as a girl with long, black hair with a mischievous smile playing on her lips. Hermione gaped and was taken aback. She couldn't believe what she had just witnessed. 'Is this a dream?" she thought. She pinched herself three times, "Ow!" 'If I'm dreaming, then why does it hurt?' she thought.

Stuttering, "W-who a-are y-you?" she said, confusion mixed with fear passed over her.

"No need to be frightened Hermione," the mysterious girl, who looked a few years older, walked over to where Hermione was standing, showing her terrifying smile, "I saw you at the train station, I felt bad for… for what had just happened back there…"

"H-how d-do you k-know my n-name?" questioned Hermione. Hermione couldn't make out the face of the woman in front of her since it was partly covered by long ravenous hair that reached down to her waist.

"I know all… I see all…" the girl said, sending chills down on Hermione's spine.

"Please… d-don't hurt m-me…" Hermione begged, to stop the strange girl from haunting her.

"Oh, but I won't. In fact, I think we're going to be the best of friends," the raven-haired lady went on, "I'm Raine. Those stupid fools who had hurt your feelings must pay!"

Hermione shuddered, Raine flashed her a wicked grin revealing her decomposed teeth.


"Alohomora!" Harry took a step back. A spurt of golden light came out of Harry's wand.

The door immediately opened, showing Hermione standing on the far corner of the compartment, facing the window.

"Hermione, why weren't you answering the door?" Harry pointed out.

"Yeah. We thought something bad happened to you!" Ron said, relieved to see that Hermione was all right.

"Now why would you think that?" Hermione turned to face them but she was no longer the sweet and innocent girl that Harry and Ron befriended. She became Raine and Raine became her and now, they are one and the same. No one, not ever can stop them… Only time will tell of what there is to come…


"Aaaahhh! Noooooo!" Draco startled Crabbe and Goyle with his sudden outburst. He was nervous and sweating. 'No! This must not happen!' he mumbled to himself.

Goyle stopped eating his favorite chocolate frogs, he faced Draco with question marks written all over his face, "What's he talking about?" he said to Crabbe who was picking his nose.

"I think… I don't know what I think… Do you know what I think?" Crabbe scratched his head trying to remember something.

"Uh… No… That's because you haven't told me anything yet." Goyle replied.

"Oh… Right!" Crabbe said.


"What's he talking about?" Goyle asked Crabbe for the second time.

"I think…" Crabbe replied, "I think he's… he's dreaming!"

Goyle let out a cry of terror, "Oh no! Oh no! What should we do, Crabbe? What should we do?" he said helplessly, making it sound like a big deal.

"Uhm… I think this is the part where we wake him up," Crabbe suggested.

"Oh… Right again!" said Goyle.

He and Crabbe shook Draco wildly to wake him up. A few minutes ago, they found Draco asleep on his four-poster bed. Anyway, Draco was unloading his personal necessities out of his trunk when he fell asleep. He had this weird dream about someone, he could not remember who she was, what he does know is that she is dangerous and is seeking revenge for all those who had hurt her in the past and now, she is back, risen from the dead, back from eternity… 'Could it be… Voldemort?' he thought. Draco tried to picture Voldemort in a long, black nightgown showing of his curves, "Yikes! How awful!" he shuddered at the thought. 'Nah… Couldn't be. Besides, he's a guy and a monstrous looking one if I may so myself,' he muttered under his breath. His stomach churned, which clearly reminded him of his hunger. "Crabbe, Goyle, let's go down the Great Hall and eat. My stomach rumbling around like this is killing me."


The three joined the Slytherin table, waiting for the delicacies to be served. Everyone was enjoying the feast, voices echoed inside the great hall telling one another of their wonderful summer vacations and their misadventures. Today, the enchanted ceiling was black, having visible of stars. Hundreds of candles lighted the hall illuminating the high table where Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster and the professors, one of which was the new defense against the dark arts teacher eat. Dumbledore stood up, "Ahem… Nice Evening to all of you," he smiled, "As you know, we had yet had another teacher who has decided to quit his job as your defense against the dark arts teacher but currently, we are very fortunate to have with us, Professor Mort Higgins. Let us all make his stay comfortable." At this remark, Severus Snape, a professor who teaches potions shot a look of pure hatred to the new professor. Each teacher except Snape seemed to like the new professor even stern-looking Professor Mc Gonagall was smiling and chatting with him.

Students were now used to having a different defense against the dark arts teacher every year. Most of them thought the position was cursed. The students clapped and welcomed the new Professor who looked like he was in his mid-20's or something. Fred and George who was sitting in the Gryffindor table hooted and whistled.

The sorting of first years into their houses then took place beginning with the usual singing of the Sorting Hat… Harry remembers when he had been sorted in Gryffindor during his first year at Hogwarts only because he had asked the old, battered hat not to put him in Slytherin. Soon, the sorting had ended. Professor Flitwick took away the sorting hat and went to his place in the high table. The first years that were now sorted went to sit with their new families, whether from Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin.

"Ok, settle down… Well, let the feast begin!" said Dumbledore, vaguely squinting through his half-moon spectacles.

Right there and then, the plates and goblets filled with a wide variety of food and drinks. Everyone ate and got merry except two people. In the Gryffindor table, someone was worrying Harry and Ron. They noticed something strange in Hermione; it was as if she was not herself anymore. Maybe it was the way she spoke or is it the evil glint in her eyes that told them to stay away from her and the look that tells them to get lost, 'Weird,' they thought. Both kept quiet of her behavior and decided to confront her tomorrow. 'Maybe she's just tired and in need of rest,' Harry and Ron considered this idea.

When not a single inch of food was left and when everyone was full, all the students were told to go back to their dormitories to get a good night's sleep so as to be ready for their classes tomorrow.