Weasley Wizard Wheezes. Diagon Alley. Day. Shopping bag bearing Weasley's Wizard Wheezes clutched in the hand of a boy being pulled by his mother through the throng packed sardine-tight in the store.

It's utter madness: Ever-Bashing Boomerangs whip through the air, Dr. Filibuster's Fabulous Wet-Start No-Heat fireworks spit sparks, and Nose-Biting Teacups bare tiny porcelain teeth.

Fred and George Weasley, in screaming magenta, stand upon a counter, selling to the masses.

Hermione shaking her head amusing how these twins could open a shop as they now had fears of anything. She and Ginny wander around.

Ginny at the other side, Hermione on the other side. She stops pursuing a display of Wonder Witch Love Potions.

Fred and George stood behind her. Giggling. "Yes, they do really work. How is that, Granger? Trying to seduce Snape with these".

"That.. disgusting. He's a Professor. I will not use this potion to make him love me as if he already did..." Fred and George smirking, she turns. "You imagine it".

"Careful what you wish for, Granger. If it happens between you two, we both forgive you. With that, we all know Snape actually has a heart. People thought he didn't have one".

Just then a huge boy, Cormac McLaggen passes behind Hermione and, with his eyes, takes the full measure of her.

Noticing, she turns, receives a faint smile as he moves on. "That's crazy. People have a heart. Even animals have a heart".

"Not for Snape. Tell you what, Granger. Why don't you take these one bottle with you. It's fine, it is free for this loving newly couple. Just give him this.. and owl us the result".

Hermione chuckles. "Thanks. I'll have one bottle of this because you two say it is free just for me but I'm not using it for Snape. I'll keep it for someone terribly who needs it".

"Suit yourself, Granger. That's what we were told. Oh, Bill and Charlie went crazy over these. They brought friends. And we gonna suit ourselves like a gentleman"

Fred and George winked. "Perhaps we should put a prank on them".

"Don't ever think about it, why don't you put Percy on this". Hermione suggested.

"Good ideas, Granger. We know you never like Percy, even us. He is just being perfect. As now he works in the Ministry, merlin what should we do, George?"

He smirks. "We try to change Percy into Blue. You know. Like Smurfs. Muggles book, dad gave us that book when we were boys. Smurf is too cute, should we turn Percy into Gargamel".

"Good luck boys". She smiled.

Later that, The trio head for the door, passing Lavender Brown, who smiles flirtatiously at an oblivious Ron.

The sun fades over an iron archway.

Welcome to Diagon Alley.

Harry, Ron and Hermione pass beneath. All around them, shops sit silent, windows boarded-up or shattered.

People scurry by, avoiding the scary faces of the witches and wizards who peer out from the security posters plastered to every lamp post.

Bellatrix is there:

"KNOWN DEATH EATER".

And Greyback:

"WEREWOLF."

And Lucius Malfoy:

"CAUGHT."

Hermione looked around the Diagon Alley. "How is Fred and George doing it? Half the alley's closed down".

"Fred reckons people need a laugh these days".

Harry nods agree. "Reckon he's right..."

Harry eyes the poster of Bellatrix, her mocking half smile. "Oh no". Harry and Ron follow her gaze to the wreck that is Ollivander's Wand Shop. "But everyone got their wands from Ollivander".

Across the avenue, Draco Malfoy and Narcissa pause, glance around, then slip quickly down an alley.

"Is it just me? Or do Draco and mummy look like two people who don't want to be followed?"

The trio trail Draco and Narcissa, who navigate these dark streets with ease. Hermione, lagging a bit, glanced up at the darkening sky. When she looks back, she sees Ron and Harry far ahead. They turn a shadowy corner, vanish.

Moments later. Harry and Ron duck inside a shop front. At the end of the alley, a single shop glimmers dully. Borgin and Burkes. Narcissa and Draco enter, greeting a stooped man. He points. Draco walks to a Lacquered cabinet, plays his fingers over its glassy surface.

Narcissa speaks and Draco turns, finds Borgin holding the curtain to the back room aside. Draco hesitates, then follows his mother through.

"What're they playing at?"

"Dunno. Let's get closer".

A nod, stopping. "Hey. Where's Hermione?"

Hermione moves through the shadows, alone, peering down streets, each darker than the next, lost, but holding it together, when... a shadow flickers overhead. She looks up, sees a figure leap from one roof to another. She stands perfectly still, then... hears voices.

Harry and Ron race down one passage then another. Stop. "Harry, where is she?"

"I don't know. I'm turned around".

Hermione creeps to the end of a narrow passage, toward the voices, and finds herself... behind Borgin & Burkes. Figures encircle an old cauldron, among them Greyback, Bellatrix, Narcissa, and in the very center... Draco.

Hermione squints against the brilliance of the fire, the figures twisting like Giacomettis. Draco extends his left arm... when a shadow falls over Hermione, fingers find her arm. She wheels, terrified.

"Bloody hell!"

"Sorry".

Hermione, furious to know more, asked three of them to climb up the roof to see them closer. Harry climbed up first.

"Ouch, careful! My shoulder".

Harry ignored it. Hermione follows after him then Ron. They watched the scene until one figure blocked their view. Greyback. He shut the curtain.

"Well, he shut the curtain, so?" said Hermione, gently climbing down to the ground. "Lucky they didn't see us. You know what they will do to us, especially you, Harry".

Hermione sighs. "We should go. We don't belong here. This is the dark place".

Hogwarts Express. Aisle. Late afternoon. Luna Lovegood moves down the aisle wearing a pair of Red and Blue Cardboard glasses identical to the ones modeled by a witch on the cover of the current issue of The Quibbler, a stack of which Luna clutches to her chest.

"There's an article on Wrackspurts this month. Quibbler...?"

The loitering students ignore her, including Dean Thomas, currently whispering to Ginny, who smiles mildly, more interested in the Purple Pygmy Puff perched on her shoulder.

"He's lovely. They've been known to sing on Boxing Day, you know. Quibbler?"

"Oh yes please". Her eye on the big title. "What's a Wrackspurt?"

"They're invisible creatures that float in through your ears and make your brain go fuzzy".

Ginny feels weird as Luna moves off. "Quibbler? Quibbler?"

Harry, Ron and Hermione sit together. Hermione has a book entitled Advance Rune Translation open on her lap, while Ron and Harry face each other.

"Don't you see, it was a ceremony. An initiation".

"Stop, Harry, I know where you're going with this".

"It's happened. He's one of them".

"One of what?" asked Ron.

Hermione chuckles. "Harry is under the impression that Draco Malfoy is now a Death Eater".

"You're barking. What would You-Know-Who want with a sod like Malfoy?"

"So what's he doing in Borgin and Burkes? Browsing for furniture?"

"It's a creepy shop. He's a creepy bloke".

"Look. His father's a Death Eater. It only makes sense. Besides, Hermione saw it. With her own eyes".

"I told you. I don't know what I saw".

Harry rises, snatches the cloak above his head. "I need some air". Ron and Hermione watch Harry leave the compartment to nowhere he goes.

Ron notices something in the pink color bottle Hermione holds it for. A small bottle and it looks like it's from the Weasley Wizard Wheezes shop he recognizes.

"What is that?" He asked. "That - in your hand. Bloody love potion when you brought that?"

Hermione shows him. "I didn't. Fred and George give me a gift".

"Gift! I'm their brother. They give me Five Galleons. Why do you need that for? I'll get it - for Snape. You're trying to smother him with that".

She hit him with the book she read. "Oi!"

"I keep it for someone who needs it. Not for me!" she glared. "Beside Ron it's a gift from your brother and I'll take it. If you don't mind". shaking her head then her eyes up to the view. "Beautiful isn't it, the view".

Ron lookup. "No.. just a normal view every year we see''.

Hogwarts castle. Front steps. Night later. Ron and Hermione climb down from the carriages. They walk toward the front steps where Professor Flitwick clutching a long roll of parchment bearing all students' names.

"Names?"

"Hermione Granger".

"Ron Weasley".

Hermione staring into the darkness, where shadows drift eerily, like ghosts. "Aurors. For security".

"And Professor Snape?" asked Hermione.

Flitwick shrugged. She and Ron enter, staring at the Aurors and Snape, but then Snape stops her by holding her arm.

Both Hermione and Snape's eyes met, Ron walked far ahead from her. "What?"

He didn't say anything as he stared into her eyes until... "I've missed you, Miss Granger". he whispered.

She looked in his dark eyes, gently he let go of her arm. Hermione quickly her feet running toward Ron, her feet slippery, bumped on his back.

Ron grabbed her arm, steady herself before she stumbled on the ground. "Oi! You bumped into me".

"I guess so. Creepy isn't it?" she asked. "With the Auror and Snape guarding the entrance gate". sighs. "Should we need an Auror for this?"

"Death Eaters are everywhere. Maybe Hogwarts needs it". He nodded. "Come on".

She stopped. "Don't you think we should wait for Harry?"

"I bet Harry is already inside before us. Come on, Hermione. I'm hungry".

Great Hall. Moments later. Hermione cranes her neck, looking for Harry, while Ron stuffs his face with pudding, mumbling, mouth full.

She was right. They should wait for Harry at the entrance. "Don't worry. He'll be 'long soon 'nuff".

"Will. You. Stop. Eating!" she whacked him. "Your best friend is missing!".

"Oi! Turn around, you lunatic".

Hermione spins, sees Harry and Luna approaching. In the light of the hall, Harry's blood-spattered face is quite the sight.

"He's covered in blood again. Why is he always covered in blood?"

Hermione shrugs. "Looks like his own this time".

Hermione stares at him as he arrives. "Where've you been? And what happened to your face?"

"Later. What've I missed?" as he takes a seat.

Shrugging. Ron is still eating. "Sorting Hat urged us all to be brave and strong in these troubled times, easy for it to say - it's a hat, isn't it?"

Harry nods. Ginny, damp napkin in hand, begins to dab his face, then feels suddenly awkward. Harry takes it from her.

"Thanks..."

Just then. All eyes turn to Dumbledore, standing at the top of the Hall, ashen hand raised to the enchanted ceiling, where clouds respond to his gestures and shroud a gleaming full moon.

"The very best of evenings to you! First off, please join me in welcoming the newest member of our staff, Horace Slughorn".

Mild applause ensues. Harry claps perfunctorily, his eyes drifting to the entrance of the Hall as a pair of Aurors station themselves just outside.

"Professor Slughorn, I'm happy to say, has agreed to resume his old post of Potions master. Meanwhile the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts will be assumed by Professor Snape''.

This is greeted by stunned silence. Dumbledore frowns, then attempts to generate something by clapping his hands once.

A few Slytherins join in and some dim-witted First Years.

"Now, as you know, each and everyone of you was searched upon your arrival tonight. You have a right to know why. Once there was a young man who, like you, sat in this very Hall. Walked this castle's corridors. Slept beneath its roof. He seemed, to all the world, a student like any other. His name? Tom Riddle".

The Hall goes utterly silent.

"Today, of course, the world knows him by another name. Which is why, as I stand looking out upon you all tonight, I am reminded of a sobering fact. Each day, every hour, this very minute perhaps, dark forces attempt to penetrate this castle. But in the end, their greatest weapon remains... you".

Harry eyes Malfoy, slouched low, lazily levitating a fork with his wand, as if Dumbledore were unworthy of attention.

"Just something to keep in mind. Now, off to bed. Pip pip!"

As they rise. "That was cheerful".

"Snape becomes Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher".

"Thought you like it". Ron snorted. "Poor the first year. They suddenly stuck with Snape".

Hermione takes a glance over the high table where Snape sits. What makes her blushed, and red. Snape is also eyeing her from the high table.

Dark eyes of lust and obsession.