A/N: First off Thank You to those who favourited this story, you are amazing! I didn't think this story would get any attention, so thank you very much! :3
Hopefully this one is long enough, i'm trying to write long chapters cause nothing is more disappointing than a short chapter.
[Disclaimer: All rights go to J.K Rowling, apart from my characters, she owns everything from the Harry Potter universe plus my soul.]
Chapter Two
The next morning was a frenzy. Everyone was rushing around the house trying to find everything they needed. Harry was running around making sure he hadn't forgotten anything.
"Hurry up you two!" called Remus from downstairs. Ella dragged her trunk down the stairs and made sure her cat Merlin was comfortable in his basket. Harry came down the stairs holding his owl Hedwig and his trunk clanging behind him.
"Are you ready to go?" asked Sirius walking into the hallway. Ella nodded and adjusted her shoulder bag.
"Lets go, or we'll be late" Remus called urgently, pushing everyone out the door. They all piled into the car and made their way to Kings Cross Station.
When they arrived at the station Ella noticed many wizards mixed in with the muggles. She smiled, sometimes muggles really could be quite oblivious to their surroundings.
They arrived on platform 9 ¾ and Ella was immediately greeted with the sight of the familiar red train.
"Alright, you kids be good" Remus said "don't do anything stupid" he said, hugging Ella tightly.
"I'll be fine, promise" she replied hugging him back. Harry looked at the train with worry.
"Don't fret, you'll be fine" said Sirius ruffling his messy hair,
"I'm not worried!" he said looking offended, Sirius laughed,
"Of course your not worried!" he barked. But he hugged Harry anyway.
"Take care, El, Ok?" he said to Ella, she nodded,
"Don't worry about me" she replied. He hugged her tight,
"Take care of Harry" he whispered into her ear. She nodded
"I will" she whispered back. He let go and gave her one last look.
"Better hurry, train's leaving soon" He said. Ella and Harry picked up their stuff and said their last goodbyes before heading onto the train.
As the train left she saw her father wave his hand in farewell, she waved back, a big smile on her face.
"I'll be fine, dad, promise" she thought as they pulled away from the station.
"I think that i'll find my own compartment" said Harry suddenly. Ella bit her lip and looked at him.
"Are you sure?" she asked "I don't mind." He shook his head,
"Don't worry, I want to meet people anyway and i'm sure you don't want me to bug you the whole trip" he said
"If your sure..." Ella replied carefully.
"I'm fine don't worry" he said, moving his way forward through the train corridor.
"Ok, but be careful, i'll see you later!" she called as he disappeared. He turned and waved bye before continuing his way.
It didn't take very long for Ella to find her friends. They were sitting in their own compartment taking when she came in.
"Ella!" Coco jumped up at tackled her into a hug, she staggered from the force and laughed at her friend antics.
"Good to see you too Coco" she said, "now let go, I need to put my stuff away"
"Oh, yeah sorry" she said sitting down again. Ella shook her head and smiled. After hauling her trunk onto the racks above their heads, she sat down next to the window, where she always sat.
"Where's Harry?" asked Jeremy looking around.
"He wanted to go off on his own" she explained, "don't worry he's fine" she said. She knew that Jeremy worried about Harry just as much as he worried about Ella. He nodded and looked out of the window, watching the passing scenery.
Ella let her cat out of his basket and watched him move around the compartment until he settled down beside Jeremy.
"Who do you think is the new DA teacher?" asked Coco lifting her head from Ella's shoulder where it had been resting for the last 10 minutes.
"Don't know, but it better be better than the one we had last year" said Ella remembering their old teacher who had had a breakdown at the end of the year.
"I hope that we actually learn stuff this time" said Jeremy, sighing. Ella nodded in agreement.
Later on, when the food trolly came around and after they had all bought something, a young girl came into their compartment. She had bushy hair, and was quite obviously in her first year.
"A boy named Neville has lost his toad, have you seen it?" she asked curtly. Ella looked at her friends who all looked very lost.
"No, we haven't sorry" said Coco giving the girl a smile.
"You're in first year, right?" asked Jeremy, the girl looked a little surprised at the fact that they were talking to her.
"Yes, I am" she said, still standing at the door.
"My name's Hermione Granger" she said, confidently.
"That's a lovely name!" said Coco, smiling at Hermione.
"It's better than mine" Ella said sadly,
"What's wrong with yours?" asked Jeremy questionably.
"Have you heard it?" she replied raising her eyebrows, "Elladora" she said mockingly.
"I think your name's lovely" said Jeremy confidently. Ella just shrugged, trying to hide the blush that had started to form on her cheeks.
"Well, anyway, I hope you enjoy Hogwarts, Hermione" Coco said to the girl, who was still standing at the door.
"Thank you!" she said sincerely. With one last wave she walked out of the compartment and into the corridor.
"Good luck finding your toad!" Ella called out behind her. Smiling she looked out the window as Coco lay her head on her shoulder again.
Ella watched as the Hogwarts Express pulled into the Hogsmeade station. She got up collecting all her things and making sure Merlin was securely in his basket.
"You ready for another year?" asked Jeremy, hauling his trunk behind him as they migrated through the throng.
"Not really" replied Ella looking around for her brother in the sea of people. She spotted him and waved, he waved back and made his way towards Hagrid who was calling out to all the first years.
"There's a free one" said Coco pointing towards a carriage. The three friends walked to the free carriage and climbed in. With a jolt it started moving towards the castle.
As they got closer to the school, Ella caught sight of the magnificent castle. She got a familiar feeling in her stomach, like she was going home. Coco sighed beside her,
"I forgot how much I like it here" she said wistfully, Jeremy laughed and nodded in agreement. They walked into the great hall and Ella was once again reminded of how beautiful the great hall was. They sat down on the Ravenclaw table, underneath the enchanted roof of the hall. It was clear tonight and you could see all the stars.
"It's good to be back" said Rachel, one of Ella's classmates, "I can't wait to start classes this year."
She smiled, it was good to be back.
Professor McGonagall walked in with the first years. Ella lifted her head to try find Harry in the masses. She spotted him and gave him a thumbs up. Harry smiled, but still looked nervous. She turned to the front again as the hat began to sing.
Oh you may not think I'm pretty, But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black, Your top hats sleek and tall,For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you Where you ought to be.
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 they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
if you've 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 put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap! You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!
Everyone clapped when the hat finished and then McGonagall stood up and opened the scroll.
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool and be sorted" she said to the first years.
"Abbot, Hannah" called out the professor. A very scared looking girl with blonde pigtails walked to the front and sat down on the stool. The hat was placed on her head. There was a moment of pause, till...
"HUFFLEPUFF!" the said table erupted into cheers, Rachel cursed beside her,
"Now I owe Henry 5 Galleons, I thought for sure Ravenclaw would be first this year" Ella smiled remembering the bets that went around the school for which house would get the first year that called up first.
"Bones, Susan" Ella turned her attention to the front again as another name was called.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" Rachel sighed again, sinking lower into her seat,
"Boot, Terry" called out McGonagall,
"RAVENCLAW!" the Ravenclaw table cheered as the boy walked towards them. Finally Ravenclaw was in the top three.
"This may help me" Rachel said beside her, Ella laughed
"You need to stop betting on everything" Ella replied to her. She shrugged and started clapping again as another first year joined them.
This went on for a while, the hat calling out houses and the hall erupting into cheers. Ella noticed that the Hermione girl took a rather long time to be sorted before the hat shouted out "GRYFFINDOR!"
But really Ella was interested in only one person, Harry. She gripped Jeremy's hand as McGonagall got closer to P. Though Harry lived with Remus and Sirius, he had kept his last name. On request of Rem and Sirius themselves.
"Potter, Harry" many stared, they knew that name, it was the name of the couple who had died helping defeat Voldemort, Harry's parents.
He walked up, Ella could see his knees shaking. He sat down and the hat was placed on his head. It took a while till finally the hat made up his mind.
"GRYFFINDOR!" Harry took of the hat and made his way towards the cheering table of Gryffindor.
"Makes sense, since both his parents were Gryffindors" Ella whispered to Jeremy who she still was holding hands with. He nodded.
"I'm sure he'll do great in Gryffindor" he replied. Ella smiled and caught Harry's eyes from across the hall. She gave a little wave to him before turning back to the front. There were only three left now.
The next was a Ravenclaw and Ella joined in the cheering as the girl made her way to the table. The next was another Weasley, who of course was sorted into Gryffindor.
"When will they stop?" asked Coco looking at the red heads that occupied the table to the far left.
"I don't know" Ella replied laughing, "Maybe he'll be better than his, ah, let's say, mischievous brothers."
"Yes let's hope so" replied Coco laughing.
As the student was sorted into Slytherin the students turned towards the head table awaiting the headmaster Dumbledore's speech.
"Welcome!" he said, "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank You!"
Everyone clapped and cheered as he sat down and began digging into the food that had appeared before them.
"I'll never understand him" said Coco putting potatoes on her plate. Ella shrugged,
"Neither."
"What subjects are you taking this year?" Rachel asked Ella and Coco.
"We are both taking Ancient Runes and Care of Magical Creatures" replied Ella, "You?" she asked taking a bite of the chicken on her plate.
"Ancient Runes and Arithmancy" she replied happily, "I can't wait to start"
"You get far to excited about classes Rachel" said Coco laughing.
"Well that's what Ravenclaw is about" she replied, "And this year i'm determined to beat Jenny"
Ella followed Rachel's gaze towards a blonde-haired girl sitting further down the table, Jenny Flow, the top of their class. Ella looked back to Rachel and saw a disgusted look on her face.
Ella had forgotten about the intense rivalry in her house to be the best. People often backstabbed each other, resulting in a lot of duels and fights around the school. Ella bit her lip, sometimes she wondered why she was in this house.
"Well, just don't let it get to your head Rachel" said Ella worried, "remember what happened to Stanley West?"
Rachel nodded, finally looking away from the blonde.
"Don't worry, I would go crazy" she said laughing, going back to her food. Coco and Ella laughed with her, but Ella couldn't help but feel as though something big was going to happen this year.
When everyone had finished their food and gone through the dessert, Professor Dumbledore stood up again to tell everyone the notices for the year.
They all sang the school song, everyone ending at different times, with the last being the Weasley twins, sing a long funeral march. Then they were sent off to bed.
Ella got up and followed the rest of her house to the Ravenclaw tower.
"I wonder what is so dangerous about the third floor corridor" said Coco curiously, thinking back to Dumbledore's speech and what he said about the horrible death thing. Jeremy shrugged,
"Well whatever it is we better keep out of it's way, I don't fancy dying a horrible death" he said as they climbed up the stairs towards the dormitories.
They reached they door of the common room and waited for the riddle.
"Can one create something from nothing?" asked the door,
"I think that there is no such thing as nothing, there is always something" Coco said thoughtfully.
"Well said" replied the door.
They walked into the room and were greeted with the familiar sight of the blue interior, arched windows and the giant bookshelves that lined the walls.
"I'll never understand how you answer those riddles so quickly" Jeremy said to Coco in awe.
"It's a skill" she replied smiling,
"It's good to be back here" she said wistfully, walking over to one of the windows. Ella and Jeremy followed her and were greeted with the sight of the sun setting over beautiful grounds. Ella yawned,
"I don't know about you, but i'm done with this day" she said moving away from the window.
"I'm going to bed. You coming?" she asked Coco, who nodded in return. She hugged Jeremy,
"Goodnight" she said to him, pulling away as Coco went to hug him as well.
"Goodnight, sleep well you two" he said, "I'm gonna go find Henry, I need to talk to him about something."
Ella and Coco made their way to the girls dorms and found that their Dorm mates were already there, getting ready for bed.
"Hey you two, you took your time" said Alyssa Stone, one of their roommates said as the girls walked in.
"We were talking to Jeremy" replied Ella,
"Ooh, your boyfriend?" Alyssa said mockingly, Ella opened her mouth to protest but was cut off.
"Shut up Alyssa" said Nina Queens, throwing a pillow at her.
"But their totally dating" whined Alyssa.
"Shush" said Nina throwing another pillow at her.
"How was your summer?" asked Nina fending off the returning pillow that Alyssa had thrown at her.
"Good thanks" replied Ella laughing at the antics of the girls.
"Oh that's good" said Nina as she threw a pillow back at her attacker.
"Stop it you two" said Rachel pulling them apart,
"Aw Rach, you're no fun" said Alyssa as she continued unpacking.
Ella giggled, how she had missed these girls. She walked over to her bed to unpack her trunk. She let out Merlin who head straight for Nina's Tabby cat Lily. 'Of course, I let him out and the first person he greets is the other cat.' she though.
"You gonna try out for Qudditch this year?" Rachel asked Alyssa who promptly shook her head.
"I think i'm just gonna focus on my studies this year" she replied.
"Am I hearing this right?" asked Coco, "Alyssa Stone doesn't want to do Qudditch this year?"
"Impossible" said Nina, "You're so good"
"I'm not that good" she mumbled looking down at her hands.
"Well I think that it's great that you're focusing on your studies, but you're really good at it and it would be a shame to lose you" replied Ella, who loved Qudditch.
Alyssa shrugged "Maybe i'll join, I haven't decided yet" she said quietly. The others girls took this as a sign that she didn't want to talk about it and changed the subject.
"You think that this year's DADA teacher will be any good?" asked Nina
And so they stayed up late talking about the school and the subjects they were taking before all falling asleep. As Ella lay down her head she thought of all the things that had happened today, from leaving Remus and her dad at the platform to Harry being sorted into Gryffindor. She would have a lot to write about to her parents this week.
A/N: Hope you liked this chapter. School finishes this week finally which means I have more free time now, so hopefully that means more chapters!
Please review, you would make my day!
I'll leave you now.
Bye