The Hogwarts Express

The month of August was relatively uneventful outside of Grimmauld Place despite the escape of Bellatrix Lestrange. Inside Grimmauld Place was a whole other story, Order members coming and going at all hours of the day. More Order meetings than ever before, all of which not even Harry had been allowed to attend. Harry and Ron thought that with the twins now members of the Order that they would get information from them. Unfortunately for Harry and Ron, the twins held true to their vow of secrecy, they did however, supply them with all the Extendable Ears that they needed. These proved to be as much help as the twins themselves were, the meetings were always surrounded by impenetrable spells and other wards to protect the secrecy.

"We go back to Hogwarts tomorrow," Ron complained. "And we still don't know anymore than we did a month ago."

"Yeah," Harry said defeated as he pulled on his Extendable Ear to bring it back up as the current meeting was concluding. "I have a feeling that nothing major has happened yet."

"Why do you say that," Ginny asked Harry with a concerned look on her face.

"Because, Ginny," Harry spoke with a small grin, "my scar hasn't hurt all summer and that is always a good thing.

"Harry," now Hermione spoke, "it could just be that you are doing better with clearing your mind at night so Voldemort hasn't gotten in."

"Always the optimist, Hermione?" Ron said sarcastically.

"Come on you lot," Molly shouted up the stairs, "the Ministry cars are waiting."

"They are coming, Mum," Ginny told her as she got to the bottom of the stairs, "Ron had a hard time catching one of his Beaters to get him in the box."

Ron came to the top of the stairs dragging his trunk and carrying Pig's cage in his arm. Molly made a tsk tsk sound as she turned and headed for the door where Moody, Lupin, Mundungus, and Arthur stood waiting to escort them to Platform 9 ¾ at Kings Cross Station. The Members of the Order helped load everyone's trunks into the three Ministry cars and gave everyone his list of who was to ride in which car.

"Alastor," Arthur began, "You and Molly ride in the lead car with Ginny and Hermione, Remus and I will ride in the middle car with Harry and Ron, Fletcher you follow in the third car, keep an eye out."

Everyone nodded their heads that they understood and climbed into the cars. Hedwig hooted quietly as the cars began their trip to the train station.

"Ok, Remus," Arthur was giving orders again, "you go through first with Harry, then Mundungus you go with Ron, Alastor you go through with Hermione and Molly and myself will follow with Ginny." One by one the group passed through the wall to Platform 9 ¾. They made their way to a scarlet red car and began saying their goodbyes. As Ron stepped onto the train last he heard Arthur call him back.

"Ron, I almost forgot." Arthur reached into his pocket and pulled out two small rectangular boxes. He then pulled out his wand and waved them at the boxes, the boxes grew into large rectangular boxes. One was wrapped in gold paper and the other in scarlet, "Here, one is for you, the other is for Ginny."

"Thanks, Dad," Ron said smiling, "what are they?"

"You will see when you open them son," Molly answered for Arthur. "Now go find the others and be good this year."

The train whistle blew and it lurched forward and began its journey to Hogwarts. Ron made his way past cabins that were filled with excited students. He finally found the cabin that his friends had picked. Hermione slid over on the seat to make room for Ron.

"What have you got there," Hermione asked him, "you didn't have them on the way here."

"Dad gave them to me as I boarded," Ron answered simply, "Here Ginny he said one is yours and one is mine." Ron handed Ginny the one wrapped in scarlet paper and they both began ripping the paper off of the boxes. "No way," Harry exclaimed as Ron got his box open, "Ron, that is a Phoenix Mark 1!"

"I know," Ron said in awe, "Ginny? What did you get?

"The same," Ginny answered equaling Ron's awe, "how could Mum and Dad afford these?"

"Here is a letter," Hermione said as she picked the letter up off the floor.

Dear Ronald and Ginny,

Your Mum told me that she saw the way Ron looked at this in the window. She also saw the way you looked at it Ginny. And well, since I was made Minister of Magic, our money situation has improved and we wanted to do something for you. Well be good, and for Merlin's sake be careful on them, if you get hurt your mother will have my hide.

Love,

Dad

"Wicked! With you two riding those there is no way we can lose this year," Harry exclaimed, "Ron you alright mate? You look a little pale."

Ron nodded his head and looked at Harry, "I just can't believe it, aside from Percy still not talking to my family everything is going great for us."

"Well, Ron," Hermione spoke up, "we need to get to the Prefects car to get our assignments. See you guys in a while."

Ron and Hermione got up and left the cabin leaving Harry and Ginny alone. "I can't wait to see you on your broom Ginny," Harry blushed when he realized how it sounded, "I mean see how you look on it. Er, um I mean, uh."

"It's ok Harry I know what you mean," Ginny blushed as she laughed, "I can't wait to fly try it out either." The next hour passed pretty quickly, Neville stopped by to say hi. Luna came by and told them all about her trip with her dad over the summer. Most of the time it was just Harry and Ginny, they laughed and played Wizards Chess. They mostly talked about when they thought Ron was going to ask Hermione out. Harry and Ginny had just finished putting the last of the Wizard Chess pieces in a box and heard the door open. Harry looked up and saw the last person he wanted to see. Draco and his two goons Crabbe and Goyle.

"What do you want Malfoy," Harry snapped, "I have nothing to say to you."

"Well I have something to say to you," Malfoy drawled, "You put my father in Azkaban and I will not let you get away with it! I will make you pay and wish that the Dark Lord did kill you after the Triwizard Tournament.

"Shut up, Malfoy!" Ginny yelled.

"Oh look, Potter," Malfoy snickered, "you still have your little girlfriend. Do you always let her stand up for you?"

"No I don't, Malfoy," Harry said through clenched teeth, "I am perfectly capable of defending myself, you should know that."

"Yes I do," Malfoy said with an evil grin, "you hide while you let your friends fight and die."

Harry knew Malfoy was referring to Tonks and this infuriated him. A strong wind began blowing through the car causing Malfoy's robes to flutter. Harry's face turned red as his anger reached its boiling point.

"I DO NOT HIDE!" Harry's voice boomed throughout the entire train, "YOUR LOT ARE THE ONES THAT HIDE BEHIND MASKS LIKE COWARDS! LET VOLDEMORT COME FOR ME HERE AND NOW!" The wind began to increase in strength as Harry continued to yell, "NOW BEGONE OUT OF MY SIGHT!" As Harry said his last sentence the three Slytherin's were picked up by the wind and thrown down the car, they hit the wall with a thud. Each of them stood up and ran into the next car to hide. Once Malfoy and his goons were gone the wind went away and Harry calmed down.

"Sorry about that, Ginny," Harry apologized. "I can't stand him."

"It's ok Harry," Ginny said brushing Harry's hair out his eyes, "I was about to hex him, I think your plan worked out better." They both blushed then heard Hermione.

"Holy cricket, Harry," Hermione whispered, "did you cause that wind?"

"Yeah I guess," Harry answered, "but I am not sure how. It just happened, it happened this summer at the Dursley's too, but not that bad."

"Harry," Hermione spoke earnestly, "that is a powerful type of magic. You are controlling one of the elements, you are controlling Air and making wind. Not many people can do that Harry, you need to talk to Professor Dumbledore about this."

Harry nodded, "Yeah I suppose you are right, 'Mione."

Hermione smiled when Harry told her that she was right. Harry and Ron then opened Harry's Quidditch game and spent the rest of their trip coaching their teams. As they felt the train slow down Harry's Seeker went into a steep dive and caught the Snitch to win the game by ten points.

When the train came to a stop Ron and Hermione made their way to the exits to make sure students went straight to the carriages and that no fighting broke out. Harry and Ginny climbed out of the train and heard a familiar voice.

"Firs' years! Firs' years o'er 'ere," Hagrid called out to the frightened first year students.

"Hi, Hagrid," Harry and Ginny called over to him."

"'Ello you two," Hagrid said back, "can't talk now. I'll talk to yer later." Hagrid went back to gathering up the first years while Ginny and Harry went to a carriage and sat down reserving two seats for Ron and Hermione.

"Bloody hell, Harry," Ron said in a quiet voice as he climbed into that carriage, "I can see the Thestrals now. They are ugly, I can't believe we rode those."

Harry just nodded he hoped Ron wouldn't be able to see them, or at least that Ron wouldn't talk about them. They rode in silence up to castle as the carriage bounced around as they made their way up to the castle. When they reached the castle they headed straight for the Great Hall and took their normal seats at the Gryffindor table. Harry scanned the teachers table to see if he could figure out the new DADA teacher would be, but he didn't see anybody new. A few minutes later Professor McGonagall walked in carrying the Sorting Hat and its stool closely followed by the first years.

"Were we ever that tiny?" Ron asked Harry.

"I imagine we were," Harry replied, "but I don't remember if we were."

Professor McGonagall placed the sorting hat on the stool and stepped back, a moment later the hat began its song.

I was made one thousand years ago,

My task was really quite easy,

To take young students with their faces aglow,

But I did seem to make them all queasy.

Choose one house out of four,

That was to be my only job,

The rest of my life is quite a bore,

More than a few days I did sob.

But I have found something new to do,

To help the rest of my days pass,

I will now also warn you,

There are some out there who aim to harass.

The Dark Lord the leader of them,

His goal is to control us all,

Our fates he will condemn,

But we do have one if you will recall.

He has the power to save us,

Beaten the Dark Lord before he has done,

About him I really shouldn't fuss,

The dark war has begun.

This war must to us all belong,

For he can not win alone,

Now it is time to end my song,

And make your houses known.

The Great Hall erupted into applause as the Sorting Hat fell silent. Harry looked down at his plate wishing the Sorting Hat hadn't just sang about him, even if it did just tell everyone to help him. Ginny saw that Harry seemed bothered by something and leaned over to him.

"You ok, Harry?" she whispered in his ear, "don't let the song bother you. We are all here for you."

Harry nodded his head, looked up and smiled at Ginny. "Ginny," Harry whispered back, "How is it you always seem to know what I need to hear?"

Ginny blushed as she shrugged hers shoulders to say she didn't know, she turned and watched the Sorting.

After Professor McGonagall finished with the first years she made an announcement, "Everyone, we have an exchange student from America this year. His family has just moved here to serve as Ambassadors to the Ministry of Magic. He is in third year and his name is Robert Tooker, he will now be sorted into a house. Robert sat on the stool while Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on his head. The Sorting Hat thought for a minute and the yelled out his house…