Chapter Two
Hogwarts Has Fallen
"Harry, have you seen Arnold?"
Harry Potter looked up from his nearly finished Transfiguration essay into Ginny's worried eyes. "I'm sure he's around some where, Ginny," he consoled, looking around the room for the purple fluffy creature.
"You don't think Crookshanks-"
"No, Hermione told Crookshanks not to bother Arnold."
"Yes, but still-I don't like it when he hides from me. The last time he hid was last year, when the Death Eaters came…I suppose you think I'm being silly, worried over a pygmy puff."
"No, of course not," Harry said, and hugged Ginny. "When Ron and Hermione get back, I'll tell them to look out for him."
"They're still not back from dinner?" she asked, brow furrowed. "It's almost seven o' clock."
"I don't think dinner was what they had in mind, but no, they're not back yet."
"Have you eaten yet?"
"No-I was on a roll with McGonagall's essay so I sort of forgot."
"Good. Come and eat dinner with me."
Harry and Ginny walked slowly down to the Great Hall, taking one of Harry's trusty shortcuts to avoid the annoying Sir Cadogan and his stumpy horse.
Rounding the corner into the mostly empty Great Hall, the pair caught sight of Ron and Hermione, sitting apart from everyone else.
"Oh, right-I forgot- It's Hermione's birthday," Harry said with chagrin.
"Don't worry," Ginny said. "I think finishing your homework is enough of a present for her."
Ron, apparently, gave Hermione something more. After openeing a golden wrapped box, Hermione proceeded to give Ron a thoroughly nonverbal thanks. Harry raised his eyebrows.
Ginny giggled. "Hermione's had been waiting for Ron for almost three years. It's a good thing he's finally wised up to it."
Just then, as Harry and Ginny were about to sit down, there was a huge explosion. It shook the walls and shattered some of the windows. Ginny grabbed Harry for support as the ground shook, and Hermione and Ron fell to the floor.
"What the hell was that?" Harry asked, shocked, and he and Ginny went into the entrance hall. They were joined shortly by Ron, Hermione, and the rest of the students in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
"What's all this ruckus?" asked a very flustered Professor McGonagall. "What's going on?"
"There was just a loud explosion, Professor," Ginny said. "Peeves, do you think?"
"No, Peeves was in the kitch-" Another loud boom resonated around the entrance hall, and the front doors began to crack visibly.
"It's coming from the other side of the door," Ginny said.
With yet another ear splitting crash, the two marvelous oak front doors burst inward, spraying everyone watching with dust and bits of wood.