The first day of classes were soon arriving. The King's Cross Station was bustling with chatter and banter as students from Hogwarts School of Music were arriving at the 9th platform. They all carried their suitcases and proudly held their instruments, books or their pet cats in their respective cages. Proud parents waved, kissed and hugged their gifted children goodbye as they boarded the school's bus promptly at ten after nine. And with a loud blow of a horn, the train set off.
Harry Potter and his two goons, Crabbe and Goyle were already creating havoc in the compartments. He soon spotted his prime victims as they made their way down the narrow hallway, laughing and searching for their friends who had gone ahead and found a place to sit.
"Well look at this Crabbe, if it isn't our old friends the Weasley's." Harry sneered evilly gesturing towards the three red headed boys standing in front of him. Though they were each a head taller than himself, Harry felt no fear. He felt superior to them in every way and loved to make sure they knew it. "I can't believe your still coming to school boys. It's a good thing you're so talented when it comes to music right? Otherwise, mum and dad would never have been able to send you off to get yourselves educated."
"Shove off Potter." The tallest boy mumbled. His ears had turned a dark shade of red and his eyes moved to the floor. The other two boys, twins of exactly the same height and build glared at the dark haired boy who had just insulted their family for the millionth time since they had met.
"Your lucky you're not even worth my time Potter." One of the twins snapped.
"Leave it George." Said the other. "Come on," he grabbed his brothers by the arms and tugged them in the opposite direction. "The others are waiting for us."
Harry and his friends snickered at the three brothers, laughing at their worn out school uniforms and shoes. "That's right, go join all your peasant friends!" Goyle jeered after them.
Ron and his brothers chose to ignore the incessant rude comments that Potter and his henchmen were chatting up. Instead they neared they're own compartment, where they found the comforting face of their younger sister Ginny, Hermione, Draco and his cousin Lane.
"Hey there," Ron said, while opening a bag of chocolate shaped frogs. He sat in front of Lane Malfoy and began wolfing down his treat.
"Argh, Ron, you're such a pig," Hermione added, taking one moment to look away from her Mozart book.
"Thank you," he said, a large grin plated on his face. He stared at the curly brunette for a while, only to notice Lane's piercing blue eyes staring onto his chocolate wrapper.
Lane was in the same year as Ginny, and was Draco's only cousin. Much like her cousin, she had bleach blond hair and pale skin. She was quite tiny for her age, and looked as if she could break in half at any moment. She was a brilliant cellist, but was also the shyest girl he had ever met.
"Would you like something there, Lane?" He asked her nicely.
The young girl quickly snapped out of it, and her whole face turned a deep scarlet. "Um no, I'm fine…I'm fine…" She said, her voice even more high pitched than it usually was.
"Anyways," Draco said, "Ahh I can't wait to get to Hogwarts, I think this'll be a good year,"
"What a whirlwind this summer's been," Hermione said to Draco, as they sat comfortably on the Gryffindor dinning table.
Without a moment's notice, the school's headmaster Professor Dumbledore drew the students to a hush. The new students had been placed in their respective houses and it had come time to eat. With the ring of a bell, what seemed like hundreds of waiters arrived and set platters upon platters of food on each table.
Hundreds of students began to devour the incredible meal. Hogwarts wasn't just famous for it's musical education; its welcome feasts were talked about for years after a student left the school. Soon after the meal was over and Dumbledore rose again to give his traditional welcome back speech. After a warm round of applause, he bid the students good night and with a wave sent them scurrying off to their dormitories.
Though they knew a long day of classes awaited then early the next morning, no one could bring themselves to go sleep.
The sound of an alarm clock sang loudly through out the dark and quiet girl's dormitory room in Gryffindor Tower. A groan could be heard over the piercing noise as an arm appeared from beneath the covers of a near by bed, frantically searching for the tiny machine.
Payton Fink sighed and pulled her covers over her head. This was not how she had intended to start her first day back to school. Finally she had had enough of the incessant ringing and threw off her blankets and got to her feet. Making her way over to her school trunk she pulled out her uniform and all the other things she would need to get ready for the long day she knew was coming.
Within minutes her brown hair had been tied back into it's usual ponytail and her grey long sleeved shirt with red and yellow striped collar, signifying what house she belonged to was pulled over her head roughly. Her black school pants and shoes completed the compulsory attire.
Without a backwards glance she headed back into the room where her roommates slept on, undisturbed. Shaking her head ruefully she grabbed her book bag and headed down the tower's steep steps. She found herself going quicker than usual, or maybe it was just the excitement of finally being back at Hogwarts.
She had finally reached the last step when she felt herself trip and fall forward in to the tall figure who had his back to the stair case. He let out a yell of surprise as she careened into him and she cursed at her own stupidity. Of course she just had to have run right into the one boy who could make her knees go weak.
He turned to face her and she felt her cheeks grow hot. "Sorry George." She glanced at the floor as she heard his twin laugh from beside her.
George gave her comforting smile and helped her to regain her balance. "Its alright, Payton," he said softly, "What are you doing up so early?"
"We were just about to head to the Great Hall for breakfast, would you like to come?" Ron added, as he seemed to appear out of the blue.
"Sure," Payton said, unable to wipe off the smile that was etched on her face.
A faint snore was coming from Neville Longbotom in Theory of Music class that morning. The buff, good looking boy had fell into one of his habitual slumbers that morning, perhaps because he had stayed up all night flirting with Deedee Lornswalk, one of the prettiest girls in school.
Professor Snape noticed the young man and, all the while continuing his lesson, slapped a ruler on the boy's desk, immediately waking him from his slumber.
"Well, well," he said, dauntingly, "Mr. Longbotom, I guess you know the routine by now. You'll be serving a detention with me this lunch hour."
Harry Potter and Crabbe tried to retain their laughter, but several "Ha's" managed to escape Harry's lips.
"Draco Malfoy," Snape said, without turning around, "Is there something funny?"
"What?" Draco asked, frantically, "I didn't laugh it was Harry-"
"You aren't starting this year well, boy. You will attend detention with Longbottom as well."
Draco sunk into his chair, "Bullocks," he muttered under his breath.
"Congratulations Mr. Malfoy. You've just won yourself another weeks worth of detention," Snape said, just before continuing his first lesson.
The library was quiet and still, classes had been done with for the day for over an hour, and everyone was out watching the in-school soccer tournament. That is, everyone but Lane, Hermione, Ginny and Payton.
Lane gingerly played with her hair, as they all studied the newspaper. All that could be heard was the page turning and her foot taping the floor rhythmically. Suddenly Ginny jumped up.
"Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?" Payton asked, averting her eyes from the music sheet she was studying.
"That screech? Someone screamed." She said, loudly.
The librarian glared at her, and shushed.
A faint scream could be heard coming from the theatre.
"I heard it this time," Hermione confirmed in a hushed tone.
"It came from the theatre, maybe we should go take a look…" Lane whispered.
The four girls looked at each other, and agreed.