Chapter 4
The start of something new
The flaming red train burped up a lot of steam and a whistle cut through the talking crowd. Mothers and fathers, grandparents and guardians kissed their children goodbye and wished them a good trip. Telling them too have a good school year and gave them a last warning, too behave themselves. The children promised and joined their friends.
On the top of the station, one was watching the routine of farewell. He watched with his burning, green eyes as the train left. A song was played and he looked up. His rags blew in the wind and he frowned. He looked once more, but the train had left and the rest were departing towards their homes. He sighted and the redness in his eyes took over. In a few seconds he was gone…
Ginny Weasley, now forth year at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was staring at Luna Lovegood with a dazed expression. "What?"
"It's true," Luna said, in her dreamy voice. "Dad says that, according to everything that has been happening, the Phoenix cry is a way to revive victims who have suffered death by murder. The treenumbs have the same gift, but you have to be revived within one minute."
Ginny looked out the window. "Then there is no possibility that Harry is alive. I mean, he was in the presence of Lord Voldemort, not to mention at least twenty Death Eaters."
Neville Longbottom, also present in the same compartment, hung his head again. "So, no hope what so ever."
Ginny looked at him with a look that was worthy of her mother. Neville flinched. "There was never hope, Neville," Ginny said in a stern, almost angry, voice. "Harry is gone and there was never hope that he would be revived again."
Neville looked at her as if she would bite his head off. Ginny softened. "Sorry Neville." But he shook his head.
"No, I should be sorry. There is just a part of me who still believes he's alive."
Ginny looked at her hands. "I know what you mean."
Luna placed her arm around her shoulders. Ginny smiled. "Thanks. I'm okay."
The door of their compartment slid open and all three looked up, expecting too see Ron and Hermione. They were disappointed. "What do you want Malfoy."
Ginny looked a little bit shocked at Neville' cold voice, but agreed with his question. Malfoy sneered, but his heart didn't seem to be in it.
"Nothing you would want to know, Longbottom." He gestured towards Crabbe and Goyle and left the compartment.
The three friends looked at each other. "Well, that was the shortest conversation with him ever," Ginny said with a laugh. The other two nodded, but before either of them could say anything else the door opened again.
"Did something happen? We saw Malfoy coming out of this compartment," Ron said.
Hermione nodded. "But he wasn't really interested in us. So he didn't really bother us." They both landed in a seat, still holding hands.
"It's really serious then?" Neville asked, pointing at their hands. Hermione smiled and seemed to glow. Ron just turned red. Ginny laughed.
"Yeah, it's serious alright. After some good advice and a long snogging session."
Ron started to sputter and Hermione hid her face after it started to colour a little. The compartment was filled with laughter and the happy atmosphere lingered until they finally reached Hogwarts.
The Great Hall hadn't changed what so ever. It candles were still shining bright and the ceiling still showed the endless sky. The first stars were already appearing, awaiting the students.
The teachers were talking amongst each other, a few still absent. Professor McGonagall was waiting for the first years too arrive and Hagrid was guiding the first years towards the castle in the boats.
The first of the second till seventh year students entered the Hall, filling it with noise. Each took their seats on their own house table. Soon the whole Hall was filled with chatter and an occasional hit on the table, seat, plate or glass.
The noise reached its peak and on that moment professor McGonagall entered with the sorting hat and the first years. The Hall turned silent and all its attention turned towards the hat:
I may look a bit dusty,
And maybe I am,
But there is much wisdom
In this old hat.
For I have seen it all.
The beginning,
When all was at peace,
When the four started it all.
Helga Huffelpuff and her willingness,
Rowena Ravenclaw and her intelligence,
Salazar Slytherin and his cunningness,
Godric Gryffindor and his courage.
I was there when they came together,
I was there when they fought,
I was there when hell broke loose,
And I'm still here today.
We may have lost a lot,
We may have broken our path,
But we can still come together,
We may still gain a little bit more.
This school was build to learn,
And I was made to divide.
But do not be afraid,
You are still part of each other inside.
For a second it was silent, but then the Hall irrupted in polite applause. "The sorting hat is right," Hermione whispered to Ron, Ginny and Neville. Ginny and Luna nodded in agreement, but Ron just frowned and Neville looked lost.
"What are you talking about?" Ron asked, but Hermione shook her head as McGonagall started calling off the first years.
"I have but two words for you," Dumbledore said as the last first year took its seat. "And those are; Bon Appetite." He took his seat again and dinner appeared on the tables.
"Will you tell me now what he meant?" Ron asked, loading his plate with different sorts of food.
"Well, since you insist and since you have worked up your appetite again. The sorting hat seems to think that it is time to remember us that we are all the same. That even though we reside in different houses and come from different parts of the country we are all the same. And if we want to make a stand, we must all work together."
Ron raised an eyebrow and Neville nodded. "Aha."
Ron looked at Neville. "You believe that?"
Neville nodded. "Of course. Didn't you notice that there was a girl and a boy walking into the Hall? They were happily chatting. One had a Wales' accent and the other seemed to come from London. And when they were both sorted into different houses they looked a bit sour. And look."
He pointed at the end of the Ravenclaw table and the Slytherin table. There a boy and a girl seemed to be turning constantly towards each other. "Although they reside in a different house they seemed to have developed a bond. Because they have the same interest in one thing or the other."
Ron now too nodded in understanding and a lot of students seemed to have followed their conversation, because a lot of them were now too talking amongst themselves about different theories.
Dinner passed without anything else and as the last of the scraps disappeared, Dumbledore arose from his seat. "Now that we all have enjoyed a good meal, I wish your attention for a few small things. The Forbidden Forest is forbidden and I wish that you all print this in your heads. For it is not a warning to take lightly. There are a few items banned, the list of these items you can find in Mr. Filch' office. Magic is not allowed in the corridors. The prefects will lead the first years to the dormitories. Good night."
Everyone started to stand, but the door of the Great Hall opened for something else. The students started to whisper to each other, but the teachers didn't seem to notice. Not until someone screamed. Everyone turned towards the one screaming.
Luna Lovegood was staring towards the ceiling and seemed to have screamed. Everyone in the Hall looked up. A gigantic creature, at least two meters long, was hovering a few meters from the ceiling. When it realized it was discovered it attacked.
The students ran towards the exit and the teachers all pointed their wands at the creature. But before any of them could do anything, smoke and fire started to surround the creature and a soft singing filled the air.
Fawkes the Phoenix flew into the Hall and a cloaked figure followed it. The figure ran over the tables, as the students were still scattered all over the Hall. The figure jumped and surrounded itself in flames. "Teleport," he yelled and the smoke around the creature started to glow. Then it was gone.
The unknown man landed in frond of the teachers table. "I wish to thank you, sir. Will you show us who you are." The headmaster seemed to be very brisk about this, but the unknown man just laughed.
"You find me no sir headmaster," he said and his voice was like that of a child. "But if you wish to know me, I will gladly show you." He lowered his hood and the whole Hall gasped.
A/N: I'm sooo proud of myself! I get amazing reviews and people keep putting me in their alert list! You are all so sweet. I hope you realize that I'm not a very fast writer. And I appreciate the tips you keep sending me. About treenumbs, I thought it would be a good word for Luna. No idea what they are, but if you want to know about them more I can really make them something. And I hope you like my sorting hat song. I forgot to say that Ron and Hermione were made prefects this year, so now you know. And the creature is explained in the next chapter, so don't worry.