So, after giving you only that kind of movietrailer in the Prologue I now proudly present the first chapter.

I've come to the conclusion that I'm not really translating this story but merely rewriting it pharagraph after paragraph and it is so much fun! It's like having my baby (the story) back XD
Next week my mother will come for a visit so I won't have so much time for my translations *sniff* and classes start again on Thursday as well v.v But I have to admit that I'm really looking forward to a class I'm taking this semester *-* It's about queer postcolonial masculinity, sounds nice, eh?
This chapter will give you an impression on what is goining on in the minds of out two sweeties *g*
Ok enough of the talking :P it's time for you to enjoy the chapter!

PS: If you are willing to encourage a sometimes a little insecure writter leave me a review ;)

Chapter 1 A new Year, a new Beginning

Chatting, laughing happy children and slightly sad but nonetheless encouraging parents filled platform 9 ¾ just as every year.

The departure for Hogwarts was an ever repetitious ritual that had not changed in what seemed like forever and would not change in the future. After three months of being separated, the students were so fierce about seeing each other again, as if it were the last chance for them to do so. They were happy and looking forward to a new year at Hogwarts, while their parents had to face a new year without their offspring.

Well, it does have its advantages not to have parents, Harry thought with as much sarcasm as he could manage.

There had been times when these things had touched something deep inside of him because he had grown up without having parents who cared for him, but this had changed over the course of the last three months. Sirius was dead and Harry had suddenly found himself to be far more mature and grown up, on the inside and on the outside. There had been no question if he wanted to be a child any longer or not. Sirius' death had forced him to face an unknown sadness, which left him disillusioned and hollow.

Far more than that had he come to the conclusion that Voldemort would not be so easy to defeat but that it would must probably cost Harry his life to do so. Nonetheless, he was determined to take his enemy down with him in the end.

Who would miss him, when he ultimately died? Probably no one, because by the time the last breath would leave his lips, he would have fulfilled his destiny as the Chose-One. He would not be needed anymore after that… well… a cruel way to treat a 'hero'… wasn't it?

It was in fact kind of funny. Everybody knew him, worshiped him, but as soon as he would put an end to Voldemort, he would also be forgotten. Maybe not his legacy but the person behind the great name Harry Potter would soon be gone from living memory.

He knew the smile on his face was dark, but he could not bring himself to care.

People loved him, because he was in constant danger. They loved him, because they could offload all responsibility on him. How very good, to sacrifice one child instead of fighting a megalomaniacal madmen with an army of grown-ups. There was no escaping it now, not with the prophecy and the things it revealed a few months back.

You can't outrun destiny, his mind spat.

"Harry!", a warm, clear voice interrupted his thoughts and made him look up in confusion. He had not realized how abstracted he had been. His best friend Hermione Granger was standing right in front of him with the most charming smile on her lips. "I'm so glad to see you again!", she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around him. "Me too, Hermione", Harry answered forcing himself to return her smile. Hermione examined him from head to toe, nodding at him in approval. He had changed during the summer.

He had gained a little bit of weight, because Dudley had been too scared of him, all dark moods and dismissive behaviour, to steal food from his plate. At the end of three months with the Dursleys Harry finally looked healthier than and not as skinny as before. His ever untidy hair had grown a few inches and he had not bothered to cut it. And then of cause there was Quidditch. Not only his most favourite sport in the world, but also the reason why he had gained a rather well shaped body, although it still lay hidden under layers of cloths not quite his size.

Hermione on the other hand had changed as well. Her hair was shorter than before and she looked more like a woman and less like a girl by now. Harry reckoned that the events at the end of the last term had forced her to grow-up as well. Watching friends fight, getting hurt and die did not leave her untouched. Nonetheless her clothing was still the same as ever – comfortable clothes in modest but nice colours.

"Are you okay?", she asked noticing him space out into his thoughts again. "Oh… eh… yes, everything is fine, thanks", Harry replied still not really focused on either Hermione or his words, when someone else slapped him on the shoulder with enough force to leave him gasping for air.

"Hey, mate!", Ron said, grinning at Harry like mad, eyes sparkling and full of life.

Some people never change, his inner voice sounded more than amused.

Ronald Weasley was still red-haired, tall and had a face covered with freckles, oh and he had unnerving irrepressible high spirits, but in a very positive way. Some things never change and Ronald Weasley was sure as hell one of them.

"We should absolutely try to find a compartment before all of them are taken", Ron said watching Hermione from the corner of his eyes. "You're right Ron, all good compartments are surly already gone, let's go", she said, smiling at him briefly before heading for the train.

Harry grabbed his trunk and was about to follow Hermione, when Ron seized him by the elbow, eyes shining with embarrassment and insecurity. "Well… eh… mate… I… wanted to talk to you", he started, a flush creeping up his neck and flooding his freckled cheeks, eyes locked on his shoes as if it was the first time he actually saw them. "What… what do you think about... Hermione?". Harry felt one of his eyebrows rise, watching his best friend with an intense glare.

"Are you seriously asking me how I feel about Hermione? She is a really good friend. Why do you ask?"

"Well… I… I like her, Harry. Sort of like… really like her…"

"Oh… good luck with that then", Harry managed, not being surprised at all to be honest. Ron was rather obvious when it came down to feelings or emotional things, just being too clumsy to conceal what was going on in his mind. And Hermione… well... she tried not to show how she felt about Ron but Harry knew her for far too long and his could sense the way she tensed whenever Ron was around. Nonetheless neither of them had been brave enough to talk about their feelings and therefore they had started to dance around each other some time ago. It was a bit annoying actually.

Ten minutes later they had been able to find an empty compartment and Harry slumped on one of the seats, resting his head against the cool window. The platform was still crowded and he could see sad and often worried looking parents bid their children goodbye. He could not blame them for being fearful. Voldemort's return was public knowledge by now. After what had happened in the Ministry even Fudge had had to admit that he had been wrong from the beginning. Who would not want to know their offspring safe in times like this?

Harry had been to Diagonally during the summer. The once so lively and cheerful place had changed. People started to throw glances over their shoulders, as if expecting an attack anytime. The same had happened to the Leaky Cauldron. Tom, the landlord, had had hardly any customers since Voldemort's return had been made official. People did not linger outside anymore but retreated into their safe houses as fast as they could; only leaving them if absolutely necessary.

Sighing Harry turned back to his two best friends, who had just taken their 'dance of emotions' to a whole new level by fighting over a seat.

"Hermione! I want the seat by the window!", Ron grumbled, crossing his arms in front of him.

"Really Ronald! Stop behaving like a spoilt child and sit down now", she shot back, rolling her brown beautiful eyes.

"You only say that, because you also want the seat by the window", he complained nonetheless taking the seat by the aisle.

Sometimes Harry actually wondered whether the two of them would ever grow out of their childish fighting or if he would have to witness their endless teasing and grumbling just because two brave Gryffindors were too afraid to voice their true feelings for each other. Love-hate relationship, his mind provided, leaving him with an amused grin neither of the two of his friends fortunately noticed.

Harry loved his best friends, but none of them could fill in hole that Sirius' death had left in his chest. They were friends, and even if the Weasleys tried their best, they would never family the way Sirius had been. But Sirius was dead. He had been dead at the beginning of this summer, had been dead during the summer and he would be dead for all the summers to come.

He had lost the closest thing to father he had ever had and that left him with a feeling of being ripped apart from the inside. There was something dark lurking in his chest and it had taken up residence the day Sirius had died.

A few compartments away sat Draco Malfoy, starring auf of the window and desperately trying to ignore the people around him. The seat next to him was occupied by a black haired girl named Pansy Parkinson, who had had a crush on Draco ever since he could remember. She was rather noisy and therefore really talented when it came to annoying him from time to time.

The last seat in their row belonged to Blaise Zabini – handsome, tall, piercing blue eyes and dark skin. His mother was Italian and he definitely had inherited her temper, but Draco nonetheless considered him his best and most loyal friend.

Across from Draco his two fellow Slytherins Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe were busy reversing the last term, speaking in low voices, noses almost touching the parchment in front of them. They had not changed much over the summer, but were still not very talkative and if they ever joined a conversation their only topic was Voldemort and their future as Death Eaters. Next to them the last seat was taken by a girl named Amanda Gordon, who had joined their class during second year, due to the fact that her parents had spent a few years abroad in the USA where she had attend the American School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. She resembled Pansy in many things, having dark hair and dark eyes as well as being rather lively but nonetheless ambitious about her future and her marks in school.

It was rather noisy in the compartment right now given the fact that Pansy and Amanda were discussing who had been most impressive at this year's annual Pureblood-only Summer Ball waving between Draco's own mother and Mrs. Zabini, who had undeniably worn the most attention attracting dress that evening, while introducing husband number seven to everybody who would bother to listen. Next to them Gregory and Vincent were still unsure whether or not it would make sense to keep up with the classes in school even if they were about to join Voldemort really soon and would probably not be asked how many OWLs or NEWTs they achieved.

Sometimes Draco truly wondered how on earth he had gotten stuck with those people, but then on the other hand, he really liked them and all of them were parts of well-known old pureblood families with good reputations and as a Malfoy it was important, that he choose the right people to surrounded by, he had legacy to live up to.

But despite his roots and the political attitude that went hand in hand with it, he had stated to question what seemed to be so natural for some of his friends. Did he really want to become a Death Eater? He was borne a Malfoy and Malfoys were extremely proud. But in order to serve Voldemort he would have to bury his pride and start kneeling in front of another. Was that really worth the price? Sacrificing his pride for a little bit of power?

And was that truly power, anyway? Did he not just hand himself over at the mercy of a lunatic? Being just one of many followers, easy to replace if should ever fail?

Draco had seen Death Eaters being tortured and humiliated, only to creep back to Voldemort, kiss the hem of his robes and beg for forgiveness. How could this possibly be power? It could not. That at least was the result his thoughts had lead Draco to as soon as he had been forced to witness his father's punishment for his failure in the Department of Mysteries.

"Hey, Dray! What are you thinking about?", Amanda asked, holing her head slightly to one side eyeing him with some kind of curiosity.

"Nothing really…", Draco mumbled, turning his head back to the window and closing his eyes for a brief moment. Amanda did not look too convinced. "Are you sure, Dray?", she asked, trying to push him into a satisfying answer. "Leave him alone, Amanda. He's been grumpy all day", Pansy tossed and smiled a little in encouragement.

Thankful for Pansy's help, Draco reverted to his thoughts, closing his eyes again while the cold window seemed to soothe him a little. Beyond Voldemort there was only Dumbledore and his bunch of noble, brave Gryffindors all absorbed in how glorious good they were. And Draco could not quite bring himself to trust Dumbledore. In his opinion the old headmaster played a very similar game to Voldemort's; positioning and repositioning chessmen at will in this endless game of black and white, good and evil. And then there was Potter… Harry bloody Potter, being Dumbledore's favorite student. How much Draco hated the bloke for rejecting his friendship all those years back.

No he would never join Dumbledore or his beloved Order of the Phoenix. He wanted to be free, to live his own life without people telling what to do. He would not serve anyone or become as depending on another as Potter who tried to impress his mentor whenever his got the chance to do so.

"Hey Dray, you really should change into your Hogwarts robes, you know?", Amanda again… she really had a talent in annoying him sometimes.

"Don't call me Dray!", he spat, eyes narrowed at her.

"Okay, I'm sorry. Just get changed", she answered holding up her hands in surrender.

Ten minutes later Draco reentered his compartment this time wearing his Hogwartsrobes, and retook his seat by the window to watch the landscape drift past in a blur of different kinds of green, brown and blue. It could not be long now until they finally arrived in Hogsmeade.

"-rry! Harry!", a familiar voice interrupted his thoughts and made him look up in confusion. "Look, the sun is already setting. It can't be long now. You should get into your robes, you know?", Hermione said, pointing towards the window. She was right, the sun was about to vanish behind the soft hills, so characteristic for Scotland.

Sighing Harry rose from his seat to open his trunk, which he had stowed away in the luggage rack as soon as they had left London this morning, and changed into the familiar black robes with the gold and red tie, feeling like himself again for the first time in what seemed to be ages. He would soon be back in Hogwarts, sit at the huge Gryffindor table, sleep in his dormitory and play Quidditch for his house. Those were the things he had missed the most over the summer.

Despite the fact that he never left Hogwarts for a very long time, he missed the old castle like he had been born and raised there. Hogwarts felt like home with all its secrets and mysteries. He felt close to his parents and his true self there, not being bullied because of his magic. The only drawback was his celebrity, he would like to doff like an old coat. He did not want to be either worshiped or damned (whatever the Ministry preferred at the moment) but wished for a person like Sirius, someone who loved him for who he was – the person Harry Potter and not the boy who lived or the Chosen-One.

The train suddenly came to a dead stop with a jolt that left Harry fighting for his balance, trying to find purchase on the compartment door.

"Bloody hell, is the driver drunk?", Ron exclaimed, opening the door to look for the reason of this unpleasant way of stopping a train.

"Get moving, Ron! We are there!", Hermione said and tried to shove Ron out of her way, who made a face but nonetheless stepped into the aisle to follow the stream to students onto the platform in Hogsmeade.

"Honestly guys, these first years, they get smaller every year", Ron noticed, head shaking as they passed Hagrid on their way to the carriages.

"No Ron, you are only getting bigger every year that's all", Hermione corrected rolling her eyes, which earned her an annoyed glance from Ron. Harry tied to ignore the typical quarrel between his two best friends. They would get along soon enough.

When they reached the carriages Ron and Hermione suddenly stopped dead, eyes wide and mouths open in shock. Harry could see Hermione reach for Ron's hand to steady herself. "What are those?", he exclaimed looking puzzled from Harry to Hermione.

"They are Threstrals… I told you I could see them last year, remember?", Harry said, climbing the carriage as if nothing had happened.

"Well… sure I remember that but… I didn't expect them to be so… scary", Ron said, following Harry into the carriage without taking his eyes off the horse-like creature.

"They are actually very nice creatures, who know?", Hermione said entering last and taking a seat across from Harry, who stopped listening to the conversation between his friends about how so scary looking beings could possibly be gentle. It was the first time his two best friends actually saw the Threstrals, because Sirius' death must have triggered the magic. Harry had seen them first a year ago when he had returned to Hogwarts after Cedric's death.

He still suffered from nightmares about that night on the graveyard where Cedric had died and he still felt haunted by the guilt it poured over him. It had been his idea to take the Cup together after all. If only he had taken it by himself Cedric would never have ended up on this graveyard. He would still be alive. But Harry had been so 'noble' again, wanting to share the prize with another.

"Harry, are you sure you're alright? You have been so quiet all day?", Hermione asked looking worried.

"It's fine, Hermione. I'm fine, okay?", Harry answered, looking out of the window again. It had started to rain by then and he really felt sorry for the first years who had to cross the black lake in this wet and cold weather.

Having finally reached the castle entrance Draco disembarked from his carriage, being closely followed by Pansy and Blaise. It was still raining and the endless stream of arriving students pushed towards the entrance hall, which promised to be warm and most of all dry. Draco himself was also looking forward to the feast in the Great Hall and his comfortable bed in his room down in the dungeons especially after that jumpy ride to the castle.

One by one the students passed a waiting Professor McGonagall, who stood at the gate looking as severe as ever, but significantly older and much more exhausted than he remembered her. The only reason she was not soaking wet by now was a very well done umbrella-charm.

Watching her closely Draco found yet another reason not to join into this war of good and evil – he did not want to look like 60 at the age of 30.

"Good evening, Mr. Malfoy", the Bloody Baron greeted him when he took a seat at the long Slytherin table. He was something of a celebrity amongst his fellow students in Slytherin. His father was Voldemort's most trusted Death Eater and that made Draco some kind of Prince with his blond hair and silver-grey eyes, being an exact image of Lucius.

"Well, it's pretty vacant here, isn't it?", Pansy asked while taking a seat next to him.

She was indeed right. The Slytherin table had far more empty spots than the others, lacking especially the 7th grade students who were off age already and therefore had joined Voldemort over the summer.

"Quite so, the Dark Lord has called many of us by now", Amanda agreed, sitting on the bench across from Draco.

"I can't wait for it", Blaise said but he did not sound quite so sure about it.

"Why so grumpy? Are you afraid?", Pansy teased with a mocking smile on her lips.

"Come off it! I'm just not so sure what being a Death Eater really means", Blaise answered, returning Pansy's smile and leaning back on the bench next to Amanda.

"Shush now! The sorting begins!", she interrupted pointing towards the entrance where the first years were just entering the hall followed by Professor McGonagall with the Sorting Hat in her hand.

This year's song did not differ so much from the one last year, but seemed to stress the message that dividing the students into different houses would not do them any good. Moreover he laid emphasis on the fact that each of the houses should start to reconsider their position and try to make friends with the others. Only united they could hope to survive this war.

When the Sorting Hat ended his song the entire hall had fallen silent and the usual applause was missing. The students started to talk in hushed low voices, discussing the meaning in the words they had just heard.

"So, it's time to snuggle up to the Gryffindors", Amanda said with a grin on her pretty face, pointing towards the Gryffindor table where Harry bloody Potter sat next to his two best friends.

"Over my dead body!", Pansy exclaimed, shaking her head.

Amanda was right nonetheless. The Sorting Hat wanted them to become friends; he wanted the houses to unite against an unknown evil that would try to take over the school, but Hogwarts students did not do uniting. Even if the other three would manage to fight alongside each other, none of them would want Slytherin anyway.

Professor McGonagall obviously taken aback stepped forward with the usual roll of parchment in her hand. "Albaroc Mandy", she called watching the crowd of first years when an auburn haired little girl approached the stool containing the Sorting Hat. She seemed a bit nervous, but as soon as Professor McGonagall put the hat in her head she relaxed a little.

"RAVENCLAW", the Sorting Hat proclaimed a few seconds later and the Ravenclaw table exploded with applause and cheers to greet their first new member.

Half an hour and far too many new students later, 'Willson Amalia' was made a Gryffindor and the sorting was done. People started to talk to their neighbours again, discussing the song and the sorting in hushed voices, providing the hall with low but constant hum.

Draco could see Albus Dumbledore rise from his chair out of the corner of his eye and as soon as the headmaster stood at his usual place in front of the staff table, the hall fell silent again and every eye was directed on him. "My dear Students, unfortunately I have to admit that our security precautions are going to be even more severe this year. Hogwarts will from now on be shielded by far more and far stronger wards. No other place in world is as well protected as Hogwarts I assure you. Nonetheless I must ask you to be in your Common Rooms by 8pm and not to wonder around the castle at night. If one of you should be found outside your rooms we will be forced take appropriate action. Moreover has Mr. Filch asked me, to tell you that the forest on the Hogwarts Grounds is off limits to everyone. So, now let's move on to the nicer topics! We have a new member of staff who will teach Defence Against the Dark Art this year: Please welcome Professor Merik Parker! And now, let the feast begin!".

Draco tried to catch a glimpse of the new teacher and noticed that he looked like a much younger version of Professor Snape. He was probably in his mid-twenties, with long black hair and dark eyes, but the greatest distinction between him and Snape was the fact that Merik Parker was incredibly handsome in very stern kind of way.

"Wow…", Pansy breathed next to Draco, staring at their new teacher.

"Don't make a fool of yourself, Pansy. He doesn't look like he's interested in little girls", Blaise said with a smirk but nonetheless examining Parker as well.

Meanwhile Draco had proceeded to helping himself with the delicious food that had appeared on the table a few minutes ago. There would be plenty of opportunities to see the new teacher once classes started tomorrow morning.

Tired but full Harry flopped himself on his bed in the sixth years' dormitory.

"What a day! That song definitely made an impression", Seamus said, spreading across his own bed next to Harry's.

"You got that right, mate. The Sorting Hat wants the houses to compound their conflicts. So not gonna happen, or do you want to be friends with Malfoy and his lot?", Ron asked, taking off his shirt.

"Surely not!", Dean said, taking a seat on Seamus' bed to be closer to the conversation.

"Hang on. What if the houses just made peace? We don't have to be friends with all them, you know?", Neville tossed in.

"Forget it, Nev. That is going to fail because of Slytherin's Ice Prince", Seamus said, smiling at Neville.

"He's got a point. Malfoy and his lot will never stop to mess us around. He wants to pick a fight", Ron agreed, now unbuttoning his trousers.

"And have you seen that new teacher? He looks exactly like Snape!", Dean said with disgust in his voice.

"Yeah, I bet his class is a pain in the arse", Seamus added, rocking forth and back on his bed in excitement about this conversation.

"Merlin's beard, can't you discuss that in the morning? I want to sleep", Harry interrupted, angrily drawing the curtains around his bed

Chapter 1 End