ROWLING OWNS ALL. That is all.

3 Jettt

Chapter 1: The Beginning

Smoke fills my nostrils and I sigh. The familiar smell of the Hogwarts Express fills my nose and lungs. People bustle around me and my parents, first years looking very clean and very nervous, third years poking each other with their wands, excited sixth year girls squealing like piglets when they see their friends. Parents of first and second years are looking proud, mothers sniffling into handkerchiefs. Mum and Dad hug me tightly, and then step back. They've had, now five years, experience with saying goodbye to me for most of the year. They know that they'll get my owl soon enough. Charlie, my solid black cat, curls around my shoulders as I board the train.

'Jaz!' Ginny Weasley and Hermione Granger spot me amongst all the other students as I make my way down to our usual carriage.

'Harry and Ron will be so pleased to see you, so much has happened', Hermione grabs my arm and leads me toward the back of the train. On the way, we run into some of the guys from our year, Seamus, Dean and Neville.

'Hey guys, good summer?' I ask.

'Yeah, alright', Dean says, grinning at me. We've always been good friends, Dean and me.

Hermione pulls aside the door to our carriage.

'Look who's here', she says, elbowing Ron in the side.

'Ouch! Hermione!' Ron exclaims, 'Hey Jaz', he grumbles, rubbing his side.

Harry laughs, 'Little Hermione hurt you, Ron?'

'Hey, carrying those books around everywhere has given her serious muscles'.

I sit down next Harry, leaving Hermione the seat next to Ron.

'So anyone try to kill you this summer?' I ask Harry. I've been asking him that question ever since we met in second year. It's sort of a joke between us.

'Nah, just a couple of Dementors'.

'You're not serious?'

Hermione clears her throat. 'He was nearly expelled from Hogwarts, he had to go to a trial.'

Okay, obviously, I've missed a lot this summer. I look from Harry, to Hermione, to Ron, and back to Harry again. Hermione quickly explains the Dementor attack, the trial, and finally the Order of the Phoenix.

'Why didn't you guys tell me? Send me an owl? Anything?'

Harry and Ron exchange a guilty look, while Hermione just stares at her feet.

'So you guys just wanted to keep me in the dark? Happy and oblivious with my little Muggle family while Harry is attacked and almost gets expelled? I stop, aware of how selfish and stupid I must sound.

'I-I'm sorry', I manage to say, a lump forming in my throat.

The next few minutes are spent in silence. 'We should have told you, I was angry when I realized Ron and Hermione had been at Sirius's house all summer without me', Harry says, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and giving me a hug.

Before long, we've reached the self-drawn carriages. We pile into one carriage, along with a girl called Luna Lovegood, more commonly known as Loony. I can see Dean and Seamus in the carriage ahead of us along with Lavender and Parvati. Dean catches my eye as they roll away, and grins at me. I smile back, then lean toward Harry as he starts to talk to me.

'I really hope we get a good Defense against the Dark Arts teacher this year', he says.

'Well, as long as it's not Snape', I say, and Harry starts to laugh.

'I don't think Snape will ever get that postiton'.

'Let's hope not', says Hermione darkly.