Harry's has experienced a lot in his four years in Hogwarts. He had fought Voldemort for the philosopher's stone, found the chamber of secrets, defeated Voldemort's youger version of himself, freed Sirius from prison, fought in the Triwizard Tournament and fought Voldemort for his third time on a graveyard. Each year had their dangers and every year Harry went into Hogwarts with the same amount of hope and depression. But this year it was different. This year the depression had taken over his hope. The reason: his best friend Ron Weasley has gone missed. The one that stood by him for four years and pretty much cheered him up every time he was down. Sure, they had an argument in the fourth year, but Harry has forgiven him for that. In the end that was only a stupid teenage fight. But as Harry entered the Great Hall with his friends he did not feel the same joy as usual.

He looked around. As always torches were lightening up the hall and the walls were decorated with the emblem of all four houses. The golden lion on a red background for Gryffindor, the black badger on a yellow for Hufflepuff, the bronze Eagle on a blue background for Ravenclaw and the silver snake on a green background for Slytherin.

Normally Harry would be delighted to see the sight of all of it, but today his mood was sullen. He looked around and saw that Hermione and Ginny didn't looked really better. They both gave him a small smile, but Harry knew how they really felt. He was an expert at hiding his feeling and never really letting them out. He knew this feeling just too well. Normally the mood was really cheery when they entered the Great Hall and went to their tables, but without Ron something was missing. Ron was always kinda the ice breaker. He may say sometimes really hurtful things, but also knew how to cheer one up. Harry and Hermione both weren't very funny people, so it was good when Ron brought them sometimes back to relaxing. But he was missing and with him the humor. Harry sighed and sat down on the bench. He sat next to Hermione. Ginny went to her friends who greeted her and probably consoled her about her brother.

Around him people were talking in their usual volume. He looked around and saw Fred and George joking with Lee, Angelina and Alicia. The seemed to be like usual, but Harry knew that the disappearance of their little brother hit them hard. They may sometimes make fun of him, but he was still their brother. Harry looked over to the teachers place and he frowned at the sighed. Hagrid was missing. He turned to Hermione.

"Say, did you see that too?" he asked Hermione pointing at Hagrid's place.

Hermione nodded. "Hagrid's is not there, but don't worry Harry, I am sure he will appear soon." she said with a small smile.

Harry nodded, but he was skeptical. First Ron and now Hagrid. Did the universe had something against him? Now his mood was really down.

He looked back at the teacher's place and saw a woman who looked like a toad, had Grey hair with curls and wore a pink cardie. She examined him drinking out of her cup. Harry gasped when he remembered who that person was.

"That is this Umbridge! She was there at my trial! She works for fudge!" he whispered to Hermione.

Hermione's eyes widened. "What! But what in all world is she doing here?!" she whispered back.

Harry shook his head. "No idea…but it can't be something good." he muttered. He wanted to say something more, but in that moment the sorting hat began to sing.

In times of old when I was new

And Hogwarts barely started

The founders of our noble school

Thought never to be parted:

United by a common goal,

They had the selfsame yearning,

To make the world's best magic school

And pass along their learning.

"Together we will build and teach!"

The four good friends decided

And never did they dream that they

Might someday be divided,

For were there such friends anywhere

As Slytherin and Gryffindor?

Unless it was the second pair

Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw?

So how could it have gone so wrong?

How could such friendships fail?

Why, I was there and so can tell

The whole sad, sorry tale.

Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just those

Whose ancestry is purest."

Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose

Intelligence is surest."

Said Gryffindor, "We'll teach all those

With brave deeds to their name,"

Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lot,

And treat them just the same."

These differences caused little strife

When first they came to light,

For each of the four founders had

A House in which they might

Take only those they wanted, so,

For instance, Slytherin

Took only pure-blood wizards

Of great cunning, just like him,

And those of sharpest mind

Were taught by Ravenclaw

While the bravest and the boldest

Went to daring Gryffindor.

Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest,

And taught them all she knew,

Thus the Houses and their founders

Retained friendships firm and true.

So Hogwarts worked in harmony

For several happy years,

But then discord crept among us

Feeding on our faults and fears.

The Houses that, like pillars four,

Had once held up our school,

Now turned upon each other and,

Divided, sought to rule.

And for a while it seemed the school

Must meet an early end,

What with dueling and with fighting

And the clash of friend on friend

And at last there came a morning

When old Slytherin departed

And though the fighting then died out

He left us quite downhearted.

And never since the founders four

Were whittled down to three

Have the Houses been united

As they once were meant to be.

And now the Sorting Hat is here

And you all know the score:

I sort you into Houses

Because that is what I'm for,

But this year I'll go further,

Listen closely to my song:

Though condemned I am to split you

Still I worry that it's wrong,

Though I must fulfill my duty

And must quarter every year

Still I wonder whether sorting

May not bring the end I fear.

Oh, know the perils, read the signs,

The warning history shows,

For our Hogwarts is in danger

From external, deadly foes

And we must unite inside her

Or we'll crumble from within

I have told you, I have warned you...

Let the Sorting now begin.

The students were staring at the sorting hat and Harry couldn't help, but doing this too. Gryffindor and Slytherin working together. Never in life! He almost expected Ron to comment something rude now saying that this will never happen or that the Sorting Hat is mental, but he forgot, that he wasn't there.

"The Sorting Hat can't mean that seriously." he whispered to Hermione.

Hermione frowned at that. "I think this is a great idea. The rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin has existed for far too long now.

Harry sighed at her words. She had a point, but it wasn't realistic. "Hermione, just think about it. Those two houses hate each other. Even if let's say two or three people pf those houses bond with each other, it won't lower the rivalry between our two houses." Harry said.

Hermione shook her head. "You know that's why the rivalry still exist. Because people don't want to overcome it." she said reasonably.

Harry didn't reply. He had now more worries than a stupid rivalry between houses.

"Hmm, this is alarmig." a voice beside Harry said. He turned around and saw The Nearly Headless Nick flowing next to him. His body floating in the table.

"What do you mean, alarming, Sir Nicholas?" he asked the ghost.

The ghost looked around a bit as f he was looking that nobody was nearby which would be strange, because they were surrounded by hundred of students. Harry and Hermione were looking at him expectantly.

"Well, the Sorting Hat rarely gives a warning, expect Hogwarts is in danger." he said.

Harry and Hermione looked at each other. This wasn't a good sign. That meant that Voldemort was rising and getting stronger. Harry wondered where the hat knew all of this, but Harry also knew that the hat had really ancient magic in it.

For a while, they didn't said anything. They concentrated themselves on the sorting in front of them. After the last one was sorted in, Dumbledore began his yearly speech. He talked about school, exams, demands of Mr. Filch and quidditch. Dumbledore wanted to continue his speech, but he was interrupted by the toad lady.

"Chrm, chrm." she said. Now all eyes turned to her. Harry stared at her. He just met her once, but Harry knew that their was something evil behind the sweet act of her. He looked to the other teachers and he could see that they were not amused by this.

Umbridge was now talking something about how tradition sometimes had to change for process and improvements. Harry didn't understood a word what that lady was talking about, but he didn't liked the way how she was talking to them like they were five-year-old children.

After she finished he muttered: "What was that Umbridge talking about?"

Hermione turned to him. "Harry, didn't you understand the importance of that speech?"

Harry looked at her as if she lost her mind. "You call that important?" he asked her.

Hermione sighed. "Harry, it is obvious that Umbridge said that the Ministry is going to influence what is going on in Hogwarts from now on."

They were now walking to their common room. Stairways were moving around as they walked. Harry frowned. "Why would the ministry…" but then he saw the answer. "Fudge wants us to believe that Voldemort didn't rose again." he said.

Hermione nodded. "Fudge thinks that you are mad Harry and he will do anything to prove this theory." she said.

Harry was fuming. He had faced so many challenges in his life and what did he get. A lot of people who didn't believed him.

When they reached the common room, Hermione went to the girls room while Harry stayed in the common room. He walked to Seamus and Dean.

"Hey Seamus, Dean, had a good summer?" he asked them.

Dean smiled a bit. "Well, mine was good. But Seamus his was not that well."

Harry looked to Seamus. He didn't answer immediately. He waited for a moment, then looked at Harry. "My mom didn't wanted me to come back to Hogwarts." he said.

Harry looked at him incredulously. "What, why?!"

Seamus rubbed his neck nervously. "Well…it's because of you and Dumbledore."

Harry's expression turned dark. He had enough of people not believing him. "Oh…so you mother does read the Daily Prophet." he said darkly.

"Well…yeah." he said nervously. He looked scared, but curiously at the same time. "Say, what happened in the night where Diggory died?" he asked.

Harry glared at him. "What do you want, Seamus?! Why don't you believe what your mom and the Daily Prophet says!" he cried.

Suddenly Seamus got all angry. "Don't you dare insult my mother!" he cried.

"I am insulting everyone, who is calling me an liar!" he cried furiously. He was now glaring at Seamus so strong that it seemed like he could blew him up by just looking at him.

Seamus glared back. "You know what. I think I know why Weasley disappeared. He got enough of your madness." Seamus spatted. The common room gasped and Dean looked shocked at his best friend, but Harry just saw red. This was the last straw. He pounced on Seamus and began to punch his face.

"Harry!" Dean cried trying to break him up, but Harry didn't listen to him. How dare he say that Ron would do this! He continued to punch him while Seamus punched him back. They were now wrestling against each other. Harry's lips were already bloody and he wanted to punch him again, but someone grabbed him from behind.

He turned around angrily to see a furious Professor McGonnagal staring at him thin-lipped. Her face was almost completely white out of anger.

"Potter, Finnegan, you both are in huge trouble."

So next chapter, yeah! I hope you liked it. I tried to make it after the book with a few differences of course. As you see without Ron there would be some differences than in the canon book. Without Ron there would be some comical relief missing which you can see in this chapter. Harry and Hermione are both very serious characters who just need someone to cheer them up. I will update soon. Please review. Enjoy your days!

P.S.: To those (or the guy) who gives me really strange reviews. I am just going to pretend those didn't exist. And if these (or that person) still continues those weird reviews I will just smile at the huge amount of review that I got. So whoever send me those reviews. Please stop and give me some real reviews. If you don't like my story either point out what you don't like or just don't read it.