Chapter 7: Recluse

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Portions of this chapter are copied directly from Harry Potter

'Thoughts'

Ginny rose from the stool with her head held high, and proudly walked over to the Slytherin house table, where she sat down next to Harry. Harry smiled warmly at her, "Congrats," he said with a squeeze of her hand.

Ginny beamed back at him, before looking over to the Gryffindor table. Fred and George looked surprised but not altogether upset. Percy looked appalled, his nose crinkled in disgust. Ron looked furious and was glaring at Harry.

Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students,
his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to
see them all there.

"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin
our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit!
Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"

"Thank you!"

Food then appeared on the House tables. Harry turned to Ginny. "Your brother looks like he wants to murder me."

Ginny laughed, "He does, probably blames you for my sorting."

"Well of course it's my fault, You couldn't bear to not see my beautiful face every day," Harry said pompously.

"Prat," Ginny muttered slapping him on his arm.

At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent.

"Ahern - just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you."

"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."

Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.

"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.

And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. The entire Slytherin table groaned, and made to cover their ears.

"Muffliato," Harry murmured extending the charm to everyone but him and Ginny.

Harry watched on in amusement as Malfoy writhed in silent agony.

"Harry James Potter, Did you silence him?" Ginny asked incredulously.

"Yup," Harry said in reply popping the P at the end. "It's a conversation silencer, everyone else can hear it but us," He said with a grin.

Not knowing how to respond to that Ginny remains silent. When Dumbledore waved his wand causing the lyrics to disappear, Harry ended the silencer.

"Ah, music," Dumbledore said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

"Welcome to Slytherin," the fifth year female Prefect said.

The male Prefect took over; "Here in Slytherin we pride ourselves, in showing a united front." "Any squabbles within our house take place in the common room, outside of this room, we are one."

"In Slytherin we are the best, we pride ourselves in winning; we won the house cup for six years in a row before one student single handedly propelled to last place. We do not speak to said student, we do not acknowledge said student under any circumstances," the female prefect continued.

"If any of you speak to Potter, his life shall become your own." The male cut in.

GInny found herself tuning out the rest of the speech, So she could stay with Harry the best friend she'd ever had and have no other friends or lose Harry and maybe make other friends.

The minute they were free to go, Ginny plopped down in an armchair next to Harry.

"Hey," Ginny said.

"You're talking to me!" Harry said in amazement. "After that entire speal about how you can't talk to me."

"Of course," Ginny chimed.

"Thanks Gin, you have no idea how much this means to me." Harry said happily.

"Me," Lockhart said, pointing at it and winking as well. "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile Award — but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her!"

He waited for them to laugh; a few people smiled weakly.

"I see you've all bought a complete set of my books — well done. I thought we'd start today with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about — just to check how well you've read them, how much you've taken in —"

When he had handed out the test papers he returned to the front of the class and said, "You have thirty minutes — start — now!"

Harry looked down at his paper and read:

1. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favorite color?

Yellow for how much he forgets.

2. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition?

To obliviate the entire world and claim credit for every notable thing ever done.

3. What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?

Getting hired as the defense teacher.

On and on it went, over three sides of paper, right down to:

54. When is Gilderoy Lockhart's birthday, and what would his ideal gift be?

His birthday is on april fools due to him being a fool, and his ideal gift would be magical talent.

Half an hour later, Lockhart collected the papers and rifled through them in front of the class. "Tut, tut — hardly any of you remembered that my favorite color is lilac. I say so in Year with the Yeti. And a few of you need to read Wanderings with Werewolves more carefully — I clearly state in chapter twelve that my ideal birthday gift would be harmony between all magic and non-magic peoples — though I wouldn't say no to a large bottle of Ogden's Old Firewhiskey!"

Lockhart's face quickly lost it's luster when he came across Harry's paper, "Ah- Harry, my boy no need to be jealous," Lockhart scolded. "Five points from Slytherin."

A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long, I had writer's block and it's almost entirely filler. I will try to get the next chapter out by Tuesday.