This was it.

She was finally coming to Hogwarts.

Ginny wondered whether she could burst from being so happy.

Ever since she was only six, when she watched her older brother Percy boarded the train, Ginny had been dreaming about the time she would get on the train herself. Last year, she thought she could sneak onto the train, what with her twin brothers Fred and George helping her after all. She wished she had succeeded, especially after she found out that her brother Ron sat the whole train ride with the Harry Potter. It was well-known in her family that she had a huge crush on the only surviving Potter. Her parents, especially her mother, found it sweet. Her brothers though? Even Percy laughed whenever Ginny blushed at the mention of Harry's name. Ron became the most annoying one now, seeing that he actually befriended Ginny's crush. The whole summer, the only female Weasley was teased mercilessly about it. It was infuriating. So when she and her family got to King's Cross to for her first year, Ginny tried her best not to flee when Harry finally appeared with his family. The older boy came running toward his best friend, beaming as he told his friend about his summer when his Godparents took him to the house where his father grew up in. They still had sometime to spare until they had to cross the 9¾ platform, and Harry decided that he'd treat his best friend with some Muggle ice-cream. Ron tried to deny it at first, but Harry was very persistent. In the end, Ginny's brother relented and let himself got dragged toward the ice-cream parlour, trying and failing to hide the huge smile on his face.

Harry had his entirely family coming with him to drop him off, and they all attracted so much attention. Starting from Harry's legal Godparents, Sirius Black and Marlene McKinnon, who were talking seriously with Ginny's parents about Sirius' plan on trying to find her second-oldest brother Charlie that had gone missing. Her heart ached a little at the thought of her favourite brother after the twins, who liked to carry her around the house as she pretended to be riding a broom because her mother wouldn't let her to ride the real one. Shaking the thoughts away so she wouldn't start crying, Ginny shifted her focus on Harry's other Godparents, Remus and Dorcas Lupin. Remus was partially involved in Sirius' conversation as he kept an eye around, constantly alert toward potential threats like the good Auror he was. His wife the Healer was busy conversing with the third couple in the group as she tended to Sirius' newborn girl. Ginny knew instantly that they were Sirius' brother Regulus Black, and his family. The younger Black was holding a little girl who Ginny knew was his own daughter. The other woman, who was talking to Dorcas, was introduced by the brothers as Regulus' wife. If the whole lot of them were aware of the attention they were attracting, they ignored it rather well. Muggles were probably oblivious about who they really were, but the passing wizards and witches knew who these people were.

"Mum, it's almost eleven," Percy said seriously, glancing toward Sirius and Remus discreetly yet the admiration was obvious. "We should go now."

"Oh yes," Molly Weasley said. She looked around and found that Ron was her only children that wasn't present. Turning to Ginny, she said, "Your brother isn't here yet?"

"I think he's still with Harry," Ginny answered. Molly clicked her tongue impatiently.

"Boys," she sighed before she started to yell for her youngest son' name. At the same time, Harry's Godmothers were calling his name.

"Yes, yes! We're coming in a minute!" Ginny heard Harry yelled back. "We just have to pay this and then we'll be there."

"They'll be fine, Molly," Sirius said, looking thoroughly amused. "We'll just leave them now and they'll come after us. You need to help your daughter, right?"

"Okay then… Come on, Ginny. We'll go now."

With her parents' help, Ginny got her trunk onto the train safely and easily. She kissed her parents goodbye and followed her brothers onto the train, where Percy quickly ditched her while Fred and George dropped her off into an empty compartment before they went off to find their friend Lee Jordan. Ginny quickly went to the window so she could wave her parents goodbye. They looked a little distracted when they waved back at her, and only then did she realise she never saw her Ron or Harry following after them. No doubt her mother got worried, especially when the train started to move. From where she was standing, she saw that her mother wasn't the only one who was freaking out. Marlene and Dorcas looked like they were going to send a search party. Before the train took a turn, she saw Sirius whipping out his wand while Remus joined Arthur to calm down the ladies, the whole time Regulus was explaining everything to his wife who looked a bit uneasy. It would be lying to say that she wasn't worried about Ron and Harry, but she knew that if anyone could find the both of them, it would be Sirius Black. He was the best Auror the world had ever seen after all.

Deciding that she needed to do something to entertain herself the whole way to Hogwarts, she picked up the diary her parents bought her. It was a beautiful leather-bound book, albeit being secondhand. From the named embroidered on the cover, she knew that the book used to belong to a bloke named Tom Marvolo Riddle. Just when she was about to inspect it further, the door to her compartment was suddenly opened, and Ginny whipped around in surprise. She found a girl around her age with dirty-blonde hair and comically huge eyes. As the girl sort of glided into her compartment nonchalantly, Ginny noticed the girl's company. He was a strikingly handsome boy, a Hufflepuff and at least a fifth year, judging by the glittering Prefect badge he had. He gave Ginny a small smile before his gaze was back toward his blonde companion. Ginny knew who they were, seeing that they were practically her neighbours. The girl was Luna Lovegood, whose father was the quirky owner of the weird newspaper the Quibler. The boy was Cedric Diggory, and his father was a friend of Ginny's own father. She rarely saw the both of them because, albeit being neighbours of sort, the Burrow was still about half a mile away. So, even though they were of the same age, Ginny never had a play-date with Luna. It seemed though, despite being four years older, Luna and Cedric were very close.

"Luna, Cedric," Ginny greeted them.

"Hey, Ginny," Cedric said in return while Luna just stared at her. "Excited for your first year?"

"Yeah," the female Weasley answered. "And before you ask me about it, I really wish I get into Gryffindor. Like, a lot."

"Well, you have six brothers in Gryffindor already. And your parents were Gryffindors too. Pretty sure you'll be fine," Cedric said kindly.

"I hope so... Um, what about you, Luna? Which House do you want to be in?" Ginny asked for politeness' sake.

"Ravenclaw," the blonde answered curtly without looking at Ginny, too busy playing with her weird-looking necklace. "My mum always said the smart ones ended up in Ravenclaw."

"Oh," was all Ginny could say. She was unsure how to respond to that.

"She didn't mean to be rude," Cedric quickly said, probably think that Ginny was offended. "Luna said things truthfully without minding the fact that she shouldn't have said that."

"I didn't mean to offend you, Ginny," Luna said flatly.

I"It's okay," Ginny replied, giving them a smile to show that she wasn't offended. She took a moment before she spoke again, mindful of her choice of her words. "You don't have much friends, do you?"

"Except for Cedric, I don't have any," Luna answered truthfully.

"I don't have friends too, other than my brothers," Ginny replied, smiling wider. "Do you want to be my friend, Luna?"

Her words seemed to catch Luna off her guard. She stared at Ginny's offered hand, and turned to look at Cedric who was smiling encouragingly. It took her sometime to take Ginny's hand.

"You're nicer than I thought you'd be," Luna said, cocking her head to the side. "Nicer than most people, in fact."

"Why, thank you," Ginny laughed. She had a feeling that being friends with Luna would be interesting.

"Well, I have to go," Cedric said, beaming in an earnest smile that made him looked even more handsome. "I've got Prefects meeting. Luna, I trust that you'll be alright with Ginny?"

"I'll be fine," Luna said. For the first time since she got into the compartment, Luna flashed the briefest smile toward Cedric. "Thank you for accompanying me."

"You know I'll always be there for you, Luna," the Prefect said, still with a smile. "Anyway, see you later, moon princess."

Moon princess?

Ginny knew quite a lot about Cedric, seeing that Fred and George always moaned about how every girl in their year was attracted to the older boy. Despite being a Hufflepuff, Cedric was known for being smarter than most Ravenclaws in his year. If that wasn't enough, he was also a great Quidditch player, playing Seeker, and he was just crowned Captain of his team. The few times Ginny and her family was invited to the Diggory household because of a party they held, Ginny remembered seeing Cedric and always thinking how handsome he was, even at such a young age. He was taller than most boys his age that Ginny knew, and bigger too. The older Ginny got, the more she understood how attractive he was. With dark-brown hair that framed his face flawlessly, his good-looks were perfected with chiseled features and bright grey eyes. While his father Amos was rather boastful about his son, Cedric himself took after his mother and preferred to keep to himself whenever his father talked about Cedric's achievement to everyone who would listen. Other than the twins, Percy once also remarked that Cedric had a huge potential on becoming a Head Boy, and Percy would definitely feel threatened if Cedric was someone from his year. Thus, to see someone like Cedric being friends with Luna Lovegood, and seemed like he genuinely cared for the younger girl, baffled Ginny. His little nickname for her was practically the cherry on top of her amusement. Not even Ginny's brothers ever gave her a sweet pet-name, and they were all very close with one another.

"You look like you're very close with him," Ginny said after Cedreic left, unable to help herself.

"He's been my friend since I was nine, ever since my mum died," Luna explained. "I was playing by the pond near my house, and I almost slipped into the water when Cedric came and saved me. After he scolded me, we just became friends since then."

"Oh wow..." Ginny whistled. "To be honest, he didn't seem like the person who would befriend just anybody, much less a girl who is four years younger than him. And I didn't mean to say that to offend you."

"No, I understand that," Luna said. There was a funny look in her eyes as she turned her head and stared blankly at where Cedric was moments prior. "If you ask me, Ginny, I still don't get it myself why he wanted to be my friend. Because we both know that people like Cedric Diggory can have anybody they want to be their friends."

"Yeah," Ginny muttered, the image of a certain boy with startling green-eyes and a lightning-shaped scar came to mind. "I know what you mean very well, Luna."

When the portal wouldn't open for him and Ron, the only thing Harry had in mind was how to get to Hogwarts without the train. He didn't think about contacting Sirius using the Mirror, or any other adults via other means. So when Ron suggested that they should try going to Hogwarts on his father's flying Ford Anglia, Harry agreed immediately. Not to mention, he remembered Sirius' stories about how before he died, James planned on buying himself a car. Even though his Godparents always made sure he was well-acquaintance with the Muggle world too, Harry rarely ever got into Sirius' many cars because his Godmothers were rather afraid of them. That kind of sealed the deal for him. The threat that he practically exposed the magic world in front hundreds of Muggles by flying the car didn't even cross his mind as he got into the passenger side of the Ford Anglia. Harry actually believed that he could sneak into Gryffindor's common room without getting caught. Imagine the horror he felt when Argus Filch, who held a grudge toward the Marauders for years, caught him and Ron. It didn't help one bit when the caretaker called on bloody Severus Snape. If there was anyone who hated Harry more than Filch because of his father and his friends, it would be Snape. Harry felt like kissing Dumbledore's feet when the old Headmaster literally saved him from getting expelled. Hell, he'd even send McGonagall birthday presents though she told him that she'd be sending his Godparents a letter about his 'bad behaviour'. Honestly, Harry could care less about a letter, as long as he didn't get expelled. He knew for a fact that his Godfathers (read: Sirius) would actually feel proud instead.

Unfortunately for him, Ron didn't feel the same way as he did about McGonagall telling on his parents. Yes, he was relieved that he didn't get expelled. But once he finally thought about his parents' (read: his mother) reaction toward the letter, it was obvious that Ron would rather die. Harry thought his ears would burst after Ron whined for the thirtieth time about how his mother would murder him and hide his body. But, if he thought Ron's whining was bad, he had to take it back the moment he saw Hermione. His brilliant friend gave him longer lectures than what his Godmothers used to give him. She kept on going about how irresponsible he and Ron were being, and how it could have gotten them killed. The only person who thought it was amusing was Malfoy, who actually laughed a loud with his friends Nott and Zabini after he asked Harry to tell him the details about their ride. Ever since Regulus' party, where they were forced to sit side by side, being the only children around, Harry and Malfoy had decided to be civil toward each other. They were still on last-name basis, but at least they wouldn't be yelling insults at each other. Harry was about to tell Hermione to shut it after she repeated the same speech over and over again, when Ron's old owl Errol came with the worst thing a student could ever get from their parents.

A Howler.

With trembling hands, after some not-so encouraging words from Harry and Neville, Ron finally opened his Howler. The redhead was only halfway tearing the Howler's seal opened when it jumped from his hand, and Mrs Weasley's voice came in a loud shrill, echoing all over the Great Hall as if the woman herself was around. Ron's face had gone as red as his face, and it made Harry feel bad for him. He felt even more guilty when Mrs Weasley said that her husband was facing an inquiry at work because of the stunt Harry and her son pulled. Harry wished that Sirius and Remus pulled on some strings to help good Mr Weasley, so he wouldn't get fired or anything. After Mrs Weasley's Howler were shredded into bits, everyone in the Great Hall went silent, before Malfoy broke the silent with his loud and degrading laughter, followed closely by Nott and Zabini. Harry couldn't help but to roll his eyes at Malfoy's display of insolence, knowing that even though the both of them went to stop Quirrel with Harry, it was obvious that Malfoy and Ron still didn't like each other. The Hall fell silent once again when Sirius' owl Mercury, named after Freddie Mercury because he was one of Sirius' favourite and because the owl had beautiful voice, came with Harry's own Howler.

Now, unlike Ron, Howlers didn't scare Harry. Well, except when they came from Marlene or Dorcas. He wasn't exactly surprised when Mercury came with the Howler because really, he got Howlers on daily basis, thanks to his Animagus Godfather who didn't seem to understand that Howlers weren't meant to be used for normal communications. Nevertheless, Harry was still a bit worried though, since he really did break serious ("The puns are getting too old, Harry," Hermione sighed in a bored tone.) rules this time. He knew that he could have argued that it wasn't entirely his fault the portal wouldn't open for him and Ron. But sometimes, when the Godmothers were involved, Sirius and Remus had no choice but to scold Harry. Glancing at both of his friends, Harry reached for his Howler and pulled on the seal, bracing himself for the craziness that would come.

A loud, girlish scream was heard as the Howler came to life, before it started to jiggle like a tap dancer. Then, came the familiar voice of Remus Lupin arguing with the notorious Sirius Black, with background vocals done by Marlene McKinnon and Dorcas Lupin.

"SIRIUS, STOP SCREAMING! REALLY, WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO START GROW UP AND STOP USING HOWLERS TO CONTACT HARRY?"

"NEVER! HOWLERS EXIST FOR A REASON, REMY!"

"YEAH, AND YOU'RE CLEARLY ABUSING ITS INITIAL USE, YOU TOSSPOT!"

"WOW. I CAN'T BELIEVE I ACTUALLY FORGOT HOW ANNOYING YOU ALWAYS WERE, BROTHER."

"SHUT IT, REGGIE. I THOUGHT TODAY WAS YOUR TURN TO TAKE CARE OF THE BABIES. DO YOUR WORK, LITTLE BROTHER."

"BOYS, REALLY? I'M PRETTY SURE EVERYONE IN HOGWARTS IS LISTENING TO US, RIGHT NOW. AND I DON'T THINK THEY NEED TO KNOW HOW CHILDISH THEIR FAVOURITE AURORS ARE."

"SORRY, MAR. I CAN'T HELP IT WHEN YOUR STUPID FIANCE IS BEING AN IDIOT."

"EXCUSE ME? MOI? AN IDIOT? WELL, LET ME REFRESH YOUR MEMORIES, REMUS JOHN LUPIN; I SCORED HIGHER SCORES THAN YOU AND JAMES AND LILY COMBINED FOR OUR OWLS AND NEWTS! I'M A BLOODY GENI-"

"SIRIUS!"

"OH RIGHT. SORRY, DOE... ANYWAY, HARRY JAMES POTTER! YOU SNEAKY LITTLE SHIT! YOU FLEW AN ENCHANTED CAR TO HOGWARTS? WOW, FAWN. WOW. I DON'T EVEN HAVE THE WORDS TO DESCRIBE JUST HOW BLOODY PROUD I AM OF YOU. LIKE, I KNOW MOST RESPONSIBLE ADULTS WOULD BE SCOLDING YOU RIGHT NOW, LIKE REMY AND THE LADIES WOULD DEFINITELY DO, BUT THANK MERLIN WE BOTH KNOW I HAVE THE MENTALITY OF A RESPONSIBLE FOUR YEAR OLD. I REPEAT; WORDS CAN'T EVEN DESCRIBE HOW PROUD AND IMPRESSED I AM OF YOU RIGHT NOW, KID. YOU TRULY ARE YOUR FATHER'S SON. JAMES WOULD BE SO PRO – "

"MERLIN'S BEARD, SIRIUS! I ASKED YOU TO DO ONE THING! ONE. BLOODY. THING. AND YOU CAN'T DO IT PROPERLY? GIVE ME THAT. I AM DOING THIS WHOLE HOWLER THING MYSELF."

"NO! HANDS OFF, MOONY. GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME. I MEAN IT!"

"OR WHAT?"

"OR...OR I'LL RUN!"

"COME BACK HERE, PADFOOT!"

"BLOODY HELL, BOYS! SIRIUS, STOP RUNNING AROUND THE HOUSE LIKE A STUPID TODDLER! REMUS, STOP CHASING AFTER YOUR IDIOT FRIEND. DORCAS, DO SOME – "

And with that, the letter burst in a dramatic flames, cutting of Marlene's words. For a couple of minutes, the Great Hall was completely silent. No one dared to say a word, no one dared to move a muscle, no one even breathed. It was Dumbledore's little giggles that broke the spell. Soon enough, everyone was laughing along with him. Even McGonagall looked like she had conflicted feelings between laughing and sending her own Howler to her former students for being total idiots. As he tried to stop himself from cackling like a deranged hyena, Harry couldn't help but to thank the Big Guy up there, or whoever was in charge of his life, that even though he lost his parents when he was just a baby, he had two set of parents that more than made up for it. It took sometime until everyone stopped laughing, and another extra time for people to get ready for their next class. Ron looked a bit more cheerful after listening to Harry's Howler, though he did express his envy that his Godparents weren't angry at him. Harry reminded him that if it wasn't for Sirius, his Godmothers no doubt would be yelling even worse than Mrs Weasley, seeing that there were two of them. Ron looked convinced, especially when he seemed to remember that time he stayed with Harry and saw Marlene yelled at his friend. Feeling much better of himself, the two friends got into class with smiles on their faces, even though they still had Hermione nagging after them.

Sometimes, they felt like Hermione was another mother instead of a friend.

She was that annoying.

But honestly? Harry wouldn't trade her for the world.