Harry Potter and all related Characters belong to JK Rowling
Chapter 11 - September 1st Part Two
After Mrs Hubert had gone Harry opened the box and helped himself to a Caldron cake and was halfway through eating it when the carriage door opened and Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Luna walked back in.
"Hey guys," said Harry with a broad grin. "Good meeting?"
"I have never been so bored in all my life!" groused Ron as he slumped into his seat.
"I hate to agree with Ron but he's right," said Ginny with a sigh. "They haven't exactly gone for personality with their choices of Head Boy and Girl."
"Why? Who they'd choose?" asked Harry with curiosity.
"Rosie Yardbroom and Ewan McDonnell from Hufflepuff," said Hermione with a sigh. "And Gin's right…those pair haven't got one drop of personality between them. For Merlin's sake, I was falling asleep when Ewan was talking and I was the only one who usually still awake at the end of Binns' lessons!" Here Harry and the others all laughed whilst Hermione slumped into her seat and sighed before turning to Harry.
"I need a hug!" Here Harry's face broke into a broad grin.
"I think I can manage that," he said pulling Hermione closer towards him.
"Right," said Ron rubbing his hands together. "Now that's settled where's Mrs Hubert and than trolley?" Here Luna glanced at her watch and smiled.
"Looks like you owe me five galleons Ginny," she said causing Ron and Harry to turn to her whilst Hermione gave a small chuckle, Ginny however gave a sigh and started to reached into her robes.
"What does that mean?" demanded Ron hotly; his features already begin to redden.
"Oh, nothing Ron," said Luna sweetly. "Just that I betted that you would get past the prefect's meeting without thinking about the trolley and Ginny said you wouldn't!"
"Oh, well in that case Luna, I'm afraid you lost," said Harry with a grin. "Ron asked me to make sure to get something before you guys left!"
"Hah!" cried Ginny in glee whilst Luna turned to her boyfriend with a look of mock disappointment.
"Ronald!" she sighed shaking her head whilst Ron's face went redder although not with anger but with embarrassment and he sank further into his seat whilst glaring across at Harry.
"Thanks mate!" he grumbled causing Harry to laugh before he produced the box from beside him where it had been out of Ron's immediate view.
"Here," he said opening the box and offering to his best friend. "Help yourself!" Ron's face immediately brightened and he quickly grabbed a Pumpkin Pastry before Harry offered the box around. As he did so Luna reached into her bag and pulled out six bottles of Butter Beer before realising one of their number was missing.
"Where's Neville?" she asked turning to Harry who merely smiled.
"Off talking to Becky Bridgestaff somewhere," he replied with a shrug. Here Luna stopped raising her bottle to her lips and smiled.
"Oh, so they've finally worked it out have they?" she asked causing Ron, Hermione and Ginny to turn to her with puzzled looks.
"Work what out?" said Ron curiously.
"That they fancy each other," replied his girlfriend with a broad smile whilst Ron and the other two girls looked on in surprise.
"Neville fancies Becky?" said Ginny. "Since when?"
"Well I don't know about Neville," said Luna. "But Becky's liked him since start of last term."
"How come we're only hearing about this now?" said Ron with a frown.
"Oh come on Ron," said Hermione. "Neither Becky or Neville are exactly the chattiest people in the world are they?"
"Yeah, so they should get on like a house on fire!" added Ginny with a broad grin.
"What is it at the moment with everyone pairing up?" said Ron with a frown at which Luna sighed and rolled her eyes.
"We're teenagers Ron, this is what teenagers do. Muggle and Wizard alike." Ron stared at her blankly for a second then sighed.
"I s'pose," he admitted with a sigh.
"And another thing RONALD!" said Ginny taking great care to emphasize her brother's full name. "Don't even think about give Neville a hard time about him and Becky or so help me you'll get a taste of my bat-bogey hex!"
"I didn't even say anything!" protested Ron.
"Well I'm making sure you don't!" said Ginny firmly. Ron now looked around and saw that Hermione and Luna were both nodding in agreement with Ginny.
"Yes Ron," said Luna with a raised eyebrow. Ron opened his mouth but couldn't get anything out so instead he turned to Harry who quickly raised his hands.
"Don't get me involved mate!" he said grinning broadly. "I don't need Hermione mad at me!"
"Gee thanks!" growled Ron sinking further in his seat. "What is this? `Gang Up On Ron Day' or something?"
"Something like that," said Ginny with a grin just as the carriage door opened and a red-faced but broadly smiling Neville stepped into the carriage.
"Hey Nev," said Harry. "How did it go?"
"What?" said Neville as if snapping out of a trance. "Oh, oh it went great. We're going to Hogsmeade together first weekend!"
"Nice one mate," said Harry clapping his friend on the shoulder while the girls all smiled warmly at him. Ron meantime just grinned weakly and gave a nod.
"Yeah, good one Nev," he said slowly.
"Thanks," said Neville as he sank into his seat and accepted the bottle of butterbeer Luna offered him and helped himself to a Caldron Cake when Harry handed him the box from Mrs Hubert and soon the friends were laughing and chatting although Ron was keeping oddly quite and whenever he did speak he would shoot nervous looks at the girls for signs he was getting to close to the lines they'd set.
***
A while later Hermione glanced at her watch and gave a sigh before turning to the others as she pushed herself to her feet.
"Come on guys, time to get ready," she said grabbing a bag from the overhead racking. "We'll be at the station in an hour."
"Is it that time already?" said Luna with a sad smile as she and Ginny both grabbed their own bags. "Oh well, time flies when you're having fun."
"See you guys in a bit," called Harry as the girls headed out and down the corridor to the girls changing rooms. Neville and Ron meanwhile took their own bags from the racks with Ron also grabbing Harry's and tossing it to him before the trio headed to the opposite end of the carriage and the boys changing rooms where they found Seamus and Dean just finishing getting into their uniforms and grinning inanely about something both where finding most amusing.
"What's got into you pair?" asked Ron as he unbuttoned his cloth shirt and pulled a fresh new white school one out of his bag."
Here Seamus and Dean exchanged even bigger grins before they turned to Harry and the others.
"Have you seen any sign of Malfoy or his two stooges today?" said Dean with a grin.
"No, why, have you?" asked Harry.
"Oh yeah," replied Seamus. "We saw him, Crabbe and Goyle all get knocked on their arses to!"
"What?" exclaimed Ron. "How did that happen?"
"Some sort of barrier or something," said Dean. "They're were storming towards the doorway on our carriage when suddenly they were in a heap on the floor looking liked they'd been stupefied!"
"Damn!" grumbled Ron. "I always miss the fun!"
"So what? The Slytherins are confined to their carriage?" asked Harry but Dean shook his head.
"Nah, that's the weird thing. Just before Malfoy and his brutes got knocked on their collective behinds Pansy and Millicent came down the corridor but for some reason Millicent came through whilst Pansy got stuck behind it to. She didn't get knocked on her butt but that was probably due to the fact she was only walking and not stalking down the corridor like a bat out of hell!"
Here however Harry, Ron and Neville exchanged knowing glances as they remembered what Tonks and the others had told them about Malfoy and the other Death-Eater related students.
"Tonks didn't say anything about them being stuck in that carriage did she?" asked Ron curiously.
"I don't think so," said Harry whilst Dean and Seamus looked on with puzzled expressions.
"What are you guys talking about?" asked Dean. Harry now glanced at him and Seamus then turned and looked at Ron and Neville who both shrugged.
"Tonks didn't say we couldn't tell anyone else," reasoned Ron. Harry nodded then turned with a grin to Seamus and Dean and began to tell them about the punishments than had been handed down to the Death Eaters Offspring. As they did so Seamus's face broke into a beaming grin while Dean, whilst grinning most certainly, was a little more restrained but this faded as Harry finished to be replaced with a more curious expression.
"Okay, so Malfoy and his goons have had their wands taken away but why on Earth would they try to get you without them? Surely their not stupid enough to take you on without them?" Here he paused and frowned slightly. "Okay, maybe Crabbe and Goyle are but surely Malfoy isn't?"
"I hate to say it but he's got a point," murmured Seamus.
"Maybe they where probably gonna try to jump Harry," suggested Neville causing the others to glance at him and then exchanged glances amongst themselves.
"That sounds like Malfoy," grunted Ron while Harry gave a nod of agreement while adjusting his tie.
"You think he'll try again?" asked Neville with a grim expression.
"Probably," said Harry. "Malfoy can be a stubborn bastard when he wants to!" Here the others all nodded in agreement.
"You'd better watch yourself Harry," said Dean.
"Don't worry, I intend to," replied Harry with a grim smile.
***
A few minutes later and now dressed in their uniforms Harry, Ron and Neville had rejoined the girls just as the train pulled into Hogsmeade.
"First `ears! Oi, first `ears! Over `ere!" called a familiar voice as the six friends climbed off the train and looking down the platform they saw the large unmistakable figure of Hagrid standing at the other end of the platform. But they also saw he wasn't alone as standing beside him was Professor Stoutbridge who was wearing a broad smile.
"Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, Parkinson, Nott, Macnair and Nesbitt! Come here at once!" barked a familiar voice and Harry and the others turned to see an irate looking Professor Snape along with Professor Gringle and a couple of stern looking Aurors standing by two school carriages. A moment later a sullen looking Malfoy appeared followed by Crabbe and Goyle, both of whom were scowling, whilst behind them came a weeping Pansy Parkinson, a stone faced Terrance Nott and the two other Slytherins, both with their heads hung.
"Get in there you disgusting pieces of slime!" barked Snape venomously causing Harry to exchange surprised looks with Hermione and Ron before turning back at a yelp to see Snape literally manhandle Malfoy into the second carriage.
"Oh boy, Snape really is pissed!" said Ron quietly. "I'm glad I'm not doing Potions this term!"
"Yeah," agreed Neville with a nervous nod. "I don't think I've ever see him this mad, even after I've screwed up!"
"Something must have happened to get him that angry," said Hermione as they made their way to a carriage.
"Well that makes sense but what the hell do you think it is?" said Ginny but all Hermione could do was shrug as they climbed in.
"Something tells me we won't have long to find out," said Harry as he sat down beside Hermione along with Neville whilst Ron, Ginny and Luna sat at the other end of the carriage and a moment later it moved off.
***
The ride to the school seemed to get even quicker than usual and it wasn't long before the carriages pulled into the courtyard where the returning students were met not by Professor McGonagall but by Professor Flitwick.
"Come along, come along," said the small Charms Professor. "Dawson, Hopkins, stop messing about. Goldstein! Put down McDougal!"
"Yes Sir, sorry Sir," replied a sheepish Anthony Goldstein as he put a giggling Morag McDougal back on her own feet before they hurried through the doors into the Entrance Hall.
"Hello Professor," called Hermione as she and the others made their way past Flitwick causing him to look up and smile.
"Oh, hello Miss Granger. Looking forward to the new term?" chirped the smallest Wizard Harry knew.
"Yes Sir," called back Hermione as Harry propelled her past Flitwick.
"Teacher's Pet!" he hissed quietly in her ear.
"I am not!" protested Hermione in shock whilst behind them Ron and Neville both sniggered but quickly fell silent when Hermione shot a scowl at them before turning back to Harry.
"You're a git Harry Potter!"
"And you love me for it," said Harry with a broad grin. For a moment Hermione continued to glare at him before her lips slowly twitched up in a smile.
"You know, sometimes you can be a bigger prat than Ron!" she hissed causing Harry's grin to widen.
"Maybe, but you still love me," he supplied before quickly kissing her on the temple. Hermione now smiled softly and rolled her eyes.
"What am I going to do with you?" she asked as she gave his hand a squeeze as they and the others made their way towards the Great Hall.
"Well how about a snog session later?" asked Harry quietly with a cheeky grin causing Hermione to blush profusely but at the same time a small smile crossed her face.
"If you behave yourself," she quipped as they stepped through the doors into the Great Hall causing Harry to clutch at his chest.
"Me? Misbehave? `Mione! How could you say such things?!" Hermione merely turned to him and raised an eyebrow causing Harry just to give her his most innocent smile.
"Well I supposed I'd better go over to my own table now," said Luna with a sigh as she turned to Ron. "See you later?"
"Count on it," said Ron and the pair now exchanged a brief kiss, which earned a few wolf whistles and cheers from some of the nearby students.
"Weasley! Lovegood!" bellowed a familiar voice and Ron and Luna jumped apart and turned along with Harry, Hermione and the others to see Snape glaring angrily at them.
"Get to your tables…NOW!!!!" With this the students hurried quickly towards their seats, some shooting nervous looks towards the fuming Potions Master.
"Oh boy," whispered Ginny quietly. "Snape's not just pissed, he's REALLY pissed!"
"What do you reckon could have got him that mad?" said Dean as he took a seat in between Seamus and Ginny causing a slight frown to appear on Ron's face although the elder Weasley kept silent despite
"Maybe he's still got the taste of Voldermort's butt is his mouth!" muttered Seamus causing a quite wave of chuckles amongst the Gryffindors. Just then however one of the side doors and Dumbledore and the majority of the teaching staff including the three new Professors walked in and took their places at the head table.
"Argus," said Dumbledore. "Would you be so kind as to ask Professor McGonagall to bring the First Years in."
"Yes Headmaster," growled Argus Filch from the back of the Hall and he now disappeared out the door.
"Wonder how many of the midgets we've got this year," said Ron leaning back to get a better view of the large doors as they swung open and Professor McGonagall hobbled in on her walking stick followed by a fair sized group of awe struck children.
"Were we ever that small?" said Hermione softly.
"Some of us still are!" chirped Ron causing Harry to snort with laughter whilst Hermione turned and glared at Ron who merely smiled back at her smugly.
"Ooohhh!" huffed Hermione folding her arms across her chest. "You truly are the biggest git when you want to be Ron Weasley!"
Before Ron could reply however McGonagall banged her cane on the stage causing a hush to gather over the Great Hall. Harry, Hermione, Ron and all the others all now tried to get a view down the hall and Harry could just make out the shape of the Sorting Hat twitching on its stool whilst Dumbledore looked firmly at it for a moment before turning back to the students.
"As those of you returning know normally at this time the Sorting Hat would regale us with a song but we have, at least for this year, decided to forego this and proceed with the Sorting," here he turned and nodded to Professor McGonagall. "Professor, if you please."
"Thank you Professor," said McGonagall with a nod before turning to the new First Years and unfurled her scroll of parchment.
"Adams, Matthew."
***
The sorting continued for the next forty-five minutes with loud cheers coming from each of the tables whenever a student was sent to their house. However, it also led to forty-four minutes of griping and complaining from Ron.
"Why can't we start eating already?" he mumbled just as a small girl whose name Harry didn't hear over his friend's complaints was sorted into Hufflepuff. "It's not as if we can't listen to the Sorting whilst we're eating!"
"Oh, for Heavens Sake!" sighed Hermione in irritation. "Must we hear the same old complaint! Honestly Ron, your starting to sound like a broken record!" Here Harry almost choked on his Pumpkin juice whilst Dean snorted with laughter. However Ron, Seamus and Neville were all staring at a Hermione in confusion.
"What's a record?" said Seamus shooting glances at his two Muggle-Born and one Muggle-raised friend. "I mean, I know what a record is like Iliash Quint is the record-holder for the most points in a season but that's not what Hermione meant is it?"
"Oh, oh!" squeaked Ginny snapping her fingers urgently. "Don't tell me, I know this…it's….it's some sort of plastic disc thingy Muggles use to listen to music right?"
Hermione smiled at her younger friend and nodded
"Wait a minute," said Neville. "If the…record, is broken how can Ron sound like one? It wouldn't work at all right?"
Here the smile faded off Hermione's face and she turned in desperation to Harry who could only chuckle as he recognised the look on his girlfriend's face
What have I gone and gotten myself into…HELP!!!
Luckily at this point fate decided to lend a helping hand and the sound of a familiar throat being cleared got Harry, Hermione and the others attention and they all turned to see Filch carrying away the Hat and it's stool whilst Professor McGonagall was hobbling to her seat whilst Dumbledore now rose to his feet and looked around the hall at the students with a broad smile.
"Now I do have some notices," said the Headmaster. "But I think they can wait until after we've finished as I'm sure there are some of us who are quite hungry…" At this Harry could swear Dumbledore was looking straight at Ron whose ears went red whilst Ginny and Hermione giggled and Seamus, Dean and Neville all smirked. "…But for now, tuck in!"
***
An hour late Harry pushed his plate away and gave a satisfied sigh and turned to Hermione who now gave a small burp and immediately blushed red.
"Pardon me!" she said shooting Harry a sheepish look causing him to chuckle softly.
"Ah," said Seamus with a sigh as he now pushed his own plate away. "That hit the spot!"
"Yup," said Dean before shooting a mischievous look toward Hermione. "The House Elves surpassed themselves again!" Here Hermione scowled at Dean causing Ron and Ginny to snigger whilst Harry quickly grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze before turning to Dean.
"Not on the first night Mate, please!" he chuckled causing Dean's grin to widen whilst the others all sniggered. Hermione merely rolled her eyes, albeit while a small smile crept across her face, just as the sound of Dumbledore clearing his throat filled the hall and now Harry and the others all now turned to face the aged Headmaster.
"Firstly," said Dumbledore. "Welcome, welcome to all our new First Years, welcome to our returning students and an especially warm welcome to our three new Professors." Here he turned and nodded in the direction Gringle, Stoutbridge and Hedges who all now rose to their feet to a great clammer of applause from the Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables whilst the Slytherin table were rather more lacklustre in their greetings.
When the clapping and cheering finally subsided Dumbledore now gave a small cough and adjusted his robes.
"Now, there are some notices," said the Headmaster with a smile. "Firstly, Mr Filch has foregone the bother of writing his list of banned items and has asked instead that I merely inform all of you that anything from the Weasley Wizarding Wheezes Autumn/Winter catalogue is considered as contraband!" Here sniggers and soft chuckles filled the hall and even some of the Teachers including Dumbledore himself were smirking with amusement. Filch meanwhile bristled with anger and was obviously muttering to himself.
"Secondly," continued Dumbledore as the laughter subsided. "I have decided to officially recognise a group that was formed last year in response to the threat posed by the rising of Lord Voldermort!" Here a few gasps and yelps filled the hall but nowhere near the scale of previous years and this obviously cheered Dumbledore as he nodded in approval.
"Very good, very good," he said warmly. "Now where was I? Oh yes, as of this year the Dumbledore's Army will be Officially sanctioned and will meet here in the Great Hall on a date to be fixed by it's leader, Mr Harry Potter!" An almighty cheer now filled the hall and Dumbledore's gaze now turned to Harry who could feel his cheeks going red even as the cheering continued whilst even side of him Hermione and Ron sat grinning broadly.
"The club will be open to everyone from third year and above and to all houses," added Dumbledore as he gazed around the hall, which was now buzzing with chatter with some students from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw shot looks towards Harry making him squirm slightly in his seat before Dumbledore's voice filled the hall.
"Could I have your attention please?" said the Headmaster firmly and here all humour disappeared from his face. "Finally and on a serious note, I must stress even more than usual that under absolutely no circumstances is anyone to enter the Forbidden Forest as doing so would be highly dangerous!"
Harry and Hermione exchanged glances at this remembering their run-in with the Centaurs the previous year and under the table Harry gave Hermione's hand a squeeze.
"Now," said Dumbledore, his face once more wearing a broad smile. "I know lessons don't start until Monday but I think it's time we head to bed…or at least our Common Rooms."
Authors Note - Finally, this chapter has been the Bain of my life for ages. Still, I'm done now. The next chapter will be along soon (I hope) but I'm also planning a one-shot for Christmas.
But for now, bye!
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