DISCLAIMER: All existing things Harry Potter belong to J. K. Rowling.
A/N: I had an idea that just kept building into a bigger story. This is a Harry/Hermione fic, but it is going to take a while to get there. This story is filled with unexpected twists and turns and borders on the line of AU....barely...okay so maybe it's an eighth over the line...But again, that's not until later.
Please review and let me know what you think.
Prologue
Harry, Ron and Hermione were now on the Hogwarts Express, making their yearly journey to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They had been through so much together in the past six years. Harry, who had experienced the worst of all six years combined was ready to take it easy this year; even though he knew it would be impossible. Lord Voldemort was still out there. He was still after Harry and the ones he cared for. For 17 years now, Voldemort was still chasing him. The time at school had just seemed to fly by. There were rare moments in all six years when Harry's mind was at ease. Now, here they were, he and his best friends; in their seventh and final year at Hogwarts. This year, Harry was ready for anything and everything. Everything, but what he least expected. He was ready for anything and everything, except the most extraordinary discovery of his life.
The End
As the Hogwarts Express pulled up to the station, Harry , Hermione and Ron were collecting their things, ready to begin their final year at Hogwarts. There was an atmosphere filled with excitement, fear and anticipation all around them. As usual, they heard the comforting shouts of Hagrid calling the first years to the boats. It had only seemed like yesterday that they had been first years.
They made there way towards the carriages being pulled by the thestrals. They climbed in, and sat in silence until they reached the castle. Exiting the carriages, they stood on the front steps of the castle that they had called home for the past six years and stared upward at it's enormity in awe, having never truly appreciated the place until now. Finally, Hermione spoke, still looking up.
"Here we are." she said.
"Yep." said Harry.
"Yeah." Ron sighed.
Hermione brought her gaze back down and looked sideways at Harry and Ron. "It's hard to believe how fast it went by, isn't it?"
They both turned to her and nodded. And once again stared at the enormous castle. Then, finally noticing the students trying to get around them, they walked through the castle gates.
The Great Hall looked wonderful as always. The ceiling was bewitched to reflect the sky outside, the sorting hat was sitting on a stool waiting to sort the first years into their houses, and the teachers were all up in front waiting for the sorting ceremony to begin.
As they took their seats at the Gryffindor table, Harry looked up at the staff table and saw someone he did not recognize.
"Look." He told Ron and Hermione. "Who's that?"
Ron and Hermione leaned forward to get a better look at the new staff member. It was a woman. She had a slim face with a large smile plastered on it. Her hair was long, dark and wavy. She was a thin woman, and looked nothing like a teacher.
"Dunno." Ron said.
"Maybe she's our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." Hermione suggested.
"Yeah, she probably is." Harry said turning away.
As soon as the Great Hall was filled with all the returning students, the first years began to make their way in through the doors, led by Professor McGonagall. Harry noticed their faces. They were terrified. He chuckled to himself and thought about how he felt the first time he walked through those doors. He had been filled with hope and fear all at the same time. He thought of how wonderful he had felt after he was sorted into Gryffindor. Before he knew it, he was grinning to himself.
"Harry?" Hermione said, snapping him out of his memory.
"What are you grinning for? You spaced out for a moment there." Hermione whispered.
"OH." Harry said, feeling rather stupid. He must have looked funny, just grinning into thin air. "I was just thinking about our first year." he told her. Hermione gave him a grin back and returned to watching the sorting. A girl name Candace Canterbury had just been sorted into Gryffindor. The table applauded loudly and cheered for her.
Soon the ceremony was over and Professor Dumbledore was rising to give his beginning of term speech. He reminded the students of the restrictions their were: forbidden corridors, entering the forest. and the faces of the first year students seemed to grow even more frightened and worried. Harry thought they'd all might nearly pass out after Dumbledore had recalled the previous years about Voldemorts return and the precautions that must be taken.
The list went on, including Qudditch tryouts.
"If anyone wishes to try out for the House teams please see Madame Hooch. The trials will be held during the second week of the term." Dumbledore said.
Afterward, Professor Dumbledore went on to introduce their, of course, new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Delia Bright. Everyone clapped and Ron whispered to Harry and Hermione sarcastically, "Wonder how she'll turn out." They smiled at him and laughed.
"She doesn't look bad." Hermione said. "She couldn't possibly be any worse than Umbridge was."
After the school song was sung and the students were fed. Everyone had forgotten their worries and were ready for bed. Just as everyone was ready to get up and leave, Dumbledore began to speak again.
"There is one more thing I forgot to mention. Tomorrow, a new student will be arriving at Hogwarts. She is in her seventh year, transfer student. She is an extremely bright witch and I will expect you all to welcome her to her new home here at Hogwarts. She will be sorted into a house, privately. If she is to be sorted into your house, I will expect that house to treat her kindly and help her become accustomed to our ways. Thank you. You may all proceed to your dormitories now. Goodnight.
The Hall was buzzing. Who was this new girl that was to arrive at Hogwarts? Harry, Ron and Hermione got up from their seats and made their way towards the Griffindor common room. They reached the portrait hole before the first years, not wanting to wait in a line behind them.
"Hermione, do you know the password?" Harry asked.
Hermione smiled. Of course I do. "I'm Head Girl aren't I? You should know too." she said looking at Harry. " Head Boy. Honestly, I don't know how you managed to remember all of the instructions for the prefects on the train."
"I forgot it. I remember the one to my room though." he replied.
"Hmm..." Hermione said and looked at him and rolled her eyes grinning, then back at the portrait of the Fat Lady. "Devil's Snare." she told her.
The Fat Lady's portrait swung open to let them in.
Ron laughed and looked at Harry. "How could you forget that?" he asked. "You're turning into Neville!"
Harry simply rolled his eyes at him and walked through the portrait hole into the common room. They quickly sat down in their usual seats beside the fire and immersed themselves in conversation about the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Bright. After about an hour of talking and watching the new first years explore Gryffindor Tower, they were all ready for bed. As they got up Harry mentioned the new seventh year they were expecting tomorrow.
"Who do you think she is?" he asked Ron and Hermione.
"Who knows." Hermione replied. "I wonder what school she used to go to." Then she shrugged and let out a yawn. "Well, I'm tired. Harry, are you ready to go see our new dorms?"
"Yeah, let's go."
"Night Ron." Harry and Hermione said.
"Night." Ron said to them. Ron walked up to his usual dorm and Harry and Hermione set off to find theirs.
Harry and Hermione quickly found their rooms. Hermione walked up to the portrait leading into the Head Girl chambers and said "Hogwarts, A History." The portrait swung open and she bid Harry goodnight and walked in.
Harry walked up to the portrait that led to his chambers. "Quidditch Seeker." he said. And just as Hermione's had done, it swung open to let him in.
The Head Boy, dormitory was enormous. It was like having the whole common room to himself. Harry found his bedroom and didn't even bother to undress. He simply flopped on his bed and went to sleep. Peace...for now.
A/N: I know that was short...the chapters will get longer...I promise. Writing this story partially blind is pretty hard, seeing as how the 6th book won't be available until July....so I'm doing my best to fill in a few gaps without the 6th year.
You won't realize it until a few chapters in though, (how out there this story really is) so you're in for a lot of surprises if you keep reading. Please do...at least until you think I've gone mad! Well I'm off to finish Funny Feelings.
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