The Journey of Discovery

Chapter One - The Start of the End

Harry awoke with a start! Today he would start his final year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He was Head Boy much to the dislike of the other students in his year. They thought it a bit unfair, as he seemed to always be the one with the attention on him. Weather it was representing the school as a champion in a Triwizard Tournament, or battling the Dark Lord. Hermoine was made Head Girl.

This year would be a special year at Hogwarts. Well not exactly at Hogwarts, because the final year students were lucky enough to be going all the to Australia to visit their only school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They were going to go to Australia to celebrate a summer Christmas. Something they had never experienced before.

Harry had spent the summer at Hermoine's, and today her father would be driving them to Platform 9¾ in his Muggle car, a Ford Focus.

"Get up Ron. We have to leave in 20 minutes. We don't want to miss the train. Again," Harry said jokingly to Ron who was sleeping on the bunk below Harry.

"But Harry, the train doesn't leave for another 2 hours, and we are only a 10 minute drive away from the station," Ron told Harry.

"I know that Ron. But remember what Dumbledore said to us in our letter? Because we are prefects, we have to arrive one and a half hours early to prepare the train for its journey to Hogwarts. We have to make sure that all the students get onto the train OK, and that nothing is out of place for the journey."

"Settle down Harry! Ithink you are stressing over this Head Boy thing too much. Just relax, everything will be alright," Ron said reassuringly.

"I guess you are right Ron. I am taking all of this responsibility to heart. After all, there is 2 hours until the train leaves."

After Harry, Ron, Hermoine and her father had had their breakfast of sausages, scrambled eggs and toast, they headed out into the mild heat of the morning.

"It's going to be a hot one today you lot," said Hermoine's father.

"Not as hot as it will be this winter," Ron joked.

"Yeah. In Australia," Hermoine said excitedly.

They eventually got to onto the Platform where the Hogwarts Express was waiting for them. They got into the front carriage as Dumbledore had asked them to. In there was a list of instructions that they had to follow.

"Where are the others?" asked Hermoine. "They should all be here too."

The others she was referring to were the other prefects. Ron, Harry, and Hermoine were all prefects, along with Draco Malfoy, Dean Thomas, a Hufflepuff by the name of Christine Baddely, Pansy Parkinson, and Andrea Yoggles, a Ravenclaw.

"We have been here a hell of a lot longer than you three slackers have," said a cold voice behind them. They knew at once who it was. Malfoy.

"Well aren't you clever Malfoy. The reason we were late was because we took the scenic tour through London. Something that you can't do with your family. You stand out of the crowd like a sore thumb. If Muggles saw in you out in the open, they would want you put in the loony bin," replied Harry.

"The what Potter?"

"Loony bin. You know. Oh, that's right your family don't associate with Muggles."

"For a good reason too Potter. We don't need to see any more people like you and your mudblood friend."

"That was uncalled for Malfoy," Harry said sharply "we are prefects, we need to get along with each other."

In Malfoy's head he was thinking how much he really would like to get to know Harry. He has always wanted to be friends with Potter, so that they could team up and do great things together. They would be a very powerful force. But the first time Malfoy had said anything to Potter, he was rejected something that took Malfoy a lot of getting over. He is still very bitter about it. Now that bitterness has made his feelings towards Potter turn much more sexual.

"I suppose Potter. I wouldn't want to be kicked out Hogwarts, over something as small as you."

The rest of the train journey went well. Everyone made it onto the train, and they got off on time. A good start to year that would be a very different one for all of the 7^th years.