Never Before

Chapter 1-Coming Back

She took one step out of the train and looked around weakly. She was back, back at Hogwarts. Back at her second home, back at her Heaven, back at her hell.

“Ginny, hurry up,” said a voice from behind her.

She turned and noticed her brother, Hermione and Harry standing at the foot of the door.

“Oh, sorry,” she replied as she got out of the way.

She walked slowly toward the carriages, while the ‘Dream Team’ talked about Snape. She stopped at the foot of an empty one, and looked curiously inside.

Took a step up and entered the carriage slowly, hoping that the trio would decide to find another carriage and leave her alone.

But to her bad luck, they didn’t. A few seconds after she had sat down Hermione’s head had come through the small entrance and sat down next to her.

Soon followed Harry, who sat in front of Ginny and then Ron.

“I wonder who’s going to be the new DADA teacher,” said Harry as he looked at Ron.

“Don’t know, hopefully someone normal,” replied Ron while he shrugged.

Ginny looked out the small window, and got lost in her thoughts. Pretending that she wasn’t there was one of her best jobs. The ride to Hogwarts was silent for her. She didn’t care much of what they were talking. And they didn’t seem to care of how she felt. It was the perfect understanding for her.

“I don’t bother them and they don’t bother her,” she thought, “Couldn’t be better.”

Though she knew that loneliness wasn’t the best medicine for her depression, it was the only way she could think. It was the only way she could draw away from it all.

The carriages came to a sudden stop.

She felt someone shake her abruptly so she drew her attention from her puzzling thoughts.

“Ginny, we’ve arrived,” said Ron.

He then exited the carriage and called her again from outside.

Ginny took a step out of the carriage and took a much closer look at Hogwarts.

Standing tall and proud, with the crispy colour of the sunset, the lake, and black as ever, with shades of orange and red. It made Ginny feel all mushy inside, which made her give her home, heaven, and hell a wide grin.

“Come on Gin, everyone’s already going in,” Ron told her while he grabbed her robes and pulled her in.

“Ron! I can walk by myself!”

As she walked in she looked around for familiar faces.

“Everyone, please enter the Great Hall so we can begin,” said McGonagall as she gathered everyone into the Great Hall.

So many memories came back to Ginny. The Great Hall was the place where most of the events took place.

She took a seat next to Harry and looked at him quickly, he turned to her and said, “All right there, Gin?”

Ginny smiled and replied, “All right!”

Dumbledore stood up and everyone went silent.

“Professor McGonagall, please bring in the First Years,” he said.

McGonagall walked toward the Great Oak doors, pushed them open and closed them behind her. Suddenly the Great Hall became noisy again.

It didn’t last for long though, McGonagall pushed open the doors and behind her came a solid roll of tiny, cute looking first years. Most of them looked terrified, and nervous. But there was a particular one that seemed to be at the point of dying.

“Look!” she whispered to Harry as she pointed at the small boy.

Harry turned his attention the boy and laughed silently.

“Poor boy.”

“Please gather around here,” said McGonagall.

The students gathered around the staff table.

The Sorting Hat sat, quietly on the stool as usual.

The professor took the Hat from the stool, and called out a name from the roll of parchment.

“Zeibel Heartily.”

A tall boy, with flaming red hair and blue eyes moved through the crowd and sat on the stool.

McGonagall put the hat on his fiery head and it suddenly came to life.

“Zeibel, muggle born. Very brave I see, clever and patient. Now, where to put you?” said the hat.

A few minutes later of mumbling the hat finally yelled out, “Ravenclaw!”

Zeibel took a big jump from the stool and joined the cheering table.

McGonagall smiled and called another name.

“Keele Hershel.”

From the crowd came a boy with jet-black hair, and blue eyes. Very short, and plump. He sat on the stool and soon the hat yelled, “Gryffindor!”

So on and so on, one by one the students were sorted.

As soon as the sorting ended and the students had taken their seats, Dumbledore, once again, stood up and everyone fell silent.

“Welcome, to Hogwarts. Please may it be noted that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all students. Also, all entrances of the castle are guarded by Dragons. Hagrid, our care of Magical Creatures teacher is making sure that they are well fed, and looked after. To those that it might concern, one of those Dragons is named Norbert. That is it. Please, enjoy your food.”

Harry’s face lit up at the mentioning of Norbert, “Did you hear that you guys? Norbert is back!”

Ginny smiled at Harry’s excitement, “Yeah! A real Dragon! I’m really glad for Hagrid, he must be really happy.”

Ginny stared at Harry for a few seconds, and then he turned to her and asked, “Do I have something on my face?”

Ginny felt herself go red and replied, “Umm, sorry. Nothing.”

Harry smiled at her and went back to his food.

Ginny at her food rapidly, she couldn’t wait to go up to the common room and sleep till tomorrow.

“Hello,” said a small boy in the middle of the feast.

Ginny turned and saw Zeibel, the jet haired plump boy.

“Oh, hello!” Ginny said as she smiled at him warmly.

“My name is Zeibel, what’s yours,” he said.

Ginny could feel how shy and nervous he was so she answered.

“I’m Virginia Weasley, but you can call me Ginny.”

Zeibel smiled at her and then pointed to Harry. Ginny turned to Harry and poked him on his shoulder. He turned around and saw Zeibel.

“Hello.”

“Harry, this is Zeibel,” Ginny told Harry, trying not to look directly into his eyes.

Harry looked at Ginny and then at Zeibel, “Hello Zeibel, welcome to Gryffindor. I’m Harry Potter.”

Zeibel froze, Ginny noticed and so did Harry but he just smiled warmly.

“Yo-y-you’re Harry Potter?” Zeibel asked, stuttering.

“Yes, I’m Harry Potter. Nice to meet you.”

Ginny smiled warmly at Zeibel and told him, “Don’t stutter too much, he’s not all you think. Apart from the fact that he defeated You-know-who so many times, saved my life, that he is the best Seeker ever and that he’s absolutely gorgeous and sweet, he is the most normal person in the world.”

Zeibel laughed at Ginny’s comment but Harry looked at her rapidly. It took Ginny a moment or two to realize what she had just said and when she did she turned three shades of red and two of purple. She looked quickly at the floor and stuttered at she tried to say sorry.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to say that.”

“Why are you saying sorry?” Harry asked her.

Zeibel noticed what was happening to he turned around and began talking to a fellow first year.

“Because,” she told him, still scarlet and looking at the floor.

Harry reached for her chin and drew her face up, so she was looking straight at him.

“That was really sweet of you, Gin,” he told her warmly.

Ginny felt herself go red and she felt her blood getting warm of embarrassment.

“What are you doing?” said a voice from behind them.

Harry turned around quickly and Ginny looked at Ron.

“Nothing, I was just telling Ginny that, that, how good the rice is,” he said, rapidly.

Ron gave him a curious look and turned back to Hermione.

Harry took a deep breath and smiled at Ginny.

She couldn’t help but to smile back.

For Ginny, it was the best year so far. She got Harry to touch her! That was a great accomplishment. Having him that close to her was like a dream. A very nice dream.