Harry Potter and the Crazy Trashcans

Chapter 2: The Letter

They had been riding the Hogwarts express for a while now in a compartment that included Ginny, one of her giggly 5^th year friends, and Neville. There hadn't been much conversation because everyone was afraid to bring up the subject of; yes you guessed it, Sirius Harry's late godfather. Finally Ron decided to say something.

"So Harry, er...are you feeling alright because of you know, Sirius? Because I know it's sad and all but it wasn't your fault so don't be so glum. Well your godfather died that's a reason to be glum.....oops"

"I'm fine," Harry said stiffly with a look that said Ron-you-better-start-running-cause-if-you-don't-I-will-kill-you."

"Harry if you're ever feeling too bad know that we'll always be there for you!" Hermione said in a squeaky voice. "Isn't that right guys?"

"Yeah Harry!" they said in unison.

"Thanks everybody, that's nice of you," Harry said quietly.

They all changed into their school robes just as the train jerked to a stop. They gathered their things and started towards the door when they ran into Draco Malfoy and his fan club, Pansy Parkinson.

"Oh look it's the Scooby gang!" Draco sneered at them.

"How do you know about Scooby Doo?" asked Hermione curiously. "That's only on Muggle television!"

"Uh well er...." Draco stuttered. "Never mind that."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione snickered.

"Well, you won't be snickering when Draco kicks all of your behinds in Quiditch!" Pansy said fiercely. "Isn't that right Dracie-poo?"

"Uh yeah Pansy," Draco said pulling her away. "Let's go find Crabbe and Goyle."

"Bye Dracie-poo!" Ron yelled after them. "C'mon lets go find Hagrid!"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione got off the train and as they expected they heard Hagrid.

"Firs' years over here! Firs' years!"

"Hi Hagrid!" Hermione shouted happily to him.

"Oh 'ey Hermione!" Hagrid said as he walked towards them. "And you to Harry and Ron!"

"Hi Hagrid," said Harry and Ron.

"We better go find a carriage, we'll talk to you later Hagrid!" said Hermione.

"Bye!" said Harry

"See you later!" Ron said. "C'mon lets go!"

"Bye!" Hagrid shouted at them as they left.

They found a carriage and hopped in excited for the feast and sorting. Soon they arrived at the castle and hurried towards the Great Hall to get good seats.

"Hey Harry!" Seamus said as he beckoned them over to sit with him.

"Hi Seamus, How was your summer?" Hermione asked as she took her seat.

Seamus didn't have time to answer because Dumbledore cleared his throat and everybody stopped talking abruptly. Professor McGonagall stepped forward with a three legged stool and the Sorting Hat.

Today I am brought forth again,

To sort you into houses,,

Hufflepuff the kind,

Ravenclaw the smart,

Slytherin the pure,

Gryffindor the brave at heart,

Our great founders did not intend,

For us to hate instead of depend,

A friend in each other is what we must find,

To defeat a power that could blow your mind.

There was a confused applause from the staff and students.

"That was short," Hermione whispered.

When Zinger, Stella was sorted into Slytherin Dumbledore stood up again and everyone quieted down.

"Welcome to our new students and welcome back to the old! I would like to welcome our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Eliza Selven!"

A scrawny lady with long black hair stood up and there was a polite applause.

"Now I can see nobody wants to hear me talk, let the feast begin!" Dumbledore concluded.

"YES!" Ron shouted excitedly as their golden plates and goblets filled themselves with food.

"I'm so excited! Classes start tomorrow!" Hermione squealed.

"Right..." Harry said. "Of course we're all looking forward to doing homework....."

"You mean copying my homework!" Hermione interrupted.

"Er yeah." Harry answered.

After the feast was done and the plates were cleared the all went up to the Gryffindor common room.

"Bumble beetle!" Hermione said.

"Correct!" The Fat Lady answered as she swung open.

The common room was filled with gossiping Gryffindors catching up with the news. Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat down on a couch by the fire.

"It's great to be back!" Harry said wearily. "I think I'll get to bed, it's past midnight."

"Yeah I might as well too," Ron agreed.

"Ok, goodnight!" said Hermione as she headed up to the girls' dormitory.

Harry and Ron went up to the dormitory and unpacked a bit. Then they changed and went to bed. The next day Harry awoke to find Ron and Neville already in deep conversation.

"Good morning guys," he said groggily.

"Good morning Harry!" Neville said cheerily. "Let's get dressed and go down to the common room."

"Ok....whatever," Harry said as he slowly started putting his close on. When all three of them were dressed they went down to the common room to find Ginny and Hermione already there talking about whatever those girls like to talk about.

"Oh! Hi guys!" Ginny said surprised.

"Hey! We were just discussing Ginny's love life," Hermione said with a chuckle.

"Hey!" Ginny said with a blush.

"Hem!" Ron shouted angrily. "What love life?!"

"Uh....heeeheee, never mind," Ginny said quickly. "Let's go to breakfast."

Harry, Ron, Neville, Ginny, and Hermione headed to the Great Hall to eat breakfast and compare schedules.

"Well I have Potions this afternoon and Dada this morning, how about you guys?" Harry asked.

"Same for me," Hermione stated scanning her schedule.

"Yeah me too," Neville said quietly.

"Well it looks like today we all have the same schedule" Ron said with an excited look.

"You got into Potions Neville?" Hermione asked surprised.

"Yeah I worked real hard all of last year," Neville said blushing.

They ate a filling breakfast and talked about Fred and George's business until the bell rang. Then they got up and headed towards the Dada class room anticipating this new Professor, Professor Selven.

********************

"Good morning children! I am Professor Selven," She waved her wand and her name appeared on the blackboard. "Welcome to 6^th year Defense Against the Dark Arts where I will help prepare you for your N.E.W.T exams. Today we will be practicing the jinxes and curses you were taught last year since that oaf Umbridge never let you do them. Pair up children!"

Harry's partner was Hermione's and Ron's, Neville. They walked to the far side of the room and started practicing disarming each other which was very easy for them because of the D.A meetings. At the end of class when they had gone through many curses and jinxes Professor Selven stood up again.

"Settle down and return to your seats children!" she ordered as they all quieted down, then she looked at Harry. "Mr. Harry Potter I heard you could produce a full fledged Patronus. Would you mind demonstrating for the class?" Many members of the D.A. smiled.

"Of course Professor, not a problem," Harry answered cheerily as he went to the front of the room.

"Expecto Patronum!"

A beautiful stag erupted from his wand and galloped around the room before disappearing. There was much applause from the class and Professor Selven.

"Well done Harry!" she cried. "Fifteen points for Gryffindor! Class is dismissed!"

After being congratulated by the majority of the class Harry headed back to the great hall to eat lunch. After a very good meal followed by a debate on which cheese smells better, blue cheese or cheddar. He, Hermione, Ron, and Neville headed down to the sinister Snape's classroom for, Potions.

********************

Harry, Hermione, and Neville dashed into the dungeon right before Snape could beat them. Harry and Ron sat together with Hermione and Neville at the table next to them.

"Welcome to Potions. In this class I will be preparing you for your N.E.W.T potions exam. All of you have received an Outstanding on your OWL although I seem to find it odd," he said clearly directed to Neville, "that some of these students even passed the exam."

Neville was maddened by this Professors comment so he decided to take a stand.

"Just because I am a Gryffindor and I may not be all that bright it doesn't mean that if I work very hard I can't pass your bloody Potions OWL!!!" Neville yelled.

"Or you know.... maybe I'm not all that smart..." He trailed of retreating to his chair realizing what he had just done.

"50 points from Gryffindor," Snape said with an amused look on his face. "Now, shall we begin class then?

********************

Dear my beloved Ginny,

I think about you day and night, wondering if you will ever like me. Deep down I know that you wouldn't even let me touch you if you knew who I was. You are the most beautiful and graceful girl, no woman, I have ever seen. I know you think that I am scum but I truly can be all you want in me. I spend each and every night thinking of your beautiful face. I want you to meet me by the broom shed at 4:30. I know once you see me, you will want to run away but I have sensed something that attracts me to you that I would like to discuss.

I will love you always.

*******************

"Ginny! That is sooooo romantic!" Hermione gushed. "I wish somebody would send me notes like that!"

"Notes like what?" Harry interrupted. Ginny blushed at this.

"Er.... Notes for Herbology...." She said unconvincingly.

Ron grabbed the note from Ginny who squeaked and quickly read it over turning scarlet as he reached the end.

"WHO IN THIS BLOODY ROOM IS SENDING LOVE NOTES TO MY LITTLE SISTER?!!!" Ron bellowed whiched caused half of the people in the common room to leave.

"Ron stop it!" Ginny cried.

"How can I rest knowing that some perv is in love with you?!" Ron yelled at her.

"Ron!" Ginny retaliated. "I'm 14! I can take care of myself!"

A fuming Ron threw the note in the trash and left the common room with Hermione trailing after him.

"Ron," Hermione said timidly, "are you alright?"

"No." He said sitting on a bench.

"You know I could try some charms on the note to see if I can find out who it is." She offered.

"Really 'Mione?" She nodded, "thanks you're the best."

They sat there for 5 minutes in silence, a nice peaceful silence, not an awkward one, when Harry ran up to them.

"Ron! Hermione!" Harry called urgently. "We can't find Ginny!"

"WHAT!" Ron cried as he started pacing speedily.

"Ron what time is it?" Hermione asked.

"Why are you asking the time!?" He yelled. "It's 4:31.....oooooh! you think she went to go meet her secret lover?"

"Yes I do," Hermione confirmed. "I'll be back in a couple minutes. You two stay here."

Hermione raced off leaving a confused Harry and Ron standing in the middle of the hallway.

*******************

Hermione ran up the stairs to the 5^th year dormitories and rummaged through Ginnys stuff until she found the note. She muttered a spell and rapped the note revealing a single name.

"I don't believe it," Hermione whispered to herself.