Return

RETURN

CHAPTER THREE-HOGWARTS

The next day we all arrived at King's Cross Station. We put our entire luggage onto the trolleys and passed through the barrier. Mr. Weasley and Ginny went first, followed by Mrs. Weasley and me, then Harry and Ron.

The Hogwarts Express was already waiting. White smoke billowed from the engine's smokestack and filtered over the rest of the cars.

The rest of the students were already on the platform, waving good-bye to their parents as they boarded the train. The scarlet engine gleamed under the sunlight.

"Ready for another year of Potions?" Ron muttered as we loaded Hedwig, Pig and my cat, Crookshanks, who was fastened in a wicker basket onto the train, along with our trunks.

"Don't remind me," Harry moaned.

"You two could have dropped it this year you know and taken something else," I replied as we boarded the train and found an empty compartment.

Ron and Harry sat across from me. Harry was sitting near the window.

"Yeah, but we actually miss Snape's lovely personality," Ron said, dryly.

"I wanted to drop it, but by the time I got around to it, it was too late," Harry said.

I just shook my head.

At exactly eleven o'clock, the train pulled out of the station. Shortly, our compartment door opened and Ginny, along with Dean, entered and sat down beside me.

"Hi guys," Dean said brightly to Ron and Harry.

"Hi," Harry said brightly back.

Ron eyed Dean as if he was a Manticore.

Ever since Ginny and Dean started dating, Ron was a little bit cooler toward him.

"I wonder who the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher will be this year?" Ginny mused.

"I dunno, but after Mad Eye and Umbridge, I hope he or she will be better," I replied.

"I thought you liked Umbridge," Harry said, teasingly.

I looked at him.

"Oh yes. She was my absolute favorite," I said, scornfully.

Ginny giggled.

"I just loved all those decrees she put up. Especially number 23," I said, sardonically.

I knew Harry was teasing. I decided to go along with it.

Ron raised an eyebrow.

"How come when he teases you, you don't fly off the handle like you do with me?"

"Because Harry knows when to quit and he doesn't get under my skin," I replied smoothly.

Ron's jaw dropped.

"I get under your skin?"

I sighed.

I didn't want to hurt him, so I decided to use a different approach.

"No, what I mean is that you and I fight too much. I'm sure you can see that."

Ron tilted his head.

"Yeah, but I thought that was normal."

"We're just different, but that doesn't mean we still can't remain best friends," I said, breaking into a grin. "That will never change."

Ron grinned back. I got up and hugged him.

He was shocked, but hugged me back.

"Awww, my heart is melting," a cold voice drawled from the compartment door.

I released Ron and we looked.

Draco Malfoy stood, along with Crabbe and Goyle.

"Shove off, Malfoy," Ron snapped.

"Potty, Weasel and the Mudblood," Malfoy continued. "Don't you ever get sick when you look at her?

Malfoy gestured toward me.

"I know I feel like vomiting each time."

He smirked.

"You are just a cold bastard," Ginny said, narrowing her eyes.

"Ooh, the twit actually uses big words," Malfoy said, mockingly.

Ron stood up and narrowed his eyes.

"Don't call my sister a twit, prat," he growled.

"Tell me, Mudblood, did you ever think about plastic surgery?" Malfoy asked, ignoring Ron.

Harry stood up and gently pushed Ron back onto the seat. Harry glared at Malfoy.

" I really wish you would hear yourself. You sound like a complete asshole," Harry growled.

Ginny's jaw dropped in surprise. We have never heard Harry talk like that before.

Ron and I looked at each other as well.

"Potty's using big words as well. But it's not as big as his head," Malfoy retorted.

Crabbe and Goyle snickered.

"You're lucky, Malfoy. There's nothing big on your body. In fact, radar wouldn't even be able to detect your brain," Harry continued.

This time, I giggled.

"Shut up, Mudblood," Malfoy said as he pulled out his wand and aimed it at me.

I stopped giggling and looked at him.

Harry pulled his wand out in a flash and aimed it at Malfoy like a sword.

"Don't screw with me," Harry snarled. "You won't win."

"I'll win if your beloved Mudblood got hurt," Malfoy threatened as he moved the wand onto me and said "Renastor!"

A thin jet of yellow shot out from the end of Malfoy's wand and hit me directly in my shoulder.

I cried out as I felt searing pain shooting through my left arm.

I was almost doubled over. Ginny and Ron rushed over to me and helped me to sit back down. Dean was looking angrily at Malfoy. But not as angry as Harry. He looked murderous.

Harry hissed "Fasunet!"

Malfoy got hit with the thin jet of white from the tip of Harry's wand square in the chest. Before any more spell 'wars' went on, Dean got up and closed the compartment door in Malfoy's face.

The pain in my left arm was searing. I had tears in my eyes as I slumped against Ginny.

The spell Malfoy used causes pain to the point of wanting to amputate a limb or wherever the spell hits. The spell Harry used, is a sister to the stunning spell, only Malfoy will be stunned for 2 hours instead of a few minutes.

Harry tossed his wand onto the seat and sat down beside me.

"Is she okay?" he asked anxiously.

"Do you know the counter spell?" Ginny asked, worriedly.

She too, had tears in her eyes.

Dean and Ron shook their heads.

"I know it," I sobbed.

"What is it?" Harry demanded automatically.

"Illex," I sobbed, pressing my face into Ginny's shoulder.

Harry grabbed his wand and held it one inch above my arm. He took a deep breath and looked at Ron, Ginny and Dean before focusing his eyes on me.

"Illex," he said.

A short, jet of red shot out. Immediately, the pain began subsiding and I stopped crying.

"It worked!" Ron cried, relieved.

Dean and Ron slapped each other a high five. Ron seemed to have forgotten the fact that he loathed Dean.

"Are you alright?" Harry demanded.

"Yes. The pain's gone," I said, drying my eyes.

Ginny got up and sat across from us with Dean and Ron. Harry sat beside me.

Harry wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me close. My head was resting on his chest under his arm.

Ron looked from me to Harry before breaking out into a grin. Ginny leaned close to Ron and they began whispering something.

"We're right here, you know," I said, grinning.

"I'm just filling Ron in on the good news," Ginny said, innocently.

"That's good," Harry said, distractedly.

"What's wrong?" I asked, looking up at him.

"Malfoy's getting worse. He went too far this time. He's never actually used a spell on you before," he replied.

"No, he just wishes that the Basilisk would have eaten me," I said, dryly. "He tried to use a spell on you a number of times."

"Yeah, I don't care if it's me, but not you or Ron or anyone else," he replied.

"That's sweet, but where would I be without you?" I asked.

He smiled.

I just snuggled up closer against him.

We arrived at Hogwarts shortly after that. Beforehand, we had changed into our uniforms and robes.

I adjusted my tie before I pulled my robe on. We stepped down off the train and boarded the carriages pulled by the Threstrals.

We all hurried into the Great Hall and over to the Gryffindor table. Professor Dumbledore stood up. Immediately, the Hall quieted down.

"Welcome to a New Year. After the first years are sorted, I will make a special announcement," he said and sat back down.

The first years looked nervous as they began getting sorted.

"Wonderful. Our favorite teacher is here to share his lovely wisdom," Ron muttered bitterly as Harry and I followed his gaze up to the head table.

Professor Snape was sitting dressed in his usual black robes and he still looked the same with his shoulder length greasy black hair. He was talking with Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher. Next to Flitwick, was Professor Sinistra, who taught Astronomy, then a new witch we had no idea who she was. Professor Dumbledore was in the center and on his left was Professor McGonagall, and on her left was Professor Sprout, the Herbology teacher.

"I wonder who the new teacher is?" Harry mused.

"I dunno," Ron said, awed.

Once the first years were sorted, Professor Dumbledore stood up again.

"I want to welcome all of the new students and all of the old ones," he said, his blue eyes twinkling behind his half moon spectacles. "First, I'd like to introduce the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher. Professor Hilary Robbins."

There was a warm welcoming as everyone clapped. She beamed.

She had angelic features with shoulder length dark blond hair, which was fluffed around her shoulders and intense blue eyes, which was haunting. She was dressed in the palest purple robes. On her head was a matching purple witch hat.

She was pretty and most of the boys were ogling her.

"Secondly, this year those students below third year won't be able to attend Hogsmeade. I know that's not new news to most of you, but the new students don't know," Professor Dumbledore grinned.

Ron snorted.

"The special announcement is that there will be a Christmas dance."

Moans, giggles and sighs went around the Hall.

"Come on. I know most of you will come. Anyway, let's eat!"

Our plates filled with food. Ron hungrily dove in.

"I'm starving!" Ron said, plopping a good helping of mashed potatoes onto his plate.

"That's nothing new. You're like a garbage disposal," I said, eyeing him with disgust as he dove into the pork chops next.

Harry laughed.

"And the food doesn't disappear with magic. Where does he put it?" I asked, amused.

Harry laughed again.

"I have no idea."

After dinner, we headed to our common room.

"Ugh. I'm beat," Harry said, stretching.

"Me too," Ron said.

"Yep, so am I," I admitted. "Good night."

"Night, Hermione. Night Ron," Harry said.

"Night Harry, Hermione," Ron said next.

"Good night, boys," I said.

Harry gave me a wink before following Ron into the boy's dorm. I headed into the girl's.

I fell fast asleep.

The next morning, we got our schedules.

We had the new Defense teacher after lunch. Before lunch, we had Potions, Herbology and Arithmancy (for me). At lunch, we all met outside under an oak tree and sat down on the warmth of the grass.

Ginny had joined us.

"I wonder what the new teacher is like?" Ron mused.

"Well, we won't have to wait much longer. It's after lunch," Harry replied.

"She's pretty. I heard a bunch of seventh years talking about her," Ginny replied.

"What were they saying?" I asked.

Ginny gave me a look that read "Don't ask."

"Well?" Ron prodded.

"Erm, let's talk about the Christmas dance," I said, quickly as Ginny gave me a pleading look.

"Why? It's mushy stuff," Ron said, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

"Asking girls to the dance is not exactly hard," I replied, frowning.

"I know that...but it's when the girl expects you to kiss her or how do we know when you get mood swings? It's confusing!" Ron said.

"I'll tell you one thing," I said. "I'm getting a mood swing right now."

Ron looked appalled.

Harry, Ginny and I burst out laughing.

"Oh. You were kidding," Ron said, relieved.

We laughed again.

After lunch, we headed to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. The new teacher was already there, waiting patiently in front of the blackboard. She had her hands clasped behind her back and she had taken off her hat.

"Hello," she said, warmly.

"Hi," Ron said.

We took our seats in the middle of the classroom.

Once everyone was settled, she began.

"Hello. I'm Professor Robbins. Please take out your books," she said, pleasantly.

We all reached into our bags and pulled out our textbooks.

"Since I'm new here, can someone please fill me in on what you've studied?"

I raised my hand.

"Please tell me your name," Professor Robbins said.

"Hermione Granger,"

"Well, then, Miss Granger...what have you studied so far?" she asked, smiling.

"We've done kappa's, grindylow's, boggarts, werewolves and that's about it. Our teacher last year really didn't give us a 'hands on' lesson," I said, lowering my hand.

"Oh yes, I've heard about Umbridge," Professor Robbins said, knowingly. "Suppose you were confronted with werewolves? How on earth would you know how to get yourself out of there unless you were exposed to the knowledge?"

Ron grinned.

I could tell he liked her right away.

"And I've heard about her 'decrees'. Sheesh. What was she trying to do? Make learning the one thing that kids are going to despise being exposed to? That's not fun!"

Some of the kids cheered.

It was kind of funny to hear another teacher put Umbridge down. I guessed she didn't like her either.

Harry was grinning also. Both he and Ron seemed taken automatically with her, among with the rest of the students.

"What are you going to teach us?" I asked.

Professor Robbins turned her haunting blue eyes onto me.

"Are you all familiar with Professor Lupin?" she asked.

We nodded.

"Well, so am I. My teaching style is similar to his. I hope you all enjoy my classes. Our first lesson today is how to shield the Tordey Charm. Please take out your wands,"

We eagerly took out our wands.

"Now, the Tordey Charm is similar to a Stupefy Charm only the person is frozen for a few seconds. I want you all to practice on these Gecko's," Professor Robbins said as she handed each of us a small gecko. I successfully stunned my gecko for a few seconds. Ron was having trouble. Harry seemed to have managed to get a grasp on it fast.

When class was over, everyone was eagerly talking about Professor Robbins.

"She's great! If she's anything like Lupin..."

"I actually was able to stun the gecko..."

"I can't wait for Thursday's class! I wonder what she's going to do next..."

"Well Hermione? Do you like her?" Ron asked me as we headed to the common room.

"She seems nice and if she's got the teaching style like Lupin, she might just be the best teacher besides Lupin that we've had," I said.

"I totally agree," Harry said, throwing his arm around my shoulders.

"Thank God we don't have Potions until tomorrow afternoon," Ron said, sighing.

"Oh admit it...you like Professor Snape," I said, teasingly.

"Yeah...when he's not around," Ron replied.

We laughed.

"I bet he feels the same way when you aren't," Harry joked.

We went to dinner, Ron muttering how he was going to shave Harry.