Que Sera Sera

Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)

Chapter One

The Great Hall seemed rather empty this year.

Harry walked in to find the students sitting, almost waiting for him, even though he knew that this was not possible. For many students, the glory of knowing Harry Potter had worn off, particularly after the 'incident' last year.

He was only a normal guy for them, no longer a celebrity, he was just Harry. And that's exactly how he liked it.

Still, the Great Hall seemed rather empty. There was only the usual amount of students, but the tables seemed longer, there seemed to be more chairs and everyone seemed huddled up. The Hall was the same size, or was it? The walk had never seemed this long before.

"Potter," whispered a voice, "hey Potter, come sit next to me."

Harry turned in the direction of the voice. It came from the Gryffindor table, his house's table, but he couldn't tell who it was.

Glancing down the table, he spotted the two remaining Weasleys at Hogwarts, Ron and Ginny. Ron was in his seventh year, just like Harry and his flame red hair was easily seen from anywhere in the hall, making him difficult to lose. Ginny was sitting surrounded by her friends. She didn't look up when Harry walked past her, and it was still strange for Harry to be able to conduct a conversation with her without her blushing. He'd been the object of her affection for so many years, but for Harry, it felt saddening to know that she too had forgotten him.

Brushing past him was his other best friend, Hermione Granger. On the red and gold band of her black, pointed hat shone a silver Head Girl badge and she was busy ordering students to sit quietly and wait for the teachers to enter the Hall.

Still, the voice didn't have a face. No one was looking up at him and nobody even seemed to notice that he'd entered. Maybe the students had forgotten that he even came to the school anymore, after all, he wasn't on the Hogwarts express that day, so perhaps they decided Harry had decided to leave after last year.

A quick glimpse at the other tables revealed other familiar faces. Draco Malfoy was sitting at the head of the Slytherin table, looking smug as usual. His white-blonde hair had been restyled and now made him look slightly less harsh, but still just as pale. Instead of being scraped away from his face, his hair was now clipped and stuck up at different angles, almost looking fashionable. Harry was still surprised that for once, Draco was not pointing at Harry and telling some bizarre tale that degraded him.

As always, the Mellohdi twins were commanding the interest of the Ravenclaw table. Lexey was standing, making huge expressions with her hands, and obviously retelling something that happened to her during the summer. Her brother, Lane, was trying to make her sit back down and had a stern expression on his face, even though it was clear that he was enjoying her rendition. The surrounding people were in stitches before they were quickly silenced by Hermione, still attempting to be 'the best Head Girl Hogwarts had ever seen', or so Harry thought.

Harry could tell that Lexey was speaking harshly to Hermione by the look on their faces. Hermione looked stressed and annoyed that one of her friends was giving her such a hard time. Lane stood and tried to calm the girls down, who were about to rip shreds out of each other, but Lexey suddenly stopped when she spotted Harry watching her. She waved, which attracted Hermione and Lane's attention to Harry's direction, then promptly sat down and was silent.

Weaving through the students, Hermione walked up to Harry.

"I almost didn't think you were going to come this year," she exclaimed, hugging him briefly before looking him over.

She clearly noticed that he'd grown a good foot since she'd last seen him and although he was still skinny, he did have some muscle tone. His glasses still sat slightly crooked on his nose, and she straightened them for him as she stared up at his bright green eyes and his black hair that was still as unruly as ever.

"Ron and I were really worried about you. No owls, no nothing Harry, and you weren't even on the train today," she said rapidly. "I thought you'd given up on us, you know, after last year."

She lowered her eyes to her feet and waited for his reply.

"I'm sorry Hermione," he stammered, kind of scared by her reaction. "I just needed some time on my own. Last year was hard on me."

"I know," she whispered, "it was hard for all of us."

She looked up and stared at him, a hint of sadness in her face.

"Still, I would have been happy with one letter, just one."

She stuck out her bottom lip, pouting.

"Well, I'm sorry Hermione. What can I do now?" He asked, playfully clipping her on her chin.

"Not much," she replied, smiling again. "Well, what do you think?"

Harry looked at her in awe. She hadn't changed much since last year, but there was something different about her. Her hair was slightly less bushy, but that may have been due to the hat. It was in the way she stood and held herself. She seemed more confident and sure of herself.

"I like this," he said, removing her hat and placing it on his head. "Think I make a good Head Girl?"

She laughed and ripped her hat from his head, and once again regaining a stern look on her face.

"Now, Mr. Potter, please take a seat."

Harry walked around the Gryffindor table, finding Ron.

"Seat taken?" He asked, placing a hand on his redheaded friend's shoulder.

"Well, actually," began Ron, looking up at Harry and smiling, "it's reserved for a friend of mine. You might know him, he's got black hair and these brilliant green eyes. His name's Harry, Harry Potter."

"Sorry, don't know the guy," chuckled Harry, sitting down, "but I'm nicking his seat."

"I warned you mate," replied Ron, smirking at Harry, before clamping a hand on his shoulder. "Seen Hermione already, huh?"

"Yep, she seems pretty proud to be Head Girl."

"Oh I know," said Ron, rolling his eyes. "All summer, every owl I've got is about this school and how she's going to improve it."

Harry laughed at the idea of it and asked, "any idea who the Head Boy is?"

"Well," started Ron, "I would have thought it was you, but since you don't know then neither do I. As far as I'm concerned, it can be anyone except for Malfoy." Ron glared over at the Slytherin table.

Harry was about to respond when Hermione sat next to him and someone tapping a glass at the teacher's table silenced him.

"Welcome to the start of another school year," exclaimed the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. His blue eyes shone with pride as her glanced across the Hall.

"I wouldn't normally be giving this speech until after the Sorting, but this year, there will be no Sorting-"

The students gasped

"-That you will see. The new students have already been sorted and know which house they are in. Soon they will enter the Hall and you will meet them. Also, as many of you have noticed, there appears to be more room in here this year. It is not a mere illusion," he paused and chuckled to himself. "The tables are larger because there will be other new students, but that will be revealed to you in time. For the time being," he continued, looking over the teachers, "let us greet the first years and begin our feast."

The double doors at the side of the Hall opened and forty first years traipsed through them, looking nervous. After receiving a round of applause, they sat in their respective houses and became acquainted with other members.

"That's a short speech if I say so myself," muttered Ron as he began to serve himself some roast that had magically appeared.

Harry, on the other hand, was not hungry and gazed at the teacher's table. They were all there, all except for Snape, McGonagall and Flitwick who were obviously occupied. The Defence against the Dark Arts teacher, Fleur Delacour, had returned this year. Also at the table was Sirius Black joined by friend of his and former teacher and student at Hogwarts, Remus Lupin. Harry knew them both as they had helped him time and time again and were friends of his father, James, now deceased.

"What's going on Hermione?" He asked, still looking at the teachers' table.

"You'd think they'd tell me," she replied, "but I have as much of an idea as Ron does. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"How did you get here today?"

"Oh," muttered Harry, "I came with Sirius." Sirius was Harry's godfather and went out of his way to help him in any way possible, even though he'd only been proven innocent at the end of fifth year, thanks to Lexey, who moonlighted as a Death Eater and caught Peter Pettigrew, the real criminal.

"Oh, okay then," she answered, drinking a mouthful of pumpkin juice. "Extra security, I guess," she said, referring to the 'incident'.

This 'incident' had plagued Harry's thoughts over the holidays, even while he was miles away from Hogwarts, staying with Viktor Krum, an ex-Durmstrang student. Unknowingly, Harry had become a pawn in a highly dangerous ploy and came out of it barely with his life. He was still haunted by the memories of Voldemort clutching his throat and revealing the truth about his parents. The voice was still stuck in his head.

"Harry, your parents were great supporters of me. Your mother signed her life to me when she was still at school and you, you were going to be my strongest ally. You and me, we would have been unstoppable, but they realised what they had done. Oh yes, but they realised too late, much too late."

He laughed, a cold, cruel laugh, and tightened his grip on Harry's throat.

"By then, too much had happened and they were bound to me, forever, as you are. They tried to run, but Lord Voldemort is everywhere. I see and hear things that you can only imagine, and no matter how hard they tried, I always found them. Always, and nobody betrays Voldemort, so that is why they had... to... die."

If it hadn't been for Draco, walking into something he knew nothing about, Harry would have been dead. No longer was Harry the hero, but it was Draco, who stunned Voldemort and shocked even himself by his strength.

The feast was a joyous occasion. Harry had been able to talk to his friends with no interruptions and no worries about whether anyone was listening to them. He laughed and retold the small group about his visit to see Krum, but eventually grew quiet when Dumbledore stood once again.

"And now, for the new students. With the current situation across the English Channel, it has become necessary to close the wizarding schools Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. Instead of depriving them of their education, Hogwarts welcomes fifty-six students from the two schools, four males and four females from each year. These students will join their corresponding houses at this school and will finish their education here. I would like you to treat them as you would you own, for they are now all Hogwarts students, just as you are. I would like you to meet them."

Fifty-six students, dressed in either Durmstrang or Beauxbatons uniform, entered the Hall through the same door the first years had entered. The Hogwarts students stood and bowed to the new students. In reply, the new students bowed back and looked up at Dumbledore.

"Before they join their new houses, I would also like to mention that Madam Maxime will also be joining the Hogwarts staff and that you will also receive her as happily as you have these students. Now, everybody, to your dorms and I wish you all goodnight before you begin your classes tomorrow."

The new students filtered through the Hogwarts students, finding their new houses amongst the masses leaving the Great Hall, but stopped after hearing a mighty roar.

"Halt," yelled Dumbledore, "I forgot something, as you are aware, our new Head Girl is Miss Hermione Granger, but the duties for Head Boy have not yet been assigned. This role will be going to... Draco Malfoy."

"Geez, he saves your life once and he becomes Head Boy," spat Ron, talking to Harry.

"Shut up Ron, I'm tired," muttered Harry, leaving the Great Hall and heading towards the Gryffindor common room.