Facing The Storm

Chapter One

Seventeen-year-old Harry Potter sat on the Hogwarts Express Train in a compartment by himself. He sighed as he stared dully out the window, watching the familiar rolling hills go by. He would be sitting with his best friends, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, except they were sitting in another compartment together...most likely still snogging.

That was the problem with having two best friends who were dating each other. They didn't have enough courtesy to not make out in front of you. It wouldn't have been so bad for Harry if he had someone to snog. But he didn't, so what Hermione and Ron were doing was only making Harry feel bad about himself. So he left them to sit in an empty compartment.

It seemed as though everyone at Hogwarts had found someone special this year. Even Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister, found somebody. And she had been pinning for Harry for years. And Draco Malfoy, Harry's arch rival, was apparently dating Slytherin Prefect, Pansy Parkinson. He caught them making out in the back of the train, so it was pretty obvious they were. Malfoy was also a Prefect, in fact, he had been made Head Boy that year - Harry saw the badge. Plus, he had to deal with Malfoy bragging to him about it. The good thing was that Hermione had been made Head Girl, so at least he had someone on his side.

Harry was probably the only one on the whole planet without someone to love, and he hated that feeling. Sometimes, being The-Boy-Who-Lived wasn't such a great thing, after all.

"Hey, is this seat taken?" a voice suddenly asked him, interrupting Harry's thoughts. Harry looked up and saw a boy he'd never seen before.

"Er..." Harry really wanted to be left alone, but he didn't want to come out sounding rude, especially since this boy looked new. He had to be - he looked too old to be a first year, or even a second year.

"Thanks," said the boy, and he slid into the seat opposite of Harry. "I'm Andrew McCaine, by the way. This is my first year at Hogwarts. Me, Mum, and Dad just moved here from Ireland. Say - aren't you the famous Harry Potter? I heard from a bunch of friends that you go here." Andrew paused, studying Harry, probably trying to find his lightening bolt scar.

"You seem kind of old to be a first year," Harry mused.

Andrew chuckled. "Oh, right, well actually, I'm a seventh year. You are, too - aren't you?" Harry nodded. "Good. Then maybe we'll have some classes together. What house are you in?"

"Gryffindor," Harry replied tonelessly.

"Then I hope I'm in Gryffindor. I heard Gryffindor is the best house, right?"

And I hope someone shoots you in the head! Maybe then you'll shut up! Thought Harry, but he didn't say that aloud, of course. Harry quickly got annoyed by Andrew. It's not that Andrew wasn't being friendly, it was that Andrew was being a little too friendly, and Harry wanted to be alone.

Andrew talked on about himself and his life back Ireland, and Harry wished the train ride would hurry up.

* * * * *

When the train finally arrived in the Hogwarts station, Harry bolted off faster than Andrew could talk. As Hogwarts students climbed out of the train, Harry pushed his way around to try and find Hermione and Ron. Andrew, of course, caught up with him and followed.

Finally, Harry spotted his two friends. Ron had Hermione pinned up against the outside wall of the train. They were, of course, snogging. Harry rolled his eyes and tapped Ron lightly on the shoulder.

"Not bloody now," Ron murmured, without even looking at Harry.

"Ron - Hermione - "Harry started. Hermione then pushed Ron away, her face all flushed.

"Oh, hey there, Harry!" She was beaming at him. "Sorry, we were just - er - " She started blushing.

Harry nodded. "Yeah, I know what you were just..."

"Who are you?" Ron asked Andrew.

Before Andrew could speak, though, Harry pulled Ron and Hermione aside. "I'll explain later," he muttered to them. They nodded understandably. "C'mon, let's go catch up with the others." He dragged Ron and Hermione along as Andrew tagged not far behind.

They hurried to catch up with the other students and headed into the huge castle toward the Great Hall.

"Just think," Hermione said as they entered the hall. "This will be the last time any of us will get to watch the Sorting."

"Thank God," Ron muttered. "Watching the Sorting Hat always makes me hungry." Hermione punched Ron in the shoulder playfully.

Ron, Harry, and Hermione were the last ones in the Great Hall, and hurried over to find their usual seats at the Gryffindor table. Andrew was about to join them, but then Harry said, "Um, I think you need to go up where the first years are so you can get sorted into a house."

Andrew nodded. "Right, see you later. I hope I get into Gryffindor."

Ron gave him a thumbs up sign. "We'll be praying you do...er...?"

"Andrew McCaine," Andrew supplied for him.

Ron nodded. "Right."

"Good luck, Andrew," said Hermione, smiling warmly as Andrew headed toward the small crowd of nervous first years.

Hermione sighed. "Andrew is nice, I hope he gets into Gryffindor."

"Andrew talks too much," Harry muttered to Ron, who started sniggering at this.

Suddenly, the Great Hall grew silent as the Sorting Hat burst into song. Harry tried to concentrate on the song, but he couldn't help staring at someone...Draco Malfoy. Malfoy was sitting smugly at the Slytherin table, he made sure everyone could see his Head Boy badge.

"Wonder how much money Lucius Malfoy had to pay the school to let his son become Head Boy," Harry muttered to Ron, who started sniggering again.

"Dunno, maybe more than those Nimbus 2001 broomsticks he bought the Slytherin team five years ago," mused Ron.

"Surely it must have cost more than those broomsticks, they are so outdated, now," Harry added. They were sniggering so hard, Hermione had to tell them to shut up and pay attention.

But Harry and Ron ignored her. "Do you reckon he'll lead his house to victory in Quidditch again, this year?" joked Ron.

"Shhhh!" hissed Hermione. This time Harry and Ron quieted down, for the Sorting had ended. As it turned out, Andrew McCaine did get sorted into Gryffindor, and he had already sat next to Harry.

Everyone waited for headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, to give the annual welcome back speech. Dumbledore, who sat at the center of the teacher's table, had a strange smile on his face. Harry could tell Dumbledore was hiding a surprise for his students, but Harry didn't know what it could possibly be. Finally, Dumbledore spoke.

"Welcome back, everyone. And welcome to Hogwarts, first years and new students." Dumbledore nodded at Andrew. "Another school year has begun. I sure hope you all had enjoyable, relaxing summers..." Harry winced at this. He didn't have such a pleasant summer. Well, summers were never pleasant when you had to spend it with the Dursleys, Harry's only living relatives. Dumbledore continued. "As you know, the houses of Hogwarts usually play against each other in Quidditch for the House Cup. But this year, I have some very exciting news. Some of you older students may be aware of this, already, but for those who don't know, a Triwizard Tournament has been announced."

There were excited whispers all around, everyone except Harry looked very excited. Harry, on the other hand, just groaned.

"Again?" he whispered to Ron and Hermione.

"Oh! I guess I forgot to tell you...Hogwarts let me know about it over the summer," said Hermione.

"Wow, this is bloody brilliant. I'm seventeen now so I can enter," Ron exclaimed. "Hey, Harry - I think you should enter, too."

Harry shook his head. "No way - not this time," he replied.

Neville Longbottom, a fellow Gryffindor and friend, said, "I wish I could enter, but I wouldn't do all that great. I'd probably be removed after the first task."

"Settle down, everyone," said Dumbledore. The students quieted down. Dumbledore explained to the younger and new students what the Triwizard Tournament was. "...Only one student in this school right now has ever entered the tournament and won it," he finished. He nodded toward Harry and everyone turned to look in his direction. Harry could feel himself blush from embarrassment. "Of course, now he is of legal age to enter..." There were some chuckles at this, and Harry blushed harder.

Dumbledore went on. By the end of his speech, Ron was groaning and kept muttering, "When can we eat?"

Finally, Dumbledore announced the start of the feast. He clapped his hands together, and magically, food appeared on every table.

"Alright, food!" Ron said happily, digging in. "It's about bloody time, too."

Harry, as he was hungry too, also dug in. Hermione had put food on her plate but wasn't eating any of it. Instead, she was busy staring at Andrew McCaine. "Isn't he so handsome?" she sighed.

Andrew had short, dark hair and dark brown eyes. He was lightly tanned, tall and well-built. Harry just shrugged, and Ron didn't even look at Hermione. Harry thought Ron tried to ignore that. Maybe he was a bit jealous of Andrew. Andrew, after all, was a good looking guy. And Hermione wasn't the only girl at Hogwarts who apparently had her eyes set on Andrew. Harry noticed a lot of other girls have been pointing at Andrew and whispering to each other, lots of giggling as well. Even Pansy Parkinson seemed interested in Andrew McCaine.

"I think I'm going to enter in that Triwizard Tournament," Andrew said finally to them.

"Oh, I think you could easily win it," Hermione said dreamily.

Ron rolled his eyes and snorted loudly.

* * * * *

When the feast was over, Hermione, Ron, Malfoy, and all the other Prefects left the Great Hall to show the first years to their dormitories. Andrew stayed at the table with Harry, who felt he had to get away from him, so he moved over to talk to Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan.

Andrew followed.

"What do you want?" Harry demanded to Andrew furiously.

Andrew looked bewildered. "Sorry, I just thought...you know, since I don't have many friends here yet..."

"Aw, Harry. Let him stay - he ain't doing nothing wrong," said Seamus.

Dean nodded. "Yeah."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Alright, fine. Whatever. I'm going to the dormitory then." He stood up and walked out of the Great Hall.

As Harry left, he could see Andrew hadn't followed him (Thank God). Hermione had given him the password to the Gryffindor common room earlier that day on the train, so he would have no problem getting inside. That was one of the good things about being best friends with one Prefect and one Head Girl.

When he got up to the Gryffindor dormitory, he told the Fat Lady the password and she let him inside. It was the same as usual. Luckily, nobody was there yet. Harry walked up a flight of stairs to the seventh year boys' bedroom. He found his luggage had already been moved up to his bed. Suddenly, Harry felt tired. Without even taking off his clothes and putting on his pajamas, he lay down on his bed and was soon fast asleep.