Harry Potter and the Rise of Hope

Chapter Four

The way to Hogwarts

They had barely reached the barrier when Harry heard some one call out Hermione's name. Looking through the crowd he spotted Raven and her mother, Hermione walked over muttering, "go on. I'll be there in a minute." Seconds later Harry was through the barrier. Raven passed through after him followed closely by Hermione. Then they boarded the train.

After getting Ravens trunk into compartment three and leaving her with a bunch of other first years, they headed for their own compartment at the front of the train. The Prefect compartment was the largest on the train. With eight seats it contained enough room for all the Prefects. Just in front of it was the head compartment. This year a sharp nosed Slytherin girl, (Tegilia Walker) and a broad Hufflepuff boy, (Daneal Harris) would be staying there. Harry did not envy them.

As they entered the compartment they were surprised to see that it held only one occupant. All tall blond girl lay stretched out asleep on one of the seats, and Harry was positive that she was the girl from his dream, as he was that he had seen her before. She looked quite comfortable in a loose navy tank and white jeans that were laced up the sides to mid calf. He was not surprised to she was wearing dragon hide boots, he was surprised however to see the mask. Pure black and covering half her face at a diagonal angle it was enchanted to look like it held field of stars.

All this was taken in a second, the second before somebody let off a Filibuster Firework on the platform out side. They all jumped and Ron began to snicker. Harry was about to do the same. Picking herself up from the floor the girl spoke, "It's not funny!" She looked around. "Oh hi, Ginny."

"Arora? What . . ."

"They called it a warning." She touched her mask and was about to say some thing else when a loud shout was heard from out side. "Look who finally showed up!" Arora yelled out the window. "Brothers!" with that last comment she walked out.

Harry sat down stunned. The girl from his dream was none other than Ginny's dormmate and best friend, Arora Grant.

They sat down and were quickly joined by the rest of the prefects, most of the older students choosing to sit in the back. At least all but Marks. A seventh year Slytherin, who like the rest, chose to sit within his own house. Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione were joined by the two new Ravenclaws and three Hufflepuffs. There was a lurch and the train started to move. Along with it came a commotion in the corridor, "what do you thinks wrong?" Ron questioned Harry.

"Don't know. Come on let's see." But before either of them had a chance to stand, a furious Arora marched in. She was dragging a Slytherin fourth year behind her by the upper arm. "What,' she said throwing the boy into the seat next to Malfoy, "gives you the right to terrorize first years?" Her voice was low and quite, exactly like Harry's old professor Remus Lupin when angry. The fourth year looked her straight in the eyes and stated, "The right of Slytherin!" Marks started to smile and then stopped. In the back doorway stood Tegilia, arms crossed, dark braid pulled over her shoulder, waiting to hear Arora's reply. She was not to be disappointed. Arora straightened, staring menacingly at the boy in front of her.

"Slytherin is no better than the rest. There is no rank! The only difference is the personalities of those within the houses. It is the same," here she looked at Marks, 'with those who think being a pureblood grants power. We are no stronger than those of Muggle decent, and there is no reason to lord over another because you are bigger! It should be the opposite! You should be setting an example! Are we clear!"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good! Someone should check on compartment three," she said over her shoulder. "First years are terrified in there."

"Got it." Hermione stood up and left.

"You!" Arora said turning her attention back to the fourth year. "Get out of my sight!" He fled. Arora turned and seemed to see Tegilia for the first time. "I well . . ."

"Very well handled." Tegilia turned and strutted out elbowing past Daneal who had been watching over her shoulder. He winked heading back to his own compartment.

"Well," said Arora perching on the back of her seat, "that was interesting!"

The fourth year fled back to his own compartment shaking. "Never," he said, "anger the new Gryffindor prefect!" He shuddered, "she'd scary."

Hermione opened the door to compartment three to find Raven, two other girls, and three boys. All six of which were rather pale. "Hi, Hermione Granger Gryffindor prefect. Heard there was a misunderstanding with a Slytherin?" a boy by the name of Devin Quirk scooted over to give her a place to sit. "So were should I start?"

"The sorting!" they chorused paling ever further. Hermione smiled; she had absolutely no intention of telling them what was in store.

Draco Malfoy slid out of his seat and strode over to Ginny, "Well, well, well, Weasley!"

"What do you want?" Ginny slipped out of her seat to face him.

"Just to say that you seem to have gotten all the looks and brains of the family."

"Listen Malfoy you have no chance of . . ." Malfoy reached out grabbing her roughly by the shoulders pulling her towards him.

"Oh I think I do. I think I do!" Face inches from hers, he was suddenly propelled back towards the door, hair a shocking shade of Pink. Harry looked around. Nearly a quarter of the people were half out of their seats, and Ginny had her wand out. One look at Malfoy told him what had happened. Ginny had used some type of hex to which nobody there knew the counter spell. Not wanting a good day spoiled he left the compartment in search of Hermione

"Harry told me to get 'Hogwarts: A History'," Raven was saying, "but there's nothing about the sorting in there." Hermione had to laugh.

"Harry told you to get that! He's never even read it himself."

"That's cause it's easier to ask you."

Hermione looked up. Standing braced in the doorway was Harry looking urgent. "That's because you're lazy. What's wrong?"

"Nothing important. Ginny just hexed Malfoy, that's all."

"Who?"

"Ginny."

"No, who was hexed?"

"Oh Malfoy. He was thrown back into the door; now his hair's all pink!"

"I know what that is!" Devin piped up. "that's the Aligus hex. My sister Orla taught it to me after visiting the States. Of course, she kept getting improper use letters from the Ministry."

"Well come on then," Harry said shooting Hermione a wink over Devin's head, "you can give dear old Draco a hand."

"Somebody hexed Draco Malfoy?" a curly red head piped up from the corner sounding out raged. The entire compartment turned to look at her and she blushed, "what? He is cute." Hermione shook her head and followed Harry out Raven and Devin trailing behind.

Harry opened the prefect compartment door ear half on Raven's conversation with Devin. "Why do you want to help that loser?"

"Well, think about it, if he has to go to a first year for help, the insult is kind of doubled."

Harry and Hermione entered, leaving the other two outside as Malfoy looked up hopefully. "Don't either of you know . . ." Harry shook his head and sat down.

"Nope, sorry." Malfoy groaned, burying his face in his hands moaning.

"I can't go back up to the school like this! Doesn't anybody know the counter curse?"

Devin poked his head around the corner. "I do!" Malfoy stared. "My sister does too. You know Orla Quirk? She's a third year Ravenclaw." Harry could see Malfoy contemplating which would be worse. Having a first year fix it, or marching down the corridor and in to a compartment of third year girls ensuring the story would spread.

"Very well," Malfoy said, turning his head so Devin had a clear shot, "go ahead."

Devin brought out his wand, pointed it at Malfoy's head and muttered "Ipsa Natur!" Draco's hair turned back to its original color and Devin marched back out of the compartment dragging Raven behind.

Malfoy was lucky. Seconds after his hair turned back to its original color. the witch with the food cart walked in. Sitting down with a lap full of Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Chocolate Frogs, and Berti Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Harry settled back for the rest of the ride.