Bonds Of Fate

CHAPTER ONE -HERMIONE MAKES A FRIEND-

“Where did you get that ring?”

Harry, Ron and Hermione looked up at the girl who had spoken. They were on board the Hogwarts Express, winding their way through the countryside. Their sixth year had ended with an eerie quietness that had left them wondering what was to come.

During that year, they had seen the capture of an ex-Enchanter and the Goddess Isis reborn again. Albeit that they didn’t have much to do with the capturing or the Goddess, they had been there.

But the year had winded down after that. Normally, everything was in chaos towards the end of the second term. Either they were dealing with some mystery, or finding the answers to previously unanswered questions. Neither had happened the past year, leaving them to wonder what exactly was coming.

They were now riding towards their seventh and final year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Things would be busy this year, and they were worried and anxious of what was awaiting them. But there was still that undercurrent of disaster biding its time. They weren’t to worried, though. Disaster usually had no problems finding them.

The girl who had spoken was a quiet first year that had boarded the scarlet steam engine with an expression bordering on awe and excitement, fear and nausea. She had asked whether or not the seat across from Hermione was free, and stayed quiet the entire time. In her hands she held a book entitled “Whimsical Words of Woe and the Human Heart-poetry by Gilderoy Lockhart”. She seemed to be having a good laugh over a few of the poems.

She was now looking at the three of them with an intense expression, her clear blue-green eyes reflecting their faces with looks of surprise. She smiled at them with an innocence only mastered by the young and awaited their answer.

“I’m sorry?” Harry replied.

“I’m just curious where you got the ring you’re wearing.”

Harry’s demeanor quieted. “It was my mothers.” He looked at the ring on the ring finger of his right hand. Made of silver and gold, it resembled two snakes biting each other’s tails to make a circle. It seemed to glow with it’s own warmth.

“I’m sure she was very nice.” The girl replied.

“What was that?” Harry said, his face pale.

“Nothing, nothing, so what are your names?”

There was silence in the compartment of the train. “You mean you don’t know who we are?” Harry asked.

The girl shrugged. “Should I? I’m only just starting at Hogwarts, aren’t I?”

Another silence.

Finally, Hermione spoke. “Well, I’m Hermione, this is Ron and that’s Harry. Harry Potter.”

The girl shrugged, and smiled. “Pleased to meet you. My name’s Ivy. Ivy Lewis.”

Hermione, who still couldn’t believe that this girl hadn’t heard of Harry, smiled back at her. “Nice to meet you Ivy. Are you excited for your first year at Hogwarts?”

“Very excited, actually, and a little nervous to tell the truth. I’ve never studied magic before.”

Hermione thought back to when she had first started at Hogwarts. Alone and afraid, though she would hardly let anyone know this, she had wandered the corridor of the train being bossy and stubborn; the only way she knew how to fight fear. Her heart warmed to this young eleven-year-old girl.

“It’s alright, Ivy. We were all pretty awed when we first came here, too. Tell you what, stick by my side, and I’ll show you around. Sound alright?”

Ivy smiled. “That’d be nice. Thank you Hermione.”

The talk in the compartment then sped along a different track. Hermione was to be Head Girl this year, an honour that she had mentioned only three thousand times in the last two hours. “What?” she replied to Harry and Ron’s protests, “Can’t I be proud of being Head Girl?”

“Well, yes, but we don’t have to hear about it every five seconds Miney. You’re starting to sound like Percy.”

There was silence.

“I do not sound like Percy.” Hermione said huffily.

“Yes you do.” Ron replied.

“No I don’t!”

“Yes you DO!”

“No I DON’T!”

There was more silence.

“Oh, Ron!”

“Oh, Hermione!”

“Oh for crikeys sake!” Harry called out. “I’m going to get something from the lunch cart.” And he stood up.

“Wait up Harry, I’ll come with you!” Ron shouted, following Harry out and closing the door behind him.

Ivy smiled. “Boys.” She said.

“Tell me about it.” Hermione said in response.

“How long have you and Ron been together?”

“Since last year. He’s pretty great, actually.”

“You sound surprised.”

“Well, he’s always been so I don’t know, so Ron. Know what I mean?”

“Not really, but that’s okay. So, who’s going to be Head Boy if you’re Head Girl?”

Hermione shuddered visibly.

“Draco Malfoy,” she said.

“I take it he’s not a very nice person.”

“No, no he’s not. The only way he ever got anything was to have his father buy it for him. He probably bought his way in. He has a thing against Mudbloods, so I’m not too happy about it.”

“Mudbloods?”

“You don’t know what Mudbloods are?”

“No, I don’t know much about Magic.”

“But how can you not know what Mudbloods are?”

“I’m I’m not from around here.” Ivy smiled weakly.

Ivy and Hermione talked like old friends after that. They talked mostly about Hermione, though. Ivy seemed to want to know everything about her. Where she came from, who her parents did and who they were, that sort of thing.

* * * * *

The sorting ceremony went well. “Lewis, Ivy” ended up being sorted into Gryffindor as well and Hermione was glad of that. Ivy seemed to need a friend right now, so she was happy to have Ivy in her dormitory.

Hermione looked up at the Head Table, where the Professors sat. Professor Dredfule was there sitting close to Professor McGonagall talking excitedly. Hermione was glad that Professor Dredfule was back to teach for another year. It was somehow comforting having the Goddess Isis on the teaching staff.

There were two empty chairs however. But, every other class had an assigned professor, who else would be teaching this year? They were about to find out, as Dumbledore was walking up to the front of the hall to address the entire school.

“Welcome to another year! I hope you have all unlearned what you learnt last year? We get to stuff them full again! First off, welcome to the new first years! We hope you will be very happy here! Congratulations to our new Head Boy and our new Head Girl, Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger!”

There was a burst of cheers from the Gryffindor and Slytherin table. “Stupid Malfoy!” Ron said to Harry, “Wonder who’s dick he had to blow to be Head Boy!”

“Ron!” Harry exclaimed, “Be quiet, people might hear you!”

“Oh, c’mon Harry, everyone knows he’s gay. But if you had a father like Lucius, would you be out of the closet?”

Harry thought for a moment. “Nope.” He said, “Guess not.”

“As always,” continued Dumbledore, “the Forbidden Forest is, well, forbidden. As well, the second tower is off limits as well. We would like to welcome back Professor Trelawney from her sabbatical, and I’m sure we’re all glad to have Professor Dredfule and Professor Townsend back with us this year. As Professor Trelawney is resuming her post, Professor Townsend will be teaching the Art of Tarot this year.” Dumbledore paused to gesture to the two empty seats at the Head Table.

“We have two new classes that all seventh years are required to take. Thus, we have hired two Professors that are quite capable in their trade. The first course will be Magical Poetry, taught by none other than Gilderoy Lockhart.”

“What!” Ron said, “You can’t be serious!”

“Quite serious, Mr. Weasley.” Dumbledore smiled. “Now the other course. It will be Wizard Journalism, taught by none other than Rita Skeeter.”

“WHAT?!” bellowed Hermione.

Dumbledore smiled, and looked as if he wanted to laugh. “They will be arriving tomorrow. Now, I’m sure we’re all very hungry, so let’s eat!”

The golden plates before them filled with food and everyone dug in. “Can you believe this?!” Hermione said. She was practically seething.

“Why are they teaching here?” Ron asked, “There must be some reason.”

“Don’t look at me.” Ivy said, “I’m new here.”

“I knew something was going to happen this year. Why else would they hire those two jokers?”

“ ..BECAUSE THE EVIL IS ..” said a voice. Except, it was Ivy who spoke, and Ivy who was now clapping a hand to her mouth.

“What did you say, Ivy?” Harry asked. He looked very pale all of a sudden.

Ivy giggled. “Nothing, Harry. Pass the peas?”

* * *