Order From the Phoenix

CHAPTER THREE

The next morning, the silver-pawed rat may or may not have been present; it was hard to tell amid the half-packed trunks, screeching owls, and all the other general chaos that tends to accompany mornings where people are running around half-dressed in bad tempers because they're running late. If he was present, he kept out of the way and no one saw him, or at least no one noticed him. This year, they had their own ride to Platform 9 ¾, because Mr. Weasley had rescued a car from some muggle junkyard, and very enthusiastically repaired it over the summer, adding a few charms here and there, of course. His enthusiasm was increased by the fact that it was no longer illegal to do so: his muggle act had passed, and it was now legal to enchant muggle objects, as long as the objects were registered with the ministry. Despite the fact that they were running very behind, they managed to get to the platform on time, no doubt helped by the charms Mr. Weasley had added to the car. These helpful charms included stretching the inside of the car so wide that the seats were like large sofas, and some sort of charm that enabled it to squeeze through tight spaces in traffic. It also seemed to Harry that the car somehow sped the traffic along as well, but he might have imagined that. Mr. Weasley had wanted to make it fly too, but both the ministry and his wife had overruled him on that.

When they arrived at Kings Cross Station, they still had a little more than half an hour, so they were able to take their time fetching trolleys and unloading their trunks. It was nice to be able to take their time, too, as it was actually a beautiful day, for once. Most September firsts were dreary and wet. Once inside the station, they took turns crossing the barrier.

"Aww, mum, you'd think we enjoy playing tricks, or something," said George, acting hurt.

"But don't worry," Fred chipped in, grinning mischievously. "We'll wait until you cross over to get into any trouble." And they were gone, before their mother could reply.

"Well then," said Mrs. Weasley, "Ginny, you and I will go next, quickly dear, come on."

"What, mum, don't you trust them?" asked Ginny, smiling.

"No," replied Mrs. Weasley grimly, causing everyone to laugh. She took Ginny's hand, they walked quickly towards the barrier, and disappeared.

"I guess we're next," Harry said to Ron and Hermione.

"Well, c'mon then," said Ron, and they wheeled their trolleys around to face the barrier between platform 9 and 10. The three of them strolled towards it, chatting casually as they slid through the barrier. Platform 9 ¾ materialized before them, and a few seconds later Mr. Weasley appeared behind them. Once on the platform, they still had about 15 minutes until the Hogwarts Express actually left, so they quickly stored their trunks in a compartment and wandered around the platform, talking to people they met. Harry, Ron and Hermione saw Dean, Seamus, Neville (who was looking for his toad), Lavender, Parvarti, and the rest of their year mates from Gryffindor. They also saw Angelina, Alicia, and Katie, all three of whom were Chasers on the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

"Hey, Angelina," Harry called, just thinking of a question that had been at the back of his mind for while. "Who's team captain now?" Angelina grinned and blushed, but just slightly. Alicia pointed to a badge on Angelina's robes that Harry hadn't noticed. "She is," Alicia answered for her.

"That's really great, Angelina," said Hermione, warmly.

"Yeah, congratulations," said Harry.

"Thanks," she replied. "We've still got to find a keeper, though."

"Don't worry, one's bound to turn up somewhere," Ron said.

"Yeah, you're right," Angelina agreed. "I'll see you later."

They said goodbye to Angelina, and continued walking around, passing other people they knew, but taking care to avoid the Slytherins. Much to Harry's relief, they hadn't even seen his archenemy, Draco Malfoy. After a while, it was only a few minutes until eleven, and the train was starting to whistle and puff smoke. The three of them boarded the train, but before Harry shut the door, he caught a glimpse of a familiar looking person in tattered robes. Was that... but no, it couldn't be...could it?

"Harry!" Ron grabbed his shoulder and shook him slightly, snapping him out of his reverie. "C'mon, Harry, The train's starting to move." Harry quickly shut the door as they retreated to their compartment. They waved through the window at Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, the latter of whom was alternately wishing them a good year and shouting warnings about NEWTs at the twins.

Harry, whose mind was still on the figure with tattered robes, didn't join in the conversation Ron and Hermione were having until Ron waved a hand in front of his face.

"Earth to Harry!"

"What?" Harry, startled, turned away from the window.

"I said, who do you think will be the new Care of Magical Creatures professor?" Ron repeated.

"Oh, well...I think, it might be-" Harry's mind wandered to the person he had seen moments before on the platform. Then he shook his head. "No, never mind, it can't be," Harry said, half to himself.

"Who, Harry?" asked Hermione, curiously. "It doesn't matter if you're wrong. We're only guessing."

"I think- hope, really- that it's Professor Lupin," Harry said, wistfully.

"Hey, we never thought of him, did we?" Ron said, excitedly. "He would be a great Magical Creatures professor, he was always showing us animals when he was the Dark Arts professor!"

"But you didn't hear what he told me at the end of 3^rd year, remember?" Harry reminded them, repeating what Lupin had told him. "He said that he could've bitten any of us that night, and he couldn't risk it happening again, and that was why he was leaving, even though we all thought he was the best dark arts professor we'd ever had. That doesn't sound like he'd come back to Hogwarts."

"No," Hermione agreed slowly, "but you never know. He always took that Wolfbane potion except that one night, and those were pretty irregular circumstances."

"Yeah, Harry," Ron added. "He always drank that potion, even though Snape made it." He grimaced. "And with You-Know-Who coming back- Hermione's right, you never know." They sat in silence for a moment, Harry's hopes much higher that the person in tattered robes really was Professor Lupin.

"Exploding Snap, anyone?" Ron said after a minute, breaking the silence. They played several games of exploding snap, took turns playing chess (Ron won every game), and even played a couple rounds of gobstones before the lunch trolley came by. Harry bought several stacks of cauldron cakes, a box of Chocolate Frogs, and a few bags of Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans, all of which he shared with Ron and Hermione.

"Hey- it's Agrippa!" Ron cried happily as he opened a chocolate frog, naming one of the few wizard cards he didn't have. Harry was about to congratulate him when the compartment door slid open to reveal Draco Malfoy, accompanied, as always, by his two bodyguards, Crabbe and Goyle.

"It's Agrippa," mimicked Draco. "Honestly, who cares about those stupid cards anyway? Of course, you probably have to get the whole set, so you can sell them for a decent pair of dress robes, right, Weasley?" Harry grabbed the back of Ron's robes out of habit, but Ron made no move to get up.

"At least I won't look like a vampire in my robes, Malfoy," Ron replied coolly.

"No, you'll look like a rag doll," countered Malfoy. Still, Ron did nothing. Seeing that he was not going to get any response from them, Malfoy left, muttering darkly to Crabbe and Goyle.

"Do you have new dress robes, Ron?" Hermione asked. "Because you wouldn't normally act that way towards Malfoy. No offense," she added hastily.

"None taken," replied Ron. "But as a matter of fact-" Ron reached up, unlatched his trunk, and pulled out a set of dress robes that looked a lot like Harry's, only a darker shade of green. "Fred gave them to me," Ron told them, grinning. "Said he was keeping a promise to somebody. I tell you, those two have been acting strange all summer." Harry grinned too, partly because he knew why Fred and George had been acting strange, but mostly because he was pleased that his friend had nice dress robes this year.

"Speaking of which, do you know why we need dress robes again this year?" Hermione asked.

"No," answered Ron, putting his dress robes back in his trunk. "I thought you would, being a prefect and everything."

"Well, they didn't tell the prefects," Hermione said, sounding put off. Harry might have imagined it, but he thought her tone sounded a bit like Percy's, whenever the school hadn't told him something important.

"Maybe it's another Yule Ball," Harry suggested, carefully choosing an Every Flavor Bean.

"Honestly, haven't you two read-"

"No, Hermione, we have not, are not, and will not read Hogwarts, A History. Why?" Ron interrupted.

"Because if you had," Hermione continued, ignoring Ron, "You would know that the Yule Ball is only held at the Triwizard Tournament, which is only held every 5 years."

"There will be a ball, probably around Christmas, and you will be required to wear your nice new dress robes," said Fred, who had suddenly appeared at the still-open doorway, George by his side. "We were just seeing what you lot were up to. Chocolate frog, anyone?"

"We'll pass," answered Hermione, nervously eyeing the chocolate in his hand.

"Alright, but I tell you, you're missing out on something," George warned them.

"I'll risk it," Harry told them, after a glance at the innocent looking chocolate frog.

"Same here," Ron agreed, also looking suspiciously at the chocolate frog.

"Alas, George, no one trusts us," sighed Fred.

"Ah, well, we shall just have to keep looking for some poor, trusting soul," George said, heaving a sigh as well.

"Who in their right mind would trust you two?" Ron scoffed. Fred and George didn't reply, instead, they looked a short way down the hall, where someone had caught their attention.

"Neville!" Fred cried happily, holding out his hand. "How would you like a chocolate frog?"

"Sure," Neville shrugged taking the frog from Fred's outstretched palm.

"Neville, don't-" Harry started to warn him, but it was too late. Neville popped the frog into his mouth, swallowed, and after a moment in which Fred and George stared at Neville with intense excitement, there was a soft pop! and Neville disappeared. In his place was an extremely large chocolate frog. Fred and George erupted with laughter, and even Hermione giggled. Hesitantly, the Neville-chocolate frog tried a couple of hops, which caused even more laughter. Seemingly pleased with the results of the jumps, he began to hop down the hallway, followed by Fred and George, who were keen to see how long the effect lasted. Harry, Hermione, and Ron returned to playing exploding snap, still chuckling about the success of Fred and George's you-are-what-you-eat candy.

The rest of the trip, by comparison to that day and earlier years, was very uneventful. No one else turned into giant chocolate frogs, there were no confrontations with Malfoy, and no glimpses of familiar looking people in tattered robes. There were no dementors boarding the train, no horrible rain storms going on as they caught carriages to the school, and no Peeves throwing water balloons at their feet as they entered the castle. Once they had taken their usual seats in the Great Hall, the three of them scanned the head table looking for a new face.

"Drat, he's not there yet," Harry said, pointing to an empty chair.

"If it's Lupin, he might have taken the train again. Maybe he's late because of that," Hermione pointed out.

"Or...wait a second- when's the full moon?" Harry asked, trying to remember.

"Today, I think," Hermione said slowly, realizing why Lupin wasn't there.

"He's sick, then," Ron said, voicing the realization of the other two.

"I still wish we knew for sure it was him, though," said Harry.

"Well, Dumbledore will announce him, even if he's not here, won't he?" Ron said, gazing up at the head table. "When's the Sorting going to start, anyway? I'm starved." With a start, Harry realized how hungry he was, and suddenly found himself wishing they would hurry up with the sorting. As if reading their minds, a line of nervous looking first years entered the hall, following Professor McGonagall. They seemed taller this year to Harry, but maybe that was because they weren't drenched and huddled over from cold. McGonagall set the ragged old Sorting Hat on a stool in the center of the Hall, and stood off to the side. The Great Hall quieted, waiting. Then, a rip on the hat opened, like a mouth, and it began, not to sing, but to recite a poem, as if the words were now too serious to be sung.

"Behind me now you all do stand,

Witches, wizards from many places.

With many backgrounds, many stories,

Many dreams, and many faces.

In years past, now I'd tell

Of the houses four.

But in these troubled times,

That tradition is no more.

For less than friendly rivalry

Accompanied these differences,

And separation in these times

Defies all common senses.

In dark times of war and hatred

Unity is key.

If you must know their differences,

You will not know from me.

If differences are many,

Then similarities are more.

Will to learn, Will to live,

You could go on for evermore.

And that is what you must do,

You must cause the list to grow.

I cannot simply say them,

You must make them so.

Reach out to others,

Spare them a glance.

Connect the houses:

This is your chance."

The hat finished his poem, and bowed. There were a few seconds of uncustomary silence- partly thoughtful and partly surprised- but after a moment, the sorting hat was applauded, and the sorting of the first years commenced. Despite (or perhaps because of) what the sorting hat had said, the Slytherins were looking surlier and meaner than before, and the newly sorted Slytherins looked the same. Harry momentarily felt sorry for any Slytherins who were against Lord Voldemort, but then decided there probably weren't any. After a time that seemed like hours to Harry, since Ron spent the whole time moaning about how hungry he was, the Sorting was finally over. Once all the first years had been seated, Dumbledore stood up.

"I have many announcements to make this year, but they can wait until you have eaten. So I pray you shall all eat with haste, and I will not delay you further." Dumbledore sat down once more, and the golden plates filled with the usual variety of delicious foods, followed by delectable deserts. The feast was filled with talk and laughter, and much teasing Hermione about house elves (all of which was by Ron). Eventually, every crumb had disappeared, and the platters returned to their sparkling gold status. Dumbledore stood up once more and cleared his throat. Silence descended quickly in the hall.

"All of the older students know what I am about to say, but for the benefit of the first years, I shall repeat myself. Lord Voldemort returned at the end of last term, and took one student, Cedric Diggory, from our midst." Dumbledore gestured towards the Hufflepuff table, most of whom still looked sadder than the rest of the students. Harry risked a glance at Cho. She had tears in her eyes. He looked away again. "You will understand, therefore, that there will be much tighter security this year. All Quidditch practices are to be monitored by at least two teachers, and the forest on grounds, while always forbidden, are even more strictly out of bounds and much harsher punishments will be inflicted for wandering in there." Dumbledore's gaze landed, not on the Weasley twins, but on Harry and Ron. "Other than that, we have two new professors on hand- three, really. Professor Moody retired at the end of term last year, as planned. Our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor is Mrs. Figg." Everyone applauded, particularly Harry, Hermione, and the Weasleys. " Unfortunately, Hagrid will be to busy with, erm, other tasks this term to continue teaching Care of Magical Creatures." Dumbledore paused, but no one seemed at all disappointed at this news, so he continued. "Our new Care of Magical Creatures professor is, unfortunately, not present at the moment, but those in the third year and above should remember Professor Lupin, the old Dark arts professor." After a moment, Harry, stunned, joined the tumultuous applause. "During the full moon, Snuffles-" At this, Dumbledore gestured towards a large black dog that had sneaked into the Great Hall during the feast. Harry, Ron, and Hermione recognized him as Harry's godfather, Sirius Black. "-will take his place. I assure you," added Dumbledore, raising his voice slightly over the laughter, "that he is a perfectly capable professor, and will be assisted by a Gryffindor prefect. Well, that's all the announcements I have, and I expect you all need your sleep for your first day of classes tomorrow. Bedtime! Chop chop!"

"I assume you're the prefect who'll be helping Snuffles, then," Ron said to Hermione as they stood up, chuckling slightly.

"Honestly, don't they tell me anything?" Hermione asked, indignantly. "I should ask Percy about it, I mean-" she broke off as a shadow crossed Ron face. "Oh, Ron, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay," said Ron quickly, although it didn't sound like it. Deciding this was as safe a time as ever to broach the subject, Harry asked, "How is Percy doing?"

"No idea," Ron replied stiffly. "We haven't heard from him." They continued the trek up the tower in silence, each of the three caught up in their own thoughts.