sem_writes

Title - The Eighth Years - Chapter 2
Author - sem_writes
Rating - PG
Word Count - 3074
Characters/Pairings - Ron/Hermione, Harry/Ginny, suggestions of Neville/Luna
Warning - SPOILERS for Deathly Hallows and Half Blood Prince
Disclaimer - I own nothing. Characters are copyright of J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. I'm just playing with them. No copyright infringement intended. Please don't sue me.
Summary - The Eighth Years receive instructions about the coming year. Old friends reconnect.
Author's Note - I figured since I was late getting Chapter 1 up in a properly formatted form, I'd give you my revised Chapter 2 tonight. Enjoy!

Read Chapter 1



Chapter 2 - The Hogwarts Express

1 September found Ron, Harry, Ginny and myself Apparating onto Platform 9 ¾ with our trunks full of our new books. Ron had Pigwidgeon in his cage and Harry had his new, beautiful, spotted owl. He had decided to name him Romulus, and the name fit the owl well. The sleek scarlet steam engine, the Hogwarts Express, stood there puffing smoke as it always had. Now, however, it had an extra car attached to accommodate the returning “Eighth Years”.

“Our letters said that we’re supposed to go to the Eighth Year car to receive special instructions about this year,” I reminded the two boys, looking apologetically at Ginny. I then moved off toward the front of the train, hoping Ron would catch the meaningful look I gave him and give Harry and Ginny some privacy. However, oblivious as ever, Ron remained with Harry. I heard Harry’s voice faintly as I continued up the platform.

“I’m sorry, Ginny,” he said. I thought he might have been apologizing for more than not being able to sit with her, though I was sure the majority of the disappointment in his voice was due to having to leave her for the moment. “We’ll come find you for lunch, alright?” I looked back as I boarded the train and saw that Harry had taken Ginny’s hand in both of his, while Ron looked on protectively. As I took my seat, Ginny’s voice drifted in through the open window.

“S’okay, I understand. Just look for the swinging radish earrings. I’ll be sitting with Luna, I’m sure,” she said. I saw she had a sad little smile on her face. As she walked away down the train, Harry watched her go, looking slightly deflated.

“C’mon, mate,” Ron said, clapping Harry on the back, “better not keep ‘Mione waiting.” I smiled at Ron’s use of his pet name for me.

“Yeah…” said Harry, appearing to pull himself together. Then they moved out of my line of sight and a few moments later, I spotted them as they boarded the train.

“There you are. I was beginning to wonder where you’d got to,” I said, pretending I hadn’t heard the final exchange with Ginny. Ron sat beside me and gave me a quick hug.

“Just keeping an eye on our lovesick companion here.” He gestured at Harry, occupying the seat across from us. “Harry probably would’ve missed the train watching Ginny go down the platform.”

I smiled sympathetically over at Harry, and he tried valiantly to genuinely smile back. He managed a pained sort of grimace.

“Well, look who we have here. The Golden Trio,” a familiar voice sneered. “What’s the matter, Potter? Lost your reason for living, now that the Dark Lord’s gone?”

“Do us a favor, Malfoy,” Ron snarled, “and get the hell away from us!”

I tried to calm Ron down. “Ron, don’t––”, but Malfoy didn’t let me finish.

“So, Weasley, are you and Granger together now? I didn’t think a weasel and a mouse could live happily together.”

“What did you just say to me?” Ron was rapidly turning the same shade as his maroon socks in his anger. This couldn’t end well. Harry was escalating too. I looked nervously from one to the other, wiling them not to do anything rash.

“As I recall, Malfoy, you’ve always come out worse in any confrontation between you and Hermione, so I’d watch what I said about her if I were you,” Harry said through gritted teeth. I tried to draw myself up, to sit just a little straighter, to make myself seem more imposing than I felt I could ever be.

“What’s the matter with you, Potter?” Malfoy repeated. “No rage? No destruction? Well,” he let out an amused breath, “maybe the weasel’s sister is a good influence on you after all.” Harry and Ron both stood up, whipping out their wands.

“NO!” I shouted, grabbing Ron’s wand arm and attempting to drag it down unsuccessfully. But at that moment, Professor Flitwick’s squeaky little voice rang out through the car.

“All students, take your seats now, please. The train is about to depart.” Malfoy sneered at us.

“Looks like you’re saved, for the moment,” he drawled, and then he swaggered off to sit by Pansy Parkinson and his remaining crony, Goyle, leaving Harry, Ron, and me in peace, for the time being. But that had been an ominous pronouncement. I was sure he wouldn’t leave us alone for long.

It took Harry and Ron a little while to calm down after Malfoy had gone. As the train picked up speed, leaving King’s Cross behind us, I was torn between bolstering their mood and showing Ron just how much Malfoy’s words had affected me. The fact that I even considered the latter option proved just how much my affection for Ron had grown during the summer. I decided on the former option, given it was probably what was best given the circumstances.

“Look, Malfoy’s Malfoy. He’s always going to try to get to you. The fun for him is watching you two get angry. He wants to see how far he can push you before you go off. He—”

“Hermione, we know. How can you be so calm after he’s just insulted all three of us to our faces and Ginny behind her back?” Ron asked, speaking very quickly.

Harry was staring out the window as London swept past. Despite the fact that Malfoy’s insults had set him off, now I was sure he was thinking more about the journey ahead of him. His last journey to Hogwarts on the Express. Seeing the expression of wistfulness on Harry’s face made me think about my own feelings toward this trip. Truth be told, most of the Eighth Years could’ve just Apparated to Hogsmeade for school this year but, as our letters had said, we were to take the train as usual in order to receive important instructions about the year ahead. I was glad we had this last time on the train. It felt like a way of saying thank you for all of our experiences, good, bad, and even downright horrifying, in the last seven years. I looked toward Ron and saw that he too was immersed in his own thoughts. Was he thinking about the trip or about George? Probably the latter, given the way his jaw was set and the sad but determined look in his eyes. Percy had promised he’d write if there was any change with George, but for now all any of us could do was wait, hope, and worry.

Professor Flitwick’s voice brought us all back to reality. “Welcome back, Eighth Years. I’m very pleased so many of you decided to take advantage of the offer to come back to Hogwarts for one last year of instruction. Unfortunately, with the last year ending as it did, none of you were able to take your NEWTs, and I’m certain that, after this year, your employment opportunities will greatly increase. Now, I have just a few announcements about this year.

“As you all will have read in your letters, eighth year students will be residing in Hogsmeade. You will be living in cottages according to your House and gender. That is to say, each House will have two cottages, one for the girls, and one for the boys. We have not placed any enchantments on the cottages with regard to who is allowed to enter, as there are on the dormitories at Hogwarts, but we, the professors and Headmistress, trust that you all will not abuse this oversight.”

Ron looked positively delighted at this. He turned to me and whispered in my ear, “Sounds like I won’t have any trouble coming in to give you a goodnight kiss then, or maybe more than a goodnight kiss…” I blushed at his suggestiveness and turned to slap him playfully on the chest before returning my attention to Professor Flitwick as he went on.

“You are to report to the castle every morning during breakfast, and you are to remain until after dinner. This excludes weekends, of course. You are also expected to study at least two hours every day, in preparation for your classes and your upcoming examinations. Arrangements have been made with Aberforth of the Hog’s Head pub to provide a study space for students in his upper rooms.” I smiled at that. I was glad they were getting Aberforth more involved in school affairs. Albus Dumbledore, his brother, had been one of the greatest Headmasters Hogwarts had ever seen, and as Harry, Ron, and I had found out just months ago, Aberforth had always felt overshadowed by his elder brother. Getting him to contribute to the running of the school in however small a capacity must be raising his feeling of importance in the village.

“There is also the matter of prefects and Head Boy and Girl assignments. The Headmistress has decided to keep previous appointments of prefects among the Eighth Years. While the Seventh Years will have a Head Boy and Girl for the school, however, Eighth Years will have their own Head Boy and Girl. As not all of the Seventh Years from last year are returning and some are resuming their studies after a year’s, er, disruption,” I thought of myself, Harry, Ron, and Dean Thomas, though I had yet to see Dean on the train, “the Headmistress feels that new appointments of Head Boy and Girl are necessary, given the…circumstances. The appointment of said Heads will take place at the start of term feast this evening, which you all are obliged to attend.” As if any of us would think to miss such an important event as the start of term feast!

Professor Flitwick paused here, and Anthony Goldstein spoke up. “Excuse me, sir, but I’ve got a few questions. What about those students who are in…fairly serious relationships with younger students? Will there be different rules regarding visiting the village for those still at the castle? And how exactly are we supposed to interact with the students there?” Harry looked relieved, as if he were thanking Anthony silently for voicing some of his own concerns and also for saving him from having to ask the exact same questions.

“Very good questions, Mr. Goldstein,” Flitwick replied. “The Headmistress and professors are aware that such relationships do exist. Rest assured that you will be able to see each other quite regularly at meal times and during Hogsmeade weekends for Third Years and above. As we will be having an entire Year of students living in the village, there will, of course, be more frequent visits there for the younger students. I believe the schedule allows for visits once a month. You will be in classes with the current seventh year students, and you will be expected to treat them as you would any classmate in your own year. Otherwise, treat the younger students with the same respect and kindness you would if you were residing in the castle.”

“Will there be dispensations if we want a younger student to stay a night with us in Hogsmeade?” asked Millicent Bulstrode, a Slytherin whom I heartily disliked. I wondered why she would need to ask such a question.

“That will be worked out as the situations present themselves.” Flitwick replied evasively.

“Opens up some possibilities for you and Ginny, mate,” Ron said in a low voice to Harry. I shot him a stern look and put my finger to my lips.

“However, if this happens,” Flitwick continued, raising his voice slightly to quiet the other students who had begun muttering at this last piece of information, “the person inviting the younger student must make sure to check with his or her cottage-mates, Head of House, and the Headmistress beforehand, understood?” He raised his voice further on the last word to make it clear he was addressing the entire group, not just Millicent.

“Yes sir,” the Eighth Years chorused.

“Very well. That is all for the time being, if there are no more questions. You may join your friends in lower years in the rest of the train now if you wish.”

“Let’s go find Ginny and Luna!” Harry said immediately.

“Alright if I join you?” It was Neville Longbottom, our fellow Gryffindor Eighth Year.

“Hi Neville. Of course it’s alright,” I said as I gave him a quick, friendly hug, letting go almost at once. Ron could get very temperamental and jealous, and I didn’t want to risk his ire just now. “I’m sure Ginny and Luna would love to see you,” I said, trying to keep things on a strictly friends-only level. “How’ve you been?”

“Oh, I’ve been alright. I now know what it’s like to have to deal with the press all the time, Harry. You’d think they wouldn’t care about the kid who killed His snake, but with the whole Sword of Gryffindor thing, there was a fair bit of hype. Been having to dodge reporters a lot this summer.”

“Just stay clear of Rita Skeeter and you’ll be fine,” counseled Harry. He had noticeably perked up since Flitwick had dismissed us.

The four of us made our way out of the Eighth Years’ car, greeting our friends Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnegan, and Parvati and Padma Patil as we passed them. We found Ginny and Luna chatting in a compartment about half way down the train.

“Neville!” The two seventh year girls shrieked when they saw him and gave him a group hug, hanging on to him far longer than I had earlier. I recalled that Neville, Ginny, and Luna had become very close during the last year, as they had led the resistance movement against Snape and the Death Eaters’ torturous regime at the school.

“Missed you. I’m glad you decided to come back this year,” Luna said in her airy voice.

“After last year, are you kidding? I spent more time trying to organize the DA than actually paying attention in class. Plus, Gran would kick me out of the house anyway if I didn’t come back here, and then I’d be the homeless kid who killed His snake.”

“Better than the Chosen One, or the Boy Who Lived, trust me,” said Harry seriously. He had taken a seat next to Ginny. Neville and Luna were seated across from each other, and Ron and I were next to each other opposite Harry and Ginny. “So, what’s been happening in this compartment for the past half hour?” he asked Ginny, his arms snaking around her shoulders. It seemed he needed the physical contact with her just as much as I longed for physical contact with Ron. If we could hold them, we knew they were real, that they wouldn’t disappear the second we looked away, that they were safe. Ron however, wasn’t quite comfortable with showing outward signs of affection in public just yet. I hoped he’d get over it soon or this would be a very long year.

“Oh, we were just talking about last year, the summer, what we want to do after Hogwarts. Nothing too deep or involved, love,” Ginny said, leaning in to give Harry a peck on the cheek. I wondered if Ginny had told Luna anything about George at all, but given her light mood, I doubted it.

“Are they together again, then?” Neville asked Ron, attempting to be covert but not quite managing it. Fortunately, Harry and Ginny were too absorbed in each other to notice.

“Yep, picked up right where they left off this summer. Mum’s almost had to shoo Harry back to Grimmauld Place a few times.”

“And what about you and Hermione?”

“Going strong, mate.” Ron gave him the thumbs up, and I smiled.

“That’s great.”

“What about you and Luna? Anything happening on that front? You like her don’t you?”

Neville went pink. He was saved from answering Ron when the lunch trolley arrived.

“Anything from the trolley, dears?”

“A dozen chocolate frogs, a half-dozen pumpkin pasties, and…a half-dozen chocolate cauldrons,” said Harry. We had all learned to let him order and pay for lunch on the Hogwarts Express. Harry could afford it, for one thing, and he always made good choices for another.

The witch who pushed the trolley handed over the two dozen items, took Harry’s gold, and pushed on to the next compartment. Ron immediately reached for a chocolate cauldron.

“Ron!” I snapped, scandalized. “Eat your pasty first before you start on dessert.”

“Awww, but ‘Mione—”

“And don’t forget what happened the last time you had chocolate cauldrons,” warned Harry, smirking slightly.

“What happened the last—OH!” said Ron, hastily putting down the chocolate cauldron he was holding as he remembered the fiasco with Romilda Vane’s chocolate cauldrons during our sixth year. Not only had that led to disastrous consequences with his then girlfriend Lavender Brown, but he’d also landed in the hospital wing after being poisoned in Professor Slughorn’s office.

Ron stayed away from the chocolate cauldrons for the rest of the afternoon, but had double his share of the chocolate frogs. I was only too happy to give him my share.

“Don’t you want any chocolate ‘Mione?”

“I’ll have what’s left over.”

Neville and Luna went for a stroll down the train shortly after lunch, and Harry and Ginny were busy making up for “lost time” on their side of the compartment. When it was just the four of us again, Ron pulled me close to him and we were cuddling together on the opposite seat.

“How about my left-over chocolate now?” I sighed.

“But there isn’t any.”

“Oh, I think I can find some…somewhere,” I said devilishly. I tilted my head up and kissed Ron, pulling his lower lip into my mouth and sucking away the chocolate residue there. “Mmm, tastes good.” And then, almost overcome with the taste of him, we were full out snogging. We only stopped when Neville and Luna came back. The moment the compartment door slid open, Ron was all proper and no-nonsense again, which disappointed me as I was nowhere near finished with him.

“We should change,” Luna murmured contentedly. I rose immediately and Ron followed suit.

Harry pulled himself away from Ginny reluctantly, Neville said goodbye to Luna, rather more affectionately than before their stroll, and the two boys followed Ron and me back to the Eighth Years’ car at the front of the train.

SM