Author's Notes:
As always, the world of Harry Potter does not belong to me but J.K. Rowling
Chapter Four
Despite Harry not wanting the summer to end, before he knew it the last day of August had come and gone, and he was packing his trunk to return to Hogwarts. In his bedroom he put Heather's clothes in the bottom of his trunk, then carefully stacked Harry's clothes on top of them. Mrs. Weasley had been surprised that he hadn't needed new robes this year, seeing as Ron had shot up another few inches and had outgrown his.
He looked around his bedroom to check to see if he'd left anything. He considered leaving some of Heather's clothes in the wardrobe, as his trunk was packed rather tightly with two sets of clothes, but he wasn't sure who would be in here before he was in this house again. Sirius had already insisted that they all come back for Christmas and seemed very heartened when Harry enthusiastically agreed. The room, which just over a week before, had felt stuffy and unknown to him, was now in a far more comfortable to him than any room he'd ever had, including his dormitory at Hogwarts. It had taken a few days to truly accept that everything in here belonged to him and to start putting up his own decorations. Sirius had given him an old Gryffindor pennant that was hanging over the serpent of the Slytherin, and his old quidditch shirt with his name on the back was covering the Black family crest.
When he pulled his trunk down to the entrance hall the next morning, he was surprised to see the number of people who were present. Apparently, they were going to King's Cross with a guard, which to his delight included Tonks. To Mrs. Weasley's great displeasure Sirius, in his dog form, was intent on going with them to the platform. In a tightly packed group, surrounded on all sides by order members on the alert, the group set off for King's Cross. Out on the street Sirius scampered too and fro chasing leaves and squirrels. It made Harry glad to see his godfather be able to enjoy the outside again.
The usual mob of students and parents crowded the hidden platform where they would catch the Hogwarts Express. Puffing smoke the scarlet train stood waiting, a reassuring sight to Harry. He already noticed the turning heads of both kids and adults as he passed, but in his excitement of going back to Hogwarts ignored them. Let them think what they want, he thought to himself, they'll figure out the truth eventually.
When they boarded and had said goodbye to Mrs. Weasley and the rest of the guard, Hermione and Ron left, sheepishly reminding Harry that they were supposed to meet the rest of the Prefects and patrol the train. Standing in the corridor with Ginny, Harry didn't know where to go. He'd never travelled to Hogwarts without Ron.
"Come on" said Ginny, tugging her trunk behind her.
They made their way through two coaches passing compartment after compartment crowded with students who all stopped talking to look at him as they passed. Some, mostly fellow Gryffindor's, smiled and waved, but most looked at him with blank expressions. It was no surprise that the Slytherin's jeered and glared at him, he'd been used to that since his first year, but when they passed a compartment of what looked like first years and one of them went pale at seeing him, his heart fell a little.
Finally, Ginny opened the door to a mostly empty compartment. In the corner, her face hidden by an upside-down magazine, was a girl with dirty blonde hair and a wand stuck behind her ear.
"Hello Luna," said Ginny, "Mind if we sit with you?"
The girl who Harry had to assume was Luna peered at them over her magazine and nodded. Once they both had their trunks loaded into the overhead racks, Luna closed her magazine and looked at them.
"You're Harry Potter." She said, and it wasn't a question.
"Err, yeah I am."
"Harry, this is Luna Lovegood. She's a Ravenclaw in my year." Ginny added, introducing them. "Luna, as you've figured out, this is Harry."
"Wit beyond measure, is man's greatest treasure." Luna said, as if in response.
Harry looked at Ginny, not sure what else to say.
Ginny tried to spark up a conversation with Luna about her summer. She told a story of her father and her going on a trip to Wales to search for something called a Crumple-horned Snorkack. Ginny told Harry that the Lovegood's lived on a hill near the Burrow and that she and Luna had grown up playing together while her brothers were off at Hogwarts. Harry wasn't entirely sure why but as Luna talked, he grew to instantly like her. She was definitely not your normal girl, but somehow that added to her charm. She was herself, in the most obvious and seemingly oblivious way. Almost as if she didn't realize there was any way to be other than completely yourself. Luna was very quick to tell him that she and her father didn't believe a word that the Prophet had been writing about him, and that they trusted Dumbledore that Voldemort had returned.
Harry's admiration of Luna grew the more they talked. When Ginny pulled out a copy of Witch Weekly and began taking one of the quizzes inside, Harry sat next to her and read the article on the next page. He was wondering what, if anything, Luna would say about it, but the blonde-haired girl made no comment. After she was done, Ginny turned to ask Harry what for his opinion on a dress that was being advertised. It was yellow, and Harry thought it would look very pretty on Ginny. This opened the door for the two of them to talk about a new hairstyle she was thinking about trying. At first it was uncomfortable talking about girl stuff in front of Luna, but soon Harry came to realize that she didn't seem to care.
The afternoon was going very pleasantly until the door opened unexpectedly. There in the opening stood Cho Chang, the seeker on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team and Cedric Diggory's ex-girlfriend. Harry had had a crush on her since third year, even going so far as to ask her to the Yule Ball last year. Harry had thought briefly of trying to talk to her at the end of the previous term, after what had happened to Cedric, but decided against it.
"Hello Harry. Had a good summer?" she asked, ignoring Luna and Ginny.
"Yeah, it was alright." Harry said, then without thinking added, "How was yours?"
Cho looked away for a brief moment and Harry could tell that her summer had probably been almost as bad as his was.
"It was good." She finally replied, then seeming to lose her nerve, said "Well, I just thought I'd say hello, bye then." Quickly she turned and retreated down the train, letting the door slide closed behind her.
"I think she still likes you Harry" said Ginny, looking after Cho's receding form.
About and hour later Ron and Hermione found them and joined their compartment. Ron seemed slightly offput by Luna, as if he weren't quite sure how to react to her. She laughed at one of his jokes for almost two whole minutes after everyone else had stopped, leaving him looking at her speechless. This put something of a damper on the mood of everyone and conversation became stilted. After Harry read a section of the Quibbler, the magazine Luna had been reading, Hermione made a derisive comment about the paper, causing Luna to take offense. Her father, it turned out, was the editor. Hermione tried to take back her statement, but Luna didn't respond.
As the day turned to evening, they all pulled on their uniforms and robes and got ready to arrive at the school. On the platform stood a woman that Harry had hoped not to see at Hogwarts. Professor Grubbly-Plank, the stand in Care of Magical Creatures teacher from their previous year, stood there doing Hagrid's usual job of shepherding the first years across the lake.
"I guess Hagrid must not be back from whatever Dumbledore sent him to do" murmured Ron as they left the platform. There in a long line were the school carriages to take the rest of the students up to the school. When he first looked at them Harry blinked to make sure he was seeing correctly. In the past the school carriages had always pulled themselves, but now there stood skeletal horses in the harnesses, waiting patiently.
Harry tried to ask Hermione what those horses were, but it turned out she, nor Ron or Ginny, could see them. All of them looked at Harry with slightly worried expressions as they climbed in and the carriage set off. Up at the castle Harry took one more look at the horses, with their empty eyes and black skin. Luna, who had been silent said to him, "You aren't mad. I can see them too."
"You can?" he asked, relieved.
"Oh yes. I've been able to see them since I came to Hogwarts."
Harry tried to ask her more but the tide of students making their way into the Entrance Hall swept them apart. The feast was as excellent as ever, with all of Harry's favorite treats. Sated by the excellent Hogwarts cooking, Harry tried to pay attention when Dumbledore spoke his words of welcome. To everyone's surprise halfway, Delores Umbridge, the woman from Harry's hearing, stood up and made a speech of her own. On and on she drowned about preserving knowledge and pruning practices. Harry tried his best to pay attention, but he couldn't. Her words had the same effect on his brain that Professor Binn's lessons did. Looking around at the other tables he could see he wasn't the only one having trouble listening.
When she was finally done Dumbledore finished his speech and dismissed them up to their dormitories for bed. Gryffindor Tower was the same as ever. All over the room sat comfortable and well-worn chairs, and they were already filling as friends found each other and chatted. Trying his best to avoid the stares and comments of everyone, Harry made his way straight for the staircase to his dormitory. He caught enough snippets of conversation to get the idea that some people had of him. Pulling out pajamas and climbing into his four-poster bed, he grabbed his diary and a quill and began to write.
Sunday, September 1, 1995
Dear Diary,
Well, I didn't think I'd be writing in you in this room again but hear I am. The castle feels frigid and not just from cold. Almost everyone I've seen seems to be believing the lies that have been written about me. It hurts a lot to see people I've thought of as friends turn on me. Seamus, Lavender, and even Pavarti, who I had started to think of as more than just a classmate last year, all are whispering about me. Seamus doesn't even seem to want to share a dormitory with me anymore. I'm feeling that old weight on my shoulders again, and it's only the first night back. I wonder how many arguments I'm going to have with people before they figure out I'm telling the truth.
I'm already dying to get to the clubhouse and meet up with the girls. I couldn't resist when I pulled the curtains shut on my bed and grew my hair out to my shoulders. Being Heather is so much easier with magic.