"Will you stop eating? Your best friends are missing!" Hermione exclaimed, smacking Ron on the back of his head.
He groaned and looked up.
"Why won't you turn around, you lunatic?" Ron laughed going back to his food.
Hermione looked and saw Isabel walk in with a boy.
"She's walking with a boy!" Hermione whisper-yelled excitedly to Ron and Ginny.
Ginny wiggled her eyebrows and giggled.
"That my good friends," Ron said, gesturing to the boy Isabel was with, "Is Shane Anderson, a 7th-year hot shot."
"He's kind of cute," Hermione said.
"Very cute," Ginny said.
"Very selfish, more like it," Ron muttered.
"What do you mean, Ronald?" Hermione said, annoyed.
"I just mean that he always has to have everything his way and he will make sure of it. He's just not a great person is all I'm saying," Ron said.
Shane walked Isabel over to her friends.
"Thanks again," Isabel said to Shane as she sat with her friends.
"The pleasure was all mine, I hope to see you again soon," Shane said with a wink and walked over to his friends.
"Woah," Isabel sighed as she sat down.
"Isabel, he is so cute!" Hermione said.
"Yeah, he's super nice," Isabel said, smiling, "But, where's Harry?"
"Dunno," Ron said.
Their conversation was cut off by the opening ceremony of the sorting hat.
Isabel watched as the small first years excitedly get sorted.
There was one little boy named Oliver.
She couldn't help but think about her dead baby brother.
He would've loved Hogwarts, even though he wasn't a wizard.
She squeezed her eyes shut as she pictured his dead, bloody body.
She bit her cheek and sucked in a breath, willing herself not to cry.
"Isabel?" Ginny asked, noticing Isabel's pained expression.
"I'm fine," Isabel said, as a tear escaped.
"Isabel," Hermione said, seriously.
"I miss him," She said. They all understood.
Ginny gave Isabel a hug and they listened to the rest of the ceremony.
"Look who decided to show up," Hermione muttered, snapping Isabel out of her thoughts.
She looked up to see Harry and Luna walk towards them.
"He's covered in blood again. Why is it he's always covered in blood?" Isabel said, worriedly.
"Looks like it's his own this time," Ron added.
"Where have you been? What happened to your face?" Hermione exclaimed.
"Later. What did I miss?" Harry asked.
"The Sorting Hat says we ought to be brave and strong in these troubled times. Easy for it to say, though. It's a hat, isn't it?" Ron said, filling Harry in.
Dumbledore stood in front of everyone and started to address them.
Isabel took a napkin off the table and gently dabbed Harry's bloody nose.
"Thanks," Harry said to Isabel, his stomach full of butterflies as he watched her dark green eyes scan over his face. Her gentle touch gave him chills.
"As you know, each and every one of you was searched upon your arrival here tonight. And you have the right to know why. Once, there was a young man. Like you, sat in this very hall. Walked this castle's corridors. Slept under its roof. You see, to all the world, a student like any other. His name: Tom Riddle. Today, of course, is known all over the world by another name. Which is why as I stand, looking out upon you all tonight, I'm reminded of a sobering fact. Every day, every hour, this very minute, perhaps... dark forces attempt to penetrate this castle's walls. But in the end, that greatest weapon... is you. Just something to think about. Now off to bed." Dumbledore said.
"That was cheerful," Ron mumbled.
-
Harry and Ron were enjoying watching all the first years try to find their way to class on the first day. They had a free period as Isabel and Hermione were in potions.
"Potter!" McGonagall yelled to him, "Enjoying ourselves, are we?"
"I had a free period this morning, Professor," Harry explained.
"So I noticed. I would think you would want to fill it with Potions. Or is it no longer your ambition to become an Auror?"
"Well, it was, but I was told to have to get an Outstanding in my O.W.L."
"So you did when Professor Snape was teaching Potions. However, Professor Slughorn's perfectly happy to accept N.E.W.T. students with 'Exceeds Expectations'."
"Brilliant, um... Well, I'll head there straight away." Harry said, reluctant to give up his free period.
"Oh, good, good. Potter, take Weasley with you. He looks far too happy over there." McGonagall said.
Harry grabbed Ron and headed towards the Potions room. Ron complained the whole time. Harry didn't really mind, it was another period he would get to spend with Isabel.
"Harry, my boy. You brought someone with us, I see." Slughorn said as Harry and Ron entered the classroom. Isabel gave Harry a small smile.
"Ron Weasley, sir. But I'm dead awful at Potions. A menace, actually so. I'm probably just gonna--" Ron said, trying to leave the classroom. Lavender Brown was staring, infatuated with Ron.
"Nonsense, we'll sort you out. Any friend of Harry's is a friend of mine. Get your books out." Slughorn responded.
"I'm sorry, sir, I haven't actually got my book yet and Ron too," Harry said, awkwardly.
"Not to worry, get what you want from the cupboard," Slughorn responded truning back to his class.
Harry and Ron raced to get the nicer textbook. In the end, Harry was left with the destroyed textbook.
"Now as I was saying, I prepared some concoctions this morning. Any ideas what these might be?" Slughorn asked, Hermione's hand instantly shot up, "Yes, Miss...?"
"Granger, sir," Hermione said, "That one there is Veritaserum. It's a truth-telling serum. And that one-- It's terribly tricky to make. This is Amortentia. The most powerful love potion in the world."
Everyone was very curious about the Amortentia potion. Hermione walked closer to it, everyone watching her.
"It's rumored to smell differently to each person according to what attracts them. For example, I smell... Freshly mown grass and new parchment and spearmint-- toothpaste." Hermione said, frazzled and walked back beside Isabel.
"Now Amortentia doesn't create actual love. That would be impossible, but it does cause powerful infatuation or obsession. And for that reason, it is probably the most dangerous potion in this room." Slughorn continued as each student smelled the potion for themselves.
"Sir, you haven't told us what's in that one." A student pointed out.
"Oh yes. What you see before you, ladies and gentlemen is a curious little potion, known as Felix Felicis. But it is more commonly known referred to as--" Slughorn was cut off.
"Liquid luck."
"Yes, Miss Granger. Liquid luck. Desperately tricky to make, disastrous should you get it wrong. One sip and you'll find that all of your endeavors succeed. At least until the effects wear off."
Everyone was fascinated and wanted some of their own.
"So this is what I offer each of you today. One tiny vial of liquid luck to the student who in the hour that remains, manages to brew an acceptable Draught of Living Dead. Recipes for which can be found on page 10 of your books. Issue one doubt, however. Only one set of student manages to brew a potion of sufficient quality to claim this prize. Nevertheless, good luck to you all. Let the brewing commence." Slughorn finished. All the students dispersed and started to make the potion.
Harry opened his book to find notes taken in the textbook, changes to the potion.
He decided to follow the notes.
-
"Merlin's beard! It is perfect! So perfect I'd just say one drop would kill us all!" Slughorn exclaimed as he examined Harry's potion.
Hermione looked furious as Harry had beaten her.
"Here we are then, as promised. One vial of Felix Felicis. Congratulations. Use it well." Slughorn gave Harry the vial and patted him on the back. Harry held it up and smiled, causing Isabel to smile back.
-
The group of friends sat around during lunch.
"So what did you guys smell in the Amortentia potion?" Hermione asked.
"I smelled chocolate, some sort of new book smell, and coconut," Ron said.
Isabel smiled at Hermione. Isabel knew that Hermione's hair always smelled like coconut.
"Harry?" Hermione asked.
"I think I smelled something like wood, strawberry, flowers, and something really sweet, like frosting or something," Harry rambled. Ron rolled his eyes and shook his head, to him it was so obvious that Harry liked Isabel.
"Hey, what about you Isabel?" Hermione asked.
"I smelled warmth, does that make sense?" Isabel said, laughing.
"Uh, no," Ron said.
"It smelled like pine, and lemon, vanilla, and just warmth and comfort," Isabel said.
Hermione laughed at her friend while Harry just smiled, adoringly.
The school year was off to a great start.
What could go wrong?
•••