Chapter 3

Announcing the Sadie Hopkins Ball

Harry disembarked the Hogwarts Express with Bryce Walker and they gave a brief handshake between them before Bryce, walked away, he also heard Hagrid asking the first years to step toward him. Harry quietly walked to one of the carriages, when he got in he found himself in with Ginny Weasely, Neville Longbottom, and Mariette, Cho's best friend. Harry gave the girl a brief glance before sitting down next to her. He smiled at Neville and Ginny, "So where's Ron, Ginny?" he asked.

Ginny broke into this huge smile, "Ron, got this chance to play in the Wizard Chess Tournament in New York, so mum, dad, and the twins went with him to route him on. He also got Hogwarts permission to take an extra week off to attend."

Harry smiled in relief, he now, his own best friend was given an opportunity of a lifetime to shine brighter than any of his brothers, "Well, I hope he beats them Yanks then," he chuckles then frowned, "Do you know what's happen to Hermione then?"

Ginny shrugged, "Professor Dumbledore called her to Hogwarts a couple of weeks early, at least that's what Ron said. Had something to with Prefects and Professors business."

Harry sighed, both his friends had indeed been busy this summer, with two years left in school, they were expanding. He had a pretty good hunch Ron would probably, would find something that overshadowed his brothers in someway, especially Percy. His face darkened somewhat, he then looked over at Neville, "How was your summer Neville?"

Neville gave him a shrug, "Better than last year, my grams actually was told what happened at the Ministry, and she said was proud of me," he said with a soft smile.

Harry returned the smile, "Well you did great there, actually did the most. You did Gryffindor proud," he glanced over at Mariette. Taking a small sigh clearing his thoughts, "I want to apologize to you, I was being unfair last year, and a git."

Mariette eyes popped out at his apology, when it should of been her apologizing to him. Umbridge had cornered her, and with a with truth potion forced the information out of her, she then forced her under threat of having her mother expelled out of the Ministry of Magic, give up the information of where the D.A. meetings were held. She looked down at the floor of the carriage, "Trust me, Harry, I didn't want to give up the D.A. to that Umbridge woman, she gave me this truth potion and was treatening to have my mother fired."

Harry gave her a gentle and friendly smile, "Yeah, I should of guessed that, when I first heard about it," he shrugged, "and when I first saw you, you looked kind of out of it at the time," he shook his head in misery, "learned a lot more last year then I planned," he said sadly.

Ginny frowned slightly, "Still hung up over what happened to your Godfather, Harry?" she asked lightly.

Harry shook his head, "Not just him, Ginny. Cedric too, If I been faster, knew more, I could of saved them both, it's all my fault," he said sadly.

Ginny turned to Neville, who spoke up nervously, "You can't keep blaming yourself for things you couldn't do, give yourself so little credit Harry, your a great wizard. Fact you faced down Y-You Know Who four times is proof enough for that."

Mariette eyes popped out again, "You saw He Who Must Not Be Named, four times, I thought that was only a rumor?"

Ginny shook her head, "Saved me from him in my first year," she said softly. "and prevented him from getting the Sorcerer's Stone in his first year."

Harry seemed to sink into himself looking out the window as they closed on Hogwarts, he began relfecting on his last five years, true his years at the school had been rollar coaster rides, usually ending with more than a few surprises. His first year he had faced off against Lord Voldemort for control over the Sorcerer's Stone, in his second year he rescued Ginny from Tom Riddle, Voldemort's 17 year old reincarnation, he would of continued his reflecting if Ginny hadn't shaken him tell him that they had arrived at Hogwarts.

Upon entering the Great Hall, he quietly walked down the length of table, greeting friends, like Seamus, Dean, Lee Jordan, and several others, until he found Hermione sitting across the table with her nose typically in a book. He smiled, "Glad to see, the summer hasn't changed you all that much."

Hermione gave him this friendly glare that told him to shut up, "You know Professor Dumbledore strictly forbidden, owl notes from Ron and I to your muggle aunt and uncle's house to protect you," she then handed him three packages, "The one on top his from Mrs. Weasely, the one next to it is from Ron, and the one on the bottom is mine, sorry your birthday presents came late this year," Hermione stated giving him an apologetic look.

Harry chuckled slightly, "It's okay Hermione, I've calmed down a lot over the summer, and I even got an early birthday gift," he said mildly opening his present from Mrs. Weasely, as usual he got a small thing of cakes, and other pastries, as well as a pair of hand made dragon hide gloves.

Hermione frowned, "What sort of early gift?"

"A thank you letter from Cho," Harry said softly, opening up Ron's present. He got a baseball cap, one with the Tornado's and the other with the Chudely Cannons ensigna's. Inside was a note, which made Harry laugh, "I know you and Cho might make up so incase this happens, I bought Tornado hat for just such an emergancy," he read to Hermione.

Hermione just shook her head, "Always did know how to make you feel better doesn't he," she smiled softly.

Harry nodded just as Professor McGonagall, the sorting of houses for the first years, noting that only one made it to Slytherin this year, a really bulking looking girl with two chins. The rest were divided evenly between Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw, including another annoying Creevy coming into Gryffindor, "Honestly, Mrs. Creevy must have as many kids as your mom, Ginny," he muttered toward her. Ginny simply blushed and shrugged her shoulder before going back to her conversation with Dean.

Meanwhile Mariette, had taken her seat and notice how relaxed Cho was being this day, "So Cho, have a nice summer?"

Cho gave her this carefree smile, then it dropped off, "Yes, I got a surprise letter this summer from Harry, he told me what happened Cedric, as well as a lot of other things," she said softly.

Mariette, looked over at the Gryffindor table and notice how easy going Harry had been. "A young man with a lot of problems, Cho. And more courage then Godric Gryffindor himself."

Cho looked at her friend as if for the first time, "What do you mean, Mariette?"

"I rode with him, Ginny Weasely, and Neville Longbottom to the school. Cho, I never seen anyone put so much pressure on himself, before. He blames himself for everything, his godfather's death, Cedric's death, probably blames the death of his parents, on himself."

Cho blinked, then looked toward the Gryffindor table, watching Harry apparently tell some sort of joke or funny story because many of the Gryffindor's in that area were laughing. She turned to her friend, and notice how her friend seemed to hang her head in shame, "What's the matter, Mariette?"

"H-He apologized to me, Cho, about what happened last year. Harry and Professor Dumbledore got into serious trouble because of what I said to Professor Umbridge last year," she smiled slightly, "he even figured out that I wasn't myself when I snitched on them."

Cho never got voice her sentiments, because Professor Dumbledore clear his throat, and was beginning this year's announcements. "I like welcome all the first years, and to warn them as well as remind all those, that the forest is out of bounds. Mr. Filch has again asked me to remind you that all those caught after curfew will be given Detention. Now on a lighter note, Prefect Hermione Granger, has along with Prefect's from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, organized a rather strange Muggle custom, there will be a Formal Halloween Sadie Hopkins dance this year. As I was informed, by Miss Granger, through her parents, this is a most unusual dance because the female's are the ones who ask the males to the dance not the other way round. For more information please consult the fliers Miss Granger has set up around the school. I also like to introduce, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Bryce Walker," Dumbledore gestured, to young man who stood up and gave the four house a nonchalant salute before sitting back down, earning several giggles from some of the older girls in

each house. Dumbledore began to speak to him, "I also would like to point out that, Harry Potter's ban from Quidditch has been lifted now that Professor Umbridge is no longer with us," several groans from the Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin's Quidditch teams could be heard. "I would also like to point out that Gryffindor's own Ronald Weasely is currently in the United States, participating in World Wizard Chess Tournament, and we should all wish him well," this got a round of roars from several people on the Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw tables. "And now we feast!" he states and with a wave of his hands, food appeared at each table.

Harry blushing slightly as several girls from all four tables, had centered on him as soon as the dance was announced, "Hermione, are you daft, you how much more hell you've made my life?" he whispered harshly to her.

Hermione though gave him her sisterly smile, "Go on Harry, if Cho does want to make up with you, this will be the tester won't it, personally I think it was brilliant."

"That's because you already got your eyes on someone," he blinked looking over at the ravenclaw table, "Um, where's Luna by the way?"

Hermione's bright eyes suddenly clouded over, "Went with Ron, got permission from Mrs. Weasely and her father."

Harry eye's widen, "I didn't think Luna actually liked Ron that much?"

"She adores him," Ginny states, "Him and you Harry, but she likes you because, you've undergone a lot of the same things."

Harry nods and turns back to the Ravenclaw table, scanning it until he came eyes to eyes with Cho. They locked gazes for what seemed like an eternity, before Cho gave him a warm and friendly smile. Harry in turned blushed deeply, and gave her a nervous wave, he wasn't sure what his sixth year held but so far, it already had it share of surprises.

Author's Note: I'm a fan of Harry/Cho fan fics some are really good. Seekers so far is my all time favorite.