Harry Potter - Fanfiction

Year 6 - The Bloody Baron

The entrance hall becomes abundantly louder as we all make our way through to the Great Hall, everyone excitedly talking about their holidays or which subjects they are excited for this year.

Tracey hops on the subject as well. "What subjects you taking this year?"

"I definitely dropped Ancient Runes, wasn't enjoying it as much as I thought," I shrug. "I'm sticking to Care of Magical Creatures, Potions. I don't know about Defence Against the Dark Arts – which by the way I'm very curious to see how this Professor Slughorn is going to be."

"Me too, I considered dropping Potions though," she responds sheepishly.

"If it's not for you, then no one's going to force you to stay. I'm not dropping any other subjects so I'm still resuming a lot of classes," I say as we enter the Great Hall amongst the mass of students.

The Great Hall, with its four long House tables and its staff table set at the top of the room, is decorated as usual with floating candles that make the plates glitter and glow.

Seating ourselves by the Slytherin table, Tracey replies, "well you've received the highest grades, so you're lucky to have all those options open for you."

"Do you honestly think any of the students, apart from me and probably my sister, would love to still keep taking all these subjects," I ask with a raised eyebrow.

"You have a point, maybe some of the Ravenclaw's though."

A loud cackle draws our attention to Pansy Parkinson who is seated not so far away; she sits all cosied up next to Draco as he vividly goes on telling a tale.

"Potter tried to spy on us earlier." Draco's voice trailing across the Slytherin table.

Pansy Parkinson catches us staring, so she deliberately sidles up even closer to Draco, snaking her arm around his shoulders.

"She's just doing that to rub it in your face." Tracey nudges me softly. "Don't pay attention to it."

"I'm not," I say dimly.

"He's a git for lowering his standard to her. You were way better," says Tracey, trying to cheer me up.

"It's his decision, really. I don't care anymore," I lie. "It just goes to show you how a person can change so quickly."

Once we are all settled down at our respective tables, Professor McGonagall comes marching in with the new first years for the year and the usual three-legged stool and Sorting Hat.

The ceremony goes quick, luckily, as my stomach is rumbling, and I paid no attention to the sorting or the song from the Sorting Hat; I just know it sounded almost similarly to the previous year stating that we should all unite under these dark and terrible times.

Professor Dumbledore stands and clears his throat, awaiting silence from us. "As usual I won't bore you with a speech before dinner, instead I will just say these two words I am sure you've all been waiting for – Dig in!"

Heaps and mountains of food appear on the golden plates in front of us - chicken pieces, chips, steaks, mashed pumpkin, gravies, potato wedges, the whole galore. None of us wait a second longer as we dig into the scrumptious food.

The Great Hall quiet except for the tinkling of plates and glasses, and the few that attempt to eat with their mouths full. And as the piles of food begin to lesson and our stomachs growing fuller, the Hall seems to gain in volume again, a lot of heads turning towards the Gryffindor table, some even standing to have a look.

Tracey and I glance over to see what the commotion is about, and there the one and only Harry Potter is speed walking to the Gryffindor table. I'm sure my sister will be happy to see him but knowing her she'll shout at him instead for being late.