Here it is. my first Harry Potter piece. Now, this is subject to revisions and everything. but I want to post the first part to see if I get any replies. I have had this idea in my head for months, and I thought it was time to get it down on paper. In time, this will be complete! (I hope!) Please bear with me, I do have classes and work. Expect more updates when I have breaks and over the summer. this is a work in progress. Reviews will help a lot! I hope you enjoy it! I took the title from Avril Lavigne's album "Let Go." I have been listening to it a lot lately, and I think the title applies. (yea, the lyrics do too in a way. you'll see later!)

2-9-03: Updated to add some changes to the physical description of Samantha and probably a few minor things along the way!



Anything but Ordinary

Seventeen-year-old Harry Potter tucked the last of his belongings into his trunk and snapped it shut. He wandered over to his desk and picked up the letter he had received from Hogwarts only days ago. It included a list of the books he would need for his final year at Hogwarts, an announcement of his being made Head Boy, and a small note from Professor Dumbledore congratulating him on being made Head Boy. Dumbledore also mentioned that Hermione was made Head Girl and that there was going to be both a new Charms teacher and a familiar face teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts that would surprise both of them. Plus, to his delight and Ron Weasley's, Oliver Wood was coming back to Hogwarts as a full-time flying and Quidditch instructor for the school. Seeing as how most of the team would be graduating at the end of the year, Professor Minerva McGonagall wanted the new Gryffindor house team to be well prepared.

Harry bounded down the steps of his Godfather's home and went into the kitchen. Sirius Black, who had once been a convicted killer at Azkaban prison, had been cleared of all false charges last spring. He had invited Harry to live with him the moment it had happened. "Good morning, Harry. Ready to go to King's Cross?" Sirius asked sitting at the table drinking a cup tea and reading the Daily Prophet.

"Yeah, my trunk is upstairs I just need to..." Harry looked at Sirius who was smiling to himself. "My trunk isn't upstairs, is it?"

"Nope, I just sent it to the Hogwarts Express." Both laughed and headed for the door. Harry climbed into Sirius's muggle car and they headed off. "Excited to start your last year?"

"Yes, I can't believe I'm going to graduate this year. Hey, do you know anything about a new Charms professor or who's going to be teaching Dark Arts this term?" Harry asked.

"Why, yes I do Harry," Sirius chuckled. Harry opened his mouth to speak again. "However I am under strict instructions to not tell you anything."

Harry slouched in his seat and crossed his arms over his chest. He turned and gazed out the window and watched the scenery pass by. Sooner then he expected, and probably due to a spell from his godfather, the car pulled to a stop outside of King's Cross station. Harry unfolded his lanky, yet well sculpted, five foot, eleven inch frame and stepped out of the car. His unruly black hair blew in the light breeze revealing the purplish red scar in the shape of a lightening bolt on his forehead. He went around to the back of the car and began pulling his trunk from the surprisingly large trunk. He smiled, knowing that Sirius had put a spell on the muggle trunk.

Sirius carried Harry's owl, Hedwig's cage. "Look, there's Hermione," he told Harry and pointing toward another car that has just pulled up.

Harry turned around to see Hermione Granger climb out of her parents' car carrying the case that held her, what Ron called 'possessed,' cat, Crookshanks. Harry's heart seemed to swell in his chest as he watched her. Hermione was one of Harry's oldest and best friends at Hogwarts. It was only in the last year that he began to realize just how much she really meant to him. For what seemed like so long to him, Harry watched Hermione and her mother laugh at her father as he struggled with Hermione's trunk. A sweet laugh came from Hermione as she kissed her father's cheek. Hermione suddenly turned and her chocolate brown eyes met Harry's emerald green eyes. She grinned and broke into a run towards Harry.

Harry managed to set down his trunk and brace himself before Hermione flung her arms around his neck. Harry sighed into her long and now more tamed brown locks. He wondered if Hermione could feel how fast his heart was beating. After a few moments, Harry pulled her back and smiled. "God, I missed you," he whispered.

Hermione smiled and blushed. "I missed you too, Harry. I'm so sorry that I couldn't come out to see Sirius's new house. It's been a very short summer, it seemed," she smiled again. "Hello, Sirius."

Sirius gave her a small smile and nodded once, "Hello, Hermione. You both better head for the train." A large clock above them read five minutes before eleven.

"Bye Mum, bye Dad," Hermione said, hugging her parents.

"Don't worry," Sirius said to them, "I'll get her things to the train." They both nodded hesitantly as they waved their daughter off. "Have a good year, Harry. I'll stop by when I can."

Harry smiled and shook his godfather's hand. "Well come on, let's go! Ron's probably already on the train," Hermione grabbed Harry's hand and started dragging him away. Harry managed to turn around to see Sirius helping Hermione's parents with her things. He saw both trunks disappear, along with their other belongings just as they began to pass through the wall between platforms nine and ten.

Hermione kept her grip on Harry's hand as she raced for the train. "Hermione! It's not going to leave without us," he said, gripping her hand and slowing her down.

Hermione stopped and turned to Harry, but as she did, Harry kept moving and they crashed into each other. Harry grabbed her around the waist to hold her up and Hermione's face smashed into his chest. "When did you get so tall?" She demanded as she looked up at him. He grinned and Hermione lost her breath. 'When did you get so handsome?' She said to herself.

"I didn't mean for you to stop. Keep walking, or we really will miss the train!" Harry laughed and dragged her along. Hermione was still lost in her last thoughts as Harry now dragged her to the train. As they boarded the Hogwarts Express, they waved to Mrs. Weasley who was smiling and waving to Ginny and Ron, her two remaining children attending Hogwarts.

Harry and Hermione rounded a corner on the train, and came to the passenger car. The walked down the hall looking for the car that Ron and Ginny Weasley would be in. They were stopped before they could get there. "So, you managed to catch the train after all," a cool voice said. Fellow seventh year student, Draco Malfoy stepped out of a compartment they had passed with his friends, Crabe and Goyle.

Hermione rolled her eyes and took Harry's hand to make him start moving again. "Draco, enough is enough. It's our last year at Hogwarts, can you please be civilized till we get there, at least?"

Draco saw Hermione take Harry's hand. He gave Harry a sly look, "Dating the Mudblood, Potter?"

"Watch it, Malfoy! You'd learn to keep that mouth of yours shut if you knew what was good for you!" Harry threatened as Hermione dragged him away.

"Harry, you're Head Boy! You can't threaten other students like that!" Hermione reminded him as they continued to look for their friends. "Don't let Malfoy provoke you, Harry. It's just going to get you into trouble in the end."

Hermione was still holding Harry's hand when they finally found the compartment where Ron and Ginny Weasley were. Ron's eyes widened slightly and tilted his head toward their linked hands. Hermione and Harry looked down to see their hands linked and their fingers entwined together. Hermione took her hand back and scooted into the compartment to hug Ginny before Harry or Ron could see her blush. "Are you OK?" Ginny whispered in Hermione's ear as she hugged her friend.

"Yeah," Hermione smiled and sat down next to Ginny, across from Ron and Harry. Harry and Ron were talking about their summers while Ginny showed Hermione some of the books she needed for the sixth year at Hogwarts. Hermione nodded and tried to listen, but her mind drifted to Harry.

How could she put into words what she felt for the Boy-Who-Lived? She watched him laugh with Ron and her heart ached to hold him. During their fifth year at Hogwarts, Hermione's feelings for Harry had increased ten fold when he rescued her from the clutches of Voldemort himself. Hermione had been lured from her sleeping chamber one night and had woken up in the dark forest. Death Eaters had surrounded her, Lucius Malfoy included, and Voldemort was at the center of what ended up being a sacrificial ceremony. She never once screamed for help, but in her head, and her heart, she cried out for Harry; the one person she wanted more then anyone else.

Within what seemed like mere seconds Harry, along with Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, Minerva McGonagall, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and the several other witches and wizards that made up the Order of the Phoenix, appeared at her side. Voldemort had taken her away from the others, deeper into the forest to lure Harry to him.

Hermione didn't remember much after that, for she had been put under a spell and rendered unconscious by Voldemort. She woke up several days later in the hospital wing of Hogwarts surrounded by her parents, Madame Pomfrey, Dumbledore, and Harry. She had learned that Harry had once again avoided the Death Curse from Voldemort. This time, Albus Dumbledore snapped Voldemort's wand in half so he would never have the opportunity to rise again. In the days that followed, she and Harry discovered that they had formed a bond deeper then friendship. It was unspoken, neither ever brought up how deeply the other had been affected, but deep down, they both knew.

Hermione shook herself from her thoughts and went back to her discussion with Ginny. "So, what's the big secret about the new Dark Arts teacher?" Hermione wondered out loud.

"Or the new Charms professor for that matter! Where do you suppose Professor Flitwick went?" Harry also wondered aloud.

"What are you two jabbering about?" Ron asked. Harry told him about the letters he and Hermione received from Hogwarts. "Two new professors in one term. I hope Snape didn't get the Dark Arts position." The other three nodded in agreement.

While enjoying sweets and stories from their summers, the hours passed quickly aboard the Hogwarts Express. Soon, night had fallen and the students began changing into the robes. Ron and Harry came back to their compartment once the girls were decent.

As the train pulled into Hogsmeade station, the students began disembarking. "Why am I nervous?" Hermione asked quietly to Harry.

"You're Head Girl now. That might have something to do with it," he smiled.

"No, it's something else," she said, her voice trailing off as she stepped off the train and followed the other students to the carriages.

Harry smiled and waved to Hagrid, the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts, as he lead the nervous first years to boats that would take them across the lake to the castle. Standing well above the other students, Hagrid had no trouble making out Harry and waving back. "It's going to be strange not coming here next year," Harry said.

"Oh don't start now, Harry!" Ron said, as the four entered a horseless carriage. "We've got a whole year ahead of us. I don't want to hear your whining all year!" Harry punched him in the arm and they all laughed. The castle of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry appeared before them. "Seven years later and I still love that sight," Ron said mostly to himself.

"Yeah," they all whispered. The carriages let the students off at the large front doors of the castle. Friends greeted each other as they made their way up the stairs, through the doors and into the Entrance Hall. As with tradition, all the second year students and older, made their way to the Great Hall where the Sorting Ceremony would take place with the first years, followed by the start of the year banquet.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron joined their fellow Gryffindors and shared stories of their summer as they waited for Professor McGonagall and the first year students. Harry looked up to the professors' table. Dumbledore was there along with Snape, Professor Sprout, and Remus Lupin. "Ron! Hermione! Look, it's Lupin!"

Heads began turning at Harry's observation. "He's our Defense Against the Dark Arts professor!" Hermione said happily as they solved one of their puzzles. Lupin smiled at the students and gave them a small wave.

'I'll tell you later,' he said silently to the trio who continued to stare.

"Look, Oliver Wood is up there too!" Ron exclaimed.

"He's the new flying teacher and Gryffindor Quidditch instructor," Harry told him. "What we still don't know is who the new Charms instructor and Ravenclaw headmaster is."

"Or headmistress," Hermione said, poking Harry in the side. Harry jumped and quickly agreed.

Outside the great castle, unbeknownst to the students, stood a young witch. She was clad in deep indigo robes and a dark red cloak. Her hood was pulled over her head, concealing her identity. She entered the castle and headed for the Great Hall. "Hello, Professor," she said to Professor McGonagall.

"Why hello Professor," she said as the woman took off her cloak. She held it out in the air then it disappeared. The first years gawked and the woman smiled. "You may go in through the back. You'll be seated next to Professor Snape."

"Thank you, Minerva," she smiled. "Does she know?" She asked before leaving.

"No, I suspect this is going to be a shock to her." The witch headed through a door and the noise from the Great Hall grew.

Back at the Gryffindor table, Hermione laughed at one of Ron's jokes and turned as a door behind the professors' table opened. A lovely woman with long silky auburn hair and chocolate brown eyes, wearing the darkest blue robes Hermione had ever seen, emerged and walked over to Dumbledore. They shook hands and the woman walked down to her seat and sat down, facing the students.

Hermione let out a shriek and covered her mouth. "Hermione, what's wrong?" Harry asked, alarmed. He glanced up at the table where Hermione was staring. She hadn't answered him. "Hermione?"

"Harry, that's my sister."

End part one

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