AN: Okay, brand-new story! I am going to be very motivated here, so there will be no discontinuing, no enormous waits in between updates, no "unsure" length of the story, no loose ends or loop holes, and, most importantly, NO SEQUELS. Just figured I'd make that clear right here. If everything goes as planned, this story will have 15 chapters, no more no less. Don't be afraid to review, everybody! Even if you have no criticism (which I hope you won't, but if you do, let me know what I'm doing wrong), you can still just say "good story" or something. See, reviews let me know that people are reading and (hopefully) liking my story. Now, I doubt many of you are reading this, so I'll just get to the chapter.
Disclaimer: (has anyone noticed the lack of these in any stories lately?) You know, I don't see any point in these stupid Disclaimers…I mean, honestly, JKR owns Harry Potter and the book series…so why would she come on here and write stuff? So, by process of elimination, we know that no one on here owns HP, because the only person that DOES would have no purpose writing fan-fictions…hence why there will be no more Disclaimers in this story.
Chapter 1: Introduction
It was another beautiful Sunday in May at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Most of the students, like Harry, Ron and Hermione, were enjoying it out on the grounds. To everyone's surprise, most particularly Harry and Ron, Hermione was not using every spare minute to study for the exams, which were three weeks away. Instead, she was sitting under a large beech tree – the same one the trio so often found themselves under – playing Exploding Snap with Harry and Ron. Hermione could never remember feeling so carefree before, and Harry and Ron could never remember Hermione looking so happy before. A very unwelcome Slytherin strutting their way interrupted their contentment, however.
"Well, well, well, would you look at this," Draco Malfoy drawled. "The mudblood Granger doesn't have her nose buried in a book. Someone alert the Daily Prophet!" Hermione remained silent, although there was a certain stony look to her face.
"Well, well, well," mimicked Harry, standing, "look everyone, Malfoy doesn't have his two trolls with him. What happened, did they die of stupidity?" Malfoy's eyes narrowed.
"You'd better watch your mouth, Potter," he spat. "Someday it'll get you into to trouble."
"Oh, and I suppose you think you're just an innocent little angel, do you?" retorted Harry. Malfoy eyed Harry malevolently before stalking off. Harry spun around and sat back down next to Ron and Hermione. Ron was looking very pleased, but Hermione was still looking grim.
"What's eating you, Hermione?" asked Ron.
"Oh, it's nothing. Malfoy's just a git. Let's continue, shall we?" she said, and played her next card.
Later, at dinner, Hermione was back to looking gloomy, and when Harry and Ron again asked what was wrong, she quickly put a smile on her face and said she was fine. Harry and Ron exchanged a look, but left her alone about it.
"You know, compared to last year, exams are going to be simple," said Ron thoughtfully. Harry looked at him as though he'd gone mad. Ron Weasley, saying exams would be easy?
"You're kidding, right?" said Harry, disbelieving.
"No, really, think about it: I mean, last year, we had to re-study everything from first year! Now we've only got this year's work to review," Ron explained.
"That's good you're looking at it that way, Ron," said Hermione. "I've only been trying to get you for ages to not think exams are dreadful."
Harry thought about it…true, they did have less to study this year, but that didn't mean exams would make him any less nervous about passing. He voiced this to Ron.
"Oh Harry, lighten up! You seem so serious lately," said Ron. Harry remained silent. He still hadn't told Hermione and Ron about his prophecy, even after nearly a year. He tried to appear more cheerful for the rest of the evening.
Later that night as Harry lay in bed, he started thinking about how serious he really had been lately. If these are going to be some of my last days alive, thought Harry wildly, I should live for the best of them. If Lord Voldemort murders me, I'll regret being so depressed.
Harry wasn't sure if it was because of these thoughts, or in spite of them, but he had a very odd dream - frightening, almost, in a weird sort of way. He decided not to mention it the next day when he woke up after it, a smile lingering on his face.
Harry couldn't concentrate in classes the following day. In Transfiguration, while trying to transfigure a badger, he accidentally sent the spell instead at Neville, who was sitting in front of him. Neville was sent to the hospital wing with steam pouring out of his mouth.
In Charms, the ink he was supposed to be charming to change from black to green and back again squirted out of the bottle like a fountain when he accidentally switched the words of the incantation. He, Ron, and Hermione had been drenched in the magical black ink, and had to skip lunch in order to scrub it off.
And in Potions, his Scouring Solution, which was supposed to be a deep red, was a green, bubbling muck, and Harry hardly noticed when Snape, with a twisted smile, gave him yet another zero. It amazed Harry that he'd even made it into Snape's class after his O.W.L. He supposed Dumbledore must have done a little persuading to let Harry into the class, because there weren't many other people there. It was so small that all four Houses could be in one class. Hermione, of course, was in it, and so was Malfoy, along with a couple other Gryffindors and Slytherins. There was also a few Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. Even Ron had made it in, whose Potions O.W.L. had turned out to be an Outstanding. When he wasn't in a dark, damp dungeon with Snape for a teacher, it turned out that Ron was rather gifted with Potions.
All in all, Harry was glad to reach the end of the day. Of course, because he had performed so abysmally in classes today, he had a lot of homework, but it was better than being humiliated in class.
AN: I KNOW IT'S SHORT, but it's just the introduction. I guarantee longer chapters for the rest of the story - trust me. PLEASE REVIEW!
xXx SpicySugar xXx