The start of a new term was on the rise.  The trio, Harry, Ron, and Hermione made their way to the Hogwarts Express, with little excitement.  Everything was as it always was and should be.  As usual they found a compartment to themselves and rehashed an uneventful summer, considering the exploits of last term.  They enjoyed ice-cold glasses of pumpkin juice and chocolate frogs.  Slowly the day gave way to night and they rolled into the station.  Soon they would be enjoying a grand feast and greet their new, first year dorm mates.  The tattered Sorting Hat was placed on its pedestal, and the excited yet scared first years stared at in wonder and amazement.  Then it sprang to life and sang its enchanted song.

I will tell you once, but I will never say it twice

this year will be different as none others have.

The Four Corners of this school shall realign.

One of you will find redemption and another will die.

A love so strong will unite this institution

and vanquish the dark from every hiding location.

All of you will receive a second chance at the cards you

have already drawn.

You must be wondering now what it is I speak of,

but the surprise I have in store must be pondered

until the night of All Hallows Eve

Now on with the show

you need to add to your crew

And starting with the first.......

Gryffindor!

At that moment a meek, blonde haired girl walked to the scarlet draped table.  Under normal circumstances there would have been an uproar of applause, but there were none.  Everyone in the Great Hall just sat there staring, dumbfounded.  And then the roar of whispering started and continued all through the sorting process and did not cease until Professor Dumbledore stood.  At that moment you could have heard a pin drop.  Everyone looked up to the wise and respected wizard quizzically, hoping for enlightenment.

"Students, it is a pleasure to welcome you back to another year at Hogwarts and an even greater pleasure to welcome in our new troupe of students.  And now I will leave you with a few final words...the greatness of power is found in the passionate embrace of love."  And with that Albus Dumbledore retook his seat.

The fervor of shock overwhelmed the hall again.  What was he talking about they all thought.  Had he finally gone mad?  'Passionate embrace of love,' was this the result of sucking on one two many sugar quill.  What on Saturn's moon could all of this mean? 

Hunger pains finally subsided and all the students began to consume the feast before them, in silence.  Slowly they made there way through the venison stew and kidney pie and finished it off with some cakes and biscuits.  After all had finished the once full plates return to the lustre of gold.  The students rose and poured through the halls, making there way to their subsequent towers.  Ron, Hermione, and Harry held back and were left with their charges, the first years.  Being named prefects made this a necessary duty, although all they wanted to do was hole up in a corner and discuss the bombs that have been dropped tonight.  They had already given the password to Dean Thomas and Lavender Brown, and they were leading the rest of the Gryffindors to the tower.  As they walked up the staircase, Hermione dryly rolled on about the history of Hogwarts and before they new they were staring at the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Password, please." The Fat Lady said cheerily.

"Gold Dust." And the portrait swung open revealing the common room Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all too familiar with.

Everyone was in the common room in rapt discussion.  "Maybe it was a joke."  They heard Parvati Patil say exasperatingly.  But everyone, even Parvati herself, knew it wasn't a joke.  Someone was going to die, but who and when.  As the trio led their charges to their dorm rooms, they were thinking how are we going to stop it from happening.  Upon returning to the warm and inviting common room all the Gryffindors decided to accept the inevitable and not worry about the upcoming events until the Halloween ball.  And unbeknownst to them so had the Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, and Slytherins.