There was a definite end-of-the-holidays gloom in the air when Tori awoke the next morning. Heavy rain was still splattering against the window as she got dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt; they would change into their school robes on the Hogwarts Express.

Tori was still staring at the dress Molly had given her for whatever "formal occasions" were packed very neatly into her trunk so they wouldn't wrinkle. She followed Ginny and Hermione downstairs, coming into the kitchen right as Arthur vanished, Bill and Charlie entered the kitchen at the same time.

"Did someone say Mad-Eye?" Bill asked. "What's he been up to now?"

"He says someone tried to break into his house last night," said Molly, giving the children toast. "Mad-Eye Moody?" George asked thoughtfully, spreading marmalade on his toast. "Isn't he that nutter —"

"Your father thinks very highly of Mad-Eye Moody," said Molly sternly. Tori knew about the man, he was a wicked auror.

"Yeah, well, Dad collects plugs, doesn't he?"
said Fred quietly as Molly left the room. "Birds of a feather...."

"Moody was a great wizard in his time," Bill said, frowning at his brothers. Charlie nodded, handing Tori the marmalade. "He's an old friend of Dumbledore's, isn't he?"

"Dumbledore's not what you'd call normal, though, is he?" Fred chuckled. "I mean, I know he's a genius and everything...."

"Who is Mad-Eye?" Harry asked, glancing around at the people at the table.

"He's retired, used to work at the Ministry," Charlie explained. "I met him once when Dad took me into work with him. He was an Auror — one of the best... a Dark wizard catcher,"
he added, seeing Harry's blank look.

"Half the cells in Azkaban are full because of him. He made himself loads of enemies, though... the families of people he caught, mainly... and I heard he's been getting really paranoid in his old age. Doesn't trust anyone anymore. Sees Dark wizards everywhere."

Bill and Charlie decided to come and see everyone off at King's Cross station, but Percy, apologizing most profusely, said that he really needed to get to work.

"I just can't justify taking more time off at the moment," He told them. "Mr. Crouch is really starting to rely on me."

"Yeah, you know what, Percy?" said George seriously. "I reckon he'll know your name soon."

"Bye, Weatherby!" Tori shouted at him once he left the house. Molly had braved the telephone in the village post office to order three ordinary Muggle taxis to take them into London.

"Arthur tried to borrow Ministry cars for us,"
Mrs. Weasley told them as they stood in the rain-washed yard, watching the taxi drivers heaving six heavy Hogwarts trunks into their cars. "But there weren't any to spare... Oh dear, they don't look happy, do they?"

Tori popped into one of the cars, noticing right away that the Muggle taxi drivers didn't seem to be in a good mood. It didn't help that a number of Filibuster's Fabulous No-Heat, Wet-Start Fireworks went off unexpectedly when Fred's trunk sprang open, causing the driver carrying it to yell with fright and pain as Crookshanks clawed his way up the man's leg.

The journey was uncomfortable, owing to the fact that they were jammed in the back of the taxis with their trunks.

Tori was used to getting onto platform nine and three-quarters by now. It was a simple matter of walking straight through the apparently solid barrier dividing platforms nine and ten. The only tricky part was doing this in an unobtrusive way, so as to avoid attracting Muggle attention. They did it in groups today; Tori and the twins went last; they leaned casually against the barrier, chatting unconcernedly, and slid sideways through it... and as they did so, platform nine and three-quarters materialized in front of them.

The Hogwarts Express, a gleaming scarlet steam engine, was already there, clouds of steam billowing from it, through which the many Hogwarts students and parents on the platform appeared like dark ghosts. Athena became noisier than ever in response to the hooting of many owls through the mist. Tori and the twins set off to find seats and were soon stowing their luggage in a compartment halfway along the train. They then hopped back down onto the platform to say good-bye to Molly, Bill, and Charlie.

"Andy and I might be seeing you all sooner than you think," Charlie said, grinning, as he hugged Ginny good-bye.

"Why?" Fred asked keenly. Tori shot him a confused look.

"You'll see," said Charlie. "Just don't tell Percy I mentioned it... it's 'classified information, until such time as the Ministry sees fit to release it,' after all."

"Yeah, I sort of wish I were back at Hogwarts this year," Bill sighed, hands in his pockets, looking almost wistfully at the train.

"Why?" George and Tori said impatiently.

"You're going to have an interesting year," Bill chuckled, his eyes twinkling. "I might even get time off to come and watch a bit of it."

"A bit of what?" Ron asked. But at that moment, the whistle blew, and Molly chivvied them toward the train doors.

"Thanks for having us to stay, Mrs. Weasley,"
said Hermione as they climbed on board, closed the door, and leaned out of the window to talk to her.

"Yeah, thanks for everything, Mrs. Weasley,"
said, Harry.

"Oh it was my pleasure, dears," Molly smiled. "I'd invite you for Christmas, but... well, I expect you're all going to want to stay at Hogwarts, what with... one thing and another."

"Mum!" said Ron irritably. "What d'you three know that we don't?"

"You'll find out this evening, I expect," said Molly, smiling. "It's going to be very exciting — mind you, I'm very glad they've changed the rules —"

"What rules?" Harry, Ron, Fred, George, and Tori demanded together.

"I'm sure Professor Dumbledore will tell you... Now, behave, won't you? Won't you, Fred? And you, George?" The pistons hissed loudly and the train began to move.

"Tell us what's happening at Hogwarts!" Fred bellowed out of the window as Molly, Bill, and Charlie sped away from them. "What rules are they changing?"

But Molly only smiled and waved. Before the train had rounded the corner, she, Bill, and Charlie had Disapparated.

The twins and Tori glanced at each other. "Dress robes, rules changing? What's going on?" She asked, slipping into their compartment, where Alicia Spinnet, Lee Jordan, and Angelina Johnson were already there waiting for them.

i don't really know what to say so hi, how are you?

also, there's a lee cult going on right now, so that's cool?