"Do not lose that rat!" Molly shouted, rushing up to Percy. She handed him the ugly brown rat Scabbers. Tori didn't like that rat, she screamed when she first saw it and tried to squash a couple of times over the summer.

In her defense, she didn't know it was a pet.

"Alicia. Need. To. Breathe." Tori gasped for air while Alicia Spinnet was giving her a bone-crushing hug. She patted her friends back as she was able to keep breathing. "Sorry, sorry. I missed you over the summer!" Alicia apologized, grinning.

"I missed you too. Aren't you excited we're back?" Tori gushed, waving to Angelina Johnson from afar. "I am, Angelina!!" The three girls hugged each other, quickly giving a rundown of their summers.

"My parents took me to America," Alicia told them, handing the Conductor her trunk. "It was pretty cool. We went to New York City to visit some relatives."

"That's so cool!" Tori replied, also handing over her luggage. "I'll keep the owl." She told the conductor, grabbing back Athena. "Weasleys, and Tori. Over here!" Molly gestured for them to meet her. Tori asked her friends to wait for her and quickly rushed over to the family.

"Alright headcount... okay. Now I want all of you on your very best behavior. I do not want any more letters home! Do you all understand?" The twins eyed each other before nodding. "Alright. Now give me a hug, go before you miss the train! You too Tori!"

Tori grinned as she gave Molly a big hug, quickly thanking her for having her over the entire summer. "Oh, nonsense. You're always welcome. Now go!"

Tori rushed into the train with her friends, looking through the carts for an empty one. "Excuse me!" She called, splitting through a couple of kids who stood in the middle of the aisle talking. She grabbed Angelina's arm so she wouldn't get lost through the maze of students. She bumped into about ten of them, "Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry!"

"In here!" Angelina pulled her into an empty cart, letting the others file in. Lee took a seat by the window next to Tori, who sat with Angelina. The twins and Alicia sat across, closing the door behind them. The group all stretched out, examining the cart around them.

"Merlin. I'm so happy to be back." Lee chuckled. "Me too." George agreed, plopping his feet on his brother's lap. Fred made a face and pushed his feet away. George mimicked Fred's face, sticking his tongue at his brother.

"So... quidditch this year. Who's trying out?" Angelina glanced around the cart, eyeing everyone. "You know I am," Tori told her, digging on her pockets to find Athena some food. "Us too." Fred and George said together.

"Not me." Lee shook his head. "But since  McNully graduated, I heard there was an opening of a commentator." Tori laughed to herself, "Sorry, it's just... you have to be unbiased when you announce the game."

"I can be unbiased," Lee told her, assuringly. Tori looked skeptically at him but turned back to her owl, who she petted through the cage.
"Okay. I believe you."

"Well, I'm not." Alicia sighed, leaning against the window. "I think I'm going to try out for the Frog Choir." She looked at her friends, waiting for a reaction.

"Don't you need a frog?" Angelina raised an eyebrow at the girl across from her. "I do! I'm using my cousins."

"I think you'll do amazing." Alicia smiled at Tori's comment. "Thank you, Tori."

"Of course. Does anyone see the trolley lady? I'm starving." She got up to open the door and peek out the door. "Oh, she's down there. Someone want to go down with me?"

"I'll go." Fred got up quickly, picking up a couple of knuts. "Alright, anyone else?" Everyone shook their heads so Tori and Fred headed down towards her.

Tori smiled at her friend stopping at the cart. "Okay. Lee wants a pumpkin pastry, Alicia wants Chocolate Frogs..." Tori muttered to herself, grabbing the things she needed.

"I got George and Angelina, you good?" Fred asked from the other side of the cart. "Yeah, let's go." She paid the lady with a smile and made her way back to their cart.

Angelina opened the door for them, taking her sweet from Fred. "Okay, here you go." Tori handed Lee his pumpkin pastry and Alicia her chocolate frogs.

"Oh dang, I forgot my cauldron cakes." Tori sighed, getting back up to get them. "I got you some," Fred told her, handing her a box. Tori smiled, a bit surprised he remembered.

"Thanks."

✧ ✦ ✧

"Welcome back to another year students! And welcome first years!" Tori glanced down the table at some of the new Gryffindors who sat there, watching the ghost fly high above them.

"Us teachers are very excited to start this year once again and help each and every one of you start, or continue your learning. Now, I think we're all in the mood to sing our school's anthem. Everyone up! Sing at whatever time you see fit."

Each student stood up, confused smiles and laughter on their faces as the words suddenly appeared behind Dumbledore as he raised his hands. "Three, two, one..."

Tori decided a similar tune to the rest of the school by keeping it light. She began to sing,

"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts, Teach us something, please!
Whether we be old and bald,
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling,
With some interesting stuff,
For now, they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we've forgot,
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot!"

She finished a bit before some others, so she just tapped her foot, listening to some of the very... interesting... tunes the students chose. Tori laughed once the Weasley twins finished a rap version of the anthem.

"Music to my old ears." Dumbledore called, "Now, let us eat!" He flicked his hands, food appearing on the tables in front of the students. "Welcome back!"

wow! two updates in one day? incredible!
next chapter will start quidditch!
i can't wait!