Harry's POV

September 1st, the day we would all return to Hogwarts came by rather quickly. Me, Y/N, and the Weasleys had arrived at Kings Cross Station riding in the Ford Anglia without flying. But we were unfortunately running late.

"10:58!!" Mr. Weasley said. "Come on, come on!"

"Train will be leaving soon! "Mr. Weasley continued. "Fred, George, Percy, you first!"

Fred went through the barrier and was followed by Percy and George. Mr and Mrs. Weasley allowed Ginny to go after them and followed after her in a hurry. Y/N then went next.

I turned to look at Ron. "Let's go."

I grabbed the handles of my trolley while Ron did the same. I pushed my cart forward, getting ready to cross the barrier.

However, something different ended up happening.

We crashed right into the wall. I fell down and Ron lost control of his cart, crashing right into me, which caused most of our stuff to fall.

"Oi!!" A station worker called out to us. "What do you think you're doing?"

Sorry, lost control of the trolley." I said to the agent.

"Kids, who'd want em." He scoffed while walking away.

"Why can't we get through?" I asked.

"I don't know." Ron said. "The gateway is sealed for some reason."

The sound of a clock then chimed in the distance.

Oh no.

It's eleven o'clock

We had missed the train.

"Harry....if we can't get through, maybe Mum and Dad can't get back!" Ron exclaimed.

"Let's just go wait by the car." I said.

Ron's eyes widened with excitement. "The car! That's brilliant!"

Y/Ns POV

I was wandering around the train with Gracie on my shoulder, looking for a compartment until I came across one with only Hermione sitting. I knocked on the glass door.

"Alright if I come in?" I asked.

"Of course." Hermione said smiling and patting the seat next to her.

"Where's Harry and Ron?" She asked.

"Maybe they are in another compartment, hopefully. Maybe with Percy, Fred, or George?" I responded.

Hermione pulled out a book to read while Gracie was cuddling on her lap purring. It was one of Lockhart's books.

"You actually believe the crap that he writes?" I asked her. 

"Of course!" She said. "He has very admirable accomplishments."

"Admirable my arse." I muttered under my breath.

The trolley witch eventually came around and asked if we wanted anything from the cart. I got some Chocolate Frogs and Peppermint Toads, and Hermione got some Pumpkin Pasties. We spent most of the train ride playing with my now fully grown cat, eating our sweets, and bickering occasionally about Lockhart.

I couldn't help but notice that I had the same weird feeling in my stomach every time I heard Hermione say something good about him and his so called "accomplishments."

Am I really jealous of that fraud? I think I am.

Moments later, Hermione had gotten tired and laid her head on my shoulder, which I allowed her to as I blushed a heavy red. Gracie fell asleep on my lap and I was about to do the same until I saw what I think was the Weasley's Ford Anglia flying outside of the train window.

"Hey Mione." I said in a worried tone.

"Yes Y/N?" She responded.

"Am I going crazy, or is that Harry about to fall out of the Weasley's car?"

"WHAT?!" She shouted and got up towards the window.

They were both in Mr. Weasleys car. Ron was in the drivers seat and Harry was in the passenger seat, but he was hanging on for dear life with his door flung open. Thankfully, Harry was able to climb back into the Ford and they flew away.

"They are going to be in so much trouble." Hermione said worryingly.

"Don't worry Mione." I said reassuring her. "This time, it doesn't involve us."

I kind of wish I went on that joyride.

Eventually, Hermione fell back asleep on my shoulder and I did the same moments later.

We arrived at Hogwarts only a few minutes later. I stirred awake and woke Hermione from her slumber. Gracie climbed onto my shoulder and we stepped off the scarlet red engine.

Instead of going to the boats like we did last year, we approached some carriages pulled by some horse like creatures. It looked pretty terrifying to be honest.

"Do you see those horses pulling the carriages?" I asked Hermione.

"Y/N there's nothing pulling the carriages, are you ok?" She asked in a worried tone.

"Wait a second." I said. "These are Thestrals. Only one who's seen death can see them."

I remember reading about Thestrals over the summer. Me witnessing Mum's death years ago must have been how I can see them.

We walked towards the carriages and sat by Seamus and Dean Thomas, who were starting their second year with us.

A few moments later

"Nicholas Martin!" Mum shouted through the Great Hall. (Yours truly making a cameo)

"GRYFFINDOR!" The Sorting Hat shouted. The Sorting had just begun and Ron and Harry were still yet to be seen and Ginny was about to be sorted.

"Ginerva Weasley!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Luna Lovegood!" (Can't forget Luna!)

"RAVENCLAW!"

After the sorting had finished, the feast began. Snape had returned to the hall from where he was and took Professor Dumbledore and Mum along with him. I wonder what that could be all about.

After the feast had finished, Hermione and I returned to the Gryffindor Common Room with the other Gryffindors to find Harry and Ron sitting on the couches. When the other Gryffindors went up to bed. We asked them how they got there.

"Where the hell were you?!" I asked.

"Why were you in the car?" Hermione continued.

"And why didn't you ask me to come with you?" I added as she slapped the back of my head.

"The barrier shut us back at Kings Cross." Harry said. "We just did what we thought we should do."

"Your parents must be so worried Ron, where is the car anyway?"

"We crashed it in the Whomping Willow!" Ron said. "It just dropped us off and chucked our luggage out of the trunk! And my wand snapped!" He then pulled out his wand which was in a right state, it was hanging by a couple of twigs. The point of the wand was pointing in another direction.

"We got detention from McGonagall." Harry said. "And a few Muggles saw us flying from what the Daily Prophet saw."

"Well at least you weren't expelled." Hermione said.

"Let's just go to bed." I suggested wanting this conversation to be over.

I bid Hermione goodnight with a hug, and followed Ron and Harry up to the boys dormitories.

It's good to be back.

————————————-

The first few days back were very interesting. Herbology especially, since we were reporting on Mandrakes in Greenhouse 3.

"Welcome to Greenhouse 3, Second Years." Professor Sprout said. "Now gather around, Today we are going to be reporting on Mandrakes. Who here can tell me the properties of the Mandrake root?"

Me and Hermione's hands hot up instantly.

"Yes Miss Granger, Mr. L/N?" The professor called us.

"Mandrake, or Mandragora," Hermione started. "Is used to return those who have been petrified to their original state."

"It is also quite dangerous." I added. "The Mandrakes cry is fatal to anyone who hears it."

"Excellent!" Sprout beamed. "Take twenty points to Gryffindor! Now as our Mandrakes are still only seedlings their cries will not kill you yet."

"But they can knock you out for several hours, which is why I have given each of you a pair of auditory protection. So could you please put them on, right away? Quickly!"

The Gryffindors and a few Hufflepuffs quickly took the earmuffs in front of them and adjusted them quickly so they wouldn't be able to hear the ear piercing screams.

"You grasp your mandrake firmly." Sprout said. "You pull it sharply out of the pot...." As she spoke, all of the students gasped. She pulled the roots out, revealing a crying plant. It looked like a strange, deformed baby. We obviously could not hear it crying, but from the looks of it, the wooden baby was screaming it's little heart out.

"Got it?" She asked. "And...now you dunk it down into the other pot and pour a little sparkling of soil to keep him warm." Neville then groaned and fainted onto the floor.

"Uh, Longbottoms been neglecting his earmuffs."

"No ma'am." Seamus said with his Irish accent. "He's just fainted."

"Yes, well, just leave him there." Sprout said. "Right! On we go! Plenty of pots to go around, and be careful of the Venomous Tentacular, it's teething."

As we started to work, two Hufflepuff students came towards the four of us, one I recognized to be Laura Bennett, the girl who I ran into last year on Halloween.

"Justin Finch-Fletchy." The boy said as he shook Harry's hand. "I know who you are of course. The famous Harry Potter." Harry smiled at Justin.

"And you're Hermione Granger, always top in everything." He said as he shook her hand, Justin blushed in front of her, which made me feel jealous.

"Y/N L/N, some may say you're even smarter than Hermione." He said as we shook hands.

"It's nice to see you again Y/N!" Laura said with a slight blush after introducing herself to Harry and Hermione.

"It's good to see you too!" I said while smiling.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Hermione glaring at Laura.

"And Ron Weasley..." Justin finished. "Wasn't that your flying car?"

I noticed that when Laura introduced herself, he had a faint blush on his face.

Ron didn't smile back when Justin shook his hand. He's probably still thinking about the howler he was sent today.

Flashback to Morning

"RONALD WEASLEY! HOW DARE YOU STEAL THAT CAR! I AM ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED! YOUR FATHERS FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, AND ITS ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT! IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE, WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT HOME!"

"Oh, and Ginny dear, congratulations on making Gryffindor. Your father and I are so proud."

The howler then stuck its tongue out and ripped to pieces.

That was very unpleasant.

Hermione then closed her Lockhart book and faced Ron. "Well, I don't know what you expected Ron, but you-"

"Don't tell me I deserved it." He snapped.

As he was looking for a change in the subject he grabbed Hermione's schedule.

"Why." He demanded. "Have you outlined all of Lockhart's lessons in little hearts?" Hermione snatched her schedule away while blushing a deep red.

What the hell? Hermione has some weird crush on that pathetic excuse for a human being? It's ridiculous! Absolutely ridiculous!

Back to present

Justin went on to talk about Lockhart and his bs accomplishments. I can't believe people actually fall for those false narratives.

After class, it was time for Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall. We were given the task to turn a beetle into a button. By the time class was done, Me and Hermione were the only ones who were able to do it successfully. Harry managed to scrape by, but Ron was a complete mess. Instead of the desired effect, he managed to make a gray smoke that smelled like a dozen rotten eggs.

Mum was not very happy.

While we were at lunch, we found out we had Lockhart's class next, while Harry found he was being stared at by a camera. Behind the camera was a small boy.

"Seems like you have a fan." I said while pointing in the boys direction.

"All right, Harry? I'm-I'm Colin Creevey. Im in Gryffindor, too. Do you think —-would it be alright if —-can I have a picture?"

"A picture?" Harry asked.

"To prove that I've met you!" Colin said eagerly. He continued to talk nonstop about his dad being a milkman and how excited he was to be coming to Hogwarts until a certain Slytherin student decided to make his presence known.

"Signed photos?" Malfoy said as he came up to the Gryffindor table with his gorillas. "You're giving out signed photos, Potter? Everyone line up! Harry Potters giving out signed photos!"

"No I'm not." Harry said angrily. "Shut up Malfoy."

"You're just jealous!" Colin piped up.

"Yeah, go back to the dungeons where you belong Slytherin!" Said one of Colin's friends.

"I like these kids already." I whispered to Ron.

"Jealous?" Malfoy said. "Of what? I don't want a foul scar across my forehead, thanks. I don't think getting your head cut open makes you that special, myself."

"You seem to be bringing a lot of attention Harry's way Malfoy." I said. "Bit hypocritical don't you think?"

Draco's face flushed with anger as he stalked back to the Slytherin table.

Now it's time for Lockhart's class. I can hardly wait.

In regards to my recent poll on my A/N: if you voted for Hermione to go with Krum to the ball, who would you want Y/N to go with?

Next chapter, Y/N vs Malfoy round one, Mudblood edition. Plus some Lockhart bashing to go along with it.