A/N: I'm back.... finally. Sorry about that review for my story.... but I was very MAD!!!! Anyone who has no idea what I am talking about...go look at me reviews and you'll figure it out. OK *Takes deep breath* Now, it is the next morning...we get a surprise and some...Er INFO on Rita Skeeter (A.k.a... Hermione's beetle).... READ N REVIEW!!! NICELY if you please.... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Harry Hermione and Ron made their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Harry was amused at the sight of around fifty purple sleeping bags neatly stacked in the corner. Their occupants were currently enjoying breakfast at their own table since they had no houses as of yet. Harry and Ron sat down, immediately filling their plates, but Hermione refrained from doing so. "What?" Ron asked, through his bacon, "Afraid the house elves had to do to much work did you?" Although Hermione's eyes flashed dangerously at his comment, she kept her voice quite calm, "No Ron...I'm just.... thinking." "Bout what?" "Well...if you must know...I'm thinking about Rita Skeeter." Ron looked at her skeptically, "Why?" "Because, well the people at the Daily Prophet must be quite confused what with her missing and-" Hermione stopped as Harry choked back a laugh and Ron nearly gagged on his pumpkin juice, "You mean you still have her!" They said almost in unison. "Of course I do! Why wouldn't I, I said that-" "We know what you said, "Harry piped up quickly, "we just well, I mean come-on Hermione she is an adult and an Aminagus besides-" "So?" Hermione interjected, "She can't get out AND she promised to keep her stories clean when she does AND," Hermione paused quite dramatically, "She KNOWS I know that she is an illegal Animagus, so if she ever writes another untrue story I'll just go and inform Mr. Fudge, who will fire her of course." Ron goggled at her, clearly impressed. Harry however, had just seen Cho walk in and was distracted. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Cho walked into the Hall silently, and alone which was unusual for her since she was quite popular. Her face was unreadable, but she just seemed sad. Everything about her looked lonely and limp, it was strange to see the bright bubbly Cho Chang that way, Harry thought. Then seconds later he mentally kicked himself, OF COURSE she looked sad! She had just lost Cedric hadn't she! Harry shrivered as he began to remember the events of that night, and the morning after...Cho with tears streaming down her face. She passed their table and glanced quickly at Harry, her face a wall. Harry shook his head to clear it, but it was only filled with more thoughts. Seeing Cho again had brought back a mix of emotions. One was, well, pleasant. It was that queasy feeling he always got when he saw her. The others were angry because she was grieving so much, and there was a faint glimmer of doubt, or maybe was it surprised? All Harry knew was that his feelings for Cho weren't those gut wrenching, heart stopping type of feelings they had been last year. Was there something wrong with him? Or was it just that Cho was so sad that he couldn't try to get her to like him now...or...maybe... Harry's thoughts stopped abruptly as he spied another figure walking in. It was Ginny Weasley. She walked in slowly, chatting amicably with one of her friends. She laughed suddenly and Harry smiled to himself. Ginny really did have a nice laugh.... nice smile too he thought without thinking. He gasped suddenly, realizing what he had just thought of, causing Ron to look at him strangely. "You OK Harry?" Harry searched for a distraction, not really wanting to tell Ron the REAL reason he had gasped, "Oh it's just umm... "The post owls are here!" Hermione interjected again. Harry smiled gratefully at her, and she smiled back, without Ron noticing however. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hedwig swooped down to him, with no letter unfortunately. "Oh...so you just came for food did you?" Harry asked. Hedwig chirped and opened her beak. Harry gave her the last of his bacon and she flew off nipping his finger affectionately. Ron hadn't received anything either, but Hermione apparently had. She was frantically tearing through a Daily Prophet magazine. "Whoa...slow down there." Fred Weasley spoke up for the first time, placing a hand over the page, "You're going to give the magazine indigestion you are." Hermione ignored him and stopped flipping suddenly, "Oh dear..." she trailed off. "What? What?" Ron asked anxiously trying to get a look. "Its.... oh dear.... I don't..." "What!" Ron asked again, pulling at the magazine. Being stronger then Hermione, he got hold of the magazine and began to read the article she had been "Oh dearing" over. His eyes widened as he read: He Who Must Not Be Named...Back? It has not been confirmed as of yet, but many are claiming of his return. Please avoid panicking readers, there is no immediate danger now. It is rumored that his last appearance was done at the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Please, do not be afraid, we are taking all necessary precautions, writes Tina Stone, Daily Prophet reporter. Although we do warn any Muggle-born personal to be careful please. We do not want the same reoccurrence of last year. We repeat all Muggle borns take care of yourselves, please do. If it is any comfort to you, reader, that Dumbledore is trying all he can to protect everyone, then well at least you know. Don't despair, as I have written we do not know if he is even back yet so...I urge you please...DO NOT PANIC! Ron threw down the paper in alarm; it was snatched almost immediately by Harry who skimmed it quickly, alarm raising in his throat. Ron was staring somewhat blankly at Hermione who was twisting her hands in her lap, "Well we knew...I mean Harry said that he was going to, that he did, has returned, and well we just have to.... I just...I just...." Hermione trailed off, fear claiming her vocal chords. Ron blinked and said softly, "Mione?" She looked up quickly at the sound of the nickname, "Yeah?" "I think...I think, that we just have to be careful...you know like the article says, besides if anyone ever-" "Ever..." George prompted during the pause. "Nothing George...come on guys were going to be late for Herbology." Ron said quickly, and with a touch of annoyance in his voice besides. They all got up and left, but Harry paused to say goodbye to Ginny. She smiled in return, her eyes surprised but happy. As they left the Great Hall Harry heard Fred say, "I told you George! Did I not tell you!" "What?" he responded, "I already knew that Ron was an over tempered annoying git." Fred slapped a hand over his eyes and moaned, "Oyi! Honestly George!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A/N: DANGER!!! Oh the beginning of danger. Ok I know I sort of forgot to include the Hat.... but I will...I will in the next part. Now...in the next part we get the sorting and... Dundundunda.... Draco Malfoy makes an appearance *Grins evilly* Ha!! That part is going to be fun to write!!!