Elaine's POV:

After being completely shaken up about what Draco had just said, I made my way slowly back to the train compartment where my friends were.

"Elaine!" I heard my name called from behind me. It was George peaking his head out of the compartment I had just passed. "Hey!" I said with a smile. He invited me inside the compartment where him, Fred, and a kid named Lee Jordan were sitting. "What's wrong, love? Looks like you've just seen a ghost," Fred said as he invited me to sit next to him. "Just feeling a bit nervous for school," I said as I gladly took the seat. I wasn't ready to go back to my friends just yet...especially Hermione. I knew she was going to question me on what took me so long, so staying with Fred and George will give me the perfect excuse. "Oh don't be nervous you'll do great!" Lee said with a smile. "Yea not to mention she's some flyer too...you should how fast she can dive on a broom," Fred said as he put his arm around me and smiled. I smiled back. It was so weird to have someone (other than Jason) to be proud of me and tell other people. The next hour was spent with the three boys trying to convince me to try out for the Quidditch team. I was still on the fence about it when our attention was brought somewhere else. There was a knock on the compartment door. "Elaine! There you are! Harry just went looking for you," Hermione said as I opened the compartment door for her and she stepped in. "You've got to come and change we'll be arriving any minute," she said. I noticed she was already changed; her prefect badge was perfectly polished.

"I'll see you guys later," I said with a wave as I followed Hermione back to our compartment. I quickly changed and smooth out the frizz of my hair. I felt the train slowly come to a stop and a huge smile appeared on everyone's face but Hermione's. "What's wrong?" Ron asked her. "Harry still hasn't come back yet...what if something happened," Hermione replied. "Oh please, I'm sure he got caught up talking to someone and got of the train already," Ron said as the hallway of the train filled up with eager students. Hermione, Ron and I waited for the hallway to clear a bit and we got off the train. Boarding the horseless carriages, Hermione explained to me they were being pulled by thestrals and she could see them because she has seen someone die (Harry's godfather, Sirius, who was killed only a few months ago). "I hope I never see them," I reply, praying that day will never come.

As we sat in the carriage, the castle finally came into view. It was beautiful. Everything about it was perfect. I stared at it in awe until Hermione called my name to get off the carriage.

When I stepped off the carriage, a professor was taking down everyone's names (Hermione later told me this was Professor Flitwick) while two Ministry workers were searching our bags. "Name please," the professor said plainly. "Elaine Granger," I said with a smile. "Aha! Miss Granger! So lovely to meet you at last," he said shaking my hand. "Thank you sir!" I replied, following Hermione and Ron into the castle.

The castle was as magnificent on the inside as it was on the outside. "I promise tomorrow I'll give you the full tour," Hermione said as she saw my face was in complete amazement.

"This is the Great Hall...its the most important part of the castle because all meals are served here," Ron said with a laugh and I laughed with him. As we walked further along, the crowd only grew. "Miss Granger!" I heard a voice call from somewhere in front of me. So many students were piling into the Great Hall that I couldn't see. "That'll be Professor McGonagall...you have a get sorted," Hermione whispered as she pointed out the older woman in full witch's robes. I stepped up towards the woman and she led me into a room off to the side. There was a stool in the middle of the room and an old raggedy hat sitting on top of it. "Please have a seat," Professor McGonagall said as she took the hat off the chair. I did as she said. She placed the hat on my head and I felt it move and heard it speak. "Aha!" the hat spoke. "I was wondering when this Granger would arrive....no doubt she will do great things. I think...Gryffindor!" the hat yelled. I felt a wave of relief knowing I would be in the same house as my friends. "You are good to go...welcome to Hogwarts...and to the best house there is!" Professor McGonagall said cheerfully. "Thank you so much, Professor," I said with a smile. I walked out of the small room and back into the already packed Great Hall. I felt many eyes on me as I walked to the Gryffindor table.

"She made it!" I heard Ron scream as I walked to the Gryffindor table. The entire table erupted into cheers. I took a seat at the table with a huge smile on my face. It disappeared quickly when I realized Harry was still missing. "I asked everyone who knows and talks to him and no one has seen him," Hermione said nervously. I could tell she was just getting more and more worried.

When the food appeared in front of us, Harry was still no where to be seen. I looked around the hall at all the students and caught eyes with a familiar face. It was Draco. He was just walking into the Great Hall. He looked shaken up. I was about to go up to him and ask if he was alright when I realized how I can't ever do that. I continued to think about what it will be like secretly being friends with Draco when I snapped out of the thought.

"Will. You. Stop. Eating!" Hermione said repeatedly hitting Ron with her book. "Your best friend is missing," she added. "Turn around you lunatic," Ron replied and pointed to Harry walking into the Great Hall. He was limping over to us and his nose was gushing blood. "He's covered in blood...why is it he's always covered in blood?" I heard Ginny ask Ron. "Harry? What happened?" I asked him as soon as he sat down. "It's nothing...I'll tell you later," he replied. He threw the nastiest look at Draco who instantly retaliated.

Since Harry was back, we all could finally eat (except Ron who has been eating since the food appeared). As we ate and laughed, Dumbledore stepped up to the podium to give his start-of-term speech.

"Now as you know, each and every one of you was searched upon your arrival here tonight and you have the right to know why. Once, there was a young man who, like you, sat in this very hall, walked this castle's corridors, stepped under it's roof. He seemed to all the world, a student like any other. His name: Tom Riddle," Dumbledore started. The entire Great Hall broke out into whispers. "Today, of course, he is known all over the world by another name, which is why as I stand looking out upon you all tonight, I'm reminded of a fact: everyday, every hour, this very minute, dark forces attempt to penetrate this castle's walls. In the end, their greatest weapon is you. Just something to think about...now off to bed pip pip," Dumbledore ended his speech. "Well that was cheerful," Ron said as we all took our last bites of food.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and I decided to wait for most of the Great Hall to clear up before going back to the Gryffindor dormitories. As we sat and watched countless students shuffle out of the hall, I noticed Draco had stayed behind too. He was staring right at me. I looked at him and he pointed to his nose. I continued to look at him, but my expression obviously showed him I was confused. He pointed to his nose again and mouthed 'I'm sorry'. 'Huh wonder what that means,' I thought to myself. Not a second later, Harry spoke. "Malfoy did this," Harry said pointing to his nose. I glanced at Draco in utter shock. What was his reasoning for taking such a liking towards me and not my friends? "What did he do?" Ron asked. "Well I sortof used my cloak to hear what he was saying on the train and I got caught. Kicked me right in the face," Harry explained. "Here let me fix it," I said, pulling out my wand. Before he could protest, I muttered the spell and his nose was fixed instantly. "Thanks," Harry said, feeling the spot where his nose had been broken. "Come on...let's go up now," Hermione said.

The four of us stood up from the Gryfinndor table and made our way out of the Great Hall. As we were exiting, Draco was right on our tails. "Better watch yourself Potter!" Draco shouted before taking a nearby staircase away from us. "What a prick," Hermione said rolling her eyes as Ron agreed. I said nothing. I wasn't really sure what to say. On one hand, he apologized to me for what he did to Harry. On the other hand, I couldn't believe Draco was openly harassing my friends while I was standing right there. Maybe my friends were right...maybe he was bad news.