Competitive Minds

After a long train ride and about a hundred Chocolate Frogs later, wer'e here. I step off the Hogwarts Express and beam at the large castle. I'm home. Hey, I spend 10 months a year here, may as well act positively.

Me, Harry, and Hermione gather our trunks and head off.

"Ron! Can you believe wer'e here again? It's been forever!" says Harry.

"I know, right?" I say with enthusiasm. "I think this year will be much better than the last. Remember what Professor Umbridge made you do for your detentions?" I shuddered at the very thought. Last year, our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher made Harry write lines saying 'I must not tell lies.' Aside from that, she made him use a quill that caused his hand pain every time he wrote a sentence. Eventually, the back of Harry's hand had a scar baring the words 'I must not tell lies.'

"Don't remind me." he muttered.

"I'm so glad to be coming back to Hogwarts!" Hermione pipes up. "I'm sure that we will learn many new things, being in our sixth year!"

Within two seconds, I find myself staring again. Her face is just so perfect, with her glowing brown eyes and cute dimples. Her hair is so bushy, yet so silky and shiny. She's-

'Ron, get ahold of yourself' I think. 'Hermione is your friend, and that is just the way things were meant to be. Now stop staring at her.'

I take one last look, sigh, and join her and Harry in their conversation about learning to Apparate.
* * * *

We join the feast, to be greeted by our house, the Gryffindors, and be booed by our competition - the Slytherins.

"Ron!" Neville Longbottom rushes up to me. "How did your summer go? Mine went great! I hope I didn't forget to pack anything this time!"

"Good for you," I respond absentmindedly, heading over to where Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan are standing. But not before I hear-

"Hey! Dirtbag! Got everything you need? Oh - I forgot, you can't even AFFORD anything!"

I whipped around. "I also forgot that you are a greasy git!" Before Malfoy could say anything, I headed back to the Gryffindor table.

Then the Sorting Hat was brought out.

After it sang it's song, Professor McGonagall called out "Ashley, Dhirzinsky!" A scared - looking little girl stepped up to the platform. The hat almost immediately called out "SLYTHERIN!" She smiled and headed over to her table.

The ceremony continued until Daniel Sanchez was sorted into Gryffindor. We all clapped and cheered for him.

I heard "GRYFFINDOR RULES!" sound out from right next to me, and looked up to see Neville, Harry, Dean, and Hermione standing on their seats.

"CHILDREN!" Professor McGonagall cried out.

I shook my head in mock resignation. This was going to be an interesting year.