Harry gave out a loud laugh as he and Seamus helped Ron back into his seat.Ron was completely red in the face when Elizabeth walked over to the table.She smiled down at Ginny and asked,"May I please sit here?"
Ginny looked at Neville and smiled,he nodded and moved over.Ginny smiled up at Elizabeth,"Of course,there's plenty of room!" Elizabeth smiled and sat down.Ron looked down at his golden plate in horror.Hermione looked at Elizabeth,then Ron and she too got red in the face.
Professor McGonagall took away the stool and hat and Professor Dumbledore stood up and smiled,"Well,once again we are gathered here for another year at Hogwarts."
There was a burst of applause,"Welcome to all new and old.The same rules still apply;the Forbidden Forest is still off limits.All should know that our caretaker,Mr.Filch will have no magic in the halls between classes.Oh! I almost forgot,if you have not already gotten the news,in Hogsmeade,there are two new buisnesses,so to speak.One is a Quality Quidditch Supply shop and another is a sort of dance restaurant for young people.I hope that those who are able can enjoy it!"
After this,Dumbledore sat down and the golden plates began to fill with food.Elizabeth stared at the food in front of her as everyone began to fill their plates with food. Christina laughed because she was used to this at her old school,"Hun,if this surprises you then you might have a stroke before you leave this school!"
Elizabeth laughed,"Well in my old school,we had ghosts serve us our food.I came from Edinburgh,it's a wizarding school in Cali."
Christina smiled,"I came from the states too.I went to Libestram.Ever heard of it?"
"Isn't that in New York?",asked Elizabeth.
"Why yes it is!",said Christina.
She was about to start her dinner when she realized that none of her friends had introduced themselves.
Christina glared at Harry but he didn't seem to notice,"I am so sorry that my friends are so rude Elizabeth."
"Call me Liz.",said Elizabeth.
"Oh,ok,sorry my friends are so rude,Liz.My name is Christina Black.This is Harry Potter;" she pointed to her right.Harry was so surprised that for once the person that his name had been revealed to didn't gasp.Liz just sat and smiled.
"And that is Ron Weasley;" Christina said,pointing to Harry's left.Ron and Harry looked up.Harry mumbled "nice to meet you" and continued eating.
Ron got red in the face again and fumbled for his words,"Um,good,I mean,hello,I mean,how are,I mean,how do you do L...L...Liz?"
Liz smiled at him,"I'm fine thank you.How are you?"
Ron got even more red,"Um...f...f...fine,t...t...thank you."
Ron returned to his meal even more horrified than when he started. Christina giggled silently and continued,"and those two are Hermione Granger and Ginny Weasley." and she pointed to Liz's right and her own right.
Ginny smiled,"Hi! I do hope we can be good friends.What year are you in?"
Liz thought a moment and said,"My sixth I believe.We do grades where I come from."
Christina nodded her head,"So did we but in this case,I think you are in the sixth and so are we except Ginny who I believe is in her fifth,if i'm not mistaken?"
Ginny nodded her head and went back to eating. Hermione lifted her head after her name was mentioned then looked at Liz,then Ron's red face and snarled at Liz,"I hope you're ready because this school isn't all that easy."
Liz frowned,"Well hello to you too.Is she always like that?",she whispered to Christina.
Christina laughed and said,"No she's just cranky today,but i'm not sure why."
Liz shrugged her shoulders and went on eating.
Later the students finished their meals and went back to their common rooms.Hermione and Ron weren't prefects this year because last year they asked Dumbledore if they didn't have to be prefects the following year.He consented because of what they had gone through that past June.Harry knew though that the two just didn't feel like having that responsiblity.
"It gets in the way of trouble making.",as Ron used to say.
After dinner Harry became much more talkative and he and Christina both became instant friends with Liz.
Ron and Hermione,on the other hand,hardly spoke to her at all.Every time Liz spoke to Hermione,she would look at Liz then look at Ron and then ignored her.When Ron tried to speak to her,he would stutter and sound remarkably like Neville. When they got to the common room,everyone wanted to talk to Christina and Liz.Harry tried to pull Christina away from the crowd but when he did she was just pulled right back in.Finally,close to midnight,the students began to filter off to bed.In one last stand,Harry pulled Christina by the arm and led her to the couch where they waited for the last of the students to go to bed.
Christina looked at Harry and smiled,"Yet again Mr.Potter?Just because i'm your protector doesn't mean i'm not allowed to talk to anyone you know."
Harry frowned,"Christina,this evening you told me we couldn't...you know...love each other.I need to know why.I mean I think it would make your job easier if we both watched out for each other,like a team.I've played Quidditch enough to know how to work in a team and I really want to be on yours Christina Black."
Christina began to laugh hysterically,"Team...HaHa!...Can't...breathe!"
Finally she sat back up and looked at Harry,"Were you practicing that all night?"
Harry grinned,"A little bit."
Christina took his hands in hers,"Harry,I'm afraid love and teamwork are very different than saving yourself and the world."