magicschild

[magicschild]

Chapter 30

Mother Magic Returns

Summary:

Now that our characters have finished the first book, Mother Magic returns for a little catch up and to give them the second book.

Notes:

BOLD = Bookquotes ITALICS = Parsel UNDERLINE = Younger Version of a Character

Everyone gaped in awe when they saw Mother Magic standing in front of them once more. Her long flowing hair was moving as if by magic, somehow caught up in a wind that did not exist. She smiled at them all a little indulgently before moving towards the two Harrys. She extended their couch and took a seat beside the elder of the two.

"So..." she said eventually, clearly enjoying everyone's stupefied expressions. "How was the reading?"

Everyone looked like they had a thousand things they wanted to say about it but no one spoke.

"Was it as awful as you expected?" she asked Harry.

"It wasn't great," he muttered.

She dropped a kiss on his cheek. "I'm sorry, dear."

"I don't really understand what the point is," Filius said eventually. "Obviously, Harry's life has been... problematic, to say the least... but how does us knowing this help?"

"If you know about it, you can change it," Mother Magic answered softly. "If I've done my arithmancy calculations correctly, which I assure you I have, then when this is all over, the two timelines will sort of merge. Those of you who have two selves in the chamber will fuse together - your memories will remain in tact from the previous timeline - and you will keep some of the better character traits that you've developed as a result of those experiences, hopefully without the negatives."

"Negatives?" Sirius asked.

"Such as Harry's ridiculous habit of blaming himself for everything," Mother Magic said.

"Hey!" both Harrys said.

"The added benefit is that anything either version of you will learn here in the chamber will be knowledge that the combined version will be able to use."

"How is that even possible?" Hermione asked.

"Magic," Mother Magic said with a smile. "OR to be exact, it's merely a case of me and my fellow celestial beings deciding to end the old timeline before it self-implodes and rescuing those that we deem..." She paused. "Useful, I suppose."

Hermione looked like she wanted to speak again but Mother Magic wasn't finished.

"Useful might not be the best word. Hopefully, you'll all prove useful. But it's more than that. You each have something to learn from this experience and you've learned much from the previous timeline. That experience, that knowledge, should not be lost. Not, if we actually want to prevent what is going to happen."

"And what is that?" Remus asked.

"The end of magic. The end of time. The end of fate. The end of life and death. Nothing more or less than the end of everything."

"How?"

"It's a cause and effect sort of problem... Harry saves your world from Voldemort. But instead of uniting and furthering magic, disharmony grows and I suffer for it. Dark magic is outlawed entirely. Dark wizards and witches - those with dark cores - are persecuted and killed. And with their deaths, the connection to me is completely severed. Harry will try of course to temper public feeling and discourage that course of action, but the wizarding world is so used to ignoring my child's voice that they will not hear his warnings until it's too late."

They all sat in utter silence listening to Mother Magic.

"Then with the end of magic, the end of myself, wix will cease to be wix and magical creatures will die. And with the loss of our magical brethren, humans will lose their connection to life, magical and mundane plants will wither and die, the oceans will burn and without the protections of the magical creatures, the pollution that the mudane world has been so mindlessly releasing into our world will become unmanageable. Wix and mundane alike - or should I say mundane and mundane for I'll be dead by then - will starve. War will break out and all life one earth will end. With the loss of life, the lord of life will cease to exist as will the lord of death, as there can be no life without death and no death without life. And what's more Lady Fate shall perish too. With no souls to play her games with, her very purpose will cease to exist and so will she. And with no fate, there is no time so Lord Time will also be lost."

No one spoke. No one dared.

"You've been gathered here because we - the celestials - believe that you are the people best suited to the role of helping my child."

"What of those of us who have only one self?" Albus asked.

"Yes, that is unfortunate. Those of you who are dead at the point in time where Harry took the killing curse for the second time, we have no way of sharing your own memories and knowledge with you. Therefore, we devised the idea of the books. We hope you will learn enough from them that you will be able to see the errors of your ways and make better choices."

No one spoke and Mother Magic glanced at the mantel before glimpsing a rat's tail peeking out from under a sofa. "Of course, we have had a few unexpected - or should I say unexpected to me, no doubt my sister, Lady Fate, knew all about them - tag alongs. I imagine one will have to be dealt with in time and the other might just learn a valuable lesson or two."

Everyone looked nervous at that. "Don't worry. It's nothing to concern yourselves with. At least not now."

Still no one spoke. "Anymore questions?" Silence. "No. Good. I believe it might be time for lunch. Your second book is waiting. Although do not feel under any obligation to rush into reading it. Time will wait for you."

She reached down and messed both Harrys hair up even worse than it already was before flashing away with another blinding light.

"Before lunch," Sirius said, taking both Harrys by the hand. "We need to talk."

He practically dragged them out of the chamber towards the suit of rooms they'd claimed as their own. Sirius was quiet for a moment when the door was finally closed behind them.

Eventually he said, "Harry, er... both of you, you are more than just the Boy-Who-Lived or Mother Magic's Child or whatever other blasted names they've given you. You're more than that. You're you. You're a human being with feelings and you deserve to live the life you want as much as anyone else in that chamber. You are not responsible for saving me or Albus, or Remus... Not Ron or Hermione. Not even Mother Magic. You're not responsible for anyone except yourself."

"Are you saying we shouldn't help Mother Magic?" young Harry asked.

"No. Of course not. I'm not sure we have much choice if we actually want to live," Sirius said with a strange laugh. "I just don't want you to take all the responsibility and blame on yourself. We can save Mother Magic by working together. I just want you to know you are not alone. Not anymore."

Both Harrys had tears in their eyes as they rushed forward, embracing their godfather.

In another room, not too far away, both versions of the Weasley family were having a family meeting. Young Fleur was surprised when she was invited to joint them. She might marry Bill in the future but that was years away. The elder of the two Arthurs spoke first. "I've been discussing with..." He looked at his younger self. "Well, myself, and we decided a family meeting was in order."

"You see, no doubt a lot of things will come out during these books," young Arthur continued, "and we feel that we can't ignore the consequences for our own family. So, after each book, we will come together as a family and discuss whatever upset us or concerned us about the book we've just read."

"That sounds very wise, dear," young Molly said.

"Right, well... who would like to start?" older Arthur asked awkwardly.

"I'm concerned with how much Ron compares himself to us," Bill said. "Ron, you're great. Amazing even. You don't have to try and beat us or something to find your self-worth."

"It's only because... well, mum always tells us to be more like you."

"Well, that's not really fair of her. She shouldn't do that," Charlie said.

"I only mean to give them an example to follow," Mrs Weasley chimed in.

"Yeah but all it does," George began.

"Is make us think," Fred continued.

"You love them more," young George finished.

"Of course I don't love them more," young Mrs Weasley said, rushing towards her twin boys.

"Just because we don't want to work at the ministry or get a stuffy, boring job," George said crossly. "You couldn't even be proud when Fred and I started our business."

"Of course, I was proud," Mrs Weasley said, tears in her eyes. "I even bought some of your products and sent them to your Aunty Muriel."

"But you never told us," George said bitterly. "Fred died thinking you thought we were wasting our lives."

"George!" Arthur looked horrified by what his son had said.

"No. That's fair," his wife said, touching his arm. "I should have told you. I should have told you every day."

"To be honest," Percy said quietly, "I think half the issues I had with the twins wouldn't have happened if you were a little bit more willing to praise them. They are sort of ingenious. I couldn't do half the things they can do."

"Ah, thanks, Perce!" George said with a grin.

"Right, so we all agree that we need to be a little bit less strict with the twins in the future and we'll all try not to compare our younger children with their elder siblings?" Arthur asked. And the three other parents in the room all nodded in agreement. "Back to Ron. Son, what do you actually want from your life? Because, I'm struggling with the idea that your deepest desire is to be better than your brothers."

"I... er... I guess, I could be an auror," Ron said, nervous at having everyone watching him.

"Is that what you actually want?" young Arthur pressed. He couldn't really see it himself.

"Er..." Both Rons looked at each other. They'd never really considered what they wanted from life before. "I like quidditch. I wouldn't mind doing something with that," the younger Ron said eventually.

"Yeah. Doesn't have to be actually playing or anything," Ron agreed, looking shy. "Perhaps, write for Quidditch Times, Seeker Weekly or Which Broomstick?"

"Or maybe if I'm any good at charms, I could develop my own line of broomsticks," young Ron said excitably.

"We're not that great at charms," Ron said nervously, "but if we worked harder, I guess we could do that. It would be pretty cool to see people riding a Weasley."

"You cannot call it a Weasley," Charlie said with a grin.

"What would you call it then?" Ron blushed.

"Dunno." Charlie shrugged.

"Well, it's something to think about while you work on your charm work," Bill said with a smirk. "I can help tutor you in charms while we're here."

"Thanks, Bill," both Rons said.

"Anymore concerns?" Arthur said, smiling at his boys.

"I'm a little worried," Mrs Weasley said. "I want to know why you didn't come to me or your father, when you found out about the stone."

Ron hesitated. He didn't have a good reason. In hindsight, he definitely should have told his parents, especially when they realised You-Know-Who was involved. "I don't know. I guess... I didn't think you'd take me seriously."

"Oh, Ronald!" Mrs Weasley rushed forward and engulfed her youngest son in a hug. "I'm sorry you felt that way. I can't honestly say how I'd have reacted. I have a horrible feeling I'd have thought you were playing some awful practical joke."

"But why?" Ron asked. "I don't play pranks like the twins."

"And we don't play pranks like that," all three twins looked positively affronted.

"I know..." Molly hesitated. "It would be easier to believe that than the alternative. And I'm not always very good at listening to you boys. I'm so sorry."

Mrs Weasley looked close to tears but Ron hugged her close, reassuring her that he wasn't mad.

"Okay," Arthur said seriously, "so we're going to be less strict with the twins, make less of a habit of comparing the younger children with their older siblings, we're going to encourage Ron with his charm work so that he can develop his own line of brooms one day, Ron will make a conscious effort to tell us when something is wrong - in fact, all of you children better do that - and we're going to listen better and not automatically assume the children are playing a prank. Is that everything?"

There was a murmur of agreement before Mrs Weasley started guiding everyone towards the dining room so they could join the others once more.

Perhaps this whole experience would be good for their family, Mr Weasley thought to himself as he listened to his family talk among themselves on their way to the dining room. If they could discuss their problems and find solutions as a family, maybe some of the worst parts of their own future might be avoided. Yes, he decided, he was grateful to Mother Magic for this opportunity.

Ron immediately went to join Harry and Hermione at the table.

"So, how do you think they're all going to take second year?" Hermione asked.

Both of her friends looked at her in horror before gulping for air. "Bloody hell," Ron said, "this is going to be awful."

Notes:

The first book is officially complete... EWK.

[magicschild]

Chapter 29

The Man with Two Faces Part 2

Summary:

Our characters continue reading about the final weeks of Harry's first year at Hogwarts and no one is happy with what they learn.

Notes:

BOLD = Bookquotes ITALICS = Parsel UNDERLINE = Younger Version of a Character

Something gold was glinting just above him... but his arms were too heavy.

"Wait! What?" Ron demanded.

"What happened?" Sirius growled angrily. What was this about a snitch? What had happened to his godson?

He blinked... The smiling face of Albus Dumbledore swam into view above him.

There were several sighs of relief throughout the chamber.

"He's safe now," one of the Weasley said, immediately trusting that if Dumbledore was there, then nothing bad could possibly happen. Clearly having already forgotten that Albus Dumbledore had left Harry to the mercy of magic hating muggles and didn't seem to have the best judge of what was safe for an eleven year old boy - case in point, the mirror of erised.

‘Good afternoon, Harry... He’s got the Stone! Sir, quick –’

"HARRY!" Sirius growled. "Damn it! You're more important than that damn stone."

Harry pulled away from his godfather, a little fearful, only for the older man to pull him closer still, practically stealing his breath from his lungs with how hard he was crushing him against his side.

‘Calm yourself, dear boy... or Madam Pomfrey will have me thrown out.’

Both Madam Pomfreys huffed at that. They'd tried countless times and failed each and every one.

Harry swallowed... what looked like half the sweet-shop.

Sirius looked like he wanted to demand answers, instead of hearing about the sweets and get well gifts he'd received. He was practically vibrating with rage.

‘Tokens from your friends and admirers,’... so, naturally, the whole school knows.

"That's not true!" Neville exclaimed. "We didn't know any of that."

"Yeah, we heard some random story about a giant chess set and that was pretty much it," Draco agreed.

Harry laughed as he saw Ron turn a little red, clearly someone had been bragging about his part of the adventure.

"That's why I never explained Nev. I thought you - and everyone else - already knew," Harry told his friend.

"It's okay, Harry. I get it. I wouldn't have wanted to talk about it either."

I believe your friends Misters Fred and George Weasley... felt it might not be very hygienic, and confiscated it.’

George grimaced as his mother tutted heavily, all the while secretly delighting in the memory of his antics with his twin.

"Not that this isn't delightful," Remus said, "but I want to know what happened to Quirrell."

He had a horrible feeling that the man was dead and he couldn't bear to imagine how Harry had coped with that burden. No wonder the boy seemed to think he was responsible for the entire wizarding world.

‘How long have I been in here?’... they have been extremely worried.’

"THREE DAYS?" several people screeched, loud enough and high pitched enough to sound just like Mrs Weasley in full rant mode.

"Magical exhaustion," Poppy explained. "Harry very nearly died."

‘But sir, the Stone –’... although you were doing very well on your own, I must say.’

"Yeah, at the cost of his health and wellbeing!" Hermione said angrily, crossing her arms against her heaving chest. She'd really started to shed her obsession with authority figures. And she blamed Albus Dumbledore for it entirely.

‘You got there?... I arrived just in time to pull Quirrell off you –’

The people in the chamber looked like they were about to interrogate Dumbledore, only to remember that this Dumbledore had yet to live through this. No one noticed a sly pair of beetles sitting on the mantelpiece.

‘It was you.’... ‘I feared I might be too late.’

"Too late? Too late?" Mrs Weasley was hyperventilating. "You were far more than too late. You should never have left. And what's more that damn stone should never have been in a school full of children in the first place!"

The Weasleys all stared at Mrs Weasley in awe. They had never heard their mother curse before.

‘You nearly were... I was afraid it had.

"Harry," Sirius whined, "please listen to me." He took his godson's face in his hands and forced him to meet his eye. "You are far more important, far more precious than any magical artifact. Never risk your life like this again, please. I beg you."

Harry didn't know what to say. He couldn't actually give that promise. Young Harry might be able to. But his life had been full of risks just like this one. Risks with devastating consequences. And now he might actually be dead.

"I'll try to remember that Siri," Harry said eventually.

As for the Stone, it has been destroyed.’

"Yeah right," Severus muttered under his breath. If anyone believed that he'd have a cauldron to sell them.

‘Destroyed?’... ‘You did do the thing properly, didn’t you?

Remus growled. He had a horrible suspicion that Dumbledore had planned this. Perhaps he hadn't expected it to go exactly as it did, but he'd set a trap and forced the confrontation. Remus was just waiting for proof and then he might just show Albus Dumbledore why wix feared werewolves so much.

Well, Nicolas and I have had a little chat... they will die.’

"We all die eventually," Albus said softly, suddenly very aware of his own mortality. If he understood correctly, the fact that there wasn't a second version of himself wandering about, meant that some time during these readings he'd hear about his own death.

Dumbledore smiled... death is but the next great adventure.

Several people scoffed at that. But Harry understood. A part of him was ready for this all to end. Although he didn't really want another adventure. He simply wanted peace.

You know, the Stone was really not such a wonderful thing... humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things which are worst for them.’

Again people looked at him like he was crazy but Harry understood. And so did some of the people who had fought in the war. What made life beautiful was that it was short. You had to cherish it. And Voldemort was proof that you shouldn't try to outlive your life expectancy - at least not without expecting severe consequences.

Harry lay there... Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself.’

"Except when there's a taboo," several people muttered.

‘Yes, sir... he cannot be killed.

The mothers in the room had tears in their eyes. This was not a conversation that any eleven year old should have to have.

He left Quirrell to die... why, he may never return to power.’

"And if that isn't a call to arms, I don't know what is," Moody muttered. He glared at his old friend. Had he truly intended to groom Harry into a child soldier? Because it was certainly starting to look like it.

Harry nodded,... things I want to know the truth about ...’

"You'll be lucky," Minerva muttered. "Albus Dumbledore does not share the truth. At least not the whole truth."

Albus was shocked. He'd never heard Minerva speak so harshly about him before. He must have made mistakes, misjudgments... Perhaps everything hadn't gone to plan at all.

‘The truth... should therefore be treated with great caution.

"And therefore, you won't be getting the truth," Severus said snidely. There were plenty of things he didn't think an eleven year old Harry should know but he couldn't help but admit that after that encounter with Voldemort, the child had proved himself capable of... Not that it mattered, young Harry would know everything. Even Severus's own horrid part in it no doubt.

However, I shall answer your questions... I shall not, of course, lie.’

The teachers were pleasantly surprised by that answer. Although they were unsure if he was being completely honest. They were all beginning to wonder how many times Albus had lied to them.

‘Well ... But why would he want to kill me in the first place?’

Everyone leaned forward although none of them expected Albus to tell the child. That most likely would fall into the category of something he wouldn't tell him but wouldn't lie about.

Dumbledore sighed very deeply this time... when you are ready, you will know.’

The adults in the room shook their heads. How different would the war have been if Albus had explained things on that day in the hospital wing? Would it have been better? Or worse? None of them really knew and so couldn't really blame Dumbledore for not telling the child. Those that knew about the prophecy agreed that that might be too heavy a burden for an eleven year old child. But several couldn't help but think it was no worse a burden than being forced into a situation where you ended up killing your professor in self-defense.

And Harry knew it would be no good to argue... it is love.

The death eaters in the chamber wanted to scoff. It wasn't love. It was a blood sacrifice. Yes, invoked with maternal love but it wasn't as sentimental as old Dumbles made it sound. Any willing sacrifice, preferably from someone of the same blood, would have done just as well.

He didn’t realise... It is in your very skin.

"Not exactly," Augustus Rockwood said. "To be more accurate it is in your magic and blood. As it is a blood protection brought about by the blood sacrifice of a family member. I really couldn't comment on how long such a sacrifice would remain effective. The strength of the protection isn't determined by how loved you were, Potter, but rather the strength of your mother's intent to protect you. Magic - especially dark magic, such as blood magic - is heavily intent based. I will concede, however, that the more your mother loved you, the greater her intention to protect you no doubt was."

Quirrell, full of hatred, greed and ambition... touch a person marked by something so good.’

"Now that is certainly not true," Augustus continued. "The only truth in that sentence is that as he was sharing his soul with the Dark Lord, the one the blood protection is geared to act against, he would be affected by it too."

The chamber was quiet while Augustus considered his next words. "It's not that you're marked with something good, technically blood protections brought about by human sacrifice are dark magic and therefore by most people in this chambers standards would actually be considered evil. I can't help but find it ironic that the Great Albus Dumbledore is happy to talk about the goodness of a human sacrifice when that sacrifice is done with the pure intent of protecting yourself Heir Potter. But were another parent to wish to do the same, to petition the Wizagmot to allow them that right, he would call it dark. As he has done for the last several decades."

Albus felt like he should defend himself. But the man was hardly wrong, was he? Had he lost sight of things so much that he'd lie to a child about dark and light magic in such a way? He'd dabbled in the dark arts himself in his youth and lost so much because of it - so why hadn't he been completely upfront with the boy? Told him that his mother's ritualistic murder had resulted in a dark protection... It was true that he saw the benefit in the protection but that didn't make it any less dark. But was it evil? Lily's intentions manifested from her love for her child, a pure, good intention. Could the magic that resulted ever be evil? For the first time in a very, very long time, or perhaps for the second time since coming to the chamber, Albus Dumbledore was questioning his own decisions.

Dumbledore now became very interested... dry his eyes on the sheet.

Several of the mothers in the room sniffed. They all wanted to wrap the two Harrys in cotton wool and not let them out of their sight.

When he had found his voice again... steal food when he was here.’

Sirius huffed. He didn't believe that. He couldn't imagine James giving up his cloak for anything.

‘And there’s something else ...Is that true?’

Severus drew a sharp breath and forced his occlumency shields into place. He would not react to whatever crap the crazy headmaster said in answer to that question.

‘Well, they did rather detest each other. Not unlike yourself and Mr Malfoy.

"Malfoy and I are nothing like Professor Snape and my father," Harry said bitterly. "Sure, Draco is a bit of a git. But my dad relentlessly bullied Professor Snape."

"Harry," Sirius began.

"No, Sirius. You were just as bad. There's no excuse for how you both behaved."

Severus was taken a back to hear Potter defending him. They clearly didn't have a good relationship in the future. And if Harry's first year at Hogwarts was anything to go by, it was mostly Severus's own fault. So to hear him defend him against his own father and godfather, the man was surprised to say the least.

And then, your father did something... ‘He saved his life.’

Severus literally growled. "That is far too simplistic an explanation. You'd have been better to say nothing at all."

"Not to mention you made out my dad was some sort of hero, instead of what he was; a bully." Harry was glaring at the headmaster.

‘What?’... couldn’t bear being in your father’s debt

"There's some truth in that," Severus admitted. "Life debts are abysmal things to get out of."

I do believe he worked so hard to protect you... hating your father’s memory in peace.'

Severus shook his head again. On one side, he was grateful Albus hadn't mentioned his vow to protect the child, but on the other side, he'd made his protection into something it wasn't. He really wasn't sure how to feel about that.

Eventually, he turned to Harry and said, "There was no life debt between myself and your father. In our seventh year, your father came to me and apologised for his... behaviour." He tried his best to keep his voice level. "He absolved me of any obligation to fulfill the life debt at that time. It was..." He paused, hating how much these words cost him. "Quite honourable."

Harry tried to understand this... that’s saying something.

"Egotistical much," one of the death eaters muttered to another.

You see, only one who wanted to find the Stone... but I think I’ll be safe with a nice toffee, don’t you?’

"I bet that's not toffee," George told Lee Jordan.

"One galleon?" Lee asked.

"Deal," George smirked.

He smiled... ‘Alas! Earwax!’

Lee Jordan sighed, handing over a galleon.

"That's it?" Remus demanded. "What about Quirrell?"

"I do believe that has been explained," Albus said gently.

"Sure. He died because of the blood protection and because he was sharing his body and soul with You-Know-Who but did you not consider the emotional cost of witnessing such a thing? Or that Harry might actually blame himself? Blood protection or not, it was his magic that ended Quirrell's life and as such he was bound to feel responsible."

Albus hesitated. Remus wasn't wrong. But would he have wanted Harry to see a mind healer? He couldn't imagined his older self would have even considered the need. "I cannot speak for what my older self chose to do, but I agree that seeing a mind healer would have most likely benefited Harry."

Sirius scoffed. "Would have most likely benefited Harry... You have some nerve, Albus."

Madam Pomfrey,... Oh, go on, Madam Pomfrey ...’

"That won't work," Charlie said.

Harry merely smirked.

‘Oh, very well,’ she said. ‘But five minutes only.’

"WHAT?" Practically everyone glared at the matron before turning in awe towards Harry. How the hell did he do that?

And she let Ron and Hermione in... ‘The whole school’s talking about it,’ said Ron.

"The whole school, Ron?" Harry teased.

"Well... I might have gone overboard talking about the chess set," Ron said with a shrug, slightly pink in the face.

‘What really happened?’... Hermione screamed out loud.

"Valid reaction," Moody said gruffly. He'd seen many things in his day and he was grateful he hadn't seen Quirrell with Voldemort sticking out the back of his head.

‘So the Stone’s gone?’... looking quite impressed at how mad his hero was.

Ron gave Harry an odd look. "Not sure he's my hero exactly."

‘So what happened to you two?’... “Harry’s gone after him, hasn’t he?” and hurtled off to the third floor.’

There was a humph from Remus and a sigh from Moody. Yes, this was definitely looking like it had Albus's handiwork all over it.

‘D’you think he meant you to do it?’...  you could have been killed.’

"That's a very good question, Mr Weasley," Moody said with a glare at his old friend.

Albus remained silent. No doubt, they wouldn't understand.

‘No, it isn’t,’... he just taught us enough to help.

"That better not be true," Mrs Weasley said in an oddly quiet, calm sort of voice. Her face however, was pure thunder.

I don’t think it was an accident... I had the right to face Voldemort if I could ...’

Sirius and Remus both growled.

‘Yeah, Dumbledore’s barking, all right,’... ‘You’ve had nearly fifteen minutes, now OUT,’ she said firmly.

"I think we know who Madam Pomfrey's favourite is," Neville said with a smirk.

After a good night’s sleep,... as though in her opinion Professor Dumbledore didn’t realise how risky feasts could be.

"For you, Potter, the feasts were a risk. I still hadn't succeeded in countering the malnutrition. While you were in the hospital wing, I could sneakily give you even more potions." Madam Pomfrey smirked at the young man. "I was a Slytherin, you know."

‘And you have another visitor.’... ‘It’s – all – my – ruddy – fault!’ he sobbed, his face in his hands.

"Oh, Rubeus," Minerva said, patting the half-giant on the back.

‘I told the evil git how ter get past Fluffy!...  I should be chucked out an’ made ter live as a Muggle!’

Lucius couldn't help himself. "You, Mr Hagrid, could never live as a muggle. Anymore than I could."

‘Hagrid!’... ‘Yeh could’ve died!’ sobbed Hagrid. ‘An’ don’ say the name!’

"It really wasn't your fault, Hagrid. If anyone is to blame, it's Albus," Remus said soothingly.

‘VOLDEMORT!’... he stopped crying.

"That was a bit mean, Harry," Hermione said. She was surprised. Her best friend didn't have a mean bone in his body but he was rather stubborn about calling old Voldie by his name.

‘I’ve met him... ’Course, he shoulda sacked me instead – anyway, got yeh this ...’

"If he sacked you, he'd have had to sack me too," Minerva said - after all she'd ignored Harry's concerns about the stone, "and himself."

It seemed to be a handsome, leather-covered book... but Hagrid understood.

"Thank you, Hagrid," Sirius said, tears welling in his eyes.

Harry made his way down to the end-of-year feast alone... A huge banner showing the Slytherin serpent covered the wall behind the High Table.

The Slytherins that had been at the school that year glared at the book.

When Harry walked in... tried to ignore the fact that people were standing up to look at him.

"That must get really annoying," Remus said quietly.

"Like you wouldn't believe," Harry muttered.

Fortunately, Dumbledore arrived moments later... you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts.

The teachers glared at the headmaster. All his talk of empty brains, really wound them up.

‘Now, as I understand it,... Slytherin, four hundred and seventy-two.’

Harry grimaced. "For the record, I don't think this was okay. Sure, at the time, I was happy but in hindsight, it was pretty messed up."

There was a murmur of agreement from the Gryffindors.

A storm of cheering... ‘However, recent events must be taken into account.’

"You didn't!" Severus glared at Albus.

The room went very still... Ron went purple in the face; he looked like a radish with bad sunburn.

Everyone struggled not to laugh at the description, Ron included.

‘... for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points.’

"Fifty points?" Sirius asked, clearly baffled. "For being out of bed after hours, in an out-of-bounds part of the castle, risking his own and his friends lives?"

Everyone gaped at him.

"What? I might have broken the rules but I never got rewarded for it," Sirius said. "I'll admit some of the punishments we received were too lenient but we weren't actually rewarded."

Gryffindor cheers nearly raised the bewitched ceiling... Got past McGonagall’s giant chess set!’

"Were you proud of me?" Ron asked Percy, taken by surprise.

"Of course, I was," Percy said nervously.

At last there was silence again... Harry strongly suspected she had burst into tears.

"This has to be a joke?" Remus asked. "No offense kids, but you shouldn't have gotten points. Perhaps awards for services to the school but not house points. And even if you were to get house points, they shouldn't have been awarded at the leaving feast."

"No wonder inter-house unity is at an all time low," Amelia remarked.

Gryffindors up and down the table were beside themselves...  ‘for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points.’

"That's the only explanation they got?" Lucius asked darkly. He'd heard about this incident. It had been a big part of the reason he'd been so hellbent on having Dumbledore removed the following year. Draco and his friends had been devastated. He found himself agreeing with Mr Lupin. If points were to be awarded, they could have done so during the time Heir Potter was in the hospital wing. Not at the leaving feast. He wouldn't disagree that the boy deserved something for his actions. Merlin, he probably should have been awarded an Order of Merlin for preventing the Dark Lord from rising again. But to reward him at the expense and embarrassment of his peers? What teacher did that?

The din was deafening... They had drawn for the House Cup

"A draw isn't too bad, I suppose," Sirius said. "At least you didn't outright steal the cup from Slytherin."

Harry frowned and Sirius had the sinking feeling that there were still more points to be awarded.

– if only Dumbledore had given Harry just one more point.

"Like I said, in hindsight, I know this was wrong," Harry said, "but at eleven I didn't really see the bigger picture."

Dumbledore raised his hand... I therefore award ten points to Mr Neville Longbottom.’

There was silence as they all took in what the headmaster had done to one of the four houses.

Harry broke the silence. "In fairness, out of all the points awarded that night, those ten, yeah, they were well deserved."

No one could disagree with the young man. They didn't like what the headmaster had done but they full-heartedly agreed that Neville Longbottom deserved his ten points. Neville blushed as everyone - even the Slytherins - agreed with Harry.

Someone standing outside... Neville, white with shock, disappeared under a pile of people hugging him.

Everyone in the chamber smiled at Neville before returning to glare at Dumbledore. He was tempted to remind them that he hadn't done it yet. But what was the point? It was exactly something he would do. He often forgot to consider the feelings of others. It was one of his biggest character flaws and always had been.

He had never won so much as a point for Gryffindor before.

"And that is just ridiculous," Remus said. "Neville, if your teachers failed to reward you properly then more fool them."

The herbology professor looked particularly upset to realise she'd never awarded points to Neville in his first year. He'd certainly deserved them. He was top of the class.

Harry, still cheering, nudged Ron in the ribs... Body-Bind curse put on him.

"I wanted to cry," Draco admitted. "I'd worked hard all year. Especially after that whole dragon thing to make back those points."

‘Which means,’... ‘we need a little change of decoration.’

"Absolutely disgusting!" Augusta said.

He clapped his hands... Harry knew at once that Snape’s feelings towards him hadn’t changed one jot.

"If anything they had probably worsened," Severus admitted. "Especially if the staff were not fully informed of what took place."

"We weren't," Minerva said, her voice almost shrill.

This didn’t worry Harry... he would never, ever forget tonight.

They all smiled at Harry, even if they didn't agree with the change, they were happy for eleven year old Harry.

Harry had almost forgotten... Hermione, of course, came top of the year.

Hermione blushed and Draco couldn't help but glare at her.

Even Neville scraped through,... but he had passed, too.

"Goyle isn't exactly stupid," Draco said. "It takes him longer to understand and he really can't put his thoughts into words, especially on paper but he's not stupid."

"It also doesn't help that he's really shy," Zabini added. "He acts tough but he's secretly a great big softy."

"Crabbe on the other hand," Draco began, only to stop, feeling suddenly sad. Crabbe was dead...

It was a shame,... pulling into platform nine and three-quarters at King’s Cross Station.

"Did you even ask not to go back?" Hermione asked suddenly.

"Every year," Harry muttered.

It took quite a while for them all to get off the platform... I’ll send you an owl.’

Sirius smiled. It wouldn't all be bad if Harry could get away for a chunk of the holiday.

‘Thanks,’ said Harry. ‘I’ll need something to look forward to.’

People all around the chamber sighed. They really couldn't believe that they'd never known how awful Harry's relatives were. Surely, someone should have known. Should have done something.

People jostled them as they moved forwards... ‘Still famous,’ said Ron, grinning at him.

Harry grimaced.

‘Not where I’m going, I promise you,’... It was Ginny Weasley, Ron’s younger sister, but she wasn’t pointing at Ron.

Ginny groaned, lowering herself into her chair in embarrassment.

‘Harry Potter!’... ‘Oh, it was nothing, dear.’

"Thank you, Molly," Sirius and Remus both said.

‘Ready, are you?’... ‘Hurry up, boy, we haven’t got all day.’ He walked away.

"Did you not question that?" Remus asked, bemused. "He was quite rude."

"Didn't want to say anything in front of the children," Molly said.

Harry hung back for a last word with Ron and Hermione... ‘They don’t know we’re not allowed to use magic at home. I’m going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer ...’

Several people looked like they wanted to tell Harry off for that but they held it back. After all, they'd probably have done the same in his situation.

"That's it," Filius said as the book closed itself. "Now what?"

There was a flash of blinding light and they all fell silent.

[magicschild]

Chapter 28

The Man with Two Faces Part 1

Summary:

Harry and the others read the last chapter of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

Notes:

BOLD = Bookquotes ITALICS = Parsel UNDERLINE = Younger Version of a Character

“Told you it wasn’t me,” Severus said with a sneer.

”If it’s not Professor Snape,” Oliver Wood said, “then I have no idea who it could be.”

”None at all?” Percy asked. He had a sneaky suspicion. “I bet a galleon that it’s Professor Quirrell.”

”PERCY! No gambling!” Mrs Weasley said.

”Mum, I’m not a child,” Percy huffed.

”I reckon it’s Filch,” young Susan Bones said.

Everyone looked at her like she’d lost it.

“What? He hates the students. This is the perfect way to escape the school!”

”Any more bets?” George asked.

”A galleon that it’s a student,” Lee Jordan said.

”I bet it’s a Slytherin,” someone called from the back.

It was Quirrell.

”I knew it!” Moody and Percy said in unison.

‘You!’ gasped Harry… ‘Severus?’ Quirrell laughed and it wasn’t his usual quivering treble, either, but cold and sharp.

“You’re not saying that his stammer was fake!” George demanded.

”Yup,” Harry said.

‘Yes, Severus does seem the type, doesn’t he?… Your friend Miss Granger accidentally knocked me over as she rushed to set fire to Snape at that Quidditch match.

“That was lucky,” young Bill said.

”Harry would have died if she hadn’t knocked him over.” Charlie was nodding his head in agreement.

She broke my eye contact with you… trying to save you.’

Severus didn’t speak. He merely raised his eyebrow as if to say I told you so.

‘Snape was trying to save me?’

”Is that so hard to believe?” Severus asked with a teasing lilt to his voice.

”At the time it was,” Harry admitted.

‘Of course,’ said Quirrell coolly… All the other teachers thought Snape was trying to stop Gryffindor winning, he did make himself unpopular

The other teachers looked awkwardly towards Severus. They were torn. On one side, they were concerned that Severus was a spy for Voldemort and that he’d killed Dumbledore. But equally, they’d always thought the worst of him until it was seemingly proved true. What if they’d pushed him to choose that side?

and what a waste of time, when after all that, I’m going to kill you tonight.’… wrapped themselves tightly around Harry.

Sirius and Remus whimpered.

‘You’re too nosy to live, Potter… ‘You let the troll in?’

”Did the school investigate how the troll got into the school?” Amelia asked.

Minerva sighed before shaking her head. “No. The headmaster didn’t think it was necessary.”

‘Certainly. I have a special gift… and not only did my troll fail to beat you to death, that three-headed dog didn’t even manage to bite Snape’s leg off properly.

”Were the aurors called in for this?” Amelia asked Kingsley.

He shook his head. “No. I didn’t know about any of this.”

”Good Merlin,” Amelia grumbled.

‘Now, wait quietly, Potter… It was the Mirror of Erised.

”Of course, it is,” Sirius growled.

”Why am I not surprised!” Remus said, pacing behind the sofa the two Harrys and Sirius were sitting on.

”You manipulative old goat,” Sirius said, glaring at Dumbledore.

‘This mirror is the key to finding the Stone,’… keep Quirrell talking and stop him concentrating on the Mirror.

“Good plan,” several people agreed.

‘I saw you and Snape in the Forest… when I had Lord Voldemort on my side ...’

”Professor, he just said you’re not as scary as old mouldy!” George teased.

Quirrell came back out… He was at Hogwarts with your father, didn’t you know? They loathed each other. But he never wanted you dead.’

”Because that’s how we define my teachers. Those who like, hate or are indifferent to me but do not want me dead and then those that want me dead.” Harry couldn’t help but be sarcastic.

‘But I heard you a few days ago, sobbing… ‘You mean he was there in the classroom with you?’ Harry gasped.

”He Who Must Not Be Named entered Hogwarts and the ministry was not informed?” Amelia asked. “Have you all lost your minds?“

The teachers hesitated.

”We did not know that You Know Who was actually in the school,” Minerva said seriously. She was shaking in fear. Her students had been in serious danger that year and she’d been almost completely unaware.

‘He is with me wherever I go,’

”He was…” Fred started, sharing a look with young George before muttering, “The turban.”

”Bloody hell,” older George said, realising just who he and Fred had thrown snowballs at.

”Don’t be daft,” Percy said. “There’s no way You Know Who was under that turban.”

when I travelled around the world… There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it

“Huh,” Bill said. “That’s sort of twisted.”

”I don’t fully disagree with him,” Harry said, surprising everyone. “Magic itself isn’t good or evil, it’s just power. I don’t necessarily mean Mother Magic, but the magic we actually use. Magic is magic regardless of whether it’s light or dark. It’s not the magic itself that is good or evil but the wix who wields it.”

There was a murmur of uncertainty.

”What about the unforgivables?” Ron asked. They’d had this conversation a thousand times and he loved setting it up for Harry to continue making his point.

”The unforgivables themselves are not evil,” Harry continued, “but what we use them for is. I mean… Do you seriously think that if you perform a mercy killing or accidentally kill someone, that the damage to your own soul will be the equal to if you had murdered them in cold blood?”

No one seemed to want to answer.

”Legally, you would go to Azkaban for all three. Except perhaps the accidental killing but that would depend heavily on what caused the death.” Madam Bones looked serious as she considered the question. “But no, personally I do not think they are equal.”

Harry nodded his agreement. “The killing curse could be used for humanely killing livestock, or euthanasia in hospital if society were to agree that euthanasia be legalised—and don’t presume I’m expressing an opinion on it, I’m not, just trying to show how it could be used in a way that would be less unforgivable. The imperius curse could be used to get difficult patients to eat, take medical potions and stuff. I’m less sure about the crutiatus though.”

”My point is that the magic itself isn’t to blame for our intentions,” Harry finished.

No one argued with him and so the book continued.

Since then, I have served him faithfully… decided he would have to keep a closer watch on me ...’

“He wasn’t in the forbidden forest was he?” Sirius asked, clinging to his godsons. He had a really bad feeling about this.

”No,” Harry said quietly, Voldemort was not lying in wait in the forest.

Quirrell’s voice tailed away… shaken hands with him in the Leaky Cauldron.

“It was a busy day,” Remus said. “You can’t be expected to remember everything.”

Quirrell cursed under his breath… But how can I look without Quirrell realising what I’m up to?

”Who cares about the stone, Harry? You should be trying to think of a way to escape. Not plotting how to get the stone away from him.” Sirius frowned. “You were a child, Harry. You were not responsible for this.”

Harry stayed quiet. There was no point arguing when they’d probably never agree.

He tried to edge to the left… He was still talking to himself.

“I’m beginning to think,” George started.

”That Quirrell is a little,” Fred continued.

”Bat shit crazy,” young George said.

”FRED!” Young Mrs Weasley screeched. “Language!”

”It wasn’t me,” Fred argued.

”Sorry, mum,” young George said.

‘What does this mirror do?… Help me, Master!’

”Oh Merlin! He’s not actually there with you, is he?” Remus growled.

And to Harry’s horror… the ropes binding Harry fell off.

”Run Harry!” Several people screamed.

”And where should he run? The only way back is through the flames and he does not have the required potion to return,” Severus said crossly.

Harry got slowly to his feet… ‘I must look and lie about what I see, that’s all.’

”If the Dark Lord is there,” Severus said, “that will not be enough.”

Quirrell moved close behind him… Harry felt something heavy drop into his real pocket.

“What the hell? Albus Dumbledore! You’ve literally given Mr Potter the thing You Know Who wants! You’ve made him the target!” Minerva growled angrily. This is nothing like what she’d been told by the headmaster.

Somehow – incredibly – he’d got the Stone.

“I get what you meant before Harry,” Sirius said. “This stinks of a set up.”

”It was a test,” Harry said with a shrug.

‘Well?’ said Quirrell impatiently… ‘I – I’ve won the House Cup for Gryffindor.’

”The Dark Lord won’t believe that,” Severus said.

Quirrell cursed again… ‘He lies ... He lies ...’

Somehow Snape managed to prevent himself from saying I told you so.

‘Potter, come back here!’… ‘Let me speak to him ... face to face ...’

”No. This cannot be happening! This can’t… it just can’t.”

Severus passed another calming draught to Black before glancing about to see who else might require one. He hovered several across to the room to those he thought looked most panicked.

‘Master, you are not strong enough!’… Petrified, he watched as Quirrell reached up and began to unwrap his turban.

“Not an unreasonable reaction given your age,” Moody said with a shrug. He’s seen grown wizards freeze under less dangerous conditions.

What was going on?… It was chalk white with glaring red eyes and slits for nostrils, like a snake.

“No child should have to face this,” Augustus Rockwood said. He was really beginning to wonder about the mark on his arm. He’d tried researching a way to remove it and failed. He’d long ago accepted that he’d most likely need a parselmouth to do it. But now he was in a chamber with two parselmouths and he couldn’t help but think that maybe he could finally get free from the madman that tried to kill babies.

‘Harry Potter ...’… I will be able to create a body of my own

“What does he want? Pity?” Sirius growled.

Now why don’t you give me that Stone in your pocket?’

”How did he know?” Young Ginny asked.

“He’s extremely gifted in the mind arts,” Severus explained.

So he knew… ‘Better save your own life and join me ... or you’ll meet the same end as your parents

Draco frowned. He’d talked about Potter’s parents like that too. He didn’t like comparing himself to the Dark Lord.

They died begging me for mercy ...’

Both Remus and Sirius growled. 

‘LIAR!’ Harry shouted suddenly… ‘I always value bravery.

That surprised the Dark Lord’s followers. They couldn’t remember him ever saying such a thing. He’d laughed at how willing to fight him the Gryffindors were. Willing to run headfirst into battle.

Yes, boy, your parents were brave. I killed your father first and he put up a courageous fight but your mother needn’t have died.

“You know it’s worrying when old Moldy told me more than you did, Dumbledore,” Harry said angrily.

”I didn’t know the details,” Albus said.

”You knew the details I needed.”

she was trying to protect you.

“Hang on!” Amelia called out. “Are you saying He Who Must Not Be Named went after Heir Potter, not his parents?”

”Yes,” Harry replied.

Now give me the Stone, unless you want her to have died in vain.’… At once, a needle-sharp pain seared across Harry’s scar;

“I don’t get why his scar hurts,” young Ron said, scratching his head.

his head felt as though it was about to split in two… saw him hunched in pain,

“Huh?” Several people asked. Everyone was on the edge of their feet, itching to act, to protect the child.

looking at his fingers… both hands around Harry’s neck

“No!” Sirius cried out, clutching Harry against his chest.

Remus had joined them on the sofa now and was holding young Harry just as tightly.

Harry’s scar was almost blinding him with pain… Harry could see they looked burnt, raw, red and shiny.

”How is that possible?” Charlie asked.

”Accidental magic?” Percy wondered aloud.

“No. Blood magic,” Bill said gruffly. “His mother’s sacrifice.”

‘Then kill him, fool, and be done!’… grabbed Quirrell’s face

”Oh Merlin,” Bill said. He could easily guess where this was leading and it wasn’t anywhere good. Poor Harry.

‘AAAARGH!’

”What happened?” Sirius demanded.

”Harry happened,” Bill said.

Quirrell rolled off him… hung on as tight as he could.

“This is what caused the magical exhaustion,” Madam Pomfrey said as if she’d finally solved an ancient riddle.

Quirrell screamed… and fell into blackness, down ... down ... down ...

”What happened?” Sirius demanded.

”Is Quirrell dead?” George asked.

”What about Harry?” Ron paled. He knew his friend would be okay. They’d lived this after all. But that didn’t mean he liked it.

Harry didn’t say anything. He glared at Dumbledore. It might not have been his intention but the headmaster had made a murderer of Harry at the age of eleven.

And Harry wasn’t sure that was something he could forgive.

[magicschild]

Chapter 27

 Through the Trapdoor Part 2

Summary:

Our characters continue to read the penultimate chapter of Harry’s first year at Hogwarts.

Notes:

BOLD = Bookquotes ITALICS = Parsel UNDERLINE = Younger Version of a Character

Then he looked up at Ron… send Hedwig to Dumbledore, right?’

”That’s what you should have done to begin with,” Percy said. He really wasn’t happy that his little brother and his friends were being so reckless. Why hadn’t Ron come to him?

‘Right,’ said Ron… sitting on some sort of plant.

”A plant?” Sirius asked, his mind running wild, trying to list all the plants that could be used to protect something.

‘It’s OK!’… was the open trapdoor.

”That’s some drop,” Dean said. He was one of the few that understood the muggle reference.

‘It’s a soft landing… I suppose it’s here to break the fall.

”That is not its intention,” Pomona said, panic in her voice. She had never intended her students to come across that particular plant.

Come on, Hermione!’… She leapt up and struggled towards a damp wall.

“At least one of you is paying attention,” huffed the younger Professor Sprout.

She had to struggle because the moment she had landed, the plant had started to twist snake-like tendrils around her ankles.

”Devil’s Snare,” Neville said authoritatively.

”Quite, Mr Longbottom,” Pomona smiled at her favourite student.

As for Harry and Ron… the two boys fought to pull the plant off them, but the more they strained against it, the tighter and faster the plant wound around them.

Sirius tightened his grip on the two Harrys.

‘Stop moving!’… ‘Shut up, I’m trying to remember how to kill it!’ said Hermione.

”Good Merlin! This is not the time for you two to argue!” Lee Jordan said.

‘Well, hurry up, I can’t breathe!’… ‘So light a fire!’ Harry choked.

”Hurry!” Sirius demanded.

”I’m okay, Siri,” Harry soothed his godfather.

”Yes. And I’m not sure how that is possible with all the things that seem to happen to you.”

‘Yes – of course – but there’s no wood!’ Hermione cried, wringing her hands.

”You’re a witch,” George chuckled.

‘HAVE YOU GONE MAD?’… cringed away from the light and warmth.

”Thank Merlin!” Several people exclaimed.

Wriggling and flailing… ‘and lucky Harry doesn’t lose his head in a crisis – “there’s no wood”, honestly.’

”I don’t think you understand how difficult it is to stop thinking like a muggle,” Hermione huffed.

‘This way,’ said Harry… If they met a dragon, a fully grown dragon – Norbert had been bad enough.

”No. Absolutely not. Go back!” Mrs Weasley demanded, hiding her eyes in husband’s shoulder.

‘Can you hear something?’… I can see something moving.’

”You don’t have to do this,” Sirius murmured. “You can still go back.”

They reached the end of the passageway… ‘Do you think they’ll attack us if we cross the room?’ said Ron.

“Would have made it more of a challenge,” Harry said.

”More of a challenge?” Hermione asked. “Why would you want it to be more challenging?”

“To protect the stone obviously,” Harry replied.

‘Probably,’ said Harry… sprinted across the room.

“Why is it always you that goes first?” Remus groaned.

He expected to feel sharp beaks… Hermione tried her Alohomora Charm.

“You didn’t actually expect that to work, did you?” Professor Flitwick asked.

”You say that like the actual challenge is harder,” Harry said.

”Well, it should be harder than a first year spell,” young Flitwick said.

”It wasn’t.”

‘Now what?’… Broomsticks! We’ve got to catch the key to the door!’

“Why would you leave the broomsticks in the room?” Sirius asked.

”That was what Albus wanted,” Filius said shortly.

‘But there are hundreds of them!’… probably silver, like the handle.’

“Well done, Mr Weasley,” Filius clapped.

They seized a broomstick each… was Harry the youngest Seeker in a century.

There was a great cheer in the chamber.

He had a knack for spotting things other people didn’t… the feathers are all crumpled on one side.’

”Very observant, Mr Potter,” Moody commented.

Ron went speeding in the direction… Ron and Hermione’s cheers echoed around the high chamber.

”Well done, Harry!” Charlie cheered.

They landed quickly… they couldn’t see anything at all.

”Cast a lumos then!” Percy called out in frustration.

”Good point, Mr Weasley,” Moody said. “Did you at least have your wands out?”

Harry, Ron and Hermione shared a look.

But as they stepped into it… were the white pieces.

“Isn’t it a bit odd that the first challenge was something Neville could have solved easily,” Dean said, “you know, if you brought him along.”

”Yup. The second challenge is perfect for Potter,” Malfoy added.

”And now we have one that fits Ron,” Seamus said.

Harry, Ron and Hermione shivered slightly… ‘We’ve got to play our way across the room.’

”I forbid it,” Mrs Weasley screeched.

”Mum, it’s already happened,” young Bill said softly.

Behind the white pieces they could see another door… ‘Do we – er – have to join you to get across?’

Mrs Weasley was whimpering.

The black knight nodded… ‘Now, don’t be offended or anything, but neither of you are that good at chess –’

”As if we’d be offended by that,” Harry teased.

‘We’re not offended,’… ‘I’m going to be a knight,’ said Ron.

”Sir Ronald!” Fred teased.

The chessmen seemed to have been listening,… What if they lost?

”Presumably you don’t go forward but you’ll also likely be injured,” Percy said matter-of-factly. “That’s if it’s just like wizards chess.”

‘Harry – move diagonally four squares to the right.’… where he lay quite still, face down.

People all around the chamber gasped in shock. They looked at the three younger children and tried to picture them in that situation.

”This should never have happened!” Amelia grumbled.

‘Had to let that happen,’… Harry and Hermione were in danger.

Sirius whimpered.

He himself darted around… ‘it’s the only way

“What is?” Mrs Weasley demanded.

I’ve got to be taken.’

“No! Absolutely not!” Mrs Weasley was on her feet and pulling Ron into her arms.

”Mum, I’m fine,” Ron muttered.

‘NO!’… ‘Look, if you don’t hurry up, he’ll already have the Stone!’

”Ronald, who cares about the stone!” Mrs Weasley said. “You were a child. It wasn’t your responsibility!”

”I know that mum,” he muttered.

There was nothing else for it… don’t hang around once you’ve won.’

”What do you want them to do?” Mrs Weasley demanded. “Just leave you there.”

”Exactly,” Ron muttered.

He stepped forward… He looked as if he’d been knocked out.

Both Mrs Weasleys were crying as they clung to their youngest sons.

Shaking, Harry moved three spaces to the left... With one last desperate look back at Ron, Harry and Hermione charged through the door and up the next passageway.

”Don’t leave him!” Mrs Weasley begged.

”I’m fine, mum,” Ron soothed. 

“Why weren’t we informed about this incident?” Arthur asked, his voice unusually cold.

“Mr Weasley had a concussion. I advised the headmaster that his parents should be informed.” Madam Pomfrey crossed her arms over her chest.

‘What if he’s –?’… A disgusting smell filled their nostrils, making both of them pull their robes up over their noses.

”No. Not another troll!” Begged Sirius.

Eyes watering… out cold with a bloody lump on its head.

”Thank Mother Magic,” Remus muttered.

‘I’m glad we didn’t have to fight that one,’… ‘What do we have to do?’

“Avoid being poisoned,” someone muttered.

They stepped over the threshold… Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,

”Yes! Go back!” Several of the mothers in the room said.

”They can’t,” Severus said. “They would need to find the right potion to do that.”

Two of us will help you,… ‘Brilliant,’ said Hermione. ‘This isn’t magic – it’s logic – a puzzle.

“What I don’t understand is the purpose,” Tonks said. “Are you just trying to slow a thief down because none of these challenges would stop someone for long.”

”Be better to have a series of traps,” Kingsley agreed.

A lot of the greatest wizards haven’t got an ounce of logic, they’d be stuck in here for ever.’

“Well, that’s just rude,” Andromeda commented.

”And not at all true,” Ted Tonks argued.

‘But so will we, won’t we?’… towards the Stone.’

”Was she right?” Someone asked.

Severus nodded his head. She’d been quick too.

Harry looked at the tiny bottle… ‘That’s hardly one swallow.’

”Harry don’t you dare offer to go on alone!” Sirius demanded.

They looked at each other… go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, we need him.

“You should have done that at the beginning!” Mrs Weasley screeched.

I might be able to hold Snape off for a while, but I’m no match for him really.’

Severus felt strangely proud that his future student would say such a thing about him. It wasn’t every day his students complimented him.

‘But Harry – what if You-Know-Who’s with him?’… ‘I might get lucky again.’

”You can’t rely on luck! You should not be going in there without a plan,” Remus said.

Hermione’s lip trembled… but it’s like ice.’

”Get moving,” Severus said sternly. “You don’t have a lot of time.”

‘Quick, go, before it wears off.’

”Good advice, Potter,” Severus said.

‘Good luck… then he was on the other side, in the last chamber.

Everyone was suddenly silent, sitting on the edge of their seat.

There was already someone there – but it wasn’t Snape. It wasn’t even Voldemort.

“Taking your bets now,” George called through the chamber.

”George! That isn’t funny,” Mrs Weasley chided.

[magicschild]

Chapter 26

Through the Trapdoor Part 1

Summary:

Our characters are soooo close to finishing the first book. They are in for some major shocks and surprises.

Notes:

BOLD = Bookquotes ITALICS = Parsel UNDERLINE = Younger Version of a Character

Everyone in the chamber tried to control their anger. They could not believe that Voldemort had been in the Forbidden Forest and Dumbledore had not know.

But if he had known and chosen to do nothing… that was potentially worse.

So instead of expressing their ire, they went back to their seats and prepared to listen to the next chapter, fearful of what else they might learn.

In years to come, Harry would never quite remember ... through the door at any moment.

“And none of you noticed that something was wrong?” Sirius asked.

”I presumed he was just nervous about the exams,” Minerva said.

Yet the days crept by… but taken away if it had whiskers.

“Yours was especially pretty, Mr Potter,” Minerva said. “It was far more detailed than the others.”

Sirius beamed down at him, obviously pleased.

Snape made them all nervous, breathing down their necks while they tried to remember how to make a Forgetfulness Potion.

“And to think people say you have no sense of humour,” Lucius remarked to his old friend.

Severus merely smirked.

Harry did the best he could… since his trip into the Forest.

“Why did you not come to the hospital wing?” Madam Pomfrey asked in exasperation.

Neville thought Harry had a bad case of exam nerves… but Ron and Hermione didn’t seem as worried about the Stone as Harry.

Narcissa let out a sigh. “That’s because they are children. Children who have never had to do everything for themselves. They know that they can trust the adults in their lives to protect them. That’s the lesson their parents have taught them. You never got that lesson.”

Harry couldn’t really argue with that. She wasn’t exactly wrong.

”Every time I’ve tried to trust an adult…” he began.

”They’ve let you down,” Narcissa agreed.

”Or died,” Harry muttered.

”I’m so sorry that that has been your experience Heir Potter. It wasn’t right.”

The idea of Voldemort certainly scared them…  didn’t have much time to fret about what Snape or anyone else might be up to.

“You must have felt so alone,” Luna said, coming up to his side and sitting on the arm of his sofa. She wrapped an arm around him. “You’re not alone anymore.”

Their very last exam was History of Magic…  Harry couldn’t help cheering with the rest.

”That’s the best feeling in the world,” Sirius said with a grin.

‘That was far easier than I thought it would be,’… flopped under a tree.

“Surely, doing the test once is enough,” George teased.

The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles… there’s no need to worry yet.’

”Ron, had you just completely forgotten about the stone and Voldemort?” Bill asked. “You knew why he was looking so worried.”

”I wasn’t really thinking about that,” Ron muttered.

Harry was rubbing his forehead… ‘Go to Madam Pomfrey,’ Hermione suggested.

”Good idea!” Madam Pomfrey said, arms folded.

‘I’m not ill,’ said Harry… before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down.’

”That’s true enough,” Tonks said. “Hagrid is super loyal. But it doesn’t account for the doubtless countless books on Cerberus in the library.”

Harry nodded… I remembered we’d done that one.’

”You guys really like to ignore Potter’s feelings, don’t you?” Draco said with a huff. “You could be a little more supportive. He’s actually scared and you’re only advice is go see Madam Pomfrey?”

Ron and Hermione shared a look. Did Draco Malfoy just give them advice on how to be a good friend to Harry of all people?

Harry was quite sure… Harry suddenly jumped to his feet.

”It’s fascinating hearing your brain work,” Luna said with a small smile.

‘Where’re you going?’… and a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket?

“Suspicious indeed,” Moody said. The other aurors murmured in agreement.

How many people… didn’t answer.

”I would have though it was obvious,” Moody said gruffly.

Hagrid was sitting... ‘he wouldn’ take his cloak off.’

”Definitely suspicious!” Madam Bones tutted.

He saw the three of them look stunned… yeh get a lot o’ funny folk in the Hog’s Head

”That’s true enough,” Mrs Weasley agreeed. – that’s one of the pubs… an’ I told him I was gamekeeper here.

”I bet he was interested in that,” Moody hissed.

Harry had a sneaky suspicion that the auror had already worked out who was trying to steal the stone.

He asked a bit about the sorta creatures I look after ... So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy

”Oh Hagrid,” McGonagall and her younger self shook their heads.

Hagrid looked shamed faced. “I don’ know what I twer thinkin’”

And did he – did he seem interested in Fluffy?’ Harry asked,… he’ll go straight off ter sleep –’

“It was that easy?” One of the children asked.

Hagrid suddenly looked horrified… ‘We’ve got to go to Dumbledore,’ said Harry.

“Good idea, Harry. Well done, pup,” Sirius said.

‘Hagrid told that stranger… Where’s Dumbledore’s office?’

“Students really don’t visit my office very often. It’s a shame,” Albus said, completely oblivious to all the tension around him.

They looked around… ‘What are you three doing inside?’

”Huh?” Remus laughed. “Is it suspicious now if students are indoors when it’s sunny outside?”

”It is when they’ve just finished their exams,” Minerva said.

It was Professor McGonagall… ‘See Professor Dumbledore?’ Professor McGonagall repeated, as though this was a very fishy thing to want to do.

“Is it really so unreasonable that they might want to see me?” Albus asked. He was wondering if his staff actively prevented the students coming to him. He hoped that wasn’t the case.

”Well… it’s not exactly normal,” young Minerva said.

”That is a shame,” Albus said softly. “I imagine I’d be a better headmaster if my students spoke to me more often.”

‘Why?’… ‘It’s sort of secret,’ he said,

“Don’t tell her that,” Sirius said with a sigh. “Now she’ll be even more suspicious.”

”Although in fairness,” Amelia said, “the students are under no obligation to explain why they want to see the headmaster.”

but he wished at once… ‘He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off for London at once.’

”Well, that’s bad timing,” young Hermione said.

”More like suspicious timing,” young Ron replied.

‘He’s gone?’… ‘Something you have to say is more important than the Ministry of Magic, Potter?’

”Really? Is that even a necessary question?” Andromeda huffed. “Albus has a duty of care to his students. If he isn’t available because of his other commitments, perhaps he should have less commitments.”

”Good job making your pupils feel valued and important,” young Narcissa said crossly.

Look,’ said Harry, throwing caution to the winds, ‘Professor – it’s about the Philosopher’s Stone –’

Harry, Ron and Hermione glared at their head of house.

Whatever Professor McGonagall had expected, it wasn’t that… ‘How do you know –?’ she spluttered.

”I wonder if any of the other students worked it out,” Luna said serenely.

‘Professor, I think – I know… She eyed him with a mixture of shock and suspicion.

”Good job not mentioning Snape,” Remus said with a nod.

”Yeah. She’ll think you’re just going after a teacher if you say it’s Snape,” Tonks added.

‘Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow,’… it’s too well protected.’

”You’re not even going to ask them what they know?” Kingsley asked.

”I didn’t think…”

”Clearly,” Amelia said coolly.

‘But Professor –’… But they didn’t.

“Of course not,” Remus sighed. “Harry, as wrong as Professor McGonagall was for dismissing your concern, you need to remember that you are not responsible. It was not your job to protect the stone.”

Harry frowned. It had been made clear to him repeatedly that people expected him to fix everything. If something involved Voldemort it was his responsibility. No one had outright said it but the expectation was there. Not to mention, the number of people who had died just to protect him. How could it not be his responsibility? Especially with the damn prophecy… Harry considered arguing but Remus looked like he wouldn’t be moved on the subject. And Harry knew just how stubborn the man could be when he wanted to be.

‘It’s tonight,’… Snape was standing there.

”Were you spying on them?” Sirius demanded.

”How should I know?” Severus asked.

‘Good afternoon,’ people will think you’re up to something.

“Kettle calling the pot black,” Harry huffed but offered the potions master a small smile. He knew now why Snape always seemed to be around. He was magically obliged to protect him.

And Gryffindor really can’t afford to lose any more points, can they?’

”That was just mean,” Narcissa chided her friend gently.

”I haven’t done it yet Cissy.” Severus eyed her softly. The Malfoys were some of the only people who had ever been kind to him. And not want something back. It was surprisingly unslytherin of them. 

Harry flushed… I will personally make sure you are expelled.

”He’s been out after curfew twice that you’re aware of. Once because you fools gave a detention after hours.” Sirius frowned. “Not to mention, you only said it to Harry. Granger was there too!”

”Never mind that Mr Potter is my responsibility,” Minerva said crossly. She was beginning to think she’d failed in her stewardship of the child.

Good day to you.’... ‘One of us has got to keep an eye on Snape – wait outside the staff room and follow him if he leaves it.

“Not a bad plan,” Moody commented.

”You really shouldn’t encourage them,” Amelia said softly. Although secretly she thought so too. She just took issue with the fact that three eleven year olds were put in this situation at all.

Hermione, you’d better do that.’… I think I got question fourteen b wrong ...’

Everyone laughed at that. Even Hermione.

‘Oh, shut up,’… she lost her temper.

”She better not have,” Sirius growled. He really didn’t like the way people treated his pup.

‘I suppose you think… from my own house!’

”Another fifty?” Remus asked. “Do you regularly take that many points from people?”

”No. Of course not.”

”So, just Harry then?” Remus growled.

The head of Gryffindor didn’t reply, too busy mentally listing all the times she’d taken points or threatened to take points from Harry.

Harry and Ron went back to the common room… I don’t know where Snape went.’

“Most likely to my potion lab to brew something,” Severus said sarcastically. He wasn’t liking how everyone was looking at him. It wasn’t anything new but that didn’t mean he had to like it.

‘Well, that’s it then, isn’t it?’… get to the Stone first.’

”That’s a terrible idea!” Sirius practically screamed. “You were eleven. What were you thinking?”

”That I was dead either way,” Harry said with a shrug.

”This is your fault!” Sirius said, turning on Minerva. “If you’d just listened to him!”

‘You’re mad!’ said Ron… You’ll be expelled!’

”Who cares about that?” George asked. “He’ll probably be killed.”

‘SO WHAT?’… turn it into a school for the Dark Arts!

”Well, he’s not wrong,” Luna said sadly.

Losing points doesn’t matter any more… I’ll have to go back to the Dursleys and wait for Voldemort to find me there.

Everyone glared at Dumbledore at the mention of the Dursleys.

It’s only dying a bit later than I would have done, because I’m never going over to the Dark Side!

“You sound like Luke from Star Wars,” Dean teased. “May the force be with you, Harry!”

”What if the dark side has cookies?” Seamus laughed.

”Nah.” Harry’s eyes glittered. “Maybe for treacle tart though.”

I’m going through that trapdoor tonight… ‘You’re right, Harry,’ said Hermione in a small voice.

”WHAT? Don’t encourage him!” Mrs Weasley screamed.

‘I’ll use the Invisibility Cloak,’ said Harry. ‘It’s just lucky I got it back.’

”Yeah… real lucky,” Moody growled. He didn’t think luck had anything to do with it.

‘But will it cover all three of us?’… you don’t think we’d let you go alone?’

“None of you should be going!” Andromeda said crossly. “You shouldn’t even be considering it.”

‘Of course not,’… there might be something useful ...’

”You’re all going to get yourselves killed,” Molly whined.

‘But if we get caught… They’re not throwing me out after that.’

”Arrogance,” Severus scowled. 

After dinner… thing to say to Harry any more, after all.

“They were still ignoring you?” Minerva asked disbelievingly.

Harry laughed. “They either loved me or hated me. There was no middle ground.”

This was the first night… hoping to come across one of the enchantments they were about to try and break.

The teachers scoffed.

”As if you’d find the answers in a first year text book,” Tonk laughed.

Harry and Ron didn’t talk much… He pocketed it to use on Fluffy – he didn’t feel much like singing.

”Yeah. I see why you were suspicious of that now,” Bill said.

”There are too many coincidences,” Fleur agreed with her husband.

He ran back down to the common room… ‘What are you doing?’ said a voice from the corner of the room.

George shook his head. “Amateurs.”

Neville appeared… ‘Nothing, Neville, nothing,’ said Harry, hurriedly putting the Cloak behind his back.

”You could have told me, you know,” Neville said shyly. “I would have wanted to help.”

Neville stared at their guilty faces… Why don’t you go to bed, Neville?’

”You’re not his mother, Hermione,” George teased.

Harry looked at the grandfather clock by the door… ‘this is important.’

”Perhaps if you told him what was going on,” Lee said sarcastically.

But Neville was clearly steeling himself… ‘I’ll – I’ll fight you!’

”Go Neville,” several people cheered.

Harry, Ron and Hermione glared at everyone.

‘Neville,’ Ron exploded, ‘get away from that hole and don’t be an idiot –’

”RONALD!” Mrs Weasley scolded her son.

‘Don’t you call me an idiot!’… ‘Yes, but not to us,’ said Ron in exasperation.

“You don’t get to choose who Neville stands up to Ron,” Ginny chided with a laugh.

‘Neville, you don’t know what you’re doing.’

“He would if you explained it to him,” Seamus complained. “You never tell us anything.”

”Yeah, we could have all helped,” Dean added.

”Absolutely not! You were all eleven,” Minerva said crossly. “None of you should have been leaving the tower.”

He took a step forward… ‘Do something,’ he said desperately.

”I just want to clarify that what comes next is not what I expected her to do,” Harry said sheepishly.

”What did you think I’d do?” Hermione asked.

”Talk to him,” Harry said with a shrug.

Hermione stepped forward… pointing it at Neville.

”MISS GRANGER!” The teachers huffed in shock. They all thought it was one of the boys that had attacked Neville.

Neville’s arms snapped to his sides… ‘You’ll understand later, Neville,’ said Ron, as they stepped over him and pulled on the Invisibility Cloak.

“Except I didn’t find out later. Not properly anyway. Sure I heard some random stories about chess and logic puzzles but I wasn’t actually told what was so important that my friends raised their wand against me.” Neville looked them all dead in the eye. “That was disappointing.”

”I’m sorry, Neville,” Harry said. “That was probably my fault because I didn’t want to talk about it.”

”We practically had to force the story out of him,” Hermione added.

”I thought you were with him,” Sirius said.

”We had to split up,” Ron answered.

But leaving Neville lying motionless… ‘Oh, let’s kick her, just this once,’ Ron whispered in Harry’s ear, but Harry shook his head.

“I can’t believe I’ve never kicked that cat,” Ron muttered darkly.

As they climbed carefully around her… loosening the carpet so that people would trip.

“Someone might need to remind Peeves about the difference between safe and friendly pranks and deadly and cruel tricks,” George said seriously, taking everyone by surprise.

”What?” He asked when he noticed everyone looking at him. “Fred and I knew the difference.”

‘Who’s there?’… ‘Should call Filch, I should, if something’s a-creeping around unseen.’

”He won’t get you caught as long as he thinks you’re pranking someone,” George advised.

Harry had a sudden idea… ‘Peeves,’ he said, in a hoarse whisper, ‘the Bloody Baron has his own reasons for being invisible.’

”Or you could do that, George said with a whistle.

Sirius scoffed. “He’ll never fall for that.”

Peeves almost fell out of the air in shock… forgive old Peevsie his little joke, sir.’

“As if!” Remus chuckled.

All three twins got up and came over to Harry, bowing down to him. “We’re unworthy.”

‘I have business here, Peeves,’…  And he scooted off.

”That was amazing!” Draco Malfoy said, grinning widely.

‘Brilliant, Harry!’… and the door was already ajar.

”Oh dear,” Tonks said. “I think you should get a teacher.”

”Why? They wouldn’t have listened to us,” Harry said with a shrug.

‘Well, there you are,’… I won’t need it now.’

”You should all go back,” young Mrs Weasley said.

‘Don’t be stupid,’… ‘Snape must have left it there.’

”A harp?” Severus asked. “That would not be my instrument of choice.”

Harry was tempted to ask what instrument he would choose. Except he wanted to get this book over and done with, so he let his curiosity go. 

‘It must wake up the moment you stop playing,’… fast asleep.

”That’s surprisingly easy,” someone said.

”Not the best guard dog, is it?” Oliver said.

‘Keep playing,’… ‘Want to go first, Hermione?’

”Ron, this is one of the exceptions to the rule ladies first!” Percy said. Oliver smirked at that.

‘No, I don’t!’… we’ll just have to drop.’

”Absolutely not!” Mrs Weasley screeched. “You have no idea how deep it is or what’s at the bottom!”

Harry,… pointed at himself.

”Always playing the hero,” Draco huffed. “No one is that altruistic.”

”Harry is,” both Ron and Hermione said.

”Only because he’s been groomed to believe his life holds less value than anyone else’s,” Severus said with a glare.

‘You want to go first?…  he was hanging on by his fingertips.

”Please, Harry, don’t do this!” Sirius begged, clinging to Harry.

[magicschild]

Chapter 25

The Forbidden Forest

Summary:

DAY THREE IN THE CHAMBER Day 3 in Mother Magic's domain and lessons start in earnest and the characters get closer to finishing their first book.

Notes:

BOLD = Bookquotes ITALICS = Parsel UNDERLINE = Younger Version of a Character

The following morning, Harry ignored Ron as he grumbled about how difficult the pre-breakfast lesson were. Hermione was bickering with him about how he'd never become an auror with that attitude. With a sigh, Harry focused on the task at hand. Amelia and Moody had them start off by running laps around the chamber. Then they had them line up and block, dodge, and duck their advancing spells. It wasn't so bad, none of their spells were problematic. Each one simply covered them in various shades of paint, some of which sparkled and glittered, while others flashed.

"Duck!" Moody growled as he raised his wand once more, aiming a blast of paint towards them.

"Block!" Amelia follow straight after him, not giving them any chance to prepare.

By the time the hour had passed, all of them were breathless and desperate for a shower.

"Back to your rooms to clean up and we'll meet you at breakfast," Moody said gruffly.

No one stuck around, rushing out of the room, eager to get cleaned up. When they arrived at breakfast, Harry noticed his younger self sitting with a younger Neville as they discussed their own lesson. "I can't believe werewolves are real!" young Harry said in amazement. "It's so cool!"

Harry chuckled at his younger self. The other younger students took the time to tell the adults all about their own lesson. They had started off just like the older group, with a run around their classroom chamber, before they had sat down for a lesson on dark creatures. Everything they learned had been theory as they wouldn't be receiving wands until later that day, but they were all talking animatedly as if they too had been attacked with paint.

After breakfast, the entire group moved into the chamber, ready to read another chapter. When they heard the title of the chapter, Remus let out a low growl.

"Potter please tell me you did not go into the forest in your first year," Severus said, already knowing he was wasting his breath.

Things couldn’t have been worse.

"You jinxed it," young Harry said.

"Yeah, I did, didn't I? I do that a lot."

Young Harry sighed. "Yeah, me too."

Filch took them down to Professor McGonagall’s study... Hermione was trembling.

"I'd never been in trouble before. Not really anyway."

Excuses, alibis and wild cover-up stories... How could they have been so stupid as to forget the Cloak?

"Rookie mistake," Sirius messed with Harry's hair.

"We've all done it," Remus agreed.

"Don't encourage him!" Molly sniped.

"Excuse me? I'll talk to my godson however I damn well please." Sirius looked ready to rip her head off.

There was no reason on earth... which was out-ofbounds except for classes.

"Well," Oliver said, "there is one reason, but she'd never believe it of a pair of firsties."

Add Norbert... packing their bags already.

"You won't be expelled. Being out after curfew isn't that bad. You might lose a couple of points and get detention," Sirius said. "Nothing worse than that."

"Doubt you'll even get a letter home," Remus said, nodding along.

Had Harry thought that things couldn’t have been worse?... he said you had a drag–’

"Ah, I'm sorry Nev. I really didn't want you to get dragged into everything," Harry said.

"Neville, you were out after curfew in first year?" Augusta asked. She looked confused, like she couldn't decide whether to be angry or proud.

"My friends needed me."

Definitely proud, Augusta decided.

Harry turned towards his younger self. Make more time for Neville than I did. He'll be a real friend. The best even.

Harry shook his head violently.... she towered over the three of them.

"I've never been compared to a dragon before," young Minerva murmured, feeling quite pleased.

‘I would never have believed it of any of you... ‘I think I’ve got a good idea of what’s been going on,’ said Professor McGonagall.

"Didn't give them much time to answer, did you?" Sirius growled.

‘It doesn’t take a genius to work it out.... and believed it, too?’

"He wouldn't!" Sirius said. "Surely you knew him better than that!" It was exactly the sort of thing he and James might have done, but after just a few days with Harry he knew Harry was nothing like him or James. Not in that respect at least.

"I'm not my father you know," Harry muttered. "You're supposed to be my head of house and yet even you don't actually see me. I'm not James Potter."

Professor McGonagall looked like she had been struck. Was he right? Had she been extra hard on him because of his father? It was certainly possible.

Harry caught Neville’s eye... to warn them.

"I'm sorry, Nev."

Neville shrugged it off. "It's ok, Harry."

‘I’m disgusted,’ said Professor McGonagall. ‘Four students out of bed in one night! I’ve never heard of such a thing before!

"Liar!" Sirius chuckled. "I can remember countless times."

You, Miss Granger, I thought you had more sense. As for you, Mr Potter, I thought Gryffindor meant more to you than this.

"That's a low blow," Remus said.

All three of you will receive detentions... especially these days, it’s very dangerous

"And whose fault is that?" Dolohov demanded. "You're the ones that put a dangerous artifact in the school and decided to guard it with a Cerberus. Do not blame the children when all they're doing - as far as you are aware - is rebelling a little, like children do. Literally testing the boundaries."

"Especially abused children like Potter," Severus said softly, low enough that most of the room did not hear.

– and fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor.’

"That's a bit steep but I guess it could be worse," Remus said. "You could have taken sixty if you wanted to be fair to Malfoy. Perhaps a few extra from Harry and Hermione if you honestly believed that tripe about them trying to get Malfoy in trouble. So maybe seventy max."

‘Fifty?’ Harry gasped... ‘Fifty points each,’ said Professor McGonagall, breathing heavily through her long pointed nose.

"That's absurd!" Sirius said angrily. "In what world is that fair. I've never lost fifty points in one go like that and I've done far worse than that."

Several others were murmuring their agreement.

"Minerva, did you consider suspension?" Remus asked.

"Remus!" Sirius growled.

"No wait, Padfoot," Remus said calmly. "Well, Minerva, did you?"

"No. Of course not. His behaviour didn't warrant such a severe punishment."

"The purpose of the point system is to give points for good behaviour and remove points for minor infractions. Five points for being late for class or dueling in the corridors. Ten perhaps for being out of bounds. Minor infractions with a minor punishment that cannot affect on their own the entire house's success. By removing that many points, you are punishing the entire house for the actions of three students. Which is not the purpose of the point system. First and foremost, it is a reward system to encourage good behaviour and devotion to studies. When you believe that you need to remove more points, you should be considering other options, detention, suspension and perhaps expulsion. I would argue that if he did not deserve suspension, he did not deserve to lose that many points."

He paused. "What's more I would say that with all due respect, Minerva, if you can't see that in the moment when you are assigning punishments, you are too angry."

"I think there will be a new bylaw added to the Hogwarts charter about the house point system," young Augusta said. "A clear predefined amount of points that can be given or deducted for certain behaviours. Clearly, the teachers lack the judgement to decide this for themselves."

Young Lucius was in clear agreement. "I'll happily second that motion at the next meeting.

‘Professor – please –’... I’ve never been more ashamed of Gryffindor students.’

"That was just unnecessarily harsh," Remus said. "Where in all that did you explain why they were being punished except some random comment about danger. And why didn't you bother to find out the truth of what happened?"

"What I don't understand, is how you were so unaware of what was going on in the school," young Dolohov said. The death eaters were speaking up for the second time, much to everyone's surprise. "You have a student in the hospital wing with a dragon bite and yet somehow you have no clue that there's a dragon at the school. Not to mention, you've somehow completely missed the fact that the gamekeeper isn't keeping up with his responsibilities. You are deputy headmistress, are you not? The truth of this situation should have been obvious."

"You're right," Minerva said softly. "I should have known."

"Not to mention, none of this would even be happening if the stone wasn't in the school," Dolohov said.

"In what way is this linked with the stone?" the younger teachers asked. "There's no evidence of that."

"The wards, you fools. The dragon would not have been able to enter the grounds without old Dumbles over there dismantling some of them."

A hundred and fifty points lost... How could they ever make up for this?

"It'll be difficult," Sirius said with a grimace. "Not impossible but bloody difficult."

He completely ignored Molly huffing about his language.

Harry didn’t sleep all night... him and a couple of other stupid first years.

"And that is why you don't punish the entire house for the behaviour of the few," Hermione said pointedly, reminding the teachers of an earlier discussion about teachers punishing more than those at fault.

"Yeah, teenagers turn on each other under those conditions," Remus agreed.

From being one of the most popular and admired people at the school, Harry was suddenly the most hated.

"Surely not," young Minerva said. She couldn't imagine her lions turning on one of their own.

Even Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs... Only Ron stood by him.

"Well, yeah, we're friends," Ron said, going red.

‘They’ll all forget this in a few weeks.... ‘They’ve never lost a hundred and fifty points in one go, though, have they?’ said Harry miserably.

"I'm not sure anyone has to be honest," Augusta said softly.

‘Well – no,’ Ron admitted... He’d had it with sneaking around and spying.

"I wonder how long that lasted?" Severus asked lightly. He watched Harry closely. The young man was staring at his hands, not looking at anyone. How was it that after everything else that he'd bravely faced so far, this was what actually got to him? Severus didn't like it. And he wouldn't let it happen to the younger Harry.

He felt so ashamed of himself that he went to Wood and offered to resign from the Quidditch team.

"But you love playing quidditch!" Minerva couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"It wasn't fun anymore," Harry muttered.

‘Resign?’... they called him ‘the Seeker’.

"And you call yourself a captain!" Sirius said, glaring at Wood. "Why didn't you say something?"

"Er... I did. They wanted Harry off the team before I reminded them we wouldn't win without him," Oliver said nervously. "Besides, I'm not proud of it, but I was only fifteen and I was pissed too."

Hermione and Neville were suffering, too... keeping her head down and working in silence.

"So we have one student who is being bullied by the whole school," Remus growled, "another who is performing worse in class as a result and another whose self esteem was already low enough and has probably sunk further. Well done, Minerva. That's some excellent work right there."

"Remus, that's a bit harsh," Dumbledore chided.

"No. I'm not sure it's harsh enough," Sirius said. "I'm seriously wondering if I would be better to remove Harry from Hogwarts."

Harry was almost glad that the exams weren’t far away... and goblin rebellions.

"What a terrible reason to study," Sirius tried to joke. He didn't like the look on either of his godsons faces.

Then, about a week before the exams were due to start,... he heard Quirrell’s voice.

"Walk away," Sirius said, pulling the two Harrys against his side. "Better to let that stone go to whoever damn wants it. It's not your problem, Harry."

‘No – no – not again, please –’... Harry moved closer.

"Wrong direction, pup," Sirius was muttering. "You walk away from the danger, not towards it."

‘All right – all right –’ he heard Quirrell sob... he remembered what he’d promised himself about not meddling.

"You actually walked away?" several people asked, not believing it for one second. Severus had to admit, he wouldn't have been able to leave the mystery alone either.

All the same, he’d have gambled twelve Philosopher’s Stones that Snape had just left the room,

"I'll take that bet," Severus joked.

Harry glanced up at him. "No deal, sir."

Severus smirked, at least he got a smile out of him. All was not lost.

Sirius looked a little lost at Severus making jokes with Harry but was relieved to see his godson looking a little less despondent. 

and from what Harry had just heard,... ‘If Quirrell’s told him how to break his Anti-Dark Force spell –’

"Anti-Dark Force spell?" someone scoffed.

‘There’s still Fluffy, though,’ said Hermione.

"Right because the library doesn't have books on Cerberus," Rockwood said sarcastically.

‘Maybe Snape’s found out how to get past him without asking Hagrid... ‘Go to Dumbledore. That’s what we should have done ages ago. If we try anything ourselves we’ll be thrown out for sure.’

"Yes, go to a teacher," all the teachers said together.

Harry laughed bitterly. "Right..."

‘But we’ve got no proof!’... That’ll take a lot of explaining.’

"Well, he's not wrong," Sirius said. "You've already proven that you wouldn't listen to him anyway Minnie. So what chance does he have with the others, when his own head of house thinks so badly of him?"

Hermione looked convinced, but Ron didn’t... started to learn the names of its moons.

"Oh Harry," Hermione murmured. She understood Harry better now and could recognise the signs that he wasn't okay. At eleven, she'd missed them but now after months in a tent together. Yeah, she knew her best friend better now.

The following morning,... eleven o’clock tonight. Meet Mr Filch in the Entrance Hall. Prof. M. McGonagall

"What sort of detention takes place after curfew?" Sirius asked.

"Fine way to teach them not to break curfew, by making them break curfew," young Percy said.

Harry had forgotten they still had detentions to do in the furor over the points they’d lost.

"And if the student has enough time to forget about the detention, it no longer fulfills its function and is pointless in terms of correction." Remus was furious. His eyes were glowing amber.

He half expected Hermione to complain... she felt they deserved what they’d got.

"You did not deserve this," Rockwood said. "Mr Hagrid should have informed the headmaster of what happened and then you'd have been vindicated and at least some of those points would have been returned."

"I have to say I agree," Sirius said. "Why didn't you say something, Hagrid?"

"Didn' want ter make it worse," Hagrid said, looking ashamed.

At eleven o’clock... It’s just a pity they let the old punishments die out ... hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I’ve got the chains still in my office, keep ’em well oiled in case they’re ever needed

"And you let this man near our children?" young Narcissa asked coolly.

Right, off we go... or Filch wouldn’t be sounding so delighted.

"Yes, I'd like to know the answer to that too?" Sirius said. "What sort of punishment requires children to be out of doors at night?"

"They could have been going with me to look for potion ingredients," Severus said. "Although that's usually not considered a punishment but rather something I do with all my NEWT students. It's usually seen as a bit of a reward for the effort they're putting into preparing for their exams. And I'd never have agreed to take first years along. Far too dangerous."

The moon was bright,... it’s into the Forest you’re going and I’m much mistaken if you’ll all come out in one piece.’

"Wait just one moment," Remus said. "The punishment for being out of bounds after curfew is to be out of bounds after curfew. Where is the sense in that?"

"There is none," Augusta said angrily.

At this, Neville let out a little moan... ‘Should’ve thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn’t you?’

"I'll have that man's job," young Lucius growled. "Threatening children with corporal punishment and werewolves?"

"Argus works very hard for the school," Albus said, his eyes twinkling.

"I don't care what he does for the school when he speaks to the students like that!"

Hagrid came striding towards them out of the dark,... Harry was pleased to hear the note of panic in his voice.

"Sorry, Malfoy," Harry said.

"Nah, it's fine, Potter. I'd have laughed at you too."

‘Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts,’ said Hagrid fiercely. ‘Yeh’ve done wrong an’ now yeh’ve got ter pay fer it.’

"Right, because they're children they are being punished, when actually this is all happening because you Mr Hagrid broke the law!" Amelia was fuming.

‘But this is servant stuff,... If my father knew I was doing this, he’d –’

"I'd remove you from the school," Lucius said coldly. "And not because its servant's work but because they dared to endanger my son and heir."

‘– tell yer that’s how it is at Hogwart... then get back off ter the castle an’ pack. Go on!’

"You should have gone back to the castle," Narcissa said. "We'd have fought the expulsion and sent you to another school on principle."

Malfoy didn’t move... Follow me over here a moment.’

"If it's dangerous, they shouldn't be going," Tonks said with a huff.

He led them to the very edge of the Forest... I found one dead last Wednesday. We’re gonna try an’ find the poor thing.

"Absolutely not!" Several parents, Sirius included were on their feet. "This is completely unacceptable."

They were all shouting at the teachers and the teachers had nothing to say. They were completely shocked too. None of them had known what the detention involved. They'd thought they were helping Hagrid with the threstrals or something.

We might have ter put it out of its misery.’

"Like hell you will with my son there," Lucius snapped when they'd finally returned to their seats.

‘And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?’... ‘There’s nothin’ that lives in the Forest that’ll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang,’ said Hagrid.

"There's nothing in the forest that would kill a unicorn," Remus scoffed.

‘An’ keep ter the path. Right, now, we’re gonna split inter two parties an’ follow the trail in diff’rent directions.

"You can't split up," Molly screeched and for once no one bothered to stop her. "You're leaving half the group defenseless!"

There’s blood all over the place,... Draco, Neville an’ Fang’ll go the other.

"That's a mistake," Tonks muttered to young Charlie.

Now, if any of us finds the unicorn,... while Malfoy, Neville and Fang took the right.

Sirius held on tightly to both Harrys while his cousin Narcissa and her younger self did the same with the two Dracos.

They walked in silence,... ‘Could a werewolf be killing the unicorns?’ Harry asked.

"Definitely not," Remus huffed.

‘Not fast enough,’ said Hagrid. ‘It’s not easy ter catch a unicorn, they’re powerful magic creatures. I never knew one ter be hurt before.’

"Which is exactly why the children should not be there," Rockwood said. "It's no creature doing that. They have more respect for unicorns, than us wix."

They walked past a mossy tree-stump... GET BEHIND THAT TREE!’

"What the hell happened?" several people demanded.

Hagrid seized Harry and Hermione... Something was slithering over dead leaves nearby: it sounded like a cloak trailing along the ground.

"Yup. Like I said, no creature killed those unicorns," Rockwood said, folding his arms across his chest.

Hagrid was squinting up the dark path... ‘A werewolf?’ Harry suggested.

"What's with you and werewolves?" Sirius chuckled.

"I didn't even know they were real until that night!" Harry huffed.

‘That wasn’ no werewolf... something definitely moved.

Someone whined. Everyone was on the edge of their seats.

‘Who’s there?’... ‘Oh, it’s you, Ronan,’ said Hagrid in relief. ‘How are yeh?’

"Harry, your reaction to magical beings and beasts are the best," George teased.

He walked forward... ‘We’d noticed,’ said Hermione faintly.

Everyone laughed. The tension that had been building eased slightly and Sirius loosened his hold on the two Harrys just a fraction.

‘Good evening,’... ‘A bit,’ said Hermione timidly.

"I should hope you learn more than a bit, Miss Granger," Flitwick said with a smirk.

‘A bit. Well, that’s something.’... ‘Mars is bright tonight.’

"That's a warning," Luna said in her most whimsical voice.

"A warning?" Harry asked.

"War is coming," young Luna said.

"Or it's already here," her older self added.

‘Yeah,’... ‘Always the innocent are the first victims,’ he said. ‘So it has been for ages past, so it is now.’

"You're not listening to him," young Luna huffed.

"He's saying that the war is starting right there in that forest with those unicorns." Luna brushed away a tear.

‘Yeah,’... ‘Unusually bright.’

"You're right. The war has started," young Luna agreed in a far away sort of way.

‘Yeah, but I was meanin’ anythin’... ‘The Forest hides many secrets.’

"The war starts in the forest with the unicorns," Luna said again.

A movement in the trees... ‘Mars is bright tonight,’ he said simply.

"We wix are fools," Rockwood said sternly, "when we fail to listen to those who understand the divining arts more than we do."

"But divination is utter hogwash," Hermione scoffed.

"No. It isn't," Luna and Rockwood said together. "We wix merely do not understand it."

‘We’ve heard,’... Ruddy star-gazers. Not interested in anythin’ closer’n the moon.’

"That's not fair," young Luna grumbled, "they answered your question, you were just too closed minded to hear them."

‘Are there many of them in here?’... They’re deep, mind, centaurs ... they know things ... jus’ don’ let on much.’

"That's true enough," young Rockwood said. "They often keep their own council, but sometimes, more often than we realise, we simply do not understand what they are saying."

‘D’you think that was a centaur we heard earlier?’... never heard anythin’ like it before.’

"Then send the children back to the castle, and search the grounds with the teachers," young Andromeda said.

They walked on through the dense, dark trees.... He had the nasty feeling they were being watched.

"Good instincts, Potter," Moody said. "If you think you're being watched, you probably are."

He was very glad they had Hagrid and his crossbow with them... ‘Hagrid! Look! Red sparks, the others are in trouble!’

Narcissa actually let out a small shriek.

‘You two wait here!’ Hagrid shouted. ‘Stay on the path, I’ll come back for yeh!’

"Don't leave them!" Sirius growled.

They heard him crashing away... ‘I don’t care if Malfoy has, but if something’s got Neville ... It’s our fault he’s here in the first place.’

"Sorry Malfoy," Harry said. At eleven he hadn't appreciated just how out of order this detention had been.

The minutes dragged by. Their ears seemed sharper than usual.

"Talk for yourself," Hermione laughed. "I was almost hyperventilating."

Harry’s seemed to be picking up every sigh of the wind... Neville had panicked and sent up the sparks.

"DRACO!" Narcissa raised her voice, taking everyone by surprise. "How could you be so foolish?"

"In the forbidden forest of all places," young Narcissa added.

‘We’ll be lucky ter catch anythin’ now, with the racket you two were makin’.

"Then go back to the castle," Sirius said with a huff.

Right, we’re changin’ groups... until the path became almost impossible to follow because the trees were so thick.

"Go back," Sirius said. "You were told to stay on the path. If that isn't possible you go back."

Sirius sounded slightly panicked and was rather surprised when the potions master passed him a calming draught.

"Thanks," he muttered before downing the small phial.

Harry thought the blood... ‘Look –’ he murmured, holding out his arm to stop Malfoy.

"Oh no," Luna sighed.

Something bright white was gleaming... and it was dead.

"How could you expose them to something like that?" Augusta asked. "They were eleven! Far too young to be confronted with the evils of this world."

"And whatever lurks in that forest is evil alright," Rockwood said coldly.

It was a strange day when Augusta Longbottom found herself agreeing with a deatheater.

Harry had never seen anything so beautiful and sad... when a slithering sound made him freeze where he stood.

"Harry, you need to leave. Get out of there," Sirius was practically begging.

A bush on the edge of the clearing quivered... began to drink its blood.

People all around the chamber gasped in shock, some crying.

‘AAAAAAAAAAARGH!’

"What happened?" several people demanded.

"Malfoy happened," Harry said, offering the Draco a small smile.

Malfoy let out a terrible scream... looked right at Harry – unicorn blood was dribbling down its front.

"Run, Harry!" Sirius and Remus demanded.

It got to its feet and came swiftly towards him – he couldn’t move for fear.

"You need to run!" several of the adults were on their feet now, pacing about the chamber, unable to stay still.

Then a pain pierced... he staggered backwards.

"What? Why would your scar hurt?" people demanded.

"I'm sure it will be explained," Harry huffed. He hated talking about his scar.

He heard hooves behind him,... When he looked up, the figure had gone.

"Thank fucking Merlin for centaurs!" Sirius cried.

A centaur was standing over him... The centaur didn’t answer.

"Yeah, that would make it too easy," someone laughed.

He had astonishingly blue eyes, like pale sapphires.

"I think Harry has a crush," George teased.

"Get lost," Harry retorted with a grin, throwing a cushion at the red head. He knew what George was doing. It was what they always did. Diffuse the tension with a little humour.

He looked carefully at Harry... The Forest is not safe at this time – especially for you.

"He answered your question," Luna said, smiling brightly.

"Yeah, I guess he did," Harry agreed. He hadn't understood at the time but he got it now. It was especially dangerous for him because old voldie was there.

Can you ride?... Harry could clamber on to his back.

"You rode on a centaur's back?" Rockwood asked in awe. He'd never heard of a wix receiving such an honour.

There was suddenly a sound of more galloping... Are you a common mule?’

"Why are they angry? He's just helping a child!" young Hermione complained.

"They're not horses, Hermione," Bill explained. "To ride on the back of a centaur, I can't even put into words the honour Harry was awarded."

"Yeah but it was his choice," young Hermione continued. "It's not like Harry demanded..."

"That's not the point," Albus cut across her. "He lowered himself, provided a service, to someone who belongs to a race that sees itself as above the centaurs. Above all creatures, beasts and beings."

‘Do you realise who this is?’... Have we not read what is to come in the movements of the planets?’

"They know something!" young Dean Thomas said.

"Do they really believe that by sharing their knowledge they're going against fate?" Harry asked.

"I guess so," Rockwood said. "Although, its a little presumptuous to think that any of us, have that sort of power. To change the fates."

"Isn't that what we're trying to do here?"

"Is it? I thought we were here to restore the path the fates and magic chose," Rockwood replied with a grin.

Ronan pawed the ground nervously... yes, with humans alongside me if I must.’

"That's quite the speech," Andromeda said.

"Firenze is quite the guy," several of the girls giggled.

And Firenze whisked around... ‘What was that thing you saved me from, anyway?’

"He was probably frustrated," Luna said, "seeing as how he's already told you."

Firenze slowed to a walk... ‘Harry Potter, do you know what unicorn blood is used for?’

Everyone sat forward, eager to hear what the centaur had to say. Would they actually get some answers?

‘No,’ said Harry, startled by the odd question... ‘That is because it is a monstrous thing, to slay a unicorn,’ said Firenze.

"True enough that," young Hagrid said gruffly.

‘Only one who has nothing to lose... from the moment the blood touches your lips.’

"That's awful!" young Hermione said.

"Who would do such a thing?" young Harry asked.

Harry stared at the back of Firenze’s head,... ‘But who’d be that desperate?’ he wondered aloud. ‘If you’re going to be cursed for ever, death’s better, isn’t it?’

"Definitely," everyone agreed.

‘It is,’ Firenze agreed, ‘unless all you need is to stay alive long enough to drink something else... ‘Can you think of nobody who has waited many years to return to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?’

"He Who Must Not Be Named!"

"You Know Who!"

"That was You Know Who?"

Everyone was going mad, utter bedlam had erupted with the centaurs words.

It was as though an iron fist had clenched suddenly... ‘Do you mean,’ Harry croaked, ‘that was Vol–’

"He told you a surprising amount," Rockwood said thoughtfully.

‘Harry! Harry,... ‘You are safe now.’

"But Hagrid just left them all!" Tonks said in disbelief.

Harry slid off his back... I hope this is one of those times.’

"I think he foresaw my death," Harry said quietly but somehow everyone heard him.

"Surely not!" Several people clambered to disagree.

"Yeah, I think so. I think I might be dead," he said. "I took his killing curse. I should be dead."

No one knew quite what to say. Sirius just held tightly to his godson, tears falling down his face.

He turned and cantered... Harry couldn’t sit down. He paced up and down in front of the fire. He was still shaking.

"That must have been terribly shocking," Andromeda said softly.

"You need to tell a teacher," Narcissa pleaded.

‘Snape wants the stone for Voldemort... as if he thought Voldemort could hear them.

"The fear of the taboo lived far longer than the taboo itself," Rockwood said. It had been his idea and although he was beginning to regret his part in the wars, he still liked knowing that his magic had influenced generations of people. Although, he had to admit that perhaps there were better things he could have achieved.

Harry wasn’t listening... They must show that Voldemort’s coming back

"If Heir Potter had had adults that cared enough to pay proper attention to him, we'd have had years of warning," Narcissa said. "We might not have had to fight at all."

Bane thinks Firenze should have let Voldemort kill me. I suppose that’s written in the stars as well.’

Sirius and Remus both growled.

‘Will you stop saying the name!’ Ron hissed... ‘Harry, everyone says Dumbledore’s the only one You-Know-Who was ever afraid of.

Harry surprised everyone by outright laughing.

With Dumbledore around... that’s a very imprecise branch of magic.’

"Exactly!" Hermione said.

Harry scoffed. He might believe in making one's own destiny but he didn't believe you should just ignore warnings. No. You should listen closely and pay attention.

"You're not going to tell me you actually believe this stuff," Hermione said stubbornly.

"I'm literally a walking, breathing, possibly dead example of a prophecy," Harry said. "Of course, it's real. Do I think you should pay attention to the nonsense Trelawney teaches? Hell no. But real prophecies? Yeah, those should be listened to."

"Listening to that prophecy was Voldemort's downfall."

"No. Listening and acting on an incomplete prophecy was his downfall. He was a fool. Besides, there's a very big difference between listening and being informed and choosing to act on a prophecy. Acting on them, is probably just as pointless as ignoring them."

"Then what's the point?" young Hermione asked.

"Being ready, being prepared for whatever may come," Harry answered easily. "Had I understood the prophecy better, had some one other than Dumbles, with his half secrets and lies, explained it to me, perhaps, I'd have known what was to come. I could have prepared myself better. Chosen that path for myself even. In many ways, Dumbledore stole my choices from me."

The sky had turned light... Just in case.

"Manipulative old goat," Harry muttered.

Everyone was quiet for several moments before Draco Malfoy broke the silence. "So you're telling me that was the Dark Lord?"

"Yeah, Draco, you faced old Voldie and survived at eleven," Harry grinned, "it's more than most wix can say."

"I ran away, screaming."

"You survived, nothing else matters."

[magicschild]

Chapter 24

Training for What is to Come

Summary:

Our characters take a break from reading to eat some dinner and the younger ones get some lessons...

Notes:

BOLD = Bookquotes ITALICS = Parsel UNDERLINE = Younger Version of a Character

Dinner was lively that night. The two Madam Pomfreys had finally released everyone from the hospital with a clear warning that each of them were to follow their new - and very strict - diet and potion schedule as well as visit the hospital at predefined times for check ups. Harry had been a little hesitant to agree, although he'd quickly realised that there would be no arguing with the mediwitch this time.

And the younger Madam Pomfrey had threatened that anyone who disobeyed the orders, would find themselves back in their hospital beds before they could blink.

Everyone was celebrating, even if there was significantly more vegetables on the table than they'd like. Molly hadn't been impressed when she'd been handed very strict instructions on what she was and was not allowed to cook, but she'd accepted it somewhat gracefully eventually. The dining chamber was loud as everyone talked excitably about the dragon.

"If it was going to happen to anyone, it would have to happen to you, Harry," Neville said with a grin. He was grateful that there actually had been a dragon. He really hadn't wanted to think that his friends had gotten him in trouble in their first year without good reason, although he also knew he shouldn't have gone out looking for them. That was definitely on him.

"Story of my life, Neville," Harry laughed.

The adults were less impressed. They were heavily concerned by everything that they were learning about the way Hogwarts was managed. Something was very wrong at the school.

Once everyone had finished eating, Narcissa cleared her throat and everyone who had been taught by Umbridge exchanged looks of horror.

"We need to begin teaching you all," Narcissa said softly, her voice carrying effortlessly. "There are several subjects that it has become clear you all need further study in. And we do not know how long we will be here so we might as well take advantage of the opportunity."

There was a murmur of agreement from the various adults but they allowed Narcissa to continue.

"First, the aurors present will be teaching you all to duel properly," she began and the students actually looked excited at that. "This will not just include dueling but the etiquette and rules that govern it too." That got a small groan from some of the younger ones.

"You will also have lessons in magical theory with my sister Andromeda and her younger self." Another groan. Although Harry was excited. "You will receive ettiquette lessons from myself and my younger self, and lessons on the law and the noble houses from my husband and his younger self."

"Additionally, Mr Lupin and Mr Hagrid and his younger self, have graciously agreed to teach you all about other magical beings. Young Professor Flitwick and the two Lady Zambinis will be teaching you languages. You will also have time with your school teachers to focus on your core classes, potions, herbology, transfiguration and charms. Sirius has agreed to help Professor Flitwick as his younger self will be focused on teaching you languages. And Lord Lovegood has agreed to assist Professor Snape. Defence will be covered by the aurors."

"Are we going to have any free time left at all?" young Ron asked.

"We have all the time in the world here, Mr Weasley, do not fear," young Narcissa said with a small grin. "You will also all be having lessons from Lord Ollivander on wand safety and household spells with the two Mrs Weasleys."

The elder Narcissa then continued, "Heir Bill Weasley, his younger self and the older Fleur Delacour have agreed to teach any of you that are interested about arithmancy, ancient runes and warding. This is not mandatory but highly recommended. The same for a class on Magical Creatures from the two Charlie Weasleys - although I'm reconsidering making this mandatory after the last chapter."

"We will also make time for ALL OF US to listen to a lecture from the two Augustus Rockwoods on what to do when we come across an ancient artifact such as the Mirror of Erised and how to detect certain magics that might ensnare or enthrall you."

The adults didn't look overly pleased with this one. They didn't want their children learning from deatheaters but they had to admit since the man had been an unspeakable, he was the best man for the job. That was why they'd conceded to do it as a group lecture that included the adults. Although to be honest, Narcissa was surprised they'd agreed to allow herself and her husband teach the children.

"We will also all be learning about the muggle world from my brother-in-law, Ted and the two Lord Weasleys," young Narcissa added with a smile. "No one is exempt."

Hermione almost laughed at the idea of Mr Weasley teaching her anything about the muggle world, except how uninformed wizards actually were.

"Lastly, Madam Pomfrey has also agreed to teach you all some basic healing magic," Narcissa finished, "while the Dowager Longbottom has agreed to teach you history."

"Ok, so where do we start?" Harry asked.

"First, we'll be splitting you into two groups," Madam Bones said. "Anyone who has yet to take their OWLs will be starting with both Auror Kingsleys and Auror Tonks. Those who have completed their OWLs will be starting with myself and Auror Moody."

The young people in the chamber quickly split into the two groups and were led away by the aurors while the other adults began planning what they would do for their own lessons. They had decided that they would do dueling and defense every morning before breakfast for one hour before beginning to read and then they would have an hour each evening before dinner for one of the other subjects needing to be covered. After dinner, they would come together for either a lesson from Rockwood or Ted Tonks, before releasing the children to their own devices until bedtime. They had decided to start with dueling as that was most likely what would interest the children most.

In the next chamber, the younger group were all being given a basic introduction to dueling etiquette. There wasn't much more they could do as many of them had yet to gain wands. Although tomorrow evening that would change as they would be having their first wand safety class with Ollivander and he would make them their very first wand from the abundance of supplies that Mother Magic had provided him. The children were eagerly lapping up the new knowledge. Even if they didn't think they'd have an opportunity to use it before Hogwarts started in September.

A little further away, down a long corridor, the older group were being tested on their defensive magic. Amelia had them paired up and dueling with first year spells to begin with, before gradually working them up through the curriculum for their various exams. Moody watched as Potter blocked an unfriendly spell from his opponent before disarming him with a wordless expelliamus. By the time they were all finished, everyone was tired and short of breath.

"Good," Moody said eventually. "We now have a better grasp of where we're starting from. Tomorrow morning, you will all be in the chamber an hour before breakfast for a work out. We'll be testing your physical fitness as well as your magical ability so get plenty of sleep tonight."

There was a murmur of discontent but it didn't last as they all made their way out of the chamber they were in.

"They weren't awful," Amelia said.

"Potter is good," Moody agreed. "Raw but good."

"I think we'll have the easier job," Amelia admitted. "These children have been to war. They know how to fight. But they know next to nothing about some of the things the others will be teaching."

The Schedule... (In case you're confused...):

7:00 Defense and Dueling 8:00 Breakfast 9:00 - 12:00 Reading 12:00 - 13:00 Lunch 13:00 - 16:00 Reading 16:00 - 17:00 Lessons 17:00 - 18:30 Dinner 18:30 - 19:30 Lecture 19:30 + Free Time

Yeah, I know it's a little restrictive but I feel that if I was put into this situation, I'd have an organised structure in place to manage the chaos... LOL.

Subjects being taught:

Pre-Breakfast:

Dueling and Defense with the Aurors

Before Dinner:

Magical Theory with Andromeda and Andromeda Etiquette with Narcissa and Narcissa Law and Noble Houses with Lucius and Lucius Magical Beings with Remus and Hagrid and Hagrid Languages with Filius, Lady Zambini and Lady Zambini Potions with Severus, Xenophilius and Xenophilius Herbology with Pomona and Pomona Transfiguration with Minerva and Minerva Charms with Filius and Sirius Wand Safety with Garrick and Garrick Household Spellwork with Molly and Molly Arithmancy, Ancient Runes and Warding with Bill, Bill and Fleur Magical Creatures with Charlie and Charlie

After Dinner:

Ancient Artifacts & Detecting Magic with Augustus and Augustus Muggle Studies with Ted, Arthur and Arthur Basic Healing with Poppy and Poppy History with Augusta and Augusta

Sorry if you think its a little education heavy but I really want to guarantee young Harry goes into the wizarding world 100% prepared.

[magicschild]

Chapter 23

Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback

Summary:

Another chapter for our awesome characters to listen to and learn from...

Notes:

BOLD = Bookquotes ITALICS = Parsel UNDERLINE = Younger Version of a Character

"Oh Merlin!" Minerva muttered under her breath, her eyes wide with surprise. There had actually been a dragon!

Quirrell, however, must have been braver... but it didn’t look as though he’d cracked yet.

"That's surprising," Tonks said. "He doesn't seem the sort to stand up to someone as intimidating as Snape."

Every time they passed the third-floor corridor, Harry, Ron and Hermione would press their ears to the door to check that Fluffy was still growling inside.

"What would you have done if it wasn't?" young Charlie asked.

Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged looks, unsure of the answer.

Snape was sweeping about in his usual bad temper.... laughing at Quirrell’s stutter.

"ARGH! I can't believe I did that!" Ron grumbled.

Molly Weasley quickly berated her son, only for him to roll his eyes at her.

Hermione, however, had more on her mind than the Philosopher’s Stone... ‘Ten weeks,’ Hermione snapped. ‘That’s not ages, that’s like a second to Nicolas Flamel.’

"Ten weeks?" Minerva asked, her jaw dropping.

"You are not six hundred years old, Miss Granger," young Filius said.

‘But we’re not six hundred years old,’... I should have started studying a month ago, I don’t know what’s got into me ...’

"A month ago?" Draco asked. "That's not normal."

Draco prided himself on his grades and he'd always done rather well, but eleven weeks focused on revision? He'd have been a nervous wreck. He no longer felt quite so bad that Granger had beaten him in several classes, if that's how hard she had to work to do it. It had nothing to do with his lack of intelligence but rather her utter obsession. Even his parents, who were always encouraging him to study more, looked horrified at the idea of all that revision.

Unfortunately, the teachers seemed to be thinking along the same lines as Hermione.

"Absolutely not!" Minerva said. "We give homework and encourage self study but that level of revision is unhealthy and quite franking counter-productive."

"Indeed. All Miss Granger will accomplish with that amount of revision is a hernia and a trip to the hospital wing," Pomona said.

"I was top of my year!" Hermione countered.

"Not because of your obsessive study habits," Flitwick argued. "You might well have done better if you'd lightened up a little."

Neither Hermione could believe their ears. Were their teachers really encouraging them NOT to study?

They piled so much homework on them... much fun as the Christmas ones.

"That's actually because there are more students staying over Easter," Minerva said. "We give extra homework to keep you all busy. Not to stress you out about exams."

"Especially not in your first year," Severus said.

It was hard to relax with Hermione... practising wand movements.

"You should study away from your friends, if they do not want to study, dear," young Pomona said.

Moaning and yawning... there was a feeling in the air of summer coming.

"You should have taken your books outside," Filius said.

"Library books aren't allowed outside apparently," Harry muttered.

Severus felt slightly guilty for that, even if he hadn't done it yet.

"Plus, Hermione refuses to work outside," Ron grumbled.

Harry, who was looking up ‘Dittany’... ‘Hagrid! What are you doing in the library?’

"Ronald, that really isn't any of your business!" Mrs Weasley complained loudly.

Young Ron looked put out. It hadn't been that rude. 

Hagrid shuffled into view... ‘Yer not still lookin’ fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?’

"Not suspicious at all, Rubeus," Minerva huffed.

‘Oh, we found out who he is ages ago,’... They’ll think I’ve told yeh –’

"You boys really should be more respectful to Mr Hagrid," Narcissa said softly. "He was a member of the faculty. Even in your first year."

"We sometimes forgot that," Harry admits. "He was our friend."

"That's why its important for educators to instill boundaries with their charges. Unfortunately, that is training that Mr Hagrid was most likely never offered."

‘See you later, then,’... ‘What was he hiding behind his back?’ said Hermione thoughtfully.

"It was none of your business," several of the teachers huffed.

‘Do you think it had anything to do with the Stone?’... ‘Hagrid’s always wanted a dragon, he told me so the first time I ever met him,’ said Harry.

"There better not have been a dragon at Hogwarts," Amelia muttered. "Was anything like that ever reported?"

Kingsley thought back before shaking his head. "No. Nothing at all."

"I know Mr Potter believes that Hagrid has paid for any crimes he may have committed but if he has a dragon on Hogwarts grounds, I will..." She wasn't sure what she'd do. Certainly nothing while she was here in Mother Magic's territory. But when she returned to her own time, there would be hell to pay.

‘But it’s against our laws,’... You should see the burns Charlie’s got off wild ones in Romania.’

Everyone stared at Ron in shock. "How do you know that?" someone asked.

All the Weasleys pointed at the two Charlies.

‘But there aren’t wild dragons in Britain?’... ‘So what on earth’s Hagrid up to?’ said Hermione.

"Good question," Madam Bones asked, glaring at the half-giant.

When they knocked... It was stiflingly hot inside.

"Oh dear," Minerva whimpered. Lowering her head to her hands. She should have listened.

Even though it was such a warm day... which they refused.

"Sorry, Hagrid," Harry muttered but the half-giant just shrugged his shoulders, waving off Harry's concern.

‘So – yeh wanted to ask me somethin’?’... ‘Number one, I don’ know meself. Number two, yeh know too much already, so I wouldn’ tell yeh if I could.

"Well, at least you tried, Rubeus," Pomona said gently.

That Stone’s here fer a good reason... Beats me how yeh even know abou’ Fluffy.’

"A good reason? I've yet to hear one," Moody muttered.

"How about the same way most of the students found out," George said. "By unlocking the door..."

‘Oh, come on, Hagrid... ‘We wondered who Dumbledore had trusted enough to help him, apart from you.’

"That was very Slytherin of you, Miss Granger," young Lucius said.

Hagrid’s chest swelled... Look, Snape helped protect the Stone, he’s not about ter steal it.’

"Yeah, right. Because you've never had anyone betray your trust," Harry muttered.

Harry knew Ron and Hermione... ‘Not a soul knows except me an’ Dumbledore,’ said Hagrid proudly.

Hagrid looked ashamed at that. He'd been such a fool. He should never have talked about Fluffy to that bloke in the pub.

‘Well, that’s something,’ ...  was a huge, black egg.

"Absolutely not!" Both Mrs Weasleys got to their feet. Quickly followed by all the other mothers in the hospital.

"Why weren't we informed there was a dragon at Hogwarts?" Narcissa demanded.

"We were unaware," Minerva admitted nervously.

‘Ah,’ said Hagrid,... Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest.’

"You think?" Charlie laughed. "It's illegal. Of course, he wanted rid."

"Surprised he played cards for it though," young Charlie added. "It would have been worth a pretty penny on the black market."

‘But what are you going to do with it... They’re rare, them.’

"That would work," Charlie admitted, "but its not ideal. It's not their preferred diet. Not to mention, they really need a mother dragon in the first few months."

He looked very pleased with himself,... he stoked the fire.

Several of the teachers looked like they wanted to tell Hermione off for the way she'd spoken to Hagrid but they couldn't help but agree with her.

So now they had something else to worry about... he was hiding an illegal dragon in his hut.

"Azkaban for sure," Madam Bones said. "Could of got a shortened sentence if he aided an investigation into the person he won it from. But definitely time in Azkaban."

‘Wonder what it’s like to have a peaceful life... It was driving them mad.

"Miss Granger! You are not responsible for their education," Minerva said crossly.

"But they would never have..." Hermione began.

"So? Then they'd have had to redo the year. That would have been their choice!"

"Besides, hardly anyone actually fails first year," Filius laughed. The idea was ridiculous.

Then, one breakfast time,... go straight down to the hut.

"I would have, if only I'd known," Pomona admitted. "Once in a lifetime event."

Hermione wouldn’t hear of it.... when someone finds out what he’s doing –’

"Miss Granger, you spoil sport!" Severus actually laughed aloud. "And as for Hagrid, you are a student. Your opinion on his personal choices are not appreciated. If you believed Hagrid's choices put yourself or the other students in danger, you should have informed a teacher. Better yet, as you knew he was breaking the law, you were honour bound to report him to the authorities. You do not get to judge his behaviour on one hand, while breaking the law at the same time. Potter was right. You do have double standards."

‘Shut up!’... Harry didn’t like the look on Malfoy’s face at all.

"Why didn't you inform me?" Lucius demanded.

"You'd have gotten rid of the dragon," Draco huffed. "I just wanted to see it."

Ron and Hermione argued... ‘It’s nearly out.’ He ushered them inside.

Everyone sat forward in their seats, eager to hear all about the baby dragon.

The egg was lying on the table... It wasn’t exactly pretty; Harry thought it looked like a crumpled, black umbrella.

"Harry, how could you?" Charlie teased.

Its spiny wings were huge... It snapped at his fingers, showing pointed fangs.

"You're all too close," young Charlie said. "It needs a mother dragon."

‘Bless him, look, he knows his mummy!’ said Hagrid.

"No, Hagrid. She knew you weren't her mother," Charlie said. "She could smell that you were prey."

"Wait! Did you say she?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, when we got her back, we quickly realised that Hagrid hadn't checked her sex. It's fortunate we got her when we did. A rampaging female ridgeback would have been very problematic. They are especially vicious."

‘Hagrid,’... Malfoy had seen the dragon.

"I didn't see much but I did kind of see it hatch," Draco admitted with a grin. "It was amazing."

Something about the smile... trying to reason with him.

"Just report him for having the damn thing already," Moody grumbled.

"We couldn't do that," Harry said.

‘Just let him go,’ Harry urged. ‘Set him free.’

"Bad idea. Really bad idea," young Charlie said. "She'd have made a home for herself in the forest and Hogwarts wouldn't have any game left within six months. Not to mention the danger to the students."

‘I can’t,’... Hagrid hadn’t been doing his gamekeeping duties because the dragon was keeping him so busy.

"Did that go unnoticed?" Augusta demanded.

The staff all glanced at one another. Yes, they had completely failed to notice that.

There were empty brandy bottles... ‘He’s lost his marbles,’ Ron muttered in Harry’s ear.

No one tried to tell Ron off this time. They all fully agreed with the boy's assessment of the gamekeepers mental faculties.

‘Hagrid,’... ‘Charlie,’ he said.

"You mean it wasn't even Ron that came up with the idea?" Charlie asked, somewhat disappointed. His brother should have immediately realised that he would be able to help.

"And what exactly was your part in this plot, Mr Weasley?" Amelia asked.

"Er... Rescuing a stolen dragon?" Charlie offered.

‘You’re losing it, too,’... then put him back in the wild!’

"Not possible. She wasn't raised in a way that will ever allow her to be released," Charlie said sadly. "Fortunately, she has settled well at the reserve."

"You said stolen?" Moody asked.

"The reserve in France had a break-in a week or so before Hagrid got the dragon."

‘Brilliant!’... send an owl to Charlie to ask him.

"Thank goodness," Andromeda said.

"Just how did you get the dragon out of Hogwarts?" Amelia asked. "I already know the ministry was not informed."

"Er..." Charlie looked apprehensive.

The following week dragged by... ‘It bit me!’ he said, showing them his hand, which was wrapped in a bloody handkerchief.

"Wait! What?" Both Charlies leaned forward. "You never said anything about being bitten. They're venomous. You need to go to the hospital wing."

"Charlie, I'm fine," Ron laughed. "It happened years ago, remember."

‘I’m not going to be able to hold a quill for a week... When it bit me he told me off for frightening it.

"Mr Hagrid!" Narcissa was shocked. "Your first priority should be your students. He's an eleven year old boy that you have endangered and you blamed him?"

Hagrid looked down. He hadn't really thought about it being dangerous.

And when I left, he was singing it a lullaby.’... Trouble is, they mustn’t be seen carrying an illegal dragon.

"No ministry authorisation then," Madam Bones said, shaking her head. "I don't know who to be angrier with. Mr Hagrid for harbouring an illegal dragon, the headmaster for being unaware - most likely due to his own mismanagement of the school wards -, the other teachers for not noticing what their students were doing, or you Mr Weasley for involving your younger brother in smuggling an XXXXX creature across several countries."

"We didn't have much time," Charlie said. "And I was still new to the reserve. I was still learning. Obviously, I'd never do that now."

"You had enough time to file the proper paperwork," Madam Bones insisted.

"Hagrid would have gotten..." Hermione started.

"Mr Hagrid would have probably gotten away with it, if it was clear that he'd been involved in your plan to have the dragon rescued by one of the dragon reserves. Especially as a gamekeeper, it could have been argued he was providing it with safekeeping until help could come. All he would have needed was a good lawyer."

Could you get the Ridgeback up the tallest tower... I think the Cloak’s big enough to cover two of us and Norbert.’

"This is ridiculous and unnecessary," Madam Bones argued.

It was a mark of how bad the last week... would she recognise a dragon bite?

"I'm a mediwitch," Poppy grumbled. "Of course, I would. I could also tell you which breed of dragon bit you."

"Did you inform his head of house?" Bones asked.

"I..." She hesitated. She didn't want to blame Minerva but the woman was just too busy. She'd certainly tried to inform the head of house and failed miserably.

By the afternoon, though, he had no choice... he’s going to know we’re getting rid of Norbert.’

"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" Moody growled.

Harry and Hermione didn’t get a chance to answer... And we have got the Invisibility Cloak, Malfoy doesn’t know about that.’

"True," Sirius admitted. So long as they stayed under the cloak, they shouldn't be caught. He almost wished there had been a dragon during his own time at Hogwarts.

They found Fang... nothin’ I can’t handle.’

"Right... Sure..." Charlie laughed. "I'm sorry to say this Hagrid but you were sinking and fast."

When they told him... he’s only a baby, after all.’

"Not true. Dragons grow quickly." Young Charlie couldn't help but shake his head at Hagrid's comment. "Never underestimate a young dragon."

The baby banged its tail on the wall... ‘An’ I’ve packed his teddy bear in case he gets lonely.’

"A teddy bear?" several people asked, gaping at the half giant.

From inside the crate... ‘Mummy will never forget you!’

"You know Hagrid, you'd be welcome to visit her," Charlie said gently.

"Thanks Charlie," Hagrid said with a small smile.

How they managed to get the crate back up to the castle... had Malfoy by the ear.

"EXCUSE ME?" Narcissa glowered at the head of gryffindor. "You had him by his what?"

"I have never given consent for my son to be manhandled by the teachers of Hogwarts," Lucius said in a cold voice.

‘Detention!’... I shall see Professor Snape about you, Malfoy!’

"That's a reasonable punishment but don't you ever touch my son again," Narcissa said, her eyes dark with anger.

The steep spiral staircase... gone.

"Thank Mother Magic for small mercies," Rockwood said.

They slipped back down the spiral staircase... They’d left the Invisibility Cloak on top of the tower.

"NO!" Sirius shook his head. "Rookie mistake."

"You were doing so well," Remus said with a grin.

"Don't encourage him you two!" Mrs Weasley shrieked.

"Molly, dear," Arthur said soothingly, "I think it might be time for dinner."

Notes:

I'd love to hear your thoughts...

[magicschild]

Chapter 22

Nicolas Flamel

Summary:

In the aftermath of reading about the mirror of erised, the characters dive straight into another chapter.

Notes:

BOLD = Bookquotes ITALICS = Parsel UNDERLINE = Younger Version of a Character

"This isn't what I signed up for when I became a Hogwarts teacher," young Flitwick said. "You'll return that mirror to the ministry or I swear on Merlin himself, I'll resign."

"It will be going back," Albus said tenuously, carefully not giving a time-frame.

"Don't think I don't see through you, Albus," Minerva said. "You'll do it before the children arrive on September 1st or so help me, I'll leave you without a deputy headmistress."

Dumbledore had convinced Harry... at the bottom of his trunk.

Sirius was disappointed that Dumbledore's plotting had ruined something that should have been fun. Especially for Harry, a child who hadn't had much experience of fun. Or any at all, that Sirius could tell.

Harry wished he could forget... while a high voice cackled with laughter.

"The withdrawals from that sort of enthrallment should have brought you to the hospital wing, Mr Potter!" Madam Pomfrey huffed.

‘You see, Dumbledore was right... at least found out who Nicolas Flamel was. 

"Hermione and her double standards," Ron said with a chuckle.

"I don't have double standards!" Hermione said, her voice rising in pitch and volume.

"Hate to break it to you, Mione. You sort of do," Harry said. "We're not allowed to break the rules, unless you and I do mean you, not us, you, think it a worthy enough reason."

"That's not true."

"Name one time when you didn't tell us exactly what you thought of our rule breaking when you weren't the instigator?" Harry asked, raising one eyebrow in a way that gave off definite Snape vibes.

Hermione paused, unable to answer. Eventually she said, "We'll soon find out, won't we?"

They had almost given up... Harry was on Wood’s side.

"Of course you were," George grumbled. "Mini Wood."

If they won their next match... he was tired out after training. 

"Or you could have come to the hospital wing," Poppy grumbled.

Then, during one particularly wet... ‘Snape’s refereeing?’ he spluttered through a mouthful of mud.

"Why would Snape be refereeing?" several people asked.

They all looked expectantly at Severus who had to remind them that it had yet to happen for him so he could only guess at his own motives but if he had to guess, he was probably doing it so that he would be able to protect Potter.

When’s he ever refereed a Quidditch match?... ‘What’s the matter with you? You look terrible.’

"Real nice, Ron," George teased. "You look terrible, Harry."

"Utterly awful," young Fred said.

"Rather peaky, I'd say," young George added.

Speaking quietly... ‘Don’t play,’ said Hermione at once.

"He can't do that!" all the quidditch players in the hospital said together.

‘Say you’re ill,’ said Ron... ‘Really break your leg,’ said Ron.

"Terrible idea!" Lee Jordan said. "Madam Pomfrey would have you fixed in time to play."

"I would indeed," young Madam Pomfrey agreed, "although I'd have been tempted to keep him in regardless."

‘I can’t,’ said Harry... Gryffindor can’t play at all.’

"That's your fault, Professor," Ron said bitterly. "If you hadn't told him you'd reconsider punishing him..."

Minerva frowned at that. She hadn't been serious about punishing him.

At that moment Neville toppled... bunny hop all the way up to Gryffindor Tower. 

"Why wasn't I informed?" Minerva demanded. "Where were the prefects?"

Everyone fell about laughing

"Unacceptable!" Minerva scowled. "I expect better from my lions."

except Hermione... he’d been looking for someone to practise that on.’

Draco sighed. "Sorry, Heir Longbottom." He was getting seriously fed up with having to apologise for everything. Even if he did have no one else to blame but himself.

‘Go to Professor McGonagall!’... ‘I don’t want more trouble,’ he mumbled.

"More trouble?" Minerva asked. "You should always tell a teacher when you're being bullied."

Several students rolled their eyes, clearly doubting the teachers would have actually done anything about it.

‘You’ve got to stand up to him,... Malfoy’s already done that,’ Neville choked. 

"You're plenty brave," Harry said softly. "You're one of the strongest people I know, Nev."

Harry felt in the pocket of his robes... In stinking Slytherin.’

"HEY!" The Slytherins in the chamber didn't like having their house being slandered. And they also didn't like being lumped in with Malfoy. They weren't all like him.

"That was really nice of you, Potter," Severus said, "but next time, try not to demonise an entire quarter of Hogwarts."

"Sorry, sir," Harry grimaced. "I know better now... but you know, at eleven, yeah I didn't know then."

Severus nodded his head in understanding.

Neville’s lips twitched... ‘I’ve found him!’ he whispered. ‘I’ve found Flamel!

"Finally!" several people cheered.

 I told you I’d read the name somewhere before... for a bit of light reading.’ 

"That's light?" Blaise Zabini asked.

"That's Hermione," Ron and Harry shrugged.

‘Light?’ said Ron... muttering to herself. 

"That was rather rude, Hermione," Mrs Weasley complained.

At last she found what she was looking for... Hermione ignored him.

"That's not how you should treat your friends, young lady," the younger Molly reprimanded.

"Molly, she is a grown woman," young Arthur said softly. "Enough."

Although, secretly, he agreed with his wife, the girl had been remarkably rude.

 ‘Nicolas Flamel,’ she whispered... Oh, honestly, don’t you two read? Look – read that, there.’

Several of the teachers shook their heads. The younger teachers could only hope that the young witch grew out of this behaviour.

She pushed the book towards them... Anyone would want it.’

"Not me," Severus muttered. He couldn't think of anything worse.

‘And no wonder we couldn’t find... ‘Just as long as we’re not wiping you off the pitch,’ said Hermione. 

"And she says Ron lacks tact," young Bill said.

As the match drew nearer... keep running into Snape wherever he went.

"You probably weren't," Severus admitted. "If I thought you were in danger..."

Harry nodded in understanding.

At times, he even wondered whether Snape was following him... Snape could read minds.

"The mind cannot be read like a book, Mr Potter," Severus said snidely.

"I know, sir," Harry sighed.

"And I would never use legimancy on a student like that," Severus added.

"I know that too," Harry said quietly, giving the man a small smile. As much as he had hated his occlumency lessons, he knew that Severus would never use his skills against his students. At least not without consent and even then, it would be begrudgingly done. After all, he hadn't wanted to teach Harry.

Harry knew, when they wished him good luck... brought their wands to the match.

"Where else would their wands be, Heir Longbottom?" Ollivander asked with a startled expression.

"My wand wasn't my own. I didn't understand the connection one has to their own wand then."

Little did Harry know... showed any sign of wanting to hurt Harry.

"That could kill him if he's in the air!" Minerva said hoarsely. She could not believe the foolishness her lions were showing.

"Better him than Harry," Ron muttered.

Severus had to secretly agree with the Weasley spawn.

‘Now, don’t forget, it’s Locomotor Mortis... ‘Don’t nag.’

"I wasn't nagging!" Hermione grumbled.

"You kind of were, Hermione," Neville said and even Draco Malfoy was nodding in agreement.

Back in the changing room... favour Hufflepuff too much.’

"Talk about pressure," Ginny complained.

"Realised how great a captain I was, have you Gin?" Harry laughed.

"You made captain?" Sirius glowed with pride.

‘The whole school’s out there!’... Dumbledore was watching.

"That's probably why Albus attended," young Minerva said.

The other teachers were nodding. "We were all in attendance," Minerva said. "Just as a precaution mind. We didn't really expect a repeat of the first match."

Perhaps that was why Snape... ‘Look – they’re off. Ouch!’

"More like I probably realised I was now going to have to referee even though it was no longer necessary."

Someone had poked Ron...  It was Malfoy.

"Of course, it was," young Lucius grumbled.

‘Oh, sorry, Weasley, didn’t see you there.’... George Weasley had hit a Bludger at him.

"GEORGE!" Mrs Weasley screeched while everyone else covered their ears.

Hermione, who had all her fingers crossed... Longbottom, you’ve got no brains.’

Lucius sighed, getting to his feet again. "Once more, I apologise for my son's behaviour. There is no excuse for his lack of manners. I am deeply sorry for any offense he has caused."

Draco slid lower in his seat.

Neville went bright red... ‘I’m worth twelve of you, Malfoy,’ he stammered.

"You tell him, Neville!" the three Weasley twins cheered.

Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle howled... ‘You’re in luck, Weasley, Potter’s obviously spotted some money on the ground!’ said Malfoy.

"Or maybe it's the snitch," Ron retorted. "I really don't know how how you ever made seeker... oh wait, yeah I do. Daddy Malfoy bought your place on the team."

"Take that back!" Draco demanded.

"ENOUGH!" Lucius shouted as Arthur said, "This is not how I taught you to behave Ron."

"Sorry," both boys muttered, looking much younger than they actually were.

Ron snapped... back of his seat to help.

"You said all the teachers were present?" Andromeda asked. "So, did one of you break up the fight?"

No one answered her. Truth be told, they'd all been too focused on Potter to even notice the fight in the stands.

"I think Hogwarts might need more teachers," Narcissa said icily.

‘Come on, Harry!’ Hermione screamed... Neville, Crabbe and Goyle.

"How did you fail to notice that?" Severus and Moody glared at the girl.

"Hermione can get a little over focused sometimes," Harry explained.

Up in the air, Snape turned... the Snitch clasped in his hand. 

"That must have been a record!" Sirius cheered.

The stands erupted... ‘Nice to see you haven’t been brooding about that mirror ... been keeping busy ... excellent ...’

"Why remind him of that?" Remus growled.

Snape spat bitterly on the ground... just a famous name any more.

"You've done plenty to be proud of, Harry," Hermione said softly.

The evening air had never smelled so sweet... through a heavy nosebleed. 

"Didn't come to the hospital wing though, did you?" Pomfrey complained.

Harry had reached the shed... what was going on? 

"I frequently go into the forest for potions ingredients," Severus said with a shrug. Although, he had a sneaky suspiscion this was not one of those occasions.

Harry jumped back on his Nimbus Two Thousand... a towering beech tree

"Two things, Mr Potter," Severus said. "One, you are not allowed in the forest. It is forbidden. Second, you should not be spying on your teachers."

"Yes, sir."

He climbed carefully... ‘You know perfectly well what I mean.’ 

"No wonder you were suspicious of Professor Snape," Minerva said with a sigh.

"It is highly suspect," Moody agreed. Although he still wondered about Harry's willingness to speak to the man if he had been the one to try and steal the stone.

An owl hooted loudly... as though he was petrified.

"I really felt sorry for him," Harry muttered. Alastor picked up on the bitter tone. So, it was the defense teacher... 

‘Harry where have you been?’... Madam Pomfrey says he’ll be all right

"He wasn't the only one who should have been in the hospital wing, Mr Weasley!" Poppy complained.

Ron gave her a sheepish look.

 – talk about showing Slytherin!... ‘It’ll be gone by next Tuesday,’ said Ron. 

"Don't think much of your professors, do you Mr Weasley," Albus teased.

"I'll think better of them when they show me something worthy of respect," Ron replied coolly. "I sort of respected Snape for a while. Well, until..." He quickly stopped talking when Hermione stepped on his foot and Harry glared at him.

Notes:

Another chapter done... we're getting closer and closer to the end of the first book! YAY!

[magicschild]

Chapter 21

The Mirror of Erised

Summary:

Our characters hear another chapter... and the adults aren't happy one bit!

Notes:

BOLD = Bookquotes ITALICS = Parsel UNDERLINE = Younger Version of a Character

When Amelia Bones hears the title of the chapter she groans. "It just gets worse and worse."

Christmas was coming... bouncing off the back of his turban.

Harry and Ron exchanged a look. "Bloody hell," Ron said.

The few owls that managed to battle... they’re not wanted at home.’ 

"Draco!" Narcissa hissed at her son.

He was looking over at Harry as he spoke... going to Romania to visit Charlie.

"You could have all come," Charlie said. He'd been a little bit hurt that his other siblings hadn't come too. Especially when he'd been willing to pay for them all to visit.

"I wanted to stay with Harry," Ron admitted shyly while Percy grumbled about his OWLs.

"Harry could have come too!" younger Charlie chided.

When they left the dungeons... palace compared to what your family’s used to.’ 

"I've heard quite enough of this, Dragon," Narcissa said quietly. "You're really beginning to hurt my heart. I know I raised you better than this."

The normally cold and dispassionate woman looked close to tears.

Ron dived at Malfoy just as Snape... Move along, all of you.’

"And what about Mr Malfoy, surely he should have been punished too?" Minerva demanded.

"It's the head of Slytherin's tradition to keep all punishments within house," Professor Snape explained. "Mr Malfoy no doubt lost points too."

"It's true, professor," Draco said.

Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle... needles everywhere and smirking. 

"I lost extra for that," Draco admitted.

‘I’ll get him,’ said Ron... we should be in the library,’

"Getting a start on your Christmas homework?" Minerva smiled at her students hopefully.

The three gryffindors laughed at that.

‘Oh yeah, you’re right,’... we’ve been trying to find out who he is.’ 

"Ahh, of course," Minerva grimaced.

‘You what?’ Hagrid looked shocked... his name somewhere.’

"Chocolate frog," Ron coughed.

‘I’m sayin’ nothin’,’ said Hagrid flatly... A Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry. 

The adults in the chamber laughed.

And then, of course... he knew he’d never get one.

"Definitely not as a first year," Severus chuckled. Passes to the Restricted Section were not easy to get.

These were the books containing... What are you looking for, boy?’

"What is it with people calling me boy?" Harry muttered.

‘Nothing,’ said Harry... ‘Very safe, as they’re both dentists,’ said Hermione. 

"What would muggles know about alchemy?" Barty Crouch Junior sneered.

"More than you'd imagine," Harry replied.

Once the holidays had started... they didn’t trust him at all.

"Right," Ron laughed, "it was because they belonged to Seamus. Not because you're crap at chess."

He wasn’t a very good player... but not expecting any presents at all.

Several people gave him pitying looks and Harry didn't like that.

"We'll fix that," Sirius said softly.

When he woke early next morning... which was a lot bigger than Harry’s.

Ron frowned at that. He'd always been jealous of Harry and yet really he had so much more than he did. He'd really been a crummy friend.

Harry picked up the top parcel... – it sounded a bit like an owl.

"Where did you get the idea to give me that, Hagrid?" Harry asked something that had always bugged him. It was just a tiny bit too convenient.

"Er... well, you see I was talking to Professor Dumbledore about how I wanted to make you some'in and he suggested a flute."

Harry's face dropped. "It really was all a massive set up."

"What were, Harry?" Hagrid asked.

"Everything that year. You taking me to Gringotts, the newspaper clipping, finding out about the stone, the flute - the perfect way to get passed..."

Hagrid gasped. "I wouldn't."

"Not you, Hagrid," Harry said softly.

Hagrid growled, turning to face the headmaster. "You wouldn't. Tell me, you wouldn't."

The headmaster remained silent.

A second, very small parcel contained a note... you a Weasley jumper.’ 

"Why would you be embarrassed by that?" Molly asked. She was proud of the jumpers she made. They might not have much money, but she put a lot of effort into them.

Harry had torn open the parcel... ‘and mine’s always maroon.’ 

"You like maroon," she insisted.

"No. I don't."

"That's me, mum," Charlie said.

"I'm sorry, Ronald. You should have said."

"And be ungrateful?" Ron asked. "You put so much effort into them."

‘That’s really nice of her,’... Ron gasped.

"I think I might know what that is," Sirius said eagerly, although he couldn't but wonder why it wasn't in the Potter family vault.

‘I’ve heard of those,’... ‘It is! Look down!’

"No way!" young Draco grimaced. "That's not fair. Father never let me have one and I asked about a million times."

Harry looked down at his feet... A Very Merry Christmas to you.

Sirius glared at the headmaster. He had a sneaky suspicion he knew who had had the cloak. And he knew for certain James would never have handed it over.

There was no signature... ‘She obviously makes more of an effort if you’re not family.’ 

"I do not!" Both Molly's grumbled.

"We know, mum," all the children sighed.

‘Why aren’t you wearing yours, Ron?’... They frog-marched Percy from the room, his arms pinned to his sides by his jumper.

Arthur smiled at his sons' antics. He'd taught them well.

Harry had never in all his life... a silver Sickle embedded in his slice.

"That has happened to me more than once," Remus admitted.

Harry watched Hagrid getting redder... her top hat lop-sided. 

Both Minervas and both Hagrids looked embarrassed as several of the parents tutted. What were the teachers doing? They were still responsible for the students present. They shouldn't have been drinking.

When Harry finally left the table... Norris’ Christmas dinner. 

"I tried saving them for Hedwig," Harry muttered, "but they all got away."

"Don't worry, kid," Sirius said ruffling his hair. "I'll make sure she has all the mice she could ever want in the future."

Harry smiled gratefully. His Hedwig might be gone, but other Harry's Hedwig would live a much better life.

Harry and the Weasleys... Percy hadn’t tried to help him so much.

"HEY!" both Percys complained.

"Yeah, it was Percy's fault," Ron chuckled. "It had nothing to do with you being shoddy at chess..."

Harry laughed. It was true after all. He'd never even played chess before Hogwarts.

After a tea of turkey sandwiches... they’d stolen his prefect badge.

"GEORGE!" Mrs Weasley began screeching.

"Molly, this happened years ago," Arthur said.

"You know mum," Bill said shortly, "if you didn't constantly compare the twins with the rest of us, you'd probably find they wouldn't behave this way."

Molly gaped at her elder son.

"That said," Bill continued, looking at the younger set of twins, "you two should let up with Percy. A joke repeated two many times, quickly becomes bullying."

The twins exchanged a look before nodding their heads in understanding. All the while, both Mollys looked on in wonder. Her sons would never have listened to her like that. She usually had to threaten them that she would tell their father to get them to behave.

It had been Harry’s best Christmas... pulled the Cloak out from under it.

"Was this your first time breaking the rules other than the non-duel?" Sirius asked with a smirk.

Harry nodded his head. He didn't look happy about it though and that surprised Sirius. Had it not been a positive experience? Most kids loved testing the boundaries. Then again with a three headed dog in the school, who knows what sort of danger he could have come across.

His mind returned to the title of the chapter and he sighed. Yes, this hadn't been a positive experience. He couldn't help but worry that perhaps Harry really hadn't had any opportunity at all to just be a kid.

His father’s ... Suddenly, Harry felt wide awake.

"That sounds almost like a compulsion," Remus said thoughtfully, eyeing the headmaster.

The whole of Hogwarts... quickly down the corridor

"Silly old bird," Sirius said. "After generations of Potters using that cloak at Hogwarts, you'd think she'd know better than to ask."

Where should he go?... find out who Flamel was.

"The whole of Hogwarts? And you choose the library?" Sirius asked, his voice tinged with mock disappointment.

He set off... One book had a dark stain on it that looked horribly like blood. 

"If it looks like blood it's most likely blood," someone said.

"Not necessarily. Sometimes it could be a spell to discourage certain readers, or encourage others," Remus said knowledgeably. "Or it could be red ink."

"Never assume anything," Moody agreed.

The hairs on the back... there who shouldn’t be. 

"That would be the magic of the restricted section," Minerva explained. "If you hadn't been wearing that cloak, the magical wards of that section of the library would have recorded your visit for Madam Prince and you would have gotten detention."

"Does the cloak mask my magical signature then?" Harry asked.

"It must do because you never got detention for this," Minerva replied.

He had to start somewhere... let it fall open. 

"You shouldn't just be touching those books," Severus hissed. "Some of them even carry curses. You could have been seriously injured. And no one would know because you were under that damn cloak!"

His vow was pulling at his magic even though the child wasn't actually in danger at that precise moment and he hated it.

A piercing, blood-curdling shriek... which went out at once.

"That's fortunate. I'm not sure even old Dumbles would be able to stop you being expelled if you set fire to the library." Ron laughed.

"I wouldn't be so sure," Harry huffed.

Panicking, he heard footsteps... the book’s shrieks still ringing in his ears. 

"That was close," Remus said.

He came to a sudden halt... five floors above there.

"Harry, there are suits of armour everywhere!" Hermione said with a chuckle.

‘You asked me to come directly to you... the Cloak didn’t stop him being solid. 

"Oh no!" Sirius frowned. "You're going to get caught, aren't you?"

Harry refused to answer, much to his godfather's annoyance.

He backed away... he had hidden in. 

"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" Moody shouted, making everyone jump.

It looked like a disused classroom... Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.

"What the hell does that mean?" Blaise asked.

His younger self shrugged his shoulders. "No clue."

"I show not your face but your heart's desire," his mother said.

"What?" several people asked.

"That's what it says, it's simply reversed."

His panic fading now... but see no reflection again.

"Do not look in that mirror, Harry," Sirius and Remus said together, Sirius pulling the two Harrys closer as his eyes closed tightly.

"What's so bad about it?" young Hermione asked. "It's just a mirror."

"You'll see," Ron answered.

He stepped in front of it... a whole crowd of people standing right behind him. 

"Oh, Harry," Molly Weasley and her younger self looked ready to pounce on the two Harrys but the two Arthurs held them back.

But the room was empty... back to the mirror. 

"How is that possible?" young Hermione asked, clearly disgruntled that she didn't know something.

"You'll see," Hermione answered.

Young Hermione opened her mouth to speak, clearly not happy with the answer she had been given, but the book continued.

There he was... invisible or not? 

"If only that was true," Remus muttered.

He looked in the mirror... her eyes are just like mine, Harry thought,

Several people gasped in horror as they realised what Harry could see in the mirror. The mothers around the room looked ready to wrap both Harrys in bubble wrap - if they knew what it was, that is.

edging a little... just like Harry’s did. 

Remus let out a whine.

You saw them? young Harry asked his older self. You actually saw them.

Yeah. It was amazing and terrible all at the same time.

Terrible? the younger boy asked.

Because it wasn't real. And it couldn't last. I couldn't stay with them.

Harry was so close... half joy, half terrible sadness.

"I thought you said this mirror was dangerous!" young Hermione huffed.

"It is precisely because it shows you what you most want to see that it is dangerous," Albus said lamentably.

How long he stood there, he didn’t know.

"He's under its thrall," someone whispered as everyone had gone deadly still.

The reflections did not fade... back to his senses.

"Good! Go! And don't go back!" Sirius practically begged.

He couldn’t stay here... ‘I’ll come back,’ and hurried from the room

"No! Don't go back!" Remus growled.

‘You could have woken me up... why aren’t you eating anything?’

"He's already obsessing if he's not eating!" Pomfrey said.

Her younger self nodded her head. "That mirror had no business being in a school full of vulnerable children."

"Not just the mirror, the Cerberus too and whatever its guarding," Sirius said bitterly. Durmstrang was looking more and more tempting with every chapter they read.

Harry couldn’t eat... ‘You look odd.’

"This is exactly why the mirror is so dangerous," Severus said, directing his words to the younger children in the room. "You obsess over what you saw, especially if it is a desire that is unattainable, and it stops you eating, drinking, sleeping... In essence, it stops you living."

"What I want to know is why it isn't in the department of mysteries where it belongs," Rockwood said crossly.

"That is a very good question," Madam Bones said.

What Harry feared most... ‘I can’t see anything.’

"Why can't he see them?" young Hermione asked.

"Because it is not his heart's desire," Albus explained.

‘Look! Look at them all... stand where I am.’

"No Ronald!" Molly got to her feet and pulled her adult son into her arms. "Don't you dare look."

Her younger self had pulled the younger Ron into her own arms and was trembling slightly.

Harry stepped aside... Head Boy!’

"Head boy?" the Weasley siblings all asked, gaping at Ron.

"What would you want," George began.

"To be head boy for?" Fred finished.

Severus rolled his eyes. He was disappointed. He had hoped the child might have a little more depth than that. He knew what he'd see if he looked in the mirror and it wouldn't be that dissimilar to Potter's own. Family. Friends. Being surrounded by people who loved him. He'd given up on that desire years ago though.

‘What?’... ‘Do you think this mirror shows the future?’ 

"Tactful, Ronald!" Hermione complained.

‘How can it?... ‘Don’t push me –’ 

"Oh no! Now they're fighting," Andromeda said.

A sudden noise outside... And Ron pulled Harry out of the room. 

"Please tell me that you don't go back," Sirius said in a hushed voice.

Harry merely gave him a sorry expression before turning back to the book.

The snow still hadn’t melted next morning... Don’t go back tonight.’

"Good advice," Sirius said.

"That could only be given by someone's whose desire wasn't enough to cause obsession, an attainable desire," Severus grumbled. "He should have informed a teacher. Potter won't be able to ignore the mirror."

Harry wanted to argue with him but he had to agree. At eleven, he definitely couldn't and now, if he were to come across it, well, he wasn't sure he'd be able to now either.

‘Why not?’... ‘You sound like Hermione.’ 

"HEY!" Both Hermiones complained.

‘I’m serious, Harry, don’t go.’... Ron wasn’t going to stop him. 

"Definitely enthralled," Narcissa murmured.

That third night... ‘So – back again, Harry?’

"Who the hell?" Sirius demanded. Whoever it was knew that he'd been before. They had allowed him to return. And if he was right and it was the headmaster, he'd probably land himself right back in Azkaban.

Harry felt as though his insides... Harry was relieved to see that he was smiling.

"More like he disillusioned himself," Remus muttered.

‘So,’ said Dumbledore... delights of the Mirror of Erised.’ 

"DELIGHTS, YOU OLD COOT!" Sirius got to his feet. "DELIGHTS? ARE YOU DERANGED?"

Sirius was doing a brilliant imitation of Mrs Weasley in full rant mode.

‘I didn’t know it was called that, sir.’... ‘How did you know –?’ 

Definitely disillusioned, Remus decided.

"You spied on them?" Sirius asked angrily. "Instead of sending them away immediately with a warning about the danger and detention for being out of bounds, you spied on them."

"If I gave every child I find out after curfew a detention, you would have almost tripled your detention record," Albus said teasingly.

"So be it! I broke the rules expecting that if I was caught there would be consequences," Sirius said. "Or I did until you taught us that consequences didn't always exist."

Remus didn't say anything but he stared at the headmaster, his eyes flashing amber.

"I'd probably have grown up far quicker if you hadn't have been headmaster."

"You'd have most likely been expelled," Albus laughed.

"So what? I'd have learned from it! Some of my worst choices might have been avoided if you hadn't encouraged our exploration of the castle. Did you know Minnie, it was the headmaster here who told us where we would find the kitchens!"

"I told you that because it was a safe place for you children to explore under supervision," Albus said.

"You should have sent us back to bed, not off to the kitchens for a hot chocolate and biscuits," Remus muttered.

"This isn't getting us anywhere," Amelia said eventually, seeing no end to this argument. "Anyone who has anything they would like to report about their experience at Hogwarts, can come by our offices after the chapter. We will happily compile written testimony from anyone who wishes to report something."

"That really isn't necessary, Amelia," Albus said, his eyes twinkling.

"I disagree," Alastor Moody said. "I think it is necessary, Albus."

‘I don’t need a cloak... standing alone, the best of all of them.

Both Mrs Weasleys let out a whimper.

However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge... real or even possible. 

"Which is exactly why it had no business being in the school!" Lucius blustered angrily.

‘The Mirror will be moved... you will now be prepared.

"That's ominous," young Narcissa said. "Almost like you expect him to come across it again."

It does not do to dwell... ‘What do you see when you look in the Mirror?’ 

"I can't believe you just asked that, Harry!" Hermione squeaked. "It's so private."

"Yeah, so what? He spied on me and Ron. If anything you could say he owed me that information."

Some of the adults looked like they wanted to argue with Harry but they couldn't deny that both his and Ronald's privacy had been violated. The question didn't seem anywhere near as impertinent when you considered that fact.

‘I? I see myself holding a pair of thick, woollen socks.’ 

"Lies," Harry muttered. "I know what you see now, professor."

Dumbledore was surprised by that. He was also surprised by the strange bitterness in Harry's expression.

Harry stared... personal question.

"I still don't understand what the mirror is doing at Hogwarts of all places!" Rockwood glared at the headmaster. "It is supposed to be locked away in the department of mysteries where it can be contained."

"It was needed," Albus said with an air of all-knowing grandfather that put several people's teeth on edge.

Notes:

So... please remember I don't outright hate Albus. I think he's massively misguided and a little power hungry... but I don't hate him. He definitely made bad choices and I'm hoping he will realise some of them in the readings. Tell me what you think? I enjoyed writing the argument between Albus and Sirius. I like to imagine a Sirius who is out of Azkaban a little earlier might not be quite so stuck in his youth. Perhaps this version of himself might actually have a chance to live his present life, not always living in the past.

[magicschild]

Chapter 20

Quidditch

Summary:

We finally get to see everyone's reaction to Harry's second brush with death in his very first year of Hogwarts... aka his first quidditch game. Heads will roll...

Notes:

BOLD = Bookquotes ITALICS = Parsel UNDERLINE = Younger Version of a Character

"Now can we read the next chapter?" Professor Flitwick asked the mediwitch, practically vibrating with excitement.

"Humph," she glowered at him, "I suppose so."

As they entered November... and enormous beaverskin boots.

"No wonder those broomsticks are practically useless," Lucius sneered. "They're clearly not stored properly, unprotected from the elements."

"Not to mention that is a complete waste of Mr Hagrid's time," Narcissa said, "when he has the Hogwarts creatures to care for."

"I don't mind," Hagrid began.

"That is not the point, Mr Hagrid. Your employer clearly doesn't value the worth of a good gamekeeper." Narcissa glared at the headmaster. "You'd never see the Malfoy gamekeeper defrosting broomsticks."

"What sort of game do yer keep?" Hagrid asked, eager to hear about the creatures of one of the great houses.

"Well, there's my husband's albino peacocks. They're a little vicious to be honest, one even attacked the dark lord the other week. I struggled not to laugh. It even managed to get away when he tried to kill it. Clever little thing. Then there are the Abraxans. We're quite proud of our herd. We even race a few in the Abraxan races each year at Epsom."

"Don't forget the unicorns, Mother," young Draco said.

"Of course not, Dragon. How could I? We have a small herd of unicorns. Draco spent much of his childhood following after them. We have several crups, although they're not allowed in the manor, much to Draco's frustration."

"There are various types of snakes  in the forest," Lucius adds, "several kelpies and marmites in the lake, and we also have some Thestrals, although nowhere near the size herd that Hogwarts homes."

"We used to have a handful of Hippogriffs but after Draco's third year we removed those," Narcissa admitted. "We moved them to another of our family's holdings as a punishment for Draco's behaviour in your class."

"Then why did you try to have Buckbeak executed?" Harry asked.

"Unfortunately," Lucius said, "Draco complained about what happened in front of the wrong person and my hands were tied. I couldn't be seen to go easy on a half-breed. I apologise Mr Hagrid."

The Quidditch season had begun... holding a mattress.

"That was my fault," Draco admitted. "Sorry."

"It's ok," Harry said with a small smile.

It was really lucky that Harry... months later in the Sahara Desert.

"It's a shame you can't remember your history of magic facts as well as that," Hermione teased.

Hermione had become a bit more relaxed... she was much nicer for it.

"Gee, thanks," she muttered, rolling her eyes.

The day before Harry’s first Quidditch ... Harry noticed at once that Snape was limping.

"Observant, Potter," Moody praised.

Harry, Ron and Hermione moved closer... it wouldn’t be allowed.

"You're right, it wouldn't," Severus said.

Unfortunately, something about their guilty faces caught Snape’s eye... ‘Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor.’

"That's not a rule, Severus!" Minerva complained.

"Haven't done it yet," Severus said.

"Besides you didn't even check that it was a library book," Filius added.

"Doesn't change the fact this hasn't happened yet and I haven't done anything YET."

‘He’s just made that rule up,’... ‘Dunno, but I hope it’s really hurting him,’ said Ron bitterly. 

"Ronald, that is your teacher you are talking about!" young Mrs Weasley complained. The elder still being annoyed that the man was a deatheater and had killed the headmaster, kept her mouth closed.

The Gryffindor common room... they got the right answers anyway.

"I'm glad to hear that you weren't copying!" Minerva said with a frown.

"I didn't want to copy," Harry said indignantly.

"To be fair, that was mostly me," Ron said with a shrug.

Harry felt restless... if there were other teachers listening. 

"Good plan, Mr Potter," Flitwick said.

He made his way down to the staff room... and a horrible scene met his eyes.

"Oh, no. What else could be in the school?" Ted Tonks asked.

Snape and Filch... robes above his knees.

Snape's eyes bulged. Surely not!

One of his legs was bloody... keep your eyes on all three heads at once?’ 

"What were you doing getting near that dog?" Moody demanded.

"How am I supposed to know?" Severus sneered. "It hasn't happened yet."

Harry tried to shut the door... ‘GET OUT! OUT!’

"I think you might have embarrassed Professor Snape, Harry," George teased.

Harry grinned for a second, before turning towards his teacher, remembering what his father had once done to him. He didn't think he'd want to be exposed before his student either - especially the son of his bully. "I'm sorry, sir."

"I accept your apology," Severus said, "even though it hasn't happened yet."

Harry left,...  he let that troll in, to create a diversion!’

"Did he?" Moody asked but Harry refused to answer. He didn't want everyone to suspect Snape, not knowing everything he now actually knew about the man but he didn't want to ruin the suspense either. He wanted everyone to work it out for themselves.

"I certainly thought so," he said with a shrug.

Hermione’s eyes were wide... ‘Honestly, Hermione, you think all teachers are saints or something,’ snapped Ron. 

"Do not," Hermione complained.

"Lockhart," Harry coughed.

"That does not count!"

The two boys started laughing.

‘I’m with Harry... wasn’t easy to forget.

"Who knew you've been failing at Occulemcy much longer than we realised," Ron joked, causing Harry to throw his pillow at him.

The next morning dawned... ‘I’m not hungry.’

"You should have eaten, dear," Mrs Weasley said.

Harry felt terrible... who get nobbled by the other team.’ 

"Real helpful Seamus!" Dean teased.

‘Thanks, Seamus,’ said Harry... Potter for President

"Why?" Remus asked.

"Alliteration," Dean said with a shrug.

"Potter Power, Potter Passion, Patently Potter," Remus began.

"Potter's Pitch Party," Sirius added.

"Points for Potter," Remus continued, "Potters in Possession, It's Possible with Potter, Potter Pride, Pretty Potter."

"Prince Potter," Sirius chuckled. "Potter for the Prize."

"You've clearly done this before," Hermione said with a grin.

"Obviously," Sirius said in a way that sounded strangely like Snape.

and Dean, who was good at drawing... different colours.

"That's some nice charms work, Miss Granger," young Filius said.

Meanwhile, in the changing rooms... Wood cleared his throat for silence. 

"Ok, men," Harry said.

"And women," Angelina added with a giggle.

"And women," Harry agreed. "This is it."

"The big one," Fred said, bringing a tear to his older twin's eye.

"The one we've all been waiting for," George continued.

"What the hell was that?" someone asked.

"It's always the same speech," George explained. "We tend to memorise it."

Oliver blushed scarlet.

‘OK, men,’ he said... We’re going to win. I know it.’

"Did you?" Sirius asked with a grin.

"I'm not telling," Harry teased before sticking out his tongue.

"Cheeky," Sirius laughed.

He glared at them all as if to say, ‘Or else.’... They were off.

Several people cheered.

‘And the Quaffle is taken immediately... ‘Sorry, Professor.’ 

"Not sorry," Lee added with a smirk.

The Weasley twins’ friend, Lee Jordan... GRYFFINDOR SCORE!’

The Gryffindors in the chamber cheered eagerly.

Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air... No sign of the Snitch yet, eh?’

"I wish I was there to watch you play, Harry," Sirius said softly. "I'll be at every single match your younger self plays though. I promise."

"Thanks Sirius."

‘Nope,’ said Ron... ‘We don’t want you attacked before you have to be.’

"Good advice, especially for your first game," Sirius nodded.

When Angelina had scored... one of the Weasleys’ wristwatches, 

"Oops! That was me," George admitted.

and once a Bludger decided to come... furiously towards Marcus Flint.

George smiled sadly, remembering his twin.

‘Slytherin in possession,’... that had passed his left ear. 

"Foolish child," Severus muttered.

Harry saw it... WHAM! A roar of rage echoed from the Gryffindors below - 

"What happened?" several people demanded.

Marcus Flint had blocked Harry on purpose... ‘Foul!’ screamed the Gryffindors. 

"Cheating little..."

"Sirius," Remus murmured.

Madam Hooch spoke angrily... Red card!’ 

"What the hell is a red card?" one of the deatheaters asked.

"It's a muggle football thing," Harry explained, feeling somewhat weirded out that he was talking about football of all things with a deatheater. "If you get two yellow cards, you get a red card, or I think you can get one without a yellow one, if you do something bad enough, and with a red card, you're sent off."

"Right. Seems reasonable. Why don't we have red and yellow sparks? That would be easy enough to understand. Speed the whole thing up, I imagine too."

‘This isn’t football, Dean... ‘They oughta change the rules, Flint coulda knocked Harry outta the air.’

"It is a bit odd you can't be sent off, isn't it?" the deatheater, Rockwood commented to his younger self.

Lee Jordan was finding it difficult... ‘Jordan, I’m warning you – ’

Several people were laughing now. "You might be the best commentator Hogwarts has ever had," Sirius said.

"Hey!" Remus growled.

"Sorry Moony," Sirius grimaced.

‘All right, all right... frightening lurch.

"What was that?" Sirius asked, all good humour gone.

For a split second... which almost unseated him.

"Someone's cursed your broom," Sirius said, sitting forward, his back tight with stress.

Lee was still commentating...  and twitching as it went. 

"Why hasn't anyone noticed?" Sirius demanded. "Where were you all?"

The teachers didn't know what to say. For the most part they were in the stands but hadn't noticed until it was too late to act.

‘Dunno what Harry thinks he’s doing,’... holding on with only one hand. 

"Oh Merlin and Morgana," Sirius muttered, pulling both boys closer.

‘Did something happen to it when Flint blocked him?... do that to a Nimbus Two Thousand.’

"Quite right," Amelia said sternly. "Which means one of the adults at the match is trying to kill Potter. Were the aurors informed?"

The teachers all slunk back in their chairs, glaring at the headmaster.

"That's going on the list too then," Madam Bones said, folding her arms.

At these words, Hermione seized Hagrid’s binoculars... ‘I knew it,’ Hermione gasped. ‘Snape – look.’ 

Everyone looked at the potions master, glaring harshly.

"Not happened yet," he reminded them, "besides I could have been performing the counter curse."

He had a horrible feeling that he was going to be the villain in this story right until they realised he wasn't at the very end. People always blamed him. He mentally shrugged. He should be used to it by now.

"It wasn't him, Sirius," Harry murmured quietly. "Professor Snape has saved my life more times than I can count."

Ron grabbed the binoculars... ‘Leave it to me.’ 

"And just what were you going to do?" Minerva asked. She knew for a fact the girl hadn't come to her with her suspicions.

Hermione stared at her feet.

Before Ron could say another word... Marcus Flint seized the Quaffle and scored five times without anyone noticing.

"That slimy toad!" Several gryffindors complained.

‘Come on, Hermione... she knocked Professor Quirrell headfirst into the row in front.

Moody sat forward at that. Why was that mentioned? Was it just a random piece of information? Or something more sinister? It wouldn't make sense for Potter to sit here comfortably with someone who'd tried to kill him, would it... What if...?

Reaching Snape... on to the hem of Snape’s robes.

"You set your teacher on fire?" Minerva whispered. She could not believe the things she was hearing in this story. "Miss Granger, how -"

"I thought he was cursing Harry," she said belligerently.

"Then come to a teacher," Minerva said coldly. She was trying very hard not to lose her temper.

"And in the meantime, Harry could be dead." Hermione crossed her arms in front of her chest. "You were there, but you did nothing. Flitwick was there, he didn't do anything either. There were other teachers present. Madam Hooch... No one was doing anything!"

Severus wasn't sure how he felt about the fact one of his students had actually set fire to his clothing. He couldn't decide to reward her for being sneaky or chastise her for being so disrespectful. He could certainly appreciate the loyalty to her friend.

It took perhaps thirty seconds... A sudden yelp told her she had done her job.

"I do not yelp," Severus said with a glare.

"No professor. Of course not," she said, shaking her head, fear clear in her eyes.

"As long as you are aware of that fact," Severus said snidely.

Scooping the fire off him into a little jar... – Snape would never know what had happened. 

"Oh, how wrong you are, Miss Granger," Severus said.

It was enough... as though he was about to be sick

"Oh now what?" Sirius looked honestly petrified.

– he hit the pitch on all fours –... the game ended in complete confusion. 

"Well done, Harry!" Sirius said, hugging his godson closely.

‘He didn’t catch it, he nearly swallowed it,’...  ‘Why would Snape do somethin’ like that?’

"Thank you, Hagrid," Severus smiled at the half-giant. But Hagrid looked torn. He didn't know what to make of the deatheater. He'd killed Albus, after all.

"Right, yeah, well..." Hagrid huffed.

Severus blinked, feeling a little hurt by Hagrid's clear discomfort.

Harry, Ron and Hermione... he was trying to steal whatever it’s guarding.’

"It could be someone else," Moody said. "I'd be careful not to run away with the idea."

Hagrid dropped the teapot... ‘But Snape’s trying to steal it.’ 

"I would never," Severus said seriously. "I have no desire to..."

He paused when he noticed that Potter was shaking his head. Ah, he didn't want them all to know the truth too soon. Probably wanted to see if anyone would guess what was hidden in the school. Or if they could work out who was actually trying to steal it.

‘Rubbish,’ said Hagrid again... Snape wasn’t blinking at all, I saw him!’

"Same rules apply for most counters," Lucius said gently.

‘I’m tellin’ yeh, yer wrong!’ said Hagrid hotly... Nicolas Flamel –’ 

"Oh, no!" Sirius got to his feet. "Tell me right now, you did not place the philosopher's stone in Hogwarts!"

The teachers remained quiet.

"Have you lost your minds?" Sirius began pacing. "You are educators! Not Gringotts Goblins hoarding treasure! What game are you playing Albus? Risking the lives of your students like this?"

‘Aha!’ said Harry... Hagrid looked furious with himself.

"Oh Hagrid," Minerva said with a sigh. No wonder Potter knew so much about the stone.

"Don't Oh Hagrid him!" Sirius bellowed. "You should have known better Minerva! Hogwarts is a school. First and foremost, your job is to protect and educate the students within its walls. Not house ancient artifacts that every criminal would want to get their hands on. That's just asking for trouble."

"I still want to know why the aurors were not informed," Amelia said. "I have not had an answer. A student nearly died. What sort of investigation was there?"

The teachers glanced between each other.

"You have nothing to say?" Amelia pressed. "Should I presume that means no investigation was held? Then I have to inform you that I will be looking very closely into how the school is run and all of your jobs will be at risk. I do not like what I am hearing."

"The ministry has no..." Albus began.

"I'm getting fed up of hearing that, Albus," Amelia said. "If I have to, I will start a boycott among the Lords and Ladies of the great houses, then there will be no Hogwarts."

Notes:

So what do you think...???? Tell me just how much you love Madam Bones right now? Plus how great is it seeing Harry have an actual parental figure stand up for him?

[magicschild]

Chapter 19

You Never Listen

Summary:

Our characters take a short break from reading and one or two people receive some hard truths.

Notes:

BOLD = Bookquotes ITALICS = Parsel UNDERLINE = Younger Version of a Character

"I think we should take a break," Madam Pomfrey said.

"But the next chapter is about Quidditch!" younger Professor Flitwick grumbled, much to everyone's entertainment.

"The chapter can wait," the younger Poppy said sternly. "Several of my patients require potions and some rest and you all need to eat."

The Weasleys were in clear agreement that food was now necessary, although one or two looked disappointed that they couldn't just eat while they listened to Harry's first quidditch game.

"Professor Snape, if you wouldn't mind assisting me," Madam Pomfrey said. "I have several cases that require your expert opinion."

Severus bowed his head and followed her towards one of the beds where the worst of the Azkaban prisoners was lying.

At the same time, there were multiple pops as house elves appeared with food for them all. Mrs Weasley looked somewhat irritated that she wouldn't be able to cook for everyone but even she had to admit that cooking every meal for this number of people for goodness knows how long would prove too much even for her.

"So, you really went up against a troll in your first year?" the younger Blaise Zabini asked. "That's kind of cool."

"Yeah, I guess it kind of is, isn't it?" Harry chuckled. "Probably shouldn't have though."

"Far too dangerous," Sirius complained. "I'm seriously thinking that I should just remove you from Hogwarts."

"Ah, Padfoot, don't do that. I love Hogwarts," Harry replied, giving his godfather his best attempt at puppy dog eyes.

"You've already nearly died and you've only been there two months!"

"Yeah but it was fun," Harry teased.

"I'm not sure you should be joking about this, Harry," Remus said.

"Why not? I didn't go looking for the troll. I went to find Hermione. I don't know what else you expected me to do. There were no teachers around and even if there were, they wouldn't have listened and Hermione would be dead before we got there."

"That's not fair, Mr Potter," Minerva began.

"It's true though, isn't it?" Harry retorted. "When have you ever listened to me?"

Minerva couldn't believe him. Of course, she listened to him.

"The end of the year when I told you what I suspected?" he asked and she paused. No she hadn't listened then. "When I told you it wasn't me in second year?" Well, she hadn't believed it was, but had she ever told him that? "In third year when I told everyone the truth about Sirius? Or fourth year when my name came out of the goblet of fire? What about fifth year with Umbridge when I came to you about my detentions?"

She remained silent.

"No. The staff of Hogwarts don't listen to the students. Or at the very least, they've never listened to me."

"Eat up, Mr Potter!" the younger Madam Pomfrey said from where she was checking Sirius over.

"Yes Mam," Harry grumbled.

Harry ate all he could, which wasn't much given how little he'd eaten on the run, and took the potions that Severus handed him without complaint. He didn't even grumble when Madam Pomfrey gave him a quick exam.

"You should eat more, Ronald. You're far too skinny," Mrs Weasley was saying at the next bed.

"He won't eat more," Madam Pomfrey said crossly, moving towards them. "His body is in starvation mode. He has eaten all he can and the rest of his nutrient will be found in potions for the time being."

"But..."

"No, Molly. I'm the mediwitch here, not you."

"I don't like this," Molly said.

"Well, then you shouldn't have let children fight a war for you," Madam Pomfrey said sternly. Although secretly she berated herself for the same thing. These were her students and she'd failed to protect them.

"I didn't want them to fight," Molly screeched.

"Quieten down women! There are sick people in this room. Believe it or not, we're all to blame. This is the consequence of all our failures."

Molly deflated slightly but she still looked angry.

"We have a lot to learn. We should be grateful that Mother Magic has given us this opportunity."

"Harry, can I hav' a word," Hagrid said, coming up to the side of his bed. He seemed strangely unsure of himself.

"Sure. Of course, you can, Hagrid."

"What wer' yer thinkin', walking inter the forest like that. I was sure yer wer' goin' ter die, Harry. Yer scared me half ter death."

"Er... I had to Hagrid. I didn't have a choice," Harry said.

"Didn't have a choice? Yer could have talked ter someone!"

"I'd only just found out that I was... I couldn't let him win," Harry whispered, tears in his eyes. Even after all these years in the magical world, he wasn't used to people caring about him.

"I don't care about him winning, I care about yer living, Harry."

The others were looking over now and Harry wasn't ready for everyone else to know what had happened in the forest.

"I'm sorry, Hagrid."

"Yer too good, Harry. That won't be happenin' to the younger you. I won't let it."

"Thanks Hagrid."

"Give us a hug," the half giant said before pulling the smaller man into a bone breaking embrace.

"Gently, Hagrid!" Madam Pomfrey complained.

"Er... sorry, Harry. Forget ma own strength sometimes."

Notes:

Hope you enjoyed it! Some hard truths and heartfelt moments. Let me know what you think!

[magicschild]

Chapter 18

Hallowe'en

Summary:

Another chapter is read... and things are going to blow up AGAIN. Lol. The adults will be angry. he he.

Notes:

BOLD = Bookquotes ITALICS = Parsel UNDERLINE = Younger Version of a Character

Malfoy couldn’t believe his eyes... were quite keen to have another one.

"Just like your father," Sirius said. "Although for us, our adventures mostly involved raiding the kitchens. Atleast in first year anyway."

In the meantime... what could possibly need such heavy protection.

"Good question," Moody commented, smiling at Harry, while his magical eye remained on the headmaster.

‘It’s either really valuable or really dangerous,’ said Ron.

"Or both," younger Bill commented.

"I think both," young Fleur said at the same time before blushing.

This was very weird for them both. They'd noticed their older selves were clearly married but they'd yet to even introduce themselves, both finding themselves strangely feeling shy.

‘Or both,’ said Harry... never going near the dog again.

"Very wise," Augusta said. "Although, I must ask why you didn't write home about it."

"I didn't want to admit I'd been out of bounds after hours," he muttered with a shrug.

"Don't shrug your shoulders. If you'd explained clearly what happened, I would not have blamed you, Neville. You forgot the password, it's hardly the first time you've forgotten something. And you were scared and in a strange place. Safer in numbers, I understand why you went with the others, especially as the Fat Lady was gone from her portrait."

Hermione was now refusing... DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL AT THE TABLE.

"Then why send it during breakfast?" Luna asked.

Minerva was unsure. She couldn't really say why she hadn't handed the broom directly to Potter.

It contains your new... seized the package from Harry and felt it. 

"I'm beginning to think you might need lessons in keeping your hands off other people's possessions, Draco," Lucius said softly.

"Sorry, Father."

‘That’s a broomstick... twig by twig.’

All of the Weasley children, even the adult ones, glared at the two Dracos.

Arthur laughed, although he looked embarrassed. "I think Lucius, this is why we're not supposed to know what they get up to at school."

Lucius grinned. "You might be right. I can only imagine my own father's reactions to some of the things I did in school."

Before Ron could answer,... Malfoy here that I’ve got it,’ he added.

"Nicely done, Mr Potter," Severus said. "Very Slytherin. His house won't forgive him quickly for this."

Harry and Ron headed upstairs,... disapprovingly at the package in Harry’s hand. 

Minerva sighed. "If I chose not to punish him, that is between me and him. You are out of order, Miss Granger. You could even say you are bullying a fellow student."

"Bullying?" Hermione looked flabbergasted.

"You are verbally attacking him because you do not agree with the decision I as his head of house made. If you have a problem with my decisions, bring them to me. Do not castigate your fellow students."

‘I thought you weren’t speaking to us?’ said Harry... they were fifty feet high.

"Bubbles?" Arthur asked.

With a flick of Harry's wand a small plastic cylinder appeared in front of him. He undid the lid and began to blow bubbles much to the entertainment of both Arthur Weasleys.

"It's a kids toy," Harry explained.

Too eager to fly again to wait for Wood...  you’ll be joining team practice three times a week.’

"Not a bad schedule," Charlie said.

"Yeah, when he stuck to it," several of the team members muttered.

He opened the crate... So – that’s sort of like basketball on broomsticks with six hoops, isn’t it?’

"What's basketball?" several purebloods asked.

Hermione looked like she wanted to answer but she didn't feel comfortable after how much trouble she'd gotten into in the last chapter.

‘What’s basketball?’... He bent down and freed one of the Bludgers.

Minerva shook her head. Had her captain really just given a first year a beaters bat and released a bludger without any warning?

At once, the black ball rose... ‘Never at Hogwarts. We’ve had a couple of broken jaws but nothing worse than that.

"Nothing worse than that?" young Hermione asked. "That sounds barbaric!"

Now, the last member of the team...  a pair of human Bludgers themselves.’

Fred and the two Georges cheered.

Wood reached into the crate... it was doing it that was going to be the problem.

"Especially with your eyesight," young Hermione said. "Just how well can you see?"

"Barely at all," Harry admitted with a shrug.

Not for long, Severus promised himself.

‘We won’t practise with the Snitch yet... Harry didn’t miss a single one, and Wood was delighted.

"How is that possible?" Charlie asked, clearly awed. He'd missed at least three during his own try-out.

After half an hour... if he hadn’t gone off chasing dragons.’

Charlie secretly agreed that he couldn't have caught them all but blushed at the praise all the same. As great as it would have been to play for England, he'd pick his dragons any day.

Perhaps it was because he was now so busy... than Privet Drive had ever done.

The headmaster looked momentarily concerned at that. The blood wards would have been weakened if Harry preferred Hogwarts to his relatives house. Just how safe was he there?

His lessons, too... they had mastered the basics.

"I'm glad you were enjoying your school work, Mr Potter," Minerva said with a small smile.

On Hallowe’en morning... Neville had been trying to catch his eye).

"Sorry Nev," Harry said.

"No problem, Harry."

Ron, however... since the day Harry’s broomstick had arrived.

"I really don't know how you three became friends," Bill said with amazement.

"You'll find out by the end of the chapter," Harry said smugly.

‘Now, don’t forget that nice wrist movement... on the floor with a buffalo on his chest.’

"Tried it," Sirius admitted. "Nothing happened."

It was very difficult... Harry had to put it out with his hat.

"That is not the purpose of your hat," young Minerva said with a chuckle.

"Nope. But I've yet to find it's purpose so..."

"It's tradition, Mr Potter," she said with a grin.

"Ah... so why not just make us wear them for the celebration feasts?"

She nodded her head at that. The hats were rather foolish. "They show your statis as a student. They are the mark of an apprentice. To young people of generations past, they were a mark of honour. A sign that they were learning from a master."

"Huh. That's kind of cool," Harry admitted. "Why don't you teach us that sort of thing."

"It's presumed that you already know," she said softly.

Ron, at the next table... make the “gar” nice and long.’

"While I commend you for helping Mr Weasley, your attitude leaves much to be desired, Miss Granger," Minerva said sharply.

‘You do it, then... Miss Granger’s done it!’

"Well done, Miss Granger," the teachers said. They might be disappointed in her attitude but they weren't going to refrain from praising her hard work.

"Thank you professors," the young woman blushed.

Ron was in a very bad temper... ‘She’s a nightmare, honestly.’

"Really, Ronald," Molly chastised her son, "that's very unkind."

"I know, mum," he muttered.

"Don't you think you should apologise?"

"No. I don't."

"What?" Mrs Weasley looked ready to start screeching.

"Why should I apologise for something that happened years ago between me and one of my closest friends. We've already resolved this. Hermione knows how I feel about her now and she has long since forgiven me for being a jerk when she was eleven."

"That's true, Mrs Weasley," Hermione agreed.

Someone knocked into Harry... she’s got no friends.’

Mrs Weasley looked like she wanted to say something but held her tongue. Arthur was right. They were adults now and Ron had made a valid point. They'd clearly resolved their differences. That said, she didn't like hearing that her son had behaved so unkindly.

Hermione didn’t turn up for the next class... wanted to be left alone.

"Why didn't anyone inform a teacher?" Minerva asked.

No one had an answer for her.

Ron looked still more awkward... put Hermione out of their minds.

"Thanks guys!" Hermione laughed.

"Sorry Mione," the two boys said sheepishly.

A thousand live bats fluttered... as it had at the start-of-term banquet. 

"ARGH! Where is the respect for the old ways?" Narcissa asked. "And you wonder why we're here when this is what we're teaching our children."

"How do you celebrate..." Harry began eagerly only to realise he didn't even know the name for the wizarding holiday.

"Samhain, Harry. It's called Samhain." She paused to consider her words. "It marks the new year in our world, the end of summer, the end of the harvest. And the beginning of winter, which is associated with death. On Samhain, the veil between this world, the world of the living and the world of the dead is at it's thinnest. And so our dearly beloved, all those we've lost and still cherish are able to visit us."

"The spirits can visit?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore looked unimpressed with this conversation and tried to interrupt. "It involves a dark ritual which children have no business knowing."

"Untrue," Sirius disagreed. "It's not dark. Or at least the majority of Samhain rituals are not. My mother sure knew a few dark ones but she was batshit crazy."

"Sirius," Remus said. "Children present."

"Sorry, she was unhinged. I apologise for my language. But I won't apologise for calling her crazy. She had the Black madness in spades."

"But how do you celebrate?" Hermione asked.

"There's dancing and feasting, we build an altar to honour our ancestors," Narcissa said. "Leave a feast on it for them to enjoy. Every part of the feast has meaning. Apples and pumpkins and autumnal crops to symbolize the end of the harvest. We place animal carcasses to represent the spirits of the dead. Some darker traditions involve the skeletons and skulls of humans, but as Sirius said that is not practiced by most wix."

"You place photographs of the deceased family members you'd like to welcome to your feast," Sirius said with a grin. "And most people bake their own loaves of bread to feed the visiting spirits."

"All this is done within a ritual circle, and people gather, sharing stories of their ancestors. It's truly beautiful and if done correctly, you can even commune with their spirits, by lighting a candle for them."

"That sounds amazing," Harry said softly. He'd spoken to his parents in the graveyard and again with the resurrection stone. How different would his life have been if he'd been able to speak to them each year?

"It's a breathtaking experience," Lucius says gently. "And what's more, the ritual itself strengthens our connection to Mother Magic."

That was the deciding factor. Harry was sure now that he'd definitely perform the ritual if he survived this war with Voldemort.

Harry was just helping himself... He then sank to the floor in a dead faint.

"I swear every Hallowe'en something bad happens," Harry mutters.

"A troll!" Sirius tightened his hold on the two Harrys.

"This is your fault, Albus," Augusta said. "By lowering the wards to allow in the Cerberus, you've allowed a troll into the castle."

There was uproar... back to the dormitories immediately!’

"The Slytherins and Hufflepuffs dormitories are in the dungeons, you fool!" Moody growled. Forget the fact that this man was his friend, he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"That's reckless endangerment," Amelia agreed. "Better to secure the Great Hall!"

Percy was in his element... ‘Maybe Peeves let it in for a Hallowe’en joke.’

"He wouldn't," Sirius said.

They passed different groups... ‘Oh, all right,’ he snapped. ‘But Percy’d better not see us.’ 

"You should have told Percy," Bill said sternly. "Percy could have..."

"What?" Harry asked. "He was one fifth year with ten first years. He couldn't leave them all to go trapsing through the castles looking for a teacher."

Bill hated how logical that sounded. "The portraits?"

"Were all in the dungeons looking for the troll with the teachers."

"The ghosts?"

"Same."

Ducking down,... ‘Search me.’

"You could have told him," Minerva said.

"And lose points for not being in our common room. He'd have wasted time shouting at us instead of looking for Hermione. All of you would have."

Quietly as possible... ‘Can you smell something?’ 

"Absolutely not. You will turn back and return to your common room!" Mrs Weasley demanded.

"Molly dear, this has already happened."

Harry sniffed and a foul stench... falls of gigantic feet.

"You need to leave right now," Mrs Weasley was saying under her breath.

Ron pointed... We could lock it in.’ 

"Yes. Good idea, Prongslet," Sirius said. "Lock it in and fetch a teacher."

"BAD IDEA!" Hermione screeched.

‘Good idea,’ said Ron nervously... ‘Hermione!’ they said together.

"You just locked her in the bathroom with the troll?" Charlie asked, going pale.

It was the last thing they wanted to do... knocking the sinks off the walls as it went.

"Ok. So, you need to keep calm and quiet. No loud sounds and keep things simple. It's easily angered when it's confused." Sirius began listing everything he remembered from his auror training. "Weakest point would be its eyes, so that's what you're aiming for. Spells won't work."

‘Confuse it!’ Harry said... lifting its club as it went. 

"Bad idea," Sirius said, pulling his godsons closer.

‘Oy, pea-brain!... her mouth open with terror. 

"Quite reasonable. Older, more experienced wix have frozen at the sight of a troll," Moody said knowingly.

The shouting... it had gone straight up one of the troll’s nostrils.

"EWWW!"

"That's disgusting!" Fred said, sounding delighted.

"Troll bogies," George said. "We could definitely create a prank product out of that."

He frowned when he remembered that there was no we. It was just him now.

Howling with pain... ‘Wingardium Leviosa!’

"Really! Your answer is to use a spell you can't perform?" Percy asked bewildered.

The club flew suddenly out... with a thud that made the whole room tremble.

"Well done, Ron!" Bill and Charlie both cheered.

Harry got to his feet... ‘Is it – dead?’

"Not likely," young Charlie said.

‘I don’t think so... clutching his heart.

"That teacher is useless," Moody said, much to everyone's agreement.

Snape bent over the troll... He wished Ron would put his wand down.

"Didn't realise I still had it raised to be honest," Ron admitted.

"It's the adrenaline," Madam Pomfrey said. "Your magic and body were still on alert."

Then a small voice came out of the shadows... because I’ve read all about them.’

"Why did you lie?" Flitwick asked.

"I didn't want them to get into trouble."

"At most, Mr Weasley would have lost some points for making you cry," Minerva said with a frown. "I would have preferred honesty, Miss Granger."

Ron dropped his wand... Harry and Ron tried to look as though this story wasn’t new to them.

"You did not succeed," Minerva said with a smirk.

‘Well – in that case... started handing out sweets.

"He does, you know," Percy says. "In seventh year potions, he gives out sweets and tells you that you need to work out which ones contain poison. If you get it right, you get to keep the none poisonous ones."

The younger students look at him in surprise.

‘Miss Granger, five points... ‘We should have got more than ten points,’ Ron grumbled. 

"You were lucky not to end up in detention," Minerva said crossly.

‘Five, you mean... we hadn’t locked the thing in with her,’ Harry reminded him.

"Or if Ronnie hadn't made her cry," George said.

They had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady... There are some things you can’t share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them.

"I'll say!" Sirius said with a laugh before turning serious. "I still want an explanation though. How did the troll get into the school?"

"The wards were clearly adjusted for the Cerberus," Augusta said, "but the troll would still have needed help to enter the castle. Who let it in?"

"I'm sure all will be revealed," Albus said. He wasn't exactly happy that a troll had been rampaging around his school. Perhaps there was a way to just drop the wards in the third floor corridor. Not that it would be necessary at all if all his plans are exposed.

Madam Bones and the aurors present were having a heated discussion. "Something has got to be done. We can't allow this to continue. The school is not safe."

"He's not wrong though. It's out of our jurisdiction. The board of governors have more say than we do." Kingsley was glaring at the headmaster. This is not at all what he'd signed up to the order for. He was seriously beginning to have doubts and if the look on his younger self's face was anything to go by, he wasn't the only one.

"What I want to know is why they were never sent to the hospital wing!" She turned to the three gryffindors. "Were you hurt?"

Ron and Hermione shook their heads, but Harry frowned. "Hurt my ankle a bit when I dropped off the troll."

"You should have come to me!"

"Sorry, Madam Pomfrey," he said, giving her an innocent look that had always worked on the older woman, even if she'd never admit it.

"I'm here to help you, Mr Potter but I can't do that if you won't let me."

Notes:

Hallowe'en finally happened!!! YAY! Considering it's a relatively short chapter in the book, this took a while to write.

[magicschild]

Chapter 17

The Midnight Duel

Summary:

Our characters read the next chapter of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

Notes:

BOLD = Bookquotes ITALICS = Parsel UNDERLINE = Younger Version of a Character

Harry had never believed he would meet a boy... a fool of myself on a broomstick in front of Malfoy.’

"You're a natural on a broom," Sirius said. "Have been since I bought you one as a toddler. There's no way you'd make a fool of yourself."

Harry smirked, not wanting to give anything away.

He had been looking forward... escaping Muggles in helicopters.

Both sets of Malfoy parents glared at their two sons.

"How did he even know what a helicopter was?" Bill asked.

"I'm not ignorant," the younger Draco said waspishly, before his mother responded by pinching the back of his hand.

"Manners, Draco," she murmured, clearly unimpressed.

He wasn’t the only one, though... he’d almost hit a hang-glider on Charlie’s old broom. 

"When did you do that?" Charlie asked goodnaturedly. He didn't believe for one second that his little brother had got anywhere close to a hang-glider.

"It was an accident," Ron muttered. "I wasn't supposed to be on it. You'd only let me on it under supervision before."

"How old were you?" Charlie asked, no longer looking quite so entertained.

"Eight," the younger Ron answered.

"Eight? That broom wasn't old. It was brand new," Charlie seethed. "That was the broom I got for making Captian."

Everyone from wizarding families talked about Quidditch... , trying to make the players move.

The muggleborns and half bloods in the hospital gave Ron pitying looks.

"We really need a better curriculum for muggle studies," Harry said, "and it should be compulsory."

There wasn't as much arguing on the subject as there had been earlier. Most of the witches and wizards present willing to take Harry's word for it that muggles were a threat that needed to be understood and even perhaps respected.

Neville had never been on a broomstick in his life... even with both feet on the ground.

"Sorry, Nev," Harry apologised.

"You weren't wrong," Neville said happily, waving off the apology.

"That said, I may have been a little overprotective," the dowager admitted.

Hermione Granger was almost... Hermione’s lecture was interrupted by the arrival of the post.

"You really shouldn't be lecturing your fellow students, Miss Granger," the younger Professor Sprout said sternly. "That is not how you make friends."

Harry hadn’t had a single letter... he opened gloatingly at the Slytherin table.

"Why on earth would you gloat about the care packages I sent you," Narcissa demanded. "I sent those treats to be shared with your friends, not so you could lord them over them."

"Not to mention," Lucius murmured under his breath, "that you are acting like you are better than Heir Potter for the simple fact you have parents and he doesn't. I'm surprised you could be so cruel."

Lucius once again found himself blaming himself. He'd obviously taught his son that being a Malfoy made him better than others. His own pride had made his son into a person who behaved in a way he didn't care for.

A barn owl brought Neville a small package... snatched the Remembrall out of his hand. 

"I know I taught you better than that," Lucius growled. "Malfoys do not take other people's belongings."

"No, father," both boys bowed their heads.

Harry and Ron jumped to their feet... ‘Just looking,’ he said, and he sloped away with Crabbe and Goyle behind him.

"Just looking my arse," Ron muttered.

"Language, Ronald," Mrs Weasley complained.

"He's not a child, Molly," Arthur reminded her.

At three-thirty that afternoon... The Slytherins were already there

"This isn't going to end well," Sirius murmured.

and so were twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground... flew slightly to the left.

"Something needs to be done about those brooms," Andromeda said.

"I've been trying for years," Lucius admitted. "Every time I petitioned the board on the matter, it was rejected on the grounds of a lack of funding."

"Lack of funding?" Madam Bones asked. That didn't add up. She knew just how much it cost to send a magical child to Hogwarts and even with the subsidies for more economically challenged families and muggleborns, there should have been more than enough for a set of new school brooms, especially as there were less staff than ever before. Even if the class sizes had been reduced severely in the years following the war with Grindlewald. "Add the Hogwarts accounts to the list," she muttered to her colleagues.

Their teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived... twigs stuck out at odd angles.

"Yep. Those brooms are getting replaced, even if I have to pay for them myself," Sirius said. "My godson will NOT be riding one of those. If they're that dangerous, it would be better to just let first years bring their own broom and just restrict their access to where they are stored."

The teachers shared a look at that easily accomplished solution. Why hadn't they considered it before? McGonagall frowned. She'd clearly been too busy to think it through. Perhaps she was doing too much, if she couldn't even see a simple solution when it was staring her in the face.

‘Stick out your right hand over your broom... “Up!” ’

"Wait just one moment," Augusta said. "Are you telling me they weren't even instructed on the basics of broom safety before being put on a broomstick?"

The four heads of houses glanced between themselves. They'd never paid much attention to how the first year flying lessons went. Mostly, because it was something that most students came to Hogwarts with experience with.

"I don't know," young Minerva admitted eventually.

"Well, you better make more of an effort to be aware of what is actually being taught in that school, Minerva. That is, if you plan on keeping your position of Deputy Headmistress."

The threat was clear and Minerva, who usually wasn't one to let threats slide, nodded her head. She couldn't help but think she might have failed her students.

‘UP!’ everyone shouted... Harry’s broom jumped into his hand at once,

Sirius and several others cheered.

"Natural, I tell you!" Sirius boasted before ruffling both boys' hair.

but it was one of the few that did... keep his feet on the ground.

"You're not quite wrong, Mr Potter," young Professor Flitwick said. "Like most magic, the broom responds to your intent. If you secretly want to stay on the ground, it will not enact the complex matrix of charms and runic magic placed upon the broom."

Madam Hooch then showed them... he’d been doing it wrong for years.

Both Dracos blushed at that. They'd been trained by a profession quidditch player the summer before starting school and they'd never said anything about his grip.

‘Now, when I blow my whistle... On my whistle – three – two –’

"That can't possibly be the only instruction you were given," Professor McGonagall remarked, looking between all her students.

But no one said anything.

She would be having a conversation with Madam Hooch about this. It was not acceptable.

But Neville, nervous and jumpy and frightened... ‘Come back, boy!’ she shouted,

"No instruction on how he was supposed to do that?" Narcissa asked, glaring at the teachers. She silently wished the flying instructor was present. Then she'd give her a piece of her mind.

"Not to mention, the poor child probably didn't have enough control of the broom to actually land, even if he knew what he was doing," young Ted Tonks said.

but Neville was rising straight... slip sideways off the broom and – 

"Why isn't she doing something?" Augusta demanded. "She should have flown up to him or at least placed a stasis charm on the broom, perhaps a cushioning charm beneath him."

"A stasis charm? I thought brooms were designed so you couldn't interfere with them?" Harry asked.

"Professional brooms are indeed," Professor Flitwick explained, "but the school brooms are different. They are designed specifically so that a professor can take control of the broom, if a student is in danger of hurting themselves. That is the main reason behind not allowing first years their own broom. We want you to fly, but under adult supervision and on a broom that can be controlled. Clearly, the school brooms are too old to function correctly or Madam Hooch... well..." He really didn't want to call one of his colleagues incompetent.

WHAM – a thud and a nasty crack... ‘Come on, boy – it’s all right, up you get.’ 

"Does she not actually know her students names?" someone asked.

She turned to the rest of the class... who had her arm around him.

"Why didn't she have one of the other Gryffindors take him?" Sirius asked. "She's just left a class of Gryffindors and Slytherins alone and with broomsticks. What teacher would be so foolish?"

There was a general murmur of agreement and professor McGonagall summoned some parchment and a quill so that she could begin to make notes on some of the things that desperately needed to change at Hogwarts.

No sooner were they out of earshot... ‘Did you see his face, the great lump?’

"Draco!" Narcissa glared at her son.

The other Slytherins joined in... The Remembrall glittered in the sun as he held it up.

"Are you a thief, Draconis?" Lucius asked, his voice cold.

"No, sir."

"Then why do you have Heir Longbottom's rememberall?"

His eyes dropped to the ground. He didn't have a good answer.

"I ask again. Why do you have the rememberall? I taught you better than to take what is not yours, I also remember teaching you how to treat those less fortunate than yourself, your equals and your betters. And so I find myself wondering, why you could possibly have taken Heir Longbottom's rememberall."

"I was... It was wrong of me, sir."

"Yes. It was wrong of you," Lucius said sternly, his expression masked, although Harry noticed a slight softening of his eyes. "You know what to do."

Draco took in a deep, heavy breath and raised to his feet. "Heir Longbottom, I apologise for taking your rememberall and for speaking of you in such a manner. It was unkind and inexcusable."

"Er... It's alright, Heir Malfoy," Neville said, his cheeks tinged pink.

‘Give that here, Malfoy,’ said Harry quietly...  – up a tree?’

"You better not have," Narcissa hissed.

‘Give it here!’ Harry yelled... – you’ll get us all into trouble.’

"What on earth makes you think you'll get in trouble for the behaviour of your peers, Miss Granger?" Flitwick asked.

"Teachers often blame the group, if they don't know how is to blame," young Hermione said.

"Not at Hogwarts," he said.

"Even at Hogwarts," several students retorted much to the charms master's surprise.

Harry ignored her... Malfoy looked stunned.

"Well done!" Sirius said excitably. "Not bad and on a school broom no less."

‘Give it here,’ Harry called, ‘or I’ll knock you off that broom!’

"That wasn't very kind, Mr Potter," Pomona said.

"I wouldn't have actually done it," he said sheepishly.

"I know that, but it still wasn't kind. And I appreciate that in that moment, Mr Malfoy seemed unworthy of your kindness. But that is no reason for you to lower yourself to his level."

"Yes, professor." He glanced at Draco. "I wouldn't have done it but I'm sorry all the same."

Draco didn't say anything, merely nodded his head. He really couldn't believe that Potter of all people was apologising to him.

‘Oh, yeah?’ said Malfoy, trying to sneer, but looking worried... and streaked back towards the ground.

"Was the rememberall damaged? Why was I never asked for damages?" Lucius demanded.

"It was undamaged," Professor McGonagall answered.

Harry saw, as though in slow motion,... Remembrall clutched safely in his fist. 

The entire hospital erupted with cheers. They couldn't believe that was his first time on a broom.

‘HARRY POTTER!’... ‘Be quiet, Miss Patil –’ 

"Why wouldn't you listen to her?" Professor Flitwick asked. "Surely, you should have found out what happened. You had no idea if any of the students beyond Mr Potter should have been punished."

"I was in shock. I'm not sure I was thinking straight."

‘But Malfoy –’ ... there seemed to be something wrong with his voice.

"You're not used to defending yourself," Hermione said. "You rarely ever do."

Professor McGonagall... carrying Hagrid’s bag.

"Oh, Harry!" Hagrid laughed. "You'd make a wonderful assistant but you've got far more in your future than that."

Harry noticed that Hagrid's eyes were glistening and he couldn't help but wonder if he was worried Harry might be dead too.

Professor McGonagall stopped outside a classroom... going to use on him?

"I WOULD NEVER!" Both Transfiguration teachers looked horrified at the suggestion of corporal punishment.

"What do you expect?" Harry asked. "The muggle raised kids in my year came into a new world with its own laws and rules - that we were never taught - and the very first thing we're told is that we should avoid the third floor corridor if we don't want to die. Corporal punishment doesn't sound so unbelievable under those conditions, especially for a child who was used to those sort of punishments at home."

She gaped at him, unable to formulate a response.

But Wood turned out to be a person... – I’ve found you a Seeker.’

"Wait! So there was no punishment at all?" Severus asked. "You just put him on the house team for breaking the rules? How is that fair?"

"Not to mention there was no consequences for my son's behaviour either," Narcissa said snidely.

"I... I don't know what to say," Minerva admitted.

Wood’s expression changed from puzzlement to delight... Charlie Weasley couldn’t have done it.’

"Yeah, I definitely couldn't have," both Charlies agreed.

Wood was now looking as though all his dreams... Severus Snape in the face for weeks ...’

Severus smirked at that. Yes, he'd quite enjoyed watching his team triumph over the Gryffindors. He looked over at the younger Potter with a calculating expression. If the child really was that good on a broom, he needed to make sure he wound up in Slytherin. If for no other reason than to keep the quidditch cup in his office.

Professor McGonagall peered sternly over her glasses at Harry... about punishing you.’

Ron and Hermione glared at their professor. "Why would you say that? Argh. No wonder he nearly got killed so many times playing that game. Harry is literally programmed to avoid punishment of all kinds."

Then she suddenly smiled... excellent Quidditch player himself.’

"That he was," Sirius said. "Although he mostly played chaser."

"He didn't do too badly that one time he covered for the seeker," Remus added.

"No. But he was definitely better as a chaser."

‘You’re joking.’... – a century,’ said Harry, shovelling pie into his mouth.

"Terrible manners aside," Sirius grinned, "that's amazing!"

He felt particularly hungry... Wood wants to keep it a secret.’

"There are no secrets at Hogwarts," young Charlie said with a grin.

Fred and George Weasley... we found in our first week. See you.’

"You already knew and you didn't tell me!" Lee grimaced. "No fair."

Fred and George had hardly disappeared... back to the Muggles?’ 

"Is there a reason you keep antagonising him?" Narcissa asked. She knew her son had been just as obsessed with Harry Potter as a child as the rest of his peers. Did he perhaps have a crush that she didn't know about?

Draco blushed. Yes, definitely a crush.

‘You’re a lot braver now you’re back... Never heard of a wizard’s duel before, I suppose?’

Both Lucius and his younger self rubbed their temples. "Did you even consider the consequences of your actions?"

Draco gulped. "No sir."

"Thought not."

‘Of course he has,’ said Ron, wheeling round. ‘I’m his second, who’s yours?’

"RONALD WEASLEY!" Molly glowered at her son and for once her husband showed no signs of stopping her tirade. "You do not accept duels on the behalf of others. What were you thinking?"

Malfoy looked at Crabbe and Goyle... send sparks at each other.

"Send sparks?" Lucius laughed bitterly. "I'd taught my son more than that. Besides, that is not all. Dueling is a matter of honour. There are real consequences if you do not lay out the rules and requirements of your duel properly."

"How so?" Harry asked.

"The magic that the duel invokes is ancient and powerful," Lucius explained, his voice taking on a sort of lecturing tone. "First, there is the risk to your house and title as neither one of you designated a cost if you lose the duel. Magic will decide the cost, if you do not. At best, it could decide upon a stretch of bad luck and at worst, you could lose your entire fortune and lordships. Second, a duel between heirs, has even greater consequence. Magic does not take kindly to Lords and Heirs who do not respect that which they are stewards of."

"So if Draco had won..." Harry grimaced. "He could have become Lord Potter. What about the whole Prince thing?"

"I am unsure if Magic would ever allow you to lose your position as her child in such a way. It would be her choice and hers alone."

Neither of you knows enough... ‘Throw it away and punch him on the nose,’ Ron suggested.

"Foolish child!" Lucius growled. "If Heir Potter did that he would lose and would no doubt pay a heavier cost for breaking dueling etiquette."

‘Excuse me.’ ... ‘Can’t a person eat in peace in this place?’ said Ron. 

"Ronald! You're manners are truly atrocious!" Mrs Weasley looked ready to start another tirade.

Hermione ignored him and spoke to Harry... It’s really very selfish of you.’ 

"Miss Granger, it is not your place to correct the behaviour of your peers," McGonagall chastised. "You should have come to a teacher, if you thought they were breaking rules."

"That said, in my opinion, it looks like Mr Potter's hand was forced," Flitwick added. "He would not have been punished for being forced into a duel. Mr Malfoy and Mr Weasley on the other hand deserved punishment. I will say that if Mr Malfoy truly wanted to duel Mr Potter, he should have followed the Hogwarts charter and made his demand in the presence of a teacher so that it could be done legally and with safety in mind."

"Wait! What?" Hermione gaped at her professor.

"Dueling is an ancient and respected part of our traditions," Flitwick waved off her surprise. "Of course, we have ways of facilitating such things."

‘And it’s really none of your business,’ said Harry... couldn’t miss it.

"Not only that but failing to turn up would be disastrous," Lucius said. "The cost for such an action would be immeasurably worse than losing."

He did not notice how his son seemed to shy away, his shoulders drooping but his wife sure did and glowered at her son.

‘Half past eleven,’ Ron muttered at last... Prefect, he’d put a stop to this.’

"Then why didn't you?" McGonagall asked. "Instead you chose to lord their behaviour over them? You are not a teacher. You are not their parent. You are their equal at best and right in that moment, you were interfering in house business. Heir Potter had no choice - though he might have been unaware of that fact - but to attend that duel as demanded by magic."

"I didn't know that," Hermione bristled.

"Which is exactly why you should have informed a teacher."

Harry couldn’t believe anyone could be so interfering... Switching Spells.’

"Do you not realise that you are now doing exactly what you are chastising them for?" Flitwick asked. "You are out of your house commons after curfew against school rules."

"But I was..."

"No. There are no excuses. The only reason to leave your common room after hours is to fetch a professor in the event of an emergency and even then you should have a prefect do it."

‘Go away.’... ‘Now what am I going to do?’ she asked shrilly.

"That is the consequences of your own actions, Miss Granger," Professor Snape said snidely. He was not looking forward to teaching her.

‘That’s your problem,’ said Ron... you can back me up.’

"I like you Hermione, I do," Bill said, shaking his head, "but at eleven, you were a real piece of work. I honestly do not understand how you three ever became friends."

‘You’ve got some nerve –’ said Ron loudly.

"You'll all be caught at this rate," Severus gloated.

‘Shut up, both of you!’ said Harry sharply... couldn’t remember the new password to get in to bed.’

"What on earth? Why didn't you return to the hospital wing?" Pomfrey demanded just as Minerva said, "or come to me?"

'Keep your voice down, Neville... the Bloody Baron’s been past twice already.’

"And he didn't help you?" the teachers asked in disbelief.

"He... er... I hid from him. He was really scary back then."

Ron looked at his watch... and beckoned them all forward.

"Please tell me you didn't know how to use that curse?" Minerva asked.

"I'd read about it in the library," Hermione said sheepishly. She wasn't enjoying being told off by her teachers.

They flitted along corridors... ‘He’s late, maybe he’s chickened out,’ Ron whispered.

"I should hope not. He knows better than to dishonour his family," Lucius said, truly hoping his son did in fact know better. Although he was beginning to wonder.

Then a noise in the next room...  ‘probably hiding.’ 

Lucius Malfoy was on his feet, glowering down at his son. "You informed the caretaker instead of fulfilling the requirements of an honour duel."

The entire hospital room was silent.

"The year that followed this," he said quietly, "we had multiple raids on our manor, by none other than Arthur Weasley. Raids that cost our family a small fortune. Raids that had far reaching consequences as I'm sure we'll discover in the next book. You single-handedly worsened the blood fued between our two families."

"How does this involve the Weasleys?" Harry asked. "The duel was against me."

"No. It wasn't," Sirius said. "You didn't accept it. Ron did. On your behalf. The magic recognised the duel as between Ron and Draco, not yourself."

"You're lucky you didn't lose us our home, Draco," Lucius said lowly. "Your entire inheritance."

"And no doubt, my family paid some sort of price for Ron accepting the duel on someone else's behalf," Arthur agreed.

Lucius was nodding his head in agreement. "I believe the children may need some lessons in dueling etiquette."

"Agreed. Perhaps Professor Flitwick," Arthur said.

"I'd be happy to," both professors said in unison.

‘This way!’ Harry mouthed... and spluttering.

"Where were the other teachers and prefects?" Narcissa asked. "Surely there were others patrolling the corridors. It might be a bit late for the prefects, but the teachers should have still been about and the ghosts too."

"I don't know," Minerva said with a frown.

‘I – told – you,’ Hermione gasped... Harry thought she was probably right, but he wasn’t going to tell her that.

"Really, Miss Granger. This is not the moment for an I Told You So," Minerva said angrily.

‘Let’s go.’ ... this was a big mistake.

"What did you do that for?" Sirius asked. "Peeves would have let you go after a little teasing. He doesn't rat on students. And especially not to Filch."

‘STUDENTS OUT OF BED!’ Peeves bellowed... whispered, ‘Alohomora!’

There were horrified gasps around the room.

"You do not just take someone's wand," Pomona said as calmly as she could. It wasn't in her nature to get angry but this was too much.

"The wand is an extension of your magic, it is a part of your very own being," Ollivander said, eyeing Hermione with distaste. "To be allowed to use another's wand is to be seen as a priviledge, an honour, not something you take. It is not unusual for people to refuse even those closest to them to use their wand - your magic will taint it if it is dissimilar to their own. Where it is allowed, it is usually something only shared between bonded mates. I believe you might be right, Mr Potter. A primary school is needed. You will have the support of House Ollivander, you have my oath."

"Er... Thank you, Lord Ollivander."

"Don't thank me yet. Thank me when you achieve your goals."

The lock clicked and the door swung open... Peeves whooshing away and Filch cursing in rage.

"Got to love Peeves," Sirius chuckled. "Told you he wouldn't tell."

‘He thinks this door is locked,’ Harry whispered... on top of everything that had happened so far.

"WHAT?" the whole room asked, sitting on the edge of the seats or practically bouncing in their beds.

They weren’t in a room... hanging in slippery ropes from yellowish fangs.

"A Cerberus?" Sirius asked in a strange whisper. "You had a Cerberus in the school? Behind a locked door that any first year could open. Have you lost your minds?"

The teachers all glowered at the headmaster who looked unrepentant.

It was standing quite still... thunderous growls meant.

"Get out of there!" Sirius growled, pulling both boys against his side.

Harry groped for the doorknob... ‘Didn’t you see what it was standing on?’

"Miss Granger!" Minerva was furious, mostly with the headmaster and herself but the young witch's behaviour was really starting to grate. "What is wrong with you?"

"Wrong with me?" Hermione asked. "I wasn't the one that put that Cerberus in the school. You did!"

"The faculty's decision to put that beast in the school is not what we are discussing right now. I want to know why you are berating your peers when you were just nearly maimed?"

"I wouldn't have been there if it was..."

"You were there because of your own choices. You chose to leave the common room. You chose not to fetch a teacher. You chose to go with them and you unlocked the door. You cannot blame your fellow students for your own reckless behaviour."

Hermione deflated. But she still looked cross.

"While I agree with that," Sirius said, "I still want to know what that damn dog was doing in a school full of students!"

"I'm sure that will all become clear," Albus said soothingly.

"I want an explanation."

"As do I," Madam Bones said. "I want to know why the Ministry was not informed that an XXXXX beast was in the castle."

"Hogwarts is outside of the jurisdiction of the ministry."

"The board of governors then," Lucius said. "We knew nothing of this."

"As headmaster, I do not have to inform..."

"You do, if the students lives are in danger and you do if it means changing the ward system around Hogwarts." Augusta Longbottom was on her feet. "That beast would not have been allowed into the school if the wards were fully operational. So I ask you, headmaster, why were we not informed?"

"It was for the greater good."

No one said anything. They couldn't believe it.

"I very well may be charging you with child endangerment after this little break from time, headmaster, just so you're aware." Madam Bones quickly added this to the growing list of things the team from the DMLE would be looking into.

‘The floor?’ Harry suggested... guarding something.’

"Just what was it guarding?" someone asked.

The headmaster did not answer.

"Probably whatever was stolen from Gringotts," someone else said.

She stood up, glaring at them... Ron stared after her, his mouth open.

"You need to get your priorities straight," Fred said to the older girl, clearly thinking she was mental.

‘No, we don’t mind,’ he said... vault seven hundred and thirteen was. 

"Good deductions, Mr Potter," Moody said.

Notes:

Hope you enjoyed the chapter. I've always hated the way this duel chapter played out. Everything from Malfoy's behaviour to Hermione's attitude. Not to mention that there's no other teachers around... it's all just so... fishy. Plus, what the hell made them think that Dumbledore had a good enough reason to hide the stone in the school in the first place????

[magicschild]

Chapter 16

The Potion’s Master

Summary:

DAY TWO IN THE CHAMBER They read the next chapter, The Potions Master, and get a little insight into the educational standards at Hogwarts.

Notes:

BOLD = Bookquotes ITALICS = Parsel UNDERLINE = Younger Version of a Character

Apparently no one was safe from the two medi-witches. Even the headmaster had been poked and prodded and put to bed. And when he'd questioned them, they'd outright told him he must have a deficit in his cognitive abilities to have ever allowed a twelve year old near a basilisk.

And what was worse, Albus was beginning to think she might be right.

A basilisk? Had the chamber of secrets re-opened during Harry's time at the school. He couldn't even imagine it. He would have closed the school, surely. He knew the risks of keeping it open under such conditions. And it was not worth it.

Since most of the chamber's inhabitants were now residents of the hospital, they reconvened there in the morning after breakfast to continue reading. No one willing to waste time not reading the book.

The younger professor Flitwick opened the book to the correct page and smiled at his colleagues. "Oh, dear... Looks like we're all going to be under the looking glass. This will be an interesting way to analyse our teaching practices."

None of the other teachers looked as eager as the two heads of Ravenclaw. With a flick of the half-goblin's wand, the book started up again.

‘There, look.’... he was trying to concentrate on finding his way to classes.

"That stopped eventually though, didn't it?" McGonagall frowned. She hadn't realised the boy had been hounded on his very first day.

Harry shrugged. "It was always worse at the beginning of the school year."

There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts:

"How did you know that?" young George asked.

"Counted them," he said.

"On your first day?"

"Er... yeah. Plus, I'm pretty sure Hermione had said something in the common room..."

"No. No, that's not in Hogwarts: A History, Harry," Hermione said, struggling to hide her surprise.

wide, sweeping ones;... the coats of armour could walk.

"They can," Albus said with a knowing look.

"We know. They are part of the school's defenses," Ron said.

"Saw them in action at the Battle of Hogwarts," added Dean Thomas from where he was sitting next to his younger self and Seamus Finnagan.

Battle of Hogwarts? Surely the deatheaters hadn't attacked the school... That had never been part of his plan.

The ghosts didn’t help, either... ‘GOT YOUR CONK!’

"Your dad taught him that," Remus said with a small smile.

Even worse than Peeves... on their very first morning.

"Your first morning?" Sirius whistled. "It took us two weeks to annoy him."

Filch found them trying to force their way through a door... lamp-like eyes just like Filch’s.

"I hate that cat," Remus growled, his eyes turning amber.

She patrolled the corridors alone... to give Mrs Norris a good kick.

"I hope you didn't," young Mrs Weasley said sternly, glaring at Harry and her own children.

"Of course not," Harry said, trying not to sound offended. Obviously, he wouldn't hurt the cat.

And then, once you had managed to find them... funny words.

"Obviously," muttered Snape.

They had to study the night skies... found out what they were used for.

Pomona blushed lightly at the description of her. She wasn't ashamed of her body, but it was strange hearing it being described in a book.

Easily the most boring lesson was History of Magic... got Emeric the Evil and Uric the Oddball mixed up.

"It's also Hogwarts worst performing subject," Minerva grumbled to her colleagues.

"Why keep Professor Binns on then?" Hermione asked, overhearing her.

"The Headmaster insists," young Flitwick answered, "much to the rest of the faculty's frustration."

"You know that doesn't help the issues between purebloods and muggleborns," Harry said. "Just another example of how Hogwarts is failing to prepare muggleborns for joining the wizarding world."

Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher... and toppled out of sight.

"Well... That's embarrassing," the younger Flitwick muttered.

Professor McGonagall was again different... You have been warned.’

"Never kicked me out though, Professor Minnie," Sirius said with a grin.

"Doesn't mean I didn't consider it," the younger witch said.

Her older counterpart laughed. "You were good enough to do your mastery. I'd have been a fool to kick you out. Even if you were a troublemaker."

Then she changed her desk into a pig... gave Hermione a rare smile.

"I'd been practising at home," Hermione admitted with a blush. "Hadn't succeeded yet. But I'd been trying."

The class everyone had really been looking forward... Quirrell was protected wherever he went.

"More like it was to mask the smell of rotting flesh," Harry muttered, causing Sirius's eyes to go wide in alarm.

Harry was very relieved to find out... much of a head start.

"Practically, you were all on the same level. Except perhaps the Slytherins," Flitwick explained. "They often receive home tutoring from masters in the year before starting Hogwarts."

"Draco certainly did," Lucius said. "Although that was always secondary to his lordship lessons."

Young Lucius was nodding along. "He studied all the core subjects for six months and then used the last six months to focus on his favourites; potions and defence."

Friday was an important day... without getting lost once.

Everyone cheered. Impressed that the two first years had managed that. It was easy to get lost in Hogwarts. Especially in the areas closest to the house common rooms as those parts of the castle were designed to make it harder to find the students' sleeping quarters.

‘What have we got today?’... ‘Double Potions with the Slytherins,’ said Ron.

All the lions groaned.

‘Snape’s Head... see if it’s true.’

"Of course, it's true," George grumbled, forgetting that he'd formed a sort of truce with the sour man.

‘Wish McGonagall favoured us... a huge pile of homework the day before.

"I want my lions to succeed, Mr Potter," young Minerva said sternly.

Just then, the post arrived... happened to him so far.

"And for you, Heir Potter, that is saying something," young Lucius said, glancing at his friend. He could only imagine how Severus had responded to seeing his childhood nemesis's child in his classroom.

At the start-of-term banquet... hated him.

"You're exaggerating, Mr Potter," Minerva said sharply. "None of your professors hate you."

"Tell that to the ones that tried to kill me," Harry retorted. "In fact, I've been attacked by every defense professor I've ever had. Except perhaps Snape, but even he's been verbally abusive. So... yeah, I count that six out of six."

"Your teachers have attacked you?" Sirius demanded, before glaring at the teachers. "Durmstrang is looking better and better."

Krum piped up from where he was sitting awkwardly alone in one corner. "Potter, it vould be an honour to have you at Durmstrang."

Potions lessons took place... he paused at Harry’s name.

"Oh dear," Minerva muttered, glancing at the potion's master. She'd trusted him and he'd betrayed them. What if the students had been telling the truth about his teaching methods?

She'd never taken them seriously, but with hindsight she couldn't help but think that was likely a terrible mistake.

‘Ah, yes,’ he said softly, ‘Harry Potter. Our new – celebrity.’

"Severus!" young Minerva took a sharp breath.

Snape for his part avoided looking at anyone, working hard to maintain his occulmency shields. If his older self knew nothing of the boy's home life, it was easy to imagine that he had been far from kind.

Draco Malfoy... They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels.

"That's strangely descriptive," Tonks muttered.

‘You are here to learn the subtle science... even stopper death

"That's a brilliant opening to the class, Severus," young Flitwick said.

 – if you aren’t as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach.’

"Ah, forget I said anything," young Filius said, shaking his head.

More silence followed this little speech... root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?’

"That's not a first year question," young Pomona said. "That's a little hard, don't you think?"

"I had been informed by the headmaster that the child had received training, that he was not uneducated." Severus glared at the headmaster.

Powdered root of what to an infusion of what?... ‘Tut, tut – fame clearly isn’t everything.’

Sirius looked on the verge of attacking the potion's master and Remus's eyes were definitely flashing amber. The teachers were looking at Severus like he'd grown two heads.

Yes, McGonagall thought to herself, she'd given Severus Snape far too much credit.

He ignored Hermione’s hand... find me a bezoar?’

"Another unreasonable question," Filius muttered.

"I shouldn't have to remind you all that I am a spy," Severus said quietly. "And the Gryffindors and Slytherins took the class together. There were children in that room that could report back to their death eater parents, if I was kind to him."

Hermione stretched her hand as high... who were shaking with laughter. 

"Case in point," Lucius agreed.

He wasn't surprised to hear that his friend had been a spy. He'd always been suspicious and he knew Dumbledore certainly thought he was. But just whose side was Severus Snape actually on?

‘I don’t know, sir.’... Magical Herbs and Fungi?

"Wrong book, Heir Potter," Severus said with a small, somewhat kind smile. "It's worth noting that he would have known the answers to both questions had he received the muggleborn initiation pack."

"Huh?" Harry asked, "What's that, sir?"

"A set of books specifically prepared for each muggle raised child," Severus said. "The information about a bezoar is something most magical children learn very young. It's on par with muggles learning how to cross the street safely."

"I didn't get an initiation pack."

"Clearly. That is the fault of your teachers and on their behalf, I apologise."

Everyone looked at the potion's master like he'd suddenly turned all the colours of the rainbow. Did he really just apologise? And to a Potter no less!

Snape was still ignoring... At this, Hermione stood up, her hand stretching towards the dungeon ceiling.

"Miss Granger!" Minerva was shocked at her lion's behaviour. "That is no way to behave in the classroom. No matter what we may think of Professor Snape's conduct, he is asking another student a question. NOT the entire class and your behaviour is a distraction. This was really quite selfish of you. You failed to respect the education of your fellow students, with your need to show off."

Several people's eyes bulged out at that. McGonagall never had a bad word to say about Hermione. And Hermione herself looked close to tears.

"I..." She didn't know how to respond to such criticism from one of her favourite teachers.

"You were eager to prove yourself," Minerva said, her tone softening. "However, you should never allow that to be at the expense of your peers."

‘I don’t know,’ said Harry quietly... Snape, however, was not pleased. 

"That won't go down well," Flitwick said. "Although it was most likely not your intention. It sounds like you're laughing at her."

"I would have presumed you to be a bully, just like your father for that," Severus admitted.

‘Sit down,’ he snapped at Hermione... aren’t you all copying that down?’

"Because you didn't tell them to," Pomona said softly, censure clear in her voice.

There was a sudden rummaging... house for your cheek, Potter.’

"Just a point, Severus?" young Flitwick's eyes glittered. Severus was known to take points from Gryffindor in the double figures at every opportunity.

Things didn’t improve for the Gryffindors... except Malfoy, whom he seemed to like.

"I am his godson," young Malfoy boasted.

"And more to the point, I taught you how to brew myself," Severus said with a roll of his eyes.

He was just telling everyone to look... sprang up all over his arms and legs. 

"How did you melt a cauldron, Neville?" the younger Augusta asked. "Your potion tutor was always so impressed with your comprehension of the subject."

"Er..." He looked about awkwardly. "Professor Snape made me nervous and... well... I was always better at the preparation, than the actual brewing."

"Not to mention he was working with Seamus!" Ron said with a snicker.

"HEY!" Seamus complained in time with his younger self.

"Potionmaking is eight tenths proper preparation, Heir Longbottom," Severus said. "I apologise if you find me... intimidating. I may seem overstrict in the potion lab, but it is mostly just because I wish to ensure my students' safety. My predecessors had too many accidents in their classrooms for my liking. Often with consequences that could not be undone."

He did not want to tell them the sort of disasters he'd seen when Slughorn was potions master.

‘Idiot boy!’ snarled Snape... Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose.

"Really! That boy should be on his way to the hospital wing, not being shouted at by his professor." young Madam Pomfrey fumed.

Both Augusta Longbottoms looked like they were preparing for a meeting of the board of governors. Not only would she have Dumbledore out of a job, but Severus Snape too. Although she had to admit, he'd been kinder in the chamber, than they were seeing in the book. She's hold judgement for now. After all, she was a secret Slytherin if ever there was one.

‘Take him up to the hospital wing... That’s another point you’ve lost for Gryffindor.’

"Completely unreasonable!" Minerva glowered at the potion master she had once counted among her closest friends.

"Still only a point though," young Flitwick said knowingly.

This was so unfair...  ‘I’ve heard Snape can turn very nasty.’

"I'm beginning to see that," Pomona said mournfully. More than one puff had quit potions, even though they were quite good at it, just to avoid being taught by Severus. And no convincing on her part could change their minds.

As they climbed the steps... why did Snape hate him so much?

"How many reasons do you need?" Ron asked, letting out a booming laugh.

"That list has certainly grown since first year," Granger agreed.

‘Cheer up,’ said Ron... not as fierce as he looked.

Several people laughed at that.

"It's the ones with the cuddly names you have to fear," Harry teased.

"Yeah, don't forget Fluffy!" Ron said.

"Aragod and Norbet don't fit into your hypothesis, Harry," Hermione said.

"There are always anomalies, Hermione."

"Fang and Fluffy are literally the only ones that work," Hermione huffed.

‘This is Ron... yer twin brothers away from the Forest.’

"If I hear one more word about you going into that forest," Mrs Weasley chided George.

"He's a grown man, Molly. Enough," Mr Weasley said, patting her arm gently.

The rock cakes... first lessons.

"You should have said," young Hagrid said bashfully.

Fang rested his head on Harry’s knee and drooled all over his robes. 

"Eww," several children said, grimacing at the idea of being covered in drool.

Harry and Ron were delighted... Filch puts her up to it.'

"Really, Hagrid?" the young Pomona asked. "Whatever happened to loyalty amongst colleagues?"

Harry told Hagrid about Snape’s lesson... his eyes when he said that.

"Yeah," Harry muttered. "People were always lying about stuff. And you were all pretty transparent."

Severus scoffed, causing Harry to look at him.

"You never lied. I was grateful for that."

"You'd never have known if I had," Severus sneered, although strangely feeling a warm sense of pride at the praise coming from the young prince.

"I'd have known," Harry muttered.

‘How’s yer brother Charlie?... changed the subject on purpose.

"He most likely didn't want to tell you about your father's history with Severus," Remus said awkwardly. "Especially after all the horrible things your relatives had said about your parents."

"Couldn' be the one ter tell ya, Harry. Didn't seem right. Damaging yer father's memory like that." Hagrid gave him an apologetic look.

While Ron told Hagrid... It might’ve been happening while we were there!’

"Well, that's interesting," Moody murmured. The employees of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement leaned forward in their seats. "Potter, you said there was a death eater in the pub, right?"

"Yes, sir." Harry could literally see the auror's brain working.

There was no doubt about it,... another rock cake.

"Not suspicious at all," George teased.

Harry read the story again... Had that been what the thieves were looking for? 

"Good deductions, Potter," Alastor said with a sharp, shark like grin that might even put the goblins' to shame for it's blood-thirstiness.

As Harry and Ron walked... that he didn’t want to tell Harry?

"That's the chapter," young Flitwick said. "Carry on with the next?"

"When can we leave the hospital?" Hermione grumbled.

"When I tell you that you're back to optimum health," the young Madam Pomfrey replied curtly.

"I guess we should just continue then," Hermione said with a huff.

[magicschild]

Chapter 15

Mass Kidnapping of a Healing Kind

Summary:

Madam Pomfrey sticks everyone into a bed in her makeshift hospital wing...

Notes:

BOLD = Bookquotes ITALICS = Parsel UNDERLINE = Younger Version of a Character

Fully aware that the medi-witches would most likely request several healing potions, Severus rushed off to his new potions lab. He was amazed to find the store cupboard full to the brim with ingredients. 

Apparently, Mother Magic had heard his request.

He quickly set about brewing several potions at once. He started with a variety of strengths of nutrient potions, which were simple enough to brew, although time consuming. All the while, he mentally listed the other potions that might be necessary.

One to combat the effects of the dementors, for sure. And if Potter's life turned out to be as dramatic as he suspected it would he'd need a rather large supply of calming draughts. The oculous potion that he'd already promised himself that he'd brew for the two Potters. A bone strengthening potion, perhaps even skeligrow...

A burn paste.

The older Granger girl and the older Potter both seemed to have burned hands.

A balm for their various bruises and something for minor cuts, a scar paste...

Meanwhile, the younger Madam Pomfrey was forcing Harry into a bed. "Your medical scan is abysmal! You need to get back into that bed."

"Madam Pomfrey, I'm fine," he tried.

"No! You are not. You have more burns than I can count, scars galore, several badly healed breaks, you are malnourished and you have basilisk venom in your blood."

"Huh?" That one caught him out. Hadn't Fawkes healed him?

"Did you even visit the hospital wing after that particular injury? Your scan informed me that it happened at Hogwarts while you were under MY care - or my older self's care or whatever. This is unacceptable, Mr Potter."

"Er... Fawkes healed me."

"He may have healed the surface wound but the contamination remained in your blood."

Harry's mouth dropped open. "I'm fine though."

"You certainly seem to not notice the effect it has had on you," she agreed, "but that does not mean you are healthy. Or that it isn't slowly killing you. To be completely honest, I'm not sure how you're alive."

Harry didn't tell her that he wasn't sure he was. Instead, he wondered if that was part of the reason why Old Snake face had seemed to be quite so snakelike. He'd used his blood for his resurrection after all.

"So, how long will I be here?" Harry asked.

"Until I deem you well enough to leave," she chastised him. "And you can be sure that I will be speaking to the headmaster about this."

"Whatever for?" Logically, he knew that the things that happened to him were not normal but he couldn't help but think that she was overreacting just a bit.

"Did you or did you not visit the hospital wing after this incident with the basilisk?"

"Er... Not."

"And whose decision was that?"

He wanted to say his. Except his head of house and the headmaster hadn't even acknowledged his injuries. Sure, Fawkes had already healed him up for the most part but... They should have noticed.

"The adults around you, myself included, seem to have done you a serious disservice, Mr Potter," she said with a sigh. "Please allow me to remedy some of the damage done."

"Is it even possible?"

"Of course it is, child. There are very few things that are truly impossible when magic is involved. You're proof of that."

Her eyes had softened as she spoke. She leaned forward, tucking him in. "Now go to sleep. I'll just go and talk to Professor Snape about the potions I'm going to need."

"Er... how is he going to brew anything when you're probably going to stick him in the bed next to me."

"Oh, don't you worry about Severus," she said gently. "I've been taking care of him for years. Since before you were born. He's just as stubborn a patient as you are, but he at least informs me when he's unwell."

"Besides, Mr Potter, you're not alone. Your godfather and younger self are here with you."

That much was true. And not just them either. So far everyone who the two medi-witches had examined had been relegated to a bed. It was strange to see such a combination of people. Deatheaters in the bed next to Order members.

He just hoped the medi-witches knew what they were doing, putting them all together for the night.

[magicschild]

Chapter 14

Dinner with the Weasleys

Summary:

Our characters take a break from reading and of course more than one Weasley is hungry...

Notes:

BOLD = Bookquotes ITALICS = Parsel UNDERLINE = Younger Version of a Character

Seemingly in perfect unison, the weasley children's stomachs all growled and they looked about expectantly. The younger ones especially were used to their mother magicking up food at a moment's notice.

But there wasn't even the smell of baking in the air.

"Er, Mum," eleven year old Ron said.

"Yes, Ronald?" The younger Mrs Weasley asked.

"All that talk of food, er... It made me hungry."

"I guess that's my cue to rustle something up," Molly said with a long suffering sigh.

Narcissa looked like she wanted to offer to help but thought better of it. She'd never had to cook a meal in her life. And could only imagine the multitude ways it could and probably would go wrong.

Fortunately, several of the other grown ups offered their services so Narcissa didn't feel too guilty. Instead, she turned to Harry.

"What I want to know, Heir Potter, is how you are still alive," she said so quietly that most of the chamber remained oblivious.

Harry hesitated. "To be honest, I don't know. I thought I was a goner."

"I wish I could see the Dark Lord's reaction," Narcissa whispered, "when he realises he's failed again."

Harry didn't say anything. Here in this chamber, it was easy to forget what was waiting for him back in the forest. And that's if he was in fact still alive.

"Do you think he's dead?" she asked, almost fearfully. She showed a surprising amount of emotion on her face in that moment.

"No. Not until his snake dies," Harry said, shaking his head. He wished Voldemort was dead.

"Shame. I suppose that was wishful thinking." She paused. "For what it's worth, Heir Potter, I am deeply ashamed of my family's part in this war. This... This bloodshed was never our intention. The problem is - not matter why you sign up - once you're in, there's no getting back out."

She blinked back tears. "My family has lost more than you can ever know to the Dark Lord's cause. Far more than just our dignity." She hesitated before turning towards Sirius. "We never did find out what happened to Regulus."

"Er..." Harry looked unsure. He needed to tell them but this probably wasn't the place.

"My cousin," Narcissa explained. "Your godfather's brother."

"Er, I know who he is. I..." He ran an awkward hand through his hair, glancing about the chamber. "Perhaps we should move to somewhere more private."

"You know what happened to him?" she asked in a hoarse whisper.

Sirius's eyes darted between the pair. He wasn't sure that he wanted to know. Whatever happened to his brother, it couldn't have been good.

"He was incredibly brave," Harry said soothingly.

The entire world seemed to fade away as Narcissa and Sirius listened to Harry's explanation. By the end of it, they were both crying, clinging to one another, much to the confusion of Narcissa's husband and son.

Her younger self stepped forward. "Whatever's the matter?"

Harry told her the exact same thing that he had told her older self and soon she had joined the other two in a strange sort of embrace. The sort of hug that was exclusive to people who had forgotten how to show their feelings for one another.

Ron and Hermione rushed over to Harry, pulling him away from his godfather and the Malfoys.

"What happened, Harry?" Hermione demanded.

"Yeah, mate. Where did you go?" Ron asked.

Harry wasn't really sure he wanted to explain. He was surprised Hermione hadn't worked it out yet. The clues were all there.

"I went to face Voldemort," he said, ignoring the way they both shivered at the name.

"WHAT?" Hermione screeched. "But..."

"Merlin, you're not dead, are you?" Ron asked, his eyes wide.

"I hope not." Although Harry wasn't sure that was actually true. He kind of wouldn't mind being dead round about now. Seeing Sirius and Remus again made his heart ache.

"Mum is going to kill you," Ron said with a low whistle.

"I had no choice," he said, defending himself, although he was beginning to wonder if that was even true. Yes, he had been a horcrux. But what if Bill was right and the Goblins could have helped him?

"Er..." Ron looked momentarily uncertain. "You could have told us, you know."

"That I was going to meet Voldie?" Harry asked with a smirk.

"No. We'd definitely have tried to stop you doing that," Hermione scowled at him. "He means about your family, Harry."

"They're not my family. You're my family," Harry said sternly.

Ron and Hermione were saved from having to answer by the sound of Mrs Weasley calling them all through to the dining room for dinner.

The meal was a loud and excitable affair with most people eagerly sharing stories of their own time in Hogwarts. Harry noticed that his godfather and both Narcissas had yet to join them. The Malfoy men kept glancing nervously at the door as if expecting them to appear any moment.

The younger Ron Weasley was frowning as he anxiously talked to his older brother Percy in hushed voices.

"He's missing," he said nervously.

"Are you sure you had him..." Percy began before Ron cut him off.

"He was in my pocket!"

Meanwhile Snape and George Weasley were discussing whether they could reasonably ask Mother Magic for some rare potions ingredients.

"Just think of the research we could do," George said. He seemed to have momentarily forgotten that they were on different sides of the war, at least as far as he knew. "Of course, I want it for pranks and stuff but you could literally revolutionise the medical potion industry."

Snape grinned at that. Yes, that was a nice thought. And he had already found a room that would work perfectly as a potions lab.

"Not to mention, we're out of time here," George continued. "Who knows how long we'll have to perfect whatever we each create. We could be here for weeks. Or perhaps months."

"I suppose that will depend on how long these books are," Severus admitted. "And how quickly our fellow readers decide to read them."

The two Madam Pomfreys were making a list of all the people they saw that seemed to require some sort of medical treatment. Of course, there were the two Harrys. The elder Mr Weasley and Miss Granger didn't look particularly well nourished either for that matter. Lord Black was in desperate need of treatment. Not to mention there was a surprising number of deatheaters that seemed to have come directly from Azkaban. There were two Antonin Dolohovs sitting in one corner, along with two Augustus Rockwoods.

The one that really surprised her younger self was Barty Crouch Junior.

There was only on of him. But that didn't make sense. As far as she knew, he had died in Azkaban shortly after the first wizarding war.

"Do we want to continue reading?" someone asked.

"I think I've had enough for one day," Augusta Longbottom said. "I believe we already have a lot to think about."

Her younger self was nodding along. "Quite right." Her eyes darted to the headmaster and Harry had the distinct impression she would be demanding answers from the man. Whether he gave her any was yet to be seen.

"What I don't understand," Tonks said quietly to her parents, "is how the ministry was unaware of the abuse in that house."

"They don't want to admit that it's a problem," Ted said. "It happens all the time. My parents weren't exactly happy I was a wix."

"They weren't?" Tonks had never heard her father say such a thing before.

"No. They even called their priest. I was fortunate. He wasn't much for performing exorcisms. But I've heard stories from the other muggleborns. Some of them had it much worse than me."

The older Andromeda looked sadly between her lost daughter and husband. She wondered if they knew the significance of there being only one of them. She still didn't know what had happened to her daughter. She'd gone with her husband to fight in the battle, leaving young Teddy at home with her.

TEDDY! Andromeda panicked at the thought of the young child home alone, only to remember that Mother Magic had promised that they were out of time. Perhaps, they might be able to save both of Teddy's parents if this went according to Mother Magic's plan.

The younger Madam Pomfrey cleared her throat. "There are several people here who clearly require medical intervention."

There was a murmur of agreement from the group at large.

"Therefore, I have decided that each of you will be visiting me after dinner for a medical exam."

"But Poppy!" several of the adults grumbled.

"Do not Poppy me! Even if you appear health, I intend to ensure you leave here healthier than when you arrived."

No one dared argue with her after that. The two Poppys noticed that the deatheaters looked particularly nervous.

"I will be starting with the two Harry Potters and Sirius Black," the younger medi-witch said as she got to her feet. "Heir Potter, if you would fetch your godfather."

"Yes, Madam Pomfrey," Harry muttered. He knew better than to argue with the witch.

"And I will be starting with the two Ronald Weasleys and the two Hermione Grangers."

"I'm not sick!" the younger Ron complained.

"That you are aware of," she retorted, getting to her feet.

Notes:

Finally introduced some death eaters to the chamber... ewk. Hope you don't hate my choices.