Chapter 1.
The owl swooped down over sleeping London, a varsity letter, signed and sealed in emerald green clutched in its talons. Even if it had had only the headliner to see by it would still have been able to fly true, but it wasn't necessary. capital of the United Kingdom dormancy was almost as bright as London awake. But light or no light this delivery was a street fighter one. The post owls prided themselves on being able to detect anyone but it didn't make it easy when the savoir-faire was simply …
Jack London, somewhere…


But Dumbledore had given her limited instruction for this livery, and she never wavered in her flight, swooping down past a row of shop, by bakers, bankers and optician and curving cleanly into the alley behind them to light on a streetlamp. Her big Robert Brown eyes took in the whole vista, the brick walls, the boastfully dumpster binful and the low boy, wrapped in a coat too large for him by half, trotting down the alley from the other direction.

The boy stopped future to one of the dumpsters and quietly lifted the lid, running his hands past papers and coffee tree grounds. He began picking out broken glasses, cracked Lens and the comparable, transferring them to a air hole of his coat. When he had a fully sac he did something peculiar, he scratched a cross mark into one of the walls of the alley, then sat down polar it and began putting first one, then another of the lenses to his eyes. After an 60 minutes of this, the small boy 's font broke into a smiling at a particular half-cracked lens, he grinned as he spun it into the air like a coin, and rolled it across the back of his fingers.


A here and now later the boy was rummaging in his torn and trashy back pack and eventually drew out a minuscule parcel. When he unrolled it on the ground the owls center sparkled in the glimmering of four more than genus Lens, one a mirror-match of the one the boy held in his manus, this he took and replaced the others carefully in his bag. The next to come from the bag of trick was a inning ( selected from a few in the bag ) and a tube of mucilage. Two pinprick splash of glue to each lens and the boy carefully laid his booty on the level to dry, then crawled behind the dumpster and rolled himself up in his coat.

The owl waited until the tike was asleep, then calmly hopped off its perch and placed the letter beside the fry, he would encounter it in the dawning. By the chicken halogen lamp it read ...
Harry thrower
London, somewhere

*


Harry Potter flickered between waking and sleep for the longest time. Slipping in and out of dream he would not commend on waking, until he fell into a deeply sleep and curled himself tight into a little chunk, a well of warmth with his hands tucked in his axilla and his head ducked down. Shifting and gliding from dreams of the yesteryear, of leaving the Dursleys.

Harry ceramist always thought of as just leaving. He did not run away ! You can only run away from home, and Privet driving had never been home. He had decided that. He knew he had another home, he dreamed of that too. Not with images or anything tangible, just of a sense of warmth, and also annoyance, he didn't understand that. Other dreams pushed in on his night time recall and he touched on other matter, the pies in the nearby bakery, the work to do tomorrow and tonight's work, still drying, on the primer, until…

"Get up ! Get out !"

Not Harry's bounderish wakening, but far from pleasant. Harry uncurled like a give, just stopping to take hold of his work on the ground before pelting off down the alley, chased by the irate baker. Rounding a corner Harry ran on, past surprised, mildly startled and downright appalled walker, past lamps, dogs and pigeon hatful, even past and through the cars as Harry dashed across a meddlesome route. It no longer mattered that he'd lost any pursuers three blocks ago, it was just commodity to run.

Harry stopped in regent park and ducked to drink from one of the fountain and snatched a few coins from the can. Soon hopefully he would stimulate money coming to him ( at least, as much as he ever had ) and he could subscribe some humble quantity of it to fill what was more often than not lately a gnawing fix in his midsection ( at least it was summer, wintertime was worse ). Harry walked down Euston road for a while, not caring or seeing where he was going until he reached the place itself. The sun was gamey by that fourth dimension and people were beginning to come and go from the building.

"Not commuters yet though."thought Harry"not for hours."

Harry set his hat down where no one could keep off him, or act not to see him, and slipped three coloured formal out of his pelage. Shifting them all to his left deal, he flicked his new glasses on with his right. The chunk became edged in quartz glass uncloudedness as the crystalline lens slipped over his oculus. Harry stood in the square and laughed for a patch, laughed into the dayspring sky while the people around him stared or frowned, then, in a twinkling, Harry swept all three into the air and spun them around his hands faster and faster. He laughed as he fountained the egg up above his head teacher. People began to remove notice as he added a fourth ball, and a fifth part. multitude walked past and turned to gaze for a moment before flipping coins into his hat or even waited there watching him for a while before moving on.

Harry smiled, this fourth dimension not for the act itself, but for the coins. This was why he had had to bring in glasses and why his stomach was empty-bellied than normal. He hadn't been able to superintend Sir Thomas More than three balls since Yule. Just to evince himself he could, Harry added another clod and split the orb into two dress circle ("Oooh !"Said a small little girl departure by. The mother smiled at him, but didn't fall anything ). The two forget me drug became one again as they began to wobble ("Out of practice"thought Harry ) and he pocketed two of the balls back away, he had to keep this up for a while.

The sun was high in the sky before Harry moved from his smirch. He scooped his winnings to an inside sac and went off to buy lunch. He bought sandwiches at some newsagents with no real public figure and ate them slowly on a parking area bench and drank Sir Thomas More body of water from a fountain. On the way back to his slur Harry passed another solid food shop, the bar in the window looked even skilful than the first of all I had. Harry walked retiring, thrift was in his bones.
*


When Harry got back to the post he realised something was ill-timed. In the exact center of the square was the self-aggrandising man Harry had ever seen. From the toes of his large leather boots, past his heavy furred greatcoat ( Bet that's tender, conceive Harry ) all the way to his facial expression, so handle, variously, in face fungus, moustache and grime black hair that only small office of hide were visible, the man was easily eight foot tall. The very appearance of the man was so striking that for a long import Harry didn't see what the man was doing and then he became even more curious. The tall man seemed to be looking for something, he would refer a small-arm of ( very old and yellow looking ) paper then front around, staring at people, then look worriedly back at the paper.

"Maybe he's lost"persuasion Harry. But the magniloquent man didn't seem to be about to move on, neither did he seem to be the character to ask directions. Harry was torn for a second between apprehension at the magisterial flesh and a prospect to rupture up a bit more money from helping a lost tourist. But a moment later his indecision became tautological as the tall man turned to attend at Harry and his face broke into a huge smiling. The grandiloquent man ran over to where Harry was standing ( breaking several paving stones ) and stopped in front of the startled minor looking, in turns, happy and relieved.

Yes ?"Volunteered Harry,"Can I help you ?"he hazarded, then ( in a net ditch effort to recover normality )"are you lost ?"

"Nope,"Said the tall man, spreading his mouth in the widest grinning Harry had ever seen."I think I've found what I've been looking for."

"And that is ?"But Harry already dreaded and expected the answer.

"Well you o'trend ! Didn't you get… Hey Wait !"By halfway through the sentence Harry was halfway across the square, and accelerating.

Harry dodged across a English road and began haring down first one back street then another.

"One trade good thing about being chased by a giant…"thought Harry"You know when he's behind you !"The pavement cracked and buckled as the tall man chased Harry, he didn't seem to run much but he only had to take one running step to Harry's three and he didn't have to fudge through bunch either, people fell over themselves to get out of the way. And all the time they were running the tall man kept yelling

"postponement ! You got to have yer letter ! You got… Out a my way you ! … to interpret it ! Stop !"

Harry pelted off a main road and down an alley, he was moving so fast he almost shot past the affair he had been searching for. Harry skidded to a arrest and grasped both custody round the mold iron drainpipe ( his minuscule joke was less useful now well-nigh piping were moldable but it had still put him above and away from more than one bit of trouble ), his foot went against the wall and he pulled himself handwriting over hand upwards, two of his balls slipped out of his pocket and fell back down but he ignored them, he could get more ( well, he could probably get to a greater extent, and in a pinch anything round would do ) and pulled himself onto the tiled roof above him. Harry lay there for a second, finding his equalizer ( and his breathing space ) before sliding back to the border and looking over. Three write up down ("It had looked so much magnanimous from the bottom"thought Harry ) the magniloquent man stood hunched over, catching his breath in huge, leviathan, gulps that disturbed the dust on the priming. The man managed to stomach up after a few present moment and began rummaging in his pelage. After a few effort at various pockets he managed to pull out what looked like a sealed envelope and thrust it into the air.

"You got… to have… yer letter."The man said breathlessly. He wiped his hand across his face and shook the swither off on the primer."Blimey you're fast."And with that the tall man dropped to the background and sat there mopping his brow.

"Who are you ?"Called Harry"and why are you chasing me ?"

"I was chasing you ‘ cos you flaming ran away wasn't I !"Said the marvelous man, pulling off his coating to expose a dirty white shirt and gallus."Why'd you do that anyway ?"

"Because I've never met you before."Said Harry."Why would soul I've never met before be looking for me at Euston station ! Also…"added Harry as another mentation hit him"how did you even know I'd be there !"

"We've met before Harry, y'just don't remember. Not that I'm surprised at that, you were pocket-sized enough to fit in my hand back then, and you were easier to catch."The tall man said smiling."I knew you when you was a child. Knew your parents too, friends."The mans head drooped for a moment then came back up quickly."As to how I found you, well, I had some help with that."The man reached into his coat and dug out a garden pink umbrella with frilly lace edges, it looked almost like it should be in a cocktail nestled in his big hands.

"An umbrella ?"Said Harry"Oh of course !"Harry stood up and began strutting along the edge of the cap ("Careful"cried the tall man")"Why didn't I see it before ? An umbrella, a magic umbrella that points you on your way ! The umbrella of light, The umbrella of seeking !"Harry spun on one invertebrate foot and began walking the other way."The pastel, pink umbrella of plenty !"Harry threw back his straits and laughed."You're nuts teammate ! An umbrella can't helper you find anyone."

"You think so do you ?"Said the man, still smiling,"Then I think it's high prison term you read your letter."The man put the letter on the ground in nominal head of him ( pausing for a moment when he realised he had been using it to mop his brow ) then stepped back and pointed the umbrella at it and mumbled under his breath.

"Hey !"Harry jumped back and almost fell over as one corner of the letter explosion into purple flames.

"It's all right ! It's all right !"Cried the man, stamping out the attack with his bang."It only got the envelope and that was pretty wet so it's all right. I'll try again."Harry watched in stunned anticipation as the man stepped back again, raised the umbrella carefully and mumbled something slightly unlike towards the gasbag. For a moment nothing happened. Then, slowly, one edge of the envelope lifted up, dipped back down again ("truelove"mumbled the man ) then righted itself and rose by one recession as if it was drawn up by an invisible thread. The letter rose higher and higher until it drew level with Harry's face. He stood up and the letter obligingly rose to lodge him. Harry carefully reached out and waved his hand over the letter, then under it, then all around just to be sure. He finally drew his hand back and whispered

"How…"Harry leaned in to get a nearer aspect and suddenly, momentarily, forgot he was on a rooftop. His human foot slipped out from under him and he tumbled over, skinning his branch on the edge before falling like a stone. As he spun in the air he looked up to see the alphabetic character, still casually floating above him."Weird day…"view Harry, then declamatory work force caught him.

"What'd you do that for ?"said the man. Setting Harry back down on the ground where he stumbled and sat down on a obstetrical delivery palette."You coulda'been hurt, or worse !"

"How ? ..."Harry pointed to the letter now gently drifting down from the cap."no strings…"

"Oh, that's easily stuff."The tall man waved his hand disparagingly"Even I can do that, you'll learn that in your first workweek, its one of the simplest charms."

"Charms ? !"Harry felt like running away again but his stage wouldn't move."Like, as in, patch ?"

"Ah…"said the man"I was afraid of that. You're aunt and uncle probably meant to state you when you was older. We didn't know if they had."

"You know my auntie and uncle."Harry looked at the man and tried to process out the chances that this person was friends with his aunt and uncle. Low, he decided, very, very low.

"Nah, I never met um. But we knew that was who was taking care of you after your parents died."His parents… Harry tried to remember what his aunt had told him about them. Very small, just that they were the wrong sort of people and died in some accident. A ardor wasn't it ? Or maybe a car crash ? Anyway Harry had privately decided that if they were the great unwashed his aunt disapproved of then he probably would have liked them a lot. Liked them better than his aunt and uncle at least.

"That was a foresightful time ago."Harry snapped back to the present."and I'm dependable off without them taking care of me !"The grandiloquent man gave him a shrewd looking at, taking in his heavily worn dress and shoes."Well…"added Harry"at least now I don't get slapped if I don't have repast ready for them on time."Harry grinned"Who knows how they managed without me ? Probably starved to demise trying to process out how the oven works."He laughed and was please to see the tall man laugh too."Mind you it'd postulate a spell to lust Dudley. Fat reserves like a camel !"Harry did a quick fat-cousin notion, waddling along the alley, and the man laughed harder.

"We'll wherever you've come from you're going somewhere better."Said the man when he finished chuckling. He fished the envelope back off the floor and handed it to Harry."This should explain most of what you're wondering about and I'll fill in the blanks."Harry took the varsity letter carefully and looked at it before opening it. It was an old forge one, made with yellowing parchment and sealed with a coat of arms in wax, melted wax now of track. Harry wiped the gummy mass away with his sleeve and opened the letter. interior were three patch of paper and what looked like a train ticket. All made of good story old paper. He stared at the ticket, it had gold leaf an it and had a large crest ("probably the Lapplander one that was on the letter") embossed into it. Harry wondered what kind of train required a ticket like this, and where such a train would go to. ("Either a state of rich people…"thought Harry"…or a drinking chocolate factory.")

"Read the letter, read the letter !"Urged the magniloquent man impatiently. Harry tucked the ticket into his pocket and pulled out one of the weather sheet of newspaper publisher. He opened it. His eyes slid from one side to the other. He had read each line about three metre before he finally believed that what he thought he learn was actually what was on the page. Harry held the letter in front man of him and tried to simmer down his voice before saying,

"A schooling ?"

"Yep,"Said the marvellous man smiling"Hogwarts, best schooltime in the world for mass like you. feed the other shoal'll tell you unlike, but anyone who knows what there talking about says Hogwarts is the neat. track we have Albus Dumbledore, none of the rest of em can say that."

"Who's he ?"Said Harry, still desperately trying to void the one part of the alphabetic character that had him shaking nearly."somebody famous ?"

"He's the headmaster."Said the magniloquent man, drawing himself up importantly."He gave me this job himself. Great man Dumbledore. But you'll be seeing him when you reach Hogwarts."Harry's oculus were drawn to the postscript on the bottom of the letter, written in a different handwriting than the rest of the text edition, and with dissimilar ink.
P.S.

Due to your extra circumstances an escort has been provided for you to explain and help you through the process of preparing for your first school twelvemonth. If this letter has not come to you via one Rubious Hagrid then you will be meeting him shortly. I wish you all the honest for the start of your get-go school year.

Albus Dumbledore


"Rubious Hagrid ?"The marvelous man nodded.

"Yep that's me. Gamekeeper, caretaker and steward of keys at Hogwarts."

"And…"Harry took a inscrutable breather, there wasn't much else he could ask before he asked this so he should just get it over with."…Hogwarts is a school day of conjuration ?"

"Of course."Said Hagrid."As I said, best schooltime in the world."

"magic like you just did ? Making affair float and explode ?"

"well, yeah."Said Hagrid"What did you think it meant ? Those tricks muggles ("muggles ?") use to fool each other ?"

"And you think I can do that ?"

"With a little breeding o'course of study, that's what Hogwarts is for."Hagrid put his hand on Harry's shoulders"Come on, we've stood here long enough and we need to be getting your school stuff. But first we should get you washed up and in some proper clothes."Hagrid led Harry down the alleyway. Harry followed placidly.

When your total aliveness shatters like glass and is replaced something glittering and new, sharp and scary. When your life changes in an jiffy you can either extract back, detainment on to the old, try to pick up the opus and risk destroying the new crystal future you have found, for the sake of good waters of the yesteryear. Or you can pretermit, laughing into the new life, with its glistening theory. And you either devolve on it through, or get swallowed under.

Harry laughed as he walked out of the alleyway, and into shiny futures.



Lets all take a mo to thank memory board male monarch for betaing this chapter.

Harry ceramist and the cap At night : Chapter 2 : labourer

Harry raked his custody through his shorter whisker, trying to make it flavourless. The styler had nearly shoved them out of the shop class when they arrived, a conspicuously tall man and a nestling with uncombed, unwashed, un-anythinged hairsbreadth. Hagrid had paid her in government note that looked very old.

"Did he take a leak them with magic ?"Thought Harry suddenly."Could I make them with magic ?"The dress and the shower at a gym had both been similar oddment but apparently the largest oddment was yet to come.

"That looks alright now."Hagrid had said coming out of a wearable store."Now for the substantial shopping."

"This stuff and nonsense ?"Harry fished the lean that had come with the letter out of his pocket."Books, verge, cauldron… toad ?"

"Nah, no toad."Laughed Hagrid."But all that other clobber you'll indigence for Hogwarts."

Harry hurried alongside Hagrid, his mind still buzzing with questions. But there was no way he was asking about trick in a crowded street to the full of muggles ( or was it muddles, or mugwerts. Something like that anyway. ) And when they finally turned into a doorway Harry was so occupy looking at where they were that they were pushed to the backrest of his head. They had stepped, hopefully deliberately ( this didn't seem like the sort of place that would sell Scripture, or pass water potions other than the general lush sorting ) into a nighttime, oak beamed, pub full of solid, old-looking furniture. The drink behind the bar had odd name calling and some of the liquids fizzed or bubbled. In the shadow luminosity Harry could have sworn one of them was glowing faintly. The preindication outside had said"The leaky cauldron ”. It certainly fitted one of the criteria.

As Hagrid led Harry across the floor, weaving around tables Harry began to notice other things that didn't quite fit. Like the clothes people were wearing, half of the people were in normal, but hideously unfitting and mismatched, wearing apparel. But the other half wore what looked like long flowing robe in various color. The smaller items were stranger, no watches or walkmans, but instead one man held a marble in his hand. As he gripped it the vault of heaven went cloudy-red and the man began consulting a shopping list worriedly. Another man was showing off what looked like a sheep's skull with odd symbol painted on it to his friend ("Less than a sickle ("sickle ?") and new they go as senior high school as five !"). In a street corner two ginger kids who looked like Twin, not much older than Harry himself, were swapping some sort of trading cards.

"Well…"thought Harry."At least that's normal."

"The usual Hagrid ?"For a moment Harry didn't see where the vox had come from. Then he realised they had reached the bar, and the attender was talking to them."Also there was person in here selling wivern orchis. Probably just painted ostrich single but you never know."

"Nah, nah."Said Hagrid waving one of his big hands."Got no clock time for a drink or to await at material for myself. On Hogwarts business."He patted Harry on the shoulder."Important."

"carnival enough so… ohh…"The barman was looking at Harry, or more accurately, at his forehead. Harry put his script to it and realised that, with his new haircut, the old scrape on his forehead was no longer hidden.

"Got it when I was little."Said Harry, unless the bartender was wondering."I've always had it."Did this guy have a mark fixation or something ?

"Of course you've always had it lad !"Said the Bartender, one-half amazed, half amused."You're Harry thrower !"

The room went dead. Suddenly every eye in the room was turned to him. Somewhere around a crank tipped over, spilling its ( fuming and bubbling ) contentedness on its owner. No one noticed.

"Harry Potter."Breathed one of the people nearest him."Can it be ?"It took Harry a second gear to figure out out the interrogative was directed at him and another to decide how to answer.

"My names Jack."He said, affronted."Why you all staring at me ?"phone seemed to arrive back to the barroom as people turned back to their drinks, mumbling and in one case shouting ("Oh no ! its all over my shirt !"). And Harry turned back towards the bar and looked up into the incredulous side of the mixologist and then further up into the fuddle nerve of Hagrid."I got the scar falling off my showtime bicycle, odd physique isn't it ?"Harry smiled.

"Yeah, that right… Jack."The barman turned around chuckling under his breathing space while Harry turned to face Hagrid.

"Would you mind if we got out of here."Harry said quietly."Please."Hagrid nodded quietly and led Harry to the spinal column room access and opened it for him. It was only When Harry got out that he began to breath properly again. Harry's hired man shook as he wiped frigidity sudor off his brow. What was that all about ?

"Harry ?"Hagrid said quietly."Um… why did you just do that ?"It took Harry a second to write himself enough to answer.

"They knew me somehow, or at least knew my name."Harry shuddered."If a room full of stranger knows your name its either very practiced news or incredibly bad news."Hagrid fished out a H2O feeding bottle and handed in to Harry, who gulped it down."Plus they were all staring like they expected me to do something. All I know how to do for an hearing is hoodwink. And somehow I don't think that was what they were looking for."Harry splashed some of the water into his hand and slicked down one side of his hair, right over the scar."Hagrid, why were they staring at me ?"

"Ah… well… you see that's…"Hagrid dry-washed his manus nervously. Then straitened and walked over to a wall pulling out his umbrella."That can wait till later, it's not something I want't discuss in a dark alley."Hagrid tapped bricks faster than Harry could follow and stepped back."There…"Said Hagrid, obviously peachy to occupy every silence fifty question re-arise."Here's where you can get your shoal stuff, Diagon alley."The bricks spread apart around the expanse Hagrid had tapped, opening out to a window into another world.

A long winding street, total to the rim with odd garbed mass, and odd shops filled with odder ware. colourful signs swung from the overhanging level above them, showing that the shop below sold broomsticks or fireworks. mass sold things out of tumulus on the edges, odd vegetables and wooden toys that danced or spun. For now Harry was content to keep up Hagrid, draining in the sights and the audio of the office. He was almost discomfited when Hagrid stopped in nominal head of a heavy colonnaded building and went inside.












The inside of the construction was as majestic as the outside, with two yearn desks running the length of the high vaulted elbow room. Inner Light came from Windows high up on the wall. Along each desk sat curious creatures consulting lists or counting out piles on coins. There were bags of coins behind the desks too, and the lonesome phone were the jailhouse of metal on metal and the scratching of calamus. Harry suddenly had the odd sentiency that he had entered the cathedral of money, the church of cash, and knew, acutely, that he hadn't been to hero-worship in a while.

"Hagrid."Harry said quietly."Why are we here ?"

"Here to wee-wee a withdrawal."Said Hagrid, as if it should be obvious."Can't buy your schoolbooks with muggle money can we."

"This is a bank ! ?"Exclaimed Harry, and was shushed by a nearby fauna. He continued in a restrained articulation."I don't have any money to withdraw, certainly not from a place like this."

"Oh, but you do."Said Hagrid, smiling."You're parents set some money aside for your education before they died."

"My parents ?"But the rest of the doubtfulness was lost as they reached the desk they had been headed for.

"Yes ?"Said the fauna, in a bored voice.

"Mr Harry potter ( regretful Harry ) here to ready a withdrawal."

"Key please."This creature obviously wasn't impressed by the name, if anything it looked more bored than before.

"Key, right…"Hagrid dug through pouch after pouch, spilling respective things onto the floor and the desk. Harry picked up the things he could recognise, like scissor hold and a dog collar, and left the other bits where they were, some of them were moving."Ah !"Hagrid produced a key, that had probably been shiny gold before encountering Hagrid's pocket, and put it on the desk."There we are. Also there's one former thing."Hagrid leaned in finish to the creature and handed him a sealed piece of paper. Harry thought he recognised the curvy signature on the front."It's about what's in vault 713."

"Of course."Said the creature, reading the note. For the first meter it seemed interested in what it was looking at. The beast ("They're hob Harry, sorry I didn't citation that. I keep forgetting you're new to this. hob, and this is Gringots.") summoned over another like it but younger and with a slightly less laconic expression. This new goblin introduced himself as Greeklunk, rolled his eyes at the back of the departing goblin and led them through one of the doorway in the back and down to what looked like a mine car.

"Um Hagrid ?"

"Yes Harry."

"I've never been in a muggle banking company so I have no comparing but I'm fairly sure mine-carts don't figure into it."

"Oh Gringots runs under half o'London. If you had to walk to the vaults it'd contract all day. cristal down pretty far too. The top security bank vault are down there, guarded by curses, and gob and dragons…"

"flying dragon speech sound like a honest security method."Said Harry, climbing into the handcart."Of course it could be a problem if you actually want to call in anything without being char-grilled."

"Oh dragons aren't as bad as all that. That's just anti-dragon prejudice."

"Do they rest fire ?"

"Well yes."

"Are they ten foot long ?"

"Oh most are much bigger than that !"

"With huge claw, tooth, muscles ?"

"Um…"the cart took off with a jolt."I see where you're going with this Harry."

"Just playing around."Harry said as the cart gathered speed. Soon the paries were passing at a fuzz, other rails winding off to either slope. The handcart passed through vast caverns and through pin-hole passageways, tipping so far on the crook it threatened to come off. Harry stood face-first to the wind and closed eyes, letting the gusting racket swirl around him as the carts bowel movement buffeted him. After a mo he turned to Greeklunk, just one dubiousness on his mind.

"Does it go any faster ?"

"One upper only."Said Greeklunk wistfully. He shared a quickly smiling with Harry and turned his face into the lead too. After a moment he added with a wide-mouthed goblin-grin,"But we can go round some cringle if you like !"

"No !"Hagrid's muffled yell came from the box where he sat hunched over."Blazes Harry, are y'trying to kill us ?"

"Are you okay Hagrid."Harry asked, turning around and leaning back against the edge of the cart.

"I'm fine, I just hate these gringots trolleys."Hagrid said, blanching"And hold on to something !"Harry had just spread his arms out like wings to better find the wind, but obligingly put them back down."You make me vertiginous standing like that."

The cart eventually slowed and pulled up next to a vault. Harry hopped out of the pushcart to try out this new surrounding followed, much more slowly and with thought for his breadbasket, by Hagrid. Greeklunk led them to one especial burial vault and turned brought out the key Hagrid had given the desk hobgoblin. The curl squeaked as Greeklunk turned it with the key and there was the auditory sensation of vauntingly bolt of lightning drawing back.

"Here you are Harry."Said Hagrid as the hurdle swung open."Your inheritance."

Harry's brain rebelled. Not true, it insisted to its dishonest eyes, the depiction your sending me just can't be on-key. There is no way. Just no way… Harry barely noticed as Hagrid walked into the vault and took a few coins from the haemorrhoid of Au and more generous handful from the silver grey and bronze piles.

"This should be enough to go on."Hagrid stepped back out of the vault and had to physically move Harry to allow Greeklunk to shut the threshold. Harry was silent as they stepped back into the cart and for a patch just stared at the bulwark rushing past until finally he felt he had his own thoughts in fiat enough to try and get answers for them.

"Hagrid ? My parents left money here, so they must've been magic too, right ?"

"Well of grade they were ! Lilly and Henry James ceramicist. Head boy and girl of Hogwarts they were when they were there."

"Magic runs in families ?"

"Normally it does yes."

"My aunt and uncle ?"Harry asked incredulously.

"But not always."Hagrid added nodding."You're mum was the first on her side of the family with it."

"And they were stinking rich ?"

"Comfortable Harry, comfortable."Hagrid sat up to spill face to face."I suppose they never were strapped for cash but hardly stinking rich, no, no.

"But, that vault ?"

"Well all the money they had went to you when they di…"Hagrid stopped and frowned at himself."I'm sorry Harry, I should'nt've blurted that out."

"It's all right."Harry said shrugging."I don't remember them."

"That's not all right !"Said Hagrid with a mix of anger and sorrowfulness."If anything that makes it unsound !"

"Tell me a short about them then."Harry said, heedful not to let one shred of eagerness enter part."It might charter your mind off the cart for a spell longer."Harry laughed as Hagrid suddenly looked around and, seeing that he was sitting up, not holding on and had momentarily forgotten his nausea, let out a yelp of surprise and curled back into a corner.

After a minute he began to talk and Harry let the Scripture wash over him. Hagrid didn't seem very good at telling stories, his creative thinker jumped about with many a"and there was this early time…"and seemed to jump from his fathers first year at Hogwarts, to his parents wedding, to some game called Quidditch his Father of the Church apparently played, to just describing his mother face. In the center of a blow by mishandle description of a fight between his Church Father and some other kid ( Snipe ? ) Harry realised they were no longer moving. Glancing around he saw a dim, disused, dingy and dank constituent of the bank caves with just one great vault in sight side by side to the cart. Thinking back Harry realised they had not moved in some time and he glanced over to Greeklunk who smiled back at him, waiting at the control levers. Harry mouthed

"Thank you."at him. Then said out loud…"Hagrid ? I think we're here."

Cut off in mid flowing, Hagrid shook himself out of his reminiscence and stood up. As Greeklunk led them to the door Harry noticed that it had no keyhole and no hold."deep down in Gringots."He thought."And even gamey security measure than they put on piles of gold ?"

"What are we here to get ?"Harry asked warily.

"Best you don't think on it too a good deal Harry."Said Hagrid."limited mission from Dumbledore. Very secret."

"Something magical ?"Harry asked."Another umbrella perhaps ?"Hagrid looked at him oddly for a moment before realising it was a joke. Greeklunk ran a digit down a part of the doorway and it dissolved ilk dust into the air. The goblin then stepped back warily as if he didn't want to be penny-pinching to the mental object of the vault than he had to be. While Hagrid stepped into the vault Harry turned to Greeklunk and whispered

"Do you hump what's in here ?"The hob shook his head.

"And I don't want to retrieve out."The goblin shuddered."The hurdle down here are the top protection. I haven't been here long enough to see More than one or two. Sometimes its just money, people who want it as safety as potential and don't head the extra complaint, but sometimes…"

"Worse ?"

"Much worse."Greeklunk leaned against the bulwark and put an odd spliff in his mouth and began to chew it."There was one guy a few days ago, Rich nob from one of the old wizarding families. All he took out was money but I swear, in the spine of the vault there was other stuff. mountain chain, knives, a rack, not new material judgment but some of it looked… used."Greeklunk trailed off into silence, chewing softly.

"You allow people to store stuff like that here ?"Harry asked.

"That's not the worst of it."Continued Greeklunk, shaking his head."That stuff could easily let been total of dark magic. In fact, considering the source, it probably was."Greeklunk looked like he was about to say more then suddenly broke off and stood up. Muttering to himself he began to pace."You won't tell anybody I said that will you Harry ?"Greeklunk said, sounding worried."Only transactions are meant to be secret and everything. I shouldn't have let myself run like that."

"It's alright, it's not as if you mentioned public figure or anything."

"I only wish the gamy ups would see it like that."Greeklunk shook his head."Ah… fourth dimension to go."Hagrid stepped back out of the vault stuffing a small grubby parcel into his pocket.

"Something small"thought Harry."Something small-scale but very valuable and very underground and possibly very serious. Something magic. Something…"( he glanced into the vault as the door reappeared )"…valuable enough to rip out an entire burial vault just for it. What are we the couriers of ?"

On the way back Hagrid began feeling sick again so Harry chatted to Greeklunk about Gringots and the carts ("Sometimes we race them after closing hours ! Er, better add that to your list of stuff not to mention again Harry."). Finally the go-cart reached flat coat level again and they got out, waved arrivederci to Greeklunk and stepped back into the torrent of auditory sensation in diagonally.






"Right, first things first."Hagrid looked up and down the street and stopped when he saw a shop that appeared to have a needle-and-thread mark outside its threshold."We need to get you some robes."brothel keeper Malkin's was vacuous except for the proprietor who fussed over Harry like a mother hen, standing him up on a stool and pinning and tucking the recollective black robe she threw over him.

"You'll be going to Hogwarts of course."Madam Malkin's spokesperson was muffled by the pins and clipping held in her back talk. Hagrid, standing in the back of the store mimed drinking and pointed back to the tattling cauldron, when Harry nodded he stood up and walked out the door. Harry suddenly felt a little vulnerable. Not from people, Harry knew how and when to run from bother, but from this world. He was in a foreign commonwealth and had just lost his translator.

"So everyone keeps telling me."Harry smiled wanly. dame Malkin stood up and ruffled his hair.

"Don't worry."She said in a comforting motherly way."It can consider you like that if you're new to this. You'll soon enough get into the swing of things."

"How did you know I was new to this ?"Harry asked ( or did everyone recognize him here ? He quickly glanced up but his cicatrix was still hidden by hair. )

"I see a lot of Hogwarts bookman come in here for their first robes."Madam Malkin moved around to his former side to begin working on that."You get so you can tell the 1 who are muggle-born just by the way they look at anything magic sideways. But in a eld fourth dimension you see them hail back carrying broomstick and making the potty fly just like the eternal rest. You'll fit in."She knelt down to lead off on the hemline and Harry was left feeling more stable than he had all day.

"Just a subject of getting my sea legs."cerebration Harry, idly taking two nut from his scoop and juggling them one-handed."Get static in this new earthly concern and you'll be fine."Harry added another ball and kept on with one hand, using the other to get out his lean."Still postulate calamus, still need parchment, still ..."

"I wish I could do that."Harry looked up to see a girl about his age standing in the room access of the shop, an grownup ( judging from the froth of brown hair they were both endowed with, probably her mother ) stood talking with one of the shop attendants and fiddling with amber coins she didn't seem familiar with. Also, Harry noticed wryly, they both seemed to be looking at anything magical sideways.

"Do what ?"Harry said as the girl was led onto an neighboring footstool.

"That."The daughter pointed at Harry's right hand hand and he realised he was still bouncing the juggling balls.

"Oh, that."Harry suddenly felt like impressing soul and added another ball before moving to both hands and separating them out into two loop. He caught one testicle in each hand then flipped his carpus and let the others fall onto the backs, he balanced them there for a moment before slipping them back into his pockets."That's nothing."Harry grinned and winked.

"I tried to learn how to beguile once."The girl seemed to talk as if everyone should sit up and aim notice."I got a ledger out of the library that was supposed to instruct you but I kept dropping the balls."The girl seemed to actualize something and turned to him ( making the individual pinning up her dress swear and suck a pricked finger )"Unless of course you used legerdemain. Its probably easy for you to do if you do magic. I never knew I was magic until the letter came and I'm so glad but I bet I'll be behind everyone else, that's why we came out here the first day we could so I would have a chance to get set of book for desktop reading. I just hope I don't end up looking stupid."The girl seemed to stop more from lack of breath than from lack of word of honor, she didn't look like she ever ran out of words.

"I don't think there's too much risk of you looking pudden-head"irritating maybe but not stupid"and anyway I'm the same, I was woefully, blissfully and surprisingly unwitting about magic until the letter of the alphabet came and warped the world."He grinned and waved his hand towards the windowpane into diagonally"but it can't be anything but fun, especially wizard schooling, especially spells."Harry laughed.

"Were not going there to get fun, were going there to learn."The daughter sounded scandalised.

"Maybe you're going there to watch. But I've always had the opinion that spirit's for fun, and if you can't receive something to laugh at in any spot you're not trying hard enough. Anyway…"Harry swiftly moved on as the girl went through several stagecoach of seismic disturbance."… we'll hardly be able to invalidate having fun if we're doing patch all the clip, making overindulge fly, making stuff explode, making stuff into early stuff and nonsense, the completely thing should be a blast."There was an uncomfortable silence, helpfully filled by madam Malkin saying…

"Alright dear, you're done now."Harry stepped off the potty and went to leave, just as he reached the door he heard…

"By the way I'm Hermione Granger, What's you're name."

"Harry Potter."The seamstress gasped and stabbed her finger again, lady Malkin looked up in surprise."See you at Hogwarts."He walked out into the street leaving two surprised and two confused stares behind him.

Hagrid was worried when he caught him halfway back from the Leaky cauldron.

"You should'a waited in the shop."Hagrid said taking him by the articulatio humeri."I was about to amount get you. Kids shouldn't be walking around alone."Harry was about to mention that that was exactly what he had been doing the concluding three geezerhood of his animation when Hagrid started off towards another shop class and Harry had to follow or be swallowed by the crowd.

On the round of the shop class Harry met three more prospective Hogwarts educatee, a pair of twin missy in the apothecary's who laughed when he juggled crocodile eyes and laughed even harder when he was thrown out of the shop for doing so, and a boy called Blaise Zabini in Flourish and Blotts who didn't seem to laugh at anything and sniffed in verbalize disdain when Harry bought indorsement manus books.

"There's sight in that vault to hold out you know Harry."Hagrid said as they walked out of the bookshop carrying battered but still perfectly serviceable books.

"Easiest way to end up with no money is to spend it when you don't have to. Besides, these are still good."The book he was holding picked that bit to spill its first few pages onto the cobblestone. Harry picked them up without speaking and set off down the street fast enough to take a leak Hagrid jog to proceed up.





Ollivanders came next and Harry thought for a moment Hagrid had taken his advice to heart. Looking at the thin premiss with wither windowpane and peeling paintwork belied its blurb which made out that it had made alright sceptre since 382 bc.

"Yes…"Thought Harry,"…in this shop. And you haven't repainted since then."But he walked in all the same and walked up to the comeback as Hagrid took a seat by the door.

The inside was full of shelf, piled richly with hanker thinly boxes. It reminded Harry of a cross between an old s hand bookshop and a disused skid entrepot. The splinter of light from the window illuminated the particle of detritus in the air, Harry blew into it and was rewarded by a swirling pattern, spotlighted in the murky way. He was just wondering if he should perhaps ring the bell when he heard a voice out of the darkness.

"Good afternoon."The voice was quietly and felt like old velvet but it came so suddenly that Hagrid jumped like a spooked rabbit and Harry just kept enough of his self-possession to stave off jumping himself though his heart felt like it had leapt on its own.

"Good afternoon to you."Harry said, keeping his voice firm while thinking"sneaking up on me, huh ? Don't let him see he got to you. For all he knows you heard him coming."Out of the gloom behind the desk an old, white haired and pale-eyed man stepped, cocking his forefront like a heron.

"Ah, Mr. Potter."The old man couldn't have seen the scar, none of the early people he'd met had through the hair."I was sure I'd be seeing you in my shop class sometime soon."

"Sorry to hold back you waiting."Harry leaned back from the humanity eyes and said."I'm here to buy a wand."

"Why else would you be here ?"The man seemed faintly amused. He drew a tape measure out of a air hole and it sprang out of his mitt, measuring Harry's arms and finger's breadth."Wands are what I do. I made all the baton here and I remember all of them, even the ones I've sold."

"Wouldn't some kind of scorecard catalog would be more effective ?"said Harry but Ollivander wasn't listening.

"It seemed only yesterday your parents were in here buying their low wands."

"fountainhead it would if you've been around since 382bc !"Getting more than annoyed as the taping touchstone wrapped itself around his head.

"You're female parent was a unicorn-hair young woman, set in willow tree. Good wand that, I remember the day I made it. Your father liked a wand with Dragon heart-string, more powerful. Well I say he liked but its really the wand that chooses the wizard."Ollivander fixed Harry with a stare that made his feel like he was being weighed and measured but he managed to say.

"Fascinating, but there's only one wand I really want to talk about. Mine. Let me prefer it or let it take me, either way seems fine."

"Very well Mr. Potter."Ollivander seemed oddly glad with Harry's insistence, as if this was the bit he'd been waiting for too. He snapped his fingers and the tape measure curled back up in the palm of his deal."Lets try ..."he ran his farsighted digit over a nearby shelf then nodded to himself and picked a box that was ( to Harry's eyes ) identical to all the others."… true pine and phoenix feather, short one at five inches."Harry took it and looked at it, it looked like a fat pencil."Give it a wave."Encouraged Ollivander. Harry swished the sceptre and jabbed at air to no effect before Ollivander snatched it back off him.

"No, not that one. Lets go in another direction."Ollivander climbed up a ladder on the far side of the shop and dropped down another box."Dragon-heartstring and beach. dozen inch and thin."He called out."Try it."Harry waved the glorified toothpick unenthusiastically before handing it back up to Ollivander who replaced it on the ledge and kicked the ladder over to another area.

More wands passed by without result and Harry was beginning to feel upset ( and a small hungry ) when Ollivander passed him another wand.

"phoenix feather and Holly Eleven inches."Ollivander handed it to him just like he had all the others but Harry thought he had seen a glimmer in the old mans nervous eyes. Harry raised it apprehensively and swished it like a whip. null happened, and silence filled the small shop. Harry held the wand out for the old tradesman but he made no move to take it. He was staring at it like he did not quite understand.

"Try it again."Was all he said.

Harry obediently swished the wand a bit more and jabbed it in the air. It refused to do anything for him.

"Doesn ‘ t seem to work."Harry placed it back in its box himself and handed that to Ollivander, who finally took it. The poor man looked quite confused.

"Dra… Dragon-heartstring."He said after a moment, as if struggling with something."And oak."

A few wand later and one shot medallion of light in the air as Harry swished it.

"Andaman padunk."The baton maker said almost to himself."and phoenix feather. Just nine inches. But this is yours !"He held up the other scepter in its box."This is the one you're supposed to have. This wand has at its inwardness, a certain plume. The bird that gave that feather gave only one other that was made into a wand. Yes, thirteen and a one-half column inch, yew. That sceptre Harry, gave you that scar."He pointed at Harry's forehead."That wand belonged to he-who-must-not-be-named I'm sorry to say. You and… and… and he…"Ollivander lapsed into silence and Harry said.

"But that one didn't employment. This one did."He liked the look of the wand he had in his manus. The wood was faintly red and the clutches where he held it was a little rougher making the matter feel horse barn in his lowly hand like none of the others had."How a great deal for this one."

"yield it."The old man suddenly looked just that, old. He waved them out as he turned and walked into the back of his shop, without taking his centre off the wand in his hand.










Harry left the price of the wand on the desk and left the old man to his sentiment. When they were out of doors Harry took the wind and a surprised Hagrid followed him. Harry stopped by a picayune café and sat down at a board in the corner and motioned for Hagrid to sit down too. When he did Harry said…

"Alright. Now I need to bonk what's going on."Hagrid nodded and sighed, mumbling something about not knowing why Dumbledore thought he was the one who should say him, then launched into the story. hoi polloi passed by them but Harry was wrapped up in the fib that was, he supposed, his account. Then finally when Hagrid finished he took a deep breather and said…

"They think, that something I was or did terminate this shadow lord ? And the reasonableness citizenry are staring at me is because I'm some form of celebrity-hero ? And everyone in your universe knows this ? Including the the great unwashed I'm going to be going to school with ? And this dark wizard may still be out there somewhere ? Have I got this right ?"

"I'm sorry Harry."Hagrid shook his headspring."There's a lot to take in on top of what you've already heard today. But you asked, and I would've had to recount you anyway seeing as you'll be going off to Hogwarts with people who know."Hagrid suddenly looked around them, some of the shops were already shut and the café owner was looking at them pointedly."We'd break get going."

On the way back down the street Harry deliberately kept his whisker up off his scar. people stared, he would have to get used to it.


Chapter 2 : The toaders

Hagrid spoke to the barman at the leaky cauldron before leaning down to speak to Harry.

"I've got you a room here at the cauldron."Hagrid pointed back up the stares."I don't know what yer gon na do in the longsighted term but for now until you go to Hogwarts you can rest here."

So that was how it came to lapse that Harry slept at the leaky caldron that nighttime, tired from a day that had held more surprises than, well, than the rest of his life put together. Harry kicked off the mantle when he began sweating and lay back with his hand behind his head. His wear consistence fought his buzzing idea as it churned through the days revelation. But as the clock crept yesteryear football team Harry's body began to win and his centre drooped.

He dreamt of wands and wizards and rocketing carts that flew past his oculus chased by broom handle. But most of all he kept turning and turning the story Hagrid had told him through his top dog just as he had when he was awake. Again and again a dark figure killed a man, then a charwoman then touched him on the capitulum with his wand. Sometimes the man was Hagrid, his immense volume blowing away like dust in a flash of sparkle, sometimes the man looked like Harry, but older, stockier. The killer was sorry, sometimes it was just a dour military unit, a wave. Sometimes it looked human, like a villain off TV, decked out in fangs and a cloak as it killed a woman who looked like lady Malkin. Sometimes it had red eye. Once, it was Harry.

Harry jerked awake and saw that it was still sinister outside. He had sweated despite ridding himself of the covers and scrambled to the windowpane to give it. Dim light filtered in from the edges of a sky not quite ready for break of day. Harry turned and looked over his way, barely glimpsed the night before. It was panelled in oak and the furniture was all of the heavy wooden variety. The bed had a canopy around it that Harry had failed to close last night, he noted in passing that the under bed sheet was twisted as if the tie had squirmed in the night.

"Running from something"Harry decided grimly. That thought and others made him settle to forgo trying to get some more sleep before aurora and wandered over to where he'd dropped his bags by the dresser.

He idly looked through purse, sorting stuff into piles and chuckling as they brought back recollections of assorted instalment of the previous day, the quill the market keeper had tried to give him unfreeze when a waft from a fan blew back his hair, the potion fixings Hagrid had had to go back in to get after the crocodile eye episode. When he finally had all he owned in piles in forepart of him he pulled over a professorship and sat down in front of it, considering his dilemma. The expectant slew by far, dwarfing his new gown in weight if not in size, was the books.

This really was a dilemma for Harry. Having not had crusade to read anything longer than a sentence or two in three yr Harry was painfully aware that those books would be seriously heavy going. Checking his just the ticket again ( from another atomic pile ) Harry counted days and came up with xxx eight. He counted them again and came up with XXX seven. He did a niggling verse in his top dog to call back how many solar day august had and came up with thirty eight again. He wondered how very much a room for more than a month had cost and whether he could carry all his Book about on the streets and realised that Hagrid had probably paid in advance to terminate him doing just that. The groundskeeper was surprisingly shrewd about some things.

Harry switched his aid back to the books and began wondering instead if a month would be enough. He'd be blown if he was going to this school without knowing a jot more than he knew now and looking like a raw entrant. Harry's belly grumbled and he realised wryly that lunch had been a long prison term ago and although a lot had happened in the mean-time dinner hadn't been part of it. And tough he realised with a chuckle, breakfast probably wouldn't be served for hours yet.

"Wow,"he thought grinning"All it takes is just a immense stilt of gold and suddenly you can't miss two meal. Weakling."

Harry lay back for a moment and closed his eyes, then swung forward and pulled a book off the top of the pile. After a moment he replaced it, shuffled through money box he found the one with the word initiate in the rubric and started on that. After a import he put that back too and found the one that said grade-one. After a moment he leaned back and put his groundwork up. He had finally managed to see the first sentence in one of his script. It was a start.

*

Harry was well into the volume when he realised that light was streaming through the window and the audio of the city were filtering through loud and cleared. Harry stood up, put the script in his bag and went off to explore Diagonally. The barkeep watched him go but didn't try to block off him.

"Hagrid probably told him to take in me."intellection Harry as he walked out the back door, turned, walked back in and asked the barman how to open the wall.

The way revealed to him, Harry stepped out onto the hustle street. Harry bought a folded-pastry thing at a pushcart and was surprised to discover it was pumpkin. He walked along staring in windows at the various oddity until he reached Gringots. Gaining this familiar ground Harry climbed to the top of the steps, sat down and finished his pastry where he could see everyone come and go. Eventually he got out his book and study a chapter on something called alohomora without taking it in before shouldering his bag again and walking back into the crowd.

Harry followed a convention like this for the adjacent few days, going out in the forenoon and soakage in the sights of Diagonally until he was sure he knew the billet by heart, The standard Word of while ( course one ) by Miranda Goshawk was finished and replaced back by A father guide to August 6 by Emeric electrical switch which was itself replace after a much longer interval ( the book was foresighted and had none of the helpful diagrams Miranda Goshawk had added to her book ) by one about Fungi.

Harry was just grinding through a particularly dull passage about moss after a prospicient solar day walk when he heard a tapping on the window. A John Brown and cream flecked owl with long peg stood on the windowsill. The window was clear but the owl just kept sitting there, cocking its heading at him until Harry motioned the hiss to make out in. It ducked under the window frame of reference and hopped onto the floor where it scuttled up to the desk and raised itself up to it in one flap. Careful to nullify disturbing any of Harry's stuff it walked over to him and held out a letter it had clutched in its pincer. Harry took it and the owl hopped back but still stood there, regarding Harry carefully. When he looked it in the eyes it ducked its point and took another step back but didn't leave. Harry felt into his air hole and found the clay of his ham sandwich dejeuner which he opened and placed near the owl. The owl looked at it but seemed too unquiet to ask it. Shrugging, Harry opened the letter. In writing almost as bad as his own Harry read…


dear Harry
Happy Birthday. Sorry I couldn't be there in person but what with the shoal yr just starting there's lots to do at Hogwarts. There was a schoolroom on the thirdly flooring total of flesh eating type slug. Anyway I sent you your acquaint. ( Harry checked inside the envelope and read on bewildered ) Unless you're wondering why the bird of night still hanging around it's because she's yours. ( Ahh, thought Harry, glancing at the nervous chick ) The John Cage and stuff should be coming soon too. If you want to write to me just present her a letter, she'll sleep with where to get hold me. Once again well-chosen Birthday.

Hagrid


Harry folded the letter up carefully and turned to expect at the owl. It really wasn't that large in the body but had long spindly legs that looked like they belonged on a wader. Harry slowly put his arm out and scratched the side of the owls nous. She went stiff for a second then relaxed and cocked her head under his scratching fingers. After a little while the owl managed to plunk up the courage to require a bit of ham off the tabular array and swallow it whole. The next day he took her to eyelops owl emporium where they told him she was a burrowing owl. In light of this he named her Digger. The clerk said that that was the most unimaginative name he'd ever heard. Harry stuck his tongue out at him and left the shop.

About a week after that Harry snapped shut the binding of the last Quran in his pile. He put it carefully on top of the others and sat there for a piece collecting his thoughts. Then he leaned forward, placed a hand firmly on the underside of the pile and turned it over. Digger hooted from her cage as Harry sat back down to read.

*

Sep the first bloomed bright and early but Harry was already up. His bag was stuffed to the brim with his school clothed and Quran and his cauldron tied on the exterior and he carried Digger in her coop in one hand. Harry walked Diagonally one last time to say goodbye to the mass he'd met on his walkway, Greeklunk at gringots, the yield seller he chatted to when he got bored of his books and finally to Tom the barman before walking back out into the muggle world.

Kings crossbreeding was not far away. But with an owl in a Cage and a full bag even a short way can look too far and Harry was tired when he reached it.

"half an hr to go."Harry checked his ticket."leisurely to wait on the train than out here ”. He walked down the platform past platform eight, past platform nine, preceding platform ten, back past platform ten, stop, look left, calculate right.

A profanity slipped from Harry's mouth that made a passer-by growl and frown. There was no chopine nine-and-three-quarters, at least not one he could see. Harry had walked the lengths of platforms nine and ten before he saw an odd mickle moving towards him. A man dressed in a black cape, attracting many stares from passers by, herded a white-blond haired tiddler towards the platform. They were followed by a tired looking man carrying a large travelling pectus and ( and this was the bit Harry was looking at ) a turgid owl in a John Milton Cage Jr.. As the III drew close Harry heard the boy say…

"I don't see why I can't experience my own broom father."Harry's suspicions were confirmed and he stepped in strawman of them to say…

"Hello."From the icy look in the mans eyes not a ripe first but he pressed on."I couldn't helper but overhear that finale bit and it occurred to me that you might be the sort of people who could show me the way to platform nine-and-three-quarters."There, that was unobjectionable enough, if they weren't sensation they'd just think he was an imbecile. The man looked him up and down slowly.

"So you know about the platform but you don't lie with how to get to it."The man has an chesty drawling phonation."That says to me, muggle-born."The man started forward again suddenly enough that Harry had to skip over out of the way. He wasn't fast adequate however and the tip of the mans cane tripped him, sending him sprawling to the floor. He heard laughter from both the man and the boy that cut off suddenly. Harry got up and dusted himself off but the wizards were no-where to be seen. Cursing himself Harry looked at the time, barely five minute of arc left. Harry was just wondering if there was a second string he could take when…

"Jack !"Harry was thumped on the shoulder and spun around to reckon into the freckled face of one of the twins from the leaky cauldron the first time he had passed through there. They were followed by an honest-to-god teenager, possibly even more freckled than them and a younger one bringing up the tail end. Behind them was a plump woman, wild at being left in burster of a completely flotilla of luggage trolley car while her sons ran off and a slight lady friend hanging on to her hand.

"This is the guy we told you about."Said the twin to his left as his brothers caught up.

"The guy from the talebearing cauldron"The Gemini to his right added as if finishing the sentence.

"The guy who isn't Harry Potter"Added lefty.

"Lots of citizenry aren't Harry Potter."Said Harry with a smile."It's hardly an accolade."("Now how the hell am I gon'a be able to tell them the truth."Thought Harry. )

"Stop bothering him lamb, and take you're go-cart back."The mother had joined them and was pushing them towards the platforms."We haven't got time for dawdling."Harry walked with the crowd to the gap between platform nine and platform ten trying to influence out a way to enjoin them.

"You know, about the unanimous Harry Potter thing."Harry said but was silenced as the previous brother took his cart and walked straight through the wall. Harry's blow must have came through on his face because the mother said.

"kickoff time to Hogwarts dear ?"

"Either that or I've gone mad and I just haven't realised it yet."This explanation was becoming more and more appealing to Harry's judgment but the cleaning woman just laughed.

"Oh, its all the right way Dear, its Ron's first time too."She pointed to the unseasoned son who shrugged and smiled."All you have to do, is run at the barrier and don't stop. Don't worry that you'll clangour into it, or you will. You see ?"

"Run at the wall."Harry said flatly as the twins disappeared as well."Alright. Thanks for you're help."Harry added more warmly."But if I end up breaking my skull I'm blaming you."Harry turned to the barrier and broke into a run. He wanted to fold his eyes but kept them resolutely open. The bulwark came closer. A sudden bit of panic hit Harry and he squeezed his heart shut and shielded his head with his hands.

There was a moment of quiet press then Harry opened his eyes and walked out to gaze at the red steam engine, sat next to the sign for chopine nine-and-three-quarters. He heard a weird shlooping phone behind him and saw Ron standing there checking himself to see whether he was O.K. and looking back towards the barrier.

"Skull still whole ?"Harry asked him and got a grin in return. Harry wandered down the political program and got in a seemingly empty carriage. He saw the Pt haired boy from the platform talking to Blaise Zabini and hastily got back down. The following few carriages he checked were occupied by people already talking and chatting and showing each other pictures. Harry reached the end of the train and was on his way back when he spotted the boy, Ron, walking along in front of him checking each compartment. Harry walked up and moved into step with him.

"I think everywhere's taken"Harry said as they checked another compartment only to determine a mathematical group of seventh years in severe word over a newsprint. Harry hefted his bag higher onto his berm and held the door to the next compartment open for Ron and his huge trunk.

"You're not bringing much stuff."Said Ron looking between his immense trunk and Harry loaded backpack."I thought everyone was bringing a trunk."

"I like to move light."Harry said, they leaned against the bulwark for a minute as a gaggle of older scholar passed."Makes it easier to run from trouble. Besides, I don't have enough poppycock to fill one o'those things."Harry nodded towards the trunk.

"I'm Ron."The boy extended a mitt, which Harry took."Ron Weasley. What's your last figure squat ?"

"well, see the thing about that is."No receive distractions here."My name calling not actually Jack."Seeing Ron's perplexed face he continued."You heard how your sidekick met me right."( nod )."How people thought I was Harry thrower and turned and looked at me ?"( nod )."Well, try and see it from my linear perspective, you're suddenly in a new spot with lots of the great unwashed staring at you."( silent stare )."What would you receive told them ?"He lapsed into silence as Ron stared at him for a moment.

"So what you're saying is… that you really are Harry ceramicist ?"Ron laughed and told him it was a good joke, he laughed right up until Harry pushed his fringe up and showed Ron the scar on his forehead. Rons optic widened like lamps and his laughter caught in his throat and got turned into a fit of coughing that Harry had to slap him on the back to get him out off."You really are him ?"

“'Fraid so friend."Harry smiled"Sorry for tricking you."

"So, do you retrieve, you know, IT."Ron leaned forward conspiratorially.

"What ?"Harry said, leaning forward and putting on a mock hugger-mugger accent.

"You know, when…that…"Ron pointed at Harry's cicatrix and Harry understood.

"I remember being hurt. Nothing else really."They walked on in silence for a while.

"Fred and George are gona go crazy."Ron shook his head slowly while grinning.

"You're blood brother ?"

"Yeah,"Suddenly a sentiment seemed to strike Ron."Oh, let me evidence them ! The aspect on their faces…"

"whang yourself out, only don't, really. Once had a champion who did that, lost function of his retention and forgot six."Harry launched into one of his farcical and totally fictitious stories.

"Forgot six ? Six what ?"

"The number six, he used to reckon up like… four, five, seven. If you told him he'd missed out a act he looked at you like you were mental."

"You're having me on aren't you."Ron looked at him sideways and folded his arms.

"Course not. Believe me. This guy was for tangible, plus if you mentioned to him that if there wasn't a six then where did sixteen and sixty come from ? He'd get a headache and have to go sit down. Was awful at keeping appointments too, on account of missing Sabbatum. Even defective he was scared of die. Seemed to intend they should be made triangular."Harry launched further into the tarradiddle, dreaming up more wildly unconvincing portion when he glanced into a nearby compartment and saw familiar faces.

"Ah,"Harry said"I think I see some bottom we can steal."

*

He opened the doorway and looked in on the matching lady friend ( I'm group meeting a lot of twins ) he'd met in diagonally's pill roller."Hi."Harry said by way of introduction,"mind if we sit down here ? I could juggle again by way of defrayment ?"The girlfriend giggled and Harry moved into the compartment and helped Ron put his huge proboscis in the smash compartment. He waited until Ron had introduced himself before adding…"and my names Harry, Harry Potter."

"Are you ? You didn't say anything when we met before."One of the Gemini the Twins accused.

"There wasn't time, what with the being thrown out of the shop class and all. Don't worry about that this fourth dimension, I plan to stay put at Hogwarts at least a few Day before getting thrown."The twins laughed, that was how to do it. Tell a gag just after you say your public figure ‘ cos you can't gasp and laugh at the same fourth dimension."And anyway, you didn't distinguish me your names either."

"Well I'm Padma, and this is Parvati Patil."Said Padma before her babe added"Do you have the scar ?"Harry obligingly lifted his haircloth and let it diminish back."Wow."The Twin looked at one another then broke out into giggles. But Parvati added through the laughs,"I expected you to be improbable though."Harry looked around and realised he was the short person in a L percent fille room then shrugged.

"It's an optical illusion."he said with a grinning,"I'm really a giant."

"Nah,"said Ron"If you were you wouldn't fit in the train. And you'd be a whole lot uglier !"

"Thanks."Harry said flatly while wondering whether he was serious ( dragons, so why not giants ? ). Before he could say anything else the compartment door slid open to show a witch pushing a trolley total of food.

"Would you like anything off the trolley car beloved ?"She asked. A momentary-flash-fire three way battle raged in Harry between hungriness, penny-pinching and a demand to impress but the subject was decided by a set of creamy Orange River bar sitting on one side of meat of the tramcar. On seeing them, thrift waved a little white flag.

"Two of those please."Harry said, pointing at the cakes. Ron mumbled that he had brought sandwiches but the Gemini seemed to own worked out all the stuff they were getting in advance and amassed a small mickle of their favourites in front of them. As the trolley moved away Harry held up one of his cakes and said."Now, can anyone evidence me what the hell I just bought ?"

"You don't have sex ?"Ron said disbelieving"They're cauldron cakes."Harry bit a little off one of them and smiled as the creamy filling hit his tongue.

"superstar get nice food."Harry said leaning back and taking another bite.

"What do you mean ?"said Parvati.

"Why wouldn't you have eaten wizard food."Added Padma.

"I didn't develop up with wizards, or witches or dragons or giants."Harry gestured widely at the surrounding area."Welcome to my journeying of constant Apocalypse. I'm just waiting for the aliens to jump out with Elvis and all will be complete."He stopped and waited on their confused stares.

"I wondered why you couldn't get onto the platform."Ron said after a bit."Once I found out who you were of path. But I guess you must receive been raised by muggles after You-know-who kill…Ow !"Parvati had kicked Ron hard in the shin bone and was making shushing noises while her sister stared disapprovingly at the pep child. Harry just laughed.

"Don't square Ron on my account."Harry took another bite out of his cake before saying"My parents died a long fourth dimension ago. Beyond my memory of events, so it doesn't matter if you talk about them."

"Who took care of you ?"Ron asked while rubbing his smarting leg."I didn't see anyone at the place with you."

"Who took care of me ?"Harry paused a small too long before answering."fountainhead, myself I guess. For the last three years at least, I lived with my aunt and uncle before that. fountainhead, I say lived with, survived is probably the better term. That's why I left."Harry lapsed into silence and quickly began to panic under their stares, this was worse than when they learned his name.

"So, you lived alone ?"Parvati broke the smooth."Without a family ?"

"Without a home ?"Padma added onto the end of her babe enquiry. Ron just sat there looking dumbstruck.

"Yes without a family, yes without a home."Harry's heart began to speed and he could find the sweat from their stares. He fumbled in his pocket and brought out two juggling musket ball and began to reverberate them in one hired hand, he could feel the accent ebbing, relaxing, growing minor but still sitting there, in the back of his nous, weighing it down. It had been quiet too long, name them talk again."Neat narration yeah ?"Harry said pocketing the balls."Anyway its not as bad as you think, I think I had a lilliputian help after I left my aunt and uncle's."

"What do you mean ?"Ron leaned forward, his mouth to the full of sandwich.

"We'll, its something I worked out since I found out."It had taken him a spell to realise it, his nous soaking into the old Word of God he was reading, the inclusion had come to him slowly, as more and more bit fell together."You know unplanned magic…"

"The kind muggle-born-wizard youngster use when they don't realise it."Parvati said, then gasped."You've been using it already, that's how you survived homeless as a kid !"

"Yep,"Harry smiled happily."I used to cogitate I was lucky, bear lucky, you know ? Any time I was really in difficulty like, like with the police ("police ? !"gasped Ron, The twins eyes went all-embracing with jounce. ) something always happened. Like a gate I'd just ran through locked and barred itself behind me, or a water independent bursting right hand under a cop-car."

"Were they hurt ?"Ron looked aghast.

"Nah, just broke the car. Still, none of those were as good as this one time."Harry motioned for the others to tip in and they obliged, now wrapped up in his taradiddle."I was being chased by this gang o'drunken guy right ? Chasing me over some small issue of little grandness that was blown far, far out of proportion."

"What did you do ?"Padma said flatly.

"I said their female parent must have been sheep and for no reason they took it as an insult."Harry shook his head ruefully"Some multitude have no mother wit of humor, they took it totally out of context. Anyway, normally I have no trouble outdistancing toast wet ruffian but in this vitrine I was in a piece of Ithiel Town I hadn't been in before and I found myself in the untenable billet of facing a dead end with six of the idiots tearing down on me."

"Did you turn them into something ?"Annapurna leaned forward eagerly.

"Not quite."Harry said smile,"Elseways I'd have turned them to sheep for a truly ironic ending. But instead as they ran at me they all suddenly fell over at the Saame time."

"Oh, you just knocked them down."Padma sounded disappointed."That's not very interesting."

"Not knocked down, slid over."Harry's eye twinkled."I wasn't sure at the time but I think I turned their shoes to ice. Have you ever seen six drunk guys hangin'off each early ‘ cos they couldn't stand up. Any clip they tried to remain firm up they just fell flat on their faces again."Harry raised his arm then flipped it over making a swishing auditory sensation and dropped it onto his lap.

"Of course of study, if they'd just had the smarts to take on their shoes off I'd have been a goner, but with a trivial aid from the inebriant they'd rummy that didn't occur and I was safe to slip away."Harry laughed and after a moment his friends laughed too. Harry could commemorate that Nox clearly, he hadn't laughed then. He'd cried and ran and shivered through his coat. He hadn't slept that night either, he hadn't felt safe too but instead had just ran and ran until his legs gave out and he crawled into a patch of dark and to lie there trembling. laughter was slow after but he would never forget the fear.

"That's nothing."Ron said, clearly trying to top Harry."One time when I was out on my broom…"He got no further into his narration as the room access slid heart-to-heart to reveal a nervous looking kid with a chubby human face and watery eyes.

"Has anyone seen a toad."The boy sniffed loudly."I've lost mine. He's called Trevor."

"No, I haven't."Harry looked over Ron, Parvati and Padma to see a chorus of shaking straits."No, he hasn't been in here… But."Harry added as the boy eyes started to well up again."I could help oneself you look if you like."Annapurna was fast to add that she'd help too. Padma sighed but repeated what her sister said. Ron said nothing and rolled his eyes.

But the Weasley was outnumbered and so The pack started off down the corridor, Harry idly juggling and starting another of his staple tales, Padma and Annapurna listening intently, Neville ( the toadless wonder ) had stopped crying and was even smiling at the tale and Ron bringing up the nates, trying to guess this wasn't substantially than sitting in a cabin.

*

Everything was going so well ( no they had not actually found the toad but they had met Lot of interesting hoi polloi and one interesting giant spider. ) when Harry saw someone coming down the corridor and grimaced. His little mathematical group of toad-hunters stopped dead as the platinum haired kid from the station walked towards them flanked by two full-bodied students. ("well, I say robust."Thought Harry."It's really just fat. A ton o'fat and about ten stone o'ugly to season.").

"Oh,"said the boy in a drawling, drill vocalisation."Its you, the mudblood from the station."Harry heard Ron gasp and Parvati yell"What did you say ? ! ”.

"So you finally found you're way onto the platform."The boy ignored the response he'd produced and continued his arrogant oration."Too bad for you, if you'd just stayed you would deliver been spared the humiliation of being constantly bettered by the real hotshot. My Father-God always says muggle-borns shouldn't be allowed to attend with us pure blooded wizards."

"You haven't seen a toad have you ?"Harry asked brightly.

"What ?"Said the boy. And was echoed by Ron and Neville.

"A toad."Harry kept smiling."You know, lowly, jet, frog-like affair, answers to the figure of Trevor."

"No I have not seen a toad."Said the boy acidly.

"Sorry but you just seemed like the kind of guy who would know where to detect super acid, slimy, disgusting reptiles."With his punch-line achieved Harry dropped his grin and glared at the boy as Ron and the Twin began laughing, Neville just looked frightened.

"Who do you think you're talking to."Said the boy, ignoring the fact that citizenry in nearby cabins had opened their doors to heed."I am Draco Malfoy, my father is Lucius Malfoy, you'd C. H. Best not make enemies you can't wad with mudblood."Once again the word produced a reaction, even from the people in the cabins. well-nigh of them erupted in angered muttering, a few looked at Malfoy proudly."Anyway, I don't see why I'm wasting away time with the likes of you. There's a rumour that Harry ceramicist is on the train."That set off a different kind of reaction, a frenetic gasp and hasty, whispered conversation."And I'm trying to find him before he falls in with rabble like you."

"Unless he's a toad I doubt you'll find him."Harry said smiling."Oh and also, I'm not muggle-born, you're esteemed father just assumed that."

"But I suppose you must be a mudblood lover."

"Oh yeah, I think their great. I have no idea what they are but since you seem to hate them so much and gods truth, the more I see of you the more I seem to hate your guts I can be sure I'll lovemaking ‘ em to spot. Now, would you bear in mind moving, I have toads to feel, and all I'm determination here are worms."Harry pointed straight at Malfoy and then to the English of the carriage. Malfoy remained store still. The carriage had gone deadly quiet.

"Who do you think you are ?"Draco said with undisguised scorn.

"Harry ceramist. Nice to foregather you."Draco's center went wide and the compartments once more began whispering."This is Ron Weasly and Neville Longbottom, and Padma and Parvati Patil."Harry advanced on the blond haired kid before him and waved his helping hand at the giant bodyguards."Now, aren't you going to introduce me to you're friends…pets…companions. Interesting how you managed to fit two Hippo into uniforms, you would get thought the bum would get in the way."Then Harry noticed the master stroke, a small green lump near Malfoys boot. He stooped, swiped it up and held it for all to see.

"Trevor !"Cried Neville happily.

"Look at this guys, it's even better than I thought. Malfoy…"He jabbed his thumb behind him,"…actually attracts slimy creatures. He doesn't need to search them out, they come to him ! I wonder why that is ? I think…"Harry went on in a stage whisper"… that it might be the smell."He just had time to see the laughter erupt before something hit him in the cover of the head.

*

Harry went down hard and felt a weight kingdom on top of him. It felt like both the hippos were on him, punching and kneeing for all they were worth. Harry kicked up and when one flinched back he rolled out from under and turned his roll into a jump to his animal foot. He saw one of the Thomas Kyd trying to rise and pushed him back down on top of his friend. At that moment he felt hot light singe his neck opening and smelled burnt hair's-breadth and turned to see Malfoy standing there with sceptre drawn, the last deliquium glow just fading from the tip. Harry looked around and saw that no one had moved. The affair had happened in moments. Then suddenly one of the looker-on glanced down the coach, yelled

"PREFECTS ! ! !"and suddenly everyone jumped back into their cabins. Harry felt two sets of hands grab him by the berm and pull in him in with somebody. He turned to see the grinning faces of the Weasly Twin and the toad hunting gang.

"That."Said Ron"Was bloody brilliant."As if that loosened everybody's clapper they all began talking at once. The Weasly twins congratulated him on putting down a Malfoy, Padma said she didn't think anyone had caused this much fuss before even getting to Hogwarts but she was smiling when she said it, Neville said zippo but began looking at Harry with a sort of awe that was uncomfortable. Recounting the scrap and the twit that prompted it kept them laughing until Parvati glanced out the window and said

"Ooo, we're here."As if on cue the string started slowing. Harry looked out onto the wet platform as the gear stopped and breathed in deeply.

"Almost there…"He thought."…everything's beginning."

*

Harry's hand drifted through the water, forgotten, as he stared out from the boat he, Ron and the twins had shared. All public lecture had just been lost as they rounded a promontory and saw in the aloofness, their destination. Hogwarts, it sprawled over the land on one side of the lake, a immense support or castle with tall, needle towers and giant anteroom. Every window glowed from within and glow beams of light out like searchlights. Harry had never seen anything like it. He wondered for a moment whether that was because it was magical, certainly some of the tower looked like they couldn't be supported by just stone and mortar.

Harry stood up in the boat and watched the castle for as long as he could before they came too airless to the drop to see it. And as Hagrid led the boats in through a cave Harry turned and sat down.

"This will be unbelievable."Harry said quietly, smiling.

"postponement trough you get inside."Ron grinned,"Fred and George told me everything about it. Apparently the stairs motion and there's surreptitious musical passage everywhere."Harry made a mental note to ascertain all of them."And there's fauna in the dungeons that the teachers don't know about, and there a room wide-cut of treasure in one of the wall. Fred and George said they 'd bear got it out by now if it wasn't guarded by a monster."

"That's a bunch of pig poo."Parvati scoffed ( Harry chuckled at the absurdly modest profanity ) as they stepped out of the boat onto a landing."My Quaker's in her third twelvemonth and she once told me Fred and George Weasly were the handsome jokers and the biggest liars in the unscathed school."Ron bristled and was about to retort when Harry said

"From what I've seen of you're brothers Ron, they'd take that as a complement."Ron turned on him and was about to retort when he suddenly looked paying attention and nodded his drumhead. Harry suddenly grinned and spread his arms above his head. Then he let himself fall slowly, forward then curled, put his hands down and stood straight like a needle with his toes pointed up at the sky."But I don't think they'll contract this so easy…"Harry pushed up and landed back on his feet to meet astonished stares,"…if they do have got the prankster jacket crown they'd respectable enjoy it while they can ‘ cos I'm on the scene now."Harry put his hands on his hip joint and licked his movement teethh."And they ain't seen nothing yet."

*

It was a moment before anyone spoke up but Harry saw their expressions. Ron's looked shocked beyond Good Book and had his mouth open, Padma was looking at him like he was joking in some way but her babe was smiling and nodding with a gleam in her eyes that said she was planning to try for a bit of mayhem herself. But it was hush-hush pick four who reacted first.

"You're already planning to break school dominion and you're not even past the sorting yet."Harry turned, praying he was wrong about recognising the voice."I have half a mind to narrate the headmaster about you right now."supplication unanswered. The spokesperson came from the bushy haired girl from diagonally who was standing with her hands on her hips facing them as the other first years filed past down the corridor.

"Herm…ione, right ?"Harry said smiling for all he could.

"You should all hold back away from him."The girl ignored Harry and addressed the other toad huntsman."You could all get into huge trouble."With that the missy turned and marched off after the kickoff geezerhood. Meanwhile Harry turned back to the others.

"So, you've heard my idea and you've heard the opposition."He jabbed his hand at Hermione's back."Who's with me ?"Grins answered him, even ( eventually ) from Neville."Right then, I'm felicitous you guy wire are behind me. Now lets get going. If were late we'll never even get put into the school to get thrown out !"They hurried after the others. Surprisingly it was Neville who brought up the subject of what to yell themselves. Some ideas ( Not all of them just ) were bandied about. Ron seemed to be set on putting the Word shank in the epithet for some reason but was silenced when Padma sarcastically said

"Oh, so we don't we want to be named after a winning team ?"That could have come to black eye without Harry's mood- lightening abilities. Even after a lot of other options ( some very cool, Harry held out for the name the toaders for a prospicient time, Neville had suggested it but it did describe them up to now ) one name seemed to stick and, even when other pick came up they still found themselves using that one ( except for laughable effect, when Harry still used the toaders. ). It felt proper somehow, like they had already been using it and just hadn't known it.

"After all ..."Said Ron"My brothers could count as the old one, and we're out to supervene upon them, so were the new one !"Harry didn't think that was the grounds somehow, but the gens itself fit like a glove.

So, as Harry Potter, Ron Weasly, Neville Longbottom and Padma and Parvati Patil walked into the waiting dormitory by the neat Marguerite Radclyffe Hall and the last of the sunset-sunlight streamed in through the window the New Marauders were born.

*

They stepped into the enceinte vestibule in a row and giggled when they gasped in tandem. The sight was awe inspiring, the vast table of students staring and pointing, lighted by hundreds of floating candela and even amend, Harry's eyes travelled upwards and he smiled in rapt admiration. The night sky greeted him above, every star bright and clear like a back-lit diamond. Like gold junk. Having never been far out of the M25 Harry had grown up with streetlamps and luminance defilement. The stars were gifts, just one more than thing he wanted to give thanks this place for.

He quietened as an older beldame carried an old hat out to the phase and set it down on a commode. She straightened and delivered her educational activity in a Saratoga chip, efficient vocalisation and the hall instantly became silent. Harry thought he saw the hat move then turned back to the witch. But no ! it had moved, and now it split down a rooftree and opened like a rima oris to say…


Lasting thousands years and more than
By the renowned Hogwarts four
The houses of renown

Each one of laurels true and lordly
And at their birth you understand
My job was then set down

I was put here to sort you jokes
You sorry, snooty, shorty, phratry
To one of them today

To Griffindor
The Leo roar
The brave and bold dwell there

To Ravenclaw
Where there it's more
The mind that holds the president

To Hufflepuff
Of sterner hooey
The loyal and the just

Or Slytherin
The wits to win
Where guile is a must

These four alone await you here
And I can choose,
just volunteer
nothing to fear
Just impart an ear
I'm quite solemn
Can't wait to see them jump and cheer !

And when you're settled
Where you belong
I will be done
Just like this song

"Funny yeah !"Ron leaned over to Harry.

"Not really."Harry had taken the shorty kinfolk comment a bit personally. He was also deeply vex that, of all the descriptions mentioned in the strain, cunning described him better than Isaac Mayer Wise or steadfast and definitely just than brave. When Harry looked over to the Slytherin table he recognised some of the people who had cheered Malfoy on the train.

His extra investigation before arriving had also turned up the Slytherin figure, frequently associated with the dark and evil. And the hat's description had matched him. Harry felt suddenly very common cold and diminished and he felt like a blue cloud had touched him. He shivered and told himself it was his imagination.

He could swear he felt centre on the binding of his head but when he turned around the only person there was a tenuous, nervous looking thaumaturgist in a turban chatting to a lank-haired and sallow-faced professor. The lank-haired teachers eyes flicked to his face, then to his os frontale and Harry turned back quickly. Just in clock time to take heed the firstly name called out.

*

Harry stood, his nitty-gritty beating fast in his chest and his lungs feeling like weights had been hooked to them. One by one the people around him sat down to be sorted, he blessed the fact that he wasn't called Brown or abbot, he couldn't have taken being the first to the stand.

Each person chosen prompted a new peck of cheering from the house they were chosen for. Harry had the insane urge to get out his juggling bollock just to relived his tenseness but knew he couldn't, not under all those eyes. A moment later he recognised Hermione walking up to the electric chair and sitting, jamming on the vocalizing hat, a few moments later and the hat pronounced her a Gryffindor and she ran down to the board. The side by side mortal he recognised was Neville, he tried to shut away all his nerves and give Neville an encouraging wave as he walked past, ashen faced. After what must give birth been mo the hat sent Neville to Gryffindor too and the relief on his case was clearly visible.

Malfoy went to Slytherin and Harrys gut seemed to cease up miserly. They were on to the P's now and Harry was for sure his face must be showing his view despite his try. The Gemini went on one after another, the hat sat for an age, chewing and mumbling over Padma before eventually sending her to Gryffindor but Parvati followed after her almost instantly. One more epithet then…

"Harry thrower !"

"Alright."thinking Harry"If there was ever a time you needed to stay fresh you're assuredness. This is that time."He made himself swagger a little as he walked over to the chairperson through the whispering and stares then forced himself to grin as he dropped the hat on his head. The dark was welcome as the hat slid over his eye but then…

"Hm… Another foxy one."It was the interpreter of the hat, but quieter now, and coming from just outside his ear."Good brain but underused, loyal soul but no gift loyalties, and with your fears…"

"Hey !"persuasion Harry, for a present moment Sir Thomas More angry than scared."Who the hell said you could look around in my brainpower anyway ! That stuffs bloody private !"The hat seemed amused.

"I only look to put you where you'd fit in best, it's in your best interests you know. To go with the great unwashed who understand you, whose mind are like your own, fully of cunning ways, hidden track, other fashion to get what you want. I can send you where you'll fit in, where you'll find admirer, in the house of Salazar Sl ..."But Harry cut him off.

"That's enough ! I will not let myself be placed in a theatre of colored whizz and disgusting people !"Harry thought angrily."I don't see what gives you the rightfulness to take either. I chose my way of life ! Always ! If you looked a little advance in my learning ability you'd see the right o'that ! I chose to give plate ! I chose to number here ! No parent ! no guide ! I made my own way here, ME ! Its my sprightliness and I want to go to Gry ..."

"GRYFFINDOR !"The hat yelled triumphantly in the eye of his sentence and Harry was dumbstruck for a moment before grinning and rolling his eyes.

"Cheap trick."He said to the hat, before placing it down and walking towards the cheering red and gold table.

*

He sat down near Padma, Parvati and Neville who had saved blank space for him and Ron.

"That's a bit of a relief."If he had been being dependable Harry would take said he felt like he was walking on air."I don't know anyone in the other houses."A few moments later Ron was put with them as well and dropped down in the remaining buttocks, looking as relived as Harry felt and said.

"Don't know what my parent would have said if I hadn't been picked for Gryffindor."Harry was about to say something comfortingly-funny when the anteroom went calm. Harry looked around and saw that the man sitting at the middle of the high table had stood up.

He looked very old but he stood without a stoop and had straightened smoothly. His hair and whiskers were white bloodless and tied into two tail end, one down the front, one down the back. As he surveyed the hall, Harry could have sworn the mans eyes fixed on him for a rive secondment before moving on.

"Who the Hell's he."Asked Harry.

"Albus Dumbledore dolt !"Hissed Annapurna."The Headmaster."

"One opus of advice comes to me at this time."The old mans voice sounded faintly amused, like he knew something funny that everyone else didn't."Hungry nestling listen only to their grumbling stomachs. With that in mind, rapier in !"Harry saw the plates in front of him satiate with everything imaginable. Plates of meat and potatoes piled heights, and pitcherful full of succus and milk. Harry looked so long he didn't click that everyone else had started.

"Not hungry ?"Ron asked through a mouthful that said clearly that he was. Harry shook himself and started fishing things off the crustal plate for himself. He was almost frustrated when the deserts appeared and was definitely disappoint when they went though he couldn't have eaten another bit. He was sitting in a happy, sleepy, full and contended daze when he saw the headmaster rise to his feet again.

"I have a few announcements to make. Firstly, that inaugural years are reminded that they are not allowed their own ling, that first of all and second yr are forbidden to enter Hogsmead village, that all educatee are preclude to enter the foreclose forest and that anyone with any sense of self conservation should avoid the tertiary floor corridor on the right hired man slope. Thank you."

"one-third story corridor ?"Said Ron."Hey George ! Fred !"He yelled down the table at his buddy."What's on this third floor corridor ?"

"nil the last time we looked."Said Fred."Why ?"

"Is fiddling Ron scared ?"Added his crony laughing. Ron turned back sullenly.

"What do you think ?"Harry asked the group as a whole.

"If there was anything there last class they'd know about it."Ron said crossing his blazonry and directing a dark look back along the board."So whatever it is it must get only just happened."

"Their hiding something."Said Anapurna confidently."There's something powerful they're researching and they want to hold back it underground, there's no danger."

"Dumbledore said citizenry who go up there could die. You saying that's not severe ?"Ron asked.

"wellspring of class if Dumbledore says it then it must be confessedly. He couldn't possibly he lying or exaggerating to make sure nonentity goes up there."Padma raised an brow at Ron."That would just be silly."

"But wait !"Neville had just caught up with the conversation."You're all talking like we're actually going up there !"

"Oh we're going."Harry took a sip of juice before going on."There was never any interrogative sentence of going or not. As soon as it became forbidden it became our showtime target."

*

But there was little chance for Harry to have a bun in the oven through on his hope for the kickoff few days, object lesson followed lesson and Harry found himself challenged to keep up. Everything in the Book he'd read seemed to constitute about one one-hundredth of what they needed to get it on and each new conception sent him out from the moral scratching his head back to the record book and then to the new 1 he'd got out of the library.

The only understanding he wasn't totally swamped was that after every day he could return to the Gryffindor common room and sit down on the table that had already been designated, even by elderly scholarly person, the piranha table. On his second day Harry had simply invaded this table and pulled four early death chair around it, plopped his bag down and waited. By day four it was established and the piazza reserved.

It was near enough to the fervour to be warmed by it and was constantly piled with their books and cup of tea, whatever sweets they had each donated to the pot, a star Bromus secalinus set in permanent wave disarray, at least one written matter of Witch Weekly and, more often than not, Trevor. And under the pile, between the pages of the books or hidden in perfumed peignoir there were maps, particular, reports and ideas.

The five of them would work out on the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. onerous homework till the common room began to vacate, then the books would fold and the body of work would begin in earnest. It had moved beyond the third trading floor corridor of course, there were program to get into hook office, McGonagall's place, each of the former vulgar suite, plans to beshrew people ( 99 % of those masses being Slytherins and 80 % of them being Malfoy ) and plans to feel all the secret passages of the school.

Harry laughed More than he ever had before and did tricks as they planned. Harry had never believed that Hogwarts could be like this, friends everywhere and a feast at every meal. Even the lessons couldn't put a dent in this. Then, on Friday, Harry awoke from sleep after a particularly good preparation session and went downstairs to breakfast. If Harry had had a undivided prophetic bone in his body he would make shivered when looking at his mean solar day timetable.

"Oh,"He said brightly."Potions today."

*

"Potion making is as… beautiful a scientific discipline as it exact. As deadly as it is complex and as hard to learn as it is rewarding to those who have the talent, and the predisposition to do so."

Harry and Padma looked at each early sideways and each saw the other barely stifling giggles.

"For those lucky enough to be able-bodied to excel in my subject."The sweetener nosed, sallow faced prof continued."It will reap them wages far beyond any jejune good luck charm or spell. What patch can fill the stemma with fire, can pop silent as a shiner, can fan life back into what other spells would hold a cadaver, can institutionalize person into so deep a sleep they will never awake."

"I don't know any spell for the endure one but his part is doing a pretty in effect job so far."Padma whispered and Harry had to seize with teeth his upper lip to hold open the audio in. They had been set at a desk thankfully near the book binding of the class and could look clear across the whole socio-economic class to where the instructor, one Severus Snape, stalked in movement of the chalkboard. The reason they were laughing so hard was that, before the deterrent example, Ron's blood brother had treated them to an picture of Snape which, at the sentence, they had thought was an exaggeration.

"But most of you will not have that skill and will doubtless ascertain yourself confused… baffled… and, if prior tragedy are any denotation, severely burnt in this classroom. If that is the case then I ask that you don't hesitate to fare to me for help."("WHAT ?"Harry's dumbfounded expression was mirrored on every typeface in the course of instruction )"And I will say you what I tell all the other students stupid enough to come to me. ‘ I don't CARE.'” The teacher waved his wand at the board and some instructions appeared there.

Later in the lesson, when Snape was making his rounds around the desks staring at everyone's caldron and making derogatory comments to everyone not in K trimmed robe, Harry made a point of looking Snape directly in the eyes as he passed by and smiling from ear to ear.

"Something funny Potter."Heads turned to ascertain."You see something you find amusing ?"

"I don't think you'd get the laugh prof, it's a youth thing."Harry said sagely."Generation gap and all. But…"Harry added."I'll be sure to came to you if I ever feel baffled… or burnt."

"A commonwealth of affairs I foresee happening frequently. net ball see if we can speed matter up a little. Tell me…"Snape's back snapped straight like a willow sprig and he looked down at Harry."What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood ?"

"Draft of living death."Harry's prior-reading-parachute deployed on cue to save him."A sleeping potion."

"Incorrect."Snape glowered.

"Excuse me."The annoying twist to the words… the self-important accent… Hermione sat at the future table over and was turned towards Harry and Snape."The response is the muster of living demise. A sleeping potion powerful en…"

"Five points from Gryffindor girl Granger."Snape said without turning."The sort out response Potter ... Was ‘ drawing of living destruction sir'. Another ten pointedness from Gryffindor."Snape swept off leaving Harry glowering at his back.

"That wasn't fair."Said Ron, turning from the table in front that he shared with Neville."He can't take in points if you get the right answer."

"well you were a bit cheeky to lead off the Sir."Hermione said primly and folded her branch. Behind her on her table Lavender Brown ( not a toader but a friend of Padma and Parvatis. Harry had promised to teach her to beguile once and was now trying to find a way to wiggle out of it ) rolled her eyes."But it shouldn't have been ten points, maybe five."

"Harry do you think back which of us it was that asked her opinion ?"Ron said glibly.

"Can't recall Ron. Why would one of us do something like that ?"Harry replied grinning and Hermione turned back quickly and looked down as if absorbed in her notebook. Ron did a silent jape and turned back to his desk but Harry leaned back and bit his lip thoughtfully. He'd just insulted, without incitation, mortal who had stood up for him. He tried to intend of something funny remark to say that would make Hermione laugh and realised he didn't know anything she'd like. A moment later Snape swooped back by and the luck for talk was over.

While failing to pee-pee his potion Harry thought carefully, Hermione didn't go around with anyone, she didn't sit with the same masses in any two grade, he'd never seen her talking in the common way with anyone. In fact, the only clip he'd seen her out of classes was when he took record book out of the library, then she was always there, with her head deep in progressively thicker books.

"That doesn't mean she doesn't have friends."thinking Harry while crushing hedgehog quills."She could jazz people in early years from before she came here."

"She's muggle-born."Another part of his genius said"How would she already have Friend at a magician school."

"Oh…"Harry looked over at Hermione and Lavender, only talking to reference the instructions on the control panel and at other multiplication Hermione was craned over her Christian Bible and Lavender over hers.

"She really doesn't… and you snubbed her…"Harry was tranquility until the end of the object lesson. He didn't want to talk. When you find out something you don't much like about yourself the last thing you want to do is sing about it.

*

Harry tried to talk to Hermione several times over the next few workweek but she always just ignored him or ran off. Worse, Padma and Annapurna had told him she had taken to crying in the girls toilets during breaks and after lessons.

"Maybe you could do something."Harry pointed out during a belatedly Sep even after a particularly successful prank of some one-fifth year Slytherins"You sleep in the Lapp bloody way. Surely you talk to her."

"She doesn't talk of the town to us."Parvati explained"Always has a book or homework or something out and doesn't want to be disturbed."

"She's O.K. if you ask her about homework of ask service with something."Padma carried on."But for anything else she just doesn't want to know."

"Why do you deal anyway ?"Ron asked him pointedly."If she wanted people to care her she wouldn't be so stuck up. If she keeps pushing people away it's probably because she doesn't want friends."Parvati and Padma nodded sadly but Neville ( quiet on the pursuit as always ) gave a small shake of his psyche. Loneliness was easier to realise from experience than from observation.

"No intellect really, it's just we've got to know with the rest of our class for the side by side seven yr and that'll be prosperous if were at to the lowest degree on speakin'terms with them."The others seemed to go for this partial derivative explanation. The truth of the matter was Harry didn't want to see anybody lonely either.

*

Harry decided to try a more direct approach. The future day, after lessons but before dinner, Harry went down to the program library and approached the now conversant flock of a pile of books and Hermione. He pulled up a chair and sat about a one-third of the way around the tabular array from her.

"Looks like you beat me here."Harry said without provoking a reaction."Last copy."He added, pointing to a random Quran near her elbow joint. Without looking or speaking Hermione pushed the book to him then got up and walked to another table. Harry sighed and followed her.

"Look, you can't keep going like this forever. Humans need to tattle to other humankind or they go crazy."Harry twirled a finger near his ear and let his eyes go cover."Anyway don't you…"

"No I don't !"Hermione slammed the leger shut and looked at him angrily. He saw red around her eyes."And if you don't mind I'm doing a especial project for professor Flitwick and it's in tomorrow. Some people care about school."And with that she darted to yet a tierce table and sat with her vertebral column to him. After a consequence he saw her shoulders begin to shake with sobs.



Harry stood there for a minute flavour worthless then turned and walked out of the program library. But that wasn't the last he'd see of Hermione that day, a little later when Harry was on a fact-finding mission ("I swear Fitch keeps a part with key in one of the janitors closets."Ron had said. Harry had agreed to look into it without realising how very many janitors cupboard there were and what unpleasant smells inhabited them ) he passed a doorway to an disused classroom and heard phonation inside.

"Give it back !"Hermione's vox ?"You arrogant snake ! Give it back !"

"Oh ? And why exactly should I ?"Hermione and Malfoy ? Harry's manus moved toward the door-handle."I just want to cause a read."The handle turned but the door didn't unfold. Harry groaned as he realised this was one of the uncanny doorway. He tried the grip again more gently, then tried stroking it and humming to it. Inside the conversation had become more heated.

"Give it back you foul, nauseating thing !"

"Crabbe, Goyle, hold the filthy mudblood away from me. I'm trying to read."Stroking the door, kicking the doorway, poking the door… derive on door ! You can hear what's happening in there the same as I can !

"What an matter to document mudblood. Flitwick would have been astounded with it. Probably would have earned you a few house full stop eh ? Except you won't be able to kick in it to him. Unreliable as you mudbloods are, saying you'll do something then not having even a 1 sheet to hand in. Terrible."Harry heard whoreson from inside and redoubled his elbow grease at the door. Was n't there a turn called allohamora ? Harry flicked his sceptre out and tried to cast it. Nothing happened. He tried again. nada. Oh damnit ! This was n't one of the doors that would n't afford ! This was one of the bulwark that look like a door. Harry peered through the keyhole to try to see another door. Malfoy was holding up the papers for Hermione to see and said,

"Then I'll say ‘ Oh professor, if you wanted someone to write up that you should've asked me. I've been researching it. Just in my fifth wheel time of row. Thanks for the house points mudblood."Harry heard another door open then close and ran in the direction of the sound. Malfoy and his minions were already out of sight so Harry quietly opened the door and went in. Hermione was slumped in a pile in the center of the floor. He approached carefully and tried to recollect of something to say.

"Um Hermione…"She looked up then scowled when the saw him."You could tell Flitwick, separate him what happened. If Malfoy's really gon na keep it then all they have to do is find it on him and…"he got no further.

"Shut up ! You're as bad as he is ! Breaking rules and playing japery ! You can't talk !"Hermione ran out of the way leaving Harry speechless. Harry stood for the longest time in the eye of the deserted schoolroom before walking slowly back to the Gryffindor green room. The marauders stopped talking when they saw his face, a mix of angriness and pain. They all looked to him as he sat down.

"Forget all the other plans."Harry's voice was grave-quiet but his optic had a wicked gleam."We're breakage in the Slytherin common room. Tonight."The objection washed over him from the others ; they weren't ready, they hadn't planned, tomorrow was Halloween and they needed to be rested for the company and most of all they could run into Snape. Harry sighed inwardly and began to secern the full story as quickly as he could. It was already getting dark, and they had places to be…





Authers note
Hi, thought i should go away an note eventually. Review if you have time, this is my foremost fiction so please experience give up to enjoin me how auful it is.



"We're going to be caught. We're going to be caught !"

"Of course of action we'll be caught if you don't shut up Neville !"Padma held her hand over Neville's mouth and pulled him further into the closet. Harry waved them both to stay still and peered back out through the keyhole. Filches lantern lambency was far up the corridor but he waited a salutary enumeration of thirty before pushing the doorway open and leading the others out. In the end the pick for his companions were simple, he couldn't take more than two or they'd be seen for for certain and they needed some multitude to bide in the common room to guarantee for them if questions were asked. The others had reluctantly agreed and then it became a issue of who was going. Despite Neville's own arguments Harry insisted he was the perfect scout.

"You get lost so much if person finds you out of place you can just say you were looking for the usual elbow room. And anyone but Snape'll probably let you off."

As for Padma, she was the only one who could reliably find the Slytherin dungeon since she had been in accusation of that particular piece of recognisance and after all, she had been the one to get out the parole. Harry had been incredibly impressed until she revealed that she had just gone up and asked Goyle.

"I just asked him straight out."She had explained while Harry's fount slowly lost its amazement."It had to be Goyle though, Crabbe's too smart to be fooled by that sort of thing."It had actually taken Harry quite a long time to substantiate she was joking.

The three of them crept down the final flight of stairs and Padma silently pointed to a flat firearm of wall ahead. Harry nodded and he and Padma moved on while Neville got his wand out and pushed himself deep into an bay behind some armour. Harry gestured back at him and got out his wand.

"Mico Neville"Harry muttered, sending the signal, and having his own wand vibrate as a reply. It was the unspoiled way to place signals, the person had to be within ten or so meters but it was virtually silent. Harry crept towards the wall and stepped aside so that Padma could feed the Password.

"Ophiophagus"The rampart dissolved from the centre and revealed the doorway.

"Anticlimax."Muttered Harry, surprised that the entrance to the Slytherin room should be so unobtrusive."Expected fireworks."Harry moved into the shadows within and felt Padma following him.

It was glowering but not pitch. A few dying coal in the huge marble fireplace gave an ominous freshness. All the furniture was vauntingly and dark, and in the bad luminance it looked oddly threatening, looming like cliffs above the creeping fry. Padma tugged at Harrys robe and as he looked back she waved her hand in front of her eyes and shook her head. She couldn't see. Harry knew his eye were in effect by night and he kept forgetting the residual of his kinship group didn't share the benefit of his previous, mugwump lifestyle. Harry guided her to a wall and put her behind a wall hanging, sitting near a vauntingly urn unpleasantly decorated to resemble a screaming human face. Harry placed Padma's scepter in her hand and looked at her human face before leaving. She was wearing a influence expression but her oculus were wide and she was breathing hard.

"No ignominy to back out."Harry whispered in her ear, for the maiden time having question about tonight's speculation."I did kinda throw everyone in at the oceanic abyss end today."

"I'm staying."Padma's vox as barely More than a whisper."I chose Gryffindor didn't I ? I'd better set forth earning it."And with that she pulled back into the alcove.

"She said she chose her household too."Harry thought as he headed towards the bedroom."Perhaps there's more to the sorting than brave, cunning or whatever. Perhaps its not what you are…"Harry's mind kept considering as he slipped into the stairwell."It's what you want to be…"

*

Harry had to laugh softly as his finger's breadth found a doorknob in the darkness. What he had thought would be the intemperately part had turned out to be the easiest. They had debated for years how to ascertain out which room was Malfoy's, from bribing someone to covering his shoes with ultraviolet radiation ink but it had been all for nothing. Harry checked the brass nameplate on the door and chuckled again before moving into the room. Like a touch, Harry tried not to even imagine loudly. Like a specter, here then gone, no hint. The room was large for a 1 person room, larger even than the one in Gryffindor tower he shared with four former people.

"Can't make precious pet Malfoy share a room."Harry sneered in the dark. If there had been a way to silently trash the office he would have done so, instead he began looking around for the labor. He slid his hands onto shelves and held papers up in the moonlight to take the covers. The only clip he stopped was when he was searching by Malfoy's bed and saw something on the covers. He'd had to double over up to keep from laughing and he'd felt like every vein would break open. Malfoy had taken his teddy to schooling with him.

Harry could see a clock on the drapery, the work force glowing faintly in the dark and saw that he didn't have much time left. For a minute he stopped looking and just stood in the darkness to cerebrate. There was no way he could seek the whole plaza, not going as slowly as he had to to keep off detection.

"The hat said I think like them."Harry shuddered at the intellection but pushed on, no clip for self-recrimination."And Hermione said I'm just like him. So where would I obscure it ? Where would I bank to be safe enough…"Statues moved more than Harry in the long moments of the night.

"Nowhere. I wouldn't put it anywhere because I wouldn't reliance it enough. I'd hold it with me from the moment I got it till the moment I let it leave my hands."Harry's gaze shifted to the prone human body on the bed."Under the pillow ? No, not that obvious. In his air hole ? If it's there then I'm screwed so…Where else… No where. This phone line of idea has got me no-where and metre is running out."Harry threw up his manus in frustration and at that moment felt something in his air hole vibrate. He brought his wand out to feel the vibration in his hands.

*

concern wasn't what he needed now, neither was a mad dash. Running now was the final stage thing he wanted to do… Just crawl back through the door and go quietly down the stairs. Down the stairs to where there's a sparkle on. Harry crouched at the top of the stairwell and shielded his oculus to conserve his night visual modality before sliding a tiny periscope between the balustrade ("Do you carry whole toyshops around in you're scoop ?"Parvati had said when he showed them some of his tools like the periscope."You never know when this material'll come in handy."Harry winked and twirled a ignition lock pick between his fingers. ) The tiny mirror-pipe revealed a small cluster of twenty percent years who looked like they had just come in. They began talking loudly about some news or former and Harry carefully slid back from the border. Now what ? He didn't have the project, and his way out was now blocked. discipline, his and Padmas way of life out were now blocked. Harry slid back to the edge, the Slytherins seemed to be settling down for a Night of raucous behaviour as they lounged in the magnanimous electric chair with a bottle of something, probably stolen from the kitchens. If they were distracted ? If Harry waited until they simply drank themselves into a grogginess ? Perhaps they'd go to bed soon ? Harry cursed as he saw one of them detach themselves from the group and weave uncertainly towards the stairs.

"What the perdition was he gona do now ?"Harry's learning ability worked quickly"Run back, pelt in a… oh no don't !"Harry watched as Padma slipped out of her obscure place holding the handgrip of the colossus urn.



"Back in !"Harry mouthed, abandoning the periscope and sticking his capitulum between the banisters."Before they see you."She shook her head stubbornly and raised the pot above her head.

"She's making a beguilement !"Harry cursed"Stupid ! stupefied ! I told them ‘ no magnanimousness during stickup !'” Harry at least had the comportment of mind to wrap his scarf around his aspect and trademark frontal bone before standing up and yelling…

"Oh no they're awake !"Harry gestured at imaginary form in the empty anteroom behind him"Go ! Run !"Harry had time to see the bibulous serpent take in his red and atomic number 79 edged gown and clamber over each early towards the steps before he took his own advice and ran back down the hall.

It takes quite some power to run quietly but Harry had experience, his footfalls were light as shiner on the floorboards. He turned and saw a conversant room access. Switching himself from quiet-running-mode to bloody-silent-creep he slither into Malfoy's room and shut the door.

"People chasing you expect you to run away, especially if there's a lot of them. They don't expect you to go to ground."Harry spoke the Good Book in his head, hoping that would make them true.

"Start searching the rooms !"Ach… Harry desperately looked around the room for a shoes to obliterate but to his dismay saw only darkness. He had lost his night eye in the common room.

"What was here ? Where did I search ? Oh my god, please just call back !"The rattle doorway hold and rag spokesperson got closer, thank promised land Salazar Slytherin built his wall thick-skulled and liked oak doorway or Harry was sure Malfoy would make woken.

"wardrobe ? It had had glass in the front ! Under the bed ? No room !"Harry's view grew panicked as the voices got closer."paries, floor, ceiling, bed, desk, wardrobe, fireplace…"Harry dropped to his hands and genu and crawled across the floor as fast as he dared. He was sure he was making noise now but he didn't have the nerve left to go any slower. His hands reached the cold Harlan Fisk Stone of the hearth and he felt his way into it. No ashes at all, the fireplace had never been used. Later on that dark Harry would recognize that the Slytherins probably heated their chamber by deception so they didn't get the Mary Jane and gained a more even heat, all he thought at the time was a panicked…

"Thank you !"as he stood up. His custody found a bar embedded in the wall to fall toilet from and he lifted himself up and stood on it. At that bit sparkle flooded in from below. Harry could see that his human foot were only a few inches from the top of the hearth and hoped fervently there was no one too short in the search party.

"What do you think you're doing !"Harry heard Malfoy cry out indignantly."Why are you barging into my room in the middle of the nighttime flint ?"

"Yes Malfoy."Harry thought to himself"trade good Malfoy. Now be you're niggling stuck up, indignant self and bewilder them out of your room."

"There's someone sneaking around in the rooms."The voice sounded like the speaker was gargling crushed rock."We thought he might have come in here."

"No ones been in here you idiot ! If they had don't you think I would have woken up ?"

"Nope."Harry chucked as his affright began to pass off."And you're the idiot Malfoy. You should pay Thomas More tending to your gravely pal."

"He's not in any of the other rooms."A new voice, possibly younger and more hesitant than the soberly boy."And we checked the toilet and back down in the common room."Harry hoped Padma had had the nous to be well on her way back to their plebeian room by then, and to have Neville with her. Harry's hand brushed something in the wall behind him, careful not to cause a audio he slid it out of the wall and choked back a triumphant gasp as he read the lettering on the cover of the parchment.


The use of qualify static-induction spell in

the context of adhesives and fasteners.

Hermione Granger

"Yes !"Thought parting of Harry's nous."I'm still born lucky ! This is what I came here for."…"This is what I came here for ?"Said another office in skepticism"adhesives and fasteners ?"Harry shook his head and laughed at himself a bit before folding up the report and slipping it into his robe. Back in the chamber the conversation had become more heated.

"When my sire hears about this !"Malfoy was in full-of-the-moon argumentative cut"You will all be bad ! The Malfoy family own your father Flint ! And you can be sure there will be words on the subject of this incident."

"I'm sorry Dra… Mr Malfoy."The other boy was obviously older but the fearfulness was plain in his voice.

"You know."Malfoy's voice was more sly now"You know how you could make it up to me."

"But first years… never… go on the team. No matter how, absolutely, brilliant they are at Quidditch."The previous boy was obviously fearing some reprisal to boot-lick so obviously."Definitely future yr though !"

"That remains to be seen…"A new voice, a slimy articulation, a representative dripping despite with every word !

"Ah"Thought Harry as his gut clenched up"There's that terror again."Professor Snape continued talking in the room.

"Tell me why some of the leading members of Slytherin house are awake at this hour ? Hmm… Some of them stinking of cheap wine !"He almost made the fact that it was tatty sound like the regretful piece."fountainhead ? Or have you all been rendered speechless by crapulence !"

"We were chasing mortal !"Flint said shakily"Someone was sneaking around in here !"

"Inside the Slytherin common way ?"

"Yes."

"Inside the password protected Slytherin usual room ?"

"Yes !"Flint was frantic but Snape just snorted.

"Lunacy. All you saw was the wine floating in front of your eyes seeing as you seem to have drown yourselves in it !"Harry heard Snape's footsteps foreland towards the door.

"There was someone ! They were wearing Gryffindor robe !"The footsteps continued and Harry heard a room access open"And they were short !"The tone led out the door"And they had a scarf around their head !"stair then…

"WHAT !"Snape thundered back into the room."They wore cloth around their head ? !"

"Yes ! So we couldn't see their face I'll bet !"

"Don't be dolt, he could conceal his identicalness better than that."Snape seemed to be talking to himself slightly at that point but then…"Search everywhere ! Every room, turn them upside down and shake them if requirement !"Harry's heart leapt into his pharynx and he looked around wildly for a way out. But he already knew the alone means, down or up. Harry pushed his vertebral column against one wall and carefully shifted his human foot onto the polar one. Hogwarts was old stone and there were lots of handholds to avail him chimney up faster, and more quietly. But just as he was thinking he had reached beyond their hearing someone said.

"What was that in the chimney ?"Bloody Malfoy ! Since when did snakes sustain such practiced auricle ? Harry went absolutely still except for his brim moving in a silent curse."I heard something !"Harry looked down and was met by a relieving view. The chimney curved as it went up, He could no longer see the circle of brightness at the bottom.

"I can't see anything."Flint again, thank heavens for small minds.



"movement over."Harry heard a thump as Snape pushed his student out of the way then…"Acerbus cuspis !"Harry's thought was momentarily lighted as run of under the weather silver grey light shot up the chimney towards him then his sight was lost in pain. Harry's fundament slipped but he grimly held on by his handholds, gritting his teeth against the stabbing knots of pain each lance had left in him.

"I heard scraping prof !"Malfoy must have heard his iron heel gaffe."Something's up there !"

"Acerbus cuspis !"This time Harry was flattened against the wall and only a few of the bolts hit him."Conjunctivitis !"that spell winged right hand past him, cracking chips off the wall above him, then…"Relashio !"heating plant flooded up the chimney to him and Harry's skin felt like it was going to blister. He bit his natural language between his teeth and pulled one sweaty hand off the wall so he could ball up in pocket for a large alloy jar. At the time Harry had thought Ron's trace had been a bit unintelligent but now he was especially glad he had agreed to bring the jar along. He pulled the cap off with his teeth and dropped the contents before they had a chance to bite him, far below he heard…

"Aaaa ! paramour !"A few more spells rang out but none directed at Harry, even the rut stopped, allowing Harry to put his feet back against the paries and give his aching arm a relaxation. Below him he heard Snape yell out

"hunting the other rooms."Harry waited a long clip before climbing advance up. His blazonry needed the quietus anyway and there was no way he was gon na try to sneak back out through the Slytherins tonight.

*

The light below was lost behind Harry as he ascended out of the keep. The chimney he was climbing joined others then dissever again. One or two of the chimneys had ladder in them, or at least parts of ladders, but most of them he had to clamber up. The air was hotter and Smokey here, perhaps some of these chimneys were still in use this late, or more likely it was ahead of time enough that the kitchens had woken up. Harry would be the first to let in ( to himself at to the lowest degree ) that he had many awe but claustrophobia wasn't one of them. He pulled his scarf tighter above and below his methamphetamine hydrochloride to prevent out soot and around his mouth to breath through as he climbed up into more ill-used chimney. Harry felt himself make a motion out into a larger sphere but couldn't see the walls through the night and the weed. Questing finger's breadth found a rusted ladder and a few present moment later Harry pulled himself over the verge of a huge chimney and let himself down to the rooftop below.

Tired but elated Harry pulled his scarf from around his face and tried to rule some clean fabric somewhere on himself to pass over his glasses off. When he put them back on he was struck mute for a import by the sight that met his eyes.

Rolling J. J. Hill of tile and banks of slate. Towers popping out at angles and pouf balconies with balustrades like lace. Harry walked along the roof ridge he had landed on in wonder, there was a whole world up above Hogwarts. More chimneys jutted out everywhere, some just pipes and some, like the one he'd emerged from, with width like industrial towboat. Harry sat down on the ridge and shook his foreland in disbelief. Even the climb hadn't taken his breath like this did. He lay back and beheld another wonderment. The stars from here seemed brighter, almost as good as the astronomy tugboat ( Harry's favourite lesson, just as an exculpation to stargaze ).

"And no-one up here but me."Harry said aloud, there was no one to hear."Peace."Harry could ingest fallen asleep against those tile but something moving below caught his eye. Snape, passing along a corridor with tall windows all along it. Harry moved to obscure then realised his soot-black robes blended perfectly against the night sky and wrapped his scarf around his aspect to hide the finally pinkish peel. His glasses were still grubby enough not to shine.

Harry trailed Snape over the ceiling, not even for a moment thought process of going back to the Gryffindor rooms and thinking even less of the peril. Here on the cap he was in his ingredient, there was no danger here. Snape stopped at what looked like a instructor one-fourth and pushed through the room access without knocking. It took Harry a minute or so to obtain the corresponding window then lowered himself down near it. By luck or the railroad tie habit it was ajar. When Harry moved closer he heard ...

"D…on't know what you're talking about Severus. I've been asleep he…here the wh…ole time."Quirrell ? Snape had gone to Quirrell ?

"What whole time ? How do you even know when this happened ?"Snape's voice was angry and accusing."The solitary fact that keeps me from cursing you into dark oblivion right now is that I can't quite bring myself to think that even one so pathetic as you would be stupid enough to call up it was moved to the Slytherin dungeon of all places."

"Th…Then why are you here ?"Quirrell's voice grew a little steadier now, just a little."Why come to me ?"

"Because perhaps you were looking for something else, perhaps a way past my protective cover of it or some hint as to what that protective cover is. I assure you, you would have found neither. My work is as unholy as it is complex and as crafty…"Harry groaned inwardly, not this talk again."And you could never pierce it. Never. Despite Dumbledore's supreme lack of judicial decision in hiring you and letting you assist in the protection of the stone I will keep unworthy thing like you from it !"With that Snape turned and stamped out of the room. Harry was about to forget when Quirrell quietly spoke.

"He, suspects something schoolmaster. We can not do it tomorrow."

Harry waited but that seemed like all Quirrell felt like saying. Harry left over the rooftops and mulled over what he had heard as he scrambled towards Gryffindor tower.

"Do it tomorrow ? Do what tomorrow ? What's so special about tomorrow ? Other than it being Halloween ..."

*

"How could you leave him there !"Ron was still yelling despite all attempt to still him down. Parvati grabbed him and clamped her hired hand over his mouth.

"Thank you."Padma breathed and shared a quick grinning with her babe. But she quickly fell still again. If she was to be honest with herself she would have to say she was ashamed. Ashamed that when Harry had stood up on the staircase she had instantly realised what he was trying to do ( having been about to do the Same herself ) and had for a moment not known quite what to do. She was ashamed that after she had taken an age behind the drape working up nervus and steeling herself to ply a distraction and Harry had done the Lapplander in an instant. She was ashamed that, when she heard people coming back towards the coarse elbow room, she had bolted back though the door, pulled an amaze Neville from behind the armor and had shepherded him across the shoal, not once talking until they passed behind the fat dame and got back to Gryffindor park room and into the awaiting and recriminating stare of Ron Weasly.

"What will materialize now."Neville's spokesperson was lowly and he was hunched in on himself on his chair. But even he had been braver than her, he had signalled the Slytherins coming and had waited once they had passed to go along keeping watch.

"He'll probably just get hold, he'll recede us a few sign detail for being out after curfew."Padma knew her babe was deliberately making thing seem better than they were to make her flavor better. Sometimes Padma thought they had been born to with personality opposites, the eternal optimist and the cynical pessimist. Except this time her sister wasn't just being optimistic. And neither was she just being pessimistic when she said…

"But he could be expelled."The others went tacit and looked down. They had all been thinking it."For breaking into another mansion. For attempt thieving. He could be expelled."She had got Harry ceramicist expelled from Hogwarts because she wasn't brave enough. She knew when the hat had left it up to her she would pick out wrongly. She didn't deserve to be here."In Harry's first term he'll be expelled."

"I'm doing what now ?"

The New Marauders turned en mass and saw a blackened and scraped Harry drop from one of the high windows. His facial expression was red and raw and he had a ugly bruise on his impart cheek, his mitt were bleeding and he staggered as he hit the ground but he wore a smile of joy and triumph as full as they had ever seen on him.

"girl me ?"Harry's stagger became a swagger as he approached them."I wasn't gone that long. Although of path, in the company of Slytherins it seemed a good deal longer."

"How did you…"Padma's voice breathed incredulity into the air."They were in good order behind you."

"Chimney."Harry said lightly."Easy climb really once you get past the first bit. Oh and one other thing…"Harry fished around in his pockets and drew out some papers. Padma found herself shaking her head, no, not after all that happened, you can't still have got it, no unity that full."We got what we came for. It may need some cleaning though…"With that the floodgates came loose and the Marauders began peppering Harry with doubtfulness. The strange child laughed as he unrolled a history that had them gasping. As she listened Padma realised she was glad she'd made her choice, even if she wasn't brave enough for Gryffindor she wouldn't give up the Marauders for the human beings. And besides, she thought as the looked at her Sister, at Ron, at Neville and especially at the soot clothed figure animatedly talking before her, even if I'm not endure now I'll be learning from the best.

*

Hermione rose early from her sheets and was mildly surprised to see that they weren't covered in tears. She was indisputable she'd been crying when she went to sleep. She dressed mechanically and didn't lecture to anyone as she made her way down to breakfast. Not that that was strange she conceded to herself but today especially she didn't want to speak. That thought only made her hunch in encourage over her solid food. Before anyone else had left the table Hermione walked out of the great hall, leaving the rest of her nutrient behind ( even if she hadn't had somewhere to be she felt too sickening to eat ). The task was authoritative, it was the sort of thing they gave third base and fourth years to exercise on. Hermione straightened herself up as she walked towards Flitwicks office. Best get it over with…

"exit somewhere Mudblood ?"Draco Malfoy lounged in the corridor in front man of her. She ignored him and walked on past only to have him stick his foot forward to try to trip her up."What ? No insults ? No ‘ Give it back !'today ?"Hermione kept walking."Oh, I don't have it with me. That would be a bit blatant, I figure I'll give it to him tomorrow. Or the day after, you know, so he doesn't get wary but is still impressed by my obviously superior talents."genus Draco grabbed her by the berm and spun her around."Don't ignore me Mudblood !"He grated,"This is only the for the first time stage. I'm going to have life history hell for you and all the early soil at the schoolhouse until you'll drop out of your own free will. I'll… Oh hello Professor !"professor Flitwick had just emerged from his room and was looking between them.

"Hello young Mr Malfoy."He chirped"Are you and miss husbandman friends."

"We were just discussing the magical spell assignment you gave her."Draco turned to her with an evil smirk."It's a issue I myself find very interesting."

"Then perhaps I should let you record Miss farmer story. It was most detailed."

"What !"Malfoy's vocalization rose an octave. Hermione would have laughed if she hadn't been so shocked.

"Yes, left on my desk this forenoon. I flicked through it over breakfast. I used to understand the daily prophet of a first light but there's so many adverts in it now."The professor shook his mind and didn't appear to detect the totally stupefied formula on the two first-years faces."I'll give you better feedback when I've read it fully Miss Granger and then…"Flitwick turned to Malfoy"…I'll be sure to give it to you."With that the poor fellow wandered off humming faintly to himself.

"How."Malfoy had ira and shock in his eyes."You didn't have other copies. You said you didn't have other transcript !"

"I didn't."Hermione was surprised at the trace of smugness in her vocalism. Malfoy was looking at her with barely suppressed furor. Then he seemed to note something and for a instant his eyes widened in realisation then screwed up in even grim ire than before. Then Hermione realised he wasn't looking at her with such hatred, he was looking behind her. She turned and looked back down the corridor. And there stood the Marauders. Tired and resplendent, staring Malfoy down with five Cheshire-cat smiles. The Slytherin looked like he was about to blow a nervure, or possibly shoot steam out of his ears.

"YOU ! ! !"He bellowed striding towards them pointing with his wand."It was you !"Harry and his friends stood their ground against the kick and Malfoy was brought to a deadlock, it was that or walk into a human wall."You stole it ! When I tell my Padre he'll bring it to the school governors and…"

"Tell them what worm."Harry's vox was to the full of laughter.

"That we cunningly and evilly broke into your rooms and stole something awfully precious from your rooms ?"Parvati said in a interpreter like she was talking to a child. She leaned forward."Admit that we stole something that you stole yourself !"

"Even if you were willing to take a fall just to put us in trouble."Ron continued to a suddenly crestfallen Malfoy."Even if you did, where's the cogent evidence ? The reports right back where it should be and nothing else was taken from your rooms."

"Not even a shift bear."Harry raised his eyebrows and began chuckling. After a moment the balance of his gang began laughing as well. Malfoy turned and stalked away against a backdrop of hysterical laugh. Hermione was surprised to she was laughing too. At the end of the corridor Malfoy turned back and yelled…

"You win this round Potter ! But I'll get you next time !"

"I look forward to it."Harry said between wheezes."You can show me the rest of your stuffed animal collection."

*

The unfortunate by-product of the heist was that Malfoy was even to a greater extent acidic than usual in course of study that day. Despite repeated warnings from instructor he insulted Harry and the respite of the Marauders with every former breather. Fortunately though that breath was wasted as nine time out of ten the vulture in question was asleep on their electric chair. Hermione sighed, but not unhappily and reached for a new quill. She'd better name these bank bill good, it looked like they'd have to be copied from a few times. When she reached the common room there was a sixth chair by the fireside mesa. She smiled and felt warm inside for the first gear sentence in what seemed comparable forever and walked over to sit down with her friends.


I own nothing, certainly cipher Harry ceramicist related.

Seriously, i 'm not kidding ! Do I look richer than the nance ?



"Go on !"

"No ! I can't !"

"Go for it ! You've come this far."

"He'll see me !"Hermione glanced over the banister to where Snape was berating Ron and Neville for ‘ fighting'in the corridor. What the male child had in fact been doing was distracting Snape so he would follow and stand under the overhanging upper story. That office of the program had gone perfectly. The next part was proving problematic.

"Just choice it up and tip it on his head."Harry spoke slowly pointing first to the bucket of cooking oil ( a few pieces of burnt crybaby were still floating in it ) standing between them then down to the potions schoolmaster."Then we run like hell."

"You're all brainsick ! Any one of the stunts you've pulled could guarantee projection ! How retentive do you mean you can hold on getting away with it ?"Hermione's whisper was angry and gymnastic horse."And if you think"She pointed at his head"I'm tipping that"A gesture at the grease"over a Hogwarts teacher !"a finger stabbing down at Snape"You must be screwball !"She swung her arms wide in exasperation and they both heard a thumping, then a splashing noise.

Harry saw his ally face turn from righteous anger to grey dire fast as a hit peer. She kept her eyes firmly ahead and, as if denying what had just happened, shook her heading. Harry in demarcation had grinned like a maniac and now grabbed Hermione by the gown and began running off through the corridors pulling her after him. A moment later they heard a violent roar behind them

"WHO DID THIS TO ME !"Harry suddenly found himself as the being pulled along as Hermione outdistanced him."THE scholar WHO DID THIS WILL PAY WITH pain sensation !"Harry pulled Hermione to a stop and dragged her sideways into a little used corridor, with her still simple and ashen-faced he pushed her to a pre-opened window.

"Come on ! Just like the plan !"Harry said, then added"Only real !"Hermione almost jumped through the window and disappeared as she clambered up a run. Harry swung out after her, shut the window and slid onto the roofing tile above. He wasted no time in pulling himself back to the edge and poking his periscope back down to the edge of the glass. A bit later an irate Snape ran past. Harry only caught a coup d'oeil, but he thought the man seemed oilskin than usual. Harry rolled back and looked up at Hermione who still seemed shaken.

"I hope Parvati and Padma were in position with the photographic camera. I wouldn't have wanted to take to do all that again."Hermione's expression sent Harry into another fit of giggles.

*

A workweek or so latter the dawn bloomed bright and early as the marauder made their way down to the grass in front of the palace. Harry stopped to post up a few more than photograph after making sure the coast was clear. The Slytherins were tearing them down wherever they saw them on Snapes monastic order but Harry had even seen some of them trying to hide giggles as the wizard poster displayed Snape being doused again and again. The rest of the schooling didn't pain in the ass to enshroud it and the school had been awash with laughter ever since the first one went up three Day ago.

The teachers were all trying to find who was posting them ( Harry had caught both Flitwick and Sprout laughing when they thought no one was looking and even McGonagall had cracked a smiling when an incoherent Snape had burst into her classroom brandishing a wad of placard that had papered the main courtyard ). The instructor didn't fuck how so many of them were getting so many berth around the grounds. Harry knew, it was just a matter of a W. C. Handy rooftop and a follow hint. When he had seen some errant motion picture carried into the sky by gusts he had idly wondered just how far they'd go.

Hagrid too had been roped into removing them but when Harry went down to his hut to see him the colossus man had laughed and handed a peck of placard back to him.

"They told me I had to remove ‘ em down."Hagrid had said with a wink."They didn't say what I had to do with ‘ em after."Harry had been even happier to see a stack of envelopes on Hagrid's mesa. It looked like the dispersion was going to even all-encompassing than he thought.

The instructor search and Madam Hooch's early ill health were some of the rationality they were going to their first flying lesson bundled up in winter clothes.

"Now…"Madam Hooch's vocalization rang out over the assembled Gryffindors and Slytherins"Just raise your good hand over the broom and yell UP ! Just like this… UP !"Her Calluna vulgaris leapt obediently into her hand, Harry noted that it was varnished and looked a lot unexampled than the 1 the pupil had."Well go on…"

The class obediently placed their hands over their brooms.

"UP !"Harry yelled, feeling a bit foolish, the stick by his feet refused to budge."UP !"Harry looked around and saw first one then others of the class take their Calluna vulgaris."UP !"Harry thought maybe Malfoy had replaced his magic ling for a genuine broom in revenge but the thing had been handed out randomly. Harry shifted his foot surreptitiously underneath his broom and tensed ..."UP !"Harry grabbed the rising broom and held it nonchalantly on his shoulder. He caught Parvati looking at him and giggling.

"What ? I didn't do anything."

"That's right you didn't !"

A few bit later everyone had their brooms and dame Hooch was showing them how to grip the pudden-head things.

"Right, now… Just quetch off from the ground, hover for me for a second then leeee…an forward and float back down again."Madam Hooch demonstrated then held up her gloved hand."Three… Two… One."lot of the class rose unsteadily into the air, others remained grounded or had slipped off their rise broom. Harry glanced to his side of meat shame-faced as his heather resolutely refused to shew any device characteristic beyond long, wooden and waspish. Harry motioned towards Ron who was dropping down smoothly beside him and held out his broom.

"Let me try with yours."

"No, I don't want the dud broom !"Ron strafed out of compass to the side with a practiced mitt before coming to roost."Take Neville's."

Harry turned and saw Neville rising at a snails pace with a feeling of teeth-gritting concentration."At that rate the class'll be over before he gets down."Harry turned back"Come on, I just want to see whether Malfoy really has screwed this broom."

"Only herculean magic can interfere with most broomsticks."Hermione was landing ungracefully beside him, gripping the Scots heather with white knuckles. Harry chuckled at the sentiment that she still found concentration left to lecture them."These are old Scots heather but their still fairly resistant to that sort of thing."

"This isn't glowering legerdemain I'm talking about its him swapping it with a normal broom."Harry poked at the bristles trying to kindle some reaction."Why don't you lend me yours then, you don't tone like your in a hurry to fly again."

"And what is that supposed to think !"But Ron cut off any ensuing argument

"Oh fine…"He held out his broom."Just give it a stroke if you have to."

"Thanks."They swapped brooms and Harry got himself back into the prove horseback riding position. He hopped off the reason but dropped back down just as quickly.

"Still having bother ?"Harry saw Ron float over his question and drib down in social movement of him,"zilch ill-timed with this one mate."Ron knocked his knuckles against the Sir Henry Joseph Wood of Harry's broom."I think its even a lilliputian better than my one."

"In that case move over it back."As Ron laughed Harry held up his broom"Or I'll appearance you the other way to use one of these !"

"Having trouble Potter."no… not now…"Your flying's so pathetic even the weasel here can beat you and that's saying something."Malfoy floated along in front of Harry, sitting side-saddle and not even bothering to throw on."Didn't your don ever teach you to fly… Oh no delay I forgot ! He's a bit too moldy to sit on a Scots heather now !"The comment about his parents washed over Harry but the other diss bit and he sneered at the white hirsute kid in presence of him. Ron however erupted."What do you mean that's saying something !"He was back on his ling in a trice and whipped himself around Malfoy so fast the Slytherins robes billowed in the idle words."half of my sept's been on the Gryffindor Quidditch team !"

"As if that's saying anything."Malfoy shot back but he had had to spellbind his broom in the crosswind and was now sitting normally, staring Ron down."Gryffindor haven't won the cup in yr. Being on a team of losers is no laurels weasel."

"Yeah, they haven't won since my brother Charlie left !"Ron's broadside had began to appeal attention and Madam Hooch was walking over. Harry tried to overhear Ron's eye but failed."safe seeker in a decade ! He coulda'played for Engl…."

"Mr Weasly ! Mr Malfoy ! Decend at once !"Madam Hooch didn't wait for them to reply and instead grabbed the nominal head of their heather and yanked them to the floor. Ron fell in a jalopy, Malfoy kept his balance but only barely."I will have no contention in my social class and I distinctly told you to rise then free fall, not hover like blow fly !"The flying teacher spun and walked back to the eternal sleep of the course of instruction leaving Malfoy and Ron glaring at one another.

Harry shifted his broom under himself, all during the argument he'd tried to rise up and join his friend but the heather had refused to go. By the end of the deterrent example he'd flown once, a few wobbling understructure followed by a total collapse into the grass. Malfoy had laughed regretful than before and Harry said some matter that lost them house point ("An XI year old shouldn't know those words Mr Potter, much less know what they mean !") and the Marauders were a muted lot that ascended the stairs to Gryffindor tower. Parvati tried to fire up the tone by pointing out how many students had the drenched Snape posting on the rampart of their rooms and Harry decided to hold back moping.

"Right,"Harry cracked open a drink stolen from the kitchen."Down to the dangerous patronage. What have you all found out about Quirrell ?"

*

"I still think Snape's your bad guy Harry."Ron tapped his finger on the table as if to punctuate himself. Neville, Parvati and Padma all nodded but Hermione snorted dismissively.

"Just because you don't like person doesn't mean value you can blame them for anything Ronald."Hermione shook her head as if explaining to a child.

"It just doesn't make sense Ron."Harry continued"Snape may be a git but it doesn't make mother wit. He thinks Quirrell's trying to steal something, from what I overheard afterwards he probably is. Why would Snape play like he's accusing Quirrell when only Quirrell was in the room ! Also why would Quirrell play like it's him when nobody was in the way !"Harry leafed through some papers again while the others bickered, the day-to-day seer from a few month ago was there, a foray at gringots where nix was taken. Other things too, Quirrels records, researched through old file cabinet, an intelligent student, masterful in the theory if not the practice of defence against the darkness artistry, the last few years of his life spent travelling around dealing with dangerous dark beasts. Harry pushed them away and pulled over a dilutant filing cabinet, Severus Snape, potions superior of Hogwarts and yearn time envier of the denial against the dark arts post. There wasn't very much else, Snape didn't seem to be a very newsworthy person.

"It's right there."Ron was taking to him again. Harry pressed his custody to his temples, there's only so much insisting one can take."Snape wants the iniquity arts job and is trying to get Quirrell sacked."Harry was about to explicate then stopped, if the last XXX times hadn't done it…

"We're not going to know until we see what's on the tertiary floor."Padma said with a greenback of finality."Until then all this is just academic."She waved her hands over the board. Harry silently thanked her, he could always count on her to cut straight through the bull.

"We won't be capable to do it."Hermione crossed her arms."Well we won't !"She said to their recriminating stares"I'm not just being… being…"

"Yourself ?"Ron said and earned a kick from Parvati.

"existence strait-laced. I've been looking into it the Same as everyone else has which is exactly the percentage point. We've all been caught loitering around the one-third trading floor a few too many times. Did you hear what McGonagall said in family yesterday ?"They all did, she'd basically just repeated what Dumbledore had said at the start of term but she had looked right at them the entire time and each word had been clipped like little razors."She knows we're planning something and she probably knows we're behind the posters too, she just pitch prove it."

"So ?"

"So, Mr Ronald Weasley they are watching us like war hawk. I'll bet there's a instructor guarding the third storey right now and another just on the early side of meat of that door."She pointed at the other side of the fat dame portrait, from this side looking like a gob in the wall."Even putting aside the impression of detention, house-points and especially exclusion ! We'd never get close enough to the corridor to find anything. It's all your fault really"She continued without a breathing space."If you hadn't done your pointless rule breaking we might be able to find out really important stuff now."That remark was the grounds an argument broke out that Harry had to calm down with wit. It was also at to the lowest degree partially the reason Harry stayed awake that dark money box he was for certain Ron and Neville were asleep then got out his darkest wearing apparel and slipped out one of the windows before heading in the direction of the forbidden corridor.

*

Harry peered through a windowpane and saw prof transmitter idly marking some designation by the light of his sceptre while sitting on the stairs above the fat lady's portrait. Reminding himself to tell Hermione later ( she'd be insufferably smug but she deserved the gratification ) Harry slipped away and made his way over to the third floor corridor on the rectify hand side, or above it at least. The thing was in the middle of the building, no chimney or window reached it and Harry could only peer through a face window at the thaumaturge guarding the doorway… Quirrell… Standing in a patch of lumos-light, his phantasm jumping as he nervously twiddled his scepter in his digit. Harry slid inside and dropped behind a newspaper column. Quirrell was guarding it ? He'd been so sure… Maybe the others were right and Quirrell wasn't attempting theft after all. Or maybe he just hasn't gotten past the defences Snape mentioned yet. Then why isn't he inside the corridor trying to conk out through them. Harry's genial monologue was cut brusk as the answer leaned out of the fleck of iniquity it had been sequestered in, invisible even to Harry's eye's.

"Nervous Quirrell ?"Snape slid from his shadowy recession, his wand held lightly but readily in his hand."Or perhaps not well-chosen with the company."Harry saw now that it hadn't just been the trace, Snape's entire trunk blended into the setting, changing gloss like a chameleon. Only his eyes stayed the same, black holes even against the illume grey rock-and-roll behind him, it made them seem like they were floating above the ground.

"Why ever w…would I be unhappy Severus."Quirrell was leaning away from the wraith-like form before him."No one serious equipped to guard this place than you and I, Eh ?"

"Because if you were unhappy with this arrangement."Snape continued like nix had been said."You'd have to get used to it because I've made sure all our guard responsibility's occur on the Same nights Quirrell, won't that be fun."Snape laced the last word with such poison Harry was surprised the daddy professor didn't run like a rabbit. Instead he jumped like one and whimpered.

"Y…you truly don't trust me Severus ?"

"No Quirrell. I do not, have never and will never trust you."Snape slid back into his shadowy corner and once again became virtually invisible. Quirrell swallowed loudly and brightened his wand, peering into the darkness around.

But Harry was already prepared, while they had been talking he had sneaked around into the room next to the be-turbaned magician and entered. It was an empty classroom, desks piled up to the roof. Harry waited near the threshold as the searchlight beam swept past his position, swinging across the room like passing headlights before moving on. Harry waited patiently. ill-treat two was already in motion.

*

Crack…

"What was that !"Snape pushed forward from his hiding plaza at the minuscule but nearby auditory sensation. He pointed his camouflaged arm at the far bulwark, by some pillars."I heard something over there."

"I didn't hear anything."The rat said in his cowardly quavering tone."Perhaps you're… ha… ha… imagining things…Severus."

"It should be Snape from the the likes of of you."Snape kept scanning the dark before him and a bit later

Crack…crack…

"There."Behind a pillar, perhaps the ceramist boy or one of his ingroup trying to attain the corridor again. An irritation he didn't need with something so much more significant going on. The rat Quirrell needed observance. For now Snape wasn't sure whether he wanted the Stone for himself or for… for… Snape shuddered away from the name in his brain. Dumbledore said saying it would make him fear less but to Snape it was too much. The old fool didn't know, he hadn't been up close. Some thing deserve fear.

"Well if you think so th… then go over and check."

"Oh you'd passion that wouldn't you Quirrell."Snape jammed his baton under the servile wretch's chin. Quirrell squealed and tried to put up on his tiptoes to run the dark-wood point."leave you close to the door unsupervised while at the Lapplander time turning my cover on you. Something I will never do."Snape pushed the man towards the other bulwark."You go first."

They walked like hostage and kidnapper up the cold stone nerve tract to the pillar. Quirrell raised his verge. Not a chance…

"Back down by your English or I will take it and possibly the script It's gripped in too."Quirrell's arm stab back down. As they reached the pillar Snape let the rat take the lead and look around the corner. Better him to require the start blow if one came.

"There's n… zip here Sev…Professor Snape."No there isn't now, not after you distracted me for so long. Useless idiot.

Snape stepped around himself and saw nothing but three oddly placed rocks, all together, near the priming where they might induce fallen. They were both considering the conundrum when a shadow skirted the back rampart and stopped by the no-longer-guarded door.

*

"Alohomora."just a whispering like silk sliding over silk but the lock chamber clicked and Harry slid the threshold open just ever so slightly, then entered the proscribe hall.

"Ha."Harry thought as he took one last glance at the professors before closing the room access."Lighter than air liquorish. Eat it quick or it melts in the air ! also if you tie up a rock or two with it you get a interference about five minutes after you take it from its wrapping. Who needs Q when you have mail-order Honeydukes ?"Harry turned back and for the number one metre took a look at his surroundings.

Pitch Negroid. Not even eyes trained for this could penetrate it. Harry squatted down quietly and let his other common sense have a try.

Cold, clammy, slight intermittent air. Odd that, you'd think there was nowhere for a breeze to issue forth from. Also the air had been abruptly still out on the roof.

Damp scent with a confidential information of mud and mess. There was piss in there somewhere too and other things even less savoury. Bit like a wet dog smell…

And near importantly in a bone chilling, mettle leaping, cold-sweat, dry-palms, running-for-the-door-despite-Snape-and-all way, the sound of breathing. Heavy in-out breath with a hint of drool on them. More like snoring actually. Harry tried to chill out himself down and at to the lowest degree partially succeeded. Getting out his sceptre he smothered the tip in his robes then breathed.

"Lumos"

The glow through the cloth was like dead fireflies but it showed Harry the shape of what was in forepart of him. Its bulk half way to the roof and slowly uprising and falling with its breath. Like a muffled wraith Harry moved across the floor, skirting the rampart until he had travelled all the way around the brute, having to pace over its tail where it brushed the wall. There were no other doorway. This way and this beast was all there was to see. Harry edged closer to the strawman of the thing, his feet turned and poised to fly to the door at any moment.

"But what if I'm not debauched enough."Harry tried to silence his mentality but it kept up its shrill arriere pensee"What if its like a dragon and it doesn't matter how fast I am. It'll wake and I'll die in one bright flare in the iniquity !"

"It'll viewing for sure if you don't shut up and let me centralize !"Harry edged in closer to the fauna and stopped when his light revealed a modification of grain in the floor. Harry carefully traced its boundary in his head."A square… a trapdoor… that which is hidden… that which is forbidden."Harry grinned in the dark. The only problem was the dark wad obscuring one corner of the square, a paw or claw of the affair. Harry's apparent movement was as slow as drifting feathers and as quiet down as his hands found the bound of the thing, and the handle, on the reverse position to the claw. Harry wanted to carry off his wand but the sound he'd have to induce was worse than the stifled glowing. Harry reached for the trapdoor handle and applied the lightest feeling of draw to it, increasing by hairsbreadth width Harry felt the wood move.

A grunt near his shoulder made his muscles freeze and his core race. He felt flesh move all around him and the air brought new wafts of stench. But the fauna just grunted again and fell back into snoring. Harry eased the door up a one-half dyad more then hold fast his hand in and felt inside. No steps met his questing manus, just a consecutive shaft. Harry propped the door open with a rod and felt in his pouch. He drew forth a long string. His spry fingerbreadth felt the plummet on the end and he put it through the trapdoor then slowly and evenly paid out circle counting under his breath. The bowed stringed instrument went slack. About eight metre. With something easy he'd do it. With cold stone he'd ruin a leg. Harry wondered if a real wizard would love some self levitation charm to get themselves down safely. He pulled back up on the drawing string and suffered a surprise. It was stuck ! He tugged on it again. No give at all. He tugged again and in a nitty-gritty stopping moment, felt the rod brush his arm.

The trapdoor battering closed was like a cannon ball in the gut and Harry felt the darkness move around him. He threw himself backwards as a pharyngeal growl filled the room with primeval fear. He saw a shape the size of an oven smash down in front of him and pick up woods splinter and fracture. Harry whipped the material from his baton and the pure fantasm danced high on the walls before him as the massive rottweiler head turned and looked at him with bloodshot eyes. Harry dived again to deflect its teeth and looked up to see it descending from above him too ! Harry kicked off from the ground and slid, he felt hot breath on his rachis and the piece of cake of jaws behind him but he was gone. heterosexual into the ruined trapdoor and plummeting down the shaft.

*

Harry spun in the air and he felt severe pain as his head caught itself a crack on the passing wall. He landed in a flora and in a daze, his eyes showing him blackened touch more than anything else. He lifted his hand to his principal and was surprised to see it came back clean, without blood or possibly brains. He shook his chief to clear it and held his vibration hand and wand up to reveal his environment. A nondescript room with this plant covering the base, covering some of the walls too, and the roof, and him !

"What the underworld !"Harry shouted at the tendrils as they wrapped themselves around his legs. He tried to pull out them off but they were like telegram ! They wrapped his waist too ! Harry pulled and tore at the vines !"Acerbus cuspis !"Harry used the curse Snape had aimed at him but bare threads of light injection from his baton and the flora barely noticed. What was that other one ! ? Think ! Think !"Relashio !"red electric arc and heat shot from his scepter and where they hit the works drew back."Relashio !"Harry aimed at his legs and cried out as his skin burned. But he was exempt. He stumbled to his feet and blasted a few last tendrils. He leapt to the room access and pushed through, staggering down the corridor occasionally pointing his wand back in causa the demon plant had tried to accompany him, he reached another threshold and carefully pushed it clear, wand out in front he entered the elbow room, and was met by a strange sight.

Shining, fluttering glittering thing, flying near the ceiling hundreds of them. Harry edged out into the inwardness of the luxuriously vaulted space. The fairy sparks remained near the ceiling and Harry at last stopped eying them crooked. He walked over to the doorway on the former side and tried the handle. Locked. Obviously. It could never be easy could it ? Harry was just wondering what to do when he heard voices from behind him. Spinning like a start cat Harry saw swoon luminance coming from around the border of the door he'd just come through. The light and the vox got warm as Harry searched for a concealing property. He ran to a rampart buttress and grabbed for a handhold, thank heavens they like decoration around this place…

*

"I assure you Professor Dumbledore no one got yesteryear us. Unless they were… hm… Invisible ! Ha…"

"I am not impugning your ability Quirenius I merely wish to be sure."Dumbledore walked slowly as if there was no hurry. Severus had alerted him as soon as the dog had awoken and had himself tried to calm the beast which was tearing at the base near the trapdoor in a frenzy. Still, the old fool still had his wits about him. He'd made them both leave while he placated the dog so neither of them had seen how to do it. He'd conjured a staircase to take them down and a marble walkway over the devilsnare with a casualness that betrayed his dead on target might. Snape had to privately admit to himself he couldn't have replicated either feat. That made him squinch inside but he took some comfort from the fact that if he could not do it, Quirrell certainly couldn't and so the rock was still safe.

They emerged into the key chamber and Snape strode forward and jerked the handle. The door was still locked.

"They could have locked it from the former side."Ivy and keys ? Foolishness and amentia. The other teachers hadn't protected the endocarp nearly well enough.

"But if they had."Dumbledore said in his insufferably unruffled part."Then the key would give been locked on that side with them and I think… Ah !"The old man pointed a be-ringed finger towards the ceiling and Snape strained his center into the swarm of glitter but failed to find fault out which one the old man was indicating."It's still here. So… crisis averted. Or more correctly, there never was a crisis in the first place."

"fountainhead. I… I for one am calling my replacement."Quirrells voice was shrill and grating. Snape made a mental note to add de-lunging to his list of straining once he finally caught the yucky creature."I'm all of a fl… flutter."Quirrell turned and walked back down the corridor.

"Professor."Perhaps he'll listen to me now. Perhaps the doddering sap will listen to what I have to say now."As I have said before, Quirenius Quirrell has every intention of stealing the philosophers stone."Snape was so incensed he didn't even notice the movement above him in a high alcove, like soul getting into a better spot to hear."He was seen snooping around the Slytherin uncouth elbow room a week ago and he's never really explicate why he took the defense mechanism job in the low place."Snape couldn't move over voice to the real reason for his mistrust. A gut smell, a twisting knife in his pith and an aureole of menace he felt in every cell whenever Quirrell was nearby. An irrational fear too. A fright of being discovered, a fear that made every moment a silent prayer that his mental defences would hold and he wouldn't be found out for what he was. He hadn't felt like that in over ten years…

"And as I have said before Severus I have no understanding to mistrust Professor Quirrell."As he half turned away Snape could suffer sworn that Dumbledore's lips tilted into a quietly smiling."But if it would help you sleep best I will station my own security on the gemstone tonight rather than waiting until after Christmas."That was certainly a shock !

"Professor you have resisted every request that you add your own magic's to the shelter of the stone."He had. All the other teachers had done it but the headmaster had maintained he wasn't ready yet and he still needed to test."What has changed ? Have I truly swayed you ?"

"Many things have changed. Before I had not tested enough. Now I have."Dumbledore took a minuscule sweet out of his pocket and popped it in his mouth before continuing."I intended to do a bit more test but…"The old man spread his bridge player."I suppose the electric current rendering will probably work well enough."

"May I ask what this marvelous trade protection is ?"The headmaster had made some extraordinary title about what his protection would do."A security that not the Dark noble, nor any Death feeder, nor anyone with indirect request to use it for ill or greed could click ?"

"Ah Severus."Now the man was smiling. Sometimes the senile old man was just plain insufferable."You are always telling me I'm too trusting and now you want me to divulge my brilliant auspices ?"His smiling optic glanced at Snape over the top of his glasses before he turned and walked back down the passageway. There wasn't much Snape could do but follow him.

*

Harry waited a good half hour after seeing Snape disappear, just to be sure he was truly gone before slipping out of his hiding place and climbing down to the storey. With a furtive glimpse around he made for the doorway and was almost there before…

"Leaving already Harry ?"

Harry turned on his axis of rotation, his human face frozen mid gasp and looked up into the brass of Albus Dumbledore.

"Headmaster."Harry said doing his well to smile."I was just inspecting the security measures you have here. Sort of… um… assessing it for you so I could tell you where you could… improve…it…"Harry trailed off under that quizzical stare.

"And…"

"And ?"

"And how could I improve it ?"Dumbledore was half smiling when he said that. Under that warm smiling face Harry relaxed a picayune, this didn't flavor like a conversation that could end in expulsion.

"wellspring, the two headed dog was good."

"Last I looked it had three heads."

"Well I didn't control stick around long, I only met two. The plant life was less salutary though. A minuscule heat, a few flicker and it's backing away."

"Devilsnare has clamed older and wiser wizards than you Harry. You'd be amazed how few people can still imagine clearly enough to bite it away while being constricted."Dumbledore stepped forward and touched Harry's face. A mo later he nodded and touched Harry's forehead with his wand. A consequence later Harry felt an odd tingling fill him, the burning on his peg faded and disappeared, as did the excoriation he'd received throwing himself away from the dog."There. All better."Dumbledore moved back and folded his arms."And now I'm afraid to say I must ask the genuine reason you came down here tonight."Suddenly the air had grown colder. Expulsion was back on the table.

In defiance of custom Harry tried the truth.

"I overheard professor Snape threatening Professor Quirrell the night before Halloween."Dumbledore just nodded as if this was normal."Snape seemed to think he was going to try and steal something. We…"No, better he thinks I'm the only if one to fault"I worked out that it must be what's hidden here. What you got Hagrid to collect for you the same day we shopped for my school stuff. The same matter soul tried to go bad into Gringots to get later."

"The philosophers stone."When Dumbledore saw Harry's case he continued"Harry, don't feign shock I know you overheard my previous conversation with Professor Snape. What I wish to know is why you came here in the middle of the night and alone."

"Couldn't endangerment anyone else. And besides, they all make too very much noise for this sort of work."Harry tried to picture Neville sneaking past the dog and giggled."The only when way I could do this was alone."The other reason of course was that after being humiliated by Malfoy on a broomstick he'd wanted to shew to himself that he could do it alone.

"Harry. As amazed as I am to say this it is possible you are going to turn over out to be more worry than your father. I never thought anyone would challenge that crown."Dumbledore's smiling was back, and this metre not a half one. He shook his promontory ruefully then frowned as if a painful retentivity was surfacing. But the smiling was back in a present moment and he motioned Harry over to the wall behind him where a tall mirror was stood.

"That wasn't here before."

"I brought it down after conversing with Professor Snape."

"This is your protection ? What your using to protect the stone ?"

"Part of it."Dumbledore looked thoughtfully at the mirror for a minute then turned back to Harry."Its called the Mirror of Erised. face into it and enjoin me what you see."

Harry obediently moved in front of the mirror and stared into his manifestation. He wasn't alone in the mirror. Behind him stood the new vulture, some of the other students he'd talked to around the school, Hagrid, even Malfoy for some ground, more faces he'd met and some masses he hadn't but still felt some odd association to, as if they were… supporter. As he watched he saw himself age, and the others around him too, passing through teenage years he grew taller, passing further and further, lines appeared on his face, then grey in his whisker. He grew to an old man, smiling, surrounded by his Quaker. Then in an instant he was back as a child and he saw it begin again.

"What does it mean ?"Harry looked at the silver haired professor who was standing nearby."Is it showing the future ?"

"One could hope so, but no."Dumbledore seemed proud of but faintly surprised as he looked down at Harry."The mirror shows us zip more or less than what we truly desire above all else. You Harry, who by your own choice lived a unfrequented and cold childhood desire friends, and familiar and more than than that ..."Dumbledore took Harry by one shoulder and kneeled down to talk to him face to face"…you want to sleep together you'll celebrate them. You want to know that you don't have to go back to the cold life. Because that is what you most fear."

Harry looked back at the mirror. The faces were still there standing behind him, some were laughing now, or talking amongst themselves. The flesh were growing misty for some rationality, Harry wondered if there was something amiss with the mirror. Then he felt the stinging in his eyes. Wordlessly, Dumbledore handed him a tissue.

"Let me take you back to your room Harry."He said quietly."Your friends are waiting for you."They walked calmly back through the rooms and out into the sleeping castle.

*

"So."Said Harry at a loss for conversation."How ‘ d you get past the other protections ?"The master fixed him with a decisive eye.

"I reckon I could get past ‘ em."Harry grinned up at the old sensation."Got past two didn't I ?"

"Indeed you did. The details of which I would prefer you stay fresh to yourself."He smiled back down at Harry."And perhaps you are justly. I strongly suspect that my own protection would not hassle you at all."

"Hm, how do you get past a mirror ? check it ! That's the solution isn ‘ t it."

"Oh please Harry. Do you really believe my security would be so crude."

"Exactly. It ‘ s so simpleton that no one would suspect ! That's how I ‘ d do it."

"Then I am thankful Harry, that I am not actually employing you."

*

"Harry !"Ron's voice filtered down from the first years way to where Harry was idly skimming through one of his schooltime Christian Bible by the Xmas tree."What are you doing down there ?"

"What do you mean ?"Almost no one else left in the Gryffindor common way since everyone was away for the holidays, thus Harry didn't feel the pauperism to mince his part when yelling back to Ron. It was just one of the fun things they had worked out about being left behind. Of trend Ron wouldn't have kept still anyway. Ron had no book mastery."And Merry Christmas Day to you to !"

"Merry Christmas Day ? Yeah I can see why you'd leave that to live seeing as you've left all your presents up hear."Ron emerged from the staircase and tossed a confront at Harry who caught it before it could bump over a lamp."Why'd you just pull up stakes them up there ?"

If Harry had been honest he would have said that he'd just assumed they were Ron's. Instead he went for…

"Didn't want to waken you. And why are you using my presents as projectiles ? What if it had been fragile ?"

"Nah mate."Ron shook his top dog ruefully"I can severalise what that one is, however you wrap them they all feel the same."Harry unwrapped the share and pulled out a blue, knitted pinny. On the front line were three juggling balls in red, yellow and green."My mum."Ron said holding up a similar article."She makes them for all of us. Must have heard you weren't expecting many presents."

"Its pretty good. Very debonair."Harry pulled the sweater on over his head and they went back up to the room to get the rest of the presents. Of course Harry had sent his friends presents ( inadequate Digger had been run ragged. The slight owl was so eager to please she didn't seem to take any gaolbreak in trajectory. ) but it kind of failed to tick in his caput that he ‘ d probably get some in return. Harry noticed one with Hermione's refined handwriting on it ( after all, he ‘ d copied off her distinction decent times. Occasionally even with permission. ) and pulled it over first.

"It ‘ ll be a rule book mate."

"Wow Ron, a midst, heavy, orthogonal bundle from a known scholastic ? And just from that you can guess it's a book ?"

"That, and she got me one too."Ron held up a book with a checkerboard cover, there was a rook on the front but Harry couldn't read the title. Pulling the paper off his own present tense he smiled. It was an expectant selection of chocolates but what made him grinning was the Federal Reserve note on the top that said


Admit it, you thought this was a rule book didn't you ?

Ron himself had provided Harry with an absurdly orange hat and Neville had found him some juggle wand charmed to drop behind rainbows in the air behind them when thrown. Padma and Parvati had got him books, but it looked like they'd collaborated because the titles read Secrecy and Illusion, charms of concealment and Beyond allohamora, unlocking your obstacles. near of the rest were victuals things ( not that Harry minded ) and he bit into a bar of chocolate while settling down to read.

*

Harry popped the sec to last of his Christmas chocolates into his mouth and handed the live one to Parvarti who was skulking in the shadows nearby. At least it was a skillful Night, nights with rain had been rather unpleasant. For the past few months the predator had been working on the Quirell mystery but getting nowhere. Eventually one day when they were researching in the program library Harry threw his Word of God away in disgust and said

"This is pointless."

"You ‘ re the one who said we had to get him mate."Ron had been staring at a volume on antediluvian alchemy for the past half hr. He hadn't turned the page.

"We do have to get him."Harry waved his hired hand wearily over the tabular array."But we ‘ ve gone through all this stuff. We ‘ re not gona find anything this way."

"We can ‘ t really do anything else Harry."Herminone had pointed out. Of course she would say that. She was probably enjoying this."We just don't know enough about what he ‘ s doing."

"No…"And that was when the idea had formed in Harry's mind. It was so simple he wondered why he hadn't thought of it before."But we can find out."

"How ?"Neville had asked.

"We become his phantasm. We watch him everywhere he goes. He ‘ s got to drop off up eventually right ?"

Organising a dark watch had seemed like a lot more fun than it was. In team of two they rotated, each team taking either the low gear half of the night, the second half or having a Nox off. After a hebdomad and a half of reduced sleep the 1st year rascal were getting a bit tatty. At least he was paired with Parvarti. She was mostly cheerful.

"This isn't working."Or not…

"We know he's going somewhere. Some nights."Ron had woke them all after one of his troll with the news that Quirrell had slipped out furtively. Him and Hermione had moved swiftly to the third base corridor to head him off, but he had never showed."We just involve to go for a little longer."

"But I'm tired."The usually chipper twin hadn't taken well to the hours."And he's never going to come in out."

"Funny you should say that…"Harry ducked low and pulled the female child down with him as he saw the door to Quirrells quarters outdoors and close, permitting the instructor to scuttle off down the hall.

"Yes ! We've got him. Lets go !"The tiredness had drained from her human face and she had regained a grin. She moved off without a word but Harry had started in the opposite charge."Hey ! The third floor corridor is that way !"

"Yeah but we don't know he's going there."Harry held her hand as they walked a roof ridgeline on the face of a courtyard."I'm not making the same misapprehension as the others, I'm not letting him out of my sight."They slid silently down a drainpipe onto a prostrate cap above the kitchens and Harry saw the turbaned wizard parapraxis out a side door, cross the courtyard, then accede a door leading to the entree hall.

"wellspring we can't…"But Harry held up one finger to hush up her and a moment later they, heard a door chess opening and closure then could clearly see the dark pattern of the wizards robes as he crossed the dry land towards the prohibit timber."What do we do now ?"

"We watch him."Harry said it without the conviction it usually held and with a good dose of awe in there as well."You go back and tell the others."But he was surprised when she shook her head.

"No, I'm going with you. You can't go in there alone."She started moving before he had a chance to object."Besides, I've heard there are centaurs in there. I wouldn't creative thinker seeing a centaur."

*

"Do you know where your going ?"Parvarti hadn't seen any Centaur, but there had seen other things skulking between the Tree. Harry looked back and wished he would own offered some reassurance. He knew he could recover the way back, wellspring probably. He had made sure as shooting to punctuate it at regular intervals with cuts on the tree torso. But tracking a man through forest was cypher he had even thought of doing before. They had entered the woods at about the same spot as Quirrell and Harry had had his Bob Hope boosted by finding a footmark effect in mud nearby but after that nothing.

He was vaguely mindful that they should wait out for break down branchlet or birdsong but the branchlet seemed to have no discernable feature film and the wood was eerily quiet. Except for the things.

"looking at at this !"Parvarti was pointing at a leaf nearby. When Harry moved closer he saw what she was pointing at. A silver liquidness covered the leaf, it felt slick and greasy under his fingers. Also slightly warm."And there's more."Again she was right, there was a lead leading across the path they'd been taking more liquid tinged the dry land in both counselling."It must have been bleeding !"

"It ? What it ?"

"The unicorn silly !"Parvarti pointed her burglars lantern back at the leaf."Oh I cant imagine what could do such a affair ! This is unicorn parentage Harry, and it looks refreshed !"

"It is."Confirmed Harry with a draft."Its even still warm."Why are we here ? Why did I do this ? Why didn't we get the others or separate McGonagall or… Harry tried to retain his facial expression impassive but it was hard.

It was one thing knowing nasty things were out in the woods butchering nice things, quite another to own proof and another still to have them be so close that the stock wouldn't have had time to cool in the Night air. He looked at his friend and was suppressed to see no fear in her face, only anger that something would injure a unicorn.

"But which way did it do ?"She shone her light world-class one way then the other.

"This way."Said Harry in numb quality and pointed at the ground ahead. In the mud there, well-defined for all to see, was the dog of a boot print. Harry didn't want to allow in even to himself that his first instinct on seeing the print was to point the other way. That or run for the Benny Hill."Alright. conclude the shutter on the light right down, we can see the rip well enough. And go slow."Parvarti did as she was told and they set off again into the forest. Harry couldn't have told anyone afterwards how long they had walked, it seemed like an timelessness. The splatter of blood grew larger and more frequent, the further they went until.

"!"Harry stopped dead and put his hand out flat in battlefront of the other Marauder. There was a glade up ahead, bathed in the gibbous moonlight and the night air carried auditory sensation to them. It sounded like an obscene slurping and gurgling and along with it there were the sound of faint movement. Harry pointed left, around the edge of the clearing then once again put up a individual finger. Silence.

They moved around until they were behind a fallen tree then slowly looked over the top of the log. Through the offset that his them they saw an awful lot. The unicorn was splayed on the level like it had been run to ground and a cloaked flesh hunched over it, drinking its blood out through its wounds.

A tug on Harry's sleeve brought him back to the moment and he crouched back down with Parvarti. Her face was a ikon of angriness and she mimed jumping over the log while brandishing her lantern. Harry shook his head firmly. What the hell was she thinking ? She gestured more firmly then touched her heart and made a pumping move. What was that supposed to mean ? She opened her mouth and mouthed something to him but he couldn't recite what. She did it again more exaggerated and the meaning hit him with sickening certainty.

"It's still live !"
Harry looked over the log again and saw what he had missed the first time. The Unicorns chest was indeed still moving up and down and its hint disturbed the detritus near its capitulum. He sat back down and made the spirit pumping motion while nodding, he'd seen it too. Obviously Parvarti wanted to relieve the puppet if potential. Harry stuck his finger in the malicious gossip between them and wrote one word.

HAGRID

Then pointed to her. She nodded, then pointed to him. He smiled and wrote one Sir Thomas More word.

DISTRACTION

*

Without further ado he moved further around the clearing so that when he ran he would take the thing away from the focal point Parvarti would have to go to get help. He was glad to see her moving off too, rather than arguing with his decision. Harry wrapped the scarf joint round his head again and tucked it in so it wouldn't unravel. This would do, he thought. No signified waiting around. He got out his wand, took careful aim and yelled

"Acerbus cuspis !"

The cloaked pattern was caught off guard and some of Harry's faint spears had hit it. It flinched back, more storm than damage then an new noise came from its hood, a drawn out athirst speech sound. Like a snake having a rat dangled in its aspect. Wonderful, thought Harry as the thing rose up, Uncle Vernon always said I was vermin.

It was as if that thought snapped him out of his reverence paralysis and he ran, away from the clearing and the affair. He moved without thinking, feet slamming on self-coloured ground where potential and pushing off roots and mud when not. Harry never looked behind him but he knew the thing was still on him. He moved into new sections of the forest where the Tree were different shapes, older, newer, taller, more brushwood they all shot by him in an instant, too fast for him to see properly. He did notice that they weren ‘ t confluence any beast and thought that they were probably scared of the thing behind him.

He reached a loggerheaded stand of tree and skirmish and slipped in sideways. Here he risked a look back. zip. face ? Front ? Nothing. Harry allowed himself a controlled breath. It looked like he had lost it. Harry sat for a second on a log and let his peg balance. The fatigue of the past calendar week and the emphasis of the night caught up to him at once and he sagged against the tree behind him. He didn't know how long he sat there, he may even have fallen asleep but he did lie with what caused him to come to attention suddenly. A twig breaking nearby. Harry moved slowly and backed away from the source of the sound when a paw grabbed him from arse and swung him around roughly. Harry's fear of attack turned into relief, then quickly back into fear.

"Out for a midnight stroll Potter ?"

"professor Snape."Harry said trying his best to put on a good look."Thank god you found me."

*

The boy walked in silence in forepart of him as Snape led him back towards the castle. The appeal he'd laced the edge of the forest with had tripped, waking him and warning him that Quirrell had gone on another of his nightly sashay. But once again the little insect had eluded him and he'd been on his way back when he'd seen Potter in a pedestal of Tree. His oral cavity felt like twitching into a smile, at least some good could come of tonight's work.

"What are you going to do when we get back to the castle."The boy voice was steadfast than he expected. Planning something… Ha ! Just like the former Potter this one thought he was smart.

"We are going to your head of house. Then to Dumbledore. Then you can explain what you were doing in the forbid woodland after hours."Snape allowed himself a moment of joy then said."Then you can go back to your room and ingroup for the train journey back. From which you will never return."

"But what if I've got a good reason for being here ?"

"What possible cause could that be ?"

"Lapplander ground you are. Following Quirrell."Had that been a shot in the wickedness ? He tried to catch the insufferable kid's eyes but he looked straight ahead."And unlike you I succeeded."

"Quirrell is a confrere teacher. With every right hand to gossip the forest if he so chooses."

"Oh."The scion of his enemy said brightly."So you wouldn't be worry in what he's doing in there then ?"

Insufferable, Worthless, Sneaking, COWARDLY, MANIPULATING !, WORM ! ! Snape took a moment to tack together his thought before turning Potter and looking directly into his optic. There was a flash, a table, some faces… a scowl crossed the male child face for a instant then he shook his head worriedly. Even Snape could not conceal his blow as a blank rampart appeared before him, slowly fading over the retentivity. The boy was an Occlumens ! But he couldn't know what he was doing, it must be subconscious mind ! With a waver of care his eyes were drawn to the scar on the son forehead. Or was it entirely subconscious ? great power would be transferred in such an event, expectant power…

"What are you suggesting ?"Inside himself he was seething. He so wanted to see the son of James Potter expelled. It would make up for so lots but… Quirrell was more important, if there was even the tenuous chance the Harlan F. Stone could be use to bring back… Potter could wait for another time.

"You forget this ever happened and in one week I ‘ ll tell you what I saw tonight."Smug and unacceptable. And in this case right.

"Why one hebdomad ?"

"Because it would look odd if in one week you go to Dumbledore and say ‘ I caught Harry Potter in the forest a week ago, I just didn't tell you till now.'” They had entered the palace now and were on their way to the park room. They stopped outside the portrait door."wellspring ?"

"Agreed."

*

Harry breathed again and slipped in through the doorway. A here and now later he was attacked ! Visiously and unexpectedly, it took him a minute to earn it was Hermione. She had thrown her arm around his neck and was sobbing against his chest.

"We thought…"She sniffed giving Harry a prospect to attend around. Everyone was there, including Parvarti. They all looked relived."That it had… got… you."

"assume it easy alright. I'm alright."Harry levered her off him and took a breath only to be re-bowled over as Parvarti hugged him."What the ?"

"We shouldn't have left you. And it was me who wanted to relieve it in the first place, I…"

"I. Am. Fine."He pulled her of as well and was about the speak before looking up expectantly at Padma.

"Oh fine if everyone else is doing it."She stood up and hugged him too. Then let out a fake sob and said"And I broke a nail this dayspring !"Harry grinned and she returned to her post at the table.

"So, now we know what he ‘ s doing the next step ‘ s to find out why. And what we ‘ re gona to do about it."



*

The next few weeks were full of disappointment. Except for the Slytherins who got a impermanent reprieve from pranking. Hagrid had saved the unicorn and in thanks for their help he told them all about the properties of unicorn descent and what it could be used for. Snape hadn't been any help, when Harry told him the news report a workweek later he merely nodded and told him to get out. From what they knew they could work out that Quirrell was after immortality but for what rationality ?

"Maybe he ‘ s not after it for himself."Neville had said one day. Harry tried to always plow Neville's suggestion as smart in the hope it would persuade the boy to talk Thomas More."You said he called someone original when he thought he was alone."

"But he was alone Neville."Ron apparently hadn't heard about that plan."Wait… that's our explanation. He ‘ s nutcase ! Nuts ! He ‘ s prob'ly talking to his pillbox !"

"Or he had some variety of magic communicator in his room."Padma said scathingly."Something he was talking to someone through."

"Oh, yeah."Ron looked down a picayune sheepishly. Then brightened."Hey ! Maybe if we got our hands on the communicator we could, I don't know, trace it back to this master ?"

"That would depend on how sophisticated it is."Hermione's voice came from behind a atomic pile of books, shed already begun revising for the end of class exams and at to the lowest degree some of the other marauders seemed to want to join her."But Dumbledore could probably do it."

"Alright then."A plan began to take form in Harry's mind."Dumbledore said he had no reason to mistrust Quirrell and Snape's got no proof to show him otherwise. If we get this communicator then they've got the proof they need and they can prompt to stop Quirrell."

"But Harry. We don't know where the communicator is."

"I know. That's why we ‘ re going to burglarize Quirrell."

"Is ‘ burglarize ‘ even a word."Padma asked.

"The spellchecker seems to think it is."

"What's a spellchecker ?"

"it's a spell that detect misspelled words, underscore them in red."

"I really need to revise."

*

But the chance didn't come for a long while. Quirrell had begun sleeping with his windowpane closed and the lock on his door resisted all the thaumaturgy in beyond allohamora. ("I can't believe you gave him that."Hermione had said"Its like giving a monkey the key to the plantation."Ron had shot back"Yeah, or you the key to the library !") and there was nothing to be done but wait and watch for Quirrell to slue up. There was a addition slope though. Guard duty gave them plenty of time to retool. Then the exam came, atrocious and inevitable with the fright and uncertainty that came with them.

The only ones Harry was at any way comfy about were magic spell and astronomy, the latter because unlike other social class he actually paid attention and the onetime because ( perhaps due to his Christmastide present ) he was genuinely good at the spells. Potions was a nightmare and defence against the obscure liberal arts worse. Quirrell had taken to watching him out of the recess of his eye when he thought Harry wasn't looking. Harry hadn't told the others, Quirrell wasn't watching them and he didn't want to occupy them.

Even with the exam and their continued failing in their job it was arduous to feel bad. The weather had turned to wonderful and student could always be found out sunning themselves on the grass. Harry was just on his way to spend an good afternoon in just such a manner ( the relief of the piranha already waiting ) when he looked up and saw what he had been waiting for for calendar week. Quirrells window, open.

Harry glanced around, did he dare go up on the rooftops in the midsection of the day ? When the whole shoal would be capable to see him. Harry turned to where he knew he could climb up and stopped. Should he get the others ? No. Quirrell might pass and their simply prospect would be lost. He quickly scurried up the rampart and slipped in through the window.

The room smelled strongly of garlic and indeed there were garlic clove hanging in various billet around the room. He quickly began searching using what they knew of communication charms, mirrors were often used, sometimes gems or crystals. He checked the mirror in the bathroom but it appeared to be the normal sort ( no reaction when tapped with a wand ). He was about to check the sleeping accommodation when he heard a voice behind him.

"ejaculate into my front room said the wanderer to the fly."




banker's bill, if your wondering why some of the chapters are twice the length of the others it 's because they used to be two chapters. I put some of them together because its taking so long to get the poppycock posted. Also because they seemed pointlessly short before.


"Well, well, well."prof Quirrell had lost his stutter and stood in strawman of the interlace door with his baton pointed at Harry's bureau."You do get yourself into a great deal of awkward situations."

"it's a gift."Harry tried not to glance at the windowpane. It was still heart-to-heart, and there were some trees in the court below. He might establish it.

"No !"Quirrell flicked his wand and the window banged shut. Another flick and it glowed for a moment, accompanied by a squelching speech sound."No, you're not leaving that way Potter."He grabbed Harry's arm, jerked his wand out of his pocket then pulled him to the door. The 1st year could feel the tip of Quirrells wand against the minor of his binding."Now walk, calmly and unhurried. To the third floor."

The corridors that were always so full of smiling students were virtually empty now. All of them outside enjoying the sun. The few he saw in the distance too far away to signal to.

"nerve forward."Quirrell hissed."If you attempt to discourage anyone then that person dies then you die is that open ?"

"Why are you taking me up there ?"Harry tried to convince his head to bring but he seemed to be missing brain cells.

"Oh that's quite simple. Your going to help me, I knew what you and your little friends were up to so I laid a ambush. Now you are going to attend to me with something, with two things actually. The outset is simple, all you have to do is fiddle along. Lie. You're thoroughly at that yes ? The second is a bit more building complex. You see…"They grew close to the corridor and Quirrell pulled him to a stopover and into a disused schoolroom."I've spent the year devising foolproof manner to get past each defence except one that still eludes me."

"Snape."Good old sneaky love child Snape.

"Yes Snape."Quirrell drew an odd potion from his robe, it was pitch black and looked oddly oily."His auspices I don't make out how to pass but… that is for later. For now ? drinking this."He held out the potion."Just a sip, we only need the outcome for a few minutes."Harry hesitated."Do it ! Do it or you die !"

Harry took a tiny sip of the potion and instantly felt the force. His workforce seemed to grow and he pulled off his shoes as the insistence in them increased. Black haircloth grew down in front of his heart and he flicked it out of the way. After a few moments the force ceased and he stood up again, taller by far than when he had begun.

"Ah, wonderful."Quirrell said smiling."Now put these on."He handed Harry some hanker saturnine robes and gestured to the mirror nearby. Harry took them and walked over, stopping for a moment in jolt. He looked like Snape !"Get on with it boy !"Harry struggled into the robes then did them up and allowed Quirrell to lead him towards the dreadful corridor. Harry saw prof Flitwick and Sinestra outside the door. Sinestra was sitting interbreeding legged and appeared to be meditating in some way. Quirrell prodded him in the back. Of line, Snape would make the offset motion. He tried to make his voice as sneering as possible then said.

"We're here to relive you."Apparently that was all that's needed as the two teacher nodded and left the corridor murmuring goodbyes. Quirrell pulled him towards the door."What if they meet the real Snape ? They'll know he's not here."

"Professor Snape was called away unexpectedly."Quirrell smirked confirming to Harry that his absence seizure was no coincidence."He thinks he arranged a replacement on safeguard duty but unfortunately the owl never got through. Oh and in case you were wondering your precious Dumbledore is gone too, called away to the ministry. No one can help you."

"I can help me."Harry thought desperately as they entered the room with the monster dog. Its three oral sex instantly rose to check them but Quirrell pointed his wand at the floor nearby and a harp appeared. Another composite bm and it began plucking out a simple strain. The keen beasts eyelid drooped and it fell quickly asleep.

"seminal fluid on boy ! I haven't got all day."Quirrell pulled him forwards to the trap room access then pulled it open. He whispered a little charm and a rope began curling its way out of his wand. Quirrell seemed to bear to concentrate a with child heap to extract this off and Harry backed away slowly. He felt some thing behind him and put a script back to find. It was the harp. Acting on instinct, Harry grabbed the mouth harp and smashed it as hard as he could against one of the dogs giant paws. The dog awoke with a roar and bit through the harmonica remains in a single chomp. Then it turned to the other intruder in its room.

"Boy ! What do you think you're…"But then Quirrell was forced to defend himself as the great fountainhead reared up above him. He screeched a single word and fireball smacked one on the nose. Harry took the opportunity and bolted for the room access."I'm not done with you yet Potter !"Quirrell screamed. Harry glanced back in fourth dimension to see red light, then darkness.

*

"Where the sin is Harry ?"Ron glanced back at the castle irritated."He said he was only gon na be a few minutes."

"Why are you worrying Ron, when you could be sunbathing !"Parvarti stretched out on the ground and sighed happily.

"He's probably just got distracted by something Ron."Hermione was doing her eccentric of sunbathing. With a Koran."Honestly, sometimes I think he has a myopic attention span than… than… well than you !"

"I can't believe your reading out here."Ron caught the quaffel thrown to him by Neville then threw it back."The exams are over Hermione."

"For this year."

"You're actually revising for following yr exams ?"Ron shook his capitulum then yelled"Hey !"as a quaffel smacked into the face of his head.

"Oh sorry Ron."Padma commented with monolithic insincerity."Were you not ready ?"

"Oh look the mudblood Army seem to be missing a general."The piranha turned en raft to see Malfoy strolling towards them with his hands in his pouch."Better get used to it though."

"What did you say !"Ron yelled at the like metre as Hermione said"What do you mean get used to it ?"

"I mean trash,"Ron's fists clenched."That your little hero seems to give birth finally gotten into more trouble than he can handle. Oh yes, I saw a teacher carting him off. Looked raging too."

"Which teacher ?"Padma's head seemed ominously unruffled in the open air.

"professor Quirrell, but don't think that… Hey !"But Ron had grabbed him by the strawman of his coat, knocking his sceptre away. The redhead was vaguely aware of his friends surrounding him with verge drawn. Keeping Crabbe and Goyle at bay.

"Where did you see them ?"Ron punctuated each word by shaking the Slytherin up and down."WHERE !"

"Th… Th… third base floor. That corridor with the maypole painting."Ron let him go. That was right next to the dog's room.

"Mr Weasley !"McGonagall was striding across the undercoat in anger."I never expected such trigger-happy demeanour from…"

"Professor McGonagall !"Ron interrupted her ( something never done ), bringing pant from the onlookers."Harry ceramicist's in danger. And so's the Philosophers Stone."

*

"Wake Island up Mr Potter. rise and shine for the brand new day."The time slid around the black cocoon of Harry's unconscious."Now now, that won ‘ t do. Up !"Pain blossomed in Harry's stomach and the sting of it pulled him back to reality. He drew himself up on the frigidness Oliver Stone storey shaking terribly. The prospicient arm of his robe fell down over his arms and he realised he was back in his own consistency. Quirrell aimed another beast kick at Harry ‘ s thorax and he sprawled on the story again.

"You think that's pain thrower ?"Yep, sure seemed like it, at the very least he had a cracked rib."I can precede you to the torture oath if you want. If you choose not to co-operate with me."Harry raised his pass wearily and realised that he was in a new way. fervidness blocked both doors and on a board in the essence a row of bottles stood, twinkling in the torchlight.

"Wh… where ?"

"The traitors trial."That hadn't sounded like Quirrell. Harry looked up and saw care in Quirrells centre.

"So."mentation Harry."He has the communicator on him. That must stimulate been his masters voice and whoever the superior is he's scared of him."

Quirrell bent over the table and read with a smile…

"risk lies before you, while safety lies behind,
Two of us will help you, whichever you would receive,
One among us seven will let you strike ahead,
Another will ship the drinker back instead,
Two among our number hold only nettle wine-coloured,
Three of us are cause of death, waiting hidden in rail line.
Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,
To facilitate you in your choice, we give you these hint four :
starting time, however slyly the poison tries to cover
You will always find some on nettle wine-coloured 's entrust English ;
moment, different are those who stand at either end,
But if you would be active onward, neither is your ally ;
Third, as you see clearly, all are different sizing,
Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their inside ;
Fourth, the second base left and the secondment on the right
Are twins once you taste them, though different at first off sight."

The wizard shook his headspring angrily.

"What sort of a undertaking is that ? You don't even need magic. And besides, I've never taken the logical way of life to get solution. I so prefer the… observational approach."He picked up one of the feeding bottle at random and held it out to Harry with a sallow grin."Drink up !"

*

"He's there !"Ron was shouting now. Heedless of the steadily stream of ruby that must have been leaving the hourglass in the neat Hall."He's there right now having god knows wha…"

"Mr Weasley ! If you can not control yourself I will give you dragged to my office where I will flue your female parent ! And we will talk over your go on bearing at this schoolhouse !"The argument had moved from the exterior to the corridors as the deputy sheriff headmistress had failed to listen."As it is you are all already in decent trouble for just knowing about the stone ! Let alone disesteem to a Hogwarts professor. Two prof in fact as I think prof Quirrell will want to pick up about the basis accusations you have made."

"But you don't…"Ron was brought to a halt by a deal on his berm. He turned to see Neville holding him back with a panicked look on his case. He shook his head quickly.

"You should listen to your acquaintance Mr Weasley."The professor said while turning and walking down the hall."Now you will all follow me to my office where we can decide…"

"Petrificus Totalus !"

The marauder gang watched in utter silence as their top dog of house went stiff then slowly but inexorably fell backwards. Ron caught her and lowered her to the floor, ashen faced. He looked rhythm to see Neville standing with his wand out and a horrified expression on his typeface.

"I… I … I had to…"Neville stuttered without moving."God, that was like cursing Gran."

Ron looked down at McGonagall face. A person shouldn't be able to educe fear while only moving their oculus but somehow the set of them said there would be hell to pay.

"Ok then."Padma broke the muteness."Since it seems we're going to get expelled anyway lets go get our boy."

*

"Nil for two Mr Potter !"Harry fell choking on the floor as Quirrell took a sip of the potion he'd just proved was dependable."Still born golden I see."Harry fell into a fit of coughing that wracked his soundbox with hurting. He pulled his chief back and idly noticed the parentage all over his sleeve. So, more than a cracked rib then.

When he had refused to drink the first bottle Quirrell had used some sorting of bludgeoning whammy that squashed him back to the floor. As he had lain there vainly trying to get his breath back Quirrell had pulled his fountainhead back and tipped the potion down his throat. The second gear time he had tried to resist more and been formally introduced to the cruciatus curse. He was ashamed to say he willingly took the bottle in shaking deal and drank a sip himself. All the meter feeling wretched and a Noel Coward.

"Now."Quirrell looked down on him almost proudly."Since you seem to make learned your place in this little drama."The sadist looked down for a response but Harry didn't rise to the lure. He wasn't sure he had the Department of Energy too even if he had wanted."I'll let you pick out the next one."He waved his hand over the remaining bottles and stood waiting.

Harry pulled himself up on the edge of the board and tried to add a brain cell to bear."Hermione where are you when I need you ?"He must consume said it out loud because Quirrell laughed and said

"I could get her if you want. I'm trusted she'd like to see the cruciatus curse. As a purely academic study. Of class to fully appreciate it I would have to do it on her as well."Harry looked from one nursing bottle to another and a snatch of song came back to him.

Neither dwarf nor jumbo holds death in their insides.
Harry's middle slid to the smallest feeding bottle in the row. His hand shook almost too much for him to call for the bottle cork out and he spilled some as he took a sip. An instant low temperature virtuoso trickled down his throat and into his arms. But was this the forward potion or the back one ? It didn ‘ t really matter since Quirrell was between him and the way back, so only one way remained. Harry put his script to his throat and pretended to choke, falling towards the fire he took a heavy gasping breath.

"Trickery ! Get Him !"DAMN IT ! Harry reacted on inherent aptitude and kicked the good table leg. One of the remaining potions fell between him and Quirrell, cracking on the storey and bursting into bluish black fire. That was all the distraction Harry needed as he clawed himself off the floor and jumped headfirst into the fire.

The floor on the other side knocked the wind instrument from him but he wasn't burnt. It had been the compensate potion.

"You will pay for that !"A chain with a hook shot shoot through the curtain of flames, trailing Dame Muriel Spark.

"A blind shot."Harry thought muzzily."But I can't arrest here."

He pulled himself up and staggered along the corridor clinging to the wall. Quirrell continued to shout behind him but he ignored it, there was a room up ahead. He walked in and barely saw the place. All he took in was the tall mirror in the centre, fellow. Without really realising what he was doing he moved towards it and fell to the priming in presence of it. Oh, god everything trauma. He looked up into the mirror and saw his Friend familiar spirit faces surrounding him, filling the mirror-Harry with warmth and happiness.

"Where are you."Harry spoke to the abandon room. He felt himself falling backwards, lonely and conk out."Where are you now ?"

He floated in the darkness for a moment then was brought back around. Instinct again waking him when he was no tenacious alone. He turned to see a blacken shape, robes in tatters and his pillbox unwound and trailing behind him.

"There's always to a greater extent than one way round a challenge."The voice was cracked and thirsty but full of malice and ire"You just have to think outside the box."

*

"No."Harry pulled himself away from the win soma. Forgetting for a moment that there was nowhere to go.

"Yes Potter. What Severus seems to experience forgotten…"The wretched human body said as it stalked towards Harry on ruined legs."Is that I would much rather walk through fervor than acknowledge loser to my master. Much, much rather."He came to a stop in front of the Mirror and pointed his black sceptre at Harry.

"No wait, this won't work."He threw the wand away like refuse."But luckily I have another."He drew out Harry's wand, unblemished and pristine. He laughed at Harry's shocked face and said"Rubbed in what minuscule of the potion you let put down on the floor. It was bound to go better than mine. After all, phoenix plumage are meant to pass through fire."He flicked the wand negligently and ropes bound Harry's legs under him.

"Yes, you left just enough for the wand and for…"His bridge player rose involuntarily to the backbone of his head and a quiver of nuisance ran across his face."But enough !"He stood in battlefront of the mirror, his anticipation unclutter on his face."I see myself presenting the stone to my maestro. He is restoring my body, making me well again… But how do I get it ?"

"Use the boy."Quirrell grabbed his arm and jerked him back in social movement of the mirror. The look-alike swam in pain in battlefront of him. His admirer faces still stared back at him, mocking him with their happiness.

"fountainhead boy ? What do you see ?"

"Well…"Harry though."…since I seem to be dieing anyway…"

"I see myself you charred bastard. It's a mirror."

"Crucio !"Pain obliterated the existence again but soon enough he was shake off awake and slammed in front end of the field glass.

"What do you really SEE !"

"I ‘ ve just found every burnt umber frog card. My collection is complete."

"Do you revel pain ?"Quirrell's boldness was twisted beyond acknowledgement."Do you recall even for a import that your petty rebelliousness will actually achieve anything !"

"Alright fine."Harry brought a rictus grin to his face"I see Hagrid with a giant spiked baseball game bat. He's sticking it right up your…"the populace once again dissolved into pain.

*

"A Bromus secalinus set, what the…"

"Oh god flavor here on the floor… Blood."

"Do you think he.. ?"

"No clip for this ! We need to move !"

*

Harry floated again on the ocean of torment. But this time he wasn't alone.

Brave, or maybe simply foolish.
That voice again. The superior.

Your parents were fearless Harry ceramist. It didn't do them any good either.
"Oh so you know my parents too. Got any good anecdotes ?"He wasn't sure if he said that out gimcrack but the voice laughed.

Oh yes. Joking in the brass of pain. That is something I think your father would do.
"Yeah."Harry said as the world began to swim back into focus."But I've got my mother eyes."He looked up but Quirrell was standing a manner away, curiously with his back to him. Harry groped around for his glasses.

"There by your elbow."The vocalisation almost had a teasing tone to it now but Harry was struck by a single question. How did he know ? He pulled his glasses back on and was met by his horrific response.

"Yes Harry."The face spoke with malevolency now, and barely controlled ire."This is what you reduced me to. Ten old age ago."

"Oh my god."Harry gulped as he realised the true statement."Voldemort."

"Yes Harry Potter. Almighty Voldemort. Now do what you are state and tell me what you see in the mirror."

Harry turned without wanting to and stared again into the shining surface. The faces stared back, laughing and happy.

"Their probably still out on the grass."Thought Harry. The Ron in the mirror patted him on the rachis."They don't know about this evil. This iniquity. They haven't seen it. They don't have to deal with it. And they shouldn't need to."

"I see…"

"Yes… yes !"

"I see… stars."Harry smiled and flung himself at the mirror.

The crashing sound echoed through the hall and Harry felt glass sherd cut into his hide. He tried to roll but a sharp pain in his arm caught him and he stopped, quivering.

"You FOOL."He felt himself picked up and shook like a dame."You destroyed it !"He fell to the priming again and saw Quirrell rifling through the shards, heedless of the cold shoulder and blood."Where is it ! Where is it ! … Gone… You knew !"The double head came up and looked him straight in the eye."You knew that wouldn't release the endocarp !"

"Dumbledore told me."Suddenly Harry actually did experience like laughing."But on the negative side, that should be seven years bad luck."

"You.. YOU ! !"The double tool stood quivering with rage."fountainhead I hope you savour your victory."The matter drew Harry's baton"Because, it is the last thought you will ever bear ! Avada Ked…"

"Tarantella !"

The jinx spun over the tool head and broke against the far wall. Harry turned to the door and saw the marauder standing there. Five baton pointed ramrod-straight at the matter, that had swung around to face them.

"Children."Quirrell's voice again. They probably hadn't even seen the early expression."What are you doing here ? This area is forbidden."

"Put the wand down."Ron's voice quaked a little as he said it. But he kept his wand trained."baton down now !"

"You wouldn ‘ t hex a teacher would you."Quirrell was playing with them. His part was just like it had been when he'd forced the drink on Harry."You'd get in so often trouble."

"I ‘ ve already petrified my caput of house."Neville seemed to get left his stammer in the world of fear and could mouth calmly now he'd moved on to terror."It can ‘ t get much worse."

"You think not ? Then perhaps I should be talking out of the other position of my face."Quirrell turned on his axis vertebra and Parvarti shrieked.

"Children !"Quirrells arms twisted back, cracking round at the cubitus to break Voldemort restraint of the baton"I will not be stopped again by children !"

"Petrificus Totalus !"Hermione's vox rang out but Voldemort raised a shell disdainfully. The rebounding swearword took the Thomas Young witch in the chest of drawers and she fell like a stone.

"Crucio !"Neville dropped to the ground. His face a mask of pain.

"Crucio !"Padma fell, her sleeve wrapped around her chest of drawers. Screaming. He was still playing with them. He could cause decease as easily as pain in the ass.

"Crucio !"Ron fell in his tracks. He had tried to charge the beast.

"Im… im… impedimenta !"

"Crucio !"Parvati's spell died on her wand and she fell beside her sister. He had to do something. He had no wand. He had no weapon… He had glass. Harry pulled his too long sleeves up around his manus and picked up a recollective sherd.

"Pathetic creatures."The facial expression spat the words."Unworthy of life !"Harry stepped closer careful not to trouble the glass on the base."You will all die ! For defying Creator Voldemort. You will…"

"sea captain look out !"But Quirrell's warning was too belated as the long shard plunged into his stomach. Him and his aggressor fell together and Harry jerked the methamphetamine out only to plunge it again into the wizard frame. His hands bled, the textile of the robe hadn't been nearly enough to protect them. Quirrell rolled over under him and the serpentine human face looked up at him in hatred.

"You can not ruin me Harry ceramicist. I can not die ! Whatever you do I will pass !"

"amercement then snake-face."Harry raised the shard above his head."See you in another ten class. Do try to do back pretty following time."And plunged the shard through Voldemort's eye.

The thigh-slapper stave out through the chamber. Rising higher and gamey, louder and louder till the shards still on the floor shattered into sand. Then the consistence slumped like a rag dame and finally lay still.

Harry fell back drained. It felt like he had nothing left in his nervure, felt vacuous. He slumped on the floor and looked up to see five come to faces crowding around him. They were saying something but his mind couldn't quite make sense of it. The image suddenly reminded him of something and he pointed at them with a shaky script.

"Stupid mirror."He laughed."I thought I broke you ?"Then the darkness rolled over again and he didn't see a thing.

*

"I could just take the one…"

"Ron masses left those for Harry !"

representative ? …

"But I just want the card."

Familiar…

"It'll try to hop away when you open it !"

"Oh please that's what he's planning. Then he'll ‘ have'to eat it."

Ah…

"Maybe I'll just drive a caldron cake…"

"You so much as try it…"Harry pulled his eyes open with an effort."…and I'll hex ya fingerbreadth off."

"Harry !"The marauders crowded around the hospital bed."You awake ?"

"Well yeah."Harry shook his straits to clear it before answering Hermione's question."Why would I not be ? How long was I asleep ?"

"daytime I ‘ m afraid mate."Ron shook his head ruefully."They had to pass you sleeping potion while everything healed. Did you know you broke your arm ?"

It had hurt when he rolled over, but surely he would have noticed ?

"How ‘ d you follow me ?"Harry groggily shook his head again."I swear all the potion got drunk."

"Dumbledore said they regenerate."Hermione answered smiling."We had to go through the chess slice too."

"Ron was amazing."Parvati said beaming. Ron blushed and said

"Oh that, that was nothing. Anyway it was Neville got us past the heller snare !"

"Devil snares light. Anyway you got the key."

"That was a team effort. The twins were up there too. Plus Padma worked out the dog."

"There was a come apart mouth harp on the floor. What else could it have been but music ?"

"I don't know, its allergic to harps ?"

"Children."The 1st yr turned as Albus Dumbledore stepped into the hospital fender."I can not imagine how pleased you must be that your friend is awake however,"He continued with a twinkle in his eye as he peered over his spectacles"…it will entail that you will own to find a new reservoir of deep brown frogs."Ron at least had the decency to look guilty."Now, if you would ease up us some privacy I would like to utter to your friend."The marauders filed out and Harry was left alone with the Headmaster.

"The mirror."Harry began,"Was it… valuable ?"

"Irreplaceable."Harry's breadbasket seemed to fall out his consistency."It ‘ s a good thing it is being repaired."

"You could cause told me that bit !"Harry shook his foreland as he regained his tum.

"Although they may leave one fragment out. It may need to be kept for posterity."

"So is he… gone then ?"Harry's voice was hopeful but something in him already knew the resolution.

"Nothing about this death was any different from his previous one. If he survived that I believe we can sham he can survive this."

"Will he come after the stone ? I mean, when you fix the mirror you can get the stone ?"

"Yes, and it will be destroyed."Harry breathed a suspiration of relief."But it appears I was awry about one thing Harry."

"Hireling a man who was literally double-dealing ?"

"No Harry."Dumbledore fixed him with a affected role stare and Harry bit back a grin."I mean that you were unable to get retiring my lowest protection. You did not get the stone."

"Yeah. What was I supposed to do ?"

"When you saw yourself in the mirror there. What did you see ?"

"The Sami thing as before."Harry shifted uncomfortably"You know, friends."

"So faced with the prospects of eternal life and unending wealth, your dream remained the Same ?"

"I have a great deal of wealth now, and if interminable life history means being someone's scalp I think I ‘ ll passing play on that too."

"Very well Harry. I will not pry any further. But there is something else that we need to discuss before I let your friend back in to bicker further."

"Hm ?"

"I want you to return to your auntie and uncles house."

"No."

"Harry, I can assure…"

"No. The answer is no Professor."Harry looked directly into the Headmasters glittering gaze."I will not."

"You are eleven Harry."professor Dumbledore put his hand on Harry's articulatio humeri and his voice went diffuse."It would be negligent of me to let you lead my care without assuring myself that you would be looked after."

"You did it once before. Left me on a doorstep."a sliver of brand entered Harry's voice.

"I thought that you would be glad with family line, even remote ones."

"You were wrong. Would you wish to see some scars by way of proof ?"

"No Harry, I see I can not rock you on this account. I will set up for you to stay on at Hogwarts over the summertime, it has been done before in certain circumstances."

"Thank you."Harry smiled and he saw a sure latent hostility rhytidoplasty from the air. Harry looked down at the endowment arrayed in front of him and picked up one."Chocolate anuran ? Go on, otherwise Ron ‘ ll just fill all of them."

"Thank you Harry."Dumbledore took the squirming confection and stood up."Now I shall just chaffer this wings other occupier then leave you to yourself."

"Who ?"Harry looked around and spotted a duad of slippers poking out from behind a curtain."Who'zat ? They Ok ?"

"Oh they ‘ ll recover quite soon."Dumbledore seemed to ascertain something in this slightly comic."She's just sleeping off an improperly formed Petrificus curse."

"Oh."Said Harry uninterested."How soon will she get adept ?"

"Hopefully after your Quaker leave."

*

"death chance for legal thaumaturgy !"Fred ( or Saint George ) yelled as he walked down the Hogwarts express. His pal walked beside him ringing a hand-bell up and down."I repeat ! conclusion chance for all summer !"

"You heard that Harry ?"Ron said as his blood brother walked past the marauders stroller.

"Yep."And indeed he could see the British capital skyline around the train as they pulled towards male monarch interbreeding. He had asked Dumbledore if he could play along his admirer on the power train and the Headmaster had agreed.

"You gon na be alright over the summertime on your own Harry ?"Parvarti leaned over considered him quietly."You ‘ ll write everyone right ?"

"And you have to visit home."Ron said through a mouthful of afters"Mums been bugging me about it ever since she found out."

"May just take you up on that Ron."Harry stretched as the train drew into the station."Oh, and before magic becomes illegal…"Harry took a small parcel out of his scoop, tapped it and pulled back as his bag expanded to wax size.

"You brought your bag ? Why did you bring your bag…"Hermione's voice became shrill and a little scared. But the doubt was moot, everyone in the posture had guessed the response.

"Oh, come on guys."Harry shot them a grin and slid out of the carriage."Don ‘ t tell me you didn ‘ t see this coming ?"

"Harry ! The hero of the wizarding existence can not just go AWOL !"Padma shook her head in disbelief."Dumbledore will find you, or the ministry."

"The ministry can only dog me if I use magic."Harry said jumping down onto the platform."And aloofness numeration too, I ‘ m thinking Ellas or possibly Spain. Mediterranean certainly."

"You ‘ ll never get away with this Harry."Hermione spoke but all for some reason didn't quite believe it. The predator stood in a hemicycle around Harry with several versions of disbelief on their faces. But after a year they had realised that Harry mostly made his own formula.

"What they gon na do ? Arrest their shining Italian sandwich ?"Harry winked and smiled his vicious Einstein smiling."And I ‘ ve realised something. Being a homeless vagabond sounds a whole lot more fun if you ‘ ve got a heavyweight pile of gold resistance to fall back on. It ‘ ll just be like going somewhere fun, to have fun."

"I think that's called a holiday Harry."

"right, that."Harry pointed and nodded."I think I ‘ m due one of those."He turned and began walking down the platform."Write every day ! But no traceable speech !"

"HARRY POTTER YOU GET back Hera ! ! !"

"Got ta go."Harry broke into a run as the teachers appeared at the early end of the platform. He dodged between group of students as the yells got closer and stroke between carts. He saw his chance, launched himself like a trebucket off the trunk of an astonish educatee and dived through the roadblock. He kept running through Kings Cross, past chemical group of astonished muggles. Running for freedom.

*

"Think he'll lose ‘ em ?"

"Oh, Neville you know the resolution to that."Padma smiled at the chaos Harry had left in his backwash on the platform."It's the piranha first prescript. ‘ You can do anything you set your idea to if you've got the heart to see it through.'”

"I thought that was ‘ Never get caught'?"

"That one too."




Phew ... one Bible down ! Six to go.


Harry Potter stepped back onto British people filth with a bounce in his pace and a tan fit to blind gull. Officially there was not train wizard path across the duct save by broom or other tool of flight. However Harry had known before he had ever held a wand that the most useful things were always hidden from those in charge.

It had been by this ancient fireplace, disconnected from the quietus of the flue network but with a direct link to a similar maw and portal around Europe, through which Harry had left the country weeks ago. An XI twelvemonth old can not book a plane ticket alone much to a lesser extent catch a lift on a broomstick and even if he could do so those ways had probably been watched.

After he was gone he'd sent a letter to Dumbledore, with a borrowed owl and an untraceable address. He'd received a stern one in answer. The schoolmaster understood his decision and his need for freedom, even sympathised with it. But Harry needed to be kept prophylactic, protected.

But to Harry protected meant trapped and the reason he needed to be kept safe was the very thing he needed some freedom from. So Harry thrower had spent the majority of the summer as Jack Match, juggler and tumbler on various Grecian beaches. He had explored the wizarding face of the ancient country too, he had watched a schooltime of hippocampus breaching and jumping like dolphins off the seashore of Aeaea and seen the colossus of Rhodes. He had walked to the Temple of Alcmeonidae at Delphi and climbed hand-over-hand up the long trailing vines of ivy to where it floated in the sky. Levitated above the ‘ ruins'below and concealed from muggle eyes. But the illusionist that gathered there had seen through his disguise and greeted him as Harry Potter. They had treated him with an eerie obedience and he had been taken to have tea with the current oracle. It was a coming together he would never forget…

"Sit dear one."She led him to a shock on the floor and sat down herself nearby him. She looked like she was barely a year or two Old than him but he knew that if he believed that he was a fool. Only her eyes betrayed any hint that this was possibly the most sinewy seer in the world. Harry had been shocked when he first saw them, he had heard taradiddle that the greatest seers had milky white center showing that they were blind to the mundane. The oracles eyes were normal except that the iris of one was deep purpleness and the early sparkle putting green. Oh and the pupils ( and Harry had had to take care intemperate to get this out ) were shaped like headliner.

"Thank you Pythea."Pythea wasn't her gens, the vaticinator held it as a title in honor of the first."But you really don't have to do any of this."

"It is not very often we receive visitors."She smiled at him with those cryptical eyes. Something in them betrayed a lasting sorrow, a jot of the memory concealed behind. Memory that spanned centuries.

"If you wish to encourage more than visitant your seemliness. Perhaps you should establish stairs."He instantly felt that perhaps he was being too familiar. Harry generally ignored authority but the quiet king of the small girl before him ( even sitting as she was, barefoot in a round-eyed white dress ) was hard to deny. Anyway he didn't he didn't want there to be steps. Too many multitude, especially too many tourists, would ruin this peaceful place.

"Yes, that is why we do not have them. And no, I prefer that you speak freely before me."Harry looked up confused and she laughed. It sounded like falling water."Your occlumency is quite proficient for one doing it unconsciously. But access to thoughts is one of the endowment that comes with being… this."The sadness was back in her eyes for a minute then she reached forward and poured him a meth of body of water out of a improbable fluted jug.

"Thank you."Harry took it and sipped it. It smelled like deal air. He grinned and looked down at it speculatively."Is this going to name me see visions or give-up the ghost out ?"

"Those affair are more likely to occur if you do not drink it seeing as you climbed for half an hr in the summer sun."

"Mad domestic dog and so on…"Harry took another gulp of the scent deglutition and asked."But, why did you invite me up here ? Why am I sitting, joking, with the greatest seer in the world."

"I wanted to meet you myself. I ‘ ve heard about you of line, the boy who lived. You are not what I expected."

"Oh."Harry looked down guiltily. He knew he was a bit of a disappointing hero but coming from her it seemed worse.

"You are anything but a dashing hopes Harry. I think you are equal to the task ahead of you, Sir Thomas More than match. I look into your soul and what I see gives me great hope. You are more than you think you are Harry, you are far More than you, or anyone else, realises. You must desire that you know the path you need to walk, not anyone else, and above all you must rely yourself."

"Really."Harry's pharynx was suddenly very dry. He took another gulp of water."Anything else ?"

"I like your eyes."

Harry coughed and spluttered and the picayune seer laughed. He realised she was teasing him.

"You're a holy terror !"He sniped at her.

"Am I ?"She seemed to look far away for a moment then come back down to earth."Why do you say that ?"

"Because you ‘ re teasing me ! You're a seer, aren ‘ t you supposed to be telling me my future or something ?"

"Do you really want to have a go at it ?"She seemed amused."Really ?"Harry thought about it for a moment.

"No. No, if I knew what was gon na happen it wouldn ‘ t be any fun."

"Good."She smiled."Good selection. But I think I will dedicate you something anyway. In substitution for a futurity not told."She dipped her mitt into a pocket of her dress and drew out a chandelier on a braided leather electric cord. Harry leaned closer and saw that it was made of sea cuticle, glittering like it had just been plucked from the water. She held it out towards him.

"Hair please."She commanded and he obediently lifted his shaggy mane up so that she could tie the cord behind his sunburned neck.

"What is it ?"Harry lifted the shell to bet at it closer but it didn't have any mark at all. It looked like it was made of two guide gyrate plate, hanging vertical from its hold. Harry looked closer and saw that the very bottom point was tinged fleeceable and the very top tinged purpleness."Is it magic ?"

"Yes."

"Are you gon na tell me what it does ?"

"No."

"Meany."Harry tucked the pendent into his t-shirt and felt it overlook down near his nub.

"You ‘ ll find out what it does eventually. But you will have to learn a few matter for yourself before you do. cry it a minuscule opus of your future."She took his hired hand and raised him to his groundwork."Now I am afraid I must say goodbye. The duties of my berth call."She seemed genuinely sad to see him go and Harry suddenly wondered if she was lonely up here.

Not trusting himself to speak Harry bowed for the starting time time in his life and walked towards the door.

"Oh and when you go back to Hogwarts."The small girl said as he reached for the handle."Could you tell Sybill Trelawney to block up owling me. Please ?"

Harry climbed back down and walked a little style away before turning around and gazing back at the peacefully drifting building, floating over the purview. power shovel flapped down on a rock next to him and handed him a letter. He took it without reading it and slipped it in his pocket, still thinking. Then he walked over to a clump of flowers sprouting out of the stone nearby and picked some of the larger ones.

"Up there please."Harry nodded towards the temple while holding the heyday out to his owl."Pythea. And be careful."The owl obediently took off and Harry walked off down the road with his capitulum still full of thoughts.

It had not been long after that when he found his way to the krybo-lakkos food market in Athens and to the odd pottery chimney that connected to the under-flue and that could get him home.

*

"Five Galleon ‘ s. Here."The shopkeeper pointed to a pot next to his John Cash register. Harry nodded to him while dusting himself off and dropped five of the gold coins in the jar. This vacation had cost him surprisingly little, tourists had liked his juggling on the beaches and liked his witty input even more. The galleons to get there and the galleons back was probably more than he'd spent the whole time in between.

Harry stepped out into a dingy alley and set off away from the shop. Walking quickly he made for the lighter end of the street where he could listen Sir Thomas More mass moving. People turned to stare at his bright summery clothing in the dark and shadowed street and he heard grumbling and muttering. A bony hired hand fell on his shoulder and he broke into a run. Shadowy figures leapt out at him and more handwriting tried to gain purchase, Harry broke off as his way ahead was blocked and he sprinted down a side street. He could see the bright sounds of diagonally ahead of him and sprinted as concentrated as he could.

Suddenly he hit what felt like a rubber wall, picking him up and bouncing him back into the darkness.

"What the… ?"But there was no metre to cogitate. Figures were closing in and Harry dove in the diametrical direction. He slipped down another road.

More dissemble bodies seemed to pop out of every tincture. The small boy dodged down another street and found himself at a dead end. The ingress to the skittle alley was blocked by a small crowd, five or so whiz and witches in obscure ragged robe blocked his way back.

Harry slipped his wand out of his pocket into his right hand. His eyes scanned the walls around him but they were straight up and down. No handholds. The crew advanced on him with hands out. Harry crouched down, if he was gona die he was prepared to die like a rat in a quoin. Biting and scratching till the last.

"What have we here ?"A scabby and dishevelled witch said with a cackle."Kids shouldn't be in knockturn alleyway. Something bad could happen."She reached out towards him and Harry's hired man tightened on his wand.

"Stand aside hag !"A flash of red spark shot from the other end of the alley and the hag hair burst into fire.

She shrieked and jumped away while the others tried to put out the fire. This left Harry with a clear view down the alley to the man standing there, his long wand out.

"Never fear young rapscallion !"The man said in a din part."Markus Michelson is here !"

*

"Who in the… Hey !"Harry tried to object but the man had reached him in three long stride and picked him up with one hand."Put me down ! Put me down !"

"silence down pipsqueak."The man set off out of the alley with Harry held almost nonchalantly in the crook of his heavily muscled arm."You're in good deal now."

Harry tried to pry the fingers off of him but the adult male grip was like a vice. Harry continued to struggle until they got out into the safer harbor of diagonally and he was dumped unceremoniously on the flooring.

"For soul being rescued by the slap-up warrior, venturer, fan and explorer that the world has ever known."The man put his fist on his hips and turn down to put his brass near Harry's."You sure don't seem to sleep together how show you're grateful."

Harry sat up and checked himself over before replying. For a import his handwriting rested on the leather corduroy around his cervix then he looked up and responded.

"Yeah, sorry. Thank you. Thanks."The man reached out a mitt and pulled Harry to his fundament.

"Not to worry. I'd imagine getting stuck down a stagnant end in knockturn alleyway is a lilliputian terrorization for someone not as… imposing… as me."He tucked his wand in his belt ammunition and Harry looked him up and down. Even without taking his hat into account the man was easily seven metrical foot tall and had shoulders like a ox. He wore midst leather rush and leather trouser above them, fitting tightly over muscled stage. The belt was snake hide and he had what looked like animal teeth tied hanging off it so they clattered as he moved. Above that he wore a form try-on red vest that left his arms bare. Harry could see the edge of a tattoo peeking up amongst his chest haircloth and another on his bicep. Further down his arms he wore two ear ring. To top it all off the man wore a puncher hat over his duncical blond hair with a longsighted red feather tucked into the striation on one side and three rifle smoke on the other.

"Who are you ?"

"thought process I introduced myself before. Never mind, probably slipped your nous in all the excitement."The man struck a mannerism."I am Markus Maximus Albert Abraham Michelson. well-chosen to make your acquaintanceship pipsqueak."

"My public figure is Harry."Odd to hear that after a summer of Jack.

"Good to meet you little Harry. Now…"the man looked around at the crowds"…where are you meeting your parents. Can't leave you alone out here since you seem to draw in bother. You petty tyke."He ruffled Harry's hair as if he was a little kid, earning himself Harry's everlasting hatred.

"…um. The ice pick place."Harry lied with a straight fount."Their probably waiting."

"Good, good."The man grabbed his arm again and set a spanking pace through the crowd. There were a lot of people this clock time of day but they parted to let Markus through. Harry had hoped that when they reached Fortescue's ice cream parlour the odd wiz would leave him alone. He did nil of the sort however and sat down at a tabular array, leaning far back on his chairman and tucking his thumb in his rap loop. Harry was just wondering why he was waiting around when the intellect walked up to the table.

"Can I get you anything Mr Michelson."The waitress was a Danton True Young hag, probably not far out of Hogwarts, and she blushed as she spoke to Harry's rescuer.

"My piddling Friend here needs a chocolate Sun to quieten him down. He's just been in a bit of a sticky situation down knockturn alley. For myself just seeing you smile is all the sugariness I need, and please…"he plucked a xanthous daisy out of air and set it behind the girls ear"…call me Maximus."

"You helped him ?"

"Oh no."Thought Harry."She was here cobbler's last summertime. She knows who I am."

"You saved Harry Potter ! Oh, you ‘ re so brave and like, strong !"

"Harry Potter.. ?"The man looked at him for a moment with a light smile then turned back"Yes I did. And yes, I am rather unattackable. Mighty is my middle name."The girl swooned and rushed off to get Harry's ice cream. When she was gone the man turned back and fixed him with the smile again. Harry crossed his coat of arms.

"view your middle public figure was Maximus."

"Nope, Mighty."The man flexed his bicep and Harry was able to interpret the tattoo there. It was five Ms written one after another. The man pointed at the it with his former hand."Markus Maximus Mighty Majesto Michelson"he tapped the monogram with his digit."But the world-class of my in-between name calling is my personal favourite. So these parents that we're waiting for…"

"My friends parents."Harry fabricated."I ‘ m living with them this summer. I didn ‘ t explain because I prefer to go under the radar a bit, you know."

"Can ‘ t honestly say I do piddling man."Harry's sunday appeared and he began eating it quickly."How can you not walk down the street and feel the basking adoration of the people Harry. I owe it to my legend to be seen, in the Bob Hope that I inspire young puppy like you to get just like me. Its my duty Harry, as a man."

"Oooo."The waitress had stuck around to listen to Marcus speak and was now holding her hands clasped together over her chest."You're so smart as well as so hansom. You're like a poet or a radio star or something."

Harry rolled his eyes and finished his ice cream quickly as the vain wizard chatted to ( or more accurately chatted up ) the girl. Harry dropped the price of the meal on the table.

"Ah, there they are."Harry pointed off in a random direction and got up."See you."

"Sure I will Harry."The man said cryptically before turning back to the other object of his tending.

*

Harry moved quickly once he was out of the gentleman's gentleman sight and slipped into Gringots. He got money out more quickly than he should have by simply ignoring the queue and asking for Greeklunk. His old goblin conversance quickly helped him refill his pouch for another year. While he was down in the vault Harry stuck his T-shirt in his bag and instead took out a long robe with a goon. At Greeklunk's confused expression he said…

"somebody back up on the street that I ‘ d rather didn ‘ t recognise me."

"Oh right hand. Bloody paparazzi."

Harry stepped back out into the street and did his schoolhouse shopping quickly. When he walked back past Fortescue's the wizard was still there, showing the waitress a long scar on his arm.

*

Harry stood in the country lane and rechecked the missive he held in his hand. He was sure he was at least in the right settlement and probably on the right route. It was just that the road went a farsighted way in both direction and Ron's advice on getting to his theatre had been rather vague. Like he'd only really seen the surrounding countryside from the air. Harry folded the letter away and shrugged, there was always another way. He walked over to a where a farmer was sitting near his tractor, fiddling with something in the engine.

"Hi. I'm looking for the kin of ginger people who keep owl as pets."

"Down the lane, turn left at the co-op."The man said without looking up."And tell the man I need my wrench back."

*

Harry had to balk the urge to break into a run as he caught raft of the Weasley house. Outside it in the overgrown garden he could see three boy working, flinging something he couldn't make out over the garden rampart. Harry smiled, they were expecting him today but he hadn't exactly been capable to sacrifice them an accurate prison term. As he walked closer the doorway to the house opened and mollie Weasley ( Ron had told him all about his kinfolk ) emerged, carrying a tray with drunkenness on it. Behind her a vernal girl ( must be Ginny ) stepped away and leaned against the doorpost looking bored. None of them seemed to have noticed him yet, or maybe the tan had changed his show a bit. As he stepped up to the front logic gate he spread his coat of arms wide-cut.

"Aloha !"

"Harry !"Ron jumped in surprise"You ‘ re here."The twins jumped up too and ran to meet him, but the most extreme point chemical reaction came from the youngest Weasley. Ginny went dead tweed under her haircloth and her mouth seemed to move as if she was trying to say something then she bolted through the still unfold door.

"She has some sort of objection to aloha ?"Harry asked the ginger crowd.

"Nah, mate."Ron shook his promontory."She ‘ s been jumping and squeaking every meter we so much as mentioned your name. Guess you in the material body was just too much for her."

"Ron, be nice to your sister."Mrs Weasley's voice was seat for a here and now then turned cushy again as she turned back to Harry."She ‘ s just shy Harry. I ‘ m for certain she ‘ ll get over it the more she sees of you."

"Probably."Agreed Harry"The wedge thing doesn ‘ t last. I ‘ ve been told on repeated occasions that I ‘ m a massive disappointment."

"Who told you that ?"Molly Weasley looked aghast.

"Snape."

"Yeah but he said you had floberworms for brains too."Said Ron."And we're fairly sure that's not true."

"Right."Chimed in one of the twins."We ‘ re pretty certain they ‘ re courtesan droppings."

"At least that's up the evolutionary scale."

*

But Ginny's odd demeanor didn't point. Harry found that she was incompetent of staying in a elbow room that he was in and that any attempt to speak directly to her was enough to send her scurrying away. One good morning when he came down and found her curled up on the lounge with a powder store he decided to put a stop to it.

"Ginny."She stiffened and looked like she was about to fly."Don't run away please."He walked around and sat succeeding to her on the couch. She looked like a small rodent confronted by a snake, middle wide open and too dash to run."Can you tell me why you run every time I try to verbalize to you or come in the room ?"quiet, except for the twitching she could have been petrified."expression Ginny I don't know what it is but could you please talk to me. We ‘ re going to be going to schoolhouse together for the next six class. Could you talk to me. Please."

"Y… you…"Harry had to strain to hear her faint whisper."you destroyed you-know-who."

"Oh you ‘ re still thinking about that ?"Harry waved his paw dismissively."That happened ages and ages ago. No one cares about that. Apparently Markus Mandy Michelson is everyone's fighter now."

"You ‘ ve got the scar."

"I ‘ ve got a lot of mark. Which one in specific ?"Ginny reached out to point at his forehead and Harry brushed away the hair to reveal the cicatrix. But apparently this was too a great deal for Ginny and she bolted up the stairs almost knocking over Ron.

"What ‘ s that about ?"He asked sleepily.

"She ‘ s still shy around me. That sucks."

"Why are you so messed up about it."Ron asked. Then looked up as if he remembered something."You were acting like this about Hermione too, lowest yr. Back before she liked us."

"And that turned out OK."

"You ‘ re not gon na climb up a chimney again are you Harry ?"

"No Ron but I think I do think I need to take drastic action to correct this situation."Harry thought for a moment then latched onto a brilliant plan. An awing plan. Possibly the greatest plan he had ever devised."You have a few broom here right ?"

"Little Phoebe last time I looked. My old one, the twin, Percy's and one Charlie left here."

"Excellent. I would care to bet some Quidditch."

"But Harry you can ‘ t free rein Quidditch. The live clip you got on a ling you made a complete gull of yourself."

"Exactly !"

*

This was the mop up architectural plan he had ever come up with.

"You have to follow through."Ron made a thrust apparent movement with the flat of his bridge player. That meant come after through Harry knew, the manus signals were about all he ‘ d picked up during the secret plan."Just center on following through. That was the problem that time."

"No Ron, the problem was that I flew into a tree."Harry tumbled to the terra firma and pitter-patter out a leafage."What's the signal for ‘ You're about to fly into a Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree ‘ ?"

"There isn ‘ t one, we'd have to invent it just for you."Ron helped him back on his broom and they flew back up to unite the similitude. Ginny was sitting a little elbow room away watching them, when Harry had fallen out of the tree she had jumped up in shock. But as Ron and the twin had begun laughing at him he had seen a shadow of a smile interbreeding her face as well. That shadow was all that was keeping him from giving up the integral endeavour and getting his feet back on upstanding ground.

"Right."Ron said as they hovered at their end of the pitch."You make for the right bridge player side. I ‘ ll pull them off to the leftfield then pass it to you. Then you can score. Got it ?"

"Aye aye Captain !"Harry saluted and almost overbalanced.

"Oh and by the way, from now on this…"Ron grinned and put both fist out straight ahead."… from now on that means tree."

"I would punch you Ron, but I ‘ d fall off if I tried."Harry began moving off to the right field and saw his champion shoot away with the Quaffle. After a mo Ron turned and chucked it ahead of him. He rushed forward to catch it, fumbled it, then snagged it in one hand.

"I got it ! I got…"Thump !

Harry struck the ground hard and rolled to a halt in the farsighted grass.

"Ow."Harry put his helping hand to the back of his straits and sat up. Looking right into the face of Ginny Weasley. She had run over to see if he was alright and now stood, wide eyed before him.

"There didn ‘ t used to be four of you."Harry pointed at her with a shake off hired hand."Stop being four of you, person… girl… Where am I ?"Harry blinked and looked around blurrily. A small noise brought him back to the demonstrate and he looked forward. Ginny had her helping hand over her mouth and was trying hard not to laugh. Little phone kept escaping like steam out of a kettle.

"You ‘ ve got steam in your lip !"Harry tried to get up and fell back on his behind."Like water but… broken. Where are my glasses ? The four of you should be able to retrieve them."And with that Ginny burst out laughing.

The four Weasley's carried him off the sales talk and Fred and George II ( who seemed to have experience with headspring accidental injury for some cause ) pronounced him fine.

"Maybe we should take a break."Ron said worriedly."You know, hand him clip to recover."

"bettor idea."Harry tossed his Scots heather to Ginny."You take my spot. I am never ever ever ever ever ever getting on one of those again. From now on I walk where I need to go."

"Hey ! I don't want her on my team."Ron said angrily."That ‘ s not fair when we're already behind !"

"Ron…"Harry pitched his vox to match Mrs Weasley's"Be nice to your sister ! And besides, your pick are me or her."

"Welcome to the team Ginny."

*

"See ! No one can wash up my team !"Harry grinned and slapped his chest as the game drew to an official ending.

"What do you signify your team."Ginny glided past him smiling and laughing."When you went off you were eight goals down. How can you say you won ?"

"The team won."Harry explained with sweeping handwriting gestures."And we all played a part in that."

"And your part is ?"

"Cheerleader. I really should get some pompoms."



Note : Right, thats the irregular year started.

Interesting news about Dumbledore, but it makes sensory faculty when you look back on it. Energy kind of make it more tragic however. The champion of accepting people for who they were died without ever himself being accepted. He probably never even told anyone. The bit about how he did n't run against Grindlewald was interesting too and puts the whole thing in a new light. What if Grindlewald was well aware of Dumbledores feelings and used him to gain power in safety ? Knowing full moon well that Dumbledore was the only one who could have posibly stopped him. Ah well ...

This is why we need JK Rowling to write some prequels.


# include `` standard legal disclamer.h ''

Ok, thats a very nerdy antic but thats fine 'cos anyone who laughed is just as nerdy.






queen cross was crowded beyond opinion as the Weasley kin crossed the place towards platform nine and three quartern.

"rush up."Mrs Weasley herded her various bursting charge towards the roadblock."right wing. seed everyone, while the muggles aren't looking."One by one the Aythya americana shot through the barrier. Harry waited until last, as the summertime had drawn to a close he had wondered if perhaps he might not be let back into the shoal. He had got the record book list but perhaps that had been automatic pistol.

"You go first. I ‘ m fine."Harry motioned Mrs Weasley ahead of him."I want to enjoy my last moment of freedom."She disappeared through the barrier and Harry took a bass breath. There wasn't much more he could do to put this off. He started running forwards, lowered his head and closed his eyes as he reached the barrier.

sally ! Harry bounced back and fell to the ground gasping. The barrier hadn't opened ! He put his bridge player to his forehead and it came back bloody. His psyche reeled.

"They don't want me back."Harry blinked and looked up at the clock. Less than a minute public treasury the railroad train was supposed to leave."They expelled me."

Harry stayed on the floor despite the odd looks he was getting. There didn't seem to be a great deal degree in getting up. The clock ticked over the 60 minutes. The train was leaving.

Harry looked down platform ten and thought he saw a wisp of smoke rise from beyond the rails. Where was the wizards platform anyway ? A mad approximation struck Harry and he was stood back up in a flash. His substructure seemed to go of their own accord and he took first one then another halting step along the weapons platform. Another wisp of smoke. He broke into a run and willed his legs to carry him faster and faster.

"it's a steam train."Harry dodged past a startled conductor at the end of the platform and jumped down onto the racecourse."It takes a while to speed up."He pumped his pegleg for superfluous speed.

"digger !"Harry reached onto his backpack and flicked his owl's John Milton Cage Jr. open."Catch me up at Hogwarts !"Harry shot to the edge of the power train tracks and looked down. The rule, muggle train tracks coming out of kings cross were raised up on a sort of long bridge, raising them various stories above the city streets. Harry glanced down in time to see the end of the Hogwarts expressage squeeze itself out from between the bricks of the bridge and head off down a runway that looked disused. Up ahead the track rose up and joined with the others, if Harry was going to do it, he ‘ d have to do it now.

"Please ! Oh god please let me still be born favorable !"Harry prayed silently, then launched himself off the side.

He crashed into the top of the last carriage and hung onto it for pricy life sentence. The train was beginning to pick up amphetamine and Harry crawled to the boundary. Thankfully the carriages window was give. Harry swung his bag in through it then slid down into it himself.

"Harry ceramist. Nice to meet you."He said to the aghast first old age who's carriage he'd dropped into."See you at Hogwarts !"Harry walked shakily out the door. Once he was safely in the corridor he leaned against the paries and slid down till he was on the storey. He wanted to get up and chance his supporter but for some reason none of his branch seemed to play. He caught a glimpse of himself in the glass in front of him and blinked in blow. He looked a wreck ! Blood ran down the left side of his boldness and was matted into the hair above.

"M… Mr Potter."Harry looked around and saw the witch with the streetcar standing looking at him. Harry gulped for air.

"Two caldron bar please."He said, trying to cogitate of something that would calm his mettle.

She wordlessly handed him the cakes and took the price of them without once taking her eye off him. When he was about to impart she finally said.

"Did you… just… jump onto the train."

"No."Harry shook his psyche"No. Definitely not. You ‘ d have to be sick to chute on a moving train."

*

Harry moved down the power train as quietly as he could. Trying to find his Quaker without drawing too a good deal attention. Unfortunately talk travelled fast on the Hogwarts express and he couldn't go five steps without encountering another stare or go across a group of educatee without them breaking out in a fit of whispering.

"So pathetic attention seeking Potter strikes again."The vox was behind him. Harry turned around and sagged when he saw Malfoy and his lump staring at him.

"Malfoy I really don't have the get-up-and-go for this now."It was true. Harry would have liked doing zip more than than simply collapsing on the flooring there for the rest of the journeying."Could you please, and I mean this in the skillful possible way, sodomize off and die like the morbid objet d'art of dilate rectum flesh you are."

"Big talk for a kid who can barely stand."Malfoy took a stair forward and Harry retreated."And I don't see your little friends here to facilitate you today. This may just be my favorable day."The three Slytherins advanced on him and Harry drew his wand when…

"potter !"Harry turned and saw professor McGonagall standing in the carriage. Malfoy and his bodyguard disappeared through a door."How in Merlin ‘ s gens did you get here ?"She grabbed him and pulled out her sceptre, touching it calmly to the cut on his head then whisking away the origin on his aspect."I just spent an unpleasant few minutes arguing with mollie Weasley who was franticly trying to get us to block up the train. She seemed to be under the impression that the barrier had sealed with you on the early side."

"It did."Harry nodded."That's how I hurt my head."

"But then. How did you get here ?"

"You honestly, really and truly don't want to know."

"Harry…"

"I jumped onto the train."

"YOU JUMPED ONTO THE power train !"

"The barrier had sealed up ! There wasn ‘ t any other way ! And besides, I had a head injury. I ‘ m not sure I was in an entirely rational number underframe of mind."

"That is beside the head Mr Potter, but after the stunt you pulled at the end of cobbler's last year I suppose I should not be entirely surprised."She straightened up"We will have to discuss this further in my authority at Hogwarts. At the very to the lowest degree you will receive respective days detention."

"But if I have detention…"Harry grasped at this stalk"… then I ‘ m not expelled ? Right ?"

"No Mr ceramicist. Not this time."She began walking away down the string."Go to my federal agency when we reach Hogwarts."

"After the categorisation ?"

"As soon as you reach the castle."

"professor please…"Alright this is McGonagall, you know how to gull McGonagall. She acts tough but she's all soupy inside."… my supporter's Sister's getting sorted today and she ‘ s worried about it. All her crony are in Gryffindor, whole family really. I should be there for her. delight ?"

"Alright Mr Potter. After the sorting."McGonagall's optic had gotten softer as Harry had spoken."But before the feast."

"Of course Professor. I ‘ ll be there."

"And I will owl Mrs Weasley to inform her you are safe."She turned away and Harry was left alone once again in the corridor.

*

Harry eventually found the Marauders compartment and slid the door open.

"Hello freindlies !"

"Harry !"Hermione's mouth dropped opened."Ron said you couldn ‘ t get onto the platform !"

"Couldn't."Harry noticed Ginny sitting quietly in the turning point of the compartment. Ron had probably been told to keep an eye on her."Had to develop entry to the wagon train by… other means."

"Apparation ?"Padma had apparently also caught some sun over the summer, though it was less noticeable on her."You do fuck that's illegal."

"Couldn ‘ t care less. But no."

"Portkey ?"Neville seemed to think for a bit."Or a broom ?"

"No."Ron and Ginny spoke at the same time but Ginny backed down and Ron continued."Harry swore blind he ‘ d never touch another broom."

"Oh god I know what it is."Parvarti put her hand to her mouth and began shaking her point."I was talking to Lavender down the early end of the train. I thought she was joking."

"What is it ?"Hermione asked and the marauders seemed to give ear waiting for the answers.

"You jumped onto the top of the train."The marauders turned as one to take care at him.

"Maybe."None of his friends seemed to want to speak.

"Harry ..."Neville broke the silence."…you ‘ re crazy."

"I know."Harry sat as the other snapped out of their shock and started speaking all at once."It ‘ s beginning to worry me."

*

The train meandered its foresightful journey through the hills and Harry ducked out of the conversations around him. His principal still hurt and he didn't have the vigour to entertain citizenry. He leaned against the inhuman window as rain started to streak down, leaving little trails on the window pane. He closed his eyes and lay there for a long piece. petty trails of water, swirling, drowning.

"Harry."He shook himself awake and looked over at the youngest Weasley, leaning over to him."Are you alright ?"Harry looked around the compartment, the eternal sleep of his friends were still talking amongst themselves."You ‘ re cheek was all scrunched up like you were dreaming."

"Oh, are we there yet."Harry kind of wanted to get back to sleep. Even if it was to bad dreams.

"Not for a while."Ginny bit her lip worriedly. Harry noticed that her fingernails too looked like they had been chewed.

"Worried ?"Harry grinned as she jerked in surprise. Harry waved his mitt dismissively."Don't worry. You ‘ ll love it there. moral are easy, specially charms. Friends everywhere. Plus if any of the Slytherins bother you we can show some Dean Swift requital. We're feared by that house."

"That ‘ s sort of what I ‘ m worried about."Ginny glanced at the red edge on Harry's robes.

"Ah."Thought Harry."My supposition was right, and I just made that up to damp up McGonagall."

"You ‘ re worried about the sorting."Harry said out loud."Want to be Gryffindor ?"

"Yes. If I don't my chum ‘ ll never forgive me."

"Then tell it so."Harry looked at the Whitney Young girlfriend startled formulation."You know what the sorting hat is rightfield ?"nod."Then narrate it you want to be a Gryffindor. Don't take no for an reply. It's your life, don't let a hat make decisions for you."Harry leaned back down and closed his eyes again.

*

"What the snake pit ?"Ron voiced what they were all thinking as the marauders moved away from the train at Hogsmead. Ginny had left to hold her piddling boat ride and the six champion now stood in front man of a line of carriages, each drawn by a thin out scaled horse with fold leathery wings."Charlie told me the posture pulled themselves ?"

"Maybe they've changed since your brothers day."Said Harry climbing into one of them."And besides…"He looked around"No one else seems to recollect anything's amiss."

"Still think this is weird."

*

Ginny Weasley stood fidgeting in social movement of the hall as the sorting hat finished its song. She was so nervous she wanted to bite her nails despite the fount they were already worn to the pith. Well, at least she was a Weasley. Her name would be called near to last. She saw Harry on the Gryffindor table spinning three fork in the air in strawman of him. She tried to catch his eye but failed, he was talking to his real friends. Everyone began to pay care as Dumbledore stood up.

"Before we begin the sorting I ‘ d like to announce two affair. One is that, despite what this vacate electric chair seems to indicate, we have found a new defence mechanism Against the Dark artistic production teacher."Ginny looked along the teachers table and saw a lank-haired prof grimace. She giggled, that must be professor Snape."Sadly he could not be here tonight as he has been managing the transport of his belongings from overseas. rest assured that he has my to the full self-confidence and he will introduce himself, probably at length…"did the lank-haired prof just grimace even more ?"…in your get-go lesson with him tomorrow. Now the second matter is that we will be doing this geezerhood sorting backwards."

"What ?"That prompted a murmuring about the Charles Francis Hall.

"Yes, cry it an old homo see. Now let us continue so that we can love a brilliant banquet after we are all done."Dumbledore sat back down but the murmuring hadn't ceased. McGonagall then took her space, the expression on her aspect clearly showing that the Headmaster had not discussed this with her. She looked down at her paper and read…

"Weasley, Ginevra."

"What ! Oh…"Ginny thought as she walked out in front of the schooltime."Backwards…"The last thing she saw before she pulled the hat down over her eyes were the predator turning to follow her.

"Another Weasley, seems I see those on almost a yearly basis. But a Weasley girl ? Why I haven't seen one like you in…"

"I chose Gryffindor."It seemed to her that the hat gasped loudly all around her.

"That's not quite how it works Weasley girl."

"No. That is how it works. Harry told me I could choose my household. I want to be in Gryffindor."

"Quite brave of you to just hollo it out it like that. Almost forces me to pick Gryffindor."Shout it out ? …Oh god !

"Ah… You didn ‘ t realise you were speaking out gaudy ?"
Ginny lifted the brim of the hat just enough to see around the Radclyffe Hall. There was whispering everywhere, and every face had an identical visage of scandalize amazement. Her centre searched out her chum at the Gryffindor table. Percy had buried his face in his hands and seemed to be trying to pretend it all wasn't happening, Fred and George II were watching her with Brobdingnagian evil grins and Ron, Ron just looked confused. Her eyes flickered preceding Ron to Harry and their gazes locked, then the boy did the unmatched matter, he pulled up his sleeve, put his hand palm out and prod forward.

Follow through

Ginny glanced back at the teachers table, where every typeface mirrored the astonishment of the student. She glanced back to Harry and he jabbed again. Well, if she was gon na follow through then there was only one thing for it ...

"Yep."She said, trying to not receive her vocalism break out in whimpers."Definitely Gryffindor."And with that she pulled the hat off her head, set it down on the chairman and walked steadily towards Harry. She blanked out everything else in the hall, the whisper uprising, the teacher, everything. There was a seat next to Harry and she was sitting in it. She reached the judiciary and hopped onto it, everyone was looking at her.

"arrest perfectly calm."Harry's voice but she swore his lips barely moved."expression straight ahead and don't give them any sign they're getting to you."Easy for him to say ! She stayed exactly where she was as the silence crawled on. Then something touched her hand by her incline. A candy of some kind. Without a Holy Writ, and before the still stares of the unscathed hall, she brought out, bring out and calmly ate a liquorice wand.

Every eye in the dormitory turned as they heard McGonagall clear her throat then…

"Kingston, Victor."

It was as if the hall had been holding its breath the entire metre and now let it out in a wave of chatter. Ginny felt mortal clap her on the backbone and looked sideways into Harry's nerve.

"Thank you."Ginny breathed through the noise."I didn ‘ t know what to do. I didn't even see I was talking out loud."

"Figured as much."Harry said glibly and offered her another liquorice scepter."Good matter I was paying attention, who the snake pit is Ginevra Weasley ?"

The minuscule boy with exquisitely waxed hair and sunglasses apparently named winner Jamaican capital had reached the hat and was looking down at it worriedly. He looked like he was about to cull it up then looked at the tables in the residence.

"Ravenclaw. I think I like Ravenclaw."

"On the positive incline you may consume started a revolution."Harry had leaned in to talk to her again."On the minus McGonagall's gon na kill you…"

A vague looking girl was now looking at the hat thoughtfully before declaring that she was going to"The red haired girl's house."

"Are you our new firm mascot Ginny ?"Fred leaned over and grinned at his babe.

"We could make up some new banner if you like."His Twin leaned in from the other side of the board.

"Leave her twins."Harry was holding her by both shoulders away from her previous brothers."She tricked the hat, swindled McGonagall, caused a cross house revolution and all in movement of the entire school !"Harry grabbed her and hugged her from behind."You can ‘ t have her ! She ‘ s ours !"

"What's he talking about."Ginny didn't think she could grin more than she was as she shot the question at her buddy across the table. But it was Parvarti Patil who answered her.

"He means that you ‘ re the type of soul who goes for what they want and has the brass to see it through and doesn ‘ t care what the normal say or who thinks what !"She stuck out her mitt"Welcome to the Marauders."

By the end of the day Ginervrador House ( as it was briefly called ) had an unusually gravid class of commencement age. Filch had to incite some of the bottom.

*

As Harry trudged back from his for the first time detention with McGonagall that night ( polishing one C and hundreds of brass section buttons that were just going to be transfigured into beetle anyway ) he leaned on the bulwark near the portraiture hole and closed his eyes for a moment.

"Harry Potter sir !"

Harry opened his middle and immediately realised his head injury must have been worse than he thought. The Hallucination had hanker pointy pinna and was wearing some sort of ragged cloth like a toga.

"Wha… ?"

"Harry thrower should never have got on the gearing !"

"Who ?"Harry shook his head but the small figure remained"What and/or who are you ?"

"Dobby sir. Dobby the house elf."The odd little creature bowed to him, its nuzzle almost touching the floor."Dobby is truly blue to have caused trouble for such a great wizard as Harry ceramicist. But Harry Potter must leave Hogwarts !"

"Caused trouble ? What trouble ?"Harry slid off the wall and stood straight. His baton was inconveniently tucked in an inside scoop, concentrated to achieve. Was this beast a threat ?"What are you talking about ?"

"Dobby thought that perhaps if Harry Potter was hurt he wouldn ‘ t be able-bodied to go to Hogwarts."

"What precisely…"Harry heavily enunciated the Holy Scripture"… are you talking about."

"Dobby thought that if the platform closed…"

"That was you !"Harry snapped forward like a guessing and caught the little creature by the arms. The thing whined and tried to break away but he held on."I could have missed the bloody train !"The tool nodded and whimpered a little more."I could have been killed ! Wait… knockturn alley…"Harry remembered the rubber wall. The elf stiffened again and he seemed to be avoiding Harry's eyes."That was you as well ! Why WHY !"He picked the thing up and stimulate it roughly."Are you trying to defeat me ? Are you ?"The elf was truly crying now and Harry let him go. The pitiful thing crawled away from Harry and sat on the floor, looking up at him with its huge, pluck filled oculus. It looked like a kicked puppy.

"feel, I ‘ m sorry."Harry reached out towards the elf but it shied away."I didn ‘ t mean value to ache you. The infirmary wing isn ‘ t far, can I…"

"No !"Dobby's side became a mask of reverence."Dobby can not be seen. Dobby ‘ s masters can never know. Dobby isn ‘ t hurt, Dobby gets far worse than this at home. Dobby's Masters are…"the elf seemed to stiffen for a present moment then he rushed over to the wall and began hitting his pass on it hard.

"Bad Dobby ! Bad Dobby !"

"Wait ! Hey, Stop !"Harry was torn between the need to discontinue it hurting itself and trying to avoid grabbing it again since he'd obviously hurt him. He pulled his robe off, quickly balled it up and ( between head bounces ) slid it between Dobby and the rampart. The misfortunate elf continued on for a twain of hits, apparently not realising he was now cushioned, then dropped to the base.

"Thank you sir."The elf's vox was a fiddling quaky."Dobby almost spoke ill of his masters."

"Dobby…"Harry saw a need to tread carefully here."If, IF think ! Hypothetically I asked who your masters were. Would you let to punish yourself ?"The elf quickly nodded.

"If I asked you to write it ?"nod.

"If I asked you to act it out like spoof ?"The elf appeared to think about this, cocking its head to the position. Then he nodded.

"If I asked you to tell me why you want me to leave Hogwarts ?"the elf's head stayed very still."How much can you order me without having to penalize yourself ?"

"risk. Dobby knows that peril has come to Hogwarts. Death…"

"If I asked you whether your overlord were involved ?"Dobby tensed like a rod."Just IF recall, if I asked you that would you have to punish yourself ?"

Dobby nodded. Harry smiled, that meant his masters were involved. Otherwise why would he be forbidden to differentiate anyone ?

"And is I asked what form the danger would get ?"

But at this Dobby shook his head furiously and put his hands over his spike. The poor elf began rocking backwards and forwards and keening.

"It ‘ s OK Dobby. You don't have to tell me."The rocking stopped and the elf uncurl.

"Harry ceramist will leave Hogwarts ?"

"No. But I will be careful, very careful."

"Harry Potter must lead, Harry Potter is in danger."

"I usually am Dobby."Harry leaned forward conspiratorially."That just makes it more fun."





Please critical review, especially if you think it 's bad. Really, it 'll help me improve.


"Wonder if he ‘ s cute ?"Parvarti wondered quizzically as the arcsecond years wandered to the defence against the sullen artistic production schoolroom. They had the socio-economic class first of all period Monday, so would be the first base to match the new instructor."Dumbledore said he ‘ s strange, so I bet he ‘ s cute."

"I just inquire if he ‘ ll be a upright teacher."Hermione hung her headspring a little."After a year of… of bad precept we need to catch up. We ‘ ll be golden if we can establish it up in time for the OWLs."Harry could tell she had been about to say Quirrell, but had stopped herself. As far as he could order none of his supporter wanted to think about the event at the end of last year.

"Well, so long as he only has one face, I ‘ ll be happy."Harry stuck his bridge player behind his head and laughed."Right ?"The others stopped for a moment, then grinned with him."Thought so. Anyway…"Harry was the first to the door and pushed it spread."… after Quirrell we can ‘ t do much worse can we ?"

"Pipsqueak ! Told you I ‘ d see you again !"

"No…"Harry looked across the room at Markus Maximus Michelson"…please no…"

"read a seat up strawman my good lad ! I can already order this is going to be one of your favourite classes !"The marauders filed in the front row and the other scholar moved in behind them. All of them looking a little apprehensively at the booming muscled figure in front line of them.

"The name's Professor Markus Triple-M Michelson. I ‘ ll be your Defence against the dark arts teacher this year. Thought I ‘ d subscribe a breakout from the globe-trotting to lapse on some of my knowledge to the succeeding multiplication !"He swept his hat off and spun it across the room, it landed neatly on top of a suit of clothes of armour."Oh and by the way the Ms stand for Maximus, Mighty and Magesto but they might as well stand for Muscular, Magical and most of all Masculine !"He laughed and put his fists on his pelvic girdle."So, on to the matric !"He grabbed the register off the tabular array and began yelling out names, variously chuckling at the odd names and winking at any girl who answered him quickly. When he got to potter he said

"Know you ‘ re here Pipsqueak ! Don't want to even ask !"then went on. Harry dreaded looking backwards but did so anyway. Near the back Dragon Malfoy looked at him and mouthed the word pipsqueek then sneered. Harry groaned, he ‘ d never hear the end of this.

When the register was finished the professor strode up to the forepart of the class. To the jar of all watching he slammed one fist back into the chalkboard. Words jumped off the surface as if they had been jolted into being.

"Duelling !"The professor said and indeed this was the title of respect on the board."Who here has cast something harsh than jelly-legs at another genius ?"

A few manus went up around the class, including Harry's. Neville gulped and tried to hold his hand as low as possible, but Padma took it and jerked it up.

"You there !"Markus pointed to Neville. Padma giggled."What have you used ?"

"full moon Body Bind sir."Neville appeared to be wishing he had a hole to grovel into.

"Good ! Good solid spell ! Incantation, for those who don't know is Petrificus Totalus. And who did you use it on ?"

"McGonagall."

"Mc…McGonagall ?"A nervous titter of laughter ran around the classroom."Right, OK. Um… Anyone else ?"He pointed at Harry,"How bout you pipsqueak ?"

"Acerbus cuspis."

"The pain-spear spell."The teacher stopped moving and turned back towards Harry."A swearing originating in the sentence of the Inquisition, considered by many to be dark conjuring trick ?"

"Er…"

"And who did you use it on ?"

"Quirrell."

"Right OK."Michelson shook his straits."Before we dredge up any Sir Thomas More assaults against Hogwarts instructor lets start on something else. Who here knows what a shield magical spell is ?"Many of the hands went down ( though not of course, Hermione's )"Right ! we'll starting signal there."

*

The grade let out an hour later. Many of the scholarly person had the after-effects of minor jinxes and hexes on them from when their carapace hadn't been dear enough or when their opposition had been too effective. professor Michelson seemed to think all of it extremely funny and laughed outrageously at every furiously-dancing, uncontrollably-coughing or unnaturally-warty educatee before cancelling their affliction and sending them on their way. Half way through the class he had picked Harry to demonstrate some more grievous hexes to the class. Harry ‘ s shield charm wasn ‘ t nearly sound enough and he ended up suffering for every piece that winged his way.

"I hate him ! I hate that muscle-head bastard !"Harry ranted as they walked to account of magic."He knows my figure and he keeps calling me pipsqueak ! He singles me out ! He will pay for this ! right ?"

The other marauders kept a dependable length, giggling behind their hands.

"You know Harry, he seems to be a pretty trade good teacher."Hermione said. Harry rounded on her."I mean, some grownup wizards can't do shield charms and he managed to get half the class doing them in just one lesson."

"He keeps calling me scant !"Harry didn't understand why the others didn't get this"And didn ‘ t you hear him ? Mighty, Majestic, Mouldering… He loves himself !"

"Well…"Parvarti chipped in"He is cute."Harry's brass became rocklike and coloured."And he… winked at me."

"You ‘ ll see."Harry turned and began back towards the history of witching classroom"You ‘ ll all see ! After you meet him a few times you ‘ ll agree with me about Markus Mary Michelson !"

*

But they didn't.

Defence Against the Dark artistic creation quickly became the most expect forward to moral by the full school day. Every few lessons Markus Michelson would introduce a new scrap enchantment and work with them, pulling them with laughs, belittlement and encouragement, to perfect the spell. From disarming and stunning through to buckler and self-defence he taught everything with an superposable jest and very arrogant position. Harry remained sour and silent in these deterrent example especially when the inevitable happened and he was called up to help demonstrate a new patch. He had tried to get the marauders riled up to play a japery on Professor A. A. Michelson but they had flatly refused. Harry had to content himself with dropping potion on a group off Slytherins that gave them oozing boils. It had been unruffled coordination compound, whoever the pus hit when the boils exploded developed them as well.

It was on his way back from wakeless detention that he heard someone yell. Harry saw a first-class honours degree year rush past him upstairs and followed him, towards the racket. A radical of bookman were gathered on the third floor. Harry pushed through them without a intellection and stopped at the battlefront to see a direful sight. Painted on the wall in what looked like rake were the words…

Arise those of antediluvian pedigree ! Cast out the impure from this house of our sire ! Be genuine to your blood line ! Destroy the enemies of the heir ! This is the telephone call to arms !

Harry glanced to his position, lined up side by side to one another stood a chemical group of Slytherins. Malfoy, Goyle and Flint stood incline by side, each wearing identical grammatical construction of gleefulness.

On the floor in front of the letters crouched wretched Victor Jamaican capital, the kid who'd liked the look of Ravenclaw, curled up in fear behind his sunglasses.

Harry moved closer on instinct and put his fingers to the boys neck.

"What are you doing ?"A spokesperson behind him hissed but he ignored them.

"He doesn ‘ t have a pulse."Harry murmured, trying to move his fingerbreadth around for a substantially look."No pulse rate. Get gentlewoman Pomfrey ! Get Dumbledore !"

"Both are here Harry."Harry looked up to see the master walk to the edge of the gang. He stood back gratefully as the school lactate went to work.

"Is he… utterly ?"An older Ravenclaw at the edge of the circle asked and a whisper of breathless shock absorber swept the bunch.

"No."prof Dumbledore said calmly"He appears to have been petrified."

"Will he convalesce ?"Harry noticed that the Ravenclaw was a prefect, she had probably known Victor.

"Yes Miss Clearwater. I think so, in time."Tension seemed to go out of the chemical group but the prefect pressed on.

"Professor…"She glanced up at the writing on the wall."superior was a muggleborn, do you think that there ‘ s any risk ?"

"I am sure I can trust every student here to act in a way that does not disgrace the good gens of this school."

"Yeah right."Harry thought and glanced back at Malfoy and the other Slytherins."Seems a war's been called. People are already choosing sides."

*

The first flak happened just the next morning. Hannah abbot was found with a fall in arm at the bottom of the tone leading down to the Hufflepuff common room. Her bag and books strewn haphazardly at the top. She'd been coming up from the cellar betimes to get breakfast and been pushed back down.

professor sprout took her to the hospital wing. But no one had seen what happened, not even Hannah, and no issue how much they asked the professor couldn't breakthrough who had done it.

The next day a group of Slytherins cornered a first year in one of the upper corridors and began hexing him over and over. Only Flitwick happening past had stopped worse happening.

In a subject of hebdomad it was no longer safe for a muggleborn or half-blood student to be out on their own. lady Pomfrey was being worked of her feet by the stream of injuries coming into her tutelage.

Then, one first light, Oliver woodwind instrument the Gryffindor Quidditch captain was petrified in the prefects john. The teachers had tried to keep a lid on it but the Book that had been scrawled on the wall somehow got out.

Mudbloods and blood-traitors cower in veneration ! The heritor of Slytherin returns and the bedchamber has been opened. Rise up around his standard ! Spill the spoilt stock on the ground !

"It ‘ s getting worse."Harry said as they walked towards their next family."I mean just feel !"He gestured out the window.

There was a huddle of students scurrying along the wall and slipping in a door. A moment later a group of Slytherins hurried into the courtyard with their with wands out.

"Harry no !"Harry was aiming his scepter out the windowpane but Hermione jerked his arm back."If we start fighting back things will escalate ! We have to let the teachers handle it."

"They can ‘ t."Padma said dully as they passed the denial Against the wickedness liberal arts classroom"Not on this scale."Her sister nodded silently. Her normally cheerful mode dulled.

"Padma ‘ s right Hermione."Ron shook his drumhead."Things are just getting risky and besides, we can ‘ t afford to lose any more Quidditch players."

"Is that all you care about !"

"I just meant…"

"Shut up."Harry snapped back at them irritably."Quidditch is about as much use as you two bickering when things are going to hell all around us. We ‘ ve got to do something."

"But what ?"Padma said, shaking her oral sex."This isn ‘ t like Quirrell Harry. There ‘ s no evil maven behind it. Its half the school, trying the kill the other half and we don't know till too of late which is which."

"With some we got a pretty good idea."Harry murmured darkly as they passed a group of Slytherins. The predator curled around Hermione like a human being shield as they passed and only disperse back out after they had gone. A second later Harry's sceptre vibrated in his air pocket."hoot it !"Harry motioned the others to tranquillize and the sound of hexing could be heard above them. They broke into a run towards the nearest stair.

*

"leave him alone !"Ginny's own vox sounded shrill in her auricle. She stepped in front her injured friend and tried to accept her awe.

"What ? Protecting your mudblood boyfriend traitor ?"Marcus Flint stepped out of the ring of Slytherins surrounding her and Colin."footstep aside for me. I ‘ d rather not spill wizard lineage, even your household, unless I have to."

"Mico Harry."Ginny whispered, holding her wand out in figurehead of her. Hoping he was in chain of mountains."Mico Harry."

"Your swain doesn ‘ t look up to much."Flint said stepping closer and eyeing the quivering Gryffindor."Maybe you want a real man ?"

"Mico Ron. Mico Hermione."

"What's that ?"Flint leant forward to hear."That supposed to be a hex ? Ha ! What ‘ s it do ?"Flint laughed and his cohorts around him started laughing too.

"It summons daimon !"

As Marcus'foreland jerked up a bludgeoning hex struck him in the chest. He was thrown back and his friends drew their scepter as the vulture rushed them from the stairwell.

*

Harry was the showtime to admit that he probably wasn't destined to be a dueller. His first bang against the seventh class had been favourable and he now found himself shielding for his life in the middle of a war-zone. early students from other houses had been drawn in or joined in or been pushed in by the gang and now the corridor was filled with flashing Christ Within and cries of pain.

"You ‘ re utter Potter. Oh you ‘ re dead."Flint advanced on him and Harry ducked behind a statue as the big Slytherins swear smashed into the dry land near his invertebrate foot. A endorse one smacked into the Harlan Stone champion and it began to topple over. Harry scrambled out as it crashed to the floor and jabbed his wand at his assailant.

"Expelliarmus !"The spell struck Flint but his thick, sausage-like fingers were curled tightly around his verge.

"Confringo !"Harry leapt out of the way of the blasting curse and fell badly on his shoulder. He threw his own back in answer and the snake stumbled backwards. Harry jumped to his feet and shot a bludgeoning hex only to have it rebound off a cuticle and smack him in the chest. Tumbling backwards he landed on his book binding among the debris. His wand skittered off along the flooring. A phantom fell over him and a huge boot foundation slammed onto his chest, holding him down.

"Hello Potter."Flint pointed his wand at Harry's face."Now I ‘ m gona have some fun."

A moment later Flint was thrown off him as a sweeping wave of Light guesswork through the corridor, forcibly pulling opposer apart.

Harry's hand darted out and grabbed his sceptre while he looked for the source of the patch. His eyes found Albus Dumbledore standing at the end of the corridor with several other teachers behind him.

"Is any student here injured or in need of the hospital wing ?"His voice was stony as he eyed the assembled educatee. A few bookman raised their helping hand. Dumbledore nodded and turned to mouth to the instructor behind him."Please escort them there."No one spoke as the wounded were gathered up. Harry saw Markus A. A. Michelson handing Ginny her bag with one hand while picking Colin up in his other. As Professor McGonagall walked past him he caught her eyes for a moment, they were cold-blooded, abrasive and thwarted. When the last of the injured were gone the headmaster turned back to the remaining scholarly person.

"Now can anyone tell me why this happened ? Why Hogwarts students saw fit to turn this corridor into a battleground ?"He looked over the students and Harry realised that he and Flint were right out in the middle, the two of them surrounded by emptiness. Somehow the ringleaders had been singled out."Why scholarly person who I thought I could bank to act in skillful faith instead acted like fools ?"

No one wheel spoke. No one wanted to draw attention to themselves.

"You will all return to your common suite now. Tomorrow morning you will all total to the great lobby where you will spend your Saturday in muteness. You will return the day after that and for many weekends to come until I decide that the repose and silence of the shoal has returned. Your parents will also be informed of your disappointing behaviour."Dumbledore gestured at the children."Go off now. Not you Harry !"Harry was drawn back by Dumbledore's part. Marcus Flint River smirked at him with his troll-like smile and slinked off. Harry followed the master in silence as he turned and walked off through the school day. He stopped before a gargoyle on the endorsement trading floor.

"sherbert Lemon."The childish password seemed oddly out of kilter with the situation. They remained silent as they were raised up by the staircase and walked out into the Headmasters office.

Harry glanced around in wonder at the odd silver automobile, many moving or making soft sounds, filling board around the edge of the office. His eyes were drawn to the perch behind the desk where a pall looking red bird sat. Even as Harry watched another of its plume fell off and twirled towards the story.

Dumbledore caught it before it hit and slipped it into an inside pocket of his robes. He turned and sat behind the heavy desk. Saying nothing, he regarded the student before him over steepled finger.

Harry knew that with any early teacher this was the time to be tranquility and look guilty, but with Dumbledore he might actually be substantially off explaining.

"Professor."He began and licked his dry rim. Dumbledore's middle flicked to his."I heard the sounds of someone being attacked nearby and I went to see whether I could help. When we… I got there Marcus Flint River and some other Slytherins had the low gear geezerhood surrounded."He couldn't tell what effect this was having on the Headmaster. His expression was cryptic."I fired a charm to make them back off and they responded, I never thought that so many other students would be drawn in or that it would snowball like this. I ‘ m sorry."

"You cast the first hex ?"

"They had been beating up Colin Creevey before we got there."Harry felt too guilty to lie."But I threw the firstly combat spell yes."

"respective students are spite Harry."Gods teeth the ragged raspberry was eyeballing him as well."And there was some morphological scathe to the school. Several picture were damaged and statues broken."

"I was just trying to serve sir. I didn't want any of that."

"And with this atmospheric state of care already around the school you have given everyone another intellect to hate each other."Harry felt very small in front of the continued stare."Worse, you have escalated this problem with your legal action. following fourth dimension people will be even nimble to draw wands in ire. succeeding clip the hex will be worse and hoi polloi could be seriously injure Harry, do you understand that ?"

"Yes sir."Harry cerebration of Marcus Flint's smirk. Next time they wouldn't time lag to rag multitude.

"Today you chose to fight hatred with anger and furiousness. That way will always breed further hatred do you realize that ?"

"Yes sir."

"See that you do not echo this mistake."

"Yes sir. Thank you."Harry walked out of the office staff. All the way to the door he could feel the old mans eyes on his binding.

*

Harry walked back slowly to the Gryffindor common room. By chance the path took him back past the battleground. Some attempt had been made to clean up but the property still felt damaged. groovy lump were missing from the Edward Durell Stone and the breach paintings had all been taken down. The passageway was bare. Harry saw campaign at the other end and tensed for a second, then relaxed as he saw red hair and freckles.

"Ginny ?"

"Harry."The little girl moved up the corridor towards him. Stopping just a petty way down from him."I ‘ m so sorry I got you into trouble. I shouldn ‘ t have micod for you. Hermione said you could be expelled."

"If I was expelled every time Hermione said I would be I ‘ d be some kind o'populace record."Harry walked up to his newest recruit and ruffled her hair."And I taught you that call exactly so you would call me if you were ever in trouble. All this…"Harry waved his paw at the damage and excite his head."Not your fault. But why are you back here ? Shouldn ‘ t you be in the common room."

"I was… waiting… for you."Ginny glanced to the left hand and bit her lip.

"Remind me to instruct you to lie convincingly Ginny."Harry looked into her eye. There was a surprising quantity of concern there."Why don't you want to recount me ? You don't have to you know."

"doomed something."Ginny's representative became smaller with each intelligence she said."A Diary. Must have fallen out in the fight."

"Your diary ‘ s missing ?"Harry shook his capitulum."Did you write anything bad in there ?"

"Not my diary."

"Whose ? Nicking someone's diary is all very marauder of you but…"

"I found it in my books before I even got here. persuasion maybe it got left there."

"Who ‘ s was it ?"

"The front said it was Tom Marvolo Riddle ‘ s."Ginny was acting almost like when he'd first met her.

"And the bit you ‘ re not telling me is…"He hated doing this but she was obviously hiding something.

"It was… special."Ginny seemed to shrink into the solid ground a minuscule."It spoke to me."

"wheel spoke ? It could talk ?"

"No, he wrote back when I wrote him things."Ginny curled up on the floor and hugged her legs up to her bureau."It was blank but it wrote back. He was so nice. I had mortal to let the cat out of the bag to finally."

"somebody to talk to ?"Harry scratched his head word. What did she mean ?"You have six crony don't you ?"

"I can't talk to them."Ginny began to sob a picayune."They don't understand. They laugh at me. Tom understood. And now he ‘ s gone. What if someone else picks him up ? What if he tells them the stuff and nonsense I wrote ?"Ginny looked up shocked and scared and suddenly broke down into bout. Harry just stood there, he didn't know what the hell to do.

"I mess everything up."Ginny gulped between sobs."I lost Tom and everyone ‘ s going to understand him ! I messed up the categorization ! I started a fight and almost got you expelled !"

"Ginny listen to me."Harry tried grabbing her shoulder but she wouldn't looking at at him. With his other hand he cupped her typeface and brought it up so he could see her eyes."Tom sounds like a just friend, I ‘ m indisputable you can trust him to maintain your mystery. I mean, early multitude must have had the diary before you and Tom never told you any of their enigma right ?"

Merlin's beard, he didn't know what he was doing. What did he know about comforting people ?

"And as for this."He pointed around the corridor."All this we can fix. We can fix everything, don't worry. I ‘ ll help you."He was babbling, as if she'd care about the corridor.

"And…"Ginny had stopped crying at least."You don't hate me ?"Harry shook his head.

"Only when you cry. Gryffindors don't cry."He regretted it as soon as he said it, that wasn't what she needed to hear. As he had often done before Harry asked himself where Hermione was when he needed her. She would have known what to say. He smudged a sleeve against Ginny's impudence to get rid of the snag. At least he could do that right.

"seed on. Lets get back to the common room."He stood up and held out a hand to her."And as for having a booster to talk to…"He pulled her into a rough hug then let her go."… what am I a unknown ?"

"Harry."Ginny was looking up at him now."Why couldn't I have had you as a comrade instead of Ron ?"

"Because I ‘ m not pep and my peel can take a tan. Why'd you ask ?"But Ginny didn't answer him.

"She's probably distraught."Harry thought, putting an arm over her shoulder joint and walking with her towards Gryffindor tugboat."I ‘ m no good at this sort of thing."