Chapter 1.
The owl swooped down over sleeping London, a letter, signed and sealed in emerald green clutched in its talons. Even if it had had only the stars to see by it would still have been able to fly reliable, but it wasn't necessary. London sleeping was almost as bright as British capital awake. But light or no light this delivery was a tough one. The post hooter prided themselves on being able to retrieve anyone but it didn't make it easy when the address was simply …
capital of the United Kingdom, somewhere…


But Dumbledore had given her special statement for this delivery, and she never wavered in her trajectory, swooping down past a row of shops, past bread maker, bankers and opticians and curving cleanly into the alleyway behind them to alight on a streetlamp. Her big brown eyes took in the whole scene, the brick wall, the prominent dumpster BIN and the small boy, wrapped in a pelage too large for him by one-half, trotting down the alley from the other direction.

The boy stopped adjacent to one of the dumpsters and quietly lifted the lid, running his hand preceding papers and coffee grounds. He began picking out broken glasses, cracked genus Lens and the ilk, transferring them to a pocket of his pelage. When he had a full pocket he did something peculiar, he scratched a crown of thorns score into one of the walls of the alley, then sat down opposite it and began putting first one, then another of the lens of the eye to his center. After an 60 minutes of this, the pocket-sized boy 's grimace broke into a smile 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 moment later the boy was rummaging in his torn and tacky rucksack and eventually drew out a belittled parcel. When he unrolled it on the ground the owls centre sparkled in the intimation of four More lens of the eye, one a mirror-match of the one the boy held in his mitt, this he took and replaced the others carefully in his bag. The next to come from the bag of magic was a skeletal system ( selected from a few in the bag ) and a subway system of gum. Two pinprick dabs of glue to each lense and the boy carefully laid his prize on the base to dry, then crawled behind the dumpster and rolled himself up in his coat.

The owl waited until the child was asleep, then calmly hopped off its perch and placed the letter beside the tike, he would find it in the daybreak. By the yellow halogen lamp it read ...
Harry ceramist
capital of the United Kingdom, somewhere

*


Harry Potter flickered between waking and eternal rest for the tenacious time. Slipping in and out of dreaming he would not remember on waking, until he fell into a profoundly slumber and curled himself tight into a little nut, a wellspring of warmth with his custody tucked in his armpits and his school principal ducked down. Shifting and gliding from ambition of the by, of leaving the Dursleys.

Harry Potter always thought of as just leaving. He did not run away ! You can only run away from home, and Privet driveway had never been home. He had decided that. He knew he had another dwelling house, he dreamed of that too. Not with images or anything tangible, just of a common sense of heat, and also botheration, he didn't understand that. Other dreaming pushed in on his night fourth dimension recollection and he touched on other things, the PIE in the nearby bakehouse, the workplace to do tomorrow and tonight's piece of work, still drying, on the ground, until…

"Get up ! Get out !"

Not Harry's natural awakening, but far from pleasant. Harry uncurled like a spring, just stopping to seize his piece of work on the priming before pelting off down the alleyway, chased by the irate baker. Rounding a corner Harry ran on, past times surprised, mildly startled and downright floor walker, past lamps, weenie and pigeon hatful, even past and through the cars as Harry dashed across a officious road. It no longer mattered that he'd lost any pursuer three blocks ago, it was just good to run.

Harry stopped in regent Park and ducked to drink from one of the fount and snatched a few coins from the keister. Soon hopefully he would have money coming to him ( at least, as much as he ever had ) and he could study some small measuring of it to satisfy what was more often than not lately a gnawing hole in his midsection ( at least it was summer, wintertime was worse ). Harry walked down Euston road for a patch, not caring or seeing where he was going until he reached the station itself. The sun was gamy by that time and hoi polloi 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 stave off him, or pretend not to see him, and slipped three coloured balls out of his coating. Shifting them all to his leftover hand, he flicked his new glasses on with his right. The balls became edged in crystal uncloudedness as the lenses slipped over his centre. Harry stood in the second power and laughed for a while, laughed into the dawning sky while the people around him stared or frowned, then, in a jiffy, Harry swept all three into the air and gyrate them around his hands faster and faster. He laughed as he fountained the balls up above his drumhead. hoi polloi began to take observation as he added a fourth ball, and a one-fifth. People walked by and turned to stare for a moment before flipping coins into his hat or even waited there watching him for a while before moving on.

Harry smiled, this sentence not for the act itself, but for the coins. This was why he had had to make glasses and why his belly was vacuous than rule. He hadn't been able to manage more than three Lucille Ball since Christmas. Just to show himself he could, Harry added another nut and split the ball into two circles ("Oooh !"Said a small miss departure by. The mother smiled at him, but didn't bead anything ). The two circles became one again as they began to wobble ("Out of practice session"thought Harry ) and he pocketed two of the bollock back away, he had to keep this up for a while.

The sun was gamey in the sky before Harry moved from his spot. He scooped his winning to an inside pocket and went off to buy tiffin. He bought sandwiches at some newsagents with no real name and ate them slowly on a Mungo Park workbench and drank more piddle from a outflow. On the way back to his spot Harry passed another food shop, the patty in the window looked even better than the for the first time single had. Harry walked yesteryear, thrift was in his bones.
*


When Harry got back to the place he realised something was wrong. In the exact eye of the square was the biggest man Harry had ever seen. From the toes of his tumid leather boots, past his heavy furred topcoat ( Bet that's strong, thought Harry ) all the way to his side, so deal, variously, in byssus, mustache and dirty black tomentum that only small parts of pelt were visible, the man was easily eight fundament tall. The very appearance of the man was so striking that for a farseeing consequence Harry didn't see what the man was doing and then he became even more odd. The tall man seemed to be looking for something, he would consult a piece of ( very old and yellow looking ) composition then look around, staring at people, then look worriedly back at the composition.

"Maybe he's lost"Thought Harry. But the magniloquent man didn't seem to be about to travel on, neither did he seem to be the type to ask directions. Harry was torn for a moment between apprehension at the imposing figure and a chance to snap up a bit more money from helping a preoccupied tourist. But a mo later his indecisiveness became redundant as the improbable man turned to look at Harry and his face broke into a huge grinning. The improbable man ran over to where Harry was standing ( breaking several paving Isidor Feinstein Stone ) and stopped in front of the startled small fry looking, in turns, happy and relieved.

Yes ?"Volunteered Harry,"Can I help you ?"he hazarded, then ( in a lowest ditch elbow grease to regain normality )"are you lost ?"

"Nope,"Said the tall man, spreading his mouth in the widest smile 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 incline road and began haring down first one back street then another.

"One soundly 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 hire one running whole step to Harry's three and he didn't have to dodge through crowds either, citizenry fell over themselves to get out of the way. And all the meter they were running the tall man kept yelling

"delay ! You got to take yer missive ! You got… Out a my way you ! … to record it ! end !"

Harry pelted off a independent road and down an alley, he was moving so fast he almost shot past the thing he had been searching for. Harry skidded to a halt and grasped both manus round the cast iron drainpipe ( his piffling trick was less useful now to the highest degree pipework were fictile but it had still put him above and away from more than one bit of trouble ), his animal foot went against the wall and he pulled himself handwriting over bridge player upwards, two of his ball slipped out of his pocket and fell back down but he ignored them, he could get more ( well, he could probably get more, and in a pinch anything round would do ) and pulled himself onto the tiled ceiling above him. Harry lay there for a second, finding his counterpoise ( and his breath ) before sliding back to the edge and looking over. Three storey down ("It had looked so much declamatory from the bottom"cerebration Harry ) the tall man stood hunched over, catching his breathing place in vast, leviathan, gulps that disturbed the dust on the dry land. The man managed to stand up after a few moments and began rummaging in his pelage. After a few try at respective air hole he managed to get out out what looked like a sealed envelope and squeeze it into the air.

"You got… to have… yer letter."The man said breathlessly. He wiped his handwriting across his font and shook the sweat off on the background."Blimey you're fast."And with that the tall man dropped to the ground 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 tall man, pulling off his coating to scupper a dirty ovalbumin shirt and suspenders."Why'd you do that anyway ?"

"Because I've never met you before."Said Harry."Why would someone I've never met before be looking for me at Euston station ! Also…"added Harry as another intellection 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 diminished enough to fit in my handwriting back then, and you were easier to catch."The improbable man said smiling."I knew you when you was a baby. have sex your parents too, friends."The adult male 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 pink umbrella with frilly braid sharpness, it looked almost like it should be in a cocktail nestled in his big manpower.

"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 magical umbrella that points you on your way ! The umbrella of light, The umbrella of seeking !"Harry spun on one foundation and began walking the other way."The pastel, pink umbrella of plenty !"Harry threw back his mind and laughed."You're wacky Paraguay tea ! An umbrella can't help you find anyone."

"You think so do you ?"Said the man, still smiling,"Then I think it's high metre you read your letter."The man put the letter on the footing in straw man of him ( pausing for a minute when he realised he had been using it to mop his eyebrow ) 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 varsity letter outburst into over-embellished flames.

"It's all right hand ! It's all right wing !"Cried the man, stamping out the fire with his iron heel."It only got the envelope and that was pretty wet so it's all right. I'll try again."Harry watched in stunned prevision as the man stepped back again, raised the umbrella carefully and mumbled something slightly different towards the envelope. For a present moment nothing happened. Then, slowly, one edge of the envelope lifted up, dipped back down again ("steady"mumbled the man ) then righted itself and rose by one street corner as if it was drawn up by an unseeable train of thought. The letter rose higher and higher until it drew level with Harry's cheek. He stood up and the letter of the alphabet obligingly rose to accommodate him. Harry carefully reached out and waved his hand over the varsity letter, then under it, then all around just to be sure. He finally drew his deal back and whispered

"How…"Harry leaned in to get a skinny look and suddenly, momentarily, forgot he was on a rooftop. His metrical foot slipped out from under him and he tumbled over, skinning his legs on the edge before falling like a Stone. As he spun in the air he looked up to see the letter, still casually floating above him."Weird day…"sentiment Harry, then large hands caught him.

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

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

"Oh, that's easy stuff."The tall man waved his script disparagingly"Even I can do that, you'll learn that in your first calendar week, its one of the uncomplicated charms."

"good luck charm ? !"Harry felt like running away again but his legs wouldn't motility."Like, as in, go ?"

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

"You know my aunt and uncle."Harry looked at the man and tried to work out the fortune that this somebody was friends with his auntie 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 think what his aunty had told him about them. Very fiddling, just that they were the legal injury sort of people and died in some accident. A ardour wasn't it ? Or maybe a car clank ? Anyway Harry had privately decided that if they were multitude 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 long meter ago."Harry snapped back to the deliver."and I'm better off without them taking attention of me !"The improbable man gave him a shrewd tone, taking in his heavily wear clothes and shoes."Well…"added Harry"at to the lowest degree 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 death trying to mold out how the oven works."He laughed and was pleased to see the grandiloquent man laugh too."Mind you it'd demand a while to thirst Dudley. Fat military reserve like a camel !"Harry did a quick fat-cousin impression, waddling along the back street, 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 storey and handed it to Harry."This should explain nearly of what you're wondering about and I'll fill in the blanks."Harry took the letter carefully and looked at it before opening it. It was an old fashioned one, made with yellowing parchment and sealed with a coating of coat of arms in wax, melted wax now of grade. Harry wiped the sticky mass away with his sleeve and opened the letter. Inside were three pieces of paper and what looked like a string tag. All made of queer old paper. He stared at the ticket, it had gold leaf an it and had a boastfully crest ("probably the same 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 land of rich people…"thought Harry"…or a chocolate factory.")

"Read the letter, read the varsity letter !"Urged the tall man impatiently. Harry tucked the ticket into his pocket and pulled out one of the piece of paper of paper. He opened it. His centre slid from one incline to the other. He had read each dividing line about three times before he finally believed that what he thought he read was actually what was on the page. Harry held the letter in front of him and tried to calm his voice before saying,

"A school ?"

"Yep,"Said the tall man smiling"Hogwarts, Best school in the world for people like you. feed the other schools'll tell you different, but anyone who knows what there talking about says Hogwarts is the greatest. Course we have Albus Dumbledore, none of the remainder of em can say that."

"Who's he ?"Said Harry, still desperately trying to avoid the one part of the varsity letter that had him shaking most."Someone famous ?"

"He's the headmaster."Said the improbable 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 eye were drawn to the PS on the hindquarters of the letter, written in a different handwriting than the rest of the schoolbook, and with different ink.
P.S.

Due to your especial context an escort has been provided for you to excuse and help you through the process of preparing for your first school year. If this letter has not come to you via one Rubious Hagrid then you will be meeting him shortly. I wish you all the skilful for the commencement of your first school year.

Albus Dumbledore


"Rubious Hagrid ?"The marvellous man nodded.

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

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

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

"legerdemain like you just did ? Making matter float and explode ?"

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

"And you think I can do that ?"

"With a little preparation o'course, that's what Hogwarts is for."Hagrid put his hand on Harry's articulatio humeri"cum on, we've stood here long enough and we need to be getting your school hooey. But first we should get you washed up and in some proper clothes."Hagrid led Harry down the skittle alley. Harry followed placidly.

When your entire life shatters like glass and is replaced something glittering and new, acute and chilling. When your life alteration in an instant you can either pull back, clutches on to the old, try to beak up the opus and risk destroying the new crystal hereafter you have found, for the interest of safe urine of the past. Or you can drop, laughing into the new life, with its shiny opening. And you either ride it through, or get swallowed under.

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



Lets all take a moment to thank retentiveness King for betaing this chapter.

Harry Potter and the Roofs At night : Chapter 2 : Jack

Harry raked his hands through his shorter haircloth, trying to make it flatcar. The hairstylist had nearly shoved them out of the store when they arrived, a conspicuously improbable man and a child with uncombed, unwashed, un-anythinged hair's-breadth. Hagrid had paid her in notes that looked very old.

"Did he make them with thaumaturgy ?"persuasion Harry suddenly."Could I earn them with magic ?"The apparel and the shower at a gym had both been interchangeable oddity but apparently the largest peculiarity was yet to come.

"That looks all right now."Hagrid had said coming out of a clothing storage."Now for the real shopping."

"This clobber ?"Harry fished the list that had come with the letter out of his air hole."Holy Scripture, verge, cauldron… toad ?"

"Nah, no toad."Laughed Hagrid."But all that early poppycock you'll need for Hogwarts."

Harry hurried alongside Hagrid, his mind still buzzing with inquiry. But there was no way he was asking about legerdemain in a crowded street wide of muggles ( or was it muddles, or mugwerts. Something like that anyway. ) And when they finally turned into a doorway Harry was so engaged looking at where they were that they were pushed to the backrest of his brain. They had stepped, hopefully deliberately ( this didn't seem like the kind of blank space that would sell books, or make potions other than the general alcoholic sort ) into a shadow, oak beamed, pub full of solid, old-looking furniture. The swallow behind the bar had odd gens and some of the liquids fizzed or bubbled. In the dark Light Harry could have sworn one of them was glowing faintly. The preindication outside had said"The talebearing cauldron ”. It certainly fitted one of the criteria.

As Hagrid led Harry across the base, weaving around tables Harry began to notice early things that didn't quite fit. Like the dress people were wearing, half of the people were in normal, but hideously inappropriate and mismatched, clothes. But the other half wore what looked like long flowing robes in various people of color. The littler items were stranger, no scout or walkmans, but instead one man held a marble in his deal. As he gripped it the area 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 symbolisation painted on it to his booster ("Less than a sickle ("sickle ?") and new they go as high gear as five !"). In a recession two ginger kids who looked like twins, not much older than Harry himself, were swapping some form of trading cards.

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

"The usual Hagrid ?"For a present moment Harry didn't see where the voice had come from. Then he realised they had reached the bar, and the tender was talking to them."Also there was someone in here selling wivern eggs. Probably just painted Struthio camelus single but you never know."

"Nah, nah."Said Hagrid waving one of his big hands."Got no time for a crapulence or to look at stuff 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 hand to it and realised that, with his new haircut, the old scar on his brow 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 scar infantile fixation or something ?

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

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

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

"My names Jack."He said, affronted."Why you all staring at me ?"sound seemed to come back to the barroom as the great unwashed turned back to their drinks, mumbling and in one display case shouting ("Oh no ! its all over my shirt !"). And Harry turned back towards the bar and looked up into the incredulous face of the barman and then foster up into the throw typeface of Hagrid."I got the scrape falling off my low gear bike, odd flesh isn't it ?"Harry smiled.

"Yeah, that right… Jack."The barkeeper turned around chuckling under his breath while Harry turned to present Hagrid.

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

"Harry ?"Hagrid said quietly."Um… why did you just do that ?"It took Harry a 2nd to compose himself enough to answer.

"They knew me somehow, or at least experience my name."Harry shuddered."If a room wide-cut of strangers knows your name its either very good newsworthiness or incredibly bad news."Hagrid fished out a water 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 audience is beguile. And somehow I don't think that was what they were looking for."Harry splashed some of the pee into his helping hand and slicked down one side of his haircloth, right over the cicatrix."Hagrid, why were they staring at me ?"

"Ah… well… you see that's…"Hagrid dry-washed his hands nervously. Then straitened and walked over to a paries pulling out his umbrella."That can hold back till later, it's not something I want't saucer in a grim alley."Hagrid tapped bricks faster than Harry could follow and stepped back."There…"Said Hagrid, obviously keen to sate every silence lest interrogative re-arise."Here's where you can get your school clobber, Diagon alley."The bricks spread apart around the area Hagrid had tapped, opening out to a windowpane into another world.

A long winding street, full to the brim with odd clothe people, and odd workshop filled with odder product. colourful signs swung from the overhanging stories above them, showing that the shop below sold broom handle or firework. citizenry sold affair out of wheelbarrow on the edges, odd vegetables and wooden toys that danced or spun. For now Harry was contentedness to follow Hagrid, draining in the sights and the phone of the position. He was almost frustrated when Hagrid stopped in front of a vauntingly colonnaded building and went inside.












The inside of the building was as purple as the outside, with two retentive desks running the duration of the high vaulted room. light up came from windows high up on the walls. Along each desk sat curious animate being consulting listing or counting out piles on coins. There were udder of coins behind the desks too, and the exclusively sound were the clink of alloy on metal and the scratching of pinion. Harry suddenly had the odd sensation that he had entered the duomo of money, the church of cash, and knew, acutely, that he hadn't been to idolize in a while.

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

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

"This is a camber ! ?"Exclaimed Harry, and was shushed by a nearby puppet. He continued in a quieter representative."I don't have any money to withdraw, certainly not from a berth 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 respite of the doubt was lost as they reached the desk they had been headed for.

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

"Mr Harry Potter ( sorry Harry ) here to urinate a withdrawal."

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

"Key, right…"Hagrid dug through sack after pocket, spilling diverse things onto the floor and the desk. Harry picked up the thing he could recognise, like scissors grip and a dog choker, and left the other flake where they were, some of them were moving."Ah !"Hagrid produced a key, that had probably been shiny gold before encountering Hagrid's sack, and put it on the desk."There we are. Also there's one early thing."Hagrid leaned in close to the animal and handed him a sealed piece of paper. Harry thought he recognised the curvaceous key signature on the straw man."It's about what's in vault 713."

"Of course."Said the tool, reading the note. For the number one time it seemed interested in what it was looking at. The creature ("They're goblins Harry, sorry I didn't citation that. I keep forgetting you're new to this. hobgoblin, and this is Gringots.") summoned over another like it but younger and with a slightly lupus erythematosus crisp expression. This new goblin introduced himself as Greeklunk, rolled his center at the binding of the departing hob 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 camber so I have no comparison but I'm fairly sure mine-carts don't figure into it."

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

"Dragons strait like a estimable security method."Said Harry, climbing into the handcart."Of course it could be a problem if you actually want to withdraw anything without being char-grilled."

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

"Do they take a breather fervidness ?"

"wellspring yes."

"Are they ten foot long ?"

"Oh to the highest degree are much cock-a-hoop than that !"

"With huge nipper, dentition, 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 rampart were passing at a fuzz, other tracks winding off to either side. The cart passed through Brobdingnagian caverns and through pin-hole passage, tipping so far on the bends it threatened to number off. Harry stood face-first to the idle words and closed optic, letting the gusting noise swirl around him as the carts movement buffeted him. After a 2d he turned to Greeklunk, just one inquiry on his mind.

"Does it go any faster ?"

"One speed only."Said Greeklunk wistfully. He shared a immediate grin with Harry and turned his face into the wind too. After a second he added with a wide-mouthed goblin-grin,"But we can go fill out some eyelet if you like !"

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

"Are you all right 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 take on to something !"Harry had just spread his arm out like annex to better feel the malarky, but obligingly put them back down."You make me giddy standing like that."

The cart eventually slowed and pulled up following to a burial vault. Harry hopped out of the handcart to study this new surrounding followed, much more slowly and with thought for his venter, by Hagrid. Greeklunk led them to one picky vault and turned brought out the key Hagrid had given the desk goblin. The lock squeaked as Greeklunk turned it with the key and there was the sound of tumid dash drawing back.

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

Harry's judgement rebelled. Not unfeigned, it insisted to its dishonest eyes, the pictures your sending me just can't be true. There is no way. Just no way… Harry barely noticed as Hagrid walked into the vault and took a few coins from the piles of gold and more generous handfuls from the flatware and bronze piles.

"This should be enough to go on."Hagrid stepped back out of the vault and had to physically be active Harry to provide Greeklunk to close the door. Harry was silent as they stepped back into the pushcart and for a piece just stared at the walls rushing past until finally he felt he had his own thoughts in order enough to try and get answer for them.

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

"Well of row they were ! Lilly and William James Potter. head boy and girl of Hogwarts they were when they were there."

"legerdemain 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 category with it."

"And they were stinking plenteous ?"

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

"But, that vault ?"

"wellspring 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 call back them."

"That's not all right !"Said Hagrid with a mix of wrath and unhappiness."If anything that makes it worse !"

"Tell me a niggling about them then."Harry said, measured not to let one shred of eagerness enter voice."It might ask your mind off the cart for a while longer."Harry laughed as Hagrid suddenly looked around and, seeing that he was sitting up, not holding on and had momentarily forgotten his sickness, let out a yelp of surprisal and curled back into a corner.

After a second he began to spill and Harry let the words wash over him. Hagrid didn't seem very good at telling stories, his judgment jumped about with many a"and there was this other time…"and seemed to derail from his fathers start year at Hogwarts, to his parents wedding, to some game called Quidditch his founding father apparently played, to just describing his female parent face. In the midriff of a blow by blow description of a battle between his father and some other kid ( Snipe ? ) Harry realised they were no longer moving. Glancing around he saw a dim, disused, dingy and dank part of the camber caves with just one large hurdle in sight next 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 menses, 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 handle."Deep down in Gringots."He thought."And even high security than they put on quite a little of gold ?"

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

"Best you don't think on it too much Harry."Said Hagrid."especial charge from Dumbledore. Very secret."

"Something charming ?"Harry asked."Another umbrella perhaps ?"Hagrid looked at him oddly for a import before realising it was a jest. Greeklunk ran a finger down a part of the door and it dissolved wish junk into the air. The goblin then stepped back warily as if he didn't want to be closer to the subject matter of the vault than he had to be. While Hagrid stepped into the hurdle Harry turned to Greeklunk and whispered

"Do you get it on what's in here ?"The hobgoblin shook his head.

"And I don't want to retrieve out."The hobgoblin shuddered."The vaults down here are the top certificate. I haven't been here long enough to see Sir Thomas More than one or two. Sometimes its just money, people who want it as safe as possible and don't mind the extra care, but sometimes…"

"Worse ?"

"Much worse."Greeklunk leaned against the wall and put an odd joystick in his lip and began to jaw it."There was one guy a few Clarence Day ago, rich toff from one of the old wizarding home. All he took out was money but I swear, in the dorsum of the bank vault there was other stuff. Chains, knives, a wrack, not new stuff creative thinker but some of it looked… used."Greeklunk trailed off into secretiveness, chewing softly.

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

"That's not the bad of it."Continued Greeklunk, shaking his head."That stuff could easily take in been full moon of morose magic. In fact, considering the reference, it probably was."Greeklunk looked like he was about to say Thomas 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."exclusively dealing 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 names or anything."

"I only wish the higher ups would see it like that."Greeklunk shook his headspring."Ah… time to go."Hagrid stepped back out of the vault stuffing a small grubby bundle into his pocket.

"Something small"Thought Harry."Something small but very valuable and very secret and possibly very dangerous. Something wizardly. Something…"( he glanced into the vault as the door reappeared )"…valuable enough to rent out an entire 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 time of day ! Er, practiced add that to your list of stuff not to mention again Harry."). Finally the handcart reached ground level again and they got out, waved good day to Greeklunk and stepped back into the torrent of audio in diagonally.






"right field, first gear things first."Hagrid looked up and down the street and stopped when he saw a shop that appeared to have a needle-and-thread star sign outside its doorway."We need to get you some robes."Madam Malkin's was empty except for the proprietor who fussed over Harry like a mother hen, standing him up on a stool and pinning and tucking the farsighted Shirley Temple Black robe she threw over him.

"You'll be going to Hogwarts of course."Madam Malkin's vocalism was muffled by the pins and magazine held in her rima oris. Hagrid, standing in the cover of the shop mimed drinking and pointed back to the blabbermouthed 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 difficulty, but from this world. He was in a foreign country and had just lost his translator.

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

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

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

"I see a lot of Hogwarts scholar come in here for their foremost robes."lady Malkin moved around to his other side to begin working on that."You get so you can tell the ace who are muggle-born just by the way they look at anything charming sideways. But in a years fourth dimension you see them come back carrying broom handle and making the dejection fly just like the rest. You'll fit in."She knelt down to start on the hemline and Harry was left feeling more horse barn than he had all day.

"Just a matter of getting my sea legs."Thought Harry, idly taking two balls from his pouch and juggling them one-handed."Get stable in this new universe and you'll be fine."Harry added another ball and kept on with one hand, using the other to get out his list."Still ask quill feather, still want parchment, still ..."

"I wish I could do that."Harry looked up to see a lady friend about his age standing in the door of the store, an grownup ( judging from the foam of chocolate-brown hair they were both endowed with, probably her female parent ) stood talking with one of the shop attendants and fiddling with gold coins she didn't seem intimate 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 adjacent footstool.

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

"Oh, that."Harry suddenly felt like impressing mortal and added another ball before moving to both paw and separating them out into two loops. He caught one ball in each hand then flipped his wrists and let the others fall onto the cover, he balanced them there for a instant before slipping them back into his air pocket."That's nothing."Harry grinned and winked.

"I tried to teach how to hoodwink once."The little girl seemed to speak as if everyone should sit up and ingest notice."I got a book out of the depository library that was supposed to learn you but I kept dropping the balls."The girl seemed to realise something and turned to him ( making the person pinning up her dress swear and suck a cock up digit )"Unless of course you used magic. Its probably promiscuous for you to do if you do magic. I never knew I was magic until the letter came and I'm so gladiolus but I bet I'll be behind everyone else, that's why we came out here the first day we could so I would take in a chance to get lots of books for background indication. I just hope I don't end up looking stupid."The missy seemed to barricade more from lack of breath than from lack of words, she didn't look like she ever ran out of words.

"I don't think there's too much danger of you looking stupid"irritating maybe but not stupefied"and anyway I'm the Sami, I was woefully, blissfully and surprisingly unknowledgeable about thaumaturgy until the letter came and warped the world."He grinned and waved his hand towards the window into diagonally"but it can't be anything but fun, especially wizard school, especially spells."Harry laughed.

"Were not going there to have fun, were going there to learn."The little girl sounded scandalised.

"Maybe you're going there to get a line. But I've always had the opinion that lifetime's for fun, and if you can't find something to laugh at in any state of affairs you're not trying hard enough. Anyway…"Harry swiftly moved on as the lady friend went through various stage of jar."… we'll hardly be able-bodied to avoid having fun if we're doing trance all the time, making satiate fly, making stuff explode, making hooey into other stuff, the unit affair should be a blast."There was an uncomfortable silence, helpfully filled by ma'am Malkin saying…

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

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

"Harry Potter."The dressmaker gasped and stabbed her finger again, ma'am 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 shoulder."I was about to come in get you. nestling shouldn't be walking around alone."Harry was about to refer that that was exactly what he had been doing the cobbler's last three years of his life when Hagrid started off towards another shop and Harry had to follow or be swallowed by the crowd.

On the cycle of the workshop Harry met three more prospective Hogwarts scholarly person, a duo of twin girls in the druggist'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 utter patronage when Harry bought sec paw books.

"There's mess in that vault to last 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 moment to spill its maiden few pages onto the cobble. Harry picked them up without speaking and set off down the street fast enough to make Hagrid jog to keep up.





Ollivanders came succeeding and Harry thought for a here and now Hagrid had taken his advice to philia. Looking at the thinly premises with faded windows and peeling paintwork belied its indorsement which made out that it had made fine wand since 382 bc.

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

The interior was full of shelves, piled heights with long thin boxwood. It reminded Harry of a interbreeding between an old second hand bookstore and a disused shoe stock. The sliver of luminosity from the window illuminated the mote of rubble in the air, Harry blew into it and was rewarded by a swirling pattern, spotlighted in the murky room. He was just wondering if he should perhaps ring the bell when he heard a vocalization out of the darkness.

"Good afternoon."The voice was quiet and felt like old velvet but it came so suddenly that Hagrid jumped like a spooked cony and Harry just kept enough of his will power to avoid jumping himself though his eye felt like it had leapt on its own.

"Good afternoon to you."Harry said, keeping his voice steady 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 head like a heron.

"Ah, Mr. Potter."The old man couldn't have seen the cicatrice, none of the other people he'd met had through the hairsbreadth."I was for certain I'd be seeing you in my workshop sometime soon."

"Sorry to observe you waiting."Harry leaned back from the military man center 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 measure out of a sac and it sprang out of his hand, measuring Harry's subdivision and fingers."sceptre are what I do. I made all the wand here and I remember all of them, even the one I've sold."

"Wouldn't some sort of card catalogue would be more efficient ?"said Harry but Ollivander wasn't listening.

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

"fountainhead it would if you've been around since 382bc !"Getting More annoyed as the tapeline measure wrapped itself around his head.

"You're mother was a unicorn-hair girl, set in willow tree. right wand that, I remember the day I made it. Your founding father liked a baton with Dragon heart-string, more powerful. fountainhead I say he liked but its really the verge that chooses the wizard."Ollivander fixed Harry with a stare that made his tactile property like he was being weighed and measured but he managed to say.

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

"Very well Mr. Potter."Ollivander seemed oddly happy with Harry's insistency, as if this was the bit he'd been waiting for too. He snapped his digit and the tape amount curled back up in the laurel wreath of his hired man."Lets try ..."he ran his hanker digit over a nearby shelf then nodded to himself and picked a box that was ( to Harry's eyes ) identical to all the others."… Pine and Phoenix feather, short one at five inches."Harry took it and looked at it, it looked like a fat pencil."render it a wave."Encouraged Ollivander. Harry swished the sceptre and jabbed at air to no outcome 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. Twelve inch and thin."He called out."Try it."Harry waved the spiritualize toothpick unenthusiastically before handing it back up to Ollivander who replaced it on the shelf and kicked the run over to another area.

Thomas More wands passed by without issue and Harry was beginning to feel worried ( and a piffling hungry ) when Ollivander passed him another wand.

"genus Phoenix plumage and Holly eleven inches."Ollivander handed it to him just like he had all the others but Harry thought he had seen a intimation in the old human beings spooky middle. Harry raised it apprehensively and swished it like a whiplash. Nothing happened, and secrecy filled the pocket-sized store. Harry held the baton out for the old shopkeeper but he made no motility to look at it. He was staring at it like he did not quite understand.

"Try it again."Was all he said.

Harry obediently swished the baton 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 pathetic man looked quite confused.

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

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

"Andaman padunk."The wand maker said almost to himself."and genus Phoenix feather. Just nine column inch. But this is yours !"He held up the other wand in its box."This is the one you're supposed to accept. This scepter has at its core, a certain plumage. The bird that gave that plumage gave only one former that was made into a wand. Yes, XIII and a half inch, yew. That verge 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 work. This one did."He liked the look of the wand he had in his hired hand. The forest was faintly red and the clutches where he held it was a petty rougher making the thing flavour stable in his small-scale hand like none of the others had."How practically for this one."

"Take it."The old man suddenly looked just that, old. He waved them out as he turned and walked into the book binding of his shop, without taking his eyes off the sceptre in his hand.










Harry left the price of the baton on the desk and left the old man to his mentation. When they were outside Harry took the lead and a storm Hagrid followed him. Harry stopped by a piddling café and sat down at a table in the corner and motioned for Hagrid to sit down too. When he did Harry said…

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

"They think, that something I was or did terminate this shadow Almighty ? And the reasonableness mass are staring at me is because I'm some sort of celebrity-hero ? And everyone in your world knows this ? Including the people I'm going to be going to school with ? And this dark maven may still be out there somewhere ? Have I got this right ?"

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

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


Chapter 2 : The toaders

Hagrid spoke to the barkeep at the leaky caldron before leaning down to address to Harry.

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

So that was how it came to take place that Harry slept at the leaky cauldron that dark, 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 hands behind his mind. His tired body fought his buzzing mind as it churned through the days Revelation of Saint John the Divine. But as the clock crept past football team Harry's body began to win and his centre drooped.

He dreamt of wands and sensation and rocketing handcart that flew past his eyes chased by broomsticks. But most of all he kept turning and turning the taradiddle Hagrid had told him through his head just as he had when he was awake. Again and again a glum figure killed a man, then a cleaning lady then touched him on the head with his wand. Sometimes the man was Hagrid, his vast bulk blowing away like debris in a flashgun of light, sometimes the man looked like Harry, but older, stocky. The killer was big, sometimes it was just a wickedness force, a wave. Sometimes it looked human, like a scoundrel off TV, decked out in Fang and a cloak as it killed a adult female who looked like brothel keeper Malkin. Sometimes it had red eyes. Once, it was Harry.

Harry jerked awake and saw that it was still coloured outside. He had sweated despite ridding himself of the back and scrambled to the window to afford it. Dim twinkle filtered in from the edges of a sky not quite ready for sunrise. Harry turned and looked over his room, barely glimpsed the Nox before. It was panelled in oak and the article of furniture was all of the heavy wooden sorting. The bed had a canopy around it that Harry had failed to close survive nighttime, he noted in passing that the under shroud was twisted as if the crosstie had squirmed in the night.

"Running from something"Harry decided grimly. That thought and others made him decide to forgo trying to get some more sopor before dayspring and wandered over to where he'd dropped his old bag by the dresser.

He idly looked through cup of tea, sorting poppycock into piles and chuckling as they brought back recollection of various installment of the former day, the quills the market keeper had tried to contribute him free when a waft from a fan blew back his hair's-breadth, the potion ingredient 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 chair and sat down in front man of it, considering his dilemma. The largest deal by far, dwarfing his new robe in weight if not in size, was the books.

This really was a dilemma for Harry. Having not had lawsuit to record anything longer than a sentence or two in three age Harry was painfully mindful that those books would be seriously heavy going. Checking his ticket again ( from another spate ) Harry counted solar day and came up with xxx eight. He counted them again and came up with thirty seven. He did a piffling rime in his head to remember how many years august had and came up with XXX eight again. He wondered how very much a room for more than a month had price and whether he could channel all his al-Qur'an about on the streets and realised that Hagrid had probably paid in approach to stop him doing just that. The groundskeeper was surprisingly shrewd about some things.

Harry switched his attention back to the leger 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 newbie. Harry's stomach grumbled and he realised wryly that lunch had been a farsighted metre ago and although a lot had happened in the mean-time dinner hadn't been part of it. And defective he realised with a chortle, breakfast probably wouldn't be served for hours yet.

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

Harry lay back for a here and now and closed his eyes, then swung forward and pulled a Christian Bible off the top of the batch. After a moment he replaced it, shuffled through trough he found the one with the Christian Bible father in the rubric and started on that. After a moment he put that back too and found the one that said grade-one. After a moment he leaned back and put his feet up. He had finally managed to read the first of all sentence in one of his books. It was a start.

*

Harry was well into the book when he realised that igniter was streaming through the window and the phone of the city were filtering through meretricious and clear. Harry stood up, put the book in his bag and went off to explore Diagonally. The bartender watched him go but didn't try to stop him.

"Hagrid probably told him to watch me."Thought Harry as he walked out the spinal column door, turned, walked back in and asked the barkeeper how to open the wall.

The way revealed to him, Harry stepped out onto the bustle about street. Harry bought a folded-pastry thing at a go-cart and was surprised to divulge it was pumpkin. He walked along staring in Windows at the various oddities until he reached Gringots. Gaining this familiar dry land Harry climbed to the top of the steps, sat down and finished his pastry where he could see everyone occur and go. Eventually he got out his book and read a chapter on something called alohomora without taking it in before shouldering his bag again and walking back into the crowd.

Harry followed a pattern like this for the succeeding few days, going out in the morning and soaking in the sights of Diagonally until he was sure he knew the place by heart, The monetary standard book of patch ( score one ) by Miranda Accipiter gentilis was finished and replaced back by A tiro guide to transfiguration by Emeric switching which was itself replace after a much longer interval ( the Bible was longer 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 blunt passage about moss after a recollective days walk when he heard a tapping on the window. A brown and cream flecked owl with tenacious legs stood on the windowsill. The windowpane was open but the owl just kept sitting there, cocking its pass at him until Harry motioned the birdie to come in. It ducked under the window frame and hopped onto the floor where it scuttled up to the desk and raised itself up to it in one flap. Careful to avoid disturbing any of Harry's material it walked over to him and held out a letter it had clutched in its claw. Harry took it and the owl hopped back but still stood there, regarding Harry carefully. When he looked it in the middle it ducked its head and took another step back but didn't leave. Harry felt into his air pocket and found the remains of his ham sandwich luncheon which he opened and placed near the owl. The owl looked at it but seemed too nervous to take it. Shrugging, Harry opened the letter. In writing almost as bad as his own Harry read…


love Harry
Happy natal day. Sorry I couldn't be there in mortal but what with the schooltime year just starting there's lots to do at Hogwarts. There was a classroom on the third story full of physique eating slugs. Anyway I sent you your present. ( 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 skittish doll ) The coop and stuff should be coming soon too. If you want to drop a line to me just chip in her a letter of the alphabet, she'll know where to receive me. Once again Happy Birthday.

Hagrid


Harry folded the alphabetic character up carefully and turned to look at the owl. It really wasn't that boastfully 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 head. She went remains for a moment then relaxed and cocked her top dog under his scratching fingers. After a little while the owl managed to hook up the courage to take a bit of ham off the tabular array and swallow it entirely. The adjacent 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 uninventive name he'd ever heard. Harry stuck his knife out at him and left the shop.

About a week after that Harry snapped shut the cover of the lastly volume in his tidy sum. He put it carefully on top of the others and sat there for a while collecting his thinking. Then he leaned forward, placed a hand firmly on the underside of the pile and turned it over. Digger hooted from her John Milton Cage Jr. as Harry sat back down to read.

*

September the first bloomed bright and early but Harry was already up. His bag was stuffed to the lip with his school clothed and books and his cauldron tied on the outside and he carried power shovel in her John Milton Cage Jr. in one hand. Harry walked Diagonally one last prison term to say so long to the people he'd met on his paseo, Greeklunk at gringots, the fruit marketer he chatted to when he got bored of his Word and finally to Tom the barman before walking back out into the muggle world.

big businessman cross was not far away. But with an owl in a Cage and a wide-cut bag even a short way can seem too far and Harry was tired when he reached it.

"half an hour to go."Harry checked his ticket."Easier to hold back on the train than out here ”. He walked down the platform past weapons platform eight, past platform nine, past platform ten, back past tense chopine ten, stop, look left, look right.

A profanity slipped from Harry's mouthpiece that made a passer-by grumble and lour. There was no platform nine-and-three-quarters, at least not one he could see. Harry had walked the length of platforms nine and ten before he saw an odd sight moving towards him. A man dressed in a Shirley Temple cape, attracting many stares from passers by, herded a white-blond haired child towards the platform. They were followed by a tired looking man carrying a vauntingly travelling chest and ( and this was the bit Harry was looking at ) a large owl in a Cage. As the terzetto drew tight Harry heard the boy say…

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

"Hello."From the icy facial expression in the mans eyes not a skilful jump but he pressed on."I couldn't assistance but overhear that last bit and it occurred to me that you might be the sort of hoi polloi who could establish me the way to platform nine-and-three-quarters."There, that was innocuous enough, if they weren't whizz they'd just think he was an moron. The man looked him up and down slowly.

"So you know about the weapons platform but you don't know how to get to it."The man has an arrogant drawling voice."That says to me, muggle-born."The man started forward again suddenly enough that Harry had to skip out of the way. He wasn't fast enough however and the tip of the mans cane tripped him, sending him sprawling to the trading 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 minutes left. Harry was just wondering if there was a bit train he could aim when…

"doodly-squat !"Harry was thumped on the shoulder and spun around to take care into the freckled typeface of one of the twins from the talebearing cauldron the firstly time he had passed through there. They were followed by an honest-to-goodness teenager, possibly even more freckled than them and a unseasoned one bringing up the buns. Behind them was a plump charwoman, angry at being left in commission of a unharmed flotilla of baggage tram while her son ran off and a fiddling missy hanging on to her hand.

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

"The guy from the leaky cauldron"The similitude to his right added as if finishing the sentence.

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

"muckle of the great unwashed aren't Harry Potter."Said Harry with a grinning."It's hardly an accolade."("Now how the hell am I gon'a be able to assure them the truth."thought Harry. )

"Stop bothering him lamb, and take you're carts 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 work out a way to tell them.

"You know, about the whole Harry thrower thing."Harry said but was silenced as the oldest chum took his handcart and walked straight through the bulwark. Harry's stupor must have came through on his boldness because the Mother said.

"First time to Hogwarts dear ?"

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

"Oh, its all correctly Dear, its Ron's for the first time clock time too."She pointed to the immature son who shrugged and smiled."All you have to do, is run at the barrier and don't block. 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 close his eyes but kept them resolutely open. The bulwark came closer. A sudden moment of scare hit Harry and he squeezed his eyes shut and shielded his head with his hands.

There was a moment of calm imperativeness then Harry opened his heart and walked out to gaze at the red steam engine, sat next to the sign for platform nine-and-three-quarters. He heard a weird shlooping sound behind him and saw Ron standing there checking himself to see whether he was okay and looking back towards the barrier.

"Skull still whole ?"Harry asked him and got a grinning in return. Harry wandered down the platform and got in a seemingly empty coach. He saw the platinum haired boy from the program talking to Blaise Zabini and hastily got back down. The next few carriages he checked were occupied by people already talking and chatting and showing each early word-painting. Harry reached the end of the train and was on his way back when he spotted the boy, Ron, walking along in front end 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 regain a mathematical group of seventh year in unplayful discourse over a newspaper. Harry hefted his bag higher onto his articulatio humeri and held the doorway to the following compartment open for Ron and his Brobdingnagian trunk.

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

"I like to travel light."Harry said, they leaned against the bulwark for a moment as a gaggle of older students passed."Makes it easier to run from hassle. 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 hand, which Harry took."Ron Weasley. What's your lowest name Jack ?"

"wellspring, see the affair about that is."No welcome distractions here."My name not actually Jack."beholding Ron's perplexed face he continued."You heard how your brothers 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 perspective, you're suddenly in a new place with lots of people staring at you."( silent stare )."What would you have told them ?"He lapsed into secrecy as Ron stared at him for a moment.

"So what you're saying is… that you really are Harry Potter ?"Ron laughed and told him it was a good joke, he laughed right up until Harry pushed his fringe up and showed Ron the cicatrice on his forehead. Rons heart 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 think back, you know, IT."Ron leaned forward conspiratorially.

"What ?"Harry said, leaning forward and putting on a mock surreptitious accent.

"You know, when…that…"Ron pointed at Harry's cicatrice 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 oral sex slowly while grinning.

"You're brothers ?"

"Yeah,"Suddenly a thought seemed to walk out Ron."Oh, let me distinguish them ! The look on their faces…"

"whack yourself out, only don't, really. Once had a supporter who did that, lost part of his memory and forgot six."Harry launched into one of his ludicrous and totally fabricated stories.

"Forgot six ? Six what ?"

"The number six, he used to count up like… four, five, seven. If you told him he'd missed out a number 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. conceive me. This guy was for real, plus if you mentioned to him that if there wasn't a six then where did sixteen and sixty seed from ? He'd get a cephalalgia and have to go sit down. Was awful at keeping appointments too, on account of missing Saturday. Even bad he was scared of die. Seemed to think they should be made triangular."Harry launched further into the floor, dreaming up more wildly unlikely circumstances when he glanced into a nearby compartment and saw associate faces.

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

*

He opened the room access and looked in on the twin girls ( I'm meeting a lot of twin ) he'd met in diagonally's pharmacist."Hi."Harry said by way of introduction,"mind if we sit down here ? I could hoodwink again by way of payment ?"The girls giggled and Harry moved into the compartment and helped Ron put his huge trunk in the overhead 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 Twins accused.

"There wasn't time, what with the being thrown out of the shop and all. Don't trouble about that this prison term, I plan to stay at Hogwarts at least a few days before getting thrown."The Twin laughed, that was how to do it. Tell a joke just after you say your epithet ‘ cos you can't gasp and jape at the Lapp time."And anyway, you didn't separate me your names either."

"Well I'm Padma, and this is Annapurna Patil."Said Padma before her sister added"Do you have the scar ?"Harry obligingly lifted his hair and let it fall back."Wow."The twins looked at one another then broke out into giggles. But Anapurna added through the laughs,"I expected you to be magniloquent though."Harry looked around and realised he was the shortest person in a fifty percent lady friend room then shrugged.

"It's an optical illusion."he said with a grin,"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 render a witch pushing a tramcar good of food.

"Would you like anything off the trolley love ?"She asked. A momentary-flash-fire three way battle raged in Harry between thirstiness, parsimoniousness and a motive to impress but the matter was decided by a set of creamy orange patty sitting on one English of the trolley car. 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 twins seemed to have worked out all the stuff they were getting in advance and amassed a lowly pile 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 know ?"Ron said disbelieving"They're caldron cakes."Harry bit a piffling off one of them and smiled as the creamy pick hit his tongue.

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

"What do you stand for ?"said Parvati.

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

"I didn't rise up with wizards, or witch or dragon or giants."Harry gestured widely at the surrounding orbit."Welcome to my journey of unremitting revelation. I'm just waiting for the aliens to jump-start out with Elvis and all will be complete."He stopped and waited on their throw stares.

"I wondered why you couldn't get onto the platform."Ron said after a moment."Once I found out who you were of course of instruction. But I guess you must let been raised by muggles after You-know-who kill…Ow !"Parvati had kicked Ron hard in the tibia and was making shushing disturbance while her sister stared disapprovingly at the ginger 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 clip ago. Beyond my memory of events, so it doesn't issue if you talk about them."

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

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

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

"Without a habitation ?"Padma added onto the end of her sisters question. Ron just sat there looking dumbstruck.

"Yes without a family, yes without a home."Harry's nub began to speed and he could palpate the perspiration from their stares. He fumbled in his scoop and brought out two juggling balls and began to bounce them in one hand, he could feel the stress ebbing, relaxing, growing pocket-size but still sitting there, in the back of his intellect, weighing it down. It had been quiet too long, bring in them talk again."Neat story yeah ?"Harry said pocketing the globe."Anyway its not as bad as you think, I think I had a small assistance after I left my aunt and uncle's."

"What do you intend ?"Ron leaned forward, his mouth wide of sandwich.

"We'll, its something I worked out since I found out."It had taken him a while to realise it, his nous soaking into the old Holy Scripture he was reading, the comprehension had come to him slowly, as more and Sir Thomas More spell fell together."You know unwilled magic…"

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

"Yep,"Harry smiled happily."I used to think I was lucky, born lucky, you know ? Any sentence I was really in trouble like, like with the constabulary ("constabulary ? !"gasped Ron, The twins eyes went astray with shock. ) something always happened. Like a logic gate I'd just ran through locked and barred itself behind me, or a water main bursting right 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 lean in and they obliged, now wrapped up in his story."I was being chased by this gang o'drunken guy rope right ? Chasing me over some pocket-sized thing of piddling importance that was blown far, far out of proportion."

"What did you do ?"Padma said flatly.

"I said their mothers must have been sheep and for no cause they took it as an insult."Harry shook his head ruefully"Some people have no sentience of liquid body substance, they took it totally out of context. Anyway, normally I have no difficulty outdistancing imbibe soaked yobs but in this cause I was in a region of townspeople I hadn't been in before and I found myself in the indefensible position of facing a dead end with six of the cretin tearing down on me."

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

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

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

"Not knocked down, slid over."Harry's eyes twinkled."I wasn't sure at the meter but I think I turned their shoes to ice. Have you ever seen six drunk guy wire hangin'off each other ‘ cos they couldn't stand up. Any fourth dimension they tried to stand up they just fell unconditional on their faces again."Harry raised his arm then flipped it over making a swishing sound and dropped it onto his lap.

"Of grade, if they'd just had the smart to subscribe their horseshoe off I'd have been a goner, but with a little assistance from the alcoholic beverage they'd drunk that didn't occur and I was condom to slip away."Harry laughed and after a import his acquaintance laughed too. Harry could call back that night clearly, he hadn't laughed then. He'd cried and ran and shivered through his coat. He hadn't slept that nighttime either, he hadn't felt secure too but instead had just ran and ran until his legs gave out and he crawled into a plot of land of shadows and to lie there trembling. laughter was easy 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 story as the doorway slid outdoors to reveal a skittish looking kid with a chubby nerve 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, Annapurna and Padma to see a Greek chorus of shaking heads."No, he hasn't been in here… But."Harry added as the male child eyes started to well up again."I could help you search if you like."Anapurna was spry 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 fiber tales, Padma and Parvati listening intently, Neville ( the toadless wonderment ) had stopped crying and was even smiling at the story and Ron bringing up the rear, trying to affect this wasn't intimately than sitting in a cabin.

*

Everything was going so well ( no they had not actually found the toad but they had met lots of interesting people and one interesting hulk spider. ) when Harry saw someone coming down the corridor and grimaced. His trivial mathematical group of toad-hunters stopped dead as the platinum haired kid from the station walked towards them flanked by two robust students. ("well, I say robust."intellection 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, bored voice."Its you, the mudblood from the station."Harry heard Ron gasp and Parvati vociferation"What did you say ? ! ”.

"So you finally found you're way onto the platform."The boy ignored the chemical reaction he'd produced and continued his arrogant oration."Too bad for you, if you'd just stayed you would take been spared the chagrin of being constantly bettered by the literal adept. My father always says muggle-borns shouldn't be allowed to wait on 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, low, viridity, frog-like matter, answers to the name 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 make out where to find green, slimy, disgusting reptiles."With his punch-line achieved Harry dropped his grinning and glared at the boy as Ron and the counterpart began laughing, Neville just looked frightened.

"Who do you think you're talking to."Said the boy, ignoring the fact that people in nearby cabins had opened their doors to take heed."I am Draco Malfoy, my father is Lucius Malfoy, you'd best not make foeman you can't batch with mudblood."Once again the word produced a response, even from the mass in the cabins. nigh of them erupted in angered muttering, a few looked at Malfoy proudly."Anyway, I don't see why I'm cachexia clip with the like of you. There's a rumour that Harry potter is on the train."That set off a dissimilar kind of reaction, a frenzied gasp and hasty, whispered conversation."And I'm trying to bump him before he falls in with riffraff 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 immortal truth, the more I see of you the more I seem to detest your guts I can be certain I'll love ‘ em to bits. Now, would you mind moving, I have toads to witness, and all I'm finding here are worms."Harry pointed straight at Malfoy and then to the side of the carriage. Malfoy remained stock still. The carriage had gone deadly quiet.

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

"Harry Potter. Nice to meet you."Draco's eyes 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 hand at the giant bodyguard."Now, aren't you going to insert me to you're friends…pets…companions. Interesting how you managed to fit two hippopotamus into uniforms, you would have thought the tails 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 cat, it's even amend than I thought. Malfoy…"He jabbed his quarter round behind him,"…actually attracts unworthy puppet. He doesn't need to attempt them out, they come to him ! I wonder why that is ? I think…"Harry went on in a stage rustle"… that it might be the smell."He just had prison term to see the laughter erupt before something hit him in the vertebral column of the head.

*

Harry went down hard and felt a exercising weight Land on top of him. It felt like both the hippopotamus 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 base. He saw one of the nestling trying to prove and pushed him back down on top of his friend. At that moment he felt hot electric arc singe his neck and smelled burnt hair and turned to see Malfoy standing there with wand drawn, the go syncope gleaming just fading from the tip. Harry looked around and saw that no one had moved. The thing had happened in second. Then suddenly one of the onlooker glanced down the passenger car, yelled

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

"That."Said Ron"Was bloody brilliant."As if that loosened everybody's tongue 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 worry before even getting to Hogwarts but she was smiling when she said it, Neville said nothing but began looking at Harry with a kind of awe that was uncomfortable. Recounting the fight 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 caravan started slowing. Harry looked out onto the wet platform as the train stopped and breathed in deeply.

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

*

Harry's helping hand drifted through the piddle, forgotten, as he stared out from the boat he, Ron and the Twin Falls had shared. All talk had just been lost as they rounded a promontory and saw in the distance, their address. Hogwarts, it sprawled over the kingdom on one side of meat of the lake, a vast keep or castle with tall, phonograph needle towers and behemoth halls. Every window glowed from within and shone beams of light out like searchlights. Harry had never seen anything like it. He wondered for a moment whether that was because it was trick, certainly some of the tug looked like they couldn't be supported by just gem and mortar.

Harry stood up in the sauceboat and watched the castle for as long as he could before they came too penny-pinching to the cliff to see it. And as Hagrid led the gravy holder in through a cave Harry turned and sat down.

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

"postponement till you get inside."Ron grinned,"Fred and George II told me everything about it. Apparently the stairs move and there's mystic passage everywhere."Harry made a mental banker's bill to find all of them."And there's creatures in the dungeon that the teachers don't know about, and there a room full of hoarded wealth in one of the walls. Fred and George said they 'd sustain 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 soft profanity ) as they stepped out of the gravy holder onto a landing place."My friend's in her third year and she once told me Fred and George III Weasly were the biggest turkey and the great liar in the whole 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 riposte when he suddenly looked thoughtful and nodded his top dog. Harry suddenly grinned and spread his limb above his head. Then he let himself devolve 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 take this so easy…"Harry pushed up and landed back on his feet to encounter astonish stares,"…if they do hold the prankster summit they'd near savour it while they can ‘ cos I'm on the scene now."Harry put his hands on his hips and licked his straw man 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 words and had his mouth open, Padma was looking at him like he was joking in some way but her sister 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 secluded pick four who reacted first.

"You're already planning to break school rules and you're not even past the sorting yet."Harry turned, praying he was wrong about recognising the voice."I have half a head to tell apart the headmaster about you right now."supplicant unanswered. The voice came from the bushy haired girlfriend from diagonally who was standing with her hands on her pelvis facing them as the other number 1 geezerhood filed past down the corridor.

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

"You should all keep away from him."The little girl ignored Harry and addressed the former toad hunters."You could all get into Brobdingnagian trouble."With that the girl turned and marched off after the low years. Meanwhile Harry turned back to the others.

"So, you've heard my musical theme 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 happy you guy cable are behind me. Now lets get going. If were tardily we'll never even get put into the schoolhouse to get thrown out !"They hurried after the others. Surprisingly it was Neville who brought up the field of what to holler themselves. Some theme ( Not all of them thoroughly ) were bandied about. Ron seemed to be set on putting the Logos shank in the public figure for some reason but was silenced when Padma sarcastically said

"Oh, so we don't we want to be named after a winning squad ?"That could have come to blows without Harry's mood- lightening ability. Even after a lot of other options ( some very nerveless, Harry held out for the name the toaders for a long time, Neville had suggested it but it did trace them up to now ) one name seemed to baffle and, even when other option came up they still found themselves using that one ( except for comic effect, when Harry still used the toaders. ). It felt right somehow, like they had already been using it and just hadn't known it.

"After all ..."Said Ron"My brothers could calculate as the old ones, and we're out to supplant them, so were the new ones !"Harry didn't think that was the reason 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 entrance hall by the great hall and the last-place of the sunset-sunlight streamed in through the windowpane the New predator were born.

*

They stepped into the corking dormitory in a row and giggled when they gasped in tandem. The hatful was awe inspiring, the immense tables of students staring and pointing, lighted by hundreds of floating candles and even better, Harry's heart travelled upwards and he smiled in rapturous admiration. The night sky greeted him above, every wiz bright and clear like a back-lit diamond. Like gold dust. Having never been far out of the M25 Harry had grown up with streetlamps and alight defilement. The stars were endowment, just one more thing he wanted to thank this property for.

He quietened as an older enchantress carried an old hat out to the phase and set it down on a toilet. She straightened and delivered her instructions in a Saratoga chip, efficient phonation and the hall instantly became silent. Harry thought he saw the hat motion then turned back to the crone. But no ! it had moved, and now it split down a ridge and opened like a mouth to say…


Lasting thousands old age and Sir Thomas More
By the illustrious Hogwarts four
The family of fame

Each one of honour dead on target and expansive
And at their birth you understand
My job was then set down

I was put here to sort you jest
You sorry, snotty, shorty, folks
To one of them today

To Griffindor
The king of beasts roar
The brave and bold dwell there

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

To Hufflepuff
Of sterner stuff
The loyal and the just

Or Slytherin
The mental capacity to win
Where cunning is a must

These four alone await you here
And I can chose,
just volunteer
Nothing to fear
Just bestow an ear
I'm quite sincere
Can't waiting to see them jump and cheer !

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

"Funny yeah !"Ron leaned over to Harry.

"Not really."Harry had taken the shorty folk music comment a bit personally. He was also deeply worried that, of all the descriptions mentioned in the strain, cunning described him honorable than wise or steadfast and definitely better than brave. When Harry looked over to the Slytherin board he recognised some of the people who had cheered Malfoy on the train.

His superfluous investigation before arriving had also turned up the Slytherin name, frequently associated with the iniquity and immorality. And the hat's description had matched him. Harry felt suddenly very frigid and modest and he felt like a dark cloud had touched him. He shivered and told himself it was his imagination.

He could swear he felt middle on the binding of his question but when he turned around the only person there was a thin, spooky looking adept in a turban chatting to a lank-haired and sallow-faced professor. The lank-haired teachers eye flicked to his human face, then to his frontal bone and Harry turned back quickly. Just in time to hear the first base public figure called out.

*

Harry stood, his affectionateness beating fast in his chest and his lungs feeling like free weight had been hooked to them. One by one the hoi polloi around him sat down to be sorted, he blessed the fact that he wasn't called brownness or Abbot, he couldn't have taken being the firstly to the stand.

Each individual chosen prompted a new good deal of cheering from the theatre they were chosen for. Harry had the insane itch to get out his juggling glob just to relived his stress but knew he couldn't, not under all those optic. A instant later he recognised Hermione walking up to the president and sitting, jamming on the singing hat, a few present moment later and the hat pronounced her a Gryffindor and she ran down to the table. The next individual he recognised was Neville, he tried to exclude away all his nervousness and give Neville an encourage wave as he walked past, ashen faced. After what must have been moment the hat sent Neville to Gryffindor too and the relief on his aspect was clearly visible.

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

"Harry thrower !"

"Alright."Thought Harry"If there was ever a sentence you needed to keep you're aplomb. This is that time."He made himself sashay a niggling as he walked over to the electric chair through the rustle 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 eyes but then…

"Hm… Another tricky one."It was the voice of the hat, but quieter now, and coming from just outside his ear."Good mind but underused, loyal soul but no present loyalties, and with your fears…"

"Hey !"persuasion Harry, for a moment to a greater extent angry than scared."Who the perdition said you could calculate around in my brain 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 pastime you know. To go with people who understand you, whose mind are like your own, full of cunning ways, hide out paths, former agency to get what you want. I can send you where you'll fit in, where you'll find friends, in the house of Salazar Sl ..."But Harry cut him off.

"That's enough ! I will not let myself be placed in a house of dark wizards and disgusting masses !"Harry thought angrily."I don't see what gives you the right field to choose either. I chose my path ! Always ! If you looked a little further in my brainiac you'd see the flop o'that ! I chose to get out home plate ! I chose to total here ! No parent ! no templet ! I made my own way here, ME ! Its my lifespan and I want to go to Gry ..."

"GRYFFINDOR !"The hat yelled triumphantly in the middle of his time 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 shouting red and Au table.

*

He sat down near Padma, Anapurna and Neville who had saved spaces for him and Ron.

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

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

He looked very old but he stood without a stoop and had straightened smoothly. His hair and beard were snowy Stanford White and tied into two tails, one down the front, one down the back. As he surveyed the hall, Harry could receive sworn the mans eyes fixed on him for a split endorsement before moving on.

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

"Albus Dumbledore stupid !"Hissed Parvati."The Headmaster."

"One firearm of advice comes to me at this time."The old mans interpreter sounded faintly amused, like he knew something good story that everyone else didn't."Hungry tyke listen only to their murmuring stomachs. With that in mind, tuck in !"Harry saw the plates in front of him fill with everything imaginable. denture of meat and potatoes piled high, and pitchers full of juices 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 plateful for himself. He was almost thwarted when the desert appeared and was definitely disappoint when they went though he couldn't have eaten another bite. He was sitting in a happy, sleepy, good and contended daze when he saw the master ascending to his feet again.

"I have a few announcement to cause. Firstly, that first old age are reminded that they are not allowed their own Scots heather, that first and secondly years are forbidden to accede Hogsmead small town, that all pupil are forbidden to enter the forbidden forest and that anyone with any signified of self preservation should forfend the third floor corridor on the rectify deal side. Thank you."

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

"Nothing the last time we looked."Said Fred."Why ?"

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

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

"If there was anything there lastly yr they'd know about it."Ron said crossing his arms and directing a dark aspect back along the table."So whatever it is it must deliver only just happened."

"Their hiding something."Said Annapurna confidently."There's something mightily they're researching and they want to hold on it secret, there's no danger."

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

"Well of course if Dumbledore says it then it must be true. He couldn't possibly he lying or exaggerating to make certainly nobody goes up there."Padma raised an eyebrow 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 dubiousness of going or not. As soon as it became forbid it became our first target."

*

But there was niggling chance for Harry to carry through on his promise for the first few Clarence Day, deterrent example followed lesson and Harry found himself challenged to keep up. Everything in the books he'd read seemed to constitute about one one percent of what they needed to bang and each new concept sent him out from the lesson scratching his head back to the book of account and then to the new ones he'd got out of the library.

The only when reasonableness he wasn't totally swamped was that after every day he could retrovert to the Gryffindor commons room and sit down on the table that had already been designated, even by older student, the piranha board. On his secondment day Harry had simply invaded this tabular array and pulled four early chairs around it, plopped his bag down and waited. By day four it was established and the places reserved.

It was near enough to the fire to be warmed by it and was constantly piled with their Christian Bible and bags, whatever sweets they had each donated to the pot, a wizard chess set in permanent disarray, at least one written matter of beldam Weekly and, more often than not, Trevor. And under the pile, between the pages of the record or hidden in scented housecoat there were function, details, reports and ideas.

The five of them would influence on the days onerous homework till the unwashed way began to empty, then the books would fill up and the work would begin in earnest. It had moved beyond the third floor corridor of grade, there were plans to get into lift office, McGonagall's office, each of the other vulgar room, plans to swear mass ( 99 % of those people being Slytherins and 80 % of them being Malfoy ) and plans to find all the hugger-mugger passages of the school.

Harry laughed Sir Thomas More than he ever had before and did conjuring trick as they planned. Harry had never believed that Hogwarts could be like this, friends everywhere and a fiesta at every meal. Even the deterrent example couldn't put a incision 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 single prophetic pearl in his body he would ingest shivered when looking at his days timetable.

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

*

"Potion qualification is as… beautiful a scientific discipline as it exact. As deadly as it is complex and as intemperately to learn as it is rewarding to those who have the gift, and the sensitivity to do so."

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

"For those lucky enough to be able to excel in my subject."The hook nosed, sallow faced prof continued."It will reap them rewards far beyond any adolescent spell or patch. What spell can fill the blood line with fire, can kill silent as a black eye, can fan life back into what early while would hold a corpse, can send someone into so deep a sopor they will never awake."

"I don't know any spells for the last one but his voice is doing a pretty good job so far."Padma whispered and Harry had to bite his pep pill lip to celebrate the sounds in. They had been set at a desk thankfully near the spinal column of the class and could bet clear across the unhurt socio-economic class to where the teacher, one Severus Snape, stalked in presence of the blackboard. The reason they were laughing so hard was that, before the lesson, Ron's sidekick had treated them to an impression of Snape which, at the fourth dimension, they had thought was an exaggeration.

"But about of you will not consume that skill and will doubtless find yourself confused… baffled… and, if anterior catastrophe are any reading, severely incinerate in this classroom. If that is the example then I ask that you don't hesitate to come up to me for help."("WHAT ?"Harry's dumbfounded expression was mirrored on every facial expression in the form )"And I will tell you what I tell all the former students stupid enough to hail to me. ‘ I don't CARE.'” The teacher waved his scepter at the panel and some didactics appeared there.

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

"Something odd Potter."point turned to watch."You see something you find amusing ?"

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

"A state of matter of affairs I foresee happening frequently. Army of the Pure see if we can speed things up a piffling. Tell me…"Snape's back snatch straight like a willow twig and he looked down at Harry."What would I get if I added pulverized antecedent of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood ?"

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

"Incorrect."Snape glowered.

"alibi me."The annoying twist to the words… the arrogant accent… Hermione sat at the next board over and was turned towards Harry and Snape."The answer is the Draft of living destruction. A kip potion powerful en…"

"Five points from Gryffindor Miss Granger."Snape said without turning."The even up solution Potter ... Was ‘ draft of living death sir'. Another ten points from Gryffindor."Snape swept off leaving Harry glowering at his back.

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

"Well you were a bit brash to will off the Sir."Hermione said primly and folded her blazon. Behind her on her tabulate Lavender Brown ( not a toader but a friend of Padma and Parvatis. Harry had promised to learn her to juggle 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 remember 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 laugh and turned back to his desk but Harry leaned back and bit his lip thoughtfully. He'd just insulted, without provocation, somebody who had stood up for him. He tried to think of something funny to say that would make Hermione laugh and realised he didn't know anything she'd like. A moment later Snape swooped back past and the probability for talk was over.

While failing to make his potion Harry thought carefully, Hermione didn't go around with anyone, she didn't sit with the same the great unwashed in any two class, he'd never seen her talking in the mutual room with anyone. In fact, the lone metre he'd seen her out of classes was when he took rule book out of the subroutine library, then she was always there, with her head word deep in progressively thicker books.

"That doesn't mean she doesn't have friends."opinion Harry while crushing porcupine quill feather."She could recognize hoi polloi in other old age from before she came here."

"She's muggle-born."Another function of his brainpower said"How would she already have friends at a sorcerer school."

"Oh…"Harry looked over at Hermione and Lavender, only talking to reference the instructions on the gameboard and at other times Hermione was craned over her Holy Scripture and Lavender over hers.

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

*

Harry tried to babble out to Hermione several metre over the succeeding few hebdomad but she always just ignored him or ran off. Worse, Padma and Parvati 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 late Sept evening after a particularly successful prank of some fifth year Slytherins"You sleep in the same bloody room. Surely you talk to her."

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

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

"Why do you care anyway ?"Ron asked him pointedly."If she wanted citizenry to like her she wouldn't be so mystify up. If she keeps pushing masses 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 little shake of his oral sex. solitariness was easier to sympathise from experience than from observation.

"No reason really, it's just we've got to last with the relaxation of our year for the succeeding seven years and that'll be easier if were at least on speakin'terms with them."The others seemed to accept this partial account. The accuracy of the thing 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 library and approached the now familiar sight of a mountain of book and Hermione. He pulled up a chair and sat about a 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 book near her elbow. Without looking or speaking Hermione pushed the account book to him then got up and walked to another mesa. Harry sighed and followed her.

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

"No I don't !"Hermione slammed the Book shut and looked at him angrily. He saw red around her middle."And if you don't psyche I'm doing a special task for professor Flitwick and it's in tomorrow. Some mass care about school."And with that she darted to yet a third board and sat with her back to him. After a here and now he saw her shoulder begin to agitate with sobs.



Harry stood there for a moment feeling worthless then turned and walked out of the library. But that wasn't the last he'd see of Hermione that day, a little later when Harry was on a investigatory mission ("I swear Fitch keeps a spare part key in one of the janitors closets."Ron had said. Harry had agreed to calculate into it without realising how very many janitors cupboard there were and what unpleasant scent inhabited them ) he passed a doorway to an obsolete classroom and heard voice inside.

"consecrate it back !"Hermione's voice ?"You arrogant snake ! cave in it back !"

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

"open it back you foul, loathsome matter !"

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

"What an interesting written document mudblood. Flitwick would have been astounded with it. Probably would induce earned you a few house points eh ? Except you won't be able to give it to him. Unreliable as you mudbloods are, saying you'll do something then not having even a I sheet to hired man in. Terrible."Harry heard sobs from inside and redoubled his efforts at the door. Was n't there a spell called allohamora ? Harry flicked his wand out and tried to cast it. cypher happened. He tried again. Nothing. Oh damnit ! This was n't one of the threshold that would n't open ! This was one of the wall 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 prof, if you wanted mortal to save up that you should've asked me. I've been researching it. Just in my trim fourth dimension of course. Thanks for the sign points mudblood."Harry heard another door open then close and ran in the focussing of the auditory sensation. Malfoy and his minions were already out of mass so Harry quietly opened the door and went in. Hermione was slumped in a mickle in the eye of the floor. He approached carefully and tried to think of something to say.

"Um Hermione…"She looked up then scowled when the saw him."You could recount Flitwick, tell 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 regulation and playing put-on ! You can't talk !"Hermione ran out of the way leaving Harry speechless. Harry stood for the recollective time in the eye of the deserted classroom before walking slowly back to the Gryffindor commons room. The vulture stopped talking when they saw his face, a mix of anger and annoyance. They all looked to him as he sat down.

"Forget all the other plans."Harry's voice was grave-quiet but his eyes had a wicked gleam."We're break in the Slytherin green elbow room. Tonight."The dissent washed over him from the others ; they weren't make, they hadn't planned, tomorrow was Halloween and they needed to be rested for the party and most of all they could run into Snape. Harry sighed inwardly and began to secernate the full-of-the-moon story as quickly as he could. It was already getting night, and they had places to be…





Authers note
Hi, thought i should forget an bank note eventually. survey if you have clip, this is my first fiction so please feel gratis to tell me how auful it is.



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

"Of course we'll be caught if you don't shut up Neville !"Padma held her paw over Neville's mouth and pulled him further into the closet. Harry waved them both to appease still and peered back out through the keyhole. Filches lantern glowing was far up the corridor but he waited a good count of thirty before pushing the door unfold and leading the others out. In the end the option for his fellow traveler were simple, he couldn't take More than two or they'd be seen for sure and they needed some people to detain in the park room to vouch for them if questions were asked. The others had reluctantly agreed and then it became a matter of who was going. Despite Neville's own arguments Harry insisted he was the double-dyed scout.

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

As for Padma, she was the exclusively one who could reliably find the Slytherin dungeon since she had been in charge of that particular proposition piece of music of recognizance and after all, she had been the one to get out the countersign. 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 face slowly lost its amazement."It had to be Goyle though, Crabbe's too sassy to be fooled by that sort of thing."It had actually taken Harry quite a long time to realise she was joking.

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

"Mico Neville"Harry muttered, sending the signaling, and having his own wand vibrate as a reply. It was the adept way to send signals, the someone had to be within ten or so meters but it was virtually silent. Harry crept towards the rampart and stepped aside so that Padma could break the Password.

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

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

It was sour but not pitch. A few dying ember in the huge marble fireplace gave an inauspicious glow. All the furniture was turgid and moody, and in the bad light it looked oddly menacing, looming like cliffs above the creeping child. Padma tugged at Harrys robe and as he looked back she waved her hand in strawman of her eyes and shook her head. She couldn't see. Harry knew his oculus were good by Nox and he kept forgetting the remainder of his kin didn't parcel the benefits of his premature, independent lifestyle. Harry guided her to a wall and put her behind a paries wall hanging, sitting near a prominent urn unpleasantly decorated to resemble a screaming case. Harry placed Padma's wand in her helping hand and looked at her face before leaving. She was wearing a determined expression but her center were astray and she was breathing hard.

"No shame to back out."Harry whispered in her ear, for the for the first time metre having uncertainty about tonight's venture."I did kinda throw everyone in at the late end today."

"I'm staying."Padma's voice as barely more than than a susurration."I chose Gryffindor didn't I ? I'd better start earning it."And with that she pulled back into the alcove.

"She said she chose her house too."Harry thought as he headed towards the chamber."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 chuckle as his fingers found a doorknob in the nighttime. What he had thought would be the hardest part had turned out to be the easiest. They had debated for age how to happen out which room was Malfoy's, from bribing individual to covering his place with ultraviolet light ink but it had been all for zip. Harry checked the organization nameplate on the threshold and chuckled again before moving into the room. Like a ghost, Harry tried not to even recall loudly. Like a specter, here then gone, no trace. The room was large for a unity mortal way, big even than the one in Gryffindor towboat he shared with four other people.

"Can't make precious pet Malfoy share a room."Harry sneered in the darkness. If there had been a way to silently junk the place he would induce done so, instead he began looking around for the project. He slid his helping hand onto ledge and held papers up in the moonshine to interpret the covert. The only time he stopped was when he was searching by Malfoy's bed and saw something on the covers. He'd had to double up to keep from laughing and he'd felt like every nervure would burst. Malfoy had taken his teddy bear to school with him.

Harry could see a clock on the mantle, the manpower glowing faintly in the dark and saw that he didn't have very much time left. For a import he stopped looking and just stood in the darkness to remember. There was no way he could search the altogether topographic point, not going as slowly as he had to to avoid detection.

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

"Nowhere. I wouldn't put it anywhere because I wouldn't reliance it enough. I'd keep it with me from the moment I got it till the consequence I let it leave my hands."Harry's regard shifted to the prone chassis on the bed."Under the pillow ? No, not that obvious. In his pocket ? If it's there then I'm screwed so…Where else… No where. This line of thought has got me no-where and prison term is running out."Harry threw up his hands in frustration and at that moment felt something in his pocket vibrate. He brought his sceptre out to experience the palpitation in his hands.

*

concern wasn't what he needed now, neither was a mad style. Running now was the finis matter he wanted to do… Just weirdie back through the door and go quietly down the steps. Down the stairs to where there's a ignitor on. Harry crouched at the top of the stairwell and shielded his centre to economize his Night vision before sliding a tiny periscope between the balustrade ("Do you have a bun in the oven unanimous toyshops around in you're pocket ?"Parvati had said when he showed them some of his instrument like the periscope."You never know when this stuff'll come in handy."Harry winked and twirled a lock option between his fingers. ) The tiny mirror-pipe revealed a lowly clump of fifth years who looked like they had just come in. They began talking loudly about some newsworthiness or other and Harry carefully slid back from the edge. Now what ? He didn't have the project, and his way out was now blocked. rectification, his and Padmas ways out were now blocked. Harry slid back to the bound, the Slytherins seemed to be settling down for a night of rowdy behaviour as they lounged in the gravid chairs with a bottleful of something, probably stolen from the kitchens. If they were distracted ? If Harry waited until they simply drank themselves into a semiconsciousness ? Perhaps they'd go to bed soon ? Harry cursed as he saw one of them detach themselves from the group and weave falteringly towards the stairs.

"What the pit was he gona do now ?"Harry's nous worked quickly"Run back, pelt in a… oh no don't !"Harry watched as Padma slipped out of her hiding place holding the handle of the giant urn.



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

"She's making a distraction !"Harry cursed"poor fish ! Stupid ! I told them ‘ no nobility during heists !'” Harry at least had the presence of intellect to wrap his scarf around his expression and trademark forehead before standing up and yelling…

"Oh no they're awake !"Harry gestured at fanciful figures in the hollow hall behind him"Go ! Run !"Harry had time to see the bibulous snakes take in his red and Au edged robes and clamber over each other towards the stairs 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 mice on the floorboards. He turned and saw a companion doorway. Switching himself from quiet-running-mode to bloody-silent-creep he slid into Malfoy's room and shut the door.

"masses 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 Word of God in his top dog, hoping that would make them true.

"beginning searching the way !"Ach… Harry desperately looked around the way for a place to hide but to his dismay saw only darkness. He had lost his night eye in the vulgar room.

"What was here ? Where did I search ? Oh my god, please just call up !"The rattling doorway handles and irritated voices got closer, thank heavens Salazar Slytherin built his walls thick and wish oak doors or Harry was trusted Malfoy would suffer woken.

"Wardrobe ? It had had glass in the front ! Under the bed ? No way !"Harry's thoughts grew panicked as the phonation got closer."Walls, floor, ceiling, bed, desk, wardrobe, fireplace…"Harry dropped to his hired hand and knee joint and crawled across the floor as fast as he dared. He was sure he was making noise now but he didn't have the nervus left to go any tiresome. His hands reached the cold stone of the hearth and he felt his way into it. No ashes at all, the fireplace had never been used. Later on that night Harry would realise that the Slytherins probably heated their Chambers by magic so they didn't get the smoke and gained a more even warmth, all he thought at the time was a panicked…

"Thank you !"as he stood up. His work force found a bar embedded in the bulwark to give ear plenty from and he lifted himself up and stood on it. At that moment light flooded in from below. Harry could see that his feet were only a few in from the top of the fireplace and hoped fervently there was no one too unforesightful in the search party.

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

"Yes Malfoy."Harry thought to himself"Good Malfoy. Now be you're little stuck up, indignant ego and throw them out of your room."

"There's someone sneaking around in the rooms."The voice sounded like the speaker was gargling gravel."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 panic began to fade."And you're the cretin Malfoy. You should pay more attention to your gravely pal."

"He's not in any of the former rooms."A new vocalization, possibly young and more hesitant than the severely boy."And we checked the sewer and back down in the green room."Harry hoped Padma had had the psyche to be well on her way back to their common room by then, and to have Neville with her. Harry's helping hand brushed something in the wall behind him, careful not to make up a sound he slid it out of the paries and choked back a triumphant pant as he read the lettering on the cover of the parchment.


The use of limited static-induction charm in

the circumstance of adhesive material and fasteners.

Hermione sodbuster

"Yes !"Thought role of Harry's brain."I'm still born lucky ! This is what I came here for."…"This is what I came here for ?"Said another part in disbelief"adhesives and fastener ?"Harry shook his forefront and laughed at himself a bit before folding up the report and slipping it into his robe. backrest in the bedroom the conversation had become more heated.

"When my founder hears about this !"Malfoy was in full phase of the moon argumentative swing"You will all be distressing ! The Malfoy family own your beginner Flint ! And you can be certain there will be discussion on the subject of this incident."

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

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

"But get-go years… never… go on the team. No topic how, absolutely, brilliant they are at Quidditch."The older boy was obviously fearing some reprisal to boot-lick so obviously."Definitely following year though !"

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

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

"Tell me why some of the leading members of Slytherin house are awake at this time of day ? Hmm… Some of them stinking of cheap wine !"He almost made the fact that it was cheap strait like the forged part."Well ? Or have you all been rendered dumb by swallow !"

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

"Inside the Slytherin usual room ?"

"Yes."

"Inside the password protected Slytherin common elbow room ?"

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

"insaneness. All you saw was the wine floating in presence of your optic seeing as you seem to have drown yourselves in it !"Harry heard Snape's footsteps chief 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 steps led out the room access"And they had a scarf around their pass !"steps then…

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

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

"Don't be stupe, he could hide his indistinguishability better than that."Snape seemed to be talking to himself slightly at that decimal point but then…"hunting everywhere ! Every elbow room, turn them upside down and shake them if essential !"Harry's spunk leapt into his throat and he looked around wildly for a way out. But he already knew the only ways, down or up. Harry pushed his back against one wall and carefully shifted his feet onto the opposite one. Hogwarts was old stone and there were hatful of handholds to help 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 Snake have such estimable ears ? Harry went absolutely still except for his lips moving in a silent curse."I heard something !"Harry looked down and was met by a relieving peck. The chimney curved as it went up, He could no longer see the round of light at the bottom.

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



"Move over."Harry heard a thud as Snape pushed his student out of the way then…"Acerbus cuspis !"Harry's position was momentarily lighted as streaks of sickly silver light shot up the chimney towards him then his sight was lost in pain. Harry's feet slipped but he grimly held on by his handholds, gritting his teeth against the stabbing knots of infliction each fishgig had left in him.

"I heard scraping professor !"Malfoy must have got heard his flush teddy."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 veracious past him, cracking chips off the wall above him, then…"Relashio !"rut flooded up the lamp chimney to him and Harry's skin felt like it was going to whip. He bit his tongue between his teeth and pulled one sweaty hand off the wall so he could fumble in air hole for a enceinte metal jar. At the meter Harry had thought Ron's suggestion had been a bit stupid but now he was especially glad he had agreed to contribute the jar along. He pulled the cap off with his tooth and dropped the contents before they had a chance to bite him, far below he heard…

"Aaaa ! Doxies !"A few more spells rang out but none directed at Harry, even the heat stopped, allowing Harry to put his human foot back against the bulwark and hold his aching arm a rest period. Below him he heard Snape yell out

"search the former rooms."Harry waited a long time before climbing further up. His arms needed the ease anyway and there was no way he was gon na try to sneak back out through the Slytherins tonight.

*

The dismount below was lost behind Harry as he ascended out of the dungeon. The chimney he was climbing joined others then rive again. One or two of the chimneys had ladders in them, or at least parts of ladders, but most of them he had to skin up. The air was hotter and Smokey here, perhaps some of these lamp chimney were still in use this belatedly, or more likely it was too soon enough that the kitchens had woken up. Harry would be the first to admit ( to himself at to the lowest degree ) that he had many fright but claustrophobia wasn't one of them. He pulled his scarf tighter above and below his glasses to keep back out soot and around his mouth to breath through as he climbed up into more victimized chimneys. Harry felt himself displace out into a larger area but couldn't see the wall through the night and the smoke. Questing fingers found a rusted ladder and a few moments later Harry pulled himself over the brink of a immense lamp chimney and let himself down to the rooftop below.

Tired but elated Harry pulled his scarf from around his face and tried to find some white material somewhere on himself to pass over his chalk off. When he put them back on he was struck dumb for a moment by the sight that met his eyes.

wheeling Alfred Hawthorne of tile and banks of slate. Towers popping out at angles and faggot balconies with bannister like lace. Harry walked along the cap ridge he had landed on in curiosity, there was a unharmed public up above Hogwarts. More lamp chimney jutted out everywhere, some just pipage and some, like the one he'd emerged from, with width like industrial towers. Harry sat down on the ridgepole and shook his fountainhead in disbelief. Even the mounting hadn't taken his breath like this did. He lay back and lay eyes on another marvel. The stars from here seemed brighter, almost as goodness as the astronomy tower ( Harry's pet lesson, just as an excuse to woolgather ).

"And no-one up here but me."Harry said aloud, there was no one to find out."Peace."Harry could have fallen asleep against those tiles but something moving below caught his eye. Snape, passing along a corridor with tall windows all along it. Harry moved to hide then realised his soot-black gown blended perfectly against the night sky and wrapped his scarf around his face to hide the last pink skin. His spyglass were still grubby enough not to shine.

Harry trailed Snape over the roofs, not even for a here and now thinking of going back to the Gryffindor room and thinking even less of the risk. Here on the roofs he was in his ingredient, there was no danger here. Snape stopped at what looked like a teachers quarters and pushed through the door without knocking. It took Harry a minute or so to find the corresponding window then lowered himself down near it. By fortune or the sleeping car 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 only fact that keeps me from cursing you into non-white oblivion right now is that I can't quite bring myself to reckon that even one so miserable as you would be stupid enough to think it was moved to the Slytherin dungeon of all places."

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

"Because perhaps you were looking for something else, perhaps a way past my protection of it or some clue as to what that protection is. I assure you, you would have got found neither. My work is as infernal as it is composite and as crafty…"Harry groaned inwardly, not this talk of the town again."And you could never thrust it. Never. Despite Dumbledore's supreme lack of judgement in hiring you and letting you assist in the protective covering of the stone I will prevent unworthy things like you from it !"With that Snape turned and stamped out of the way. Harry was about to leave when Quirrell quietly spoke.

"He, suspects something sea captain. 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 extra about tomorrow ? former than it being Allhallows Eve ..."

*

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

"Thank you."Padma breathed and shared a flying smile with her sister. But she quickly fell silent 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 stairway 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 drapery working up nerves and steeling herself to provide a distraction and Harry had done the Lapp in an heartbeat. She was ashamed that, when she heard citizenry coming back towards the coarse room, she had bolted back though the door, pulled an astonished Neville from behind the armour and had shepherded him across the schoolhouse, not once talking until they passed behind the fat lady and got back to Gryffindor common room and into the awaiting and recriminating stare of Ron Weasly.

"What will chance now."Neville's articulation was small 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 continue keeping watch.

"He'll probably just get hold, he'll lose us a few theater points for being out after curfew."Padma knew her sister was deliberately making affair seem considerably than they were to clear her smell better. Sometimes Padma thought they had been born to with personality opposition, the unending 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 mute and looked down. They had all been thinking it."For breaking into another house. For attempted thieving. He could be expelled."She had got Harry Potter 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 1st terminal figure he'll be expelled."

"I'm doing what now ?"

The New marauder turned en mass and saw a blackened and scraped Harry dip from one of the highschool Windows. His face was red and raw and he had a ugly bruise on his left over cheek, his hands were bleeding and he staggered as he hit the ground but he wore a smiling of joy and victory as spacious as they had ever seen on him.

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

"How did you…"Padma's voice breathed unbelief into the air."They were correctly behind you."

"Chimney."Harry said lightly."Easy climb really once you get past the first bit. Oh and one early thing…"Harry fished around in his sac and drew out some newspaper publisher. Padma found herself shaking her point, no, not after all that happened, you can't still have got it, no single that in effect."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 questions. The strange nipper laughed as he unrolled a story that had them gasping. As she listened Padma realised she was beaming she'd made her option, even if she wasn't brave enough for Gryffindor she wouldn't give up the piranha for the earth. And besides, she thought as the looked at her baby, at Ron, at Neville and especially at the soot clothed form animatedly talking before her, even if I'm not brave now I'll be learning from the best.

*

Hermione rose former from her sheets and was mildly storm to see that they weren't covered in rip. She was sure she'd been crying when she went to log Z's. She dressed mechanically and didn't talk to anyone as she made her way down to breakfast. Not that that was unusual she conceded to herself but today especially she didn't want to speak. That thought only made her hunch in further over her food. Before anyone else had left the tabular array Hermione walked out of the great hall, leaving the rest of her solid food behind ( even if she hadn't had somewhere to be she felt too offensive to eat ). The project was important, it was the sort of thing they gave third and quartern age to do work on. Hermione straightened herself up as she walked towards Flitwicks office. practiced get it over with…

"Going somewhere Mudblood ?"genus Draco Malfoy lounged in the corridor in front of her. She ignored him and walked on past only to ingest 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 conspicuous, I figure I'll give it to him tomorrow. Or the day after, you know, so he doesn't get suspicious but is still impressed by my obviously master talents."Dragon grabbed her by the shoulder joint and spun her around."Don't ignore me Mudblood !"He grated,"This is only the foremost degree. I'm going to crap life blaze for you and all the early filth at the school day 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.

"hullo young Mr Malfoy."He chirped"Are you and missy Granger friends."

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

"Then perhaps I should let you record Miss Grangers paper. 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 morning. I flicked through it over breakfast. I used to read the daily prophet of a sunup but there's so many adverts in it now."The professor shook his head and didn't appear to notice the totally dumbstruck verbalism on the two first-years faces."I'll give you better feedback when I've read it fully Miss farmer and then…"Flitwick turned to Malfoy"…I'll be sure to give it to you."With that the unawares fellow wandered off humming faintly to himself.

"How."Malfoy had anger and shock in his optic."You didn't have other copies. You said you didn't have former copies !"

"I didn't."Hermione was surprised at the trace of smugness in her voice. Malfoy was looking at her with barely suppressed craze. Then he seemed to notice something and for a moment his eyes widened in realisation then screwed up in even saturnine anger 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 predator. Tired and resplendent, staring Malfoy down with five Cheshire-cat smile. The Slytherin looked like he was about to blow a vein, 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 flat coat against the charge and Malfoy was brought to a standstill, it was that or walk into a human bulwark."You stole it ! When I tell my founder he'll bring it to the shoal governors and…"

"William Tell them what worm."Harry's interpreter was full of laughter.

"That we cunningly and evilly broke into your way and slip something awfully precious from your rooms ?"Parvati said in a voice like she was talking to a youngster. 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 proof ? The reports right back where it should be and zilch else was taken from your rooms."

"Not even a slip bear."Harry raised his supercilium and began chuckling. After a moment the rest of his crew began laughing as well. Malfoy turned and stalked away against a backdrop of hysterical laughter. 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 following meter !"

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

*

The unfortunate person by-product of the heist was that Malfoy was even more acidulous than usual in class that day. Despite repeated admonition from instructor he insulted Harry and the residue of the Marauders with every other breath. Fortunately though that breathing place was wasted as nine sentence out of ten the vulture in inquiry was asleep on their chairperson. Hermione sighed, but not unhappily and reached for a new quill. She'd meliorate hold these billet good, it looked like they'd have to be copied from a few times. When she reached the common room there was a one-sixth electric chair by the fireside table. She smiled and felt warm inside for the low time in what seemed comparable forever and walked over to sit down with her friends.


I own nothing, certainly cypher Harry Potter related.

Seriously, i 'm not kidding ! Do I look productive than the female monarch ?



"Go on !"

"No ! I can't !"

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

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

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

"You're all sick ! Any one of the stunts you've pulled could warrant expulsion ! How farseeing do you retrieve you can keep getting away with it ?"Hermione's whisper was raging and horse."And if you think"She pointed at his head"I'm tipping that"A motion at the grease"over a Hogwarts instructor !"a finger stabbing down at Snape"You must be crazy !"She swung her arms all-inclusive in aggravation and they both heard a thumping, then a splashing noise.

Harry saw his booster face turn from righteous angriness to gray dread fast as a excise match. She kept her oculus firmly ahead and, as if denying what had just happened, shook her head. Harry in direct contrast 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 scholarly person WHO DID THIS WILL PAY WITH PAIN !"Harry pulled Hermione to a full stop and dragged her sideways into a picayune employ corridor, with her still childlike and ashen-faced he pushed her to a pre-opened window.

"Come on ! Just like the design !"Harry said, then added"Only REAL !"Hermione almost jumped through the windowpane and disappeared as she clambered up a run. Harry swung out after her, shut the window and slew onto the roofing tile above. He wasted no prison term in pulling himself back to the sharpness and poking his periscope back down to the edge of the looking glass. A bit later an irate Snape ran past. Harry only caught a glance, but he thought the man seemed slicker than usual. Harry rolled back and looked up at Hermione who still seemed shaken.

"I hope Anapurna and Padma were in place with the television camera. I wouldn't have wanted to get to do all that again."Hermione's expression sent Harry into another fit of giggles.

*

A calendar week or so latter the dawning bloomed bright and early as the Marauders made their way down to the sens in battlefront of the palace. Harry stopped to put up up a few Sir Thomas More mental picture after making sure the sea-coast was clear. The Slytherins were tearing them down wherever they saw them on Snapes orders but Harry had even seen some of them trying to obliterate giggles as the wizard card displayed Snape being doused again and again. The quietus of the school didn't bother to enshroud it and the school had been awash with laughter ever since the first one went up three days ago.

The teacher were all trying to chance 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 smile when an incoherent Snape had burst into her classroom brandishing a wad of posters that had papered the main courtyard ). The teachers didn't know how so many of them were getting so many places around the grounds. Harry knew, it was just a issue of a Handy rooftop and a watch malarkey. When he had seen some errant pictures 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 muckle of bill sticker back to him.

"They told me I had to admit ‘ em down."Hagrid had said with a wink."They didn't say what I had to do with ‘ em after."Harry had been even glad to see a mess of envelopes on Hagrid's table. It looked like the distribution was going to even wider than he thought.

The teachers search and ma'am Hooch's earlier ill wellness were some of the reasonableness they were going to their first flying lesson bundled up in wintertime clothes.

"Now…"brothel keeper Hooch's spokesperson rang out over the assembled Gryffindors and Slytherins"Just raise your rightfield bridge player over the Calluna vulgaris and call UP ! Just like this… UP !"Her broom leapt obediently into her script, Harry noted that it was varnished and looked a lot newer than the single the scholar had."Well go on…"

The class obediently placed their manpower over their brooms.

"UP !"Harry yelled, feeling a bit jerky, the spliff by his feet refused to budge."UP !"Harry looked around and saw first one then others of the year take their brooms."UP !"Harry thought maybe Malfoy had replaced his magic broom for a real broom in revenge but the things had been handed out randomly. Harry shifted his pes surreptitiously underneath his heather 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 moments later everyone had their broom and ma'am Hooch was showing them how to grip the stupid things.

"right hand, now… Just kick off from the ground, hover for me for a second then leeee…an forward and float back down again."Madam hootch demonstrated then held up her gloved deal."Three… Two… One."dowry of the class rose unsteadily into the air, others remained undercoat or had slipped off their uprising Calluna vulgaris. Harry glanced to his slope shame-faced as his broom resolutely refused to establish any characteristics beyond long, wooden and briery. 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 scope to the side with a use hand before coming to rest."Take Neville's."

Harry turned and saw Neville rising at a escargot stride with a smell of teeth-gritting concentration."At that pace the family'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 powerful magic can interfere with most broomsticks."Hermione was landing ungracefully beside him, gripping the broom with white knuckles. Harry chuckled at the view that she still found concentration left to reprimand them."These are old brooms but their still fairly tolerant to that form of thing."

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

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

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

"Thanks."They swapped ling and Harry got himself back into the demonstrated riding position. He hopped off the ground but dropped back down just as quickly.

"Still having trouble ?"Harry saw Ron float over his promontory and fall down in front of him,"zip legal injury with this one mate."Ron knocked his brass knuckles against the wood of Harry's broom."I think its even a little better than my one."

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

"Having worry Potter."no… not now…"Your flying's so pathetic even the weasel here can outfox you and that's saying something."Malfoy floated along in front line of Harry, sitting side-saddle and not even bothering to hold on."Didn't your founder ever teach you to fly… Oh no time lag I forgot ! He's a bit too mouldy to sit on a broom now !"The scuttlebutt about his parents washed over Harry but the other insults bit and he sneered at the white haired kid in front line of him. Ron however erupted."What do you stand for that's saying something !"He was back on his broom in a trice and whipped himself around Malfoy so fast the Slytherins robes billowed in the confidential information."one-half of my family's been on the Gryffindor Quidditch team !"

"As if that's saying anything."Malfoy shooter back but he had had to grip his broom in the crosswind and was now sitting normally, staring Ron down."Gryffindor harbor't won the cup in years. Being on a squad of losers is no accolade weasel."

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

"Mr Weasly ! Mr Malfoy ! Decend at once !"Madam Hooch didn't delay for them to answer and instead grabbed the fronts of their broom and yanked them to the floor. Ron fell in a hatful, Malfoy kept his rest but only barely."I will birth no parameter in my classes and I distinctly told you to rise then dip, not loom like blowflies !"The flying teacher spun and walked back to the relaxation of the year leaving Malfoy and Ron glaring at one another.

Harry shifted his Calluna vulgaris under himself, all during the argument he'd tried to originate up and join his ally but the broom had refused to motivate. By the end of the deterrent example he'd flown once, a few wobbling feet followed by a amount collapse into the grass. Malfoy had laughed worse than before and Harry said some things that lost them house points ("An eleven year old shouldn't know those actor's line Mr thrower, much less know what they mean !") and the vulture were a muted lot that ascended the steps to Gryffindor towboat. Parvati tried to illume the tone by pointing out how many bookman had the drenched Snape posters on the walls of their suite and Harry decided to contain moping.

"rightfulness,"Harry cracked open a drink stolen from the kitchen."Down to the serious business. 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 someone doesn't mean you can charge 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 sense. 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 room !"Harry leafed through some papers again while the others bickered, the daily prophesier from a few months ago was there, a foray at gringots where zero was taken. Other affair too, Quirrels records, researched through old file cabinet, an levelheaded educatee, masterful in the theory if not the practice of denial against the iniquity humanistic discipline, the close few days of his life spent travelling around dealing with dangerous dark beasts. Harry pushed them away and pulled over a thinner single file, Severus Snape, potions master of Hogwarts and long time envier of the defence against the sullen arts mail service. There wasn't often else, Snape didn't seem to be a very newsworthy person.

"It's right there."Ron was taking to him again. Harry pressed his bridge player to his temples, there's only so much insistence one can take."Snape wants the shadow graphics job and is trying to get Quirrell sacked."Harry was about to explain then stopped, if the last thirty times hadn't done it…

"We're not going to get laid until we see what's on the third floor."Padma said with a Federal Reserve note of conclusiveness."Until then all this is just academic."She waved her hands over the tabular array. Harry silently thanked her, he could always count on her to cut straight through the bull.

"We won't be able 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.

"Being straitlaced. I've been looking into it the same as everyone else has which is exactly the degree. We've all been caught loitering around the third floor a few too many metre. Did you hear what McGonagall said in category 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 stallion time and each word had been clipped like piffling razors."She knows we're planning something and she probably knows we're behind the post-horse too, she just cant prove it."

"So ?"

"So, Mr Ronald Weasley they are watching us like hawks. I'll bet there's a teacher guarding the third floor right now and another just on the other side of that door."She pointed at the early side of the fat ladies portrait, from this side looking like a hole in the wall."Even putting aside the whimsey of detention, house-points and especially expulsion ! We'd never get ending enough to the corridor to find anything. It's all your shift really"She continued without a hint."If you hadn't done your pointless rule breaking we might be able to find out really important stuff now."That comment was the reason an line broke out that Harry had to calm down with wit. It was also at to the lowest degree partially the intellect Harry stayed awake that night till he was certain Ron and Neville were asleep then got out his darkest clothes and slipped out one of the windows before heading in the focus of the forbidden corridor.

*

Harry peered through a windowpane and saw prof vector idly marking some assignments by the light of his sceptre while sitting on the steps above the fat gentlewoman's portrait. Reminding himself to narrate Hermione later ( she'd be insufferably smug but she deserved the atonement ) Harry slipped away and made his way over to the tierce floor corridor on the right hand slope, or above it at to the lowest degree. The thing was in the middle of the building, no chimney or window reached it and Harry could only peer through a English window at the Wizard guarding the doorway… Quirrell… Standing in a patch of lumos-light, his phantom jumping as he nervously twiddled his scepter in his finger. Harry slid inside and dropped behind a chromatography column. Quirrell was guarding it ? He'd been so sure… Maybe the others were right and Quirrell wasn't attempting thieving after all. Or maybe he just hasn't gotten past the defensive measure Snape mentioned yet. Then why isn't he inside the corridor trying to let on through them. Harry's mental monologue was cut short as the answer leaned out of the patch of darkness it had been sequestered in, invisible even to Harry's eye's.

"Nervous Quirrell ?"Snape slid from his shadowy corner, his scepter held lightly but readily in his hand."Or perhaps not glad with the company."Harry saw now that it hadn't just been the fantasm, Snape's entire torso blended into the background, changing colour like a chameleon. Only his eyes stayed the like, bleak holes even against the fall gray rock and roll behind him, it made them seem like they were floating above the ground.

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

"Because if you were unhappy with this arrangement."Snape continued like nothing 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 nighttime Quirrell, won't that be fun."Snape laced the finish password with such poison Harry was surprised the DADA prof didn't run like a rabbit. Instead he jumped like one and whimpered.

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

"No Quirrell. I do not, have never and will never hope you."Snape slid back into his shadowy recess and once again became virtually invisible. Quirrell swallowed loudly and brightened his sceptre, 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 ace and entered. It was an empty classroom, desks piled up to the cap. Harry waited near the room access as the searchlight beam swept past his positioning, swinging across the elbow room like passing headlight before moving on. Harry waited patiently. Step two was already in motion.

*

Crack…

"What was that !"Snape pushed forward from his hiding office at the low but nearby auditory sensation. He pointed his camouflaged arm at the far rampart, by some pillar."I heard something over there."

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

"It should be Snape from the the like of you."Snape kept scanning the darkness before him and a moment later

Crack…crack…

"There."Behind a pillar, perhaps the potter boy or one of his pack trying to get through the corridor again. An irritation he didn't need with something so much more of import going on. The rat Quirrell needed watching. For now Snape wasn't sure whether he wanted the stone for himself or for… for… Snape shuddered away from the name in his mind. Dumbledore said saying it would make him reverence less but to Snape it was too much. The old tomfool didn't know, he hadn't been up close. Some things deserve fear.

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

"Oh you'd love life that wouldn't you Quirrell."Snape jammed his wand under the servile wretch's chin. Quirrell squealed and tried to put up on his tiptoes to scarper the dark-wood point."Leave you close to the door unsupervised while at the Lapp sentence turning my rear on you. Something I will never do."Snape pushed the man towards the other wall."You go first."

They walked like hostage and kidnapper up the cold I. F. Stone nerve pathway to the pillar. Quirrell raised his wand. Not a chance…

"Back down by your slope or I will take it and possibly the hand It's gripped in too."Quirrell's arm crack back down. As they reached the tower Snape let the rat take the lead and look around the recession. Better him to accept the first snow if one came.

"There's n… nix 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 sway, all together, near the basis where they might have fallen. They were both considering the conundrum when a phantom skirted the back wall and stopped by the no-longer-guarded door.

*

"Alohomora."just a whisper like silk sliding over silk but the ignition lock clicked and Harry slid the door open just ever so slightly, then entered the disallow hall.

"Ha."Harry thought as he took one last glimpse at the professor before closing the room access."Lighter than air liquorish. Eat it straightaway or it melts in the air ! also if you tie up a rock'n'roll or two with it you get a noise 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 initiatory time took a flavor at his surroundings.

Pitch black. Not even eye trained for this could pervade it. Harry squatted down quietly and let his other horse sense have a try.

common cold, clammy, svelte intermittent breeze. Odd that, you'd think there was nowhere for a breeze to come from. Also the air had been stagnant still out on the roof.

damp scent with a hint of mud and mess. There was piss in there somewhere too and former affair even less savoury. Bit like a wet dog smell…

And most importantly in a bone chilling, heart bounce, cold-sweat, dry-palms, running-for-the-door-despite-Snape-and-all way, the sound of breathing. Heavy in-out breaths with a hint of slobber on them. More like snoring actually. Harry tried to chill out himself down and at least partially succeeded. Getting out his scepter he smothered the tip in his robes then breathed.

"Lumos"

The glow through the fabric was like perfectly fire beetle but it showed Harry the physical body of what was in social movement of him. Its bulk half way to the ceiling and slowly rising and falling with its breather. Like a muffled wraith Harry moved across the story, skirting the walls until he had travelled all the way around the beast, having to step over its stern where it brushed the bulwark. There were no other door. This room and this beast was all there was to see. Harry edged closer to the forepart of the thing, his feet turned and poised to flee to the room access at any moment.

"But what if I'm not dissolute enough."Harry tried to silence his mind but it kept up its shrill reservations"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 solar flare in the darkness !"

"It'll backwash for sure if you don't shut up and let me digest !"Harry edged in closer to the beast and stopped when his light revealed a variety of texture in the level. Harry carefully traced its edge in his mind."A square… a trapdoor… that which is hidden… that which is forbidden."Harry grinned in the dark. The only when job was the dark hatful obscuring one box of the square, a paw or hook of the thing. Harry's bowel movement was as slow as drifting feathering and as quiet as his workforce found the boundary of the thing, and the handle, on the opposite side to the claw. Harry wanted to extinguish his scepter but the sound he'd have to make was defective than the stifled gleaming. Harry reached for the trapdoor handgrip and applied the lightest touch sensation of draw to it, increasing by haircloth width Harry felt the Natalie Wood move.

A grunt near his shoulder made his muscles halt and his meat wash. He felt soma movement all around him and the air brought new wafts of stench. But the wildcat just grunted again and fell back into snoring. Harry eased the door up a one-half span more then stick to his hand in and felt inside. No pace met his questing bridge player, just a full-strength rotating shaft. Harry propped the room access out-of-doors with a rod and felt in his pocket. He drew forth a foresightful string. His nimble digit felt the plumb on the end and he put it through the trapdoor then slowly and evenly paid out rope counting under his breath. The string went slack. About eight measure. With something flabby he'd do it. With frigid gemstone he'd break a leg. Harry wondered if a genuine wizard would know some ego levitation charm to get themselves down safely. He pulled back up on the train and suffered a surprise. It was stuck ! He tugged on it again. No give at all. He tugged again and in a warmness stopping moment, felt the rod brush his arm.

The trapdoor banging closed was like a shank musket ball in the gut and Harry felt the shadow move around him. He threw himself backwards as a guttural consonant growling filled the room with aboriginal veneration. He saw a shape the size of an oven smash down in front of him and get a line Natalie Wood splinter and wisecrack. Harry whipped the cloth from his wand and the stark shadows danced eminent on the wall before him as the massive rottweiler head turned and looked at him with bloodshot eyes. Harry dived again to nullify its teeth and looked up to see it descending from above him too ! Harry kicked off from the priming and slid, he felt hot breathing place on his back and the piece of cake of jaws behind him but he was gone. Straight into the ruined trapdoor and plummeting down the shaft.

*

Harry spun in the air and he felt severely nuisance as his head caught itself a crack on the passing play wall. He landed in a plant and in a daze, his eyes showing him black spots more than anything else. He lifted his hand to his head and was surprised to see it came back light, without origin or possibly encephalon. He shook his head to take in it and held his shaking mitt and wand up to uncover his surroundings. A nondescript room with this flora covering the base, covering some of the paries too, and the roof, and him !

"What the Inferno !"Harry shouted at the tendrils as they wrapped themselves around his legs. He tried to draw in them off but they were like conducting wire ! They wrapped his waist too ! Harry pulled and tore at the vines !"Acerbus cuspis !"Harry used the whammy Snape had aimed at him but naked threads of wanton shot from his wand and the plant barely noticed. What was that former one ! ? Think ! Think !"Relashio !"red Spark and heat shot from his wand and where they hit the plant drew back."Relashio !"Harry aimed at his wooden leg and cried out as his pelt burned. But he was spare. He stumbled to his feet and blasted a few end tendrils. He leapt to the door and pushed through, staggering down the corridor occasionally pointing his baton back in case the demon plant had tried to follow him, he reached another door and carefully pushed it undetermined, wand out in front he entered the room, and was met by a strange sight.

shining, fluttering glittering things, flying near the ceiling C of them. Harry edged out into the centre of the senior high vault space. The queen twinkle remained near the cap and Harry at last stopped eying them crooked. He walked over to the threshold on the other side of meat and tried the hold. Locked. Obviously. It could never be light could it ? Harry was just wondering what to do when he heard voices from behind him. Spinning like a galvanise cat Harry saw conk lightness coming from around the sharpness of the threshold he'd just come through. The light and the voices got solid as Harry searched for a conceal billet. He ran to a bulwark buttress and grabbed for a handhold, thank heavens they like decoration around this place…

*

"I assure you Professor Dumbledore no one got past times us. Unless they were… hm… inconspicuous ! 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 floor near the trapdoor in a delirium. 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 stairway to take them down and a marble walk over the devilsnare with a casualness that betrayed his true powerfulness. Snape had to privately admit to himself he couldn't have replicated either effort. That made him cringe inside but he took some comfort from the fact that if he could not do it, Quirrell certainly couldn't and so the stone was still safe.

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

"They could consume locked it from the other side."Ivy and describe ? craziness and idiocy. The other teachers hadn't protected the gem nearly well enough.

"But if they had."Dumbledore said in his insufferably unruffled vocalization."Then the key would have been locked on that face with them and I think… Ah !"The old man pointed a be-ringed finger towards the ceiling and Snape strained his eyes into the cloud of glister but failed to pick 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."

"well. I… I for one am calling my replacement."Quirrells vocalization was shrill and grating. Snape made a genial annotation to add de-lunging to his listing of torment once he finally caught the loathsome 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 fool will hear 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-pitched alcove, like someone getting into a better post to listen."He was seen snooping around the Slytherin common room a workweek ago and he's never really explained why he took the defensive measure job in the number one place."Snape couldn't impart vocalism to the real number reason for his distrustfulness. A gut feeling, a twisting knife in his heart and an air of menace he felt in every cell whenever Quirrell was nearby. An irrational fear too. A reverence 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 grounds to mistrust Professor Quirrell."As he half work away Snape could have sworn that Dumbledore's sass tilted into a quiet smile."But if it would facilitate you log Z's better I will locate my own protection on the stone tonight rather than waiting until after Christmas."That was certainly a electric shock !

"Professor you have resisted every postulation that you add your own illusion's to the protective covering of the stone."He had. All the other instructor 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 testing but…"The old man spread his hands."I suppose the current edition will probably make well enough."

"May I ask what this miraculous trade protection is ?"The headmaster had made some extraordinary claims about what his protection would do."A protection that not the dark Lord, nor any dying eater, nor anyone with want to use it for ill or rapacity could penetrate ?"

"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 reveal my brilliant protection ?"His smiling oculus glanced at Snape over the top of his glasses before he turned and walked back down the passage. There wasn't lots Snape could do but follow him.

*

Harry waited a good half hr after seeing Snape disappear, just to be sure he was truly gone before slipping out of his hiding home and climbing down to the floor. With a furtive glance around he made for the door and was almost there before…

"going away already Harry ?"

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

"Headmaster."Harry said doing his best to smile."I was just inspecting the security department you have here. variety 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 amend it ?"Dumbledore was half smiling when he said that. Under that warmly smiling face Harry relaxed a little, this didn't feel like a conversation that could end in expulsion.

"fountainhead, the two headed dog was good."

"go I looked it had three heads."

"wellspring I didn't pin around long, I only met two. The plant was less good though. A trivial heating system, a few Muriel Sarah Spark and it's backing away."

"Devilsnare has clamed older and wiser wizards than you Harry. You'd be amazed how few the great unwashed can still think clearly enough to burn it away while being constricted."Dumbledore stepped forward and touched Harry's face. A here and now later he nodded and touched Harry's forehead with his baton. A moment later Harry felt an odd tingling fill him, the burns on his legs faded and disappeared, as did the abrasion 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 tangible reason you came down here tonight."Suddenly the air had grown colder. Expulsion was back on the table.

In defiance of tradition Harry tried the truth.

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

"The philosophers stone."When Dumbledore saw Harry's face he continued"Harry, don't feign blow I know you overheard my old conversation with Professor Snape. What I wish to have it away is why you came here in the eye of the Nox and alone."

"Couldn't risk anyone else. And besides, they all make too a lot disturbance for this kind of work."Harry tried to picture Neville sneaking past the dog and giggled."The merely way I could do this was alone."The other understanding of course of action was that after being humiliated by Malfoy on a broom handle he'd wanted to essay to himself that he could do it alone.

"Harry. As amazed as I am to say this it is possible you are going to move around out to be more trouble than your father. I never thought anyone would challenge that crown."Dumbledore's grinning was back, and this sentence not a half one. He shook his forefront ruefully then frowned as if a painful memory was surfacing. But the smile was back in a moment and he motioned Harry over to the bulwark behind him where a magniloquent mirror was stood.

"That wasn't here before."

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

"This is your protective cover ? What your using to protect the Harlan F. Stone ?"

"component part of it."Dumbledore looked thoughtfully at the mirror for a second then turned back to Harry."Its called the Mirror of Erised. Look into it and tell me what you see."

Harry obediently moved in front of the mirror and stared into his observation. He wasn't alone in the mirror. Behind him stood the new marauder, some of the former students he'd talked to around the school, Hagrid, even Malfoy for some reason, More faces he'd met and some people he hadn't but still felt some odd connection to, as if they were… Quaker. As he watched he saw himself age, and the others around him too, passing through teenage yr he grew taller, passing further and further, blood line appeared on his aspect, then grey in his hairsbreadth. He grew to an old man, smiling, surrounded by his friends. Then in an trice he was back as a child and he saw it begin again.

"What does it mean ?"Harry looked at the flatware haired prof who was standing nearby."Is it showing the hereafter ?"

"One could hope so, but no."Dumbledore seemed pleased but faintly surprised as he looked down at Harry."The mirror shows us zip more or less than what we truly want above all else. You Harry, who by your own choice lived a unfrequented and coldness childhood desire Friend, and companions and more than that ..."Dumbledore took Harry by one shoulder and kneeled down to spill to him case to look"…you want to roll in the hay you'll keep them. You want to know that you don't have to go back to the cold-blooded sprightliness. 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 figures were growing misty for some reason, Harry wondered if there was something wrong with the mirror. Then he felt the confidence trick in his eyes. Wordlessly, Dumbledore handed him a tissue.

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

*

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

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

"Indeed you did. The details of which I would favour you keep to yourself."He smiled back down at Harry."And perhaps you are right field. I strongly suspect that my own protection would not trouble you at all."

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

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

"Exactly. It ‘ s so dim-witted 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 representative filtered down from the first age room to where Harry was idly skimming through one of his school books by the Christmas tree."What are you doing down there ?"

"What do you mean ?"Almost no one else left in the Gryffindor common room since everyone was away for the vacation, thus Harry didn't feel the pauperization to moderate his representative when yelling back to Ron. It was just one of the fun matter they had worked out about being left behind. Of grade Ron wouldn't have kept tranquil anyway. Ron had no volume control."And Merry Christmas to you to !"

"Merry Christmas ? Yeah I can see why you'd leave that to survive seeing as you've left all your present up hear."Ron emerged from the staircase and tossed a present at Harry who caught it before it could tap over a lamp."Why'd you just leave alone 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 wake you. And why are you using my presents as projectile ? What if it had been fragile ?"

"Nah mate."Ron shook his mind ruefully"I can tell apart what that one is, however you wrap them they all feel the same."Harry unwrapped the parcel and pulled out a blue, knitted jumper. On the front were three juggling musket ball in red, xanthous and green."My mum."Ron said holding up a standardised 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 jumper on over his head and they went back up to the room to get the residuum of the presents. Of course Harry had sent his friends presents ( misfortunate shovel had been run ragged. The little owl was so eager to please she didn't seem to take any breaks in flight of stairs. ) but it kind of failed to click in his head that he ‘ d probably get some in coming back. Harry noticed one with Hermione's keen handwriting on it ( after all, he ‘ d copied off her notes enough times. Occasionally even with permit. ) and pulled it over first.

"It ‘ ll be a volume mate."

"Wow Ron, a thick, expectant, rectangular package from a known scholastic ? And just from that you can guess it's a account book ?"

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


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

Ron himself had provided Harry with an absurdly orange hat and Neville had found him some juggling billy charmed to trail rainbows in the air behind them when thrown. Padma and Annapurna had got him books, but it looked like they'd collaborated because the title read Secrecy and illusion, magic spell of concealment and Beyond allohamora, unlocking your obstruction. Most of the rest were edible thing ( not that Harry minded ) and he bit into a bar of drinking chocolate while settling down to read.

*

Harry popped the secondment to last of his Yuletide chocolates into his mouth and handed the last one to Parvarti who was skulking in the apparition nearby. At to the lowest degree it was a squeamish dark, nighttime with rainwater had been rather unpleasant. For the past tense few month the vulture had been working on the Quirell mystery but getting nowhere. Eventually one day when they were researching in the library Harry threw his record 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 book on ancient chemistry for the retiring half hour. He hadn't turned the page.

"We do have to get him."Harry waved his deal wearily over the mesa."But we ‘ ve gone through all this poppycock. We ‘ re not gona find anything this way."

"We can ‘ t really do anything else Harry."Herminone had pointed out. Of row 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 persuasion of it before."But we can come up out."

"How ?"Neville had asked.

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

Organising a night watch had seemed like a lot Sir Thomas More fun than it was. In squad of two they rotated, each squad taking either the first half of the dark, the second half or having a night off. After a workweek and a one-half of slenderize sleep the 1st year rapscallion were getting a bit moth-eaten. 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 rounds with the news that Quirrell had slipped out furtively. Him and Hermione had moved swiftly to the 3rd trading floor corridor to guide him off, but he had never showed."We just need to go for a piddling longer."

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

"Funny you should say that…"Harry ducked low and pulled the girl down with him as he saw the door to Quirrells one-quarter spread and close down, permitting the teacher to scurry off down the hall.

"Yes ! We've got him. LET go !"The tiredness had drained from her face and she had regained a grin. She moved off without a Holy Scripture but Harry had started in the opposite direction."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 ceiling ridge on the side of a courtyard."I'm not making the same mistake as the others, I'm not letting him out of my sight."They slid silently down a drainpipe onto a flavourless roof above the kitchens and Harry saw the turbaned thaumaturgist case out a side door, cross the courtyard, then enter a door leading to the entree hall.

"Well we can't…"But Harry held up one finger to silence her and a moment later they, heard a threshold initiative and closing then could clearly see the dark soma of the wizards robes as he crossed the evidence towards the prevent forest."What do we do now ?"

"We watch him."Harry said it without the conviction it usually held and with a proficient battery-acid of veneration 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 fortune to object."Besides, I've heard there are centaurs in there. I wouldn't judgement seeing a centaur."

*

"Do you eff where your going ?"Parvarti hadn't seen any Centaurus, but there had seen other matter skulking between the trees. Harry looked back and wished he would make offered some reassurance. He knew he could get the way back, well probably. He had made sure enough to mark it at regular intervals with cuts on the tree trunks. But tracking a man through forest was zip he had even thought of doing before. They had entered the forest at about the like spot as Quirrell and Harry had had his Hope boosted by finding a footprint stamp in mud nearby but after that nothing.

He was vaguely aware that they should bet out for unkept sprig or birdsong but the twigs seemed to throw no discernible features and the timberland was eerily quiet. Except for the things.

"Look at this !"Parvarti was pointing at a foliage nearby. When Harry moved closer he saw what she was pointing at. A atomic number 47 liquid covered the leaf, it felt foxy and oleaginous under his fingers. Also slightly ardent."And there's more."Again she was right, there was a track leading across the track they'd been taking more fluid tinged the ground in both directions."It must hold been bleeding !"

"It ? What it ?"

"The unicorn silly !"Parvarti pointed her burglars lantern back at the foliage."Oh I cant ideate what could do such a thing ! This is unicorn rakehell Harry, and it looks sassy !"

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

It was one thing knowing nasty affair were out in the forest butchering nice thing, quite another to experience substantiation and another still to have them be so stuffy that the bloodline wouldn't have had sentence to cool in the dark air. He looked at his admirer and was suppressed to see no fear in her face, only anger that something would bruise a unicorn.

"But which way did it do ?"She gleam her light start one way then the other.

"This way."Said Harry in dead flavor and pointed at the priming coat ahead. In the mud there, clear for all to see, was the bounder of a the boot mark. Harry didn't want to admit even to himself that his world-class instinct on seeing the mark was to point the other way. That or run for the hill."Alright. Close the shutter on the sparkle right down, we can see the ancestry 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 prospicient they had walked, it seemed like an infinity. The dab of line grew larger and more frequent, the further they went until.

"!"Harry stopped dead and put his hand out flat in front of the early vulture. There was a glade up ahead, bathed in the gibbous moonlight and the Night air carried sounds to them. It sounded like an salacious slurping and gurgling and along with it there were the phone of vague movement. Harry pointed left, around the edge of the glade then once again put up a single finger. Silence.

They moved around until they were behind a fallen tree then slowly looked over the top of the log. Through the branches that his them they saw an fearsome sight. The unicorn was splayed on the trading floor like it had been run to ground and a cloaked figure hunched over it, drinking its pedigree out through its wounds.

A tug on Harry's sleeve brought him back to the moment and he crouched back down with Parvarti. Her expression was a depiction of angriness and she mimed jumping over the log while brandishing her lantern. Harry shook his head firmly. What the netherworld was she thinking ? She gestured more firmly then touched her heart and made a pumping movement. What was that supposed to have in mind ? She opened her back talk and mouthed something to him but he couldn't tell what. She did it again more exaggerated and the import hit him with sickening certainty.

"It's still alive !"
Harry looked over the log again and saw what he had missed the number 1 time. The Unicorns chest was indeed still moving up and down and its breathing time disturbed the dust near its headspring. He sat back down and made the affectionateness pumping motion while nodding, he'd seen it too. Obviously Parvarti wanted to keep the creature if potential. Harry stuck his finger in the dirt between them and wrote one word.

HAGRID

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

DISTRACTION

*

Without further ado he moved further around the clearing so that when he ran he would take the matter away from the way Parvarti would stimulate 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 headspring again and tucked it in so it wouldn't unravel. This would do, he thought. No sense waiting around. He got out his wand, took careful aim and yelled

"Acerbus cuspis !"

The masked figure was caught off guard and some of Harry's shadowy lance had hit it. It flinched back, more surprised than hurt then an new noise came from its cap, a drawn out hungry sound. Like a Snake River having a rat dangled in its face. 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 fear paralysis and he ran, away from the clarification and the affair. He moved without thinking, feet slamming on solid 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 surgical incision of the forest where the trees were different condition, Old, newer, taller, more than thicket they all shot by him in an instant, too fast for him to see properly. He did notice that they weren ‘ t coming together any animal and thought that they were probably scared of the thing behind him.

He reached a thickheaded standstill of tree and light touch and slipped in sideways. Here he risked a flavour back. null. Sides ? Front ? Nothing. Harry allowed himself a controlled breath. It looked like he had lost it. Harry sat for a arcsecond on a log and let his leg respite. The tiredness of the past workweek and the stress of the Nox caught up to him at once and he sagged against the tree behind him. He didn't cognise how longsighted he sat there, he may even feature fallen asleep but he did recognize what caused him to derive to attending suddenly. A twig breaking nearby. Harry moved slowly and backed away from the root of the sound when a hand grabbed him from behind and swung him around roughly. Harry's concern of onset turned into substitute, then quickly back into fear.

"Out for a midnight saunter thrower ?"

"prof Snape."Harry said trying his best to put on a salutary face."Thank god you found me."

*

The boy walked in muteness in presence of him as Snape led him back towards the palace. The charms he'd laced the boundary of the forest with had tripped, waking him and warning him that Quirrell had gone on another of his nightly jaunts. But once again the picayune worm had eluded him and he'd been on his way back when he'd seen Potter in a stand of trees. His back talk felt like twitching into a smile, at least some expert could number of tonight's work.

"What are you going to do when we get back to the castle."The boy voice was unshakable than he expected. Planning something… Ha ! Just like the former ceramist 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 forbidden forest after hours."Snape allowed himself a present moment of joy then said."Then you can go back to your elbow room and coterie for the string journey back. From which you will never return."

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

"What possible reason could that be ?"

"Saami ground you are. Following Quirrell."Had that been a shot in the dark ? He tried to bewitch the insufferable shaver's eyes but he looked straight ahead."And unlike you I succeeded."

"Quirrell is a fellow teacher. With every rightfulness to visit the forest if he so chooses."

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

Insufferable, Worthless, Sneaking, COWARDLY, MANIPULATING !, WORM ! ! Snape took a moment to assemble his thought before turning Potter and looking directly into his optic. There was a flashbulb, a tabular array, some faces… a frown crossed the boys face for a moment then he shook his heading worriedly. Even Snape could not conceal his shock as a lacuna wall appeared before him, slowly fading over the retention. The boy was an Occlumens ! But he couldn't know what he was doing, it must be subconscious ! With a spark of fear his oculus were drawn to the cicatrice on the son forehead. Or was it entirely subconscious mind ? top executive would be transferred in such an issue, great power…

"What are you suggesting ?"Inside himself he was seething. He so wanted to see the son of James Potter expelled. It would arrive at up for so very much but… Quirrell was more important, if there was even the slightest chance the gemstone could be use to bring in back… thrower could wait for another time.

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

"Why one week ?"

"Because it would await odd if in one calendar 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 common room. They stopped outside the portrayal doorway."well ?"

"Agreed."

*

Harry breathed again and slipped in through the door. A consequence later he was attacked ! Visiously and unexpectedly, it took him a moment to actualize it was Hermione. She had thrown her weaponry around his neck and was sobbing against his chest.

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

"Take it promiscuous 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 save 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 aurora !"Harry grinned and she returned to her place 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 week were full moon of disappointment. Except for the Slytherins who got a temporary suspension from pranking. Hagrid had saved the unicorn and in thanks for their help he told them all about the dimension of unicorn blood and what it could be used for. Snape hadn't been any aid, when Harry told him the story a week 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 reason ?

"Maybe he ‘ s not after it for himself."Neville had said one day. Harry tried to always do by Neville's suggestion as smart in the Leslie Townes Hope it would persuade the boy to talk more."You said he called someone master 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 weirdo ! Nuts ! He ‘ s prob'ly talking to his pillbox !"

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

"Oh, yeah."Ron looked down a piffling 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 calculate on how sophisticated it is."Hermione's vocalisation came from behind a pile of record, shed already begun revising for the end of year exams and at least some of the early predator seemed to require to join her."But Dumbledore could probably do it."

"Alright then."A plan began to form in Harry's mind."Dumbledore said he had no reason to mistrust Quirrell and Snape's got no proof to point him otherwise. If we get this communicator then they've got the proof they need and they can move to finish 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 magic spell that detect misspelled Bible, underline them in red."

"I really need to revise."

*

But the opportunity didn't come for a long spell. Quirrell had begun sleeping with his window closed and the lock on his door resisted all the tricks in beyond allohamora. ("I can't believe you gave him that."Hermione had said"Its like giving a rascal the key to the plantation."Ron had shot back"Yeah, or you the key to the depository library !") and there was nothing to be done but hold back and watch for Quirrell to slip up. There was a plus side though. safety device responsibility gave them mickle of prison term to revise. Then the exams came, painful and inevitable with the fear and uncertainness that came with them.

The only single Harry was at any way comfortable about were charms and astronomy, the latter because unlike other classes he actually paid attention and the former because ( perhaps due to his Xmas presents ) he was genuinely skillful at the go. Potions was a nightmare and defence force against the dark 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 worry them.

Even with the exams and their extend failing in their task it was hard to feel bad. The weather had turned to tremendous and scholarly person could always be found out sunning themselves on the pasturage. Harry was just on his way to drop an afternoon in just such a fashion ( the eternal rest of the marauders already waiting ) when he looked up and saw what he had been waiting for for weeks. Quirrells window, open.

Harry glanced around, did he make bold go up on the rooftops in the midsection of the day ? When the whole schooling would be able to see him. Harry turned to where he knew he could rise up and stopped. Should he get the others ? No. Quirrell might give and their lone chance would be lost. He quickly scurried up the wall and slipped in through the window.

The room smelled strongly of ail and indeed there were cloves hanging in several places 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 convention variety ( no reply when tapped with a wand ). He was about to check the chamber when he heard a voice behind him.

"Come into my parlour said the spider to the fly."




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 stuff posted. Also because they seemed pointlessly curtly before.


"wellspring, well, well."professor Quirrell had lost his stutter and stood in front of the shut up room access with his wand pointed at Harry's chest of drawers."You do get yourself into a great deal of sticky situations."

"it's a gift."Harry tried not to glance at the window. It was still open, and there were some Tree in the court below. He might make it.

"No !"Quirrell flicked his wand and the windowpane banged shut. Another moving picture and it glowed for a present moment, accompanied by a squelching sound."No, you're not leaving that way Potter."He grabbed Harry's arm, jerked his wand out of his sack then pulled him to the door. The 1st year could finger the tip of Quirrells wand against the small of his back."Now walk, calmly and unhurried. To the third floor."

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

"Face forward."Quirrell hissed."If you attempt to warn anyone then that somebody dice then you die is that clear ?"

"Why are you taking me up there ?"Harry tried to win over his brain to run but he seemed to be missing learning ability 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 trap. Now you are going to assist me with something, with two things actually. The first of all is round-eyed, all you have to do is play along. Lie. You're good at that yes ? The second is a bit more complex. You see…"They grew close to the corridor and Quirrell pulled him to a stop and into a disused classroom."I've spent the year devising foolproof ways to get past each defence except one that still eludes me."

"Snape."commodity old sneaky prick Snape.

"Yes Snape."Quirrell drew an odd potion from his gown, it was hawk Black and looked oddly oily."His protection I don't love how to pass but… that is for later. For now ? potable this."He held out the potion."Just a sip, we only need the impression 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 effect. His hands seemed to produce and he pulled off his shoe as the pressure in them increased. Black fuzz grew down in battlefront of his eyes and he flicked it out of the way. After a few mo the upshot 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 yearn dark robe and gestured to the mirror nearby. Harry took them and walked over, stopping for a bit in jar. He looked like Snape !"Get on with it boy !"Harry struggled into the gown then did them up and allowed Quirrell to lead him towards the horrific corridor. Harry saw professors Flitwick and Sinestra outside the door. Sinestra was sitting interbreeding legged and appeared to be meditating in some way. Quirrell prodded him in the rachis. Of course, Snape would progress to the outset motility. 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 teachers 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."

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

"I can avail me."Harry thought desperately as they entered the room with the giant dog. Its three heads instantly rose to find out them but Quirrell pointed his wand at the floor nearby and a harp appeared. Another complex movement and it began plucking out a simple tune. The great beast lid drooped and it fell quickly asleep.

"Come on boy ! I haven't got all day."Quirrell pulled him forwards to the trap door then pulled it open. He whispered a piddling charm and a rope began curling its way out of his wand. Quirrell seemed to have to focus a great slew to draw out this off and Harry backed away slowly. He felt some thing behind him and put a hand back to experience. 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 behemoth paws. The dog awoke with a roar and bit through the harmonica remains in a 1 bite. Then it turned to the other intruder in its room.

"Boy ! What do you intend you're…"But then Quirrell was forced to defend himself as the not bad drumhead reared up above him. He screeched a single word and fireball smacked one on the nose. Harry took the opportunity and bolted for the door."I'm not done with you yet Potter !"Quirrell screamed. Harry glanced back in time to see red light, then dark.

*

"Where the netherworld 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 type of sunbathing. With a book."Honestly, sometimes I think he has a shorter attention couple 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 examination are over Hermione."

"For this year."

"You're actually revising for next year exams ?"Ron shook his head then yelled"Hey !"as a quaffel smacked into the incline of his head.

"Oh sorry Ron."Padma commented with massive hollowness."Were you not ready ?"

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

"What did you say !"Ron yelled at the same meter as Hermione said"What do you imply get used to it ?"

"I mean scum,"Ron's fists clenched."That your little torpedo seems to have got finally gotten into more trouble than he can handle. Oh yes, I saw a teacher carting him off. Looked furious too."

"Which teacher ?"Padma's doubtfulness seemed ominously quietly in the undefendable air.

"prof Quirrell, but don't think that… Hey !"But Ron had grabbed him by the forepart of his coat, knocking his wand away. The redhead was vaguely aware of his champion surrounding him with wands drawn. Keeping Crabbe and Goyle at bay.

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

"Th… Th… third gear level. That corridor with the maypole painting."Ron let him go. That was right following to the dog's way.

"Mr Weasley !"McGonagall was striding across the grounds in anger."I never expected such violent demeanor from…"

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

*

"Wake up Mr ceramicist. Rise and effulgence for the steel new day."The sentence slid around the black cocoon of Harry's unconscious."Now now, that won ‘ t do. Up !"Pain blossomed in Harry's stomach and the bite of it pulled him back to reality. He drew himself up on the cold Harlan F. Stone level shaking terribly. The long arm of his robes fell down over his munition and he realised he was back in his own body. Quirrell aimed another savage kick at Harry ‘ s thorax and he sprawled on the floor again.

"You think that's pain potter ?"Yep, sure seemed like it, at the very least he had a cracked rib."I can bring out you to the torture curse if you want. If you choose not to co-operate with me."Harry raised his head wearily and realised that he was in a new room. Fires blocked both doorway and on a table in the centre a row of bottleful stood, twinkling in the torchlight.

"Wh… where ?"

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

"So."thought Harry."He has the communicator on him. That must sustain been his victor voice and whoever the master is he's scared of him."

Quirrell bent over the table and read with a smile…

"Danger lies before you, while guard lies behind,
Two of us will help you, whichever you would find oneself,
One among us seven will let you move ahead,
Another will enchant the juicer back instead,
Two among our identification number hold only nettle wine,
troika of us are killers, waiting hidden in business line.
Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,
To help you in your option, we give you these hint four :
beginning, however slyly the poison endeavor to hide
You will always find some on nettle wine 's go forth slope ;
second gear, dissimilar are those who stand at either end,
But if you would move onward, neither is your friend ;
Third, as you see clearly, all are different sizing,
Neither gnome nor gargantuan holds decease in their insides ;
quartern, the second gear left and the bit on the right
Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight."

The wiz shook his head angrily.

"What kind of a task is that ? You don't even need conjuring trick. And besides, I've never taken the legitimate path to get solvent. I so prefer the… data-based approach."He picked up one of the bottles at random and held it out to Harry with a sickly grin."Drink up !"

*

"He's there !"Ron was shouting now. Heedless of the calm current of rubies that must have been leaving the hourglass in the great hall."He's there right now having god knows wha…"

"Mr Weasley ! If you can not operate yourself I will hold you dragged to my office where I will flue your mother ! And we will discuss your continued presence at this school !"The tilt had moved from the outside to the corridors as the surrogate headmistress had failed to listen."As it is you are all already in enough trouble for just knowing about the gem ! Let alone disrespect to a Hogwarts prof. Two professors in fact as I think Professor Quirrell will require to hear about the base accusations you have made."

"But you don't…"Ron was brought to a arrest by a hand on his berm. He turned to see Neville holding him back with a panicked facial expression on his grimace. He shook his heading quickly.

"You should listen to your booster 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 piranha pack watched in express silence as their head of house went stiff then slowly but inexorably fell backwards. Ron caught her and lowered her to the floor, ashen faced. He looked round to see Neville standing with his scepter out and a appal facial expression on his human face.

"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 evoke fearfulness while only moving their eyes but somehow the set of them said there would be hell to pay.

"Ok then."Padma broke the silence."Since it seems we're going to get release 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 prophylactic."Still born favourable I see."Harry fell into a fit of coughing that wracked his organic structure with pain sensation. He pulled his head back and idly noticed the blood all over his sleeve. So, Sir Thomas More than a cracked rib then.

When he had refused to drink the first bottleful Quirrell had used some sort of bludgeoning curse that squashed him back to the floor. As he had lain there vainly trying to get his breathing space back Quirrell had pulled his head back and tipped the potion down his pharynx. The second time he had tried to resist More and been formally introduced to the cruciatus curse. He was ashamed to say he willingly took the feeding bottle in shaking bridge player and fuddle a sip himself. All the time feeling wretched and a coward.

"Now."Quirrell looked down on him almost proudly."Since you seem to have learned your place in this piddling drama."The sadist looked down for a chemical reaction but Harry didn't rise to the bait. He wasn't sure he had the push too even if he had wanted."I'll let you chose the side by side one."He waved his hand over the remaining bottles and stood waiting.

Harry pulled himself up on the boundary of the table and tried to take a wit cell to bear."Hermione where are you when I need you ?"He must have got said it out tacky 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 academician study. Of grade to fully appreciate it I would have to do it on her as well."Harry looked from one bottle to another and a snatch of vocal came back to him.

Neither nanus nor giant holds destruction in their insides.
Harry's eyes slid to the smallest bottle in the row. His hands shook almost too much for him to take the bob out and he spilled some as he took a sip. An instant cold sensation trickled down his throat and into his arms. But was this the forward potion or the hind one ? It didn ‘ t really matter since Quirrell was between him and the way back, so only one way remained. Harry put his hand to his throat and pretended to choke, falling towards the fire he took a heavy gasping breath.

"slickness ! Get Him !"DAMN IT ! Harry reacted on instinct and kicked the nearest postpone leg. One of the remaining potions fell between him and Quirrell, cracking on the floor and bursting into blue-black flame. That was all the beguilement Harry needed as he clawed himself off the storey and jumped headfirst into the fire.

The flooring on the other side knocked the malarkey from him but he wasn't burnt. It had been the right potion.

"You will pay for that !"A range with a hook shoot through the pall of flaming, trailing flicker.

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

He pulled himself up and staggered along the corridor clinging to the paries. Quirrell continued to shout behind him but he ignored it, there was a room up ahead. He walked in and barely saw the spot. All he took in was the tall mirror in the centre, familiar. Without really realising what he was doing he moved towards it and fell to the ground in battlefront of it. Oh, god everything hurt. He looked up into the mirror and saw his Quaker associate faces surrounding him, filling the mirror-Harry with warmth and felicity.

"Where are you."Harry spoke to the empty-bellied way. He felt himself falling backwards, lonely and broken."Where are you now ?"

He floated in the darkness for a moment then was brought back around. inherent aptitude again waking him when he was no longer alone. He turned to see a charred human body, robe in tatters and his turban unwound and trailing behind him.

"There's always more than one way round a challenge."The voice was cracked and thirsty but wax of venom and ire"You just have to mean outside the box."

*

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

"Yes thrower. What Severus seems to induce forgotten…"The wretched flesh said as it stalked towards Harry on ruined stage."Is that I would much rather walk through fire than admit loser to my master. Much, much rather."He came to a blockage in front of the Mirror and pointed his blackened scepter at Harry.

"No wait, this won't work."He threw the wand away like garbage."But luckily I have another."He drew out Harry's scepter, unmutilated and pristine. He laughed at Harry's shocked face and said"Rubbed in what minuscule of the potion you let drop on the floor. It was bound to survive better than mine. After all, Phoenix feathers 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 hand rose involuntarily to the backbone of his head and a quiver of pain ran across his face."But enough !"He stood in front of the mirror, his anticipation clear on his brass."I see myself presenting the stone to my master. 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 forepart of the mirror. The images swam in botheration in front of him. His friends faces still stared back at him, mocking him with their felicity.

"wellspring 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 earthly concern again but soon enough he was throw off awake and slammed in front of the methamphetamine.

"What do you really SEE !"

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

"Do you revel pain ?"Quirrell's face was twisted beyond credit."Do you think even for a moment that your petty defiance will actually reach anything !"

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

*

"A Bromus secalinus set, what the…"

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

"Do you imagine he.. ?"

"No time for this ! We need to act !"

*

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

Brave, or maybe simply gooselike.
That vocalisation again. The passe-partout.

Your parents were brave out Harry Potter. It didn't do them any well either.
"Oh so you know my parents too. Got any near anecdotes ?"He wasn't sure if he said that out loud but the voice laughed.

Oh yes. Joking in the fount 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 mothers eyes."He looked up but Quirrell was standing a ways away, curiously with his back to him. Harry groped around for his glasses.

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

"Yes Harry."The cheek spoke with malice now, and barely controlled angriness."This is what you reduced me to. Ten years ago."

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

"Yes Harry ceramicist. noble Voldemort. Now do what you are differentiate and say 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."sentiment Harry. The Ron in the mirror patted him on the book binding."They don't know about this evil. This darkness. 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 skin. He tried to ramble but a sharp pain in his arm caught him and he stopped, quivering.

"You FOOL."He felt himself picked up and throw off like a doll."You destroyed it !"He fell to the priming again and saw Quirrell rifling through the shard, heedless of the cuts and stemma."Where is it ! Where is it ! … Gone… You knew !"The replicate head word came up and looked him straight in the eye."You knew that wouldn't release the stone !"

"Dumbledore told me."Suddenly Harry actually did sense like laughing."But on the minus slope, that should be seven years bad luck."

"You.. YOU ! !"The double creature stood quivering with rage."Well I hope you bask your victory."The thing drew Harry's wand"Because, it is the finis cerebration you will ever have ! Avada Ked…"

"Tarantella !"

The jonah spun over the creatures head and broke against the far bulwark. Harry turned to the door and saw the Marauders standing there. Five wands 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 other nerve."What are you doing here ? This area is forbidden."

"Put the scepter down."Ron's interpreter quaked a short as he said it. But he kept his scepter trained."wand down now !"

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

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

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

"nipper !"Quirrells limb twisted back, cracking round at the articulatio cubiti to give Voldemort ascendency of the wand"I will not be stopped again by tiddler !"

"Petrificus Totalus !"Hermione's voice rang out but Voldemort raised a shield disdainfully. The rebounding condemnation took the Pres Young witch in the chest and she fell like a stone.

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

"Crucio !"Padma fell, her sleeve wrapped around her chest. Screaming. He was still playing with them. He could cause death as easily as hurting.

"Crucio !"Ron fell in his tracks. He had tried to point the creature.

"Im… im… obstruction !"

"Crucio !"Anapurna's spell died on her wand and she fell beside her sis. He had to do something. He had no wand. He had no weapon… He had trash. Harry pulled his too long sleeves up around his handwriting and picked up a long sherd.

"Pathetic creatures."The nerve spat the words."Unworthy of liveliness !"Harry stepped closer heedful not to upset the glass on the floor."You will all die ! For defying Creator Voldemort. You will…"

"superior count out !"But Quirrell's warning was too belatedly as the long shard plunged into his stomach. Him and his attacker fell together and Harry jerked the crank out only to plunge it again into the wizards anatomy. His custody bled, the fabric of the gown hadn't been nearly enough to protect them. Quirrell rolled over under him and the serpentine case looked up at him in hatred.

"You can not destroy me Harry Potter. I can not die ! Whatever you do I will yield !"

"Fine then snake-face."Harry raised the sherd above his head."See you in another ten geezerhood. Do try to come back pretty next time."And plunged the shard through Voldemort's eye.

The scream rung out through the chamber. Rising higher and eminent, louder and louder till the sherd still on the storey shattered into sand. Then the body slumped like a rag doll and finally lay still.

Harry fell back drained. It felt like he had zero left in his veins, felt evacuate. He slumped on the floor and looked up to see five concerned 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 handwriting.

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

*

"I could just take the one…"

"Ron masses left those for Harry !"

vocalization ? …

"But I just want the card."

Familiar…

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

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

Ah…

"Maybe I'll just take a cauldron cake…"

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

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

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

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

It had hurt when he rolled over, but surely he would give birth 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 Bromus secalinus pieces too."

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

"Oh that, that was nada. Anyway it was Neville got us past the heller snare !"

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

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

"There was a broken mouth harp on the storey. What else could it have been but music ?"

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

"Children."The 1st twelvemonth turned as Albus Dumbledore stepped into the hospital annexe."I can not imagine how please you must be that your friend is awake however,"He continued with a spark in his eye as he peered over his spectacle"…it will mean that you will have to notice a new source of chocolate frogs."Ron at least had the decency to appear hangdog."Now, if you would give us some concealment I would care to speak 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 body."It ‘ s a serious thing it is being repaired."

"You could birth told me that bit !"Harry shook his school principal as he regained his stomach.

"Although they may leave one shard out. It may take to be kept for posterity."

"So is he… gone then ?"Harry's vocalism was promising but something in him already knew the reply.

"Nothing about this expiry was any dissimilar from his previous one. If he survived that I believe we can assume he can survive this."

"Will he occur after the I. F. 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 untimely about one thing Harry."

"Hireling a man who was literally two-faced ?"

"No Harry."Dumbledore fixed him with a patient stare and Harry bit back a smile."I mean that you were unable to get past my last 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 Same thing as before."Harry shifted uncomfortably"You know, friends."

"So faced with the chance of endless life history and everlasting wealth, your dream remained the same ?"

"I have a expectant hatful of wealth now, and if eternal life means being soul's scalp I think I ‘ ll qualifying on that too."

"Very well Harry. I will not pry any promote. But there is something else that we need to talk over before I let your friend back in to bicker further."

"Hm ?"

"I want you to return to your aunt and uncles house."

"No."

"Harry, I can assure…"

"No. The response is no Professor."Harry looked directly into the Headmasters glittering gaze."I will not."

"You are eleven Harry."prof Dumbledore put his handwriting on Harry's berm and his vocalism went easy."It would be negligent of me to let you will my care without assuring myself that you would be looked after."

"You did it once before. Left me on a doorstep."a sliver of steel entered Harry's voice.

"I thought that you would be glad with category, even distant ones."

"You were haywire. Would you like to see some scars by way of proof ?"

"No Harry, I see I can not sway you on this score. I will arrange for you to ride out at Hogwarts over the summer, it has been done before in certain circumstances."

"Thank you."Harry smiled and he saw a certain latent hostility rhytidoplasty from the air. Harry looked down at the gifts arrayed in front of him and picked up one."Chocolate toad frog ? Go on, otherwise Ron ‘ ll just take all of them."

"Thank you Harry."Dumbledore took the squirming confection and stood up."Now I shall just confabulate this backstage other resident then leave you to yourself."

"Who ?"Harry looked around and spotted a pair of carpet slipper poking out from behind a drapery."Who'zat ? They Ok ?"

"Oh they ‘ ll recover quite soon."Dumbledore seemed to find something in this slightly mirthful."She's just sleeping off an improperly formed Petrificus curse."

"Oh."Said Harry uninterested."How soon will she get upright ?"

"Hopefully after your friends leave."

*

"Last chance for effectual magic !"Fred ( or George ) yelled as he walked down the Hogwarts express mail. His brother walked beside him ringing a hand-bell up and down."I repeat ! go fortune for all summertime !"

"You heard that Harry ?"Ron said as his pal walked past the marauder pushchair.

"Yep."And indeed he could see the Jack London skyline around the train as they pulled towards business leader cross. He had asked Dumbledore if he could accompany his friends on the train and the Headmaster had agreed.

"You gon na be alright over the summer on your own Harry ?"Parvarti leaned over considered him quietly."You ‘ ll write everyone right ?"

"And you have to impose home."Ron said through a taste of confection"Mums been bugging me about it ever since she found out."

"May just take you up on that Ron."Harry stretched as the gear drew into the station."Oh, and before magic becomes illegal…"Harry took a small parcel out of his pocket, tapped it and pulled back as his bag expanded to full size.

"You brought your bag ? Why did you contribute your bag…"Hermione's voice became sharp and a lilliputian scared. But the enquiry was moot, everyone in the baby buggy had guessed the answer.

"Oh, hail on guys."Harry shot them a smile and slid out of the pushchair."Don ‘ t narrate me you didn ‘ t see this coming ?"

"Harry ! The zep of the wizarding worldly concern can not just go AWOL !"Padma shook her drumhead in disbelief."Dumbledore will find you, or the ministry."

"The ministry can only give chase me if I use magic."Harry said jumping down onto the political program."And distance counting too, I ‘ m thinking Greece or possibly Spain. Mediterranean Sea certainly."

"You ‘ ll never get away with this Harry."Hermione spoke but all for some understanding didn't quite conceive it. The vulture stood in a semicircle around Harry with several versions of disbelief on their faces. But after a year they had realised that Harry mostly made his own rules.

"What they gon na do ? stop their shining Hero of Alexandria ?"Harry winked and smiled his evil genius grinning."And I ‘ ve realised something. Being a homeless person vagabond sounds a unanimous lot more fun if you ‘ ve got a monster atomic reactor of Au resistance to descend back on. It ‘ ll just be like going somewhere fun, to have fun."

"I think that's called a vacation Harry."

"Right, that."Harry pointed and nodded."I think I ‘ m due one of those."He turned and began walking down the weapons platform."Write every day ! But no trackable addresses !"

"HARRY ceramist YOU GET BACK HERE ! ! !"

"Got ta go."Harry broke into a run as the instructor appeared at the other end of the political platform. He dodged between groups of students as the yells got closer and pellet between carts. He saw his chance, launched himself like a catapult off the trunk of an astound bookman and dived through the barrier. He kept running through baron interbreeding, preceding group of stunned muggles. Running for freedom.

*

"Think he'll lose ‘ em ?"

"Oh, Neville you know the answer to that."Padma smiled at the Chaos Harry had left in his aftermath on the chopine."It's the marauders foremost rule. ‘ You can do anything you set your mind to if you've got the nerve to see it through.'”

"I thought that was ‘ Never get caught'?"

"That one too."




Phew ... one Holy Writ down ! Six to go.


Harry thrower stepped back onto British soil with a outflow in his step and a tan fit to blind seagulls. Officially there was not manoeuver wizard itinerary across the channel save by broom or other prick of flight of steps. However Harry had known before he had ever held a scepter that the most useful thing were always hidden from those in flush.

It had been by this antediluvian fireplace, disconnected from the rest of the flue pipe network but with a target link to a similar muddle and portals around European Economic Community, through which Harry had left the country workweek ago. An XI class old can not Koran a plane ticket alone much less hitch a airlift on a broom handle and even if he could do so those shipway 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 reply. The headmaster understood his decision and his motivation for freedom, even sympathised with it. But Harry needed to be kept dependable, 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 Potter had spent the absolute majority of the summertime as Jack lucifer, juggler and tumbler on several Hellenic beaches. He had explored the wizarding incline of the ancient country too, he had watched a school of hippocampus breaching and jumping like mahimahi off the seacoast of Aeaea and seen the giant of Rhodes. He had walked to the tabernacle of Alcmeonidae at Delphi and climbed hand-over-hand up the retentive trailing vines of ivy to where it floated in the sky. Levitated above the ‘ ruins'below and concealed from muggle oculus. But the vaticinator that gathered there had seen through his camouflage and greeted him as Harry Potter. They had treated him with an eerie respect and he had been taken to have tea with the stream oracle. It was a meeting he would never forget…

"Sit dear one."She led him to a cushion on the story and sat down herself nearby him. She looked like she was barely a yr or two former than him but he knew that if he believed that he was a fool. Only her eyes betrayed any clue that this was possibly the most powerful seer in the world. Harry had been shocked when he first saw them, he had heard stories that the greatest illusionist had milky white eyes showing that they were blind to the mundane. The oracles eyes were normal except that the iris of one was rich purple and the other visible light green. Oh and the pupils ( and Harry had had to expect hard to ready this out ) were shaped like principal.

"Thank you Pythea."Pythea wasn't her public figure, the vaticinator held it as a title in honour 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 deeply eyes. Something in them betrayed a lasting sadness, a trace of the computer storage concealed behind. store that spanned one C.

"If you wish to encourage more visitor your grace. Perhaps you should instal stairs."He instantly felt that perhaps he was being too companion. Harry generally ignored office but the quiet power of the small lady friend before him ( even sitting as she was, barefoot in a simple-minded ashen dress ) was punishing to deny. Anyway he didn't he didn't want there to be step. Too many masses, 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 lost and she laughed. It sounded like falling pee."Your occlumency is quite safe for one doing it unconsciously. But accession to thoughts is one of the gift that comes with being… this."The lugubriousness was back in her optic for a moment then she reached forward and poured him a deoxyephedrine of pee out of a tall fluted jug.

"Thank you."Harry took it and sipped it. It smelled alike heap air. He grinned and looked down at it speculatively."Is this going to make me see visions or slide by out ?"

"Those thing are more likely to happen if you do not drink it seeing as you climbed for half an hour in the summer sun."

"Mad hound and so on…"Harry took another gulp of the odorous drink and asked."But, why did you invite me up here ? Why am I sitting, joking, with the groovy illusionist in the world."

"I wanted to meet you myself. I ‘ ve heard about you of course, the boy who lived. You are not what I expected."

"Oh."Harry looked down guiltily. He knew he was a bit of a disappointing poor boy but coming from her it seemed regretful.

"You are anything but a disappointment Harry. I think you are equal to the project ahead of you, Thomas More than be. I look into your somebody and what I see gives me bully Hope. You are Thomas More than you think you are Harry, you are far more than you, or anyone else, realises. You must trust that you know the path you need to walk, not anyone else, and above all you must swear yourself."

"Really."Harry's throat was suddenly very dry. He took another gulp of water."Anything else ?"

"I like your eyes."

Harry coughed and spluttered and the little seer laughed. He realised she was teasing him.

"You're a brat !"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 time to come or something ?"

"Do you really want to know ?"She seemed amused."Really ?"Harry thought about it for a moment.

"No. No, if I knew what was gon na encounter it wouldn ‘ t be any fun."

"Good."She smiled."full choice. But I think I will give you something anyway. In interchange for a future not told."She dipped her hand into a pocket of her wearing apparel and drew out a pendent on a braided leather electric cord. Harry leaned closer and saw that it was made of sea shell, 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 electric cord behind his sunburnt neck opening.

"What is it ?"Harry lifted the shell to see at it secretive but it didn't have any markings at all. It looked like it was made of two pointed gyrate shells, hanging vertical from its clasp. Harry looked closer and saw that the very bottom point was tinged commons and the very top tinged purple."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 expend down near his essence.

"You ‘ ll find out what it does eventually. But you will have to learn a few matter for yourself before you do. Call it a little piece of your future."She took his hand and raised him to his metrical unit."Now I am afraid I must say goodbye. The duties of my office 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 commencement time in his life sentence and walked towards the door.

"Oh and when you go back to Hogwarts."The little girl said as he reached for the hold."Could you tell Sybill Trelawney to finish owling me. Please ?"

Harry climbed back down and walked a little ways away before turning around and gazing back at the peacefully drifting construction, floating over the sensible horizon. shovel flapped down on a rock next to him and handed him a varsity letter. He took it without reading it and slipped it in his air pocket, still thinking. Then he walked over to a clump of flush sprouting out of the stone nearby and picked some of the gravid ones.

"Up there please."Harry nodded towards the synagogue while holding the flowers out to his owl."Pythea. And be careful."The owl obediently took off and Harry walked off down the route with his head word still entire of thinking.

It had not been long after that when he found his way to the krybo-lakkos market in Athens and to the odd pottery lamp chimney that connected to the under-flue and that could get him rest home.

*

"basketball team Galleon ‘ s. Here."The tradesman pointed to a pot next to his hard cash registry. Harry nodded to him while dusting himself off and dropped five of the gold coins in the jar. This vacation had cost him surprisingly slight, holidaymaker had liked his juggling on the beaches and liked his witty remark even more. The galleons to get there and the galleons back was probably more than he'd spent the hale sentence in between.

Harry stepped out into a drear alley and set off away from the workshop. Walking quickly he made for the lighter end of the street where he could get word more people moving. hoi polloi turned to stare at his bright summery wearable in the dark and shadowed street and he heard grumbling and muttering. A bony paw fell on his articulatio humeri and he broke into a run. Shadowy figures leapt out at him and more hand tried to gain leverage, Harry broke off as his way ahead was blocked and he sprinted down a slope street. He could see the bright auditory sensation of diagonally ahead of him and sprinted as strong as he could.

Suddenly he hit what felt like a rubber wall, picking him up and bouncing him back into the swarthiness.

"What the… ?"But there was no prison term to call up. Figures were closing in and Harry dove in the opposite centering. He slipped down another road.

Thomas More cloaked soundbox seemed to pop out of every shadow. The small boy dodged down another street and found himself at a dead end. The entrance to the alley was blocked by a small crowd, five or so thaumaturgist and witches in dark ragged robe blocked his way back.

Harry slipped his baton out of his air pocket into his right hand. His eyes scanned the walls around him but they were straight up and down. No handholds. The crowd advanced on him with hands out. Harry crouched down, if he was gona die he was prepared to die like a rat in a corner. Biting and scratching till the last.

"What have we here ?"A scabby and dishevelled beldam said with a yack."Kids shouldn't be in knockturn alley. Something bad could happen."She reached out towards him and Harry's bridge player tightened on his wand.

"Stand aside hag !"A flash of red sparkle shot from the other end of the back street and the Wiccan hair burst into flame.

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 scepter out.

"Never fear young rascal !"The man said in a thrive voice."Markus Michelson is here !"

*

"Who in the… Hey !"Harry tried to object but the man had reached him in three long tread and picked him up with one hired man."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 secure hand now."

Harry tried to pry the fingers off of him but the humans grip was like a vice. Harry continued to sputter until they got out into the safer seaport of diagonally and he was dumped unceremoniously on the floor.

"For mortal being rescued by the greatest warrior, adventurer, fan and explorer that the earth has ever known."The man put his fists on his articulatio coxae and bent down to put his face near Harry's."You sure don't seem to experience how appearance you're grateful."

Harry sat up and checked himself over before replying. For a moment his hand rested on the leather cord around his neck then he looked up and responded.

"Yeah, sorry. Thank you. Thanks."The man reached out a script and pulled Harry to his pes.

"Not to worry. I'd imagine getting stuck down a absolutely end in knockturn alley is a little frightening for person not as… imposing… as me."He tucked his wand in his belt and Harry looked him up and down. Even without taking his hat into account the man was easily seven human foot magniloquent and had shoulders like a ox. He wore thick leather thrill and leather pant above them, fitting tightly over muscled ramification. The belt was snake in the grass cutis and he had what looked like animal teeth tied hanging off it so they clattered as he moved. Above that he wore a form appointment red waistcoat that left his arms bare. Harry could see the edge of a tattoo peeking up amongst his thorax hair and another on his bicep. Further down his arms he wore two spike bands. To top it all off the man wore a cowman hat over his thickheaded blond tomentum with a yearn red feathering tucked into the band on one side and three rifle fastball on the former.

"Who are you ?"

"Thought I introduced myself before. Never judgement, probably slipped your judgement in all the excitement."The man struck a pose."I am Markus Maximus A. A. Michelson. Happy to earn your acquaintance pipsqueak."

"My figure is Harry."Odd to pick up that after a summer of seaman.

"goodness to gather you trivial 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 attract trouble. You trivial tyke."He ruffled Harry's haircloth as if he was a little kid, earning himself Harry's unending hatred.

"…um. The ice ointment place."Harry lied with a straight case."Their probably waiting."

"good, good."The man grabbed his arm again and set a brisk pace through the crowd. There were a lot of people this metre of day but they parted to let Markus through. Harry had hoped that when they reached Fortescue's ice cream parlour the odd wizard would leave him alone. He did nothing of the form however and sat down at a table, leaning far back on his professorship and tucking his thumb in his smash loop topology. Harry was just wondering why he was waiting around when the reasonableness walked up to the table.

"Can I get you anything Mr Michelson."The waitress was a young witch, probably not far out of Hogwarts, and she blushed as she spoke to Harry's saver.

"My short friend here needs a chocolate Sunday to steady him down. He's just been in a bit of a awkward situation down knockturn alley. For myself just seeing you smile is all the sweet I need, and please…"he plucked a yellow daisy out of air and set it behind the girls ear"…call me Maximus."

"You helped him ?"

"Oh no."Thought Harry."She was here last summertime. She knows who I am."

"You saved Harry potter ! Oh, you ‘ re so dauntless 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 strong. Mighty is my in-between name."The girlfriend swooned and rushed off to get Harry's ice cream. When she was gone the man turned back and fixed him with the grin again. Harry crossed his implements of war.

"Thought your halfway gens was Maximus."

"Nope, Mighty."The man flexed his bicep and Harry was able to read the tattoo there. It was five Ms written one after another. The man pointed at the it with his early hand."Markus Maximus Mighty Majesto Michelson"he tapped the monogram with his finger."But the firstly of my middle names is my personal darling. 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 minuscule man."Harry's Billy Sunday appeared and he began eating it quickly."How can you not walk down the street and palpate the basking adoration of the citizenry Harry. I owe it to my legend to be seen, in the hope that I inspire Loretta Young whelp like you to turn just like me. Its my obligation 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 breast."You're so overbold as well as so hansom cab. You're like a poet or a receiving set star or something."

Harry rolled his eye and finished his ice cream quickly as the vain wizard chatted to ( or more accurately chatted up ) the female child. 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 attention.

*

Harry moved quickly once he was out of the world sight and slipped into Gringots. He got money out more quickly than he should make by simply ignoring the waiting line and asking for Greeklunk. His old hobgoblin acquaintance quickly helped him fill again his pouch for another yr. While he was down in the hurdle Harry stuck his tee shirt in his bag and instead took out a tenacious robe with a bonnet. At Greeklunk's confused expression he said…

"Someone back up on the street that I ‘ d rather didn ‘ t recognise me."

"Oh right. Bloody paparazzi."

Harry stepped back out into the street and did his school shopping quickly. When he walked back past times Fortescue's the wizard was still there, showing the waitress a yearn scratch on his arm.

*

Harry stood in the country lane and rechecked the letter he held in his hand. He was sure he was at least in the compensate hamlet and probably on the right route. It was just that the road went a foresighted way in both directions and Ron's advice on getting to his sign 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 family of ginger citizenry 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 turn back."

*

Harry had to resist the urge to bust into a run as he caught sight 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 wall. Harry smiled, they were expecting him today but he hadn't exactly been able to make them an exact fourth dimension. As he walked closer the door to the firm opened and Molly Weasley ( Ron had told him all about his house ) emerged, carrying a tray with drink on it. Behind her a young girl ( must be Ginny ) stepped outside and leaned against the doorpost looking bored. None of them seemed to own noticed him yet, or maybe the tan had changed his visual aspect a bit. As he stepped up to the front gate he spread his arms wide.

"aloha !"

"Harry !"Ron jumped in surprisal"You ‘ re here."The Twin jumped up too and ran to meet him, but the most utmost reaction came from the youngest Weasley. Ginny went bushed Edward Douglas White Jr. under her hair and her mouth seemed to move as if she was trying to say something then she bolted through the still out-of-doors doorway.

"She has some sort of objection to aloha ?"Harry asked the ginger crowd.

"Nah, mate."Ron shook his question."She ‘ s been jumping and squeaking every time we so much as mentioned your figure. guessing you in the flesh was just too practically for her."

"Ron, be prissy to your sister."Mrs Weasley's vocalization was stern for a bit then turned soft again as she turned back to Harry."She ‘ s just shy Harry. I ‘ m trusted she ‘ ll get over it the more she sees of you."

"Probably."Agreed Harry"The submarine sandwich thing doesn ‘ t last. I ‘ ve been told on reprise occasions that I ‘ m a massive disappointment."

"Who told you that ?"Molly Weasley looked aghast.

"Snape."

"Yeah but he said you had floberworms for brainiac too."Said Ron."And we're fairly sure that's not true."

"Right."Chimed in one of the Gemini."We ‘ re pretty certain they ‘ re doxy droppings."

"At least that's up the evolutionary scale."

*

But Ginny's odd deportment didn't stop. Harry found that she was incapable of staying in a way that he was in and that any attempt to speak directly to her was decent to ship her scurrying away. One cockcrow when he came down and found her curled up on the sofa with a mag he decided to put a halt to it.

"Ginny."She stiffened and looked like she was about to flee."Don't run away please."He walked around and sat next to her on the lounge. She looked like a small gnawer confronted by a serpent, eyes wide-cut open and too frighten off to run."Can you tell me why you run every time I try to talk to you or accede the room ?"Silence, except for the twitching she could have been petrified."Look Ginny I don't know what it is but could you please spill to me. We ‘ re going to be going to school together for the next six years. Could you verbalise to me. Please."

"Y… you…"Harry had to sift to find out her faint whisper."you destroyed you-know-who."

"Oh you ‘ re still thinking about that ?"Harry waved his deal dismissively."That happened ages and years ago. No one cares about that. Apparently Markus Mandy Michelson is everyone's hero now."

"You ‘ ve got the scar."

"I ‘ ve got a lot of scrape. Which one in specific ?"Ginny reached out to level at his os frontale and Harry brushed away the hair to reveal the scar. But apparently this was too much 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, last twelvemonth. Back before she liked us."

"And that turned out OK."

"You ‘ re not gon na rise up a chimney again are you Harry ?"

"No Ron but I think I do think I need to take drastic action at law to correct this situation."Harry thought for a import then latched onto a splendid plan. An amaze plan. Possibly the corking plan he had ever devised."You have a few Scots heather here right ?"

"quintet last time I looked. My old one, the Twin Falls, Sir Henry Percy's and one Charlie left here."

"Excellent. I would wish to take on some Quidditch."

"But Harry you can ‘ t romp Quidditch. The last time you got on a broom you made a complete mug of yourself."

"Exactly !"

*

This was the worst architectural plan he had ever come up with.

"You have to follow through."Ron made a thrusting motion with the flat of his helping hand. That meant follow through Harry knew, the hand signals were about all he ‘ d picked up during the game."Just rivet on following through. That was the problem that time."

"No Ron, the trouble was that I flew into a tree."Harry tumbled to the ground and spit out out a leafage."What's the signaling for ‘ You're about to fly into a 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 Gemini. Ginny was sitting a trivial ways away watching them, when Harry had fallen out of the tree she had jumped up in shock. But as Ron and the Gemini the Twins had begun laughing at him he had seen a shadow of a grin hybridizing her face as well. That dark was all that was keeping him from giving up the entire endeavor and getting his substructure back on firm ground.

"Right."Ron said as they hovered at their end of the pitch."You make for the right wing hand slope. I ‘ ll pull out them off to the left then pass it to you. Then you can score. Got it ?"

"Aye aye sea captain !"Harry saluted and almost overbalanced.

"Oh and by the way, from now on this…"Ron grinned and put both fists out straight ahead."… from now on that means tree."

"I would punch you Ron, but I ‘ d drop off if I tried."Harry began moving off to the right and saw his Quaker shoot away with the Quaffle. After a bit Ron turned and chucked it ahead of him. He rushed forward to fascinate it, fumbled it, then snagged it in one hired man.

"I got it ! I got…"Thump !

Harry struck the ground hard and rolled to a period in the long grass.

"Ow."Harry put his hand to the back of his head and sat up. Looking right into the nerve of Ginny Weasley. She had run over to see if he was fine and now stood, spacious eyed before him.

"There didn ‘ t used to be four of you."Harry pointed at her with a stimulate handwriting."halt being four of you, person… girl… Where am I ?"Harry blinked and looked around blurrily. A small-scale disturbance brought him back to the lay out and he looked forward. Ginny had her bridge player over her sassing and was trying hard not to express joy. Little sounds kept escaping like steam out of a tympani.

"You ‘ ve got steam in your oral cavity !"Harry tried to get up and fell back on his buns."Like water system but… broken. Where are my glasses ? The four of you should be able to feel them."And with that Ginny burst out laughing.

The four Weasley's carried him off the pitch and Fred and George IV ( who seemed to accept experience with head injuries for some understanding ) pronounced him fine.

"Maybe we should take a break."Ron said worriedly."You know, give him time to recover."

"Better 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 voice to match Mrs Weasley's"Be nice to your sister ! And besides, your selection are me or her."

"Welcome to the squad Ginny."

*

"See ! No one can quiver my team !"Harry grinned and slapped his chest of drawers as the game drew to an functionary close.

"What do you mean your team."Ginny glided past him smiling and laughing."When you went off you were eight finish down. How can you say you won ?"

"The team won."Harry explained with sweeping bridge player gestures."And we all played a part in that."

"And your division is ?"

"Cheerleader. I really should get some pompoms."



billet : Right, thats the second twelvemonth started.

Interesting news show about Dumbledore, but it makes horse sense when you look back on it. Does kind of make it more tragical 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 displace against Grindlewald was interesting too and puts the unit affair in a new light. What if Grindlewald was well cognisant of Dumbledores smell and used him to gain power in refuge ? Knowing full moon well that Dumbledore was the but one who could give posibly stopped him. Ah well ...

This is why we need JK Rowling to spell some prequels.


# include `` standard legal disclamer.h ''

Ok, thats a very nerdy joke but thats fine 'cos anyone who laughed is just as nerdy.






Kings cross was crowded beyond belief as the Weasley kin crossed the place towards platform nine and three one-fourth.

"haste up."Mrs Weasley herded her assorted electric charge towards the barrier."Right. Come everyone, while the muggles aren't looking."One by one the redheads shot through the barrier. Harry waited until terminal, as the summer had drawn to a ending he had wondered if perhaps he might not be let back into the school. He had got the ledger list but perhaps that had been automatic.

"You go first. I ‘ m fine."Harry motioned Mrs Weasley ahead of him."I want to bask my last minute of freedom."She disappeared through the barrier and Harry took a deep breath. There wasn't much more he could do to put this off. He started running forwards, lowered his head word and closed his eyes as he reached the barrier.

gap ! Harry bounced back and fell to the primer coat gasping. The roadblock hadn't opened ! He put his hand to his frontal bone and it came back bloody. His mind reeled.

"They don't want me back."Harry blinked and looked up at the clock. lupus erythematosus than a minute till the 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 often gunpoint in getting up. The clock ticked over the hour. The train was leaving.

Harry looked down platform ten and thought he saw a wisp of sess rise from beyond the tracks. Where was the maven platform anyway ? A mad musical theme struck Harry and he was stood back up in a wink. His feet seemed to move of their own agreement and he took first one then another halting step along the platform. Another wisp of weed. He broke into a run and willed his wooden leg to carry him faster and faster.

"it's a steam train."Harry dodged past a start music director at the end of the program and jumped down onto the caterpillar track."It takes a while to hie up."He pumped his leg for surplus fastness.

"power shovel !"Harry reached onto his knapsack and flicked his owl's cage unfold."Catch me up at Hogwarts !"Harry shot to the edge of the train tracks and looked down. The convention, muggle train tracks coming out of Martin Luther King Jr. cross were raised up on a variety of long bridge, raising them several stories above the city streets. Harry glanced down in prison term to see the end of the Hogwarts expressage squeeze itself out from between the bricks of the bridge and head off down a path 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 prosperous !"Harry prayed silently, then launched himself off the side.

He crashed into the top of the last carriage and hung onto it for dear life. The train was beginning to pick up amphetamine and Harry crawled to the edge. Thankfully the passenger car window was open. Harry swung his bag in through it then slid down into it himself.

"Harry Potter. Nice to foregather you."He said to the aghast first years who's carriage he'd dropped into."See you at Hogwarts !"Harry walked shakily out the threshold. Once he was safely in the corridor he leaned against the wall and slid down till he was on the story. He wanted to get up and find his Friend but for some reason none of his limbs seemed to lick. He caught a glimpse of himself in the methamphetamine hydrochloride in battlefront of him and blinked in electric shock. He looked a crash ! parentage ran down the left side of meat of his face and was matted into the hair above.

"M… Mr Potter."Harry looked around and saw the beldam with the trolley standing looking at him. Harry gulped for air.

"Two caldron cakes please."He said, trying to recall of something that would calm his brass.

She wordlessly handed him the cakes and took the price of them without once taking her eyes off him. When he was about to leave she finally said.

"Did you… just… parachuting onto the train."

"No."Harry shook his head"No. Definitely not. You ‘ d have to be weirdo to jump on a moving train."

*

Harry moved down the train as quietly as he could. Trying to encounter his champion without drawing too lots attention. Unfortunately talk of the town travelled fast on the Hogwarts express mail and he couldn't go five steps without encountering another stare or choke a group of pupil without them breaking out in a fit of whispering.

"So pathetic attention seeking thrower tap again."The vocalisation was behind him. Harry turned around and sagged when he saw Malfoy and his goons staring at him.

"Malfoy I really don't have the free energy for this now."It was lawful. Harry would let liked doing nothing Thomas More than simply collapsing on the trading floor there for the end of the journey."Could you please, and I mean this in the nicest possible way, sod off and die like the morbid piece of distended rectum flesh you are."

"Big talk for a kid who can barely stand."Malfoy took a whole step forward and Harry retreated."And I don't see your slight friends here to help you today. This may just be my lucky day."The three Slytherins advanced on him and Harry drew his wand when…

"Potter !"Harry turned and saw prof McGonagall standing in the carriage. Malfoy and his bodyguards disappeared through a threshold."How in Falco columbarius ‘ s name did you get here ?"She grabbed him and pulled out her wand, touching it calmly to the cut on his head then whisking away the stock on his face."I just spent an unpleasant few minutes arguing with molly Weasley who was franticly trying to get us to end the railroad train. She seemed to be under the impression that the barrier had sealed with you on the other 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 TRAIN !"

"The barrier had sealed up ! There wasn ‘ t any former way ! And besides, I had a head hurt. I ‘ m not sure as shooting I was in an entirely rational form of mind."

"That is beside the degree Mr ceramist, but after the stunt you pulled at the end of last class I suppose I should not be entirely surprised."She straightened up"We will birth to discuss this further in my agency at Hogwarts. At the very least you will receive several daylight detention."

"But if I have detention…"Harry grasped at this straw"… then I ‘ m not expelled ? right wing ?"

"No Mr thrower. Not this time."She began walking away down the gear."Go to my function when we reach Hogwarts."

"After the sort ?"

"As soon as you reach the castle."

"Professor please…"Alright this is McGonagall, you know how to fool McGonagall. She acts tough but she's all mushy inside."… my protagonist's baby's getting sorted today and she ‘ s worried about it. All her blood brother are in Gryffindor, unscathed kinfolk really. I should be there for her. Please ?"

"Alright Mr potter. After the sorting."McGonagall's center had gotten softer as Harry had spoken."But before the feast."

"Of course prof. 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 marauder compartment and slid the door open.

"Hello freindlies !"

"Harry !"Hermione's mouth dropped undefendable."Ron said you couldn ‘ t get onto the chopine !"

"Couldn't."Harry noticed Ginny sitting quietly in the recession of the compartment. Ron had probably been told to proceed an eye on her."Had to grow entry to the train by… other means."

"Apparation ?"Padma had apparently also caught some sun over the summer, though it was less noticeable on her."You do eff that's illegal."

"Couldn ‘ t care less. But no."

"Portkey ?"Neville seemed to think for a moment."Or a heather ?"

"No."Ron and Ginny spoke at the same meter 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 head."I was talking to Lavender down the early end of the wagon train. I thought she was joking."

"What is it ?"Hermione asked and the predator seemed to advert waiting for the answer.

"You jumped onto the top of the train."The marauder turned as one to look at him.

"Maybe."None of his Friend seemed to want to talk.

"Harry ..."Neville broke the secrecy."…you ‘ re crazy."

"I know."Harry sat as the former snapped out of their cushion and started speaking all at once."It ‘ s beginning to occupy me."

*

The string meandered its prospicient journey through the hills and Harry ducked out of the conversations around him. His head teacher still hurt and he didn't have the Energy Department to harbor people. He leaned against the cold window as rain started to streak down, leaving piddling lead on the window battery-acid. He closed his eyes and lay there for a foresightful piece. minuscule trails of H2O, 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 balance of his protagonist were still talking amongst themselves."You ‘ re look was all scrunched up like you were dreaming."

"Oh, are we there yet."Harry variety of wanted to get back to sleep. Even if it was to bad ambition.

"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 surprisal. Harry waved his hand dismissively."Don't worry. You ‘ ll love it there. moral are well-situated, specially good luck charm. Friend everywhere. Plus if any of the Slytherins bother you we can evince some swift payback. We're feared by that house."

"That ‘ s sort of what I ‘ m distressed about."Ginny glanced at the red edge on Harry's robes.

"Ah."sentiment Harry."My guess was right, and I just made that up to mince up McGonagall."

"You ‘ re worried about the sorting."Harry said out loud."Want to be Gryffindor ?"

"Yes. If I don't my brother ‘ ll never forgive me."

"Then tell it so."Harry looked at the young girls startled reflection."You know what the sorting hat is right ?"nod."Then severalise it you want to be a Gryffindor. Don't take no for an answer. It's your life sentence, don't let a hat make determination for you."Harry leaned back down and closed his eyes again.

*

"What the hell ?"Ron voiced what they were all thinking as the marauder moved away from the train at Hogsmead. Ginny had left to pack her minuscule boat ride and the six ally now stood in front man of a line of credit of pram, each drawn by a slight scaly buck with folded leathery annex."Charlie told me the carriages 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 suppose anything's amiss."

"Still think this is weird."

*

Ginny Weasley stood fidgeting in front man of the Marguerite Radclyffe Hall as the sorting hat finished its song. She was so nervous she wanted to bite her nails despite the face they were already worn to the kernel. Well, at to the lowest degree she was a Weasley. Her public figure would be called near to last. She saw Harry on the Gryffindor table spinning three branching in the air in front of him. She tried to catch his eye but failed, he was talking to his real friends. Everyone began to pay attention as Dumbledore stood up.

"Before we begin the categorisation I ‘ d like to harbinger two matter. One is that, despite what this hollow chair seems to suggest, we have found a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."Ginny looked along the instructor table and saw a lank-haired prof face. 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. residual assured that he has my full confidence and he will introduce himself, probably at length…"did the lank-haired professor just pull a face even more ?"…in your first lesson with him tomorrow. Now the second gear thing is that we will be doing this years sorting backwards."

"What ?"That prompted a murmur about the hall.

"Yes, call it an old Man see. Now let us continue so that we can enjoy a vivid feast after we are all done."Dumbledore sat back down but the murmuring hadn't ceased. McGonagall then took her shoes, the look on her case clearly showing that the Headmaster had not discussed this with her. She looked down at her theme and read…

"Weasley, Ginevra."

"What ! Oh…"Ginny thought as she walked out in front of the schooling."Backwards…"The last thing she saw before she pulled the hat down over her eyes were the piranha turning to take in her.

"Another Weasley, seems I see those on almost a yearly ground. But a Weasley miss ? 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 family. I want to be in Gryffindor."

"Quite brave of you to just shout it out it like that. Almost force me to find fault Gryffindor."Shout it out ? …Oh god !

"Ah… You didn ‘ t realise you were speaking out loud ?"
Ginny lifted the rim of the hat just enough to see around the manse. There was whispering everywhere, and every expression had an identical visage of scandalise astonishment. Her centre searched out her buddy at the Gryffindor table. Percy had buried his font in his hands and seemed to be trying to pretend it all wasn't natural event, Fred and George were watching her with huge evil smiling and Ron, Ron just looked confused. Her heart flickered retiring Ron to Harry and their gazes locked, then the boy did the unmated thing, he pulled up his sleeve, put his hand palm out and jabbed forward.

Follow through

Ginny glanced back at the teachers table, where every boldness mirrored the astonishment of the students. She glanced back to Harry and he jabbed again. Well, if she was gon na follow through then there was only one matter for it ...

"Yep."She said, trying to not give her vocalism break out in whimpers."Definitely Gryffindor."And with that she pulled the hat off her fountainhead, set it down on the chairman and walked steadily towards Harry. She blanked out everything else in the hall, the whispers rise, the teachers, everything. There was a seat next to Harry and she was sitting in it. She reached the work bench and hopped onto it, everyone was looking at her.

"Stay perfectly calm."Harry's voice but she swore his lips barely moved."aspect straight ahead and don't give them any signboard 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 handwriting by her side. A candy of some kind. Without a Logos, and before the dumb stares of the whole hall, she brought out, unwrapped and calmly ate a Glycyrrhiza glabra wand.

Every eye in the vestibule turned as they heard McGonagall crystalise her throat then…

"Kingston, Victor."

It was as if the hall had been holding its breath the entire fourth dimension and now let it out in a wave of cackle. Ginny felt someone clap her on the back and looked sideways into Harry's face.

"Thank you."Ginny breathed through the randomness."I didn ‘ t know what to do. I didn't even realise I was talking out loud."

"Figured as much."Harry said glibly and offered her another Glycyrrhiza glabra wand."Good thing I was paying care, who the Inferno is Ginevra Weasley ?"

The small boy with exquisitely waxed pilus and sunglasses apparently named superior capital of Jamaica had reached the hat and was looking down at it worriedly. He looked like he was about to plunk it up then looked at the tables in the hallway.

"Ravenclaw. I think I like Ravenclaw."

"On the plus incline you may have started a revolution."Harry had leaned in to talk to her again."On the minus McGonagall's gon na shoot down you…"

A vague looking young lady 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 sister.

"We could make up some new banner if you like."His twin leaned in from the other position of the tabular array.

"Leave her twins."Harry was holding her by both articulatio humeri away from her honest-to-god crony."She tricked the hat, swindled McGonagall, caused a cross house gyration and all in front of the full schooltime !"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 doubtfulness at her brother across the board. But it was Parvarti Patil who answered her.

"He means that you ‘ re the character of person who goes for what they want and has the mettle to see it through and doesn ‘ t care what the dominion say or who thinks what !"She stuck out her hired hand"Welcome to the Marauders."

By the end of the day Ginervrador House ( as it was briefly called ) had an unusually large family of first years. Filch had to move some of the bed.

*

As Harry trudged back from his 1st detainment with McGonagall that night ( polishing hundreds and century of brass release that were just going to be transfigured into mallet anyway ) he leaned on the wall near the portrait jam and closed his eyes for a import.

"Harry ceramist sir !"

Harry opened his centre and immediately realised his maneuver injury must have been worse than he thought. The Hallucination had long pointy auricle and was wearing some sort of razz cloth like a toga.

"Wha… ?"

"Harry Potter should never induce got on the train !"

"Who ?"Harry shook his foreland but the minuscule figure remained"What and/or who are you ?"

"Dobby sir. Dobby the house elf."The odd little fauna bowed to him, its intrude almost touching the flooring."Dobby is truly sorry to have caused trouble for such a neat necromancer as Harry ceramist. But Harry Potter must leave Hogwarts !"

"Caused difficulty ? What trouble ?"Harry slid off the wall and stood straightaway. His wand was inconveniently tucked in an inside air pocket, hard to hit. Was this creature a threat ?"What are you talking about ?"

"Dobby thought that perhaps if Harry Potter was hurt he wouldn ‘ t be able to go to Hogwarts."

"What precisely…"Harry heavily enunciated the Bible"… are you talking about."

"Dobby thought that if the platform closed…"

"That was you !"Harry snapped forward like a shot and caught the little creature by the weapon system. The thing whined and tried to break away but he held on."I could have missed the bloody train !"The brute nodded and whimpered a little more."I could have been killed ! Wait… knockturn alley…"Harry remembered the arctic paries. 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 shook it roughly."Are you trying to stamp out me ? Are you ?"The elf was truly crying now and Harry let him go. The miserable affair crawled away from Harry and sat on the story, looking up at him with its huge, tear filled eyes. It looked like a kicked puppy.

"look, I ‘ m sorry."Harry reached out towards the elf but it shied away."I didn ‘ t mean to hurt you. The hospital wing isn ‘ t far, can I…"

"No !"Dobby's case became a mask of fear."Dobby can not be seen. Dobby ‘ s masters can never know. Dobby isn ‘ t trauma, Dobby gets far worse than this at home. Dobby's superior are…"the elf seemed to stiffen for a moment then he rushed over to the wall and began hitting his brain on it intemperately.

"Bad Dobby ! Bad Dobby !"

"Wait ! Hey, blockage !"Harry was torn between the indigence to stop it hurting itself and trying to invalidate 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 wall. The pitiful elf continued on for a mates of hits, apparently not realising he was now cushioned, then dropped to the story.

"Thank you sir."The elf's voice was a fiddling quaky."Dobby almost spoke ill of his masters."

"Dobby…"Harry saw a want to tread carefully here."If, IF remember ! Hypothetically I asked who your sea captain were. Would you bear to punish yourself ?"The elf quickly nodded.

"If I asked you to write it ?"nod.

"If I asked you to act it out like charades ?"The elf appeared to think about this, cocking its head to the face. Then he nodded.

"If I asked you to order me why you want me to allow for Hogwarts ?"the elf's capitulum stayed very still."How much can you recite me without having to punish yourself ?"

"Danger. Dobby knows that danger has come to Hogwarts. Death…"

"If I asked you whether your sea captain were involved ?"Dobby tensed like a rod."Just IF think back, if I asked you that would you have got to punish yourself ?"

Dobby nodded. Harry smiled, that meant his master copy were involved. Otherwise why would he be forbidden to recite anyone ?

"And is I asked what form the danger would remove ?"

But at this Dobby shook his head furiously and put his hand over his ears. The miserable elf began rocking backwards and forwards and keening.

"It ‘ s OK Dobby. You don't have to secern me."The rocking stopped and the elf uncurled.

"Harry Potter will entrust Hogwarts ?"

"No. But I will be careful, very careful."

"Harry ceramist must leave, Harry ceramist is in danger."

"I usually am Dobby."Harry leaned forward conspiratorially."That just makes it more fun."





Please recapitulation, especially if you think it 's bad. Really, it 'll help me improve.


"Wonder if he ‘ s cute ?"Parvarti wondered quizzically as the s years wandered to the defence against the dark arts classroom. They had the social class first stop Monday, so would be the outset to satisfy the new teacher."Dumbledore said he ‘ s alien, so I bet he ‘ s cute."

"I just question if he ‘ ll be a good teacher."Hermione hung her forefront a little."After a twelvemonth of… of bad educational activity we need to entrance up. We ‘ ll be lucky if we can make it up in time for the OWLs."Harry could differentiate she had been about to say Quirrell, but had stopped herself. As far as he could distinguish none of his Friend wanted to think about the events at the end of last yr.

"Well, so long as he only has one face, I ‘ ll be happy."Harry stuck his hands behind his forefront 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 open."… after Quirrell we can ‘ t do a great deal worse can we ?"

"Pipsqueak ! Told you I ‘ d see you again !"

"No…"Harry looked across the elbow room at Markus Maximus Michelson"…please no…"

"lead a butt up face my dear lad ! I can already tell this is going to be one of your favourite form !"The marauders filed in the front row and the former educatee moved in behind them. All of them looking a piffling apprehensively at the booming muscled number in front of them.

"The name's prof Markus Triple-M Albert Michelson. I ‘ ll be your defensive measure against the wickedness arts teacher this year. Thought I ‘ d take a falling out from the globe-trotting to expire on some of my knowledge to the future coevals !"He swept his hat off and reel it across the room, it landed neatly on top of a courting 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 clenched fist on his rosehip."So, on to the matriculation !"He grabbed the cash register off the tabular array and began yelling out names, variously chuckling at the odd name and winking at any girl who answered him quickly. When he got to ceramicist he said

"Know you ‘ re here Pipsqueak ! Don't motivation 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 Scripture pipsqueek then sneered. Harry groaned, he ‘ d never hear the end of this.

When the registry was finished the professor strode up to the front of the class. To the shock of all watching he slammed one fist back into the blackboard. Son jumped off the surface as if they had been jolted into being.

"Duelling !"The professor said and indeed this was the title on the board."Who here has cast something abrasive than jelly-legs at another superstar ?"

A few hands went up around the class, including Harry's. Neville gulped and tried to hold his mitt 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 organic structure Bind sir."Neville appeared to be wishing he had a hole to crawl into.

"Good ! Good solid magical spell ! conjuration, for those who don't know is Petrificus Totalus. And who did you use it on ?"

"McGonagall."

"Mc…McGonagall ?"A anxious titter of laugh ran around the schoolroom."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 whammy originating in the prison term of the inquisition, considered by many to be Dark Magic ?"

"Er…"

"And who did you use it on ?"

"Quirrell."

"rightfield OK."Michelson shook his head."Before we dredge up any more assaults against Hogwarts teachers lets start on something else. Who here knows what a shield magical spell is ?"Many of the hired man went down ( though not of course, Hermione's )"Right ! we'll start there."

*

The grade let out an hour later. Many of the educatee had the after-effects of venial jinx and hexes on them from when their cuticle hadn't been good enough or when their adversary had been too good. professor A. A. Michelson seemed to think all of it extremely funny and laughed outrageously at every furiously-dancing, uncontrollably-coughing or unnaturally-warty student before cancelling their affliction and sending them on their way. Half way through the class he had picked Harry to demonstrate some more good hexes to the class. Harry ‘ s shield spell wasn ‘ t nearly adept enough and he ended up suffering for every enchantment that winged his way.

"I hate him ! I hate that muscle-head bastard !"Harry ranted as they walked to chronicle of conjuring trick."He knows my name and he keeps calling me pipsqueak ! He singles me out ! He will pay for this ! Right ?"

The other marauder kept a safe distance, giggling behind their hands.

"You know Harry, he seems to be a pretty full teacher."Hermione said. Harry rounded on her."I mean, some grownup whizz can't do shield good luck charm and he managed to get half the year doing them in just one lesson."

"He keeps calling me short !"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 nerve became stony and gloomy."And he… winked at me."

"You ‘ ll see."Harry turned and began back towards the history of magic trick classroom"You ‘ ll all see ! After you meet him a few times you ‘ ll agree with me about Markus The Virgin Michelson !"

*

But they didn't.

Defence Against the nighttime Arts quickly became the most looked forward to example by the entire school. Every few lesson Markus Michelson would put in a new combat charm and workplace with them, pulling them with joke, belittlement and encouragement, to hone the spell. From disarming and stunning through to shields and self-defence he taught everything with an identical laugh and identical chesty attitude. Harry remained sullen and mute in these lessons especially when the inevitable happened and he was called up to serve prove a new turn. He had tried to get the marauder riled up to play a clowning on professor Michelson but they had flatly refused. Harry had to content himself with dropping potion on a mathematical group off Slytherins that gave them oozing boils. It had been quiet complex, whoever the pus hit when the boil exploded developed them as well.

It was on his way back from heavy detention that he heard mortal yell. Harry saw a first year rush past him upstairs and followed him, towards the noise. A chemical group of bookman were gathered on the tierce trading floor. Harry pushed through them without a sentiment and stopped at the front to see a horrific pot. Painted on the wall in what looked like profligate were the words…

Arise those of antediluvian stemma ! Cast out the impure from this star sign of our Padre ! Be true to your bloodline ! Destroy the enemies of the heir ! This is the outcry to arms !

Harry glanced to his side, lined up future to one another stood a chemical group of Slytherins. Malfoy, Goyle and flint stood side by side, each wearing identical expressions of gleefulness.

On the story in figurehead of the letters crouched pitiful victor capital of Jamaica, the kid who'd liked the flavor of Ravenclaw, curled up in fear behind his sunglasses.

Harry moved closer on inherent aptitude and put his fingers to the son neck.

"What are you doing ?"A spokesperson behind him hissed but he ignored them.

"He doesn ‘ t have a pulse."Harry murmured, trying to make a motion his finger's breadth around for a right feel."No pulse. Get gentlewoman Pomfrey ! Get Dumbledore !"

"Both are here Harry."Harry looked up to see the schoolmaster walk to the edge of the bunch. He stood back gratefully as the school day nurse went to work.

"Is he… dead ?"An sometime Ravenclaw at the edge of the dress circle asked and a rustling of breathless shock swept the crew.

"No."professor Dumbledore said calmly"He appears to receive been petrified."

"Will he recover ?"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 group but the prefect pressed on.

"Professor…"She glanced up at the writing on the wall."Victor was a muggleborn, do you think that there ‘ s any danger ?"

"I am sure I can trust every student here to act in a way that does not shame the honest 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 get-go attack happened just the following morning time. Hannah archimandrite was found with a broken arm at the bottom of the footmark leading down to the Hufflepuff uncouth room. Her bag and books strewn haphazardly at the top. She'd been coming up from the cellar early to get breakfast and been pushed back down.

Professor sprout took her to the infirmary flank. But no one had seen what happened, not even Hannah, and no subject how much they asked the Professors couldn't find who had done it.

The future day a group of Slytherins cornered a first twelvemonth in one of the amphetamine corridors and began hexing him over and over. Only Flitwick happening past had stopped worse happening.

In a matter of weeks it was no longer rubber for a muggleborn or half-blood student to be out on their own. madam Pomfrey was being worked of her groundwork by the stream of harm coming into her care.

Then, one cockcrow, Joseph Oliver Ellen Price Wood the Gryffindor Quidditch maitre d' was petrified in the prefects bathroom. The teachers had tried to sustain a lid on it but the words that had been scrawled on the rampart somehow got out.

Mudbloods and blood-traitors cower in fear ! The successor of Slytherin returns and the chamber has been opened. Rise up around his banner ! spill the spoilt line on the earth !

"It ‘ s getting worse."Harry said as they walked towards their following year."I mean just flavour !"He gestured out the window.

There was a huddle of students scurrying along the bulwark and slipping in a doorway. A moment later a mathematical group of Slytherins hurried into the courtyard with their with sceptre out.

"Harry no !"Harry was aiming his sceptre out the window but Hermione jerked his arm back."If we start fighting back matter will escalate ! We have to let the teachers handle it."

"They can ‘ t."Padma said dully as they passed the defence Against the wickedness Arts classroom"Not on this scale."Her sis nodded silently. Her normally cheerful mood dulled.

"Padma ‘ s right Hermione."Ron shook his chief."Things are just getting worse and besides, we can ‘ t afford to turn a loss 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 matter are going to hell all around us. We ‘ ve got to do something."

"But what ?"Padma said, shaking her promontory."This isn ‘ t like Quirrell Harry. There ‘ s no evil genius behind it. Its half the school day, trying the putting to death the other half and we don't know till too deep which is which."

"With some we got a pretty proficient idea."Harry murmured darkly as they passed a group of Slytherins. The vulture curled around Hermione like a man cuticle as they passed and only disperse back out after they had gone. A second later Harry's baton vibrated in his sac."Damn it !"Harry motioned the others to quieten and the speech sound of hexing could be heard above them. They broke into a run towards the nearest stair.

*

"leave-taking him alone !"Ginny's own voice sounded shrill in her ears. She stepped in front her injured friend and tried to swallow her care.

"What ? Protecting your mudblood boyfriend betrayer ?"Marcus Flint stepped out of the ring of Slytherins surrounding her and Colin."Step aside for me. I ‘ d rather not spill wizard blood, even your family line, unless I have to."

"Mico Harry."Ginny whispered, holding her wand out in strawman of her. Hoping he was in chain."Mico Harry."

"Your boyfriend doesn ‘ t look up to much."Flint River said stepping finisher and eyeing the quivering Gryffindor."Maybe you want a real man ?"

"Mico Ron. Mico Hermione."

"What's that ?"Flint River leant forward to hear."That supposed to be a hex ? Ha ! What ‘ s it do ?"Flint laughed and his cohort around him started laughing too.

"It summons monster !"

As Marcus'drumhead jerked up a bludgeoning hex struck him in the chest. He was thrown back and his protagonist drew their verge as the piranha rushed them from the stairwell.

*

Harry was the starting time to take on that he probably wasn't destined to be a duellist. His first smash against the seventh twelvemonth had been lucky and he now found himself shielding for his liveliness in the midriff of a war-zone. Other scholarly person from other houses had been drawn in or joined in or been pushed in by the crowd and now the corridor was filled with flashing visible radiation and outcry of annoyance.

"You ‘ re stagnant Potter. Oh you ‘ re dead."Flint advanced on him and Harry ducked behind a statue as the big Slytherins blaspheme smashed into the flat coat near his fundament. A second one smacked into the I. F. 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 patch struck Flint River but his thick, sausage-like fingers were curled tightly around his wand.

"Confringo !"Harry leapt out of the way of the blasting curse and fell badly on his shoulder joint. He threw his own back in answer and the snake in the grass stumbled backwards. Harry jumped to his metrical foot and shot a bludgeoning hex only to have it recoil off a shield and smooch him in the chest. Tumbling backwards he landed on his back among the debris. His wand skittered off along the base. A tail fell over him and a Brobdingnagian reboot invertebrate foot slammed onto his chest, holding him down.

"hullo Potter."Flint pointed his verge at Harry's aspect."Now I ‘ m gona have some fun."

A moment later Flint was thrown off him as a sweeping moving ridge of luminosity shot through the corridor, forcibly pulling opposition apart.

Harry's helping hand darted out and grabbed his sceptre while he looked for the source of the spell. His eyes found Albus Dumbledore standing at the end of the corridor with several other instructor behind him.

"Is any student here injured or in need of the infirmary fender ?"His voice was stony as he eyed the assembled students. A few students raised their custody. Dumbledore nodded and turned to speak to the teachers behind him."Please see them there."No one spoke as the wounded were gathered up. Harry saw Markus Michelson handing Ginny her bag with one hand while picking Colin up in his other. As Professor McGonagall walked past him he caught her centre for a minute, they were coldness, harsh and disappointed. When the last of the injured were gone the headmaster turned back to the remaining student.

"Now can anyone tell me why this happened ? Why Hogwarts scholarly person saw fit to plow this corridor into a battleground ?"He looked over the educatee and Harry realised that he and Flint were right out in the midsection, the two of them surrounded by vanity. Somehow the ringleaders had been singled out."Why bookman who I thought I could trust to act in dependable trust instead acted like fools ?"

No one rundle. No one wanted to draw attention to themselves.

"You will all refund to your usual rooms now. Tomorrow morning you will all come in to the expectant residence hall where you will spend your Saturday in silence. You will generate the day after that and for many weekends to total until I decide that the ataraxis and repose of the school has returned. Your parents will also be informed of your disappointing behaviour."Dumbledore gestured at the minor."Go off now. Not you Harry !"Harry was drawn back by Dumbledore's voice. Marcus flint smirked at him with his troll-like grinning and slinked off. Harry followed the headmaster in secrecy as he turned and walked off through the school. He stopped before a gargoyle on the second trading floor.

"sherbert Lemon."The childish password seemed oddly out of kilter with the situation. They remained mum as they were raised up by the stairway and walked out into the master business office.

Harry glanced around in wonder at the odd silver machines, many moving or making soft auditory sensation, filling mesa around the boundary of the office. His eyes were drawn to the perch behind the desk where a hackneyed looking red bird sat. Even as Harry watched another of its feathers fell off and twirled towards the floor.

Dumbledore caught it before it hit and slipped it into an in spite of appearance pouch of his robes. He turned and sat behind the gravid desk. Saying zip, he regarded the student before him over steepled fingers.

Harry knew that with any other teacher this was the time to be placidity and look hangdog, but with Dumbledore he might actually be undecomposed off explaining.

"Professor."He began and licked his dry sassing. Dumbledore's eyes flicked to his."I heard the strait of person being attacked nearby and I went to see whether I could help. When we… I got there Marcus flint and some other Slytherins had the low gear year surrounded."He couldn't tell what consequence this was having on the headmaster. His grammatical construction was inscrutable."I fired a spell to piddle them back off and they responded, I never thought that so many other student 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 shamed to lie."But I threw the first scrap enchantment yes."

"various pupil are offend Harry."immortal teeth the ragged chick was eyeballing him as well."And there was some structural damage to the schooltime. Several paintings were damaged and statues broken."

"I was just trying to serve sir. I didn't want any of that."

"And with this air of fear already around the school you have given everyone another reason to hate each other."Harry felt very little in front end of the continued stare."Worse, you have escalated this problem with your military action. adjacent prison term hoi polloi will be even quicker to draw verge in ira. next time the curse will be worse and mass could be seriously spite Harry, do you understand that ?"

"Yes sir."Harry thought of Marcus Flint's smirk. Next time they wouldn't wait to tease people.

"Today you chose to fight down hatred with choler and violence. That way will always multiply further hatred do you understand that ?"

"Yes sir."

"See that you do not echo this mistake."

"Yes sir. Thank you."Harry walked out of the office. All the way to the door he could feel the old homo eyes on his cover.

*

Harry walked back slowly to the Gryffindor park elbow room. By fortune the route took him back past the field. Some attempt had been made to clean up but the lieu still felt damaged. Great ball were missing from the endocarp and the broken paintings had all been taken down. The passageway was bare. Harry saw movement at the other end and tensed for a second, then relaxed as he saw red hair and freckles.

"Ginny ?"

"Harry."The little young lady moved up the corridor towards him. Stopping just a little 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 sort o'world record."Harry walked up to his Modern enlistee 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 hand at the impairment and throw off his brain."Not your geological fault. But why are you back here ? Shouldn ‘ t you be in the mutual room."

"I was… waiting… for you."Ginny glanced to the left and bit her lip.

"Remind me to teach you to lie convincingly Ginny."Harry looked into her heart. There was a surprising amount of fear there."Why don't you want to severalise me ? You don't have to you know."

"Lost something."Ginny's voice became low with each word she said."A diary. Must have fallen out in the fight."

"Your diary ‘ s missing ?"Harry shook his head."Did you write anything bad in there ?"

"Not my diary."

"Whose ? Nicking someone's journal is all very piranha of you but…"

"I found it in my books before I even got here. cerebration 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 funk into the ground a petty."It spoke to me."

"Spoke ? It could talk ?"

"No, he wrote back when I wrote him things."Ginny curled up on the trading floor and hugged her wooden leg up to her chest."It was blank but it wrote back. He was so overnice. I had someone to talk to finally."

"Someone to talk to ?"Harry scratched his head. What did she mean ?"You have six brothers don't you ?"

"I can't lecture to them."Ginny began to sob a little."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 I wrote ?"Ginny looked up shocked and scar and suddenly broke down into weeping. Harry just stood there, he didn't know what the blaze to do.

"I mess everything up."Ginny gulped between mother fucker."I lost Tom and everyone ‘ s going to read him ! I messed up the sorting ! I started a combat and almost got you expelled !"

"Ginny listen to me."Harry tried grabbing her shoulder joint but she wouldn't expression at him. With his other hand he cupped her face and brought it up so he could see her oculus."Tom sounds like a good friend, I ‘ m certain you can trust him to keep your enigma. I mean, other people must make had the diary before you and Tom never told you any of their secrets 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 assist 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 throw known what to say. He smudged a sleeve against Ginny's brass to get rid of the tears. At least he could do that rightfulness.

"Come on. Lets get back to the common room."He stood up and held out a deal to her."And as for having a friend to talk to…"He pulled her into a rough hug then let her go."… what am I a stranger ?"

"Harry."Ginny was looking up at him now."Why couldn't I have had you as a brother instead of Ron ?"

"Because I ‘ m not ginger and my cutis 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 berm and walking with her towards Gryffindor pillar."I ‘ m no good at this sort of thing."