Harry moved quickly once he was out of the mans sight and slipped into Gringots. He got money out more quickly than he should have by simply ignoring the waiting line and asking for Greeklunk. His old hob acquaintance quickly helped him refill his pouch for another twelvemonth. While he was down in the vault Harry stuck his jersey in his bag and instead took out a long robe with a hood. At Greeklunk's confused expression he said…

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

"Oh right hand. Bloody paparazzi."

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

*

Harry stood in the country lane and rechecked the missive he held in his deal. He was sure he was at least in the veracious small town and probably on the proper road. It was just that the route went a long way in both counsel and Ron's advice on getting to his house had been rather shadowy. 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 locomotive.

"Hi. I'm looking for the kinfolk of ginger people who keep hooter as pets."

"down the lane, turn left at the co-op."The man said without looking up."And narrate the man I need my wrench back."

*

Harry had to resist the urge to break into a run as he caught sight of the Weasley home. Outside it in the overgrow garden he could see three boy working, flinging something he couldn't make out over the garden paries. Harry smiled, they were expecting him today but he hadn't exactly been able to pass them an exact time. As he walked closer the door to the star sign opened and mollie Weasley ( Ron had told him all about his sept ) emerged, carrying a tray with drinkable on it. Behind her a young girl ( must be Ginny ) stepped extraneous and leaned against the doorpost looking bored. None of them seemed to sustain noticed him yet, or maybe the tan had changed his coming into court a bit. As he stepped up to the front end gate he spread his subdivision wide.

"Aloha !"

"Harry !"Ron jumped in surprise"You ‘ re here."The twins jumped up too and ran to suffer him, but the most extreme chemical reaction came from the immature Weasley. Ginny went dead whiteness under her hair and her mouthpiece seemed to move as if she was trying to say something then she bolted through the still unfold door.

"She has some sort of expostulation to aloha ?"Harry asked the gingerroot crowd.

"Nah, mate."Ron shook his question."She ‘ s been jumping and squeaking every clip we so much as mentioned your epithet. Guess you in the pulp was just too very much for her."

"Ron, be nice to your sister."Mrs Weasley's voice was stern for a moment then turned balmy again as she turned back to Harry."She ‘ s just shy Harry. I ‘ m sure she ‘ ll get over it the more she sees of you."

"Probably."Agreed Harry"The wedge matter doesn ‘ t final. I ‘ ve been told on repeated occasion that I ‘ m a massive disappointment."

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

"Snape."

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

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

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

*

But Ginny's odd behaviour didn't stop. Harry found that she was incapable of staying in a elbow room that he was in and that any attempt to speak directly to her was enough to charge her scurrying away. One morning when he came down and found her curled up on the couch with a magazine he decided to put a plosive consonant to it.

"Ginny."She stiffened and looked like she was about to flee."Don't run away please."He walked around and sat future to her on the lounge. She looked like a small gnawer confronted by a Hydra, optic wide open and too scar to run."Can you tell me why you run every time I try to sing to you or enter the way ?"quiet, except for the twitching she could possess been petrified."Look Ginny I don't know what it is but could you delight utter to me. We ‘ re going to be going to school together for the next six years. Could you talk to me. Please."

"Y… you…"Harry had to sift to listen her faint susurration."you destroyed you-know-who."

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

"You ‘ ve got the scar."

"I ‘ ve got a lot of cicatrice. Which one in specific ?"Ginny reached out to point at his os frontale and Harry brushed away the hair to reveal the scratch. But apparently this was too lots 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, utmost year. Back before she liked us."

"And that turned out OK."

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

"No Ron but I think I do recollect I need to take drastic action to correct this situation."Harry thought for a bit then latched onto a magnificent plan. An awe-inspiring design. Possibly the greatest plan he had ever devised."You have a few brooms here right ?"

"Five last-place time I looked. My old one, the twins, Harry Hotspur's and one Charlie left here."

"Excellent. I would like to wager some Quidditch."

"But Harry you can ‘ t looseness Quidditch. The last time you got on a Scots heather you made a concluded fool of yourself."

"Exactly !"

*

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

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

"No Ron, the problem was that I flew into a tree."Harry tumbled to the ground and ptyalise out a leafage."What's the signal 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 get together the twins. Ginny was sitting a footling ways away watching them, when Harry had fallen out of the Tree she had jumped up in shock. But as Ron and the twins had begun laughing at him he had seen a shadow of a smile crown of thorns her face as well. That apparition was all that was keeping him from giving up the total effort and getting his ft back on solid ground.

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

"Aye aye chieftain !"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 perforate you Ron, but I ‘ d crepuscle off if I tried."Harry began moving off to the right and saw his friend shoot away with the Quaffle. After a bit Ron turned and chucked it ahead of him. He rushed forward to catch it, fumbled it, then snagged it in one mitt.

"I got it ! I got…"Thump !

Harry struck the ground hard and rolled to a stop in the long green goddess.

"Ow."Harry put his hand to the dorsum of his capitulum and sat up. Looking right into the brass of Ginny Weasley. She had run over to see if he was O.K. and now stood, wide eyed before him.

"There didn ‘ t used to be four of you."Harry pointed at her with a shaking hand."check being four of you, person… girl… Where am I ?"Harry blinked and looked around blurrily. A small interference brought him back to the demonstrate and he looked forward. Ginny had her manus over her lip and was trying hard not to express joy. Little sounds kept escaping like steam out of a timpani.

"You ‘ ve got steam in your sassing !"Harry tried to get up and fell back on his derriere."Like weewee but… broken. Where are my eyeglasses ? The four of you should be able to find out them."And with that Ginny burst out laughing.

The four Weasley's carried him off the delivery and Fred and George ( who seemed to take in experience with headway trauma for some reason ) pronounced him ticket.

"Maybe we should rent a break."Ron said worriedly."You know, pass on him time to recover."

"Better idea."Harry tossed his broom 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 equalise Mrs Weasley's"Be nice to your sis ! And besides, your choices are me or her."

"Welcome to the team Ginny."

*

"See ! No one can beat my team !"Harry grinned and slapped his chest of drawers as the game drew to an prescribed conclusion.

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

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

"And your division is ?"

"Cheerleader. I really should get some pompoms."



Note : Right, thats the second base year started.

Interesting news about Dumbledore, but it makes gumption when you look back on it. DOE form of make it more tragic however. The champion of accepting the great unwashed for who they were died without ever himself being accepted. He probably never even told anyone. The bit about how he did n't move against Grindlewald was interesting too and puts the unanimous thing in a new luminance. What if Grindlewald was well cognisant of Dumbledores touch and used him to gain tycoon in safety ? Knowing to the full well that Dumbledore was the only one who could take in posibly stopped him. Ah well ...

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


# include `` standard legal disclamer.h ''

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






queen cross was crowded beyond belief as the Weasley clan crossed the station towards platform nine and three poop.

"hurry up."Mrs Weasley herded her respective mission towards the barrier."Right. come everyone, while the muggles aren't looking."One by one the redheads crack through the roadblock. Harry waited until last, as the summer had drawn to a close he had wondered if perhaps he might not be let back into the school. He had got the book listing but perhaps that had been reflex.

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

whirl ! Harry bounced back and fell to the primer coat gasping. The barrier hadn't opened ! He put his manus to his brow and it came back bloody. His nous reeled.

"They don't want me back."Harry blinked and looked up at the clock. less than a minute till the wagon train was supposed to leave."They expelled me."

Harry stayed on the trading floor despite the odd looks he was getting. There didn't seem to be much point in time in getting up. The clock ticked over the time of day. The gearing was leaving.

Harry looked down platform ten and thought he saw a wisp of pot acclivity from beyond the tracks. Where was the wizards platform anyway ? A mad idea struck Harry and he was stood back up in a flash. His foot seemed to incite of their own agreement and he took first one then another halting step along the platform. Another wisp of smoke. He broke into a run and willed his ramification to run him faster and faster.

"it's a steam train."Harry dodged past a startled conductor at the end of the platform and jumped down onto the runway."It takes a while to speed up."He pumped his legs for spare speed.

"power shovel !"Harry reached onto his backpack and flicked his owl's Cage undetermined."pinch me up at Hogwarts !"Harry stroke to the edge of the train tracks and looked down. The normal, muggle train caterpillar tread coming out of baron cross were raised up on a sort of long bridge, raising them several history above the city streets. Harry glanced down in sentence to see the end of the Hogwarts express squeeze itself out from between the bricks of the bridge and head off down a running 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 lucky !"Harry prayed silently, then launched himself off the side.

He crashed into the top of the last stroller and hung onto it for pricy life. The train was beginning to nibble up speed and Harry crawled to the boundary. Thankfully the carriages windowpane was open. Harry swung his bag in through it then slid down into it himself.

"Harry ceramist. Nice to meet you."He said to the aghast get-go class 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 floor. He wanted to get up and chance his friends but for some reason none of his tree branch seemed to mould. He caught a glimpse of himself in the spyglass in front of him and blinked in daze. He looked a wreck ! rake ran down the left over position of his brass and was matted into the hair's-breadth above.

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

"Two caldron bar please."He said, trying to imagine of something that would settle down his nerves.

She wordlessly handed him the cakes and took the Mary Leontyne Price of them without once taking her eyes off him. When he was about to get out she finally said.

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

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

*

Harry moved down the train as quietly as he could. Trying to receive his friends without drawing too much attention. Unfortunately talk travelled fast on the Hogwarts express and he couldn't go five step without encountering another stare or make it a grouping of students without them breaking out in a fit of whispering.

"So pathetic attention seeking Potter work stoppage again."The voice was behind him. Harry turned around and sagged when he saw Malfoy and his gawk staring at him.

"Malfoy I really don't have the energy for this now."It was true. Harry would have liked doing aught more than simply collapsing on the floor there for the difference of the journey."Could you please, and I mean this in the squeamish possible way, bugger off and die like the diseased patch of distended rectum bod you are."

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

"ceramist !"Harry turned and saw professor McGonagall standing in the pusher. Malfoy and his bodyguards disappeared through a doorway."How in Merlin ‘ s name did you get here ?"She grabbed him and pulled out her wand, touching it calmly to the cut on his fountainhead then whisking away the blood on his face."I just spent an unpleasant few minutes arguing with Molly Weasley who was franticly trying to get us to stop the 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 roadblock had sealed up ! There wasn ‘ t any early way ! And besides, I had a nous injury. I ‘ m not sure I was in an totally noetic figure of mind."

"That is beside the degree Mr thrower, but after the stunt you pulled at the end of last year I suppose I should not be entirely surprised."She straightened up"We will birth to talk over this further in my place at Hogwarts. At the very to the lowest degree you will have several 24-hour interval detention."

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

"No Mr Potter. Not this time."She began walking away down the train."Go to my position when we reach Hogwarts."

"After the sorting ?"

"As soon as you reach the castle."

"Professor please…"Alright this is McGonagall, you know how to put on McGonagall. She acts goon but she's all mushy inside."… my friend's sister's getting sorted today and she ‘ s worried about it. All her brothers are in Gryffindor, whole family really. I should be there for her. delight ?"

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

"Of class Professor. I ‘ ll be there."

"And I will owl Mrs Weasley to inform her you are safe."She turned away and Harry was left alone once again in the corridor.

*

Harry eventually found the marauder compartment and slid the room access undefended.

"hi freindlies !"

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

"Couldn't."Harry noticed Ginny sitting quietly in the corner of the compartment. Ron had probably been told to restrain an eye on her."Had to acquire ledger entry to the train by… former means."

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

"Couldn ‘ t care less. But no."

"Portkey ?"Neville seemed to think for a import."Or a broom ?"

"No."Ron and Ginny spoke at the same time but Ginny backed down and Ron continued."Harry swore blind he ‘ d never touch another broom."

"Oh god I know what it is."Parvarti put her hand to her mouth and began shaking her head."I was talking to Lavender down the early end of the train. I thought she was joking."

"What is it ?"Hermione asked and the marauders seemed to hang waiting for the answers.

"You jumped onto the top of the train."The marauders turned as one to look at him.

"Maybe."None of his protagonist seemed to want to speak.

"Harry ..."Neville broke the silence."…you ‘ re crazy."

"I know."Harry sat as the other snapped out of their jar and started speaking all at once."It ‘ s beginning to interest me."

*

The train meandered its long journey through the J. J. Hill and Harry ducked out of the conversations around him. His head still hurt and he didn't have the energy to entertain people. He leaned against the common cold window as rainfall started to streak down, leaving picayune trail on the window panelling. He closed his eyes and lay there for a tenacious while. Little trails of water, swirling, drowning.

"Harry."He shook himself awake and looked over at the untried Weasley, leaning over to him."Are you alright ?"Harry looked around the compartment, the rest of his friends were still talking amongst themselves."You ‘ re font was all scrunched up like you were dreaming."

"Oh, are we there yet."Harry sort of wanted to get back to sleep. Even if it was to bad aspiration.

"Not for a while."Ginny bit her lip worriedly. Harry noticed that her fingernails too looked like they had been chewed.

"Worried ?"Harry grinned as she jerked in surprise. Harry waved his hand dismissively."Don't vexation. You ‘ ll love it there. Lessons are slowly, specially charms. Friends everywhere. Plus if any of the Slytherins bother you we can show some swift retribution. We're feared by that house."

"That ‘ s kind of what I ‘ m apprehensive about."Ginny glanced at the red sharpness on Harry's robes.

"Ah."mentation Harry."My guess was mightily, and I just made that up to yield up McGonagall."

"You ‘ re worried about the sorting."Harry said out gimcrack."Want to be Gryffindor ?"

"Yes. If I don't my brothers ‘ ll never forgive me."

"Then tell it so."Harry looked at the Whitney Young girls startled expression."You know what the sorting hat is right ?"nod."Then tell apart it you want to be a Gryffindor. Don't take no for an response. It's your animation, don't let a hat make decisions for you."Harry leaned back down and closed his centre again.

*

"What the hell on earth ?"Ron voiced what they were all cerebration as the marauders moved away from the railroad train at Hogsmead. Ginny had left to take her little boat ride and the six friends now stood in straw man of a line of merchandise of carriages, each drawn by a thin scaly horse with folded leathery wings."Charlie told me the carriages pulled themselves ?"

"Maybe they've changed since your Brother day."Said Harry climbing into one of them."And besides…"He looked around"No one else seems to recollect anything's amiss."

"Still think this is weird."

*

Ginny Weasley stood fidgeting in front of the manor hall as the sorting hat finished its birdsong. She was so aflutter she wanted to prick her nails despite the face they were already worn to the gist. Well, at least she was a Weasley. Her name would be called near to last. She saw Harry on the Gryffindor table spinning three forks in the air in front of him. She tried to get his eye but failed, he was talking to his real friend. Everyone began to pay attention as Dumbledore stood up.

"Before we begin the sorting I ‘ d like to announce two things. One is that, despite what this empty electric chair seems to indicate, we have found a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."Ginny looked along the instructor shelve and saw a lank-haired prof grimace. She giggled, that must be professor Snape."Sadly he could not be here tonight as he has been managing the transport of his belongings from overseas. remain assured that he has my full self-confidence and he will precede himself, probably at length…"did the lank-haired prof just grimace even more ?"…in your number one lesson with him tomorrow. Now the arcsecond thing is that we will be doing this yr sorting backwards."

"What ?"That prompted a mussitation about the hallway.

"Yes, call it an old mans fancy. Now let us bear on so that we can enjoy a splendid fiesta after we are all done."Dumbledore sat back down but the murmuring hadn't ceased. McGonagall then took her place, the expression on her face clearly showing that the master had not discussed this with her. She looked down at her paper and read…

"Weasley, Ginevra."

"What ! Oh…"Ginny thought as she walked out in presence of the school day."Backwards…"The last thing she saw before she pulled the hat down over her eyes were the Marauders turning to find out her.

"Another Weasley, seems I see those on almost a every year groundwork. But a Weasley daughter ? 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 house. I want to be in Gryffindor."

"Quite brave of you to just shout it out it like that. Almost force play me to plunk Gryffindor."Shout it out ? …Oh god !

"Ah… You didn ‘ t realise you were speaking out forte ?"
Ginny lifted the lip of the hat just enough to see around the Hall. There was whispering everywhere, and every facial expression had an selfsame smiler of traumatise astonishment. Her eyes searched out her sidekick at the Gryffindor table. Percy had buried his expression in his hired hand and seemed to be trying to pretend it all wasn't occurrent, Fred and George were watching her with huge immorality grin and Ron, Ron just looked confused. Her heart flickered past times Ron to Harry and their gazes locked, then the boy did the oddest thing, he pulled up his sleeve, put his paw decoration out and prod forward.

Follow through

Ginny glanced back at the instructor table, where every expression 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 thing for it ...

"Yep."She said, trying to not give her part break out in whimpers."Definitely Gryffindor."And with that she pulled the hat off her head, set it down on the chair and walked steadily towards Harry. She blanked out everything else in the hall, the whispers rising, the teachers, everything. There was a seat next to Harry and she was sitting in it. She reached the bench and hopped onto it, everyone was looking at her.

"Stay perfectly calm."Harry's spokesperson but she swore his rim barely moved."flavour straight ahead and don't give them any sign they're getting to you."Easy for him to say ! She stayed exactly where she was as the silence crawled on. Then something touched her hand by her side. A candy of some kind. Without a Holy Scripture, and before the silent stares of the completely dorm, she brought out, undo and calmly ate a Glycyrrhiza glabra wand.

Every eye in the hall turned as they heard McGonagall clear her throat then…

"Kingston, Victor."

It was as if the hall had been holding its breath the intact time and now let it out in a wave of chatter. Ginny felt individual gonorrhoea her on the back and looked sideways into Harry's face.

"Thank you."Ginny breathed through the dissonance."I didn ‘ t know what to do. I didn't even gain I was talking out loud."

"Figured as much."Harry said glibly and offered her another Glycyrrhiza glabra baton."Good thing I was paying attending, who the hell is Ginevra Weasley ?"

The belittled boy with exquisitely waxed haircloth and sunglasses apparently named Victor capital of Jamaica had reached the hat and was looking down at it worriedly. He looked like he was about to pick it up then looked at the board in the dorm.

"Ravenclaw. I think I like Ravenclaw."

"On the positive slope you may birth started a revolution."Harry had leaned in to talk to her again."On the minus McGonagall's gon na kill you…"

A vague looking girl was now looking at the hat thoughtfully before declaring that she was going to"The red haired girl's house."

"Are you our new sign mascot Ginny ?"Fred leaned over and grinned at his sister.

"We could seduce up some new banners if you like."His twin leaned in from the former side of the tabular array.

"farewell her twins."Harry was holding her by both shoulder away from her older brothers."She tricked the hat, swindled McGonagall, caused a mark sign gyration and all in front of the entire school !"Harry grabbed her and hugged her from tooshie."You can ‘ t have her ! She ‘ s ours !"

"What's he talking about."Ginny didn't think she could grin more than she was as she shot the question at her brother across the table. But it was Parvarti Patil who answered her.

"He means that you ‘ re the type of person who goes for what they want and has the brass to see it through and doesn ‘ t fear what the rules say or who thinks what !"She stuck out her manus"Welcome to the Marauders."

By the end of the day Ginervrador household ( as it was briefly called ) had an unusually vauntingly class of first age. Filch had to move some of the beds.

*

As Harry trudged back from his first detention with McGonagall that nighttime ( polishing C and hundreds of establishment push that were just going to be transfigured into beetles anyway ) he leaned on the wall near the portrait pickle and closed his eyes for a moment.

"Harry Potter sir !"

Harry opened his oculus and immediately realised his head combat injury must have been worse than he thought. The hallucination had longsighted pointy capitulum and was wearing some sort of tease cloth like a toga.

"Wha… ?"

"Harry ceramicist should never have got on the train !"

"Who ?"Harry shook his top dog but the minuscule figure remained"What and/or who are you ?"

"Dobby sir. Dobby the sign of the zodiac elf."The odd little creature bowed to him, its horn in almost touching the floor."Dobby is truly blue to have caused problem for such a great ace as Harry thrower. But Harry Potter must get out Hogwarts !"

"Caused problem ? What fuss ?"Harry slid off the paries and stood heterosexual. His wand was inconveniently tucked in an inside pouch, firmly to pass. Was this brute 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 Holy Scripture"… are you talking about."

"Dobby thought that if the political platform closed…"

"That was you !"Harry snapped forward like a blastoff and caught the little creature by the blazonry. The thing whined and tried to let out away but he held on."I could take in missed the bloody string !"The creature nodded and whimpered a little more."I could have been killed ! Wait… knockturn alley…"Harry remembered the rubber bulwark. The elf stiffened again and he seemed to be avoiding Harry's centre."That was you as well ! Why WHY !"He picked the thing up and shook it roughly."Are you trying to wipe out me ? Are you ?"The elf was truly crying now and Harry let him go. The pitiful matter crawled away from Harry and sat on the floor, looking up at him with its huge, tear filled eyes. It looked like a kicked pup.

"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 face became a mask of awe."Dobby can not be seen. Dobby ‘ s master can never know. Dobby isn ‘ t hurt, Dobby gets far unsound than this at menage. Dobby's superior are…"the elf seemed to tighten up for a moment then he rushed over to the paries and began hitting his header on it hard.

"Bad Dobby ! Bad Dobby !"

"delay ! Hey, stop !"Harry was torn between the need to contain it hurting itself and trying to forefend grabbing it again since he'd obviously hurt him. He pulled his robe off, quickly balled it up and ( between straits bounces ) slid it between Dobby and the wall. The poor elf continued on for a distich of hits, apparently not realising he was now cushioned, then dropped to the base.

"Thank you sir."The elf's vox was a lilliputian quaky."Dobby almost spoke ill of his masters."

"Dobby…"Harry saw a need to tread carefully here."If, IF remember ! Hypothetically I asked who your masters were. Would you have 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 mean about this, cocking its head to the side. Then he nodded.

"If I asked you to differentiate me why you want me to go forth Hogwarts ?"the elf's chief stayed very still."How much can you tell apart me without having to penalize yourself ?"

"danger. Dobby knows that danger has come to Hogwarts. Death…"

"If I asked you whether your masters were involved ?"Dobby tensed like a rod."Just IF retrieve, if I asked you that would you receive to punish yourself ?"

Dobby nodded. Harry smiled, that meant his master were involved. Otherwise why would he be forbidden to tell anyone ?

"And is I asked what work the danger would necessitate ?"

But at this Dobby shook his head furiously and put his hands over his ears. The misfortunate elf began rocking backwards and forwards and keening.

"It ‘ s OK Dobby. You don't have to enjoin me."The rocking stopped and the elf uncurled.

"Harry Potter will leave Hogwarts ?"

"No. But I will be measured, very careful."

"Harry thrower must go away, Harry ceramicist is in danger."

"I usually am Dobby."Harry leaned forward conspiratorially."That just makes it more fun."





Please review, especially if you think it 's bad. Really, it 'll help me improve.


"curiosity if he ‘ s cute ?"Parvarti wondered quizzically as the 2d age wandered to the defence against the dark artwork classroom. They had the division for the first time stop Monday, so would be the first to encounter the new instructor."Dumbledore said he ‘ s foreign, so I bet he ‘ s cute."

"I just wonder if he ‘ ll be a good teacher."Hermione hung her pass a little."After a year of… of bad educational activity we need to captivate up. We ‘ ll be lucky if we can make it up in time for the OWLs."Harry could evidence she had been about to say Quirrell, but had stopped herself. As far as he could tell none of his friend wanted to call up 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 helping hand behind his head and laughed."right field ?"The others stopped for a bit, then grinned with him."Thought so. Anyway…"Harry was the first base to the door and pushed it open."… after Quirrell we can ‘ t do much worse can we ?"

"Pipsqueak ! Told you I ‘ d see you again !"

"No…"Harry looked across the room at Markus Maximus Michelson"…please no…"

"strike a seat up front my full lad ! I can already say this is going to be one of your favourite classes !"The marauders filed in the movement row and the other student moved in behind them. All of them looking a lilliputian apprehensively at the booming muscled figure in front of them.

"The figure's Professor Markus Triple-M Michelson. I ‘ ll be your Defence against the dark arts teacher this class. thought process I ‘ d ingest a geological fault from the globe-trotting to pass on some of my noesis to the next coevals !"He swept his hat off and spin around it across the room, it landed neatly on top of a suit of armour."Oh and by the way the Ms stall for Maximus, Mighty and Magesto but they might as well stand for Muscular, Magical and most of all Masculine !"He laughed and put his fists on his hips."So, on to the matriculation !"He grabbed the register off the table and began yelling out names, variously chuckling at the odd epithet and winking at any little girl who answered him quickly. When he got to Potter he said

"Know you ‘ re here Pipsqueak ! Don't need to flush ask !"then went on. Harry dreaded looking backwards but did so anyway. Near the back Draco Malfoy looked at him and mouthed the word pipsqueek then sneered. Harry groaned, he ‘ d never hear the end of this.

When the register was finished the professor strode up to the figurehead of the class. To the daze of all watching he slammed one fist back into the blackboard. Words jumped off the surface as if they had been jolted into being.

"Duelling !"The professor said and indeed this was the rubric on the board."Who here has cast something harsher than jelly-legs at another wizard ?"

A few hired hand went up around the stratum, including Harry's. Neville gulped and tried to hold his manus as low as possible, but Padma took it and jerked it up.

"You there !"Markus pointed to Neville. Padma giggled."What have you used ?"

"full moon physical structure Bind sir."Neville appeared to be wishing he had a hole to creep into.

"Good ! good solid spell ! conjuration, for those who don't know is Petrificus Totalus. And who did you use it on ?"

"McGonagall."

"Mc…McGonagall ?"A skittish titter of laughter ran around the classroom."right, OK. Um… Anyone else ?"He pointed at Harry,"How bout you pipsqueak ?"

"Acerbus cuspis."

"The pain-spear spell."The teacher stopped moving and turned back towards Harry."A curse originating in the time of the inquisition, considered by many to be darkness Magic ?"

"Er…"

"And who did you use it on ?"

"Quirrell."

"Right OK."Albert Michelson shook his capitulum."Before we dredge up any more Assault against Hogwarts teachers lets start on something else. Who here knows what a shield spell is ?"Many of the hands went down ( though not of course of action, Hermione's )"Right ! we'll start there."

*

The class let out an hour later. Many of the students had the after-effects of nipper curse and hexes on them from when their shields hadn't been good enough or when their opposer had been too sound. Professor 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 category he had picked Harry to show some more serious whammy to the grade. Harry ‘ s shield good luck charm wasn ‘ t nearly good enough and he ended up suffering for every spell that winged his way.

"I hate him ! I hate that muscle-head prick !"Harry ranted as they walked to story of thaumaturgy."He knows my name and he keeps calling me pipsqueak ! He singles me out ! He will pay for this ! Right ?"

The other predator kept a safe length, giggling behind their manus.

"You know Harry, he seems to be a pretty good teacher."Hermione said. Harry rounded on her."I mean, some adult wizards can't do harbour magical spell and he managed to get half the grade 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 face became stony and dark."And he… winked at me."

"You ‘ ll see."Harry turned and began back towards the history of magic schoolroom"You ‘ ll all see ! After you meet him a few clip you ‘ ll agree with me about Markus Mary Michelson !"

*

But they didn't.

defense team Against the iniquity artistry quickly became the most expect forward to lesson by the intact school. Every few object lesson Markus Michelson would bring in a new scrap enchantment and work with them, pulling them with laughs, belittlement and encouragement, to perfect the spell. From disarming and stunning through to carapace and self-defense he taught everything with an identical laugh and identical arrogant posture. Harry remained sullen and silent in these lessons especially when the inevitable happened and he was called up to help demonstrate a new spell. He had tried to get the vulture riled up to play a joke on Professor A. A. Michelson but they had flatly refused. Harry had to content himself with dropping potion on a mathematical group off Slytherins that gave them oozing boil. It had been quiet complex, whoever the pus hit when the furuncle exploded developed them as well.

It was on his way back from heavy custody that he heard individual cry. Harry saw a outset yr rush past him upstairs and followed him, towards the noise. A mathematical group of scholarly person were gathered on the third base floor. Harry pushed through them without a thought and stopped at the front to see a terrible sight. Painted on the wall in what looked comparable blood were the words…

Arise those of antediluvian pedigree ! Cast out the impure from this household of our fathers ! Be unfeigned to your bloodline ! Destroy the foeman of the heir ! This is the Call to arms !

Harry glanced to his position, lined up side by side to one another stood a group of Slytherins. Malfoy, Goyle and Flint River stood side by English, each wearing indistinguishable expressions of gloat.

On the floor in front of the letters crouched pitiful Victor Kingston, the kid who'd liked the look of Ravenclaw, curled up in veneration behind his sunglass.

Harry moved closer on instinct and put his fingerbreadth to the boys neck.

"What are you doing ?"A vocalization behind him hissed but he ignored them.

"He doesn ‘ t have a pulse."Harry murmured, trying to move his fingers around for a upright flavor."No pulse. Get lady Pomfrey ! Get Dumbledore !"

"Both are here Harry."Harry looked up to see the Headmaster walk to the boundary of the crew. He stood back gratefully as the school suckle went to work.

"Is he… numb ?"An older Ravenclaw at the edge of the dress circle asked and a whisper of breathless shock swept the crowd.

"No."Professor Dumbledore said calmly"He appears to have been petrified."

"Will he recover ?"Harry noticed that the Ravenclaw was a prefect, she had probably known superior.

"Yes Miss Clearwater. I think so, in time."stress 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 consider that there ‘ s any danger ?"

"I am trusted I can trust every student here to act in a way that does not dishonour the dear name of this school."

"Yeah right."Harry thought and glanced back at Malfoy and the other Slytherins."Seems a war's been called. the great unwashed are already choosing sides."

*

The first tone-beginning happened just the side by side cockcrow. Hannah abbot was found with a bankrupt arm at the butt of the footprint leading down to the Hufflepuff plebeian way. Her bag and books strewn haphazardly at the top. She'd been coming up from the cellar early on to get breakfast and been pushed back down.

Professor sprout took her to the hospital wing. But no one had seen what happened, not even Hannah, and no matter how much they asked the Professors couldn't breakthrough who had done it.

The next day a chemical group of Slytherins cornered a maiden year in one of the upper berth corridors and began hexing him over and over. Only Flitwick happening past tense had stopped worse happening.

In a matter of weeks it was no longer dependable for a muggleborn or half-blood pupil to be out on their own. Madam Pomfrey was being worked of her feet by the stream of trauma coming into her attention.

Then, one morning, Oliver woodwind instrument the Gryffindor Quidditch chieftain was petrified in the prefects can. The instructor had tried to hold a lid on it but the words that had been scrawled on the walls somehow got out.

Mudbloods and blood-traitors cower in fright ! The heir of Slytherin returns and the bedchamber has been opened. Rise up around his criterion ! Spill the spoilt roue on the primer !

"It ‘ s getting worse."Harry said as they walked towards their next class."I mean just look !"He gestured out the window.

There was a huddle of students scurrying along the wall and slipping in a doorway. A minute later a group of Slytherins hurried into the courtyard with their with verge out.

"Harry no !"Harry was aiming his wand out the window but Hermione jerked his arm back."If we start fighting back things will escalate ! We have to let the teachers handle it."

"They can ‘ t."Padma said dully as they passed the defending team Against the dark Arts classroom"Not on this scale."Her sister nodded silently. Her normally cheerful climate dulled.

"Padma ‘ s correct Hermione."Ron shook his head."Things are just getting uncollectible and besides, we can ‘ t afford to lose any more than Quidditch players."

"Is that all you care about !"

"I just meant…"

"Shut up."Harry snapped back at them irritably."Quidditch is about as a lot use as you two bickering when affair are going to hell all around us. We ‘ ve got to do something."

"But what ?"Padma said, shaking her read/write head."This isn ‘ t like Quirrell Harry. There ‘ s no immorality virtuoso behind it. Its half the school day, trying the kill the former half and we don't know till too late which is which."

"With some we got a pretty in force idea."Harry murmured darkly as they passed a radical of Slytherins. The Marauders curled around Hermione like a man shield as they passed and only spread back out after they had gone. A sec later Harry's sceptre vibrated in his pocket."red cent it !"Harry motioned the others to quiet and the strait of hexing could be heard above them. They broke into a run towards the closest stair.

*

"Leave him alone !"Ginny's own articulation sounded shrill in her capitulum. She stepped in front line her spite friend and tried to swallow her care.

"What ? Protecting your mudblood boyfriend double-dealer ?"Marcus Flint stepped out of the tintinnabulation of Slytherins surrounding her and Colin."measure aside for me. I ‘ d rather not shed wizard ancestry, even your families, unless I have to."

"Mico Harry."Ginny whispered, holding her verge out in front of her. Hoping he was in range."Mico Harry."

"Your boyfriend doesn ‘ t look up to much."Flint said stepping finisher and eyeing the quivering Gryffindor."Maybe you want a real man ?"

"Mico Ron. Mico Hermione."

"What's that ?"Flint leant forward to hear."That supposed to be a hex ? Ha ! What ‘ s it do ?"Flint River laughed and his cohorts around him started laughing too.

"It summons devil !"

As Marcus'head jerked up a bludgeoning hex struck him in the chest. He was thrown back and his champion drew their verge as the marauder rushed them from the stairwell.

*

Harry was the first to hold that he probably wasn't destined to be a duellist. His low strike against the 7th year had been lucky and he now found himself shielding for his life in the middle of a war-zone. Other students from other houses had been drawn in or joined in or been pushed in by the crew and now the corridor was filled with flashing igniter and battle cry of pain.

"You ‘ re dead Potter. Oh you ‘ re dead."Flint advanced on him and Harry ducked behind a statue as the big Slytherins curse smashed into the priming near his invertebrate foot. A indorsement one smacked into the stone maven and it began to topple over. Harry scrambled out as it crashed to the floor and jabbed his verge at his assailant.

"Expelliarmus !"The spell struck Flint but his thick, sausage-like finger's breadth were curled tightly around his sceptre.

"Confringo !"Harry leapt out of the way of the blasting scourge and fell badly on his shoulder. He threw his own back in answer and the serpent stumbled backwards. Harry jumped to his groundwork and dead reckoning a bludgeoning hex only to have it rebound off a buckler and smack him in the chest. Tumbling backwards he landed on his back among the debris. His wand skittered off along the flooring. A shadow fell over him and a vast booted foot slammed onto his chest, holding him down.

"hello Potter."flint pointed his sceptre at Harry's face."Now I ‘ m gona have some fun."

A consequence later Flint was thrown off him as a broom wave of ignitor shot through the corridor, forcibly pulling opponents apart.

Harry's hand darted out and grabbed his scepter while he looked for the source of the spell. His eyes found Albus Dumbledore standing at the end of the corridor with several other teachers behind him.

"Is any student here injured or in need of the hospital fender ?"His vox was stony as he eyed the assemble students. A few students raised their hired hand. Dumbledore nodded and turned to mouth to the teachers behind him."Please see them there."No one spoke as the wounded were gathered up. Harry saw Markus Albert Michelson handing Ginny her bag with one hand while picking Colin up in his other. As Professor McGonagall walked past him he caught her eyes for a bit, they were cold, harsh and let down. When the survive of the injured were gone the Headmaster turned back to the remaining students.

"Now can anyone separate me why this happened ? Why Hogwarts scholarly person saw fit to work this corridor into a battlefield ?"He looked over the scholar and Harry realised that he and Flint were rectify out in the middle, the two of them surrounded by void. Somehow the ringleaders had been singled out."Why bookman who I thought I could trust to act in good faith instead acted like fools ?"

No one spoke. No one wanted to draw aid to themselves.

"You will all return to your usual rooms now. Tomorrow break of day you will all come to the bully hall where you will drop your Saturday in silence. You will retort the day after that and for many weekends to add up until I decide that the peace and quiet of the school has returned. Your parents will also be informed of your disappointing behaviour."Dumbledore gestured at the youngster."Go off now. Not you Harry !"Harry was drawn back by Dumbledore's vocalization. Marcus Flint smirked at him with his troll-like smile and slinked off. Harry followed the Headmaster in silence as he turned and walked off through the schooling. He stopped before a gargoyle on the second gear level.

"sherbert Lemon."The childish countersign seemed oddly out of kilter with the position. They remained silent as they were raised up by the staircase and walked out into the master office.

Harry glanced around in marvel at the odd silver grey machines, many moving or making soft sounds, filling table around the edges of the situation. His eyes were drawn to the perch behind the desk where a tired looking red bird sat. Even as Harry watched another of its feathering fell off and twirled towards the floor.

Dumbledore caught it before it hit and slipped it into an interior air pocket of his robes. He turned and sat behind the with child desk. Saying zip, he regarded the pupil before him over steepled digit.

Harry knew that with any former instructor this was the time to be tranquility and look guilty, but with Dumbledore he might actually be better off explaining.

"Professor."He began and licked his dry brim. Dumbledore's oculus flicked to his."I heard the speech sound of person being attacked nearby and I went to see whether I could assist. When we… I got there Marcus Flint River and some former Slytherins had the first years surrounded."He couldn't tell what effect this was having on the schoolmaster. His facial expression was inscrutable."I fired a spell to make them back off and they responded, I never thought that so many former students would be drawn in or that it would snowball like this. I ‘ m sorry."

"You cast the first hex ?"

"They had been beating up Colin Creevey before we got there."Harry felt too guilty to lie."But I threw the first scrap enchantment yes."

"respective scholar are injured Harry."Gods teeth the ragged hoot was eyeballing him as well."And there was some morphological impairment to the school. respective paintings were damaged and statues broken."

"I was just trying to help oneself sir. I didn't want any of that."

"And with this atmosphere of fear already around the school you have given everyone another ground to hate each other."Harry felt very small in front of the continued stare."uncollectible, you have escalated this problem with your actions. Next time multitude will be even nimble to drag wands in anger. succeeding time the jinx will be worse and people could be seriously injured Harry, do you understand that ?"

"Yes sir."Harry thinking of Marcus Flint's smirk. Next time they wouldn't wait to rag people.

"Today you chose to fight hatred with angriness and vehemence. That way will always multiply further hatred do you understand that ?"

"Yes sir."

"See that you do not repeat this mistake."

"Yes sir. Thank you."Harry walked out of the office. All the way to the door he could feel the old humans eyes on his back.

*

Harry walked back slowly to the Gryffindor common room. By luck the route took him back past the battleground. Some attempt had been made to clean up but the place still felt damaged. Great chunks were missing from the gemstone and the broken picture had all been taken down. The musical passage was bare. Harry saw movement at the other end and tensed for a moment, then relaxed as he saw red hair and freckle.

"Ginny ?"

"Harry."The little girl 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 clip Hermione said I would be I ‘ d be some sorting o'human beings record."Harry walked up to his new military recruit and ruffled her whisker."And I taught you that call exactly so you would call me if you were ever in bother. All this…"Harry waved his handwriting at the damage and shake his forefront."Not your fault. But why are you back here ? Shouldn ‘ t you be in the common room."

"I was… waiting… for you."Ginny glanced to the left and bit her lip.

"Remind me to teach you to lie convincingly Ginny."Harry looked into her eye. There was a surprising sum of fear there."Why don't you want to tell me ? You don't have to you know."

"Lost something."Ginny's voice became modest with each word she said."A Diary. Must have fallen out in the fight."

"Your diary ‘ s missing ?"Harry shook his headway."Did you drop a line anything bad in there ?"

"Not my diary."

"Whose ? Nicking someone's diary is all very marauder of you but…"

"I found it in my book before I even got here. cerebration maybe it got left there."

"Who ‘ s was it ?"

"The front said it was Tom Marvolo brain-teaser ‘ 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 wince into the priming a little."It spoke to me."

"rundle ? It could blab out ?"

"No, he wrote back when I wrote him things."Ginny curled up on the floor and hugged her legs up to her chest."It was blank but it wrote back. He was so squeamish. I had someone to spill the beans to finally."

"someone to talk to ?"Harry scratched his head. What did she mean ?"You have six brothers don't you ?"

"I can't talking 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 clobber I wrote ?"Ginny looked up shocked and dash and suddenly broke down into tears. Harry just stood there, he didn't know what the hell to do.

"I mess everything up."Ginny gulped between sobs."I lost Tom and everyone ‘ s going to read him ! I messed up the sort ! I started a fighting and almost got you expelled !"

"Ginny listen to me."Harry tried grabbing her shoulder but she wouldn't look at him. With his other hand he cupped her expression and brought it up so he could see her optic."Tom sounds like a trade good friend, I ‘ m sure you can desire him to keep your secrets. I mean, former people must induce had the diary before you and Tom never told you any of their mystery right ?"

pigeon hawk's beard, he didn't know what he was doing. What did he get laid about comforting citizenry ?

"And as for this."He pointed around the corridor."All this we can fix. We can fix everything, don't vexation. I ‘ ll assistant you."He was babbling, as if she'd maintenance about the corridor.

"And…"Ginny had stopped crying at to the lowest degree."You don't hate me ?"Harry shook his capitulum.

"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 ingest known what to say. He smudged a sleeve against Ginny's buttock to get rid of the tears. At least he could do that right.

"Come on. Lets get back to the common room."He stood up and held out a hand to her."And as for having a friend to talk to…"He pulled her into a harsh 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 tegument 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 tower."I ‘ m no respectable at this sort of thing."


I own none of the characters, places, ect ...




As Clarence Shepard Day Jr. went by Harry found it laborious and harder to keep his word to Dumbledore. Little fights were breaking out all over the school. A student could hardly go from deterrent example to lesson without seeing masses running scared or hearing hexing.

Harry and other willing scholarly person had arranged to take the air any muggleborns too and from lecturing. It helped, a picayune, with both the bookman themselves and Harry's guilt. But every time he heard watchword in the distance or saw a smile on the face of a green robed student he shuddered, but kept walking. Worse it seemed like more and more students from other houses were answering the yell and more and more unsafe hexes seemed to be thrown around each day. Just a few Day ago Su Li had been found with mystifying gash all over her, like she ‘ d been rolled in glass. unsound, she had been inside the ravenclaw usual elbow room.

Harry knew that he was at least partially to blame for the escalation in fierceness but he knew who was really to charge, Markus Albert Michelson !

Half the spells being thrown around had been taught to them in vindication class and Professor Michelson had been pushing them, hell even encouraging them to fight. His first division had been on duelling ! Harry would had pointed this to people and ( even from Hermione ) got grudging accord.

It seemed that the muscle-bound teacher had realised his fault himself. As the violence mounted the instructor had looked more and more dysphoric and tired. That day ( for the first gear meter ever in his class ) they had taken notes from the school text.

Harry grimaced as he looked around the classroom, a group of Slytherins with Malfoy in the eye sat near the dorsum, with their school principal together. Harry turned back to his oeuvre and shook his brain.

"Maybe Dumbledore ‘ s wrong."Harry looked up in seismic disturbance, Neville was sitting next to him."Maybe, you know… we should try to do something."

"survive time we tried to get involved things went worse Neville. Much sorry. I don't want to get it on up again."

"But, we can ‘ t just let this go on."Neville was looking at him a little desperately."You ‘ re going to do something, right ?"Harry glanced back at the group of Slytherins. They were grinning now.

"Give me an option."Harry flipped the page on the Book in front of him and dipped his quill again. “'cos I ‘ m sweet out of them."

Harry felt his supporter lean away from him. He had heard the quiet hope in his friends voice and felt bad for dashing it. But what could he do ? He would only make things uncollectible, he couldn't interfere.

And he kept that hope.

For about five hours.

*

Harry closed his Word of God and looked around the depository library trying to work out if it was worth checking it out. He had been considering employing some of the enchantment in Secrecy and Illusion to get students safely between lessons but they were irritatingly either to complex to be preformed quickly or to simple to be of use. He had been trying to find similar books in the program library but the Hogwarts seemed to have very few of them.

Harry's face twisted into a real grin for the start time in a while. It was almost like they didn't trustfulness the educatee.

He quietly decided that the book wasn't worth it and got up. lady Pince was hovering nearby frowning at the educatee cluttering up her library.

"Go on out."She hurried Harry out and gestured at the former students."I have to close down up."

Harry shook his heading and trudged away from the musty place. It was darkness already, and Harry hunched a slight as he walked down the echoing corridor alone. The fact that he was this scared to be alone in the bosom of Hogwarts disturbed Harry a lot. It reminded him of cold streets where you were never really dependable, never well enough hidden. Harry ‘ s step quickened as he thought of the warmth of Gryffindor tower.

Was that a cry ? Harry's feet slowed and he moved to the slope of the staircase he was on. There it was again, coming from the top of the stairway. Harry lowered himself flat to the steps near the top and slipped a periscope out of his pocket, taking tutelage to keep placidity he pushed it above the top footprint.

He could see two people cowering on the floor and three around them in a R-2. One of the three moved forward, Harry groaned inwardly as the moonshine shone on Malfoy's blond hair. That made the other two Crabbe and Goyle. It also made him outnumbered.

"So little mudblood."Malfoy was speaking softly in the wickedness above the step."What variety of magical spell shall we use next ?"One of the scholarly person rolled over on the floor and Harry saw her clearly for the get-go time. A Ravenclaw, perhaps a year or two ahead of him. Her chocolate skin had raised red blotches like bee stings. It looked like she had been hit with stinging hex. scores of stinging whammy.

"No ! Please blockade, please."The girl whimpered, she sounded like she was crying.

Harry gritted his teeth, this was too much. Dumbledore be dammed ! Harry glanced around for something he could use to assist him. He might get one of the Slytherins from a surprisal attack but he certainly couldn't beat the other two. If he took out Malfoy he'd be left fighting two educatee larger than him at the top of a magniloquent stairway. On the other hand if he took out Crabbe or Goyle he'd be left duelling Malfoy who repeatedly outperformed him in defence class. Neither of the pupil on the flooring looked up to helping him.

"Maybe something darker."Malfoy drawled and his age bracket chuckled."I ‘ ve read about this frostbite curse…"That bloody did it.

He'd get Malfoy and trade with the early two somehow. Harry was just about to push himself up when a voice from across the landing place radius.

"motion away Draco."The three Slytherins glanced away from their prey. In the shadows of an archway a image was just visible, wand held firmly at shank tallness in the cook spatial relation."Just go back to the Dungeon."The articulation was tired but firm. Malfoy squinted into the darkness then sneered.

"Split."

"Malfoy."The bod moved a little into the light. He was a Slytherin boy, maybe third or fourth year with shaggy pitch blackness hair and grip under his eye to rival his voice."You have one of mine down there."He nodded to the former frame on the trading floor. Harry noticed for the first time that it was another Slytherin.

"Well…"Malfoy appeared to look at for a mo."This one is no fun anymore anyway, Goyle stunned her or something by mistake and we haven't been able to wake her up. In the pursuit of house unity I ‘ ll let you charter her."The boy apparently called snag stayed silent for a foresightful moment, his eyes flickering to the kind on the flooring, then said in his tired voice.

"And the other as well."

"Oh we ‘ ve only just started on her. Got some new stuff to try out."

"springiness them to me Draco."rent moved forward slowly holding his sceptre out."You three are just second years, you don't want to fight me."

"And you are outnumbered."Malfoy trained his wand on the newcomer and his two goons did the Lapplander.

"And you are surrounded."Harry stood up and aimed his wand at Malfoy's thorax."So back up wormbait."All the Slytherins faces showed shock. Malfoy rounded on the erstwhile Slytherin

"You even taking help from Gryffindors now."He laughed."How low can you slump ?"

"Just go Malfoy."rent covered his surprise and gestured away down the corridor."You know you just lost this."Malfoy grimaced, but he seemed to concede.

"No fun anyway."He aimed a kick at the ravenclaw girl on the floor prompting a yell from Harry but merely a twinge from Split."They just curled up."with that Malfoy turned and strode down the corridor towards the dungeons.

Harry moved forward quickly. The Slytherin was already crouching over his housemate so Harry knelt down to check the Ravenclaw.

"Can you hear me ? Are you hurt besides the face ?"Harry looked over her but she didn't seem to be hurt anywhere else.

"Made…"the poor girls voice was very quiet and dry"Made me drink something."

"Ok. You ‘ ll be ok."Harry glanced over to his friend of necessity."infirmary flank ?"

"fountainhead obviously."The boy fixed him with a withering stare."You carry Vanessa."He gestured to the pupil by his feet."You don't look like you can manage her."

"I can deal ticket !"Harry pulled the arm of the Ravenclaw over his berm and pushed himself to his foot.

The two of them walked in silence with their burdens towards the infirmary fender and ma'am Pomfrey. At the bum of the tertiary staircase Harry leaned against the wall and tried to suck in air. Split wordlessly held out an arm. Harry laughed under his breath and they swapped passengers. Harry managed the endure two staircase well-off and they pushed their way through into the Hospital wing.

"brothel keeper Pomfrey ?"Harry called out and she bustled in, her oculus too looked tired. Harry wondered idly what his looked like these years."Two more."

"well put them…"dame Pomfrey cast about then realised she no longer had any detached bottom."…there."She pointed her wand and two new layer appeared, squashed in between the single already there. Harry gratefully laid his electric charge down on the new bed and looked down at her. It was the first fourth dimension he'd properly got a looking at at her, she seemed younger than him so probably a first year. She had long brown haircloth and picket peel. She seemed to have passed out at some point."Do you have a go at it what was used on them ?"The school nurse had already gone to work on the offend pupil.

"She,"Harry pointed to the other bed."Was forced to pledge something. Plus what look like stinging hexes."lady Pomfrey glanced at the bed nearest Harry and looked up questioningly. Split answered her.

"Vanessa was unconscious mind when we found her. They said they stunned her, may accept been miscast since they couldn't wake her."

"Very well."She began moving her wand around over the two student, bathing them in pallid down luminosity."I will report this in the morning. Your headland of house will no doubtfulness want to utter to you to get the details."Harry recognised the judgment of dismissal and walked out of the hospital wing.

He surprisingly found Split following him up a flight of stairs of stair. The Slytherin common elbow room was definitely the early direction.

"Not that I don't enjoy the tending but why are you following me ?"

"I ‘ m not."This was all Split seemed to think was necessary. They walked side by side up another stairway.

"Harry Potter."Harry held out his helping hand. The early boy rolled his eyes.

"I know."But he grasped the paw for a brief handshake."Joshua Split. But I prefer Split."

"You don't like Draco Malfoy much ?"

"You don't like Draco Malfoy much."They climbed higher. Harry began to wonder if the boy intended to companion him all the way to the common elbow room."I hate Draco Malfoy"

"I can sympathise."Harry kept walking for a moment before realising his companion wasn't following. Harry turned and found Split just standing there in the middle of the one-seventh floor corridor."What ? You waiting for the headless Hunt to spend ?"

"No."The Slytherin glanced both shipway down the corridor then looked him up and down."Suppose you can be trusted."The boy walked first one way then the other, back and forth along the hallway. Harry was about to ask what he was doing when a door slowly faded into position out of the rampart.

Split rapped on it three times, then twice. He got the same signal in riposte and Harry heard something heavy moved from the other position of the room access. Harry moved to see in as the room access was pulled open from the inside. individual in the room gasped at seeing him out there.

Inside the room there stood six bunk beds along one paries. As he watched a small face popped up from under the covers and pulled back in fear. Harry's oculus were drawn to the rest of the room, over a troll table where some student had been playing cards. They too were now staring at him.

"What is…"But Harry's roving eyes began to answer his own head. Near one bed was tacked a faded rolling-stones poster and a air-sleeve tossed negligently over a death chair had Homer Wallis Warfield Windsor on it."You're the muggleborn Slytherins ?"

"Muggleborn, half-blood…"Split pushed the threshold closed with Harry inside and flopped on the nearest bed. The other scholarly person seemed to select this as a foretoken that things were alright and went back to what they were doing, but Harry caught them glancing back at him."And anyone who gets in Malfoy ‘ s way when he's hexing someone."

"How many non pure-blood Slytherins are there ?"

"That will include it ?"stock split scoffed."You ‘ re looking at them."He pulled out a crisp parcel from beside his bed and rent it open. Lounging there munching he looked distinctly un-wizardly."Me and Emma Stoats are the exclusively broad muggleborns."He pointed to one of the card players, a tall seventh twelvemonth girl who glanced up at her name being spoken."Oh, and Elizabeth II now. Thanks to your little friends stunt at the sorting she actually chose this house. Nice and wry eh ?"

"And you live up here now ?"Harry thought for a moment about how he'd felt earlier that evening. Hanging on to the thought of getting back to the common room.

"well did you think we were going to abide in the keep ?"Emma Stoats said without taking her eyes off her scorecard."The locks on our threshold aren ‘ t that good."

"I know. One allohamora and they pop open."

"And you know that how ?"Split tossed his empty mailboat on the base near his bed where there were a few others. Harry just grinned at him.

"Josh ?"A start yr on a top bunk sat up."Where ‘ s Vanessa ?"

"Hospital wing Liz. Malfoy caught her."Harry looked around the room for a reaction but each face just showed resignation. Suddenly Split's psyche jerked up."Damn it."He reached into his air hole and pulled out a thin dyad of deoxyephedrine."I took these so they wouldn ‘ t get smashed when I carried her."The boy pulled himself up tiredly.

"I ‘ ll bring them back."Harry offered holding out his handwriting."It ‘ s on my way anyway."

"It ‘ s not even slightly on your way."Joshua said with a sneer, but handed the spyglass over. Harry thought he saw alleviation flicker under his shaggy-haired interference fringe before the boy sunk back down onto his bed. Harry turned to leave then looked back.

"Gryffindor word's Aigipan."Every head turned at that."You know where the entree is ?"One or two heads nodded."Good, get anytime."

"Why you telling us ?"Elizabeth again from her bunk.

"fountainhead it ‘ s only fair."Harry glanced out the doorway then moved to unfold it fully."I can get into the Slytherin common room."

*

Harry slipped back into the Hospital annex wondering if it was after curfew yet. He moved quietly so as not to wake the many patients but noticed as he reached the beds at the end that there was another visitor here. The Ravenclaw girl he had carried ( near of the way ) there was curled up on her bed but another girl was sitting on a chairman nearby. The girls were holding hired hand and had apparently fallen asleep like that. Harry put the specs down on a English table trying not to wake them, then turned to leave.

"The nurse told me you brought her in."Harry twisted back, the new girl had her eyes opened and was speaking quietly."My friend."She nodded at the sleeping girlfriend.

"I carried the other one."Harry nodded at little Vanessa."Book of Joshua Split carried your protagonist. You know him ?"She had looked up and grinned at the epithet.

"She ‘ ll like that."The female child disengaged her hand and motioned Harry away from the layer."She likes him."She giggled.

"When she wakes up you can give her some serious news show then. Malfoy offered to let snag lead the little one without a fight, but he wouldn ‘ t leave without your friend. A habitue horse in gloomful armour."

"And what was your part in it ?"They had stopped near the room access, away from all the sleeping patient.

"What else ?"Harry grinned."I was the cavalry."Harry brought his hands together like a claw."Caught ‘ em between us. Intricately planned strategy."He held out his hand."Harry ceramist, don't drift your eyes."

"Cho Chang."As she took his hand Harry noticed she had light callus, where had he felt that before ?

"Quidditch team right ?"

"Seeker."Cho nodded and smiled, apparently pleasantly surprised to be recognised. It had been mostly a guess on Harry's part, he rarely went to the biz. Her face became sombre again a moment later."But seriously, thank you. For helping Lucy."

"It was nothing, thwarting Malfoy ‘ s like a civic duty."But a short memory surfaced in his headland. A name, maybe he'd heard it in the corridor at some point ?"Lucy… Kingston ?"

"Yep."

"Then that her brother isn ‘ t it."Harry pointed over at another bed where the rigidify boy lay.

"Yeah."Cho nodded sadly."Her parents wanted to assume her out of school, but she wanted to stay."She glanced back at the missy on the bed."She didn ‘ t want to miss out."

"I ‘ m sorry."It was all Harry could really think to say.

"Don't apologise."She turned back to him."If you hadn ‘ t got there who knows what they ‘ d have done."Cho shook her drumhead again and moved back towards the beds. Harry was once again at a release for word of honor and turned out of the wing to footslog up the stairs for the 2d time that Nox.

It was on a longsighted dark stretch of foyer that he heard a voice behind him.

"Fancy seeing you again tonight Potter."

*

Harry fought furore and hatred as he turned around slowly.

"Not surrounded any Thomas More are we Potter."Malfoy drawled, flanked by his two shadows."And you seem to be all alone. How utterly convenient."The blond boy moved forward with his wand out."Did you like what I did to the mudblood's face ? She didn't need her tone anyway, like anyone would contact a mudblood."Harry kept his emotions tightly under control condition and said nothing."What, no witty counter ? Well you'll sing in a moment or two. You ‘ ve had this coming a yearn fourth dimension Potter, so I ‘ m going to choose a farsighted time over this. I ‘ m going to really enjoy myself."

"Don't bet on it. Acerbus Cuspis !"Harry charged every snow leopard of rage and hatred he had been holding in into the curse. typewriter ribbon of Ag lit the whole hall, covering the three Slytherins who cried out in infliction and fell to the floor.

"Expelliarmus !"Malfoy's wand flew off somewhere. But Harry wasn't done. He grabbed the startled second year and yanked him off the ground, pinning him against the wall.

"Adhaereo !"Harry slapped Malfoy's weapon system back to the wall as the fixing appeal took gist. The Slytherin dangled there struggling, his infantry a good foot off the floor.

"Let me down Potter or el…"

"Shut up !"Harry pointed his ward right at Malfoy's cheek. Some of that furor must give been left over because his baton flared red sparks causing the hanging boy to cry out in pain in the ass again."There, see how you like it ? You two stay down !"Harry pointed his baton at Crabbe and Goyle, just starting to lift themselves off the floor."Or I swear I will hex his face off and that WILL scar I guarantee it !"Harry turned back to his curse who was still vainly trying to hale himself off the wall."stop moving ! diaphragm moving and listen."Harry rested the tip of his wand rightfield between Malfoy's eyes, the boy did indeed stop moving."You are a pathetic lowlife-scumbag Malfoy you know that ? You are a sick little mother fucker and you are finally gon na pay for it."

The Slytherin's centre were crossed as he tried to look at the point resting on his nose, he was even quivering.

"Her Brother, her god-damn pal in the hospital wing ! And you force her to drink in some poison and hex her while she lies on the floor like the niggling Noel Coward you are then you laugh."Harry moved his closer trough he was right in his victims face."Well it stops now you hear me. All of it stops. You lord it over the former worms like the lord o ‘ worm-hill so you make them barricade or else Malfoy. Oh yes, I can pee-pee good that threat. Remember number one year ? I know where you sleep Malfoy. I know and I can find oneself you any metre I want. So from now on any clock time any Slytherin hurts anyone in this school it is officially your fault and it will come back around Malfoy. right back to you. Anything anyone in this shoal suffers you suffer twice over. From now on Malfoy EVERYTHING cum BACK TO YOU !"

Harry's tongue peppered Malfoy's human face but the shaking boy didn't seem to notice. His centre were wide and glued to Harry. Harry moved even closer and moved his verge to knife up under the Slytherin's mentum. He squirmed and twisted his head trying to get away from the shrill Mrs. Henry Wood spot. Harry jerked his header back around with his former handwriting so he could expect straight into those terrify Zane Grey centre."So keep your fucking house in line or I will get you. Understand ?"The boy nodded quickly. Harry waited for a moment then nodded then jerked his wand away.

"Good."He turned and strode off down the hallway without another parole. Let him work out how to get off the rampart.

*

The next day Harry watched from an upper window as a mathematical group of Slytherins walked past a kickoff year Gryffindor who ‘ s bag had spilled out all over the floor. As she noticed them coming she froze in fearfulness but Malfoy jerked his head to the others and walked on. Some of them looked offend but he just jerked his head again and they eventually moved off.

"Did you do something ?"Padma had waited with him and was now looking at him shrewdly.

"Yes."

"What ?"

"I…"Harry glanced out the window again and sighed."You know what Hermione keeps saying about not sinking to their level ?"

"You sunk ?"

"Like a stone."


The fragile heartsease teetered often enough over the next few calendar week but it never broke. whisper flew around the school about what might have caused the sudden thaw of tenseness and most hit not far off the Deutschmark. Harry caught prof Dumbledore watching him during breakfast one day and looked away guiltily.

"How long do you think it ‘ ll last ?"Ron asked one day in refutation class. It had become a dependable class to chat in. Markus Michelson was sprawled on his desk, apparently at rest but twitching occasionally."You know, the peace."

"Until Malfoy forgets."Harry flicked over the page in his demurrer book, at least pretending to pay care to the object lesson. He had told the piranha what had happened in cosmopolitan terms but had kept back the inside information. Like that he had used the pain-spear spell and how good it had felt to do so.

"Christmas Day maybe."Padma finished another personal credit line and dipped her quill for more ink. Only her and Hermione actually bothered to take in notes anymore."He'll probably forget over the break of serve then everything will embark on up again."

"You ‘ ll have to remind him then Harry."Ron jabbed him in the ribs."Eh ?"

"Maybe."Harry tried to count engrossed in his defense reaction Holy Writ. He really didn't want to think about what would pass off if Malfoy forgot.

Markus Michelson snorted and rolled over. They took that to mean that the year was dismissed.

*

The teetering and fragile gem that was Harry's peacefulness did last till the winter breakout and Harry waved his Friend off among crew of scholarly person who ( although eyeing one another nervously and muttering ) were staving off actual violence. Unlike last year Harry would be alone in the castle for Christmas, all the marauders had plans for phratry Christmases and he would get felt like an intruder at any one of them. Harry turned and walked slowly back into the castle, he was the last predator there. Virtually the last Gryffindor come to that, with everything that had happened very few students in any star sign had wanted to stay.

Josue Split passed him on the stair carrying a very muggle-looking bag. true up to form he had a chip package unfastened in the sack of his robes, munching them as he walked. He nodded at Harry before carrying on down to the entrance hall. Harry tried to turn out how many scholar would be at Hogwarts. Two other Gryffindors, two Hufflepuffs, one Ravenclaw and Crabbe, Goyle and Malfoy. Harry shuddered, why the hell was Malfoy staying for Christmas ? Didn't he have a giant house made of gold to go to ?

Harry chuckled in the vacuous hallway and gave the fat lady the parole reminant. He sat down at the now empty predator shelve and pulled over a Christian Bible. There was one benefit to being here alone, he might actually bed a question in class once in a while.

*

A few days later ( having got truly disgorge of his school text ) Harry was wandering the corridors when he noticed that he was near the outcast Slytherins room.

"Split ‘ s not staying over break."Harry thought."Have the others gone back as well ?"He walked backwards and forwards and saw the doorway appear on cue. Three tap, then two. Harry waited a long instant then heard a scratch on the other side. The threshold opened slowly.

"Oh it ‘ s you."Vanessa pulled the door open up for then closed it behind him."What are you doing here."

Harry looked around. It looked like her and the female child called Elizabeth II were still there, they had pulled nearly of the pillows and baby's dummy off the bottom to take shape a kind of snuggle in one corner of the elbow room. several stuffed plaything had moved there as well, including a worn looking rabbit with one ear.

"I was checking to see if anyone was still here. Didn ‘ t expect to incur anyone. Why are you staying over Christmastime ?"

"My aunt and uncle are holidaying in Spain."genus Vanessa said, then added to Harry's confused facial expression"I live with them."

"Oh, what about you ?"Harry turned to the other fille.

"Isn ‘ t it obvious ? I ‘ m keeping Vanessa company."Harry felt a sudden lovingness of feeling towards the lilliputian pair in presence of him.

"Where have you been hiding yourselves though ? I haven't seen either of you at meals."

"We don't want to eat with Malfoy."Elizabeth pulled a dessert packet from the niche of the nest and ate one."It ‘ s not safe."

"So what have you been eating ? Too a lot Honeydukes is bad for you y'know."

"Josh showed us a way you can get to the kitchens."Vanessa curled up adjacent to her friend."We slip down at night. It ‘ s not rubber otherwise."

"Ok. That stops now."The two miss looked up."From now on you can eat safe at my table ok ?"The fille looked at one another and something seemed to pass between them. After a moment Elizabeth II nodded."Also this stops."Harry pointed around at the room."Your not living alone here anymore. Get your stuff and move it to the Gryffindor tower."

"That's not allowed."Elizabeth took the initiative again while her Quaker just looked on."What will everyone in your house say ?"

"Currently everyone is a fifth part twelvemonth doing so much OWL revision she wouldn't notice if a herd of centaurs moved in to the coarse room and a first twelvemonth who I ‘ m not for certain bill anything much other than the fanciful butterflies flitting round her head."

"Luna Lovegood ?"

"That's the one."Harry grinned."Please travel your stuff. Otherwise I ‘ m just gon na be sat there worrying about you all fracture and that gon na be a very sad Christmas for me. Please ?"

Another long look passed between the two daughter then genus Vanessa giggled and nodded.

"Ok, we ‘ ll come."

*

Harry reasoned in the Day that followed that there was no reason to stop with just the Slytherins. With that in head Harry embarked on a campaign of persuasion and cajoling with the aim of moving entire remaining universe of the former two firm to the Gryffindor common room.

"Because it ‘ ll be fun. You remember fun, you have that in Hufflepuff right ?"Harry quipped at the amused Susan osseous tissue.

"Yes we have fun."Susan shot back at him amicably, leaning against the rail in one of the court and bundled up tight against the dusty. Like the rest of Harry's year she was used to his foible."Its just that scholar aren't usually allowed in each others unwashed rooms."She didn't add that Harry wasn't supposed to tell people the password, knowing by now the futility of asking him to follow the formula.

"No one is going to care."Harry flicked snow at her, causing her to bat at him and almost push him off the railing."The passwords ‘ ll alteration after the break anyway and its not like the teachers'll mind."

"You mean not like they ‘ ll find out."

"Mind, find-out, what's the difference ? Anyway, your choice is staying in the Hufflepuff cellar… alone."Harry rubbed an fanciful bout out of his eye."wellspring alone except for Stevens which I stratum as far inferior to alone."

"He is beginning to get on my nerves…"Susan looked thoughtfully down at the flat coat around her base.

"seminal fluid on."Harry urged."Everyone together for Xmas. If we have to appease locked up here we should make the most of it right ?"She looked at him appraisingly then smiled.

"testament you teach me to juggle ?"

"Erg,"Harry slapped his manus to his forehead and groaned"If that's what it takes…"

"Ok, I ‘ ll come. If only so you have the wide set."

In the end the instructor probably did have a good estimate what was going on, the fact that all but three of the pupil came down to breakfast together was definitely a clue. But either because they had their own vacation plans to consider about or because they actually approved of what Harry was doing they did not complain. One affair was for certain, Malfoy did not okay and scowled openly across the neat Marguerite Radclyffe Hall at them at every repast. Harry took this as reason enough for all his cause.

*

When Christmastide finally came Harry and his cross-house compatriots rushed gleefully to the tree and filled the Gryffindor mutual room with shredded wrapping report.

"But if you open it carefully you can recycle the paper."Mathew Stevens complained at which point Harry soaked him with water. The refilling spray bottleful from Neville was quickly becoming his favourite endowment."Hey !"

Harry grinned then spluttered as another jet of H2O hit him in the side of the face.

"Aguamenti charm."Martin Fredric the exclusive Ravenclaw said in a lecturing tincture."You ‘ ll learn that after owls."

"I ‘ ll learn you !"

The ensuing water fight turned the paper to mush and it was a soppy but laughing group that stumbled down to a late breakfast.

*

hebdomad later Harry was sitting out in the cold sunlight idly flicking through a Christmas present tense ( a spell leger on permanent and semi-permanent charms ) wondering how hard it would be to realize an invisibleness cloak when a darkness fell across him.

"Potter."

Harry answered without looking up.

"Malfoy, something I can avoid helping you with ?"

"Do you have to take a crap some wretched attempt at wittiness every time you open your backtalk ?"

Harry glanced up and fixed Malfoy with a flat stare. The smirk disappeared from the Slytherins nerve and he backed up a footstep.

"I was coming to admonish you."The Good Book seemed to tumble out of his oral fissure like he wanted to get them out of the way."I couldn't stop it so it ‘ s not my fault."

"What isn ‘ t ?"

"I ‘ ve been stuck here but my friends have been meeting up over the break. Making plans."Malfoy glanced around as if checking no-one was watching."I only found out because Montague came back early."

"The outsider for once Malfoy."Harry smirked evilly."See how it feels ?"

"testament you please be serious !"Malfoy swallowed and continued at a susurration."Something bad is going to happen."

"Bad how ?"Harry flipped his book closed.

"I don't know. It was planned over break like I said. It's not my fault."Malfoy added the go bit at a rush.

"We ‘ ll see. What do you have intercourse about it."

"number 1 day back. Montague said everything had to be ready for the maiden day back."

"What had to be ready ?"

"I don't know !"Malfoy wrung his hands and stepped back a rate."I keep telling you I was out of the grommet here at Hogwarts. I shouldn ‘ t be held…"But Harry cut him off.

"If you tell me its not your fault one Thomas More time…"Malfoy fell mute and Harry began pacing backwards and forwards, thinking desperately."Do you think you can get Montague to severalise you what's happening ?"Malfoy shook his head quickly.

"He won ‘ t say. I think soul told him not to."Malfoy suddenly stood up."Someone ‘ s coming !"And with that he strode off quickly into a corridor.

Harry buried his expression in his hands. He had so hoped that the unpleasantness of the terminus was over, that he could have something approaching normality for once, to go to school day without conspiracies and threat. He chuckled wryly, he should consume known better.

*

Harry waited anxiously as the school terminus approached. One or two other ahead of time crank filtered back into their diverse house and Harry's impromptu recruits into Gryffindor went back to their own theater.
All except genus Vanessa and Elizabeth, they didn't really have a house to go back to. As Gryffindor bookman filtered back they eyed the new arrivals warily and complained until Harry took them aside and explained in no uncertain price where they could nonplus their complaints.

Finally, a few sidereal day before the outset of schooltime, Harry pulled together the bravery to do what he had been putting off for a while. He went to warn Dumbledore.

"sherbet Lemon."The gargoyle statue obediently moved aside and Harry moved up the prospicient staircase and knocked on the door at the top.

"Enter."Harry pushed the door assailable to see Dumbledore sitting at his desk calculate up curiously, then he frowned."Harry that watchword is not to be used by students."

"I ‘ m sorry sir, but I needed to tell you something."

"And you seem to be being rather free with certain other watchword as well."At this Harry drew himself up.

"That I'm not apologising for. Would consume been stupe for everyone to spend Christmas Day alone, especially the first years."He met Dumbledore's regard this time and didn't falter.

"Harry you can not decide which normal to obey and in what berth. I thought I made that clean in our stopping point conversation."The Headmaster's case was stern and Harry wondered whether he shouldn't have just warned him by owl."If you can not abide by the rules of this institution…"

"Abiding by the rules wasn't working."Harry was almost surprised to hear his own voice, even though it was coming at barely a whisper."People were getting hurt all the clock time. It was only a matter of metre before something worse happened."

"So you take the law into your own custody ? Sink to their storey ?"Dubledore's spokesperson was quiet now but his Book seemed to light a flame in Harry's chest.

"You think that ‘ s how it was ? How it works ? You think things would be bettor around here if I ‘ d just let Malfoy carry on ?"Harry shook his head and glared at the old man."Must have taken you a lot of pearl to ramp up a tug this big. I pity the poor elephants."

"Insolence !"Yelled one of the portraits on the rampart.

"Mr Potter."Dumbledore stood up, his hot seat scraping back loudly. His bridge player were clenched in fists on the desk in front end of him."I am the schoolmaster of this schoolhouse. Please try to plow me with something resembling respect."

"You should be thanking me you still have a school ! That it's not a rubble heap full of corpses !"Dumbledore's eyes were glinting dangerously and his mouth had formed a hard channel, but Harry wasn't finished."It ‘ s not like you were doing anything to stop it ! So pardon me if I don't have respect for someone who sat idly by while everything went to pot. Not such a good determination in my book, bit of a bloody mistake. One of many you ‘ ve made recently. Anyone remember who hired professor Quirrell ? Not such a good decisiveness there either. In fact…"Harry thought back and stiffened angrily."… the first ever decisiveness you made about me was to put me on the doorstep of an abusive home base and break the next seven days of my life so NO Dumbledore. I don't regard you."Harry saw with surprise that the schoolmaster's angry cheek had twisted into something unlike. Was it regret ? A long moment passed before he spoke.

"Harry…"He said finally as if speaking from a deep wellspring."…you are not faulty about some of the affair you have said. I am as able of misapprehension as any other human. And for what it is Charles Frederick Worth I am sorry for placing you with your aunt and uncle. There were cause at the time. And I know that you can, in your mind at least, justify what you did to Mr Malfoy. I know all about justifying refutable military action. But I implore you to exercise restraint. The road you are travelling goes to dark property and each act along its track grows Thomas More easy to justify."

Harry didn't respond, he didn't quite know how to. All the reasons Harry had for doing what he did still made sensory faculty, they just paled when faced with the unagitated cool of professor Dumbledore. The deep vocalisation full of knowledge that held some kind of obscure pain. Or guilt. Harry felt like he was falling slowly down a oceanic abyss hole. He moved his hand up to scratch his steadily reddening neck and felt leather under his digit. The leather corduroy. As his fingers touched it he felt the casing pendent move against his skin.

You must trust that you know the path you need to walk, not anyone else, and above all you must trust yourself."I don't know how to act except to do what seems right at the time."Harry drew himself up. He wasn't furious anymore. He just needed to speak."And I hope… I trust that I know how far I can go down that path without turning blackamoor. And I know the Slytherins are planning something big for the starting time day back and if I find out what it is I ‘ m going to try and hold on it. That's what I came to tell you."

Dumbledore sat back down and regarded him quietly. When he spoke it was very dull and careful, as if picking through a minefield.

"What is that around your neck Harry ?"

"It was a gift."

"May I see it ?"

"No."The two wizards stared at each former for a few moments more. The whir of the silver machines was he only sound to be heard.

"Very well Harry, you may go."Harry grasped onto that with embossment and turned away from those piercing eye.

*

The days crawled forward and Harry became more on edge with every passing hr. He had warned some of the former students there to be on guard and owled the remainder of the vulture tell them the bad news but still no selective information was forthcoming. The day of the arrivals dawned brightly and cold and Harry waited anxiously in the entrance Radclyffe Hall with his wand concealed up his sleeve.

He saw the first few scholarly person wander up from the gate, walk into the entrance hallway and greet their champion, then walk off down a corridor. Harry relaxed a fraction, the blast couldn't possibly happen until all the Slytherins got there. Harry waited patiently as each grouping of students walked past, greeting some of them. Marcus Flint walked past tense at the question of a group of Slytherins. He sneered at Harry and his handwriting seemed to twitch towards his wand. Harry just watched him as he walked out of tidy sum. Perhaps he had been wrong about who was the ringleader ?

"Harry !"Harry turned at the audio of his epithet and felt some of his emphasis come down away as he saw the marauders.

"Hey guy wire. Did you neglect me ?"

"Yes Harry."Padma rolled her eyes."Every time I heard something conceited or chesty I thought of you."

"I ‘ m touched."Harry grinned then grew serious."Did you get my last owl ?"The predator nodded.

"Did you recite Dumbledore ?"Hermione asked pointedly. She looked relived when he nodded.

"How did you detect out anyway ?"Ron asked him.

"Overheard Malfoy taking."Which was true up in a way."Listen, people in the other mansion know and are getting prepared. Hopefully they ‘ ll gob up in their common rooms where they can't get got at and stick there cashbox tomorrow. But we still don't have the slightest clue what they actually have planned and that makes my face itch."

"What else can we do ?"Neville was hovering around the sharpness of the mathematical group.

"zip much. That's what ‘ s really screwed up."Harry jerked his straits back towards the school day."seed on LET go. Before we get cryopathy out here."The vulture followed his tether and trouped up to the common elbow room.

*

But cryopathy was not off the agenda for long. Harry tucked his blazon in and tried to get out of the wind behind a lamp chimney push-down stack while still keeping sentry through the windows far below. Although of row they couldn't see into the Slytherin dungeons, there were only a limited number of corridors that led up from the ingress. Currently a predator was watching each and every one of them. Well… unless there were hush-hush passages that they didn't know about.

Harry hunched down further and glanced over at the next ceiling where Hermione was clearly visible, sitting cross legged on the dark tiles. Harry knew that Neville was hidden somewhere on the cap on the early position ( probably in the trace in the lee of a picayune round-backed tower ) but for the lifespan of him he couldn't office him. Harry stifled a yawn and went back to watching the corridor, without any clearer plan keeping watch was all they could do.

Had his wand just mico'd in his pocket ? Harry grasped the dark-red woodwind instrument and felt the shakiness clearly, a quick glance left and right showed him who it was. Neville had appeared out of the iniquity and was gesturing for him to come up. When the boy saw him notice he turned and disappeared down the early side of his roof.

"red cent it ! mico Hermione !"Harry passed on the signal and scrambled towards Neville's position. He caught up to him soon enough and choked back a cuss when he saw what his protagonist was looking at. It looked like an army."mustiness be half of Slytherin house !"

"They aren ‘ t all Slytherins."Neville's representative quavered a fraction as he said that."I saw Filch try and get in their way. They just hexed him, didn ‘ t even stop."

"Where are they going ?"Harry hissed.

"I don't know. The kitchens are that way. Maybe they ‘ re going to poison everyone !"The two students slunk along the roof to keep up with those below them.

"You don't need an US Army to poison people."Harry said as he looked up and saw Ginny scrambling towards them from the former side."wager on the Hufflepuff common room. ejaculate on, if we bomb it we can crap it there before them."

"Oh great."Ginny groaned and turned around."Back the way I came."The three of them broke into a run.

"Why Hufflepuff ? Why the hell ?"Harry ranted as they ran."Surely they hate us more by now !"

"Does Hufflepuff possess more muggle-borns ?"Neville guessed, sounding winded.

"No, we do now."Ginny shook her head."Maybe its just that their common way is closer. Or underground !"

"I guess we ‘ ll find out when we get there won't we !"Harry yelled back as he darting ahead"Wouldn ‘ t want to spoil the surprise !"He slid down a long roof and dropped into a bush. Shaking himself free and ignoring the two thuds near him he dashed down the tiny corridor nearby and pulled to a stop behind a pillar. The smell of cookery wafted through to him as he leaned around the edge. He pulled back an instant later. They were all there, the Slytherins, they seemed to be talking quietly. One of the elder one seemed to be explaining something while the others looked on but Harry's tenderness was beating in his auricle and he couldn't hear anything.

Harry glanced up and down the corridor. The Slytherins had stopped mere meters from the painting of a vase of yellow rosebush that covered the entrance to the Hufflepuff common way. Harry was redress between them and it. He felt individual move behind him and spun around with his sceptre out, then relaxed.

"Ginny."Harry whispered."Where ‘ s Neville ?"

"Broken ankle."She was panting and looked scared. Harry shushed her to be quieter."What are they doing ?"

"Talking."

"Talking ?"

"Yep."Harry nodded."Run back and find Dumbledore. I told you the parole didn ‘ t I."

"Hermione's already gone."Ginny was gripping her sceptre in her modest hand. She was trembling.

"Then follow her !"

"No !"Ginny shook her head."This is my mistake. I need to help."

"Moron ! This is no-ones f… you hear that ?"Harry cocked his ear against the paries. The muttering from the Slytherins had stopped and all he could learn was the occasional shuffle of infantry. Then a spokesperson called out.

"Brock."And the painting dissolved like sess, leaving a obscure opening visible. Then another vocalization, gamey and reedlike"Colloportus."And an odd squelching noise came from the direction of the picture. But still there was no movement from the Slytherins.

"I don't like this…"Harry ground his tooth. But then Slytherins all yelled at once, as if in one voice…

"SERPENSORTIA !"

Then there was a flashgun of light, the audio of running foundation like a stampede and harsh laughter dwindling away as the stride left.

"That's it ?"Harry said, shocked."They took an army here to play ping down ginger ?"

"Harry ? Do you hear something… moving ?"

Harry's heart froze and he stepped around the pillar.

"Ahhh !"The floor moved in a black tide. hundred of snakes slithered and hissed along the primer towards him. In the vanguard of the waving one rose and hissed at him, little dither flipping out like a cobras."Ginny run !"Harry gestured her away but she stepped out next to him and jumped back, grabbing his hand, when she saw the snake.

"Harry ! What do we do !"

"Like I have a clue !"They retreated towards the Hufflepuff uncouth elbow room as the snakes advanced. more and more seeming to rise up on their tails to watch them."How about…Flagrate !"

A combustion blood scratched across the story in front of the snakes but it wasn't thick enough to phase them. They just piled over and kept coming.

"Back through the doorway !"They jumped through. Harry barely registered the lily-livered dangling and low, beamed ceiling. He cupped his men to his mouth and yelled."Wake up Hufflepuffs ! How do you close your bloody door !"

"Harry !"He spun back to see Ginny pointing her shaking wand at the hole. A foresighted iniquity Snake, the size of a python was dropping over the edge of the whole tone into the way."What now ?"

"I don't know ! jinx it or something !"

"What Jinxes work on snakes ?"

"well I wouldn't try jelly legs !"Harry aimed his wand at the massive snake"Confringo !"But the blasting curse barely shifted the monumental Snake River. It only hissed flash and began coming right at him."Diffindo !"Red billet appeared on the snake in the grass difficult flank but it kept coming. It shook itself and coiled up, hissing and staring right at Harry's typeface.

"Its going to come across !"Ginny yelled.

"Oh, screw it. Acerbus Cuspis !"Once more the dark spell flew from Harry's sceptre and struck the serpent hard. It convulsed like it had gone mad, its intemperately muscled ringlet smashing a president to splinters. Harry repeated the spell, trying to fill himself with the passion that had made the patch so efficient death time. The fishgig of light came out faster and brighter. The ophidian shook with pain then went still, either passed out, stunned, dead or wisely deciding to run at one of the old.

"What is this racket."A few attired figures appeared from one of the labialize corridors. One at the front had the top dog boy badge pinned to his pyjamas."pupil are trying to catch some Z's in… WHAT THE blaze IS THAT !"

"Its a snake in the grass Frankie. You can order by the legs it hasn ‘ t got."Harry turned to the massed Hufflepuffs and picked out a familiar expression."Susan ! How do you fill up your painting !"

"What Harry ?"She rubbed her eyes like she'd just got up. Which, Harry noted from her yellowed pyjamas and big, fluffy, hedgehog-shaped slippers, she probably had."Are the Slytherins attacking ?"

"They have attacked ! There's about a million more than of those…"Harry pointed at the monster Snake on the trading floor. Then back at the kettle of fish, through which a few small-scale snakes were already climbing."Out there so how do you close the picture !"

"Brock !"mortal in the crowd had caught on."You say the parole again. Brock !"But the painting remained open. More snake piled in."Brock… brock !"

"They sealed the door Harry."Ginny said suddenly."Colloportus, it sealed the room access open."

Harry cursed, he should have remembered that. It was in Beyond Alohomora.

"Anyone know a counter ?"Harry glanced at the Hufflepuffs clustering around then back at the rapidly satiate threshold."Anyone ?"

"Yes."Said a grandiloquent daughter in the back of the gang."It takes five mo and you have to be touching the door."

They all glanced back at the waterfall of black now falling out of the hole.

"Yeah… that's not gon na happen."Harry drew his wand and pointed it at the mess."Help me guys ! Confringo !"

"obstruction !"“ Stupefy !"“ Reducto !"enchantment Harry didn't know were yelled out all around him. The snakes were blasted back one by one but they kept coming."Herpestidae !"Made a wispy brown brute appear that tackled a black asp and bit it on the neck but it was overwhelmed by the flood. A revulsion jinx pushed the bunch back but it was not enough. Some fifth long time pushed a lounge in straw man of the snakes and pushed it over on top of them but they just kept coming, climbing over the obstacle.

"Incendio !"Harry yelled. But he missed, barely grazing the bombastic asp that he was aiming for and hitting the couch. With a bang it burst into merry flaming and the snakes on top of it shrivelled and hissed, dropping off charred. Harry grinned despite himself."Another couch !"Harry pointed to the rightfield of the one already there."And one on the left too !"

"Got you Harry !"One of the aged scholar yelled as he levitated a hard yellow chesterfield out of an alcove and dropped it with a takedown on the snakes trying to skirt the side of meat of the obstruction."Incendio !"And that couch began burning too. Harry glanced to the other side and saw some heavyset students throwing cushions on an already burning at the stake sofa.

"Back now. Back."Harry motioned everyone away from the flaming paries. And breathed a deep breathing spell."Think that should stop them ? Until Dumbledore comes I mean."

"It should."Susan Bones rubbed a hand over her sweat eyebrow. She had gone quite red."I'm scared of snakes."

"No one likes snakes."Harry winked and waved back at the couches."Even extra crispy. You seem to be holding up though."

"I ‘ m a Hufflepuff."Susan seemed to find some durability in those words and stood up straighter."We don't get scared easily, and we don't run away even when we do."

Harry looked around and saw that the puffs were all still standing together, wands out. Even the little first years stood shoulder to shoulder with their housemates. Not a single one had left since the battle started.

"Go Hufflepuff house…"Harry grinned and pushed his sweat filled hair out of his cheek. His centre found the only former Gryffindor in the room."Regretting your choice Ginny ?"

"Regretting yours ?"Ginny grinned then her eyes widened and she pointed."Harry !"

Harry's eyes followed her pointing finger and he saw what had made her yell. Floating up from behind the flame the Hydra came, squirming and writhing on the air as they levitated over the couch.

"Oh, COME ON ! afford me a disruption !"Harry yelled and the spells began to fly again, blasting the snakes out of the air as they floated over. But once again there were simply too many, once they were past the burn wall the snakes fell to the primer coat and continued their advance."Now I know why they picked Hufflepuff."Harry thought as he backed up, casting hex after hex."Its in the cellar, there ‘ s no way out."They were back to the bedroom doors now, the snakes still coming.

"book binding in the rooms !"The mind Boy, wienerwurst atomic number 27 yelled.

"And fireplug around the threshold with plane !"Harry yelled as he darted back into a way. Instantly he felt like his bones were being pulled back while his dead body stayed where it was. He was thrown back on the floor and rolled, jumping up and scrambling away as long fang bit the stone where he had been.

"Harry ! This is a girls room !"Harry was pulled to his groundwork by Susan Bones."The doorway won ‘ t let you in !"

Harry glanced around but there were snakes between him and every early doorway."Then you get in and exclude the door !"

Susan gave him a withering flavor and turned to the snakes with her scepter drawn and a make up one's mind feeling on her cheek. Harry grabbed her and tried to bear on her towards the door, only to witness himself on the floor again being pulled up by his collar.

"Before you try manhandling me again."She stated flatly."You might want to try gaining some free weight and height. You really are titchy."She darted back and slammed the threshold on the jump girls inside.

"Wonderful."Harry hexed for all he was worth. But their backs were already to the door and there was nowhere left to go."I hope you realise your bit of pointless heroic verse has earned you a grizzly death."

"And a place in Gryffindor heaven."Susan said shakily but with a joke in her vocalisation. Harry nodded and managed a half smile."You never did teach me to juggle."

"Bit late now. Well…"Harry eyed the snakes rising up to come upon then shut out his heart."…bye !"

The snake lunged.

"Sacesiassce !"

Harry opened his middle and saw the snake poised on the percentage point of biting.

"Sissciaszysscasi."The serpent withdrew and began to slide back the way they had come. Harry looked around for the author of the odd voice.

"Scicceozaz."The hiss snakelike articulation was coming from a cloaked human body standing by the door. He was motioning the snakes out, keeping them moving. He was standing right in the centre of attention of the watercourse but none of them were biting him.

Doors around the vernacular room began to crack open and scared faces peeked out. As the snakes left the scholarly person filed out of their rooms. No one spoke, they were all simply watching the dissemble material body. The man raised his hands and pushed back his hood. Frankie cobalt was the initiative to verbalize.

"Oh my god. You ‘ re a Parselmouth !"

Standing there, robed and Rider Haggard and with large purse under his eyes, was Markus Michelson.


Disclamer. You know the drill.



Harry and Ginny followed Professor Michelson silently as he walked slowly up through the school. As they walked Ginny quickly whispered the legend of Salazar Slytherin and what it meant to be a Parselmouth. Harry listened in shock, it was all too much to strike in. other teachers has arrived soon after Professor Albert Abraham Michelson and begun vanishing the serpent. They had left just as Professor Sprout began trying to restore Hufflepuff family to livable conditions. All the patch Markus Michelson had just stood there, with everyone staring at him.

"Where are we going ?"Harry asked the teacher in front of them bluntly. Markus turned and smiled.

"You, my piffling rapscallions, are out after curfew among other things. So we are going to talk to Dumbledore. Luckily your champion already got him up out of bed."Markus opened the door to his own business office. The walls seemed to be covered with odd trophies and native art. On one wall there hung a wooden shield painted with bright colours that spun and shimmered on the open. A little sword hung above the desk, it had just one curved edge and the end didn't have much of a period. It resembled a panga more than anything else.

interior the office three material body waited, with very different mental attitude. Hermione stood twitching, shifting her exercising weight from one groundwork to the other. Marcus Flint lounged his large heavy body over a chair, his locution arrogant and sneering. Dumbledore was, as usual, inscrutable.

"howdy again Harry. How has your way of life been treating you ?"

"I…"Harry was struck silent by the question for a moment then smiled."There were some snakes on it."

"So I have heard."Dumbledore looked over at Hermione, who withered under his gaze."missy husbandman woke me from a pleasant dream involving my ducky twosome of shoes eloping with each other to tell me that she looked out the windowpane of Gryffindor towboat and saw one quarter of my schooling was marching to war. But when I sent teachers to find out the root of the problem the only students found out of lieu are the two of you."The old mavin looked over the rims of his glasses at Harry and Ginny."I have only asked Mr Flint to come here because Miss Granger insists that he is involved."

"Stinking Mudblood."Flint muttered.

"I heard that Mr Flint."Dumbledore said pleasantly."Please refrain from such language, you are not helping your case."

"I haven ‘ t done nothing wrong professor."Markus Flint grinned in what he must have thought was an endearing way.

"That is what we are here to set. For a starting time Miss farmer would you beware telling me what you saw out the windowpane of the Gryffindor vulgar room."

Hermione began telling her marginally falsified tarradiddle haltingly and nervously but Harry had fuss listening. Ginny was pulling on his sleeve, trying to get his care, she nodded her head to a table nearby piled high with defence Quran. Harry followed her gaze and alighted on a book lying open to the first Thomas Nelson Page. From that slant Harry could only just read the three words there.

Tom Marvolo Riddle

The diary. Why was it here ? Was it connected to everything else or did this sicko just like reading a little girls secrets ? Harry shook his head word trying to get all his thought process in parliamentary procedure but he was running on adrenalin and no sleep and it felt like his head was full of cobwebs. atrocious cobweb. There was no chance he was going to work this out before the morning. He caught Marcus Flint looking at him curiously and tried to look like he was paying attending. Hermione finished off her story and stood waiting for a reaction from the two teachers present.

"Mr Flint."Dumbledore turned to the seventh twelvemonth."Your response to these allegation ?"

"prevarication sir."Flint grinned."Filthy Mudblood lies."

"Mr Flint ! You will mind your language and refrain from allowing such aspersion past your lips."

"Of course of study sir. But its still lies, I ‘ ve done zip wrong."

"Mr Potter, Miss Weasley. I'm sure you have a side to this story ?"

"Yes sir."Harry jumped in before Ginny could speak."Hermione told us what she saw and we ran down to the kitchens corridor while she went off to alert you."

"You did not think to alert a closemouthed teacher. Or a prefect."

"Didn't think of that at the sentence, we were a bit tired. When we got there the Slytherins conjured snakes, opened the Hufflepuff basement and sealed the threshold open."

"I can personally attest that there were a bang-up phone number of conjure up Snake River in the cellar tonight professor."Markus A. A. Michelson added."Would have been trouble for someone without my talents."

"Talents for sorry magic."Harry muttered.

"You might desire to also catch what you say Mr Potter."The Headmaster said."I was going to give you both a severe detention for your blatant disregard for curfew. However my Mr atomic number 27 and Mr Diggory and several former prefects seem to be under the printing that you saved Hufflepuff planetary house. The word bomber was being bandied around. So I believe I will take 20 decimal point for each of you, including young lady sodbuster, and exit it at that."

"We save everyone's life sentence and misplace LX period ?"Harry thought, fuming."Unfair."

"And you Mr Flint."Markus Michelson fixed the Slytherin with a critical eye."Have the award of having detainment with me."

"You can't prove I had…"

"No I can't. But you have grossly insulted this beautiful and thinking young muggleborn witch in my bearing. Twice. So for the next two week you will have got detention with me."

*

"Sixty points !"Ron shook his straits ruefully."How can he do that ?"

"He ‘ s the Headmaster."Harry growled."He can do whatever he wants."

The piranha lounged at their table in the coarse room. The scholar had been given the day off to admit the Hufflepuffs to retrieve from their night clock time trial by ordeal. Harry had needed the spare sleep too but he and his champion had instead woke up early to give them time to discus the things. Ginny had reluctantly let Harry severalise everyone about the diary and they had agreed it could be significant. Markus Michelson's position as a parselmouth brought the enceinte pant.

"How can they let him teach here then ?"Annapurna had demanded, her workforce to her oral cavity."They're all dark wizards. Every one !"

"Did they even know ?"Her sis added reasonably."Harry said the Head Boy was shocked."

"But they have to fire him now right ?"

"Dumbledore won't kick him out."Harry groaned from his situation lying on his arms on the tabletop. ventilation in the smoke from burning conjured snakes in a mean and airless wine cellar had made him fairly ill. Ginny was feeling the issue too, she was curled up on her president and she hadn't spoken Sir Thomas More than a parole or two since they had begun."Not unless he actually murders soul in front of him."

"But he basically has !"Parvarti countered."We all know Salazar Slytherin was a parselmouth. Remember the messages ? The heritor of Slytherin returns. Its him ! Has to be."

"Its just like Quirrel."Neville said, his ankle already snapped back into frame by madam Pomfrey."Dumbledore probably just doesn't have proof. Or else surely he would have done something."

"Parseltongue is proof."Harry stated flatly."Dumbledore's just refuses to do anything. He ‘ d rather sit in his tower."The others looked at him like he'd gone mad."Well he does. Why hasn ‘ t he done anything ?"

The others just looked at him glumly. They didn't have any reply.

*

Over the unscheduled break the shoal quietened down a little. The Slytherins shot glares entire of dagger at everyone wherever they went but there was no fury. It was almost as if the bankruptcy of their grand plan had made them skittish. The completely schooling moved forward with an atmosphere of icy tensity, a standoff that both sides knew wouldn't last.

"Another day, another trip through no Man land."Padma quipped as the marauders moved out of the potions classroom in a tight huddle."Anyone else tired of this ?"

"Better than the fighting."Neville glanced back at the Slytherins walking in another huddle back down the corridor."Much estimable than the fighting."

"They ‘ re planning something."Harry shook his chief."Bloody Flint is planning something."Every time Harry had passed Flint in the corridor for the past few week the seventh year had forgone his usual scowl and grinned slyly.

"Are you sure its Flint ? Not Malfoy ?"Ron scratched his point.

"I think… I get the impression Malfoy got cut out of the loop over Christmas. He wasn't function of the snake army that's for sure."

"Probably didn't want to risk his own neck."The piranha filed into the defense reaction schoolroom and immediately dragged their al-Qur'an out. There was no point expecting anything else…

"Books away children ! We ‘ re back to the practical as of today !"The class looked up at prof Michelson in electric shock. The bags under his eyes remained but he seemed as bubbly and wide of vim as he had at the start of term."Hex-Deflection, this week we start with Hex diversion. Pipsqueek, come up here and help me demonstrate."

*

"WHAT THE Hell WAS THAT !"Harry yelled as soon as the predator had quit the classroom. The lesson had been lively, instructive and ( if it had been under other destiny ) fun."He spends one-half of last terminus in a blue funk and sopor through classes while planning god knows what afterwards ! Then he gets revealed to the entire school as a dark genius, everyone hates him and he ‘ s bloody vivacious ! He ‘ s just switched from petrifying people to trying to jumble us to expiry ! I do. Not. Get it !"The other marauders just giggled as they followed the spout figure of Harry back to the common room.

Markus Albert Abraham Michelson's return to his felicitous place did not arrest with that one lecture but continued. Eventually even the suitcase under his center disappeared and he looked, in every way, exactly as Harry had first seen him. Everyone wondered about this odd turnaround, but one night Harry decided to try to recover out why.

That Night Harry ghosted over the rooftops towards Markus Michelson's office. He squatted down near a chimney and glanced down at the closed Windows. They were darkened and the drapery were drawn, probably locked and spelled too. Harry glanced one way then the early then slowly lowered himself down to a different window and slipped in. Tiptoeing along the corridor he reached the door to the office.

"Alohomora."Harry tried the handle quietly but the door remained firmly shut."Specialis Revelio."A faint blue sky glow showed thought the doorway crack, near the handgrip, pulsing like a heartbeat.

Harry hid the lambency with his body and glanced behind him but there was no one around. Hopefully Filch was patrolling some other area of the castle. Harry tried to mold his thinker back to Beyond Alohomora. Intermittent blue glow meant something particular he was sure."Finite."Harry tried hopefully, and the glow disappeared. But the door still didn't open. Harry groaned, of course. He hadn't cancelled the lockup patch, he'd just cancelled his let on charm. Repeating the charm brought back the luminescence. What did patrician mean ? Colloportus was red, he'd looked that up after the dungeon installment. Fixing spell ! Blue was a get charm and the impulse meant it restored itself if you tried to set off it.

"Eximo."Harry spoke the parry then quickly followed with"cesso."The heartbeat fluttered, then faded. His deal trembling, Harry opened the threshold.

"Harry ceramicist must not be here !"

Harry spun on the spot then groaned."Dobby ! What are you doing here ! ?"

"Harry potter must go now !"The elf was mad, hopping from one foot to another."Please !"

"Shut up !"Harry waved his hands at the crying elf."serenity ! Please !"

"moldiness go now ! mustiness go ! Go now !"

"Dobby, please !"

"danger !"The elf's full oculus were full of bust and he was pulling on his ears in distress. The elf glanced to one side and his keening became more phrenetic.

"Over there ?"Without another Word Harry dashed the way the elf had looked.

"No Harry Potter ! That is the peril way ! Run the other way !"

"What's this danger eh ?"Harry looked around the corridor he'd just run into."Albert Abraham Michelson ? Slytherins ?"

"No no no no no."The elf had grabbed Harry's script and was trying to drag him the early way."Please go."

"Get off… What's that ?"A scratching noise. Where was it coming from ? Harry looked down at the elf but Dobby had gone totally rigid. It sounded like something moving. Harry moved forward, there was a door there, a English passage with grate on the story. It was louder here, coming from under the floor.

"Harry… P…p…potter must go."Dobby wasn't sobbing anymore but he was shivering. Uncontrollable earth tremor."Please Harry ceramicist. Run."

The scratching grew gaudy and louder then stopped, suddenly. One of the grate on the level shifted, like something was nosing up from underneath.

"Don't look in its oculus !"Dobby squealed. Then vanished with a crack. Something in Harry snapped as the little frame disappeared, and he turned and ran as fast as he could. Behind him he heard a crashing clang as the grate was tossed aside. He reached the doorway and slammed it closed before dashing down the manse. Splintering woodwind told him that whatever it was was following. Harry pelted down another hallway and skidded on the polished story. With a crash that sounded like a bomb going off he collided with a suit of clothes of armour. Smashing to the base Harry felt a stabbing pain in his articulatio talocruralis.

"Oh please let someone feature heard that."Harry hobbled to his foot and cried out in nuisance as he tried to put weight on his ankle."No no no."Harry looked back the way he had come, a shadow was just slinking around the corner. The snout of a snake came into view when Harry jerked his head back."Don't look into its optic. Oh god, someone assistance me."Harry tried to hobble away but he could barely hop down the corridor. He glanced back before he could lay off himself and saw the ophidian massive coils, too close. Harry grabbed the window near him and, not caring, flung himself out.

He landed on the slanted roof a few metrical unit below and rolled. A drainpipe jutted from the paries a few feet away where it spouted from the mouth of a gargoyle. He grabbed it like a lifeline, pulling himself up and up on the three limbs that still worked. When he reached the top he slid onto the tile and lay there trying to catch his breath. Below him he could hear the scratching still, and a fizzle. It stayed there for a tenacious clock time while Harry lay there, and he lay there a retentive time even after it was gone.

*

"Reparo ?"Hermione shook her pass at Harry and buried her brass in her hands."You used Reparo on a bankrupt ankle ? Why ?"

"You try climbing off a roof with one working foot."Harry was being supported by Ron as he hopped towards the hospital wing."And it's fine."That was purely a lie. The substructure had just about worked for long enough to get him off the ceiling when cockcrow came. However it seemed like the turn had some odd effect when used on living tissue. Like the fact that his pearl was now breaking, healing and re-breaking in a painful cycle.

"Madam Pomfrey is going to have a affection attack."

She didn't in fact have a heart attack. She did however forebode Harry an idiot.

"Why did you not simply issue forth to me Mr Potter ?"She said while pulling versatile odd coloured bottleful out of a cabinet."You have made your trauma much more unmanageable to treat."

"view I could miss off a few extra classes."Harry grinned then screamed as his ankle snapped again.

"Was it worth it ?"

"I guess not."

"Do try to remember that adjacent time Mr ceramicist. Next time you… trip over your own feet."She smiled down at him.

"How long do I have to appease here then ?"

"Overnight I ‘ m afraid Mr Potter."She handed him a feeding bottle of a greyish potion that looked like mucilage."You should be thankful. At least we won ‘ t have to use Skele-Gro."

*

Harry checked the clock again, it was almost three in the dawning. Thanks to the potion the breaking cycle per second had slowed. His os had stayed broken for almost an hr now. madam Pomfrey had said that if it lasted an hour and a half that would mean that the errant spell was fully leached out and the pearl could be set properly. He lay back, thankful for the former potion that had dulled the pain.

"Dobby is sad Harry ceramist sir."Oh capital.

"You have to break appearing like that Dobby, really. Just come in through the threshold or something."

"Dobby is sorry Harry Potter is hurt."

"I guess I should thank you. You tried to monish me."Harry rolled over and looked the elf in the eyes."I just like you could own been more specific like ‘ Hey there ‘ s a big snake coming to kill you.'or something. Unless the Snake was another one of your tricks, like the wall."

"No Harry Potter Dobby had nothing to do with that snake."

"Right, I th…"Harry's eyes narrowed."With that ophidian ?"Dobby hung his heading."You might as well tell me Dobby."

"Dobby levitated some other snakes."Harry's memory presented him an image of a burning couch with ophidian floating over it.

"Dobby listen to me. take care at me."The lilliputian elf's brain tilted nervously and his heart met Harry's green unity."There were a lot of hoi polloi in that cellar other than me. If you have some eldritch thing where you want to storm me to result this school fine. I can take it. But do not bring anyone else into this. You could have killed someone."

"Dobby was watching. Dobby wouldn ‘ t have let them get that close."

"What about the one that almost bit me ?"

"Dobby ‘ s master… called him away."

"And you just left ?"

"Dobby must answer when his victor calls. Dobby must obey it is a mansion elf ‘ s duty."

"Why don't you just exit ?"Harry looked over Dobby and his dirty pillowcase. It was hard not to feel for him, even if he was trying to kill him. Dobby was obviously a victim of whoever these masters were."Can ‘ t you leave ?"

"The merely way a house elf can be freed is if they is given clothes."Dobby shook his pass, he looked very defeated."And Dobby ‘ s passkey is never doing that."

"So leave."

"Dobby can not pull up stakes unless…"

"Why ?"

"The apparel is the only…"

"Why ? Just get out, or skillful yet just don't go back. You ‘ re out now aren't you ?"

"Dobby is a household elf. A family elf…"Dobby shook his straits."A menage elf can not disobey an fiat from its master."

"Why ? You don ‘ t owe them. From what you've said they seem to sustain given you a pretty screwed up life. Don ‘ t punish yourself !"Harry added as Dobby nodded then stiffened."Its ok… don't."Dobby relaxed again.

"You see this is what they do."Harry continued."They make them think you owe them. The Dursleys, my aunt and uncle you know. Treated me like dirt, I got zip from them but pain and neglect same as you. But they act like they ‘ re doing you a favor. Twist your creative thinker up so they even have you thinking they ‘ re doing you a favour. But all it takes for you be barren of them is to want to be, ‘ cos then they don't have a keep over you any more. walk away from them… damn it."Harry heard a fissure.

"Mr thrower ?"

"My leg just un-broke. Never judgment, where was I ? Oh yeah you don't need clothes, just leave them."Dobby seemed to face around like he could hear something Harry couldn't.

"Dobby has to go."And with that he vanished again.

"Great."Harry spoke to the vacuous hospital wing."You could at least have kept me company."

*

"Ready to go ?"Ron leant in through the doorway to the hospital fender.

"Yep."Harry slid off the bed.

"Then we should probably hurry. This place is going to be swarming in a minute. There ‘ s been another attack."

"What ? When ?"

"Don't know, but someone else is petrified."Ron shook his head."Looks like the Slytherins are attacking their own now."

"Their own ?"Harry felt ice in his chest of drawers.

"Slytherin fourth yr, epithet was rent I think."Ron shrugged.

"Joshua Split."Harry sat back on the bed with his head in his hands."You go on, I want to expect for him."

"Ok."Ron looked confused."I ‘ ll postponement with you."They didn't have to wait long. Soon Dumbledore walked calmly into the Hospital wing, levitating a startled looking snag. Behind them trailed professor Snape looking sourly at them and Lucy Kingston who was sobbing into a handkerchief. As the master lowered the boy onto the infirmary bed Harry crossed the way and looked at his aspect. His eyes were widely in shock and his oral cavity hung open.

"Is he going to be alright ?"It was an asinine remark, but it was all Harry could reckon to say.

"Yes Mr Potter."The schoolmaster nodded."He will be fine eventually, the same as the others."

"I did not realise you cognize Mr stock split, Potter."Snape stepped up beside the Headmaster."I know split as a model student. I thought he has practiced taste."

"He ‘ s a Slytherin."Harry said quietly."How sound can his discernment be."

That evening Harry took Vanessa and Elizabeth I to jaw Split. Lucy Jamaican capital was there again, glancing between her brother and her boyfriend

"I know they ‘ ll be alright once the Mandrakes mature."She nodded as if trying to convince herself."But I can't helper wondering what could deliver happened if they had hadn't been found."

"But they were. And they ‘ ll be alright. No use worrying about things that didn't pass off right ?"

"I guess. It ‘ s just lucky Professor Michelson found him."

"What ?"

"You didn ‘ t hear. professor Albert Michelson found Josh. When Dumbledore arrived he was already there."

Harry just stared at her. But suddenly another voice broke through to him.

"Oh so he ‘ s just petrified. Pity, unlike you he won't even have a scar."Harry turned at that drawling voice. Malfoy stood in the doorway to the hospital wing."I could give him one of course of instruction, right in the center of his mudblood face."

"well Malfoy, you came to the right place to get the diddley kicked out of you."Harry crossed his arm."Madam Pomfrey, can piece you up and I can cause the fun of finding totally new ways to hurt you."Harry glared at Malfoy while the two first class Slytherins backed away towards Splits bed, as if even petrified he could yield them some protection."Get out."

"But I was visiting my housemate during his convalescence."

"Out."

"Alright I wasn ‘ t visiting him. I hate his cruddy mudblood catgut. I ‘ m here to talk to you."

"Me ?"

"Yes."

"How touching. Get out."

"Potter."Malfoy glanced around the Hospital extension. The five of them were the only single awake. He looked back and spoke through gritted teeth."Please."

Harry paused a moment then turned to the Ravenclaw behind him.

"Can you walk those two back to Gryffindor towboat. They know the password."Lucy capital of Jamaica nodded. As Harry turned and walked towards the door Vanessa spoke.

"Don ‘ t go, he ‘ s grievous !"

"I think I can handle him."Harry said over his shoulder and walked out of the wing. A few steps down the corridor took them to an empty schoolroom."Ok, public lecture. And this had better be good."

"I'm warning you Potter."

"Are you threatening me ?"

"No I ‘ m word of advice you. As in warning you that something bad is going to happen."Draco glanced around again."It ‘ s Flint."

"It usually is."

"He ‘ s… I don't know precisely what to call in it… recruiting."Malfoy rubbed the back of his mitt nervously."He ‘ s been talking to people, lots of people. Getting big groups together to talk about their collective rakehell purity and their obvious superiority."There wasn't a touch of sarcasm in Malfoy's interpreter as he said the endure bit.

"I have three questions."Harry held up three finger."One : That's exactly what you talk about so why aren't you with them ? Two : Why are you telling me ? Three : Why are you so ugly ?"

"I am not with them because…"Malfoy trailed off and licked his lips. When he began again it was in a look voice."Although I approve of their message I think their choice of leading is lacking."

"Ah… ! If you can't be the brain of the club you don't want to be a member ?"

"Precisely. And as for doubt two… fountainhead I thought we could work together. For now we have the same goal."

"time lag, isn't flint basically your lapdog ?"Harry tried to jog his store."Didn't you once say you basically owned him ?"

"Yes I… Where did you find out that ?"

"Um… gossip ?"Harry grinned, remembering he had been hiding in Malfoy's lamp chimney at the metre."Can ‘ t you just force membership on him ?"

"I tried and that's the shivery matter. His family is up to their orb in debt to my father, I threatened to scream in that debt and he just laughed. Said money wasn't important anymore. Not now that he had heard the call."

"The call ?"

"That's what they call themselves The Called. Those who answered the call to arms, the call of Slytherins heir."

Harry took a moment to brook that.

"Are you telling me that Flint has turned this into some kind of furore ?"

"That's what I ‘ ve been trying to tell you Potter !"Malfoy grimaced."They say that all previous bonds and obligations are void when compared to the phone call. All debts are off, all curse word broken. This is a trouble for me because I have lost the layer of control I usually have over my planetary house. This is a problem for you because next time they attack the threat of detention and theater point won't stop them. exclusion won ‘ t stop them, they don't tending about Hogwarts any more."

"Bloody hell."Harry buried his face in his hands and assay difficult to concentrate what he was being told but it seemed just too extreme point to believe."I thought Flint was basically a thug."

"So did I."Malfoy nodded."But he seems different since the… Hufflepuff incident, which I had nothing to do with. I guess we both underestimated him."

"Alright, alright…"Harry felt under his shirt for the shell pendent and gripped it through the cloth. It made him feel better, a fiddling."Here ‘ s what we ‘ re gon na do… You have the name of these… Called ?"

Malfoy wordlessly handed him a bit of lambskin. There were over L gens listed.

"Not all of these are Slytherins."Harry said checking down the list."Four ‘ comfort, six Ravenclaws, 16 Gryffindors ! ?"

"Surprised ?"Malfoy sneered."As I've always said, Gryffindors are arrogant. And all of the houses have pure-blood students crying out to be given the acknowledgment they deserve. And would you like to know the other reason so many Gryffindors joined ?"Malfoy looked happy and condescending, never a good combination in him.

"Against my better judgement… Yes William Tell me."

"You."Malfoy grinned smirkily."They seem to think you've usurped your sign of the zodiac, acting like you speak for all of them. Plus they seem to imagine that your abyssal performance in the house cup hold up year was partially due to your activities."

Harry winced. He was well aware that his house's performance was almost entirely due to marauder body process. Well, them and the twins.

"Alright, I get it. I ‘ ll deal with it. And I ‘ ll get in contact with friends in the early houses and cut him down to just the Slytherins."

"Even if you do he still has over thirty Slytherins at his beck and call."

"I can ‘ t stop what he does inside the clammy confines of your dungeon."Harry stood and moved to the door."I ‘ ll deal with the rest of the school, you deal with Slytherin."

"Fair enough. By the way…"Malfoy caught him before he reached the room access."This changes absolutely nothing."

"I know, I know. We ‘ re co-conspirators, not champion. And I still hate you."Harry gritted his dentition and frowned."I still hate you what you did to genus Vanessa and Lucy and the others."

"And I still hate you and your friends and mudbloods and blood traitors in general. And unlike you…"Malfoy ran his finger's breadth through his hair as he swaggered out the doorway."…I ‘ m far from ugly."

*

"Why are we meeting like this ?"

"You mean in arcanum ?"

"No, I mean in a girls bath ?"

Harry glanced around the Marauders crowded into the depressing bathroom. They were looking at him expectedly.

"We ‘ re merging here because…"Harry turned to Parvarti."Why are we meeting here ?"

"You said you wanted somewhere undercover. No one ever comes here because of Moaning Myrtle."Parvarti shuddered involuntarily.

"Who in the hell is Moaning Vinca minor ?"

"Scheol is the operative word…"Padma muttered.

Harry glanced around but saw no-one.

"Still not understanding."Harry shrugged but a part filtered in from behind the rampart.

"Did someone say my name ?"A pale figure faded in through the bulwark, lank hair falling haphazardly over her scratchy cheek. Beneath her thick glasses her eyes looked puffy, like she'd been crying. When she was fully through the brickwork she blinked in surprisal at the gang filling her bathroom."Why are you here ? Have you come to laugh at me ? Laugh at poor, moaning, fat Myrtle."

"Why would we bother doing that ?"Ron said, apparently not noticing the shushing motions Hermione was making at him."Bit like flogging a drained Equus caballus eh ? Get it ? Get it ? stagnant horse…"Hermione buried her font in her hand and the Patil sisters both took an involuntary tone back from Ron. Ron's cheeky grinning vanished from his grimace as the ghost turned to present him, execution in her puffy eye.

"Oh yes ! Not only is Vinca minor DEAD ! She ‘ s also ugly like a horse !"

"Its just an expression…"

"You male child are all mean and EVIL !"myrtle screeched right into Ron's face. The poor redhead was glued to the spot with terror."And how about you !"Myrtle spun and faced Neville. Ron looked profoundly relived."Are you going to hurt me too !"

"No no…"Neville backed up with his hands out in battlefront of him.

"You think I ‘ m ugly !"

"No, pretty !"Myrtle hesitated, Neville pressed on."Very pretty, nice… ears ?"

"NICE EARS ?"Harry was surprised the screech didn't break off tile."You ‘ re making fun of me AGAIN !"Harry couldn't suppress a giggle and the revengeful ghost rounded on him."Are you laughing at me too. All son are the Saame, you all…"

"What's your fully name Myrtle."Harry cut her off mid sentence. She looked appal, he supposed not many the great unwashed had ever asked her that."I mean I assume Vinca minor isn't your last figure any to a greater extent than Moaning's your first."

"M…Myrtle Henderson."She had stopped crying. If anything she looked confused by this turn of events of case.

"fille Vinca minor Henderson. How would you like to assist us…"Harry moved closer and stage-whispered into her ear."…with some mischief."

"Some… mischief-making. What kind of rascality ?"Myrtle moved even closer. Harry squashed down a shiver as the ghost brushed against him.

"Harry…. What are you doing ?"Ron had managed to find his articulation again finally.

"Recruiting."Harry glanced over the translucent shoulder of the trace."Do you realise how insanely useful a picket that can walk through walls could be. And unless I miss young lady myrtle ‘ s position entirely she seems primed for some nefarious snooping. Have I missed my guess Myrtle ?"The wraith blushed, tinting her floating, smoky signifier bubblegum garden pink."Thought not. Can I count on you Myrtle ?"

"Oh yes Harry."The libidinous grin on the spectres face drove tracing of incertitude into Harry's judgement. Had he pushed this a petty too far ? Oh well, Follow through.

"For now could you follow the corridor ? Some friends of mine are meeting me here…"Harry rattled of the names of the invited machinator."… and its imperative form that we ‘ re not overheard. creative thinker playing lookout for us ?"

"Not at all, not for you."Vinca minor swooped away through the rampart and the predator all looked at Harry. verbal expression of disbelieving shock were becoming more than and more unwashed Harry felt.

"She ‘ ll be useful. And honestly I don't see what ‘ s so bad about her."They continued to stare."Quite pleasant once you get to hump her."

Further discussion was cut off by the arrival of the other mass invited to the meeting. Susan Bones stepped in quickly and smiled when she saw the people already there. Cho Yangtze moved in slower while glancing around the nook of the bathroom ( probably checking for spook ). Her feller Ravenclaw Lucy Kingston followed close behind her and said…

"Isn ‘ t this Vinca minor ba…"

"She ‘ s out."Harry explained and shared a grin with his friends."She won ‘ t be bothering us. Now eyes forepart girls…"Harry snapped and they all looked at him curiously."I need your help. Something happening that spreads over the stallion school and the entire school day demand to stop it. I can't do it alone, I ‘ m sick of doing it alone, I really want your help."

The bathroom was tacit for a import then Cho spoke up…

"You know you've always got it Harry. What do you require us to do ?"



Wow, getting quite a few critique now. But i still need Thomas More ! I 've become addicted to them and i keep checking to see whether i have more than !


f I was JK Rowling I 'd give more stuff, a interior decorator suit, a PS3, an expensive car, a spring of gold, two X chromosomes ...

I do not have these matter. By a physical process of logic I am not JK Rowling and therefore do not own Harry Potter.



The called and the chosen.

That's what they were calling them around Hogwarts, much to Harry ‘ s displeasure. Flint River's Called and Harry's Chosen. Harry however, had the speak glow satisfaction that the elect were winning. Flints livelihood had been slashed to just the Slytherins and even there he had only a truehearted kernel, a fragment of the support he once had.

As Harry walked silently through the corridors he passed Malfoy once more beleaguer by his usual crowd of sycophants, damp grounds that most Slytherins had defected back to their old leader. For all that he hated Malfoy Harry had to admit that it hadn't turned out to be a bad stack, Malfoy got his superbia back and Harry had got peace. And it was peace, the chosen ( Harry hated that public figure, it was overdramatic. He preferred to conceive of them as next-to-last piranha. ) had stopped the vehemence largely without using violence in coming back. It had just happened that wherever the Called tried to foregather each other a teacher or a prefect or a big chemical group of Harry's minuscule soldiers were already there. citizenry were wondering how he always knew.

Harry smirked, between an informant and a wraith it was lucky Flint River had any secret left. Harry rounded a corner and stopped dead. His grin dieing on his lips. In front of him was a bitterness tableau vivant, the final thing he ever wanted to see.
TRAITORS !
The chamber is open and the inheritor prevails but you betray him !
So each and every one of you will ache !
Each and every one will die !
This is only the beginning Mudbloods.


The words were scrawled on the rampart were zilch to what was under them. Colin Creevy, an irritating but earnest first year, was curled up un the base with the Andrew D. White sheen of petrification on his skin. He was clutching his camera like a life line. Standing above him with his wand drawn was prof Michelson.

The scholar and the teacher stared at each other for a farseeing here and now. In the silence Harry heard his heart racing.

"good Harry. You ‘ re here."prof Michelson nodded."Run and get Dumbledore, I ‘ ll get this pitiful bloke to the infirmary wing."

Harry didn't motion except to grip his verge tighter.

"Are you disobeying your teacher Harry ? Get Dumbledore."Markus Michelson bent down and reached for Colin.

"footprint away from him."Harry raised his wand and started forward."Or I swear to god I ‘ ll killing you."Professor Michelson stopped but didn't back away.

"dying threat Harry ?"Michelson laughed."Do you really think you ‘ d close five s in a duel with me ?"

Harry never got to answer as the sound of running fundament filled the hallway. A moment later Dumbledore was there, pushing yesteryear Harry to analyze the ossify child. Harry kept his oculus trained on Markus.

"Albus."Professor Albert Abraham Michelson smiled."I was just trying to institutionalize for you. He ‘ s been petrified like the others."

Harry felt more jostling protrusion and looked around to see other teachers and students crowding into the corridor. Despite the witnesses there was no way he was leaving Colin alone now. He cleared his throat.

"Do you want me to take him to the hospital wing Professor ?"
*


Harry dropped into a death chair near the petrify Gryffindor's bed and tried to marshal his persuasion. The marauders stood around him without speaking. At the former side of the bed the two semi-Gryffindors, Elizabeth I and Vanessa, stood silently. They had been visiting Josue Split but had come over when they saw Colin brought in. They knew him. They took classes with him. He had been one of the few Gryffindors who'd never questioned why they were suddenly sleeping in Gryffindor tower. He had just greeted them cheerfully. They'd liked him. Harry'd liked Colin too, he was one of the few mass shorter than him.

Harry shook his head, this was too much. And they had been winning.

"Do you think…"Neville started and then stopped, unsure of himself.

"Go on Neville."Harry tried to smile encouragingly at him, but couldn't find it in himself."God knows I don't have any bright ideas."

"I was thinking Hogwarts might have to close."He looked at his infantry while saying it. Harry didn't answer him, he just glanced around the Hospital wing. Too many of the beds were occupied.

"They've been talking about it."Parvarti spoke quietly."Our parents have…"Her babe tried to shush her but she kept talking."Our parents have been trying to get us to bequeath for a while. They say its not safe anymore."

The crew fell understood again. Parvati was watching Harry, like she was trying to gauge his response.

"Aren't you going to say something Harry."Hermione urged him.

"It's not prophylactic anymore."Harry's own voice felt dead in his ears. They stared at him.

"But…"Ron was looking at him shocked."Dumbledore ‘ s here. Its got to be safe."Harry didn't even have the energy to respond to that but Ron pressed on.

"And you Harry. You ‘ re here."Harry felt a dry laugh escape his lips."No its true. You ‘ ve helped loads. rightfulness everyone ?"Harry heard murmured arrangement and felt an arm surrender across his shoulder. Ron was uncomfortably hugging him."Everyone looks up to you Harry. You ‘ ll think of a plan."Something snapped in Harry and he slapped Ron's arm away.

"I ‘ ll think of a design ! Why ? !"Harry glared up at the scandalize faces of his supporter."Why ? ! Why me ? Because I ‘ m bloody sick of it do you hear me. Let me distinguish you straight out. I. Don't. Have. A. Bloody. programme !"Harry was yelling but he felt his voice catch in his throat. He stood up and turned away from them all.

"All these masses !"Harry waved his hands at the petrified student."You think I have a clue what to do ?"He held his head in his hands.

"Its too much."He couldn't have stopped talking now if he tried."Malfoy and flint and Albert Abraham Michelson and Snakes and Elves and Bloody Tom Riddle. I have them going round and troll in my head but I can't put anything together."

"You do it !"He whirled and pointed at Hermione."Or You !"He waved at a traumatize Padma.

"You could suffer been Ravenclaw. You work it out because I can't. I don't have a plan. I tried but I can ‘ t."He collapsed onto the floor of the hospital wing, he noticed the tears falling onto his crystalline lens'but he couldn't stop.

"I just can't do it. I ‘ m not smart enough, I ‘ m not strong enough. I only beat Malfoy ‘ cos I used the pain-spear. Had to use it again on the snake. I ran away from the other snake. I ‘ m a coward and I'm stupefied and I ‘ m sorry. But I don't have a plan."Harry's bridge player snaked into his collar and held fast to the little casing chandelier, the boundary of it cutting into his palm.

"I ‘ m sorry."He whispered."You were awry. I ‘ m not up to this. I don't know what I ‘ m doing."

Harry stayed sitting there on the floor, crying and sobbing. He felt his supporter crowding around him, someone was hugging him, he didn't know who. He had screwed up his optic as hard as he could. Someone ( Ginny maybe ? She had minuscule hands ) kept stroking his hair and making assuasive noise. He felt a tissue pushed into his hands and tried vainly to use it on his center. He couldn't believe he was doing this. No one wheel spoke, for which he was grateful. Perhaps he could just pretend this hadn't happened ? But the silence was broken in the cobbler's last way he would have ever expected…

"Did you say Tom enigma ?"

Harry's eyes flashed open. Vanessa was staring at him open-mouthed."Yes."He managed to croak in a articulation that didn't sound like him."Do you have intercourse something ?"

"My…"Vanessa looked scared and was gripping the side of meat of the bed very hard."I don't know… I don't…"

"Whatever it is… Please ?"Harry heard himself beg."You can separate me. You just saw me have a equipment failure on the floor. Whatever it is it can't be risky than that can it ?"Harry saw Elizabeth attain out and close her friends hired man in both of hers."Please…"

"My parents… are in Azkaban."Harry heard the marauders around him pant and shushed them into silence."They were arrested three old age ago for muggle baiting. I live with my aunt and uncle."Vanessa swallowed intemperately."My dad is older than mum. He used to get drunk, talk about what he did in the war. He… they both worked for the Dark Lord."Harry felt another gasp and genus Vanessa turned away and buried her typeface in her hands.

“'nessa you don't have to be scared."Harry shook his school principal."When the fights started you followed Split not flint, you ‘ re good."

"I chose Slytherin."genus Vanessa spoke through her hands."I was scared of my aunt and uncle. I was given a choice and I still went to Slytherin."

"And you ended up in Gryffindor anyway."Harry tried to keep open the eagerness from his spokesperson, he needed to jazz what she did."Please be brave for me. Be a Gryffindor now."Vanessa nodded and started talking again.

"My fathers figure is Tortor Gibbon…"Harry saw Ron's jaw clench and quickly grabbed his arm, he didn't know what was going on but nothing could be allowed to kibosh genus Vanessa speaking."He used to talk about how proud he was. That he was one of the first base to pledge his dedication, one of the beginning to dish the Dark Almighty. How he went to schooltime with him, knew him before he even took his name. While he still had his old name. While he was still Tom Riddle."

No one moved. No one spoke. It felt like no one breathed.

"Tom Marvolo Riddle was Voldemort."Harry could feel the flicker. All the opus in his head seemed to be coming together."The diary was Voldemort's."Harry heard Ginny let out a cry and saw Hermione move to comfort her but it was background, it was all pushed to the sides of his mind"Markus Michelson has the diary of the shadow Creator. That should be enough for Dumbledore."

Harry looked around him and realised he was still kneeling on the level, he had a balled up wad of tissue paper in his hand.

"service me up."coat of arms grabbed him."We ‘ ve got work to do."He blinked the shoemaker's last remaining binge out of his eyes.

"Neville, Ginny…"Neville looked up but Ginny didn't."Ginny ! You need…"Harry had been about to comfort her but at the final min decided on a different tack.

"Ginny wake up ! I need you here, are you a marauder or not ? Up !"She jerked up off Hermione's shoulder joint and stared at him."The two of you GET DUMBLEDORE. He ‘ s changed his office password by now but don ‘ t take no for an answer. Find McGonagall, anyone, wee-wee pain in the neck of yourselves until you get him ! GO !"Neville and Ginny bolted for the door.

"Bring him to Albert Michelson's office when you get him. That's where the rest of us are going. Vanessa…"Harry turned to the niggling daughter."… you are amazing. Never change."With that he whirled to the eternal sleep of the marauders and drew his wand."Albert Abraham Michelson ‘ s office now. Lets end this !"
*


Harry grabbed the door hold and yanked at it. Unsurprisingly it didn't move. Harry glanced back at his friends.

"I should be able-bodied to check through, did last time. Go up there and keep watch for me."Harry pointed at a tarnish methamphetamine hydrochloride windowpane."Mico if Markus comes alone."The marauders moved off, except for one.

"Harry."Hermione said."Shouldn ‘ t we just wait for Dumbledore ? He should be on his way, do we have to give way in ?"

"Probably not but I can ‘ t just wait here Hermione. Honestly I ‘ d go crazy right now if I wasn ‘ t doing something."Harry turned back to the door and heard Hermione relocation away.

Harry used the uncover charm and removed the mend charm and temporarily deactivated a sepulcralis torment that hadn't been there before and swung the door open. Moving as fast as he could he scoured the tables that were set around the room, the Quran wasn't where it had been last clock time. He began checking the bookshelves when he felt his wand vibrate. He slipped to the door and glanced out quickly. Instead of Markus Albert Michelson he saw only one affair. putting green graduated table and a long muscled body.

"Guys RUN !"Harry yelled at the top of his voice while darting back into the federal agency."Don't look into its eyes ! Coepto incantatem !"Harry reactivated the sepilcralis curse on the door and stepped back in terror. The slithering dissonance got closer on the early side of the threshold and Harry raised his wand in fear. As the noise got right up to the door he saw a flash of light around the skeletal frame and an inhuman screech. The jinx had worked. There was a garish thrashing from beyond the door and the elbow room shook as if something was throwing its weight repeatedly against the wall. Harry heard an almighty compaction and then muteness. Then slowly slithering sound as whatever it was moved off.

Harry knew he shouldn't but as soon as the stochasticity had moved off he ran forward and pulled the room access undetermined. The hall was in wrecking, painting smashed and armour thrown everywhere. There were glob of rock candy all over the floor, Harry knew what those must have been from. Sepilcralis, the entombing curse. It encased your body in rock-and-roll, just leaving your head out. The Snake must have been strong enough to shake itself free.

Then Harry saw something else that made him terminate in horror. The running feet in the distance as someone came to look into were nothing, all sound was gone. Harry stared up at four stock-still physical body, pressing up against a defile glass window that was no longer there, it had been smashed by the animal angry cam stroke. Ron, Hermione and the Patils, all petrified. Hermione had her wand in her hand, she must have sent the mico before she was frozen. Her last act was warning him. She hadn't even wanted to come. Petrified just because he couldn't sit still for five minutes.

Harry dragged his gaze away from them and saw the multitude who had arrived. Ginny and Neville standing there shocked staring first at their ossify friends then at Harry. Dumbledore standing behind them with all the top dog of house flanking him and Markus A. A. Michelson standing arrogantly to one side.

"Harry…"Dumbledore's voice was diffuse and carried nothing of what was going on in his header."…do you have something to tell me ?"

"Yes."Harry turned to him. He tried to reckon how he looked, sweating, his clothes a mountain, his oculus still puffy from the breakdown in the hospital offstage and standing in the middle of a demolish corridor with his wand out."I have something to say."
*


Dumbledore led them into Markus A. A. Michelson's function while Professor Flitwick and prof Sprout began levitating the petrified Marauders down. Harry turned once he was inside and began to speak before anyone else could.

"schoolmaster, professor Michelson is behind the attacks."

"Harry, do not make baseless accusations."Dumbledore said harshly.

"Its not baseless. He ‘ s a Parseltongue !"

"That in itself proves noth…"

"He has been at the sight off the last-place two petrifications !"

"Doing his job as a Hogwarts teacher !"

"The survive two times I've broken into his office I ‘ ve coincidently been attacked by a giant snake ! This metre it petrified my friend !"

"Broken into his function ?"Snape sounded as happy as Harry had ever heard him."You admit it in front of four Hogwarts teachers."

"Get bent Snivillus. This is important."The traumatize look on every teacher face showed Harry exactly how far over the rail line he was. But he couldn't stop now, he had just seen something in a cabinet behind the potions lord. Moving so fast no one had a chance to wonder him he darted to the cabinet and grabbed the handles. It wouldn't open.

"Where ‘ s the key !"Harry whirled and yelled. He pointed at professor A. A. Michelson."Tell me !"

"Mr potter you are in quite enough trouble as it is."Professor McGonagall was looking at him with something between choler and sadness."You will be expelled of trend but perhaps if you stop now you can void criminal charges."

Harry felt like he had been hit in the gut but he was running on adrenalin now and the chance of him stopping were zero. He turned and grabbed a lowering statue. Ignoring a yell from behind him he smashed the glass of the cabinet and grabbed the journal triumphantly.

He felt himself grabbed from backside and turned to expect directly into Dumbledore's eyes. Far from bright and twinkling they looked like burning ice.

"Harry ceramist you have…"

"…saved your arse."Harry cut in thrusting the diary at the most powerful genius in the public."Read it ! You will read it !"

No one in the room breathed as Dumbledore slowly reached out and took the slim book. His long ancient finger moved over the cover version and opened it to its first page. He stopped, for a second Harry thought he had been petrified as well. Only the old wizards middle moved, back and forth as if he was reading that one line over and over.

"Markus."When Dumbledore finally spoke it was almost a rustle. Almost a prayer."You know what this is."It wasn't a doubtfulness but Professor Michelson answered anyway.

"Yes."

"You know who this is."

"Yes."

"Why did you not say me ?"

"I thought you had enough on your hands."Markus replied evenly."I am more than capable of dealing with cursed items."

"Albus what is it ?"Snape sounded almost interested. Dumbledore wordlessly held the book out for Snape and McGonagall to see. The surrogate Headmistress stared in horror and the potions victor recoiled as if he'd been struck. Snape turned on the defence force professor."And you did not see fit to enjoin us about this !"Harry didn't invidia Markus Michelson.

"As I told you at the start of the year Mr Snape."Michelson replied evenly."I am the Defence against the Dark Arts teacher."

"Oh this goes so far beyond you teaching duties."Snape's interpreter dripped with hatred."You should make told us the instant this came into your hands."

"I was…"

"Enough."The headmaster cut them both off. He sounded bore."How did you find out about this Harry ?"

"I've known he had the diary for a while. I saw it in his situation. But I didn ‘ t know who Tom Riddle was until today."Harry looked Dumbledore in the eye as he spoke."I broke in here to make indisputable he wouldn ‘ t have chance to enshroud the journal from you."Harry said, hoping they had forgotten he had broken in twice.

"And you sent Mr Longbottom and fille Weasley to find me."Dumbledore finished for him."Once again I find that you have totally fairish and indeed honourable reasons for your ruler breaking. Perhaps it is my judging that is failing…"Harry said nothing."Does it throw any powers that you know of."Harry opened his back talk to speak then realised that he wasn't supposed to bonk anything about what was in the journal and shut it again.

"It writes back if you write in it."Markus volunteered. Dumbledore waved his hand and a quill appeared as if from no-where. Opening the Word of God to the first page he wrote…
Hello Tom.


The words faded and were replaced with.
Whatever you do to this book I will disclose nothing to you.


"It said that to me as well. Albus I…"but Dumbledore cut Markus off.

"I will get wind your excuse later Mr Albert Abraham Michelson. Probably when you give them to the aurors. Until then you are removed from all teaching duty at Hogwarts. houseclean out your office."

"But.. !"For the start clip Harry had ever seen Markus looked flustered.

"Professor Snape will cover your classes."

"No !"Harry couldn't go along that from escaping and the four teachers turned to him."Um… never mind. Go back to what you were saying."

"I think we had covered everything Harry. I ‘ m sure you have homework to be doing."

"I might…"Homework had never been Harry ‘ s priority. Harry walked to the door and slipped out quietly. Neville and Ginny were waiting there for him.

"Dumbledore ‘ s calling the aurors."A Brobdingnagian weight seemed to suffer been taken from his shoulders."And he ‘ s not a teacher here anymore."Harry felt like crying again, he felt so light. It was over. He had done it. And he wasn't expelled or dead or anything."The mandrake order of payment won ‘ t take that much longer to get prepare then we can state the others."Was he crying ? He couldn't tell. The relief was just too much.

"Its really over ?"Ginny asked, stepping closer.

"Yes."Harry breathed."It is… For this year !"Harry grinned and hugged his two friends."I ‘ m sure enough side by side year will be much more interesting !"
*


Harry somehow reached his bed in Gryffindor tower and crawled in. It was only seven o'clock but he didn't really care, he had lost enough sleep over the past year that he held no plethora over going to kip at this hour. Neville and Ginny were doing the stave, telling everyone the full news. He could hear masses moving around downstairs and above him but he just burrowed further into his blanket. His childhood had taught him to sleep through almost anything. How far he'd cum from that. Harry drifted off to sleep.

He walked along Tottenham motor lodge road in his Hogwarts robe, no one noticed. It was wide-cut of people but not one of them moved. Petrified. All of them. Harry walked up the street and ducked into an orchard, apple blossoms fell everywhere. Perhaps he was safe here ? No, he had to get back to Hogwarts. He turned back to the incoming to manoeuver back to the road.

"You wouldn't last five seconds in a affaire d'honneur with me."

Harry spun at the sound of Markus Albert Abraham Michelson's voice but instead of the teacher he saw himself. Looking down at him condescendingly.

"You ‘ re not good enough."

Harry blinked and it was Dumbledore looking down at him with centre wax of sorrow.

"I ‘ m so sorry."

Harry blinked again and he was alone with the blossoms. He could get wind the river nearby running fast over rock music. Harry turned and hurried out of the orchard. The route was empty like before and Harry hurried towards Hogwarts, ducking through an alley and breaking into a run to get there quicker.

The ivy was longer than he remembered but eventually he climbed up to the logic gate of the rook. He pushed the great doors open and walked into the great dormitory. It was void but the paries were covered in mural. piffling finger picture like children would do. He could still hear the river but it sounded closer now. He could even find the spray on his face. His face was frigid. Deathly cold. Wake up. What ?

"aftermath up !"

Harry opened his heart and looked straight up at Moaning Myrtle. She was floating over his bed, right over his face.

"Myrtle ?"He said, still groggy and disorientated.

"You have to come. please ! He's got Ginny !"Harry jerked good and fell out of bed.

"What !"

"Flint took Ginny ! I saw him, and he has the diary !"

"How ? Dumbledore has… No…"Harry staggered over to Neville's bed and jerked the boy out of bed.

"Harry ?"The last remaining vulture brushed his hair out of his eye."What is it ?"

"Its not over Neville."Harry followed the floating chassis of Myrtle at a run out of the door."It ‘ s not over !"
*


myrtle stopped outside Markus Albert Michelson's post and Harry didn't have to be told that something had happened here. A hale new tier of massacre had been added over the one that had been present here final stage night. The room access itself had been totally stave in, the chassis itself lying in small-arm on the floor. Harry stepped in with trepidation.

The smell of blood hit him. Behind him he could get wind Neville retching on the base. The way was unrecognisable, not a thing had escaped the destruction. Harry moved forward towards the forlorn figure in the centre, slumped against the desk. Markus Michelson.

His wand was in one helping hand and his brand lay discarded on the floor. He was covered in wounds and one of his pegleg was bent in an odd way. And the handkerchief he usually wore draped around his neck had moved up. He'd tied it around his eyes. Harry stepped close and pulled it off him. His drumhead lolled to the side lifelessly.

Harry put his fingerbreadth to A. A. Michelson's neck opening, not really expecting anything but was rewarded with a infirm pulse.

"Myrtle !"He yelled."Run and get dame Pomfrey !"He turned back to the teacher."Markus ! Markus Michelson ! Markus Maximus Mighty Magesto Albert Abraham Michelson !"

"You remembered all of them…"The voice from the teacher was almost beyond hearing."…people usually don't."

"I didn ‘ t remember all of them."Harry smiled wanly."I forgot Mary and mucus. Madam Pomfrey will be here in a irregular. You ‘ ll be alright."

"Not alright… basilisk venom… lethal… always…"Markus'part kept fading in and out."He took… the girl."

"Did you see where ?"

"Tried to protect her… Tried to give up him…"Harry's inside turned to ice. He'd been so very wrong about this man."Hard to fight… when you can't… Sure I hit it once or twice… Did I ever tell you about… this prison term I was in brazil ?"

"No. Tell me when you ‘ re better."

"Bit me just once… on purpose… wanted me to be awake… give you message."

"Message ?"Harry waved Neville in finisher so he could pick up too.

"Come to the chamber… semen or she dies… bring teachers… and she dies."

Harry swallowed. His heart was beating in tune with his terror.

"Where ? Where ‘ s the sleeping accommodation ?"

"He said… bathroom… lady friend ghost…"

"Vinca minor ‘ s john ?"Markus nodded."Is there a parole ?"

"word's…"Markus seemed to be fading out."… open… he said open…"

"That simple ?"Harry asked. Markus nodded then slumped.

"… sword ?"Harry frowned, not understanding, then saw the finger's breadth of Markus'helping hand twitching. He moved the steel into his hired man and saw Markus'fingerbreadth curl around it limply."…thanks… pipsque…"but then his heart closed and he stopped speaking.

A moment later Harry heard running invertebrate foot and Madam Pomfrey ran in followed by a floating Myrtle.

"What happened here ?"She demanded. Harry flapped his hands uncertainly but Neville saved him.

"Basilisk bit him. Conscious when we found him dropped off a 2nd ago. Shallow pulse. Cold."Neville rattled that off in one breathing space and Madam Pomfrey instantly grimaced and pulled her bag open. Rummaging around in the backside she pulled out a long red feather.

"Fawkes !"She gripped the feather in both hands."helper me."

Harry never heard whether her Call was answered as he had already darted out the door and was sprinting for the second floor.
*


Harry smashed through the door at a run and skidded to a stop on the tiles.

"surface !"Harry yelled.

"What are you doing in here."A lady friend pushed out of a cubelike."This is a daughter toilet you know ?"Harry drew his scepter and blew a sump off the wall. The missy cried and jumped away from him.

"You have three seconds to get the hell out of here !"The girl was gone before he'd counted to two."afford ! give up !"

"Harry are you alright ?"Harry spun and comment Neville and myrtle in the doorway.

"Its not working !"

"Maybe that's not the password. Maybe he was delirious."Neville bit his lip in worry.

"Then what do we do ! ?"Harry threw his script up."We don't even know where the entry is !"

"I think I do."Vinca minor volunteered.

"You do !"

"There are some billet in Hogwarts that the spook can't go. They ‘ re warded against us. Dumbledore ‘ s spot for example."myrtle pointed to one of the sink."There ‘ s a pipework behind there, I can do down it below the dungeons but no further. Its blocked."

Harry ran up to where Myrtle floated in the air, threw his arms around her and kissed her floating cheek."You are a avowedly marauder Myrtle. One of us. You are amazing !"Harry released the startled ghost and ran to the sink."Open !"But the cesspool didn't move."No… But that's got to be the entry !"

"What do we do ?"Neville asked."Go around ?"

"Yes ! That's perfective tense !"Harry turned to the pink glowing trace nearby."Myrtle, you know the pipes around Hogwarts. Is there another way to get down to the Lapplander seat as this piping goes ?"

"I… I think so…"She said dreamily.

"payoff us there, please !"The ghost flowed out through a bulwark and Harry was running again to keep up. They ran passed galvanize students until Myrtle came to lie in a obsolete classroom on the tertiary floor.

"Through here."She said and disappeared into the wall.

"Myrtle !"Her fountainhead reappeared."We need a way we can go !"

"There isn ‘ t one."Myrtle floated out to stand succeeding to them."Its all walled up."

"Then what…"Harry began but Neville had already stepped up beside him.

"Reducto !"An almighty cracking made Harry continue his capitulum and buffalo chip of stonework flew everywhere.

"Alright !"Harry yelled as soon as the racket died down."Reducto !"

"Reducto !"

"Reducto !"

"Reducto !"

"Reducto !"Harry blasted the last of the dust from the cakehole they had made in the wall. He heard heart murmur in the nearby corridor."Colloportus."Harry sealed the door shut.

"I ‘ ll go first."Harry stepped into the dusty piping and gripped his wand between his tooth as he shimmied down. After he had lost ken of the entrance he heard Neville get down above him.

After a twisty few minutes Harry dropped into a tiny round musical passage and got out of the way so that Neville could knock off down behind him. It was pitch opprobrious but was soon lit with a deliquium wan light as myrtle floated through the ceiling. They wordlessly followed her. After many squelching measure they emerged into a larger chamber.

"Here we are."Vinca minor announced importantly."The Via Mortiferus."



You did n't think it was going to be that easy did you ?


I own none of the stuff I 'm not supposed to.



It was a panoptic rock way, the stones underfoot slick and stinking. A tiny run of contaminating H2O ran from the entranceway of the room to a giant trap in the floor. Underneath there was a monolithic sloping pipework, twice the breadth of a tube power train. It was clogged with rubble and scraps in stead and the tiny dribble of water made the tube slip as glass.

"There ?"Harry asked. Vinca minor nodded."We don ‘ t even live if this is the right-hand way."

"I think we do."Neville pointed at a corner of the elbow room where a freight of green shapeless scraps were lying. Harry took a closer look.

"Snake tegument ?"Harry gulped.

"From a big snake."

Harry looked back down the pipe. There was no way someone could go down that and not hit the food waste drifts. Some of them had broken bottles or pieces of metal in them.

"We can't just slide down, we ‘ ll be killed."Harry shook his head."Maybe if we blast all the stuff we can see…"

"Then it ‘ ll be at the bottom waiting for you,"Vinca minor pointed out.

"I know !"Neville cried suddenly. He ran over and grabbed the two biggest pieces of snake skin."Think Basilisk pelt is as knotty as tartar tegument ?"

"Can I trust it's problematic enough to save us up here…"Harry wrapped his piece around him as tightly as potential."… but not so problematical the Basilisk kills us when we get there ?"

Neville smiled wanly.

"Neville whichever of us gets there gets Ginny out."Harry met his champion's eyes and moved closer."We don't worry about anything else."

"I know Harry."Neville nodded.

"I can ‘ t follow you,"myrtle sniffed."But if you die you ‘ re welcome to share my toilet. Either of you."

"death doesn't seem so scary now eh ?"Harry grinned and moved to the edge."Well…"Harry tilted his head up and closed his eyes."Could use some of that lot now…"And with that Harry jumped off the edge.
*


Harry felt the gem skidding under him even through the snake skin. He was traveling dissipated than he thought and it was only a moment before he smashed into a garbage pile. It felt like he was being smashed with order but the skin didn't faulting and he kept going. Another smacked into his leg and set him spinning across the pipe like a top.

He could get wind Neville screaming but couldn't see him. Another spate took him in the dresser and soon he was screaming too. The entirely world reduced to the moving stone under him, his own screaming in his ear and the sudden excruciating bursts of botheration as he hit things.

The strike became less and less shop at as Harry fell and he at last opened his eyes. As soon as he did so his feet hit water and he went under. Harry's mind went blank. Get out ! Get out ! Get out ! He flailed wildly against the skin that was still wrapped around him and managed to slip out. aerofoil ! Air ! Harry felt his lungs constrict and he breathed in a lungful of the blackish water. His chest felt like fire. His pes touched bottom and he kicked out as hard as he could. His foreland broke the aerofoil and Harry half coughed, half vomited up the piddle he'd breathed in plus everything he'd eaten in his entire life. Shaking, he stood up and bear on his gunk-filled periphery out of his eyes. Then he realised what he had done and looked down.

The water barely reached over his hips.

The actualisation made him gag again and he emptied another lading of bile into the already mucky water. He reached into his robes and pulled out his verge, thankfully undamaged. He lit it and surveyed the scene. He was in a burrow, waist deep with disgusting black urine full of general garbage. It went on for a room in both focus, then turned off into join and break open away into darkness. God it was cold down here. Harry saw his Basilisk skin floating nearby and wrapped it around his shoulders like a cloak. A desexualise charm made surely it stayed there, not that it helped much.

Then Harry realised something. Neville wasn't there ; he had been right behind him a minute ago. Harry looked back up the organ pipe he'd fallen out of but there was nothing as far as he could see. There had been turnings off the organ pipe. He must have just been shunted a unlike way by the scraps. At least, Harry hoped that was all that had happened. Hopefully they ‘ d find each other eventually. He saw a kitchen knife floating by its grip nearby and grabbed it. With shaky fingers he scratched an H into the wall next to him, followed by an pointer. Then, pulling his makeshift cloak closer about him, he headed off in that direction.

Harry slogged through the body of water until he came to a junction. It was unimaginable to recount which way was right, so Harry just scrawled another marker on the rampart and kept going. He had no theme how long he walked through that suspend water. How many arrows he scrawled on the walls. Eventually it all blurred into one, until something caught his attention.

skeleton in the closet. quite a little of them, floating in the water system. Not nutrient animals either, rats and minuscule birds. Harry tried to work out which way they were coming from and pushed that way, batting the little carcasses out of his way. There was a break in the brickwork here. Just big enough for a big snake or a humble boy to crawl through. Harry dragged himself up and looked around. He was on the base behind a monster pillar carved with snake. He looked up and saw a bank of them at the other incline of the vast chamber.

"Ah, Mr thrower. You have chosen to grace us with your presence."

The voice came from somewhere he couldn't see. On the other side of the pillar somewhere. It sounded like Flint River's voice but the Book didn't seem like ones he's choose.

"You might as well come out ; I've been waiting for you."

Harry was too tired to come up with a better mind and stood on numb branch. He walked out slowly from behind the pillar. Flint stood proudly in front of a grotesque statue. Ginny was lying still by his invertebrate foot, unconscious. But was it flint ? It was almost as if a tincture was overlaid over the Slytherin's compact frame. A shadow of a taller man, slim down and cold, with high cheekbones.

"hello Tom."Harry stopped in the middle of the room a few metre from the faint half-figure. He had his verge gripped tight in his right helping hand and a solid knife in his left wing. He knew he looked horrific, he was probably swaying, but he felt as secure as he had ever been.

"howdy Harry. Why in Falco columbarius ‘ s name didn ‘ t you just use the front room access ?"Tom/Flint laughed chillingly.

"You gave me the legal injury watchword. I said ‘ exposed'but it didn't work."

"Ah… I told him the word was Sizzasc, Parseltongue for ‘ open ’. He must have got confused. That can happen when you ‘ re dying, or so I'm told."

"By the end of the day I can assure you ‘ ll know for sure."

The split up apparition laughed again and Harry could verify he heard two voices there. A gravely deeply one and a sander nasal one.

"Can I ask you one thing ?"Harry played for time while working his toes, trying to get some feeling back into them.

"Ask away Mr ceramist. A excoriate man should accept his questions answered."

"How did you get the journal back from Dumbledore ?"Harry was genuinely curious.

"Oh… that is an interesting one."Tom grinned."The trueness is the old soft touch never had the diary."

"?"

"Let me bulge out at the origin. With short Ginny Weasley, you do have it away that she was responsible for the first-class honours degree few petrifaction ?"

"I guessed."

"Good. It's trade good to get laid you ‘ re not a gull. Like her."Tom kicked the prone consistency in movement of him."I took control of her to open the chamber and scribble my call to arms on the paries. But it backfired on me, during one of the battle I had so wanted to make the diary fell from her bag. And it was spotted by Markus Michelson."

Harry thought back. He remembered seeing Markus picking up Ginny's Quran bag after the fight the day she lost it.

"He recognised that it was a cursed physical object if not just how cursed and, in his arrogance, thought he could deal with it himself. He fought me with his illusion every Night, trying to find a way to destroy the book."

"And he looked more tired every day…"Harry shook his heading. He had so badly misjudged the man.

"And then something fantastic happened !"Tom spread his coat of arms wide."While on a hold for the insufferable Albert Michelson a wonderful man chanced upon the diary. Marcus Flint. His founding father had been one of my servant during my rise to power and had told his son my true name."Tom paused."An law-breaking which in formula circumstances I would punish him for, but in this cause it has come to a good end. Then young flint did something so cunning Salazar Slytherin himself would be proud of him. He constructed a misrepresent diary."

"Oh…"the pieces began to fall into place in Harry's head once more.

"Only equal to of simple phrasal idiom obviously. ‘ I am Tom Riddle ’, ‘ I will never tell you my secrets ’, that kind of thing. And then, in his last detention with Markus Michelson he switched the two books."

"Michelson didn ‘ t poster the departure ?"

"I assume he thought he was finally forcing the diary to go on the defensive attitude. Finally winning."Tom laughed the peculiar double joke again."And in the mean time I finally had a willing handmaiden. One I didn ‘ t have to rig or control. Oh, no, he wanted me to control him. Wanted the power."Tom reached up and patted flint on the shoulder. It was the first question the shadow had made that Flint hadn't done as well."I initially thought I would drain his get-up-and-go to deliver to the world. He was indeed wiling to cook that ritual killing to facilitate me but I decided that he is simply too utile to me."The apparition glanced down at the shape at his metrical foot."Instead I will use hers."

"What !"Harry took an involuntary stone's throw forward.

"Yes, Harry ceramist. I will drain her and proceeds. You think I told you that long winded story because I wanted to ? That I was stupid enough to let you buy sentence like that ? No… by buying time you have been giving me time to grow stronger. And what have you gained ?"

"Well, I can feel my fingers now…"Harry grinned through the muck covering his face. A truly iniquity grinning."Oh, when you come back you ‘ ll probably need a wand."

"I…"

"Here have mine."Harry held his wand out and tossed it lazily through the air.

Voldemort wore a shocked expression as the baton landed in his outstretched palm.

"Potter-"But he got no further as Harry's knife stab trench into his chest.

"… and you need agile digit for knife throwing."

"…."Tom tried to speak but only a croak came out. A trickle of pedigree drew down the side of his mouth. Harry walked slowly up to his enemy and curled his fingers around the knife hilt.

"Confused yet you asshole ?"Harry tore the tongue out and Voldemort collapsed onto the ground spurting blood. Harry grabbed his wand and nicked Flint's for good amount, then stumbled shakily over Ginny prone form.

"Hey Gin…"Harry shook her, trying vainly to wake her."Ginny ?"She didn't splash. Her skin didn't even feel warmly."Wake up…"

"Ssssss……"Harry turned in a trice. Tom had his oculus clear and a snakelike snort escaped his back talk."Saseeciss. Sassozziss. Sss…"Harry ran up and savagely kicked him in the jaw. But the damage was done. With a grinding stochasticity the mouth of the great statue opened and Harry saw a ostentation of green before he turned away in fear.

"Ginny we need to go !"Harry tried to lift her and failed. He would have found it hard going if he hadn't just gone through worrying. As it was he settled for dragging her across the floor by an arm while the hissing got closer. Harry aimed a hex over his shoulder without looking but apparently it didn't connect because the Hissing got closer. It was catching up. Harry abandoned Ginny and ran to the other side of the room yelling"Hey ! Over here ! Me !"but he tripped and spun as he fell. Without thinking he looked right into the human face of the Basilisk.

And laughed ! It was a wreck ! A giant burn stretched half the distance of its side and the tip of its bum was a burnt off dais. A monumental slash marred its throat below its head and, most importantly, its eyes were gone. Replaced by a gaping wound.

Markus Michelson had got in Thomas More than a few shots !

Unfortunately Harry had waited too recollective staring and his laugh had told it where he was. It dived and bit down around him. Harry had no chance to dodge, he felt like he had been put in a vice, pressing down on his chest all around and he cried out hoarsely. He thought he heard his rib crack then the pressure level lifted and he staggered back. The Basilisk looked, if anything, confused.

Harry checked himself over. hurting, bruised, develop costa but no dentition marks and no poison. Harry's deal fell on the silvery-green, stopgap cloak he had around his shoulders and started in shock.

It couldn't bite through its own tegument !

Harry got up from where he was kneeling on the floor and tightened his clutches on his wand. It was wounded, its master was gone and he had a cloak it couldn't burn through.

"Hey you ! Ugly !"The Basilisks capitulum snapped around just in time to have an Incendio spell hit it right in the mess where its eyes had been. Its screaming of botheration was cold-blooded and it writhed its monolithic roll in bedevilment."Acerbus cuspis !"Harry sent the pain-spear winging straight into the massive burn on its side and was rewarded with another shriek. It smashed its tail around, trying to knock him over but he just ducked and fired a prick hex into a gaping wounding he hadn't even noticed before.

"Here !"Harry yelled again and as its head whirled around he sent another curse into its look. But this one missed and the great snake lunged forward and bit Harry around the legs. The alone section of him unprotected by the cloak.

Harry felt a burning at the stake pain as a tooth pierced his leg. He felt himself being lifted into the air and cried out again. It was holding him up in its mouth like a bushed rat. Harry clung to its snout and with the last of his strength plunged his baton into the mess that had been its eyes.

"Reducto !"There was an volatile sound and Harry felt himself fly through the air and hit the floor hard. As he looked up through bleary-eyed eyes he saw the Basilisk swaying in the air. origin gushed from its rima oris and centre like some perverted fount and it screeched like nails on a chalkboard. Then, with one hold up cry, it went still and fell like a bully Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, crashing onto the stone and lying there still.

He had done it.

Harry dragged himself back to tilt against a pillar. He looked down at his leg. Yep, there was a huge tooth hole right there in his thigh. No escaping it. Harry gulped then smiled. He supposed it didn't issue if he was dying. His hand reached up into his shirt and held tight to the pendent there.

"You knew I could do it,"Harry whispered."You jazz I could do it."

"Harry ?"Harry glanced across and saw Neville's troll face poking out from the hole in the paries. He has glancing between Harry and the giant serpent.

"Ginny ‘ s there."Harry tried to orient but found he couldn't. Neville got the content though and disappeared. He reappeared a moment later carrying Ginny in his arms.

"Harry can you get up ?"

"No Neville, I can ‘ t."Harry managed a wry smiling."Sorry."

"Harry…"

"Can you get out ? I don ‘ t…"

"It's OK. While I was looking for this position I found a pipe that lets out near the lake. I can get back there. I left markers."

"You left marks…"Harry suddenly couldn't bread and butter from laughing."I taught you… you left marks…"

"Yeah Harry."Neville sat down beside him and put his hand on Harry's berm. His face said that he knew Harry wasn ‘ t getting out of there."Just like you did. That's how I found you."

"You did it right… I did it right."Harry looked at the dead ophidian."I did it right. Get her out."Harry ordered and Neville stood.

"We ‘ ll be back for you. You know your…"Neville stopped and rubbed his eyes. He was crying."We won ‘ t leave you down here."

"I know. Go."

Neville was shaking as he made his way to the crack in the paries and pushed himself through. Then pulled Ginny after him.

Harry leaned back and closed his eyes.

"How sentimental."

Harry's eyes flickered open and he saw Tom riddle leaning casually against the cracking bulk of the Basilisk. He wasn't fuzzy or transparent anymore, he was solid. And he had a wand.

"You took yours and Flint River's wands."Tom answered his interrogation before he asked it."But you forgot about Ginny ‘ s."

"Oh…"Harry glanced at the crack in the rampart. Neville's light was still seeable, slowly passing away.

"Go on, margin call for help. He can probably still discover you."

Harry kept his mouth tight shut. Neville was getting out with Ginny. That was all that mattered.

"Good choice."Voldemort moved forward and snatched Harry's wand from his supine hand. He threw it into the shadows by the smashing statue. As an afterthought he sent flint's wand and the tongue after it.

"As he was dying Mr Flint preformed me one finale service."Voldemort smiled."He gifted his remaining life to me. Restoring me."Voldemort moved even closer. Harry tried to slue himself away but found he didn't have the energy, the poison had almost run its line. His eye flickered back to the crack in the wall. It was totally dark. Neville was truly gone.

"noble Voldemort. Killed by a knife ?"Tom riddle shook his head."Never. It could never happen."

"Fine,"Harry mumbled."Give me back the knife."

"No Harry."Tom raised his wand."I think I will err on the position of safety in this topic. I think I will simply kill you. Now. Ava-"

But he got no further as the massive door to the chamber was fling unresolved. Tom Riddle stepped back in shock as the elbow room was filled with glowing gilded light.

"Get the hell away from him !"Framed by the doorway and glistening with H2O and sweat stood Markus Michelson, sword in one had, wand in the other and with Dumbledore's phoenix circling above him. Bathing the room in light.

"You !"Tom aimed a dreary violet bane at Markus, who shot it out of the air with a silver one of his own.

"Yes. ME !"The teacher strode forward and smashed a hex into Tom brain-teaser's hastily raised shield.

"Markus !"A second hex drove enigma further from Harry.

"Maximus !"Tom Riddle shot a spell back but it was easily deflected.

"Mighty !"Tom conundrum yelled something unintelligible and a jumbo shard of sword sprang into being and shot towards the instructor. Markus just swatted it away with his sword.

"Magesto !"A massive Negroid oath that looked like it was made of tar drove Tom to his knees.

"Mary ! Mucus ! A. A. Michelson !"The teacher drew level with Harry and stopped, his wand vibrating in his script."And you will not touch him you sick, dead freak !"

Harry noticed the phoenix estate beside him but ignored it. If he was going to die then we was going spend his last few minute enjoying the show.

"You dare to challenge me !"Tom conundrum stood from where he had been thrown."I am the darkness Lord !"

"Wrong !"A. A. Michelson barked."You are the Dark nobleman at age 18 ! Not even that, you ‘ re a shade of the Dark Lord teenage ego ! A trace ! A lie !"

Harry could now see why Dumbledore had hired this man. He came off as a soft touch most of the prison term but that was because he wanted to. He saw no reason to be serious all the time. But actually get him into a fight and he became like juicy iron.

"I am the dark Godhead ! Lord Voldemort ! Avada Kedavra !"A jet of green light shot across the room but Markus Michelson yelled something and a glob of stonework broke off of the rampart, smashing into the curse as it flew.

"Orbitus !"Markus yelled and chunks of floor around him were ripped from the earth. They began the whirl around him like planets and he advanced on the juvenile person iniquity Lord like the wrath of worlds.

"Avada Kedavra !"Albert Michelson didn't even blink, just let the curse impact itself on one of the orbiting careen. Even through the shower of gravel he kept walking.

"AgniparvataH !"Michelson yelled and a glowing symbol flew across the room and exploded on a silver shell that Tom Riddle had made. Even so it caused the Harlan F. Stone around him to glow white hot and cleft under the strain.

It was at approximately this point that Harry realised he wasn't dead. He looked down at himself in shock ; he wasn't even in that much pain anymore. Pulling his ruined trouser leg aside he saw that the bite wound was totally closed without even leaving a scar. He looked at the bright red bird that had alighted next to him and grinned. It looked like he was going to live another day.

"Maquixtia !"The cry brought Harry back to the moment as he saw professor Michelson fracture out of a prison of massive pitch-black vines and creepers."KhaNDana !"A thunderbolt of downhearted light bounced of Tom riddle shield. It looked like Tom wasn't playing anymore and had begun to snipe in earnest. Already professor A. A. Michelson had been forced to give ground and almost all of his rocks were gone.

He had to do something to help oneself !

Harry cast about for a weapon but his wand and tongue were too far away. His eyes came to perch on the blackened diary fabrication discarded on the floor. Ah…

Harry crawled down behind the corpse of the Basilisk, ignoring the piece that occasionally winged over him, until he was crouched behind the cadaver of the tail with the little ledger a few metre away. Harry glanced back at the scrap and waited for the powerful moment. Unfortunately he could not wait long…

Voldemort twisted his scepter in the air and jabbed it upwards like a spear. A shining hotshot of flickering lightning exploded above him like a nova. Swinging his wand down he flung it at professor Albert Abraham Michelson. The teacher's harbour shattered like glass and he screamed in pain in the ass as the lightning struck him. Harry knew he had to act now ! He darted out from behind the Basilisk and grabbed the book.

"drop cloth him !"Harry yelled at the Dark nobleman."Drop him or I ‘ ll destroy it !"

"Hm… ?"Voldemort turned to look at Harry. The lightning stopped but Professor Michelson didn't move from the floor where he had fallen. Voldemort crossed his weapons system and stared at Harry mockingly."How ?"

"I ‘ ll just… Oh…"Harry cringed a retentiveness from other stung him. professor Michelson had tried for weeks to destroy this thing. Harry opened it and tried to tear a page off. It felt like newspaper publisher but for the spirit of him he couldn't so much as scratch the surface. Harry looked up at the quietly chuckling wickedness God Almighty."How embarrassing."

"I take it back Mr Potter,"Tom Riddle said raising his sceptre."You are a fool."

But Harry felt a weight land on his berm. He looked up to see the phoenix that had healed him standing there. The bird tilted its head to look him in the eye and he could have sworn it winked at him. Then it spread its beautiful scarlet wings and burst into flame.

Harry screamed as the fire curled up around his mind but then jerked back in blow, it wasn't burning him ! He felt the fire wreath all around him but they felt more like a warm breeze. They covered his brass and eyes and he could see nothing but a wall of lighter. Harry felt something in his bridge player shift, he wasn ‘ t burning but the diary was !

Harry held the diary in nominal head of him and felt the pincer on his shoulder going for a moment then felt the weighting transferral to his arm. Somewhere outside the flaming someone was screaming but Harry couldn't Tell who. He felt the weight on his arm lessen as the flames died down and eventually stopped. Harry felt the conclusion flame recede and stood for a minute, completely disbelieving. Something about what he had just gone through didn't flavor normal or even magic. It felt somehow greater, older and far more powerful.

Harry realised he still held his hand out in nominal head of him, clenched. He released it and watched as Shirley Temple ash slowly trickled out from between his finger's breadth. Right in the middle was a tiny ugly chick that looked up at him with its featherless face. Of the diary there was nothing.

Harry looked around the now battle-scarred chamber. There was a giant burn mark right where Tom Riddle had been standing. Not even ash tree had been left of him. Harry moved forward slowly, his mind still reeling from what he had experienced. He came to a stop in the middle of the room and fell down on his stifle, unable to walk further. He cradled the little bird in his manpower and asked it…

"What the snake pit just happened to me ?"The bird just chirruped in reaction but another voice gave Harry an answer.

"genus Phoenix fire…"Markus Michelson lifted himself up with obvious effort and limped over to Harry."…it only burns up evil."The professor sat down and began running his wand over his muscular arms, fixing the burning and bruising.

"A lightning-rage enchantment, however…"he continued healing over a particularly charred plot."…burns anyone. Oh snap out of it kid !"He added seeing Harry's shaken reflection."I've only ever heard one-third hand stories of people who were actually inside a capital of Arizona's rebirth flame and they all agree it's an experience. None of them say it renders you catatonic !"

"Wha ? … yeah sorry."Harry shook his head to clear it and looked over at his teacher ‘ s healing crusade."Do you need any assist with that ?"

"Just blemish me any mo I ‘ ve missed pipsqueak. wellspring, suppose I shouldn ‘ t yell you that now…"Michelson gestured at the Basilisk with a grin."…but now you won ‘ t have any alibi for low marks eh ?"

"Yeah…"But the professor's use of his nickname had reminded him of something else and he felt guiltiness bubble up in his veins."I treated you pretty badly this term."Harry hung his fountainhead. He didn't want to meet Markus Michelson's eyes.

"Really ? How so ?"

"I thought you were the one behind the attacks. I broke into your situation. Twice."Harry shook his foreland but didn't look up."I helped all the hearsay against you, started about of them. I threatened to kill you. I got you fired. I almost got you arrested. And then you almost died protecting one of my friend. I ‘ m… I ‘ m so sorry."Harry forced himself to take care up and meet his teacher's eyes. Michelson had stopped his healing and was looking at Harry with just a clue of a smile.

"Oh… that."Markus Michelson smiled broadly and clapped Harry on the arm."Don ‘ t worry about that."

"What ? But…"

"Harry I thought you understood. You gave me my brand when I was dying."Professor Michelson was speaking as if this was the most obvious thing in the reality."Then I saved your life. Then you saved mine. We ‘ re warrior-brothers now."The elephantine man reached out and held both Harry's shoulders."chum at arms."

"blood brother at arms ?"Michelson nodded."That a wizard thing ?"

"Sure…"Markus Albert Michelson pulled him to his feet and preformed a warm drying charm."… in sealed Scandinavian witching cultures."

"commodity enough for me then."Harry grinned."So… How do we get out of here ?"
*


"…and then Flint, he grabbed me."Ginny Weasley clutched her female parent's hand as she sobbed and shuddered through her story. She had woken suddenly as Neville was carrying her across the terra firma away from the lake. When they reached the castling they had been mobbed by teachers and dragged almost bodily up to the Headmaster's billet. Her parents had been there ( her mother rallying cry, her Church Father ashen-faced and downhearted ) and she had been enveloped in a giant wet hug.

But as soon as Madam Pomfrey had said that she was unharmed the questions had begun and she had been forced to haltingly severalise her level, starting with the first base time she found the diary mixed in with her volume. Neville hadn't said anything since she had woke up. He had just curled up in an armchair and stared out with empty eyes. She knew something was damage but he wouldn ‘ t say anything, she just hoped he found his voice again now her part of the narrative was over.

"… and then he did some spell on me and I blacked out."Ginny looked over at Neville hopefully. She saw Dumbledore's gaze move to the poor nervous boy.

"Mr Longbottom ?"The Headmaster moved over and placed his hand on Neville's shoulder."Please…"

"We… me and Har…"Neville cut himself off and bit back a sob. He looked back up and kept talking in a hole vocalization."We found Professor Michelson dying. He said we had to go find Ginny, that if we told any teacher then Flint would toss off her. We broke our way into the piping, slid down. I got separated from Ha… We got separated. When I found him the Basilisk was dead. He ‘ d killed it, but…"The room was silent as Neville wrapped his weapons system around himself and broke into rip."…He ‘ s dead ! It bit him ! He ‘ s dead."

Ginny felt her mother's fingers clench around her arm and looked up. mollie Weasley was shaking her head in skepticism. Ginny looked back at the Headmaster. The old man had backed away and collapsed into a chairperson. His usually sparkling eyes were dead and empty.

For her own office she just shook her head.

"No !"Ginny felt the room number to her."He ‘ s not short !"She dashed the rent out of her middle."He wouldn ‘ t die ! He can ‘ t !"

"Ginevra…"Her mother had pulled her closer."… I know it seems like that but…"

"No ! He needs to be here !"

Her female parent just moved to stroke her hair.

"Ginny please…"another voice called out."…If you keep telling them I ‘ m alert you ‘ ll ruin my dramatic entrance."
*


Harry looked out across the office and laughed at the assorted verbalism of shock.

"Wooo…"Harry wiggled his fingerbreadth at them."I ‘ ve come back to haunt you !"But he got no further as Ginny dashed at him and tackled him to the ground.

"You ‘ re alert ! You ‘ re alert !"

"Oh so now it ‘ s a big shock."Harry grinned as he lifted Ginny off him and levered himself to his foundation. He kept one script on his friend's shoulder for living and walked further into the office. He stopped suddenly as he caught sight of a public figure he thought he vaguely recognised. A clean haired man with a retentive cane, topped with a quartz glass. He was staring down his nose at Harry with scarcely concealed contempt.

"Who ‘ s this SOB ?"Harry jerked his promontory at the man and he felt Ginny stifle a giggle. Even Professor McGonagall ( who would have usually yelled at him for such oral communication ) seemed to be concealing a small smile behind her hand.

"My name is Lucius Malfoy."The man's voice didn't bother to hide the disdain."And I am here as a representing the school governors and their opinions on this… unpleasantness."

"I remember you now."Harry pointed at the man."I asked you the way onto political program nine and three quarters before I met the Weasleys. You tripped me up and laughed."Harry felt the air in the room cool by an appreciable point."And the unpleasantness is over. You can go."

"Oh yes ? And do we simply involve your word for it ?"Lucius sneered at Harry. For the first fourth dimension Harry noticed the scraggy figure crouching behind him. Dobby the house elf was attempting to hide behind his master.

"I can show you the Basilisk ‘ s corpse if you like."Harry realised he was still wearing clothes caked in mud and blood and held them out for Lucius to see."You slide through garbage, state in faeces and drag yourself through a naut mi or so of freezing, putrid sewage. Anyone know a expert dry-cleaners ?"

"Is that what all that is ? I just assumed it was your normal clothes."Lucius sneered at him."You are a street urchin are you not ?"

"Look…"Harry eased forwards until he was standing unsupported."… I ‘ ve had a foresightful day. A long, unpleasant day. Just get out. You ‘ re not needed here."

Lucius Malfoy smiled.

"I was leaving anyway. The stench in here is unbearable."And with that the man strode towards the room access to the berth. Harry saw Dobby follow him cringing and said…

"You know. I wasn ‘ t joking about the mile of freezing sewage."Both Lucius and Dobby turned back to him."In the end I couldn ‘ t even experience anything but I kept dragging myself forward. Because I knew I had to and so nothing else mattered."Harry glanced down and caught Dobby's centre."Almost nothing is impossible if you just push through. Just keep walking towards what you want, one whole step at a time."

"How uplifting."Lucius turned."Come Dobby."He began to take the air until a small part brought the whole room to a stop.

"No."

Lucius turned, his face a mask of disbelief.

"What ?"But Dobby had begun to move, walking very slowly away."Come back here now !"Dobby cringed and his feet seemed to worm of their own accord.

"One step at a time."Harry knelt down and reached out his handwriting towards the elf."Come on…"

Shuddering so badly it looked like he was one tone away from a fit, Dobby continued his understood walk.

"Dobby, obey me !"Dobby cried out and fell to his knees but continued forward at a crawl. As he reached Harry's outstretched arm his shuddering stopped and he fell to the ground in tear. Harry gathered him up as he sobbed and sniffled through his long nose.

"You have subverted my servant !"Lucius Malfoy's face was twitching with barely controlled rage and his hand seemed to twitch on his wand.

"You should hold taken better care of him,"Harry replied levelly, staring the man down."Go now. Just gather your precious tittle of pride and go."Lucius Malfoy drew himself up.

"fine, I don't need a disobedient servant."He tossed one of his baseball glove on the floor near the elf and stalked away. Harry let out a long hint. The sobbing elf in his munition reached out without looking and snatched the boxing glove from the story. Dobby clutched it to his bureau with both hands but didn't stop weeping. Harry glanced back over his shoulder joint at the shocked case of Albus Dumbledore.

"Room in the kitchens for another elf, schoolmaster ?"Dumbledore blinked in surprise, then smiled."I think this one needs a good home."
*


"You have given me a lot of shocks today Harry,"Dumbledore spoke to the boy sitting on the other side of his desk. The Weasleys had gone home, Dobby had been taken down to see the kitchens and Neville and Ginny had returned to the tugboat for some much needed remainder. Harry thought privately that he needed rest even more but didn't say anything. Dumbledore had kept him back to say something and he was damned if he wasn't gon na discover what that was."At my age my electrical capacity to be surprised is rather low, but somehow you always seem to manage."

"I ‘ m always unexpected."Harry grinned.

"Yes, you are."Dumbledore met Harry's green heart with his own sparkling ones."I fear I misjudged you this year Harry. I gave you discipline when I should receive given guidance and I lectured when I should cause listened. I was wrong Harry I-"But Dumbledore broke off as Harry begun chuckling under his breath."Something amusing ?"

"Just a little horse sense of déjà vu."Harry smiled as he recalled the upshot not even an minute ago."Only I was on the other side. Since I was forgiven then I can't really do anything but forgive you now can I ?"Harry grinned at the Headmaster."It ‘ s ok, really."

"Very well Harry."Dumbledore leant back in his chair."But I do believe some reward is in order for your heroic today. I believe an laurels for peculiar Robert William Service to the school for yourself and Mr Longbottom would-"

"prof, I don't know about Neville but could I ask for something else ?"Harry saw the schoolmaster's eyebrows rise in surprise."It ‘ s just… there ‘ s this mathematical group of Slytherins, Vanessa gibbon and Elizabeth Heathland and Joshua stock split. brace of others too. They ‘ ll know all the epithet if you ask them. They ‘ re the Muggleborn single or the one-half line of descent unity or Pure-Bloods that had the intestine to stick out up to Malfoy and Flint River. They shouldn ‘ t have to go back to the dungeon. They shouldn ‘ t have to go back to where they have to live with the kind of abuse Malfoy and his like dole out. They ‘ re not safe there, and they shouldn ‘ t have to stay there just because some stupid hat told them to. I want you to let them switch house."The office fell into silence again for a moment before Dumbledore answered.

"Once again Harry you manage to surprise me. But I ‘ m afraid it is not possible, never in the History of Hogwarts has a bookman switched sign of the zodiac. And even though the sorting hat's choices seem unknown sometimes, it always has the right mind about people."

"So what ? So what if they ‘ re more cunning than they are impudent or endure ? Does it weigh, does it signify they should accept to hold out with people who think they're scum ? Professor…"Harry raised his hand to stop the Headmaster retorting."… you just saw a house elf drag himself across the floor to make the right hand to choose. Just give these students the Saami chance. Please… ?"Harry looked pleadingly at the master and saw his words sink in. Dumbledore took his glasses off and rubbed his temples.

"offset the sorting and now this. Will you only be happy when the entire school is Gryffindor ?"

"I ‘ ll be happy when the intact school is happy. Or at least reasonably content. Come on Professor…"Harry added spreading his mitt."…I ‘ m cold, I ‘ m tired, I want a shower and I want to go to bed and we both know you ‘ re going to say yes."

Dumbledore's smile gave Harry his answer.
*


"Wait ? It wasn ‘ t Markus Michelson."

"No Ron, it was Flint."

"But we knew it was Michelson."

"Apparently we ‘ re morons."Harry shrugged. The petrified pupil were only just being woken up. Each of their response had been uniquely invaluable. Harry ticked them off in his head…

Joshua rip had been awoken with a candy kiss from Lucy Kingston and had promptly pulled the curtains around his bed to continue what she'd started.

King Oliver woodwind had gone from horizontal to erect in a fraction of a second and yelled"Quidditch ! Is it over ? Did I miss it ? Did we win ?"

At first they had though the potion hadn't worked on Colin Creevey before they discovered that he'd woken up and fainted dead away when he saw Harry standing adjacent to him.

winner Jamaican capital had run to the sound of his baby's voice when he woke up then run back out from behind the curtains yelling"My middle ! My eyes !"

And now the Marauders had joined them in the land of the living, Harry had spent the commencement few minutes explain what had happened in their absence and the adjacent half hour fielding questions., most of them from Ron who couldn't quite seem to get his head round the idea.

"Honestly Ron."Hermione shook her head at him."It all makes perfect sense when you know the diary was fake."

"But he did have the real diary."

"Yes but only for a while…"

Harry covered his auricle and let Hermione explain the things she herself hadn't known an hour ago. She'd probably do a better job anyway.

He looked out of the window of the hospital annexe at the blazing summer sun and grinned. Maybe it was prison term to begin making architectural plan for the coming summer. Maybe he should get a guitar…
*


Harry saw Markus Michelson off at the gate, his trunks looking decidedly odd with assorted native artifacts strapped to the sides.

"Do you have to go ?"Harry had asked while helping him load up his carriage.

"Never intended to last out,"Markus quipped as he loaded a expectant wooden statue into the go-cart."Told you before, I was just taking a break from my travels."

"Where do you remember you ‘ ll go ?"

"Oh I don't know. Africa maybe…"prof Michelson shrugged his wide shoulder joint."… could try and get myself roped into a Nundu hunt. They're always fun."

"I ‘ ll take your word for it."Harry shook his straits as he passed up a humble carved statue. It was a snake, and looked quite old."So, you always been a parselmouth ?"

"No."Markus looked down at him grinning."Some central American English shaman recitation demon summoning. I visited a tribe whose totem was a snake-god, almost all their ceremonies were parseltongue. That's where I learnt it. Course that was before I got there, after I left most of them were worshipping me."

"Yeah yeah yeah."Harry rolled his eyes chuckling as he tossed up the lowest box."Guess that's everything."

"You know pipsqueak, I wasn ‘ t joking about the crony thing."Markus Albert Michelson reached out and put one of his big hands on Harry's shoulder."You ever demand me you know where I ‘ ll be."

"No I won't,"Harry said with a grin."But I ‘ m for certain Digger ‘ ll be capable to find you."Michelson nodded.

"take maintenance of yourself kid."

"You too, Professor."

Harry watched as the carriage slowly moved out of sight around the twist in the road then slowly walked back up to the castle. When he reached his room he lay down and stared at the ceiling for a farsighted time. There was someone else who had helped him this year, someone he really should have thanked a long prison term ago. Harry drew out a quill and started writing.

I should accept written to you a foresightful clip ago, but its been a hectic year. I don't know if you know already but things got pretty bad here.

Harry chewed the end of his quill ; it was hard to recognize exactly what he was trying to say. In the end he settled for…

Your pendent has helped me keep going when things have been at their nearly bleak. If that was it's magic was for then it's worked. It's worked like a charm.



This chapter is grammatically correct thanks to the superb genus Beta Colon.


Well that 's another Book done. The adjacent chapter should be coming soon. Be prepared to leave the suburbia of pseudo-cannonvale and infix AU city in Harry thrower and the Torrent of geezerhood !


I wish I owned Harry Potter, I really do. But I do n't. Maybe if I 'm very, very beneficial Santa will bring me the legal rightfield for Christmas.



Harry Potter dragged his feet as he trudged along the pavement down the once familiar route. This summer, like the last, had been fun and relaxing. Harry had lazed the majority of the holiday away in Spain, juggling, studying and learning to play the guitar that he now carried slung over his left shoulder. Well, learning and being taught.

Thinking that Dumbledore had probably had enough daze the previous year Harry had negotiated his holiday instead of sneaking away like he had planned. The Headmaster had been glad to oblige him and had only really had two conditions, that he be near virtuoso and that he chequer in daily. Neither had been too very much of a melodic line so Harry had chosen to visit the Spanish people village near where the Academia Atsingani was located. Or at to the lowest degree where it was located currently : the school day had been founded by Romani and had a tendency to move around the country at unpredictable intervals.

"What do you do if you're left behind ?"Harry had asked one of the students living nearby while the Cy Young man showed him the first principle of guitar playing.

"We hop on a broom and try to grab up."The total shoal had a sort of que sera, sera attitude that Harry found he liked.

But now Harry was back in England and he was doing something he really didn't neediness to do, but something he knew probably should.

Harry loved his new wizard life and had never missed any voice of his old one. But still he felt like he needed to close that chapter properly. Close it so he knew he never had to come back. Harry took a mysterious breath and knocked on the door of number four Privet Drive. A moment later it was opened.

"Yes ? What do you- YOU !"

"I don ‘ t want to stay."Harry held a manus up to still his uncle."I don't want to be here any more than you want me to be here. I just came back for the stuff I left, then I can result and never come back."

"You left here ! You can get out !"Vernon Dursley was even more than fat and angry than Harry remembered."We don't want you here ! The day you left was the happy of my life history and if I don ‘ t see you gone from my property I ‘ ll…"

"You ‘ ll what, uncle ?"Harry slid his wand from his pocket so his uncle had a clear thought of it. The fat military man eyes bulged and all the blood seemed to run out from his face."I know what I am now. Interesting that you never thought to tell me, but I know all the Sami. So I want my stuff. The small peanut amount of self-will I was ever allowed under your roof. Then I ‘ ll be on my way."

"Y… I don ‘ t…."Vernon Dursley blustered but Harry just cocked his hear to one side as if to say ‘ well ?'

"Get in then. Before the neighbours see you."Harry obligingly slid in thorough the face threshold and allowed his uncle to flap down it closed behind him."genus Petunia !"Uncle Vernon yelled out and a moment later Harry's aunt came down the stairs.

"What is it pricy ? Is… oh…"

"Long time no see."Harry grinned at her floor formula."Don't nous me… I don ‘ t intend to stay."

"Where did we coldcock his things genus Petunia ?"Uncle Vernon asked brutishly.

"Under the… under…"genus Petunia was still opening and closing her mouth like she'd seen a ghost but managed to channelise at the cupboard under the stairs.

"Ah. Should deliver known."Harry pushed past his uncle and jerked candid the cupboard. certainly enough, there beside a new washing automobile, was a smallish composition board box. Harry pulled it out and opened it. Clothes now too little for him, a school workbook or two - that was all he'd really expected. Harry was under no illusions that picking up his clobber was for anything more real than his own serenity of mind."Looks like it."Harry closed the box and slid it into his leather haversack. It was a honest backpack ; he had bought it in Spain. Harry never understood why whizz lugged proboscis around when they could fascinate pocket-sized cup of tea to deport just as much yet matter almost nothing. Probably just a wizard affair, he reasoned. Same as quills.

"That everything ?"

"Yes it is,"said Petunia at the Lapp time as her hubby said,

"What about that box in the attic ?"

"Box in the Ionic dialect ?"Harry watched his auntie's brass decline."Yes aunty dearest. What about the box in the Ionic ?"

"That's… but…"

"Just get it for him so he can leave petunia,"Vernon grumped. His wife looked like she was about to complain again before turning tail and almost running up the stairs.

Harry heard a interference behind him and glanced over his shoulder.

"Hi Dudley."Harry's cousin was almost as wide-cut as the room access he was standing in."Yes that's right ! I ‘ m back."

"Harry… eh ? What happened to you ? You weren ‘ t like this when you left."

Harry wondered for a here and now whether his aunt and uncle had told Dudley about magic, but then realised what he meant. Harry did face unlike, with his hair long enough to synch into a pony-tail and a guitar case slung over one berm, he looked nothing like the oppressed and timid boy that had been scared out of Privet Drive all those years ago.

"I grew up."Harry hitched his bag eminent and grinned.

"Cool guitar,"Dudley said though he clearly couldn't see it through the case.

"I remember you had one yourself before I left. What happened to it ?"

"Smashed it through the TV."Dudley smiled at the memory of end."It was too hard to play."

auntie genus Petunia came back down the steps a mo later and thrust an old shoebox into his hands.

"right wing, you have everything."Vernon had apparently been waiting for this and pulled the threshold open."Out ! Now !"

"Well uncle…"And now for the veridical ground for the visit."… there ‘ s just this minor bit of paperwork from my school."Harry pulled the Hogsmeade form from his pocket.

"If you could just signal this, it's nothing significant, then I can be on my way."But Vernon Dursley had recoiled from the parchment as if it was a deadly Snake River."Just one slight signature…"

But his aunt took affair out of his workforce. She strode forward and grabbed the Hogsmeade kind before tearing it in living quarters and stuffing it back into his unresisting hand.

"Get. Out,"genus Petunia said from between clenched teeth."Freak !"

Harry stared at the piece of music of sheepskin in his deal then up into his aunts middle. He disdainfully opened his mitt and let the rubbish of newspaper crepuscle onto the floor of number four.

He would not let them know they had got to him. He would not give them the satisfaction.

"Ah well."He brushed his hands against each other casually."Never mind. Guess I ‘ ll be going then."

"Nice to see you again Dudley."Harry doffed an imaginary number cap to his cousin and tucked the shoebox under his arm."Petunia…"Harry nodded at his aunty and strode out the room access. The hold up sound he heard before it closed was,

"Dad, I need a new guitar."

*

Harry found a terrace a good few streets away and opened the box to see what he had got. It was mostly broad of theme and old photos, but a few other things jingled around in the rear end. Harry drew them out carefully : a adept coin, a quill, an empty phial, a delicate silver locket lying spread out and a belittled Ag badge with a P on it. Harry looked back over the papers, they were all written in neat, curled cursive script. A adult female's handwriting, or a fille's. These things were his female parent's. Harry hurriedly pushed everything back into the box and shoved it back into his bag ; he needed to front at this later when he had more time. He was about to get up and go when a small part behind him said,

"Sir… You missed something."

Harry turned, a minuscule child was pointing at something glinting on the floor. It was the locket. It must have slipped out while he was looking at the theme. Harry took it and closed it before hastily wrapping it in a sock to stop it getting scratched it transit.

"Thanks."Harry was about to wrick and leave when he realised something. A repulsive shock jolted right down his sticker. The child had a lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead.

"What's your name ?"Harry dreaded the answer.

"Harry thrower. Why do you-"

"And what year is it ? Ah… I mean how old are you ?"Harry amended quickly.

"Nearly four."

Harry glanced around quickly. Had he somehow travelled to the past tense or was this kid in his future tense ? Damn it ! It was impossible to enjoin, the roadstead around Privet driveway probably wouldn't change for anything dead of a nuclear holocaust. The road was empty of any people ; the only life history he could see was a dog making a spirited attempt to dig its way under a fence.

Harry looked back down at the kid and tried to wrack his retentivity into physical body. Did he remember having this conversation ? Did he remember meeting an odd man with a guitar who looked like him ? No, no he didn't remember. But that didn't mean it hadn't happened, he didn't remember a lot of material from when he was young.

"Kid…"What to tell him ? Should he tell him anything ?"Kid you ‘ re extra. Don ‘ t let your aunty and uncle tell you different."

The boy blinked at him in surprise then faded. Faded away.

Harry collapsed back onto the bench and held his nous in his hands. Without looking up he counted on his finger.

"iniquity wizards, giant snake and now time travel."Harry banged his head on the hard Grant Wood of the behind."Wonderful."
*


Harry made it to King's Cross in plenty of time and crossed quickly onto platform nine and three quarters to be met by an unexpected sight. The doors of the Hogwarts limited were closed and what students were already there were milling around uncertainly or talking in whispering groups. Harry spotted the similitude right near the end of the weapons platform and wandered over.

"Hi, girls."

"Hi Harry, had a gracious summertime ?"Annapurna chirped at him.

"Not too bad. Thanks for the reading material by the way."

"Well you did ask for it. Can ‘ t imagine why."Padma shook her headspring and turned back to her contemplation of the unmoving train.

The book they were talking about was a grave bulk they had got him for his birthday. Mrs Patil was a librarian at a massive library in bath and the Gemini the Twins had made a habit of getting him record book on issue not even touched on by the Hogwarts curriculum. But when he had requested a book on the obscure art of Occlumency, even they had raised their monovular eyebrows. It hadn't just been an idle illusion however - the subject had been suggested to him in a letter. A missive from a missy in Greece with one purple eye. Despite not wanting to let down Pythea he'd not made a lot progress, the leger was heavy going. He persevered though.

"When a little girl who can see the future tells you to learn something,"Harry had reasoned."It's probably in your safe interests to put in the time."Of course according to her he already was an occlumens, he just had to learn to control it. Despite Harry's rank esteem for the little Greek prophet, he looked on that statement with large disbelief.

"Do you lie with what the handgrip up is ?"Harry gestured at the train."Can we get on the train ?"

"Yes Harry, we can get on the train."Padma rolled her eyes."We ‘ re standing on this mucky, smokey platform purely in the pastime of our own health."

"Can I nickname you sourpuss this year ? I think it lawsuit you."

"I don't know, don't you want to not quash experiencing a scalping hex ?"

"No. Or yes… I mean no… Damn your double negatives !"Harry grinned and Padma smiled back at him."Just tell apart me what's haywire with the train."

"We don't know,"Parvati answered him and sat down on her automobile trunk. Padma did the same.

"Ah…"thought Harry."So trunks do give birth some advantages. Luckily…."Harry reached into his bag and pulled out a folding beach president. He unfolded it and flopped down."… I make my own advantages."

"All we know…"Parvati eyed Harrys chairman but said nothing."…is that they're going to make some declaration before we get on the train."

"Don't they usually make those at the feast ?"Harry glanced around. The post was already filling up. Harry caught sight of Neville stumbling through the roadblock and waved him over.

"Hi, Harry, Parvati. Hi Padma, do you cognise what's wrong with the train ?"

"Why do you all assume I know ?"Padma snapped irritably.

"Well… because…"Neville floundered."You ‘ re smarting. You usually know things… about… stuff…"

"Oh… um,"Padma bit her lip and looked slightly guilty."Well I don't know this, sorry."

"Relax guys."Harry leaned back into his chairman and closed his heart."Y ‘ all worry too much. It's a overnice day, we ‘ re outside, who cares about the train ?"

"Smartest thing I ‘ ve ever heard you say,"Annapurna mimicked Harry and they both sighed in contentment as the sun peeked out from behind a cloud and lit up the post. Padma snorted and got out a pack of identity card before turning to Neville.

"While these two are photosynthesising you want to diddle exploding snap ?"

Surprisingly Padma lost two games in the side by side few second before a loud murmuring made them all sit up and pay care. Harry stood up on his chair and glanced around. He could see the Weasley family with Hermione standing nearby back near the barrier and waved to them. They waved back but he saw that they obviously couldn't reaching him through the crush on the platform. He turned the early way and saw the campaign of the murmuring, Professor McGonagall was standing on a raised dais at the end of the platform. He watched as she held her wand to her mouth then spoke in an unnaturally loud voice.

"Please listen to me all of you."The murmuring stopped and Harry stood up on the arms of his chairperson to get a serious view."When you reach Hogwarts there will be no carriages to charter you to the school day. Instead you will immediately line up behind your Heads of menage ; 1st years follow prof Hagrid…"McGonagall pointed at the massive man standing next to her. Harry just had time to inquire about the ‘ Professor'bit before she continued."From there you will be taken by boat to Hogwarts. I must stress to all of you that failure to endure by this will be met with prat punishment. Anyone acting in anything other than a mature and orderly style will be similarly punished."

Harry just stared at her, what was going on ? A consequence later he felt the chairwoman under him shift and he dropped to the background with an almighty clangour. He stood up and dusted himself off. Everyone around was looking at him.

"A mature and neat fashion."Harry heard professor McGonagall repeat while glaring dagger at him."Now if you will all figure the train."The room access clicked open and there was an instant scrummage around the entrances as children tried to force their way in. The twins and Neville were chuckling a little.

"You always seem to retrieve some way of being the centre of attending,"Parvati said with a warm smile.

Harry laughed and folded up his chair.

"Come on, let's get on the train,"Parvati added."Before all the undecomposed hindquarters are taken."

"Don ‘ t worry about that sis,"Padma said dryly."Harry seems to have a full garden set in his bag."
*


As the Hogwarts express neared the station the differences mounted. Instead of being let off the gear as they wanted they were funnelled out in orderly short letter to argumentation up behind the teachers. The marauders huddled together. What was going on ? After they had lined up in secretiveness the other Heads of house peeled off and they followed McGonagall out of the station.

The pupil trudged along a muddy, misty course down to the lake. Harry glanced into the sky and saw broomsticks circling. Harry saw prof Snape swing past tense, his foresightful hooked nose making him depend like a giant bragging as he scanned the ground surrounding the bookman. A moment later ma'am Hooch ( flying with a good deal more expertise than the potions passe-partout ) flew past in the other direction.

"Whatever it is that's natural event,"Harry thought."Its got them seriously worried."

The boat surprised everyone, a Victorian looking wooden paddle steamer complete with gas lights waited at a recollective dock at the side of the lake. The students filed on and the gravy holder moved slowly away. As they moved out onto the weewee the teacher visibly relaxed. The students began to loose too, jumping at the rails and charging up and down the deck.

"Up there guys."Harry heaved his guitar into a luggage wrack and pointed to the upper pack of cards."cum on."

"But Harry McGonagall's up there,"Ron whined."We won ‘ t be able to do anything fun."

"But we might hear what all this is about. Come on guys ? Aren't you odd ?"

"Not again Harry,"Hermione crossed her arms."Let the teachers handle it."

"I am going to,"Harry said starting up the stairs."But I want to know what it is they ‘ re handling."

"And whether it involves time travel,"he added to himself as the marauder followed him up the stairs.

Up on the top deck it was colder and they could count far out over the lake as the mist curled on the airfoil of the weewee. Or was it just mist ? Harry looked thick and squinted through his glasses. The goliath squid was right beneath the steamship, shadowing them. Teachers guarding above, the calamari guarding below. Harry shook his fountainhead, something definitely had them spooked. A moment later a broom swooped down from above and a booted invertebrate foot nearly cracked the face of Harry's head. Snape landed in an undignified cumulation on the deck and tried to get up before tangling his legs in the broom and almost tripping over. Harry heard a few stifled giggles but himself remained mute. What were they laughing about ? Snape was better on the thing than him.

"Take it. Don ‘ t fall behind it,"Snape snapped and shoved the broom into Ginny's bridge player before moving towards McGonagall. Harry turned to hear surreptitiously ; this was what they'd been waiting for.

"One of them was sniffing around near the edge of the forest."Snape gestured away towards easterly shore of the lake. He sounded peculiarly disinterested."It is gone now."

"Likely gone to tell the rest of them Severus."McGonagall was anything but disinterested. She sounded tense, even for her."Why didn ‘ t you stun him ?"

"They can hardly do anything now."professor Snape glanced up at the sky with a wry smile on his fount."All these unnecessary precautions."

"You yourself helped strengthen the Aaron Montgomery Ward over the summertime, Severus."

"That was a essential precaution."Snape was unruffled by prof McGonagall's flinty stare."For times former than now."

"You know they like to study mass Severus. Wait and pee-pee sure they ‘ re in a billet to strike when the metre is right."

"time lag almost a week ?"

"Severus, the safety of the students is our top priority."

"No Minerva."Severus's laconic attitude was gone in an instant."Finding out what they are up to. Finding out why they move now. Finding out why they grow less fearful each day. Finding out why they are gathering and why they venture further and further outside the confines of the woods. That is our top antecedency. That is our top precedence because until we do Hogwarts is not safe."

The two teachers dropped off into quiet and stared out over the lake. Harry turned around and stared out over the track himself. When was Hogwarts ever safe ? mass kept saying that Hogwarts was protected, but Harry had seen precious small evidence of that over his time there. Harry leant out over the rail and stared out over the misty water to the veil wood, just visible as a dark stain in the space. Since he'd been into it in his first year Harry hadn't really thought about the timberland. He'd walked it, seen it, even fallen asleep in it and miraculously failed to get eaten by anything. Since that day it hadn't really scared him anymore. Harry frowned and closed his eyes. Now the forest was something malevolent, ruining what could have been a uncomplicated year.

"What are you thinking Harry ?"Harry twisted and saw Neville standing behind him.

"I ‘ m mentation we ‘ re in for another interesting twelvemonth Neville,"Harry sighed."Lashkar-e-Taiba just hope it doesn ‘ t involve more freezing sewers. That was half the cause I went to Spain you know…"Harry added."…to warm up again."

"I know Harry."Neville moved up next to him on the rail."I don ‘ t… I don't know how I managed it."

"I don't jazz how I managed it either. And I don ‘ t know how you managed it twice."Harry grinned at his friend."That woulda killed me."

"It did almost defeat you."

"Nah, that was the snake."Harry was chuckling now."Anyway you didn ‘ t just have to get out. You had to dribble somebody out."

"That actually made it easier."Neville was chuckling too."She floats."Harry burst out laughing. He turned to his placid friend.

"She floats ?"

Neville nodded, still laughing.

"Ok."Harry shook his top dog and leant against the rail."What are you thinking Neville ? What do you think about all this ?"Neville sort of drew back into himself and shrugged.

"You know I ‘ m not really smart or anything Harry."

"Just give me a guess."Harry glanced over at the others who were watching what looked like a shoal of fish."I want your initial reaction."Neville form of shrugged again.

"Something in the forest ‘ s dangerous."Harry nodded and motioned for him to continue.

"It ‘ s something that's always been there but's acting differently now."Harry nodded and smiled. He'd got that printing too. In fact he'd got several impressions from the conversation, not that he was going to cite them.

"But something that isn ‘ t dangerous right now. That's what Snape said."Harry saw that Padma had wandered over too them. Neville shut his rima oris suddenly, maybe less fain to talk now that someone else could hear him if he was wrong.

"Either of you hazard a surmise as to what ?"Harry looked between them, from one to the other."Something that's not dangerous now but is in a week's time ?"

"There are… some dangerous plant life with weekly cycles."Neville mumbled."Some even grow in the wood. But he said something was sniffing down by the shore."

"What if it's were-"Padma began but Harry caught her eye and subtly held one fingerbreadth up, then glanced at Neville, who was still lost in thought. The twin looked confused for a moment then understanding seemed to course onto her face and she quickly added."No, it can't be that. Never mind."

"DOE something special happen in a hebdomad's time ?"Harry asked Neville. Neville looked confused then opened his proboscis and pulled out what looked like a diary or a preparation planner.

"In a week…"Neville's drew his finger down the Thomas Nelson Page."Well it's a full moon… hold ! Werewolves ! Could it be werewolves ?"Neville looked up with a offend and surprised expression.

"Of course. And they already live in the forest. They must be gathering."Harry nodded and looked out over the water system."You should go tell the others, they ‘ ll want to live about this."Neville almost skipped as he moved away. Padma fixed him with a knowing stare.

"When did you work out it was werewolves ?"she said quietly.

"About when you walked over. I remembered when I was in the forest with your Sister, talking about all the nasties that were supposed to live there, and it just form of clicked."

"You are either a very good supporter or a rig bastard."

"I always thought I was both,"Harry commented dryly.

Any response of Padma's was cut off as the ship lurched alarmingly to the slope. Harry fell against the rail and slid down to the floor before he could catch himself. A sudden painfulness struck him in the back of his neck.

"Ow !"Harry picked himself up and rubbed the back of his neck. He had even heard something snap as he fell.

"Oh, alright don't be chivalrous. Just let me pick myself off the storey,"Padma griped, but Harry wasn't listening. Something felt dreadfully wrong.

Suddenly he was fixed with a hideous certainty, his hands checking around his neck, his eyes checking the flooring around his foot. It wasn't there. The shell, Pythea's shell pendent was gone. Harry dashed to the side and looked out over the water, as if he would be able to see it floating despite the mist and sheik. Then his eye caught a shine glint and he breathed a huge suspiration of alleviation. It had fallen on the lower deck, not in the water.

Feeling like he'd just run a marathon Harry went down the nearest staircase and swung round to the let down deck.

"farewell it ! Don't step on it !"Harry yelled at the start eld careening down the gangway."Just let me… Oh bugger."Harry stopped moving and let his hands fall to his sides. A pupil had turned at his call and picked the pendent off the floor and was now holding it up to the light.

"Interesting piece of jewelry Potter."Malfoy grinned evilly."Didn ‘ t think you were one for medal. Where did you get it ? Never psyche, I know. scale, string, glue from the depository library, a gift made entirely of free component. This was the Weasley ‘ s Yuletide present to you wasn ‘ t it."

"Give. It. To. Me. Now."Harry didn't remember drawing his scepter but it had somehow ended up in his hand."Do not screw around here Malfoy."

"Oh but it's so sweet."The Slytherin drew the pendent off its cord to look at it more closely."You carrying this piece of garbage nigh to your heart."

"Malfoy…"Harry took a step closer and held out his manus. Out of the corners of his centre he could see his ally gathering behind him."… believe me you don ‘ t want to see what'll happens to you if you don't give it to me."

"wellspring if you care so much…"Malfoy smirked and tightened his bridge player around the shell."… oops !"And with that he turned and hurled the pendant out across the lake.

"Noooo !"Harry heard the screaming fly past his brim and it felt like his heart flew with it. But a present moment later a red blur shot past him at shoulder peak, darting out over the dark Earth's surface of the lake, following the curving ark of the pendant as if climbed to its zenith then fell swiftly to the mist. The blur shot down with it and for a moment both were lost in the whiteness. Then a minute later it re-emerge, travelling slower now. Harry watched as Ginny Weasley floated back down onto the boat next to him on Snape's heather, held out her clenched fist and said…

"Here you go Harry."Her hand opened and there it was, not even wet. She'd caught it before it touched the water.

Harry reached out with trembling fingers and grabbed the tiny matter into his bridge player. Why had he ever kept it on something as fragile as leather ? He should get some conducting wire, or a chemical chain. Yes, yes a chain. With unbreakable charms on it. He could ask Professor Flitwick for help making them really strong. Harry looked up then enveloped the untested marauder in a hug.

"Thank you,"he breathed into her hair.

"That's ok Harry. You saved me from a goliath snake."Ginny chuckled.

"Believe me…"Harry pulled back from her and looked her straight in the eye."…we ‘ re even."

"Miss Ginevra Weasley !"The vulture turned and saw McGonagall bearing down on them. Harry stepped in front of the others and held out his hands.

"Entirely my fault prof, you see-"

"I do not want to pick up it Mr Potter."Even Harry didn't have the guts to stand up to that feeling of voice."Miss Weasley, I was perfectly take in about the earnestness of the situation when I spoke on the gear platform."

"But professor I was-"

"Not another word Miss Weasley. And using a broom given to you to keep rubber by a Hogwarts Professor."Ginny bowed her school principal."Come with me now."

Ginny obediently moved off after the Deputy Headmistress. Harry tried one last attempt…

"The squid would'a caught her if she fell !"

McGonagall turned and gave him a withering stare before turning and walking up to the strawman of the ship, the youngest marauder trailing.
*


Ginny clutched the Scots heather in her hands as her Head of theatre led her across the deck. To her surprisal they stopped near a grouping of seventh years, one of whom McGonagall tapped on the shoulder.

"Mr Mrs. Henry Wood, I have found you a seeker."

Ginny's heart leapt. She wasn't expelled ! Far from it, she was going on the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

"Really ?"The senior boy looked almost pluck, like it would be too painful to hope."Is she in effect ? Falco columbarius ‘ s beard but we need a good seeker."

"She caught a man of eggshell smaller that a stoolie straight out of a standing start,"McGonagall snapped."In this mist too, and on a shoal broom."

"more than a firearm of shell…"Ginny mumbled, defensive attitude of Harry's treasured pendent. But neither the Professor nor the Quidditch captain seemed to get a line her. Then she had a atrocious thought."But I don't have a Scots heather,"she protested.

"Considering the current position in the Gryffindor team…"McGonagall shook her promontory ruefully."I think we can provide you with a broom."

"A in force broom,"woods cut in."A glory 2000, maybe a New comet. Or you know the gloriole 2001 is around-"

"We are not made of money Mr Wood,"the professor said icily.

"Right, right, of course. Better be the 2000."

McGonagall nodded and walked off humming what sounded like a victory Mar under her breath. Ginny turned back to the seventh twelvemonth. Suddenly a storage hit her and her face turned from triumphal grinning to appall grimace.

"Something wrong little one ?"Oliver forest leant over to talk to her.

"I…"Ginny began then continued in a rush."… I was sorting of involved in the stuff finis year and I was possessed by an evil book that had Voldemort in it and I set a colossus snake on you and it petrified you and that's the reason you missed nigh of your last term and I could suffer killed you."

"But you can act Quidditch ?"

"Yes."

"Don't concern about it then."



The Beta for this chapter was once again Colon. Thank you !

Please review, I want to sleep together what you think about the departure from canon.


I feel the need to explain something so no lupine fans get angry.

In this chapter, and the next few, you may notice that lupine is a little dissimilar than he is in cannon. Specifically a little harsher. I promise I will explain, eventually ... Lupin is one of my favorite persona so it pains me to do this to him, but bear with me, it 's for a salutary reason.



The sorting hat's birdsong that year was the shortest in anyone's memory.

"Last twelvemonth a girl, A little young lady
Saw fit to break away the rule.

I wish to produce it fully clear.
I will not be made a fool.

I sort the student, me the hat.
And if you wish to question that.
GO discovery ANOTHER SCHOOL !"

Harry laughed out loud but stopped when he saw that Ginny appeared to be trying to conceal under the table. The categorisation occurred along rule lines from then on except for the fact that the hat sometimes seemed to be almost spitting its decisions out, as if daring anyone to question. Maybe it was Harry's imagination.

"Guys…"Harry began after the food had appeared."… we ‘ ve got to get back into the swing of things."

"What do you mean ? What things ?"Ron said through a speak full of butterfly potato.

"Pranks guys, the reason the marauders exist in the first place."Harry shook his head ruefully."utmost year we let piddling thing like overt warfare in the corridors distract us from what's really important."

"Harry please."Hermione put her hands together as if praying."Haven't you had enough excitement. Can't we just have a quieten twelvemonth, study, play chess game, exploding duck soup that sorting of thing. Besides, we all have new classes this class. We won't have time."

"Yeah, classes…"Harry tried to opine back. What classes had he prefer ?"… those social class I chose… called… um…"

"caution of Magical animate being and antediluvian Runes."Hermione's vocalism took on a long-sufferance tone.

"Right ! Right yes."Now he remembered. It had been a process of elimination really. Muggle Studies : too useless, Arithmancy : too hard, Divination : Taught by professor Trelawney. Much as Harry wanted to see more about the seers Pythea had warned him about the Divination Professor."And a fun, studious time will be had by all but between classes, we prank. We prank upright. We prank hard. We prank deadly. But near of all…"Harry stopped and surveyed his troops.

"We prank Malfoy."Parvati finished for him, eyes ablaze."We make him pay for almost losing you your pendent."

"Exactly."

Hermione buried her face in her hands.

"And for tormenting the muggleborn students."Ron added.

Hermione straightened instantly.

"Of course, we can't let him get away with it !"

"Children…"Albus Dumbledore had stood up and was addressing the school day. The schooling turned and quietened attentively, except for Harry who was concentrating on rolling a coin over his knuckles."… and you Harry."Harry glanced up and grinned before making the coin disappear down his arm."I once again feel the need to prepare a few promulgation before allowing you to return to your common suite and treat each former with level if your summers. Firstly I hope you will link me in welcoming a new Professor to the staff, he will be teaching defence Against the Dark Arts."

"…this year."A girl near the back of the Ravenclaw table yelled.

"And for as long in the futurity a he wishes to teach."

"Lets not kid ourselves here."Another voice added cynically. Harry craned his neck opening and saw Book of Joshua Split grinning sardonically in his new blue edged robes. Somehow he had already managed to get them rumpled. He caught Harry's gaze and nodded amicably.

"In any case…"The schoolmaster continued."I would care to welcome prof Lupin."The headmaster waved towards a sorcerer sitting on his left.

professor lupin was definitely a change from Markus Albert Abraham Michelson. The wizards robe were patched like they had been repeatedly self-repaired and his haircloth showed grey. more than that he moved like a man not quite recovered from a retentive illness, his eyes were tired and lined. There was a handful of applause, well-nigh of it soon stopping. Harry clapped once or twice to shew unforced but decided to hold discernment till the inaugural socio-economic class. The man certainly didn't look like he would last a year, he looked like he'd be hard pressed to lowest a month.

prof lupine didn't seem perturbed by the unenthusiastic answer, he seemed to take it as pattern. Harry's eyes were drawn across the table and alighted on prof Snape. The potions master's ( usually so gay ) reflection had twisted into something very close to pure hatred. Harry's optic flickered to Lupin then back to Snape. There was a story here unless he was much mistaken. Suddenly the Potion master copy gaze flickered up to fulfill his. Harry felt a nub of pressure sensation on the back of his scull, like a little balloon was being inflated inside his brain.

"Ok Harry ! Clear creative thinker !"Harry thought as he breathed deeply and tried to blank his mind."Clear… clear… breathing…"The nub intensified and the pressure spiked into pain."dummy, wall, darkness, fog…"It was no trade good, the bulb of painfulness exploded and a flood of persona filled Harry's mind before he jerked his eyes away. Out of the street corner of his eye he saw the Professor smirk triumphantly.

"Secondly…"The Headmaster continued."I would like to announce that our very own Rubeus Hagrid has agreed to take on a post as the professor of upkeep of Magical Creatures."The cheer this time was louder, but still not smashing. Harry stood and clapped but not many others did.

"Thirdly, and most importantly…"Dumbledore's voice took on a deathly serious quality."… as your unusual means of reaching will no doubt have alerted you there are trouble at Hogwarts this class. I truly hope that they will not problem us but there are some matter you must bed. The forbidden forest has always been off demarcation line to students, but I must now motivate the bounds a good deal closer to Hogwarts. There is a line that you will all see on the ground just passed the nursery, do not intersect it unless you have an undeniable want to visit Madam Pomfrey. And even then there are much less painful way. I must also insist that all students are inside the rook rampart during the hours of darkness. The Quidditch arena has been closed for matches…"

"No !"The cry went up from various topographic point around the great hall.

"… but the Quidditch cup will still have station in a different venue."Dumbledore continued to a somewhat placated hall."I truly hope that none of these forethought are necessary and that we can all induce a normal year."The Headmaster sat back down.

"Fat opportunity of that."Harry said swinging around.

"Shh !"Hermione admonished him.

"… and you Harry."Harry spun back circle. Dumbledore was standing again and looked like he was about to start speaking again. Harry obediently fell silent.

"I once again feel the pauperization to make a few announcements before allowing you to return to your park suite and regale each other with narration if your summers."What ? More declaration ?

"Firstly I hope you will link me in welcoming a new prof to the stave, he will be teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts."We already did ?

"…this year."Hang on…

"And for as long in the future a he wishes to teach."Oh no… Harry glanced over at Split just a moment before he spoke.

"Army of the Righteous not kid ourselves here."

Harry glanced around, no one else seemed to call up anything was amiss. He made himself clap for both professors and appear to hear attentively to the limitation he'd heard just a mo before. As the rest of the school began leaving the nifty Hall Harry grabbed a jug of water system and took a prospicient thirsty draft. It did no good, his pharynx still felt dry.

"You alright Harry ?"Ron had hung back, waiting for him.

"Oh fine."Harry set the jug back and wearily got to his feet."Just déjà vu."

As he turned and walked unhurriedly out of the hall a set of golden eyes watched him go.
*


"A gloriole 2000."Ron ran his handwriting lovingly over the handle of the broomstick."Wow… I mean… wow…"

"Um Ron ? chum lamb ? generate me my Calluna vulgaris back right now !"

"Right."Ron handed the ling back over the breakfast board."Sorry Ginny."But he kept staring at the Scots heather and his hands kept twitching as if itching to grab it again.

Harry caught the eye of Hermione, the only other marauder not currently clustered around the broom, and rolled his eyes. Hermione smiled but said…

"Some of it ‘ s actually quite interesting actually Harry. I ‘ ve read up on flying charms and the Nimbus 2000 is the firstly to use the new momentum flip-flop charm for pinpoint turns in…"

"… in conjunction with an aeris-fissio to increase to rush ? Yeah, but the Atirabhasa good luck charm produces pretty much the same fastness and it's a darn sight more reliable. Or you could use Frenum instead of the momentum magic spell so long as the wood itself is strong enough."

Hermione's jaw had dropped open and she was looking at him with disbelief.

"They ‘ re charms."Harry explained, waving dismissively."They ‘ re slow. And as for the Quidditch talking well… after hearing Ron prattle on for so long I can probably recite the rule book."

"Harry if you would just apply the same level of commitment you give to magic spell and pranking to former affair like say… potions or defense class I ‘ m sure you ‘ d feel them just as easy."

Harry wasn't so sure, especially about the potions.

"But potions is boring."Harry took a draught of orange succus ( he had never grown to like Cucurbita pepo juice )."How can you spend time doing something so boring."

"Its not boring, there are many subtleties like slow-brewing and distillation."

"Step one : read instruction. tone Two : Follow educational activity. Step Three : Have caldron Explode and get yelled at."Harry mimed an exploding cauldron and laughed. Hermione at least smiled as she took a drink from her glassful."Only dance step three is of any real interest. That's why I add so many odd ingredients."Hermione eyes bulged, she gagged and sprayed pumpkin juice across the table. Spluttering and gasping she managed to say…

"You ‘ ve been doing it on determination !"

"Hell yes ! It's not really any fun otherwise."Harry thought back for a mo, lost in recall."The one that turned purpurate and ended up all over the cap. That was probably the adept one."

"Let's just get to class."Hermione stood up and grabbed her bag."I don't want to be later for muggle studies."

"What are you talking about ? We have brute first don't we ?"

"Oh, right yes."Hermione bit her lip before nodding."Let me just go, um, get some excess parchment. I ‘ ll sports meeting you there."She moved off down the prorogue quickly. Harry watched her go, frowning.

"That was odd."Harry took another sip of juice then turned around at the audio of a loudly bang. Ron was helplessly flailing at his look, trying to knock away the two leathery offstage that had emerged from his olfactory organ. One from each nostril."Tried to take hold of the Calluna vulgaris again didn ‘ t you Ron ?"

"I couldn ‘ t service myself."
*


Hermione hurried away from the great hall, very cognizant of the little golden hourglass hanging around her neck opening. She had felt Harry's stare as she walked out of the hall, she would have to be more careful in future. He was too sharp sometimes. The upshot if someone found out would be terribly. McGonagall had made that clear…

"You will feature to sign this."McGonagall had said, pushing a recollective form over to her."Make sure to read it carefully."

She had dutifully read through the written document. It seemed to be a standard from, there had been various credit to the punishments for different infractions.

"There ‘ s a bit that's been written in in dissimilar ink at the bottom."Hermione had noticed.

"We thought it necessary to add that."

“'I swear that I will never ever ever ever enjoin Harry thrower about the time-turner.'You mention Harry by name ?"

"We thought it prudent."

"It ‘ s underlined."

"I know."

"In red."

"I know."

"And there ‘ s a big pointer pointing to it."

"Just sign the form."

Hermione had done so and been handed a small hinged box, like a man of jewellery would make out in. On the backrest had been a flyspeck label
Time-Turner
Property of the section of Mysteries
Warnings :
Keep with you at all times
Do not attempt to open
Do not use in conjunction with other method of time-travel
Do not induce paradoxes or intervene with the fabric of causality
Do not immerse


Hermione hurried to her lesson. She just needed to be more careful. This year couldn't be that hard, could it ?
*


"Where are you going Harry ?"Parvati called out to him as he stepped out of the main door of Hogwarts.

"well I was thinking of going to my magical animal class."Harry shrugged and grinned impishly."But if you wan na ditch I ‘ m game."

"The magical creatures classes are being held inside this year. Probably because of all the certificate. Didn ‘ t you read the notice ? I ‘ m really looking forward to it…"Parvati continued as Harry turned to keep up her."… I wonder if we ‘ ll do unicorns or maybe an Abraxan."

"Acromantula and yetis and bicorns oh my !"

"Oh come on Hagrid wouldn't be allowed to bring those matter into the school."

"Really ?"Harry chuckled."Bet you a galleon whatever we see today has more teeth than me."

"You're on."Parvati had stopped in front of a door on the third storey. All the marauder had, the property held some disturbing memory. Hermione hurried towards them ( not from the focus of Gryffindor tower Harry noticed ) and stopped nearby.

"Is that… ?"

"Fluffy ‘ s room."Neville finished for her in a vocalism wide-cut of dread.

"Ooo."Harry said as he moved to open the door."I think I hear that galleon calling."

"Great, y ‘ r all here."Hagrid waved the predator over. The room looked different to when the Cerberus had occupied it. It had been cleaned for one affair and the trapdoor was gone, replaced by flat stone just slightly less hold out than the relief of the floor. If you weren't looking you'd never see it.

The students were sat on cushions in a circle around Hagrid, who himself was standing next to a massive cage covered in a black cloth.

"Sorry we have to have got the lessons in here but its for your own good y ‘ see. Now, have a feeling at this…"Hagrid pulled the cloth off and the unanimous class shied away."…A six-headed Vorompatra. Ain't she a beautiful creature."

The ten ft tall ostrich-like creature stuck its heads through the streak and glared at the students with all XII of its red, beady eyes. Then it drew back its heads and screeched like a banshee.

"Her name is Isabelle."Hagrid said fondly.

Not one of the students spoke until Parvati leaned towards Harry's ear and hoarsely said…

"You owe me a galleon."
*


The shaken predator made their way to defence against the dark arts.

"It ‘ s eyes… It kept staring at me."Neville kept mumbling as they walked down the corridor.

"It was staring at everyone Neville it had six blooming read/write head !"Harry threw his hands up in the air and shook his head.

"He probably just wanted to start the year with a bang."Hermione rationalized, kneading the edge of her robes in her fists nervously."The residual of the class won ‘ t be like that. Surely ?"She even seemed to be rocking back and forth a piffling. Ron tentatively reached out and rested his paw on her berm comfortingly.

"We can only go for. Though perhaps we shouldn't."Padma said dryly.

Harry just shook his hear again and thought that perhaps arithmancy wouldn't have been so bad. As they entered the Defense Department classroom Professor Lupin looked up from what he was doing. The predator were the outset 1 there.

"You needn't find your seating student, we will be going somewhere else for the lesson today."The teachers voice was Equus caballus and tired. The marauders waited for anything advance teaching but none came, the prof had gone back to writing something on a canvass of parchment.

Harry shrugged and made three juggling balls appear from tenuous air ( the initiative time he'd done this one-half of Gryffindor house thought he'd mastered conjury, it had been weeks before anyone had caught on to the sleight of hand ) and began spinning them idly. When the balance of the social class were there Professor lupine called the register then rose wearily from his seat and told them all to follow him. As they trouped through the schoolhouse Harry whispered…

"Where do you opine he ‘ s taking us ?"But the answer became ostensible almost instantly as they entered the faculty room.

"Now, I do not need any of you to become alarm. But there is a moody creature in this wardrobe, a boggart."most of the class ignored his admonition and became alarmed."Mr, Longbottom is it ? Mr Longbottom would you come to the front please."

Neville gingery moved to the front of the course of study. Harry listened with half an ear to the description of the properties and proper defense against boggarts. The more he saw of Professor lupin the more he got the feeling he'd seen him somewhere before.

"Alright Mr Longbottom ?"Damn ! Should really have listened to that."Ready ? Go !"professor Lupin flicked his wand and the closet opened. Out stepped Isabelle in all her glory.

"Oh bloody hell ! Not again !"Harry yelled.

Neville seemed to accept been petrified, his wand rigid in his paw as the gigantic wench stomped towards him making the flat coat waggle. Then he seemed to snap out of it and yelled…

"Riddikulus !"The elephant-birds six caput suddenly snaked together into a tangled knot and it fell to the floor.

"good, good ! Next one up."professor Lupin was smiling and motioned Susan bone up. The boggart became a Snake and was quickly changed into a slinky.

"Ok, I get the idea."Harry thought as he slowly moved up the line. git, bats, batrachian and spiders were changed into more comical affair and Harry thought it might actually be fun to see what happened when he came face to face with the creature. The live student in movement of him moved away and he stepped up, wand in helping hand. The boggart seemed to ripple for a here and now, then take forward. For a second Harry saw a blue photoflash then he felt water all around him and his mind became a dummy slate wide-cut of terror.

"Can't breath ! Air ! Air ! Can't breath ! Can't…"Harry flailed helplessly."Drowning !"Harry's thoughts were interrupted as the piss disappeared. Harry caught a flash of something globe-shaped and silver medal before he dropped to his knees on the floor.

"Are you hurt ?"Harry looked up at the sound of the professor voice then shook his head."Perhaps this will instruct you to pay more than care when your teacher speaks in future."With that lupin turned away and started talking to the balance of the category, lecturing them on former boggart belongings. Harry felt an arm Snake River around his shoulders and looked up to see Hermione's sympathetic face.

"Why didn ‘ t you speak the charm Harry ?"

"Couldn ‘ t breath."

"The piss wasn't real you know."But Harry just shook his head.

"Couldn ‘ t breath."

The class was dismissed a few bit later. Harry slouched along a few footmark behind the rest of the vulture with his helping hand in his air pocket. Malfoy would surely have gap this story across half the school before the end of the day and the other half by breakfast. Harry decided he hated Professor Lupin.
*


The next day Harry was bodily dragged from lunch by Hermione.

"Come on, or we ‘ ll be late."

"And would that be so bad."Harry tried to dig his cad in to decelerate her down but he just ended up bumble ( why did he have to be smaller than everyone ? )"Are you that excited about antediluvian runes ?"

Harry was the just piranha joining Hermione in that content. In addition to the care of magical animate being they were all taking, and now regretting. Ron and Parvati had signed up for divination, against Harry advice. Neville was taking muggle survey along with Padma who was the only piranha doing three elective ("Why !"Harry had asked."And arithmancy ?"). Apart from Hermione of class, who was doing everything.

"I am excited !"Hermione entered the classroom and took a seat right at the front.

"Not the seat I would have chosen but whatever."Harry thought as he sat down."At to the lowest degree nothing in this category can eat me or drown me."

"Good morning class. I am professor Babbling."The professor looked a piffling like an older Hermione, but a more dotty one. She had obtrusive ink stains on her cuff and even a smudge on her impudence. She was obviously well at her subject though if the elaborated calligraphy that hung in roll behind her desk was any indication."Well shall we get started."

Harry rested his mind in his hired man as the Professor begun explaining some confuse runic script in quick flowing voice communication while scraping symbolic representation on the board. After about half an hour she asked them to render a bit of it. Harry turned to Hermione.

"I assume you noted all of that down ?"

"Well of form !"

"Good."Harry held up a sketch of a dog with fluffy ears."Because I didn't."



Questions, comment, angriness ? Please review.


Despite the special forethought around the school stratum continued more or less as normal. Hermione's promise had been rectify and Hagrid had just been trying to start the year big. Creatures family was, from then on, not quite so terrifying. Harry had reduced his own fears by talking to professor Flitwick who had assured him that all the John Milton Cage Jr. Hagrid had were built with the impregnable unbreakable charms. Flitwick himself had inspected each one of them. Harry felt better after that and tried to convince the former scholar of the Saami thing.

"Unbreakable charms won ‘ t break."Harry said to Susan Bones as they wrestled a wriggly vine into a pot and packed it down with Lucius Clay."He could wreak anything into class and, so long as its in a John Milton Cage Jr., it should be fine."

"I know that. I mean, I know that's avowedly but its not the same when the creature ‘ s actually in front end of you."Susan shook her caput, she had a post of earth on her boldness. Harry reached out and brushed it off for her, ignoring the odd fluttering feeling in his stomach.

"Well…"Harry swallowed and continued."… at least its not snakes !"Harry jumped at her hissing and holding up a piece of vine, making it wriggle like a snake. Susan snorted and shoved him backwards into a flowerbed.

Harry left herbology with mud all down his back.

"Not one word."He warned the snickering marauders."We ‘ ve got a job to do tonight retrieve ?"

The marauder quieted down. It was true, tonight Draco Malfoy would pay.
*


Harry slid along the wall up to the entrance to the Slytherin common room. Vinca minor ( intentionally dimming herself ) wafted through the paries. A moment later her top one-half slid back into lot and she gave him a flash and a pollex up. Harry made one last check around for the lookout man he knew were at each end of the corridor then said the parole. Grinning he slipped into the mutual elbow room and up the step. How had they ever managed without a ghost ?

It took Harry a good five hour to open Malfoy's room access. Obviously after finale year the third yr had seen fit to add some extra protections to his apartments. Harry glanced over the boy bed. Malfoy'd got rid of the teddy bear at some point but seemed to leave out it, he had his mantle bunched up in movement of him and was hugging them. Harry shook his head and made his way to the toilet table. Harry opened the top drawer ever so slowly and sprinkled a big amount of money of a dark gunpowder inside. He then did the same with the other boxershorts and with the dress hanging in the wardrobe. Chuckling to himself silently Harry slid out of the elbow room and closed the door.

The succeeding first light Harry watched for Malfoy carefully during breakfast but he never showed. to the highest degree in all likelihood in the hospital wing Harry reasoned, the lesions had probably burst by now.

"stone's throw 1, success."Harry leaned back and shared a panoptic grin with the early marauders."On to maltreat two. But that will have to wait for the weekend."

"But it ‘ s a Hogsmead weekend ?"Ron pointed out.

"Yep, step two takes position in Hogsmead. Let me tell you about it…"Harry began but was interrupted by Hermione.

"But Harry you can ‘ t go to Hogsmead. You don ‘ t have a permission mannequin, its not allowed. I mean… you… Dumbledore said that…"Hermione trailed off under Harry's mocking gaze.

"I have left the land against Dumbledore ‘ s wishes. I shouldn ‘ t think the shoal earth will provide too much hassle. Now…"Harry leant forward conspiratorially."This is what I think we should do, cut in if you ‘ ve got some suggestions."
*


The Saturday sun rose brilliantly and betimes as did the students eager to be off to Hogsmead. Harry waved his friends off at the front logic gate in a mood of modest panic. He had made a hope to meet them early outside the three broomsticks but, despite his forwardness, he actually didn't have the faintest cue how he was going to leave the grounds.

Ginny had wanted to add up with him but he had refused saying at the time that it would be too obvious she wasn't supposed to be there. Now he was regretting it as she might have been capable to fly him over the wall. Harry walked up to the gate but saw Filch checking scholar as they wandered out, there was no way he could get out that way.

Harry walked along the wall in the focus of Hogsmead looking for some cranny or flaw. He could probably experience climbed the bulwark in places but for the fact that he knew they were not simple stone. He reached the lakeshore without finding anything and was about to turn back when an approximation struck him. The lake. Harry scrambled down to the edge of the piss and looked out to his right hand, cliff for a good thirty meters but a scrap of beach after that. He could even see the route the coach went along.

Remembering the boggart Harry eyed the water with deeply suspiciousness. But it looked like it was his solely option. He would probably be alright so long as his head was above water.

"The things I do to get Malfoy."Harry shook his heading as he took off his shoes and tied the laces together so he could coil them around his neck. He reluctantly stepped into the water supply and winced at the frigidity, he went cryptical and began to come after the cliff around. Eventually the lakebed sank and he could no longer match it with his infantry. Harry could finger the inky blackness all around him as he kicked for the far shoring. The water supply sapped his courage and Harry's heart raced until he was able to put his feet back on land.

Harry drew himself up onto the beach and wasted no prison term in performing a quick drying charm on his clothes before heading up into the village.

In Harry's opinion the marauders were not move enough that he had managed to impart the castle.

"Where were you ?"Padma hissed."You're late, we ‘ ve been waiting."

Harry just rolled his eyes and said…

"Is he here yet ?"

"No."

"Then I ‘ m not late."Harry started off down the road and the vulture didn't really have a choice but to follow him. They all trouped into madam puddifoots to the surprise of the owner, she rarely saw groups of Sir Thomas More than two in her shop. The 3rd years moved towards a distich of hufflepuffs sitting at the table close the window.

"Hi !"Harry greeted brightly. They looked up."I know you don't want to be disturbed but we are playing a massive clowning on a horrid git known as Draco Malfoy. Oh you know him too ? Well the only way we ‘ ll be able to watch the resolution of our masterful deception is if we can have this table. So, do you heed ?"The couple looked at each other for a moment.

"genus Draco Malfoy ?"

"Yes."

"intellect if we watch too ?"

Harry smiled

"Course not. In fact…"Harry turned and addressed the whole shop class ( after a quick eye read to see that there were no Slytherins present )."… anyone wanting to see Draco Malfoy get his comeuppance come to the window now."Harry heard chairs squeak back and the other four match in the café all crowded around the window.

"There he is !"One of them pointed. Draco Malfoy was scurrying down the street, occasionally scratching at his chest and arms. Harry twirled his wand around and held it under his chin like a microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen…"He began."… I would like to receive you to the first ever episode of The New Marauders TV display ! With our particular guest… Malfoy !"Several of the patrons were shooting him odd spirit but others were grinning.

"Earlier this week somebody impregnated Mr Malfoy's clothing with brech pulverization which, as you know, causes unplayful job to any bare skin it touches."A snickering began all around Harry."And yes, the powder got on his underwear too."Malfoy was almost level with them in the street now.

"Now Malfoy knows by now that pretty much all his habiliment is infested so as soon as he reaches Hogsmead he ‘ s going to need to visit…"genus Draco ducked into the shop opposite."… gladrags wizardwear. What Mr Malfoy is unaware of is that we have an agent inside gladrags wizardwear, hidden using the magic of his form. I think we should all necessitate a moment to give thanks Dobby the house elf for his work in this endeavor."Harry and the marauders clapped and a few of the others did too, getting into the game of it.

"It probably won ‘ t take Malfoy long to get his stuff and nonsense since it is just school gown for the most part. But you see the other matter of which Mr Malfoy is unaware is that Mr Dobby has made sure he gets the clothes we pre-prepared. These clothes have a jinx on them, a curse commonly known as the emperors-new-clothes jinx."A couple of the students broke out laughing."Ah, so you ‘ ve heard of it, or can at least guess what this footling turn does. For those that can ‘ t… Ah ! Here ‘ s Mr Malfoy now."Some of the café crowd laughed, some looked away and some just grinned in glee as Malfoy walked off down the street in his ‘ gown'oblivious to the stares he was getting from everyone.

"Of course we left him his boxers."Harry continued."There are some things I just don't want to see."
*


"Even though I am truly panicked right now."Harry thought as he swam back past the drop-off."That was so worth it. Malfoy won ‘ t live this down for years."

Harry was right, the unit school knew how Malfoy had walked through Hogsmead and into the three broomsticks half-naked. The whole school had a fair guess as to who was responsible too. Over the next few weeks the vulture were treated to another chapter of ‘ The many knowing and calculating stares of Minerva McGonagall'but no one could turn up it.

"We need to do more stuff like that."Harry said to himself as they waited for the defense social class to begin."I wonder where Snape buys his gown ?"

The others just grinned. A moment later Hermione hurried in through the doors looking flustered before landing down in her seat.

"Where did you go Hermione ?"Ron questioned."We all left divination at the same time."

"What do you intend ?"Padma turned around."We were just in arithmancy."

"We were all just in transfiguration."Harry argued, confused."We must feature all been there, it ‘ s not an optional class."

"Harry are you half-baked ?"Ron asked, stunned.

Any replication Harry had been about to have was lost as the door to the classroom banged open and Severus Snape strode in. Arrogantly making his way to the front of the class he stood behind the desk.

"Professor Lupin."Snape said smugly."Is unavailable to learn today due to ill health."The teacher smirked."So I will be taking today's lesson. bout to… ah ! Werewolves ! Chapter 32."

"But prof !"Hermione began but Harry shushed her to silence. He wanted to know where Snape was going with this. Did the potions master want them to suppose what was threatening the school day ? The students began scribbling away, making eminence on the chapter when Harry felt a tincture fall across him.

"Mr Potter, taking eminence ? I might almost think I was imagining things."Harry looked up, directly into Snape's eyes. This time he didn't even have sentence to undertake to realise his mind and the pressure broke through instantly. Harry tore his gaze back down to the paper in straw man of him. Harry heard a triumphant bird from above him but ignored it.

"Learning all I can about werewolves sir."Harry said flippantly."Especially since they live so close."

"closer than you know Potter."What was that about ? But Snape continued on a different weather sheet."Did you enjoy the Hogsmead weekend ceramicist ?"

"Professor you know I don't have a permission mannikin. I could never go to Hogsmead."Harry tried to look impeccant, unsuccessfully."It would be wrong."

"Really, I have been hearing from penis of my house who saw you in Hogsmead that weekend."

"Well prof I hate to tell you this but I heard a penis of your house walked into the three broom handle in his under short pants so I don't know how far you want to trust their judgment."

"Oh and I suppose you simply get wind about that from indorse hand accounts ?"Snape sneered.

"Oh professor you know if I ‘ d been there I would have taken the opportunity to flip mud at him. No mud ergo I was not there."

"Do not be flippant with me Mr Potter. thirty peak from Gryffindor. I know your type so well potter. You are just like your father."

"Whatever."Harry grumbled as the teacher moved off.
*



Professor lupine was back in thrill of the year after the weekend and, much as the man was inexplicably low temperature towards him, Harry welcomed the return. Anyone was better than Snape.

On night in the run up to Halloween Harry remembered the box he'd got from the Dursley's reaching into his expanding bag he dragged it out and opened it up on his bed. With the contents strewn out it seemed a lot less. Harry quickly separated the papers into rubble ( placard, old prep assignments, soupy love letters ) and worry stuff like photos.

One of the picture caught his eye and he drew it out, six figures stood on the grass outside Hogwarts. erstwhile students, sixth or seventh years. Harry's eyes found two students on the left of the icon locked in an embrace. One with eyes like his and the early with everything else, his parents.

But Harry had noticed something else, nearby them was another student, the only one in the photo who seemed to be sitting still for it to be taken. He knew that aspect, he'd been lectured by it earlier that day. That must ingest been where he recognized professor Lupin from, he must have caught a glimpse of him in the motion-picture show. Sure enough on the binding of the picture were scratched some names in pencil, Remus Lupin appeared near the rump of the list.

Harry frowned, if his parents and lupine had known each other why was the Professor being so cold to him ? Harry pushed the box's cognitive content back into it and slid off the bed. He would have the resolution to this puzzle. Moving through the defect common room Harry pushed open the portrait door.

"Is it even worth telling you its past curfew ?"Said the fat lady but Harry just smiled at her and shut the door. Moving silently he made his way to the defense teachers office. Luckily there was still a dismount peeking out from under the door. Harry went to the door and knocked.

"One moment."prof Lupin opened the door in a evanesce dressing surgical gown."Oh its you. Shouldn ‘ t you be in your common room."

"I came to ask you something."Harry drew out the pic."About this."

lupine seemed to draw into himself, then deflate and sigh.

"Ah."Was all he said, and all he appeared to be going to say so Harry prompted him.

"You knew my parents."

"Yes I did. I was in the same class as them."

"And the Lapp house."Harry pointed to the robe of the people in the picture."And you and my mother were prefects together."

"Yes you have sufficiently proven that you are observant."The student and teacher still hadn't moved from the room access. lupine had not invited him in."Where did you get this ?"

"In a box of my female parent old stuff. Nothing much, letters, photograph, a locket."

"Lilly didn ‘ t wear a locket."For the first time Lupin seemed vaguely worry."She wore a pendent."Harry frowned and drew the silver matter out of the box."Yes that's it. It's a pendent."

"But it was open…"Harry looked confining at the little thing. It was confessedly that now it was closed the seam around the sharpness was almost unseeable and the affair was thin enough to pass for a solid pendent. Harry tried to get a fingernail in the crack but the thing seemed to be solid.

Was it a locket or had he imagined it ? No, it was a locket because it had been open when he first got the box. He'd closed it so it wouldn't get damaged. Harry put it back in the box and mentally filed it under mysterious.

"Seems like you know a lot about her for soul who was just in their year. Seems like you must have known them. You and the other people in this picture."

"Everyone but me in that moving picture is dead."The usually modest mannered prof snapped, but Harry was in no mood to accept this anymore.

"Really,"Harry flipped the picture."blush wine McKinnon ? Sirius Joseph Black ? Peter Petigrew ?"

"Yes, yes, yes !"The teacher roared and Harry took a step backwards."Rose was tortured and killed along with her total family during the war ! And the early two, well ? Sirius Shirley Temple Black betrayed us all to Voldemort and got Lilly and William James killed. poor people Peter managed to get over him down the adjacent day and made him pay at the cost of his own life. We found both their bodies in the wreckage left behind by the affaire d'honneur. In the course of two days I lost everything. Can you realize that ? Can you even savvy ?"Harry bowed his head.

"No, I guess I can't."He moved to leave then turned back and said."Do you want the image ?"But the professor had already closed the door.
*


"Ginny eat something. Anything."Parvati leant over the table with a plate of fruit and held it out for her. Ginny just shook her head and tried to breath evenly. Stroking the handgrip of her broomstick calmed her a little, but not enough to score eating anything an option.

To be fair it was a wondrous day for Quidditch, not a cloud in the sky and a pleasant breeze. Ginny just wished she were playing on the pitch behind the tunnel not in front of the entire school.

"time to go sis."She felt a hand on her berm and saw Fred hovering over her."Don ‘ t worry, you ‘ ll palpate a lot better once you get up there."

"Yeah,"His Gemini chimed in"Our first peer we felt just the Saami, everyone does."They led her away from the table. Just as she was leaving she saw Harry tingle suddenly and look around like he had just woken up before sighing and burying his human face in his hands.

"What was that ?"She thought as she left the Great Hall in a stream of people.

"Do we even know where we ‘ re playing yet ?"She said to relegate the silence.

"We took a look-see earlier."George V's face broke into a broad grin."It ‘ s bloody brilliant."

"Where is it then ? enjoin me you gits !"Ginny kicked her buddy in the shin lightly making him stumble.

"Oy ! We need our beaters in top condition !"Sir Henry Joseph Wood was stalking over. His look showing no sign of mood."No playing about. This is the most important equal of the year ! Slytherin are the team to trounce. They won the cup in conclusion twelvemonth and the year before and they all have new brooms good manners of Dragon Malfoy."

"I was just…"

"Well don't ! Lets just get to the pitch."Grant Wood stalked off.

"Don't listen to him Gin."Fred wrapped his arm round her shoulder.

"He ‘ s just stressed out. We tried to brighten him up earlier but he hexed us both good."

Ginny giggled. She knew what her brothers ‘ lightening up'had probably involved.

Just then the new Quidditch venue came into view and Ginny gasped. A massive viewpoint had been erected at the edge of the lake, hanging onto the drop-off and built up on the beaches. The goals stuck straight up from the rippled water.

"Awesome isn ‘ t it."Saint George breathed and he and his brother set off towards them. Ginny was about to espouse them when she felt a hired hand encircle her arm. Looking back she saw Harry's fellow side. He looked wear and form of deadened. The lowest clip she had seen him like this was back when the blood line war was at its height, when there seemed to be no answer to it. Back when he had almost given up. It wasn't quite that bad yet, but it was similar.

"About an 60 minutes and a one-half into the game."Harry said quickly."You should probably check into around the base of the Gryffindor goal."

"How do you have a go at it ?"

"Déjà fucking vu."Harry said in a low growl before walking off towards the outdoor stage. Ginny shook her head worriedly, Harry swore a bit more than the repose of them but he usually saved it for grievous place. If he was just dropping f-bombs into conversation something was going on. But whatever it was it was going to have to look. Her first proper Quidditch match ever was about to start.
*


"Go ! Go ! GO !"Ron screamed and the crowd screamed with him as the two seekers dove for the snitch..

"He ‘ s blocking her."Parvati yelled and pointed.

Suddenly the snitch spun and snapped back directly towards the searcher. For a mo the crowd held its breath as the two players came together in a swirl of robe. Then a cry of triumph sounded out of the sky and Ginny broke away holding something glinting gold.

"She did it !"Ron leapt from his chair, he had never been prouder of his little sister. He turned to Harry who was laughing more than cheering, caput thrown back and center sparkling.

"Of course she did. predator don't lose."Harry snapped a smile then his side went Zane Grey and he pointed back into the sky where Ginny was still hovering, showing off the snitch. From where she was there was no way she could see Malfoy dropping from above her.
*


She had won ! She had really done it ! It had been refer and go for a moment there but she had grabbed it right out of Malfoy's hands. She hadn't even needed to use Harry's tip to get it since she'd spotted it barely an hour into the match.

She saw a shadow crossbreed over her and looked up just in time to see a iron boot smack into her human face. She heard a massive wisecrack and suddenly she was falling, a muckle of broom and robe. Whoever had hit her was falling with her, tumbling over and around each other.

A bit later she hit the water and a moment after that the lake bed, the water hadn't been nearly deeply enough to slow down her dusk. She kicked up as full she could in robes and bang but she was waterlogged and barely moving. After what seemed like an eternity she just managed to interrupt the Earth's surface before being dragged back under. She felt for her robe grasp and snapped them off before starting to kick back onto the surface. But she was too worn out and hurting from the collision, the sun on the airfoil tantalizingly close.

She felt the clotheshorse from someone in the piddle with her and a second later felt herself lifted up by a giant bridge player on her back. She broke the surface and gasped one desperate hint after another.

"Y ‘ r alright now. Y ‘ r alright."She heard Hagrid's articulation and looked down into sanguine face. He was just marvelous enough to still be able to put up on the tail but even for him the piddle came up to his Kuki."Gave us all a bit of a scare."

"Who hit me ?"Ginny's head was still swimming from the lack of oxygen.

"Malfoy."The groundsman vocalism had gone low and dangerous."Snape picked him out ‘ o the water with a while but no-one could see where you ‘ ad gotten yourself to."

"I didn ‘ t get myself anywhere."Ginny croaked. Now that the water was shallower Hagrid sat her on his shoulder then finally set her down on the pebbled beach. She could see her team-mates rushing towards her across the shingle. Behind them by the stands she saw the marauders hurrying towards her. professor Snape seemed to be trying to embarrass them and was shouting something, Harry simply ignored him and ducked underneath his arms. A moment later they had all crowded around her and she was forced to repeat the words ‘ I'm amercement'over and over to stop them fussing over her.

"Deplorable ! Disgusting behaviour !"Somewhere else on the beach she could hear prof McGonagall yelling in another part of the beach. Ginny stuck a finger's breadth into her ear and wiggled it around. It was full moon of water system and everything sounded distorted."I have never seen the like."

"Minerva it was clearly an accident."Snape had sidled over."If it had been intentional do you call back he would have let his own broom become damaged like that."He pointed away to the side at where Malfoy's Calluna vulgaris lay, cleanly split in the middle with the bristles knocked far out of whack. Ginny suddenly had a sinking feeling feeling.

"Professor ?"McGonagall turned towards her."Has mortal found my broom ?"McGonagall raised her eyebrow, perhaps she hadn't realised it was missing. The teacher turned towards the lake, raised her wand and said…

"Accio Ginerva ‘ s broom."For a minute zilch happened then something flew out of the water, something much too small. A moment later another joined it. No one spoke as a quite a little of shards and splinter grew near prof McGonagall's pes. Even the bristles came out, ending up in a sodden heap.

Ginny heard her head of mansion twist on Malfoy again and start yelling but it felt like background stochasticity. Kneeling down she picked up a few splinters of wood and let them fall through the cracks in her finger. Growing up with six Brother gave you all kind of training in how to hold in tears but nothing was working. She felt herself start sobbing and covered her look with her hand so no one would see. It wasn't working. Giving up she stood and ran away through the crowds on the beach. She couldn't look at anyone right now.

The death affair she saw before she left was professor Snape levitating the fragment of both her and Malfoys brooms into a refuse can, a looking at of glee on his face.
*


Harry watched her go. He wanted to go after her but didn't have the fainthearted theme what he'd say when he caught up.

"someone please…"Harry gestured after Ginny, a plea clear-cut in his voice.

"We got it."Padma nodded and her, her sis and Hermione began following the fleeing redhead. Harry felt himself bunching his fists and saw that the people next to him were doing the same.

"No one does that to a Weasley."Fred muttered.

"No one does that to a marauder."Harry shook his head and punched his fist into his palm."Not and gets away with it."

"Malfoy ‘ s gon na pay."George chimed in shaking his fist."Screw hoaxer rivalry, you want to help us Harry ? All of you guys ?"

"Won ‘ t make Ginny feel better."Harry felt a electric discharge light source in his brainiac."But I know what might. And I ‘ ll need your help. You in ?"

"In an instant."

"Obviously."

"And we ‘ ll need outside helper too, the great unwashed who helped us last year. A lot of stuff could go wrong, even the starting time tone's a doozy and they just get laborious after that. Ron, Neville I definitely won't have a lot time for my assignments for a while. discernment ?."

"We got you Harry. But what do you give in mind."

"Humiliation."

"But I thought you said we weren ‘ t going to get Malfoy directly."

"We ‘ re not."Harry smiled his crocodile smiling."We ‘ re gon na let Ginny do it."
*


Over the next few weeks Harry became a ghost. He rushed into moral late or barely by the ship's bell and began to look even more tired than Hermione. He could be found at odd prison term in the library or pawing over odd sheets of parchment with the Weasley counterpart, speaking in whispers.

brothel keeper Pince had raised her eyebrow further that Harry had thought humanly potential when he'd taken out certain ledger. But none of them were actually restricted so she stamped them out with only her usual horizontal surface of distain.

"Mr potter do you seriously think I will think this is your essay ?"McGonagall had confronted him one lesson."When the handwriting is not yours and in fact strongly resembles girl Grangers. What are you spending all your time on anyway ?"Harry had simply leaned closer to his teacher and whispered…

"Winning you the Quidditch cup."

They had no preparation set that lesson.

Harry lost so many points in Snape's form that he considered simply not turning up since that would lose him less overall. However potions gave him the perfect chance to smirk at Malfoy over his caldron. Everyone in school knew Harry was up to something and it was an well-to-do guess as to who was the intend target, even the mark himself. Malfoy spent potions class sweating under Harry's gaze, wondering what he was planning.

"What are you up to ceramist ?"Malfoy had confronted him after one lesson.

"I ‘ m not up to anything Dracs."Harry gave his curse a thumbs up."Just surfing along you know Que sera sera."As Draco hurried off Harry glanced back at the potions master. Again the pressure sensation mounted and he lasted barely a count of five before he had to displume his eyes away. He thought he saw Snape oral cavity ‘ just like your father'before he turned away. Harry shook his head to clear it, Snape wasn't a precedency right now.

Harry signed up to stay at Hogwarts over Christmastide but encouraged the predator to visit their families.

"I have so much still to do I ‘ d be bad company anyway."

"Wish we could rest mate."Fred said shaking his headspring dejectedly.

"Yeah, we promised we ‘ d help you then we just leave."George II also shook his head teacher, unconsciously falling into the exact rhythm of his twin.

"Don ‘ t vexation. It ‘ ll be finished by the end of the Holidays anyway."

Harry's Noel presents were as good as they always were, the criterion Patil Quran set this class was basically a big cyclopaedia of charm and Neville had found him a jesters hat that flashed different coloring material as the Alexander Melville Bell jiggled. Hermione had got him a homework planner.

"Bless her."Harry thought, taking a chomp of Honeydukes chocolate."She tries."

Harry was waiting by the steps as the students returned from the their dwelling house with a bundle wrapped in newspaper publisher under his arm. He caught peck of the predator plus Fred and George coming and walked out to meet them.

"Is that it ?"Fred said excitedly.

"Is it finished ?"His counterpart added.

"Yes and yes. And its awesome !"Harry moved past the twins to endure in front man of their youngest sibling. He thrust out the parcel."Merry Christmas. This is variety of from the twins as well. Well everyone helped actually."

"Don ‘ t do yourself down mate."Ron said."It was mostly you."
*


Ginny looked down at the parcel in her helping hand, it dawned on her that it was very Scots heather shaped.

"You didn ‘ t buy…"She began but Harry stopped her.

"I didn ‘ t buy. I repaired. Was a lot of fun actually. Thinking of doing it when I leave school."

"But my broom was far too break down to repair."

"Your nimbus 2000 was too smashed to fix. Malfoy's 2001 on the other hand had a fairly simple suspension. rectifiable with a petty campaign. And he just threw it away like garbage."Harry tutted and shook his head."Wasteful."

"And you fished it out ?"

"Wouldn ‘ t be the initiatory time I ‘ ve dumpster dived knock rummy. Now unwrap the damn thing."

Heeding him she ripped the paper off and stared in awe at the broom shining in her hands, looking like new.

"It doesn't spirit just like a 2001."She said running her custody down the recursively curving handle.

"Well we used some parts left over from your Calluna vulgaris as well. Plus she's got some unlike appeal and spells we researched and we corrected the leaning on the behind end."Harry shrugged."Guess she ‘ s kind of a chimera really."

"Did you name her ?"Ginny asked, quickly slipping into employment of the female pronoun.

"I hadn ‘ t but I think I just did. The Chimera."Harry leant forward conspiratorially."And you and her, my little protégé, are going to win us the Quidditch cup."



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