Chapter 1.
The owl swooped down over sleeping London, a varsity letter, signed and sealed in emerald special K clutched in its talons. Even if it had had only the stars to see by it would still suffer been able to fly true, but it wasn't necessary. British capital sleeping was almost as bright as capital of the United Kingdom awake. But light or no light this rescue was a goon one. The spot bird of Minerva prided themselves on being capable to find anyone but it didn't make it easy when the address was simply …
Jack London, somewhere…


But Dumbledore had given her peculiar instructions for this bringing, and she never wavered in her flight, swooping down past a row of shops, past tense baker, bankers and opticians and curving cleanly into the skittle alley behind them to alight on a streetlamp. Her big brown eyes took in the whole shot, the brick walls, the expectant dumpster bin and the pocket-size boy, wrapped in a pelage too expectant for him by half, trotting down the alley from the former direction.

The boy stopped next to one of the dumpsters and quietly lifted the lid, running his hands past papers and coffee bean grounds. He began picking out broken looking glass, cracked lens and the like, transferring them to a sack of his coat. When he had a full pocket he did something peculiar, he scratched a cross mark into one of the wall of the alley, then sat down opposite it and began putting first one, then another of the lenses to his eyes. After an hr of this, the small boy 's human face broke into a smile at a particular half-cracked lens, he grinned as he spun it into the air like a coin, and rolled it across the back of his fingers.


A mo later the boy was rummaging in his torn and shabby back pack and eventually drew out a small portion. When he unrolled it on the ground the owls eye sparkled in the glimmering of four Sir Thomas More lenses, one a mirror-match of the one the boy held in his hand, this he took and replaced the others carefully in his bag. The following to come from the bag of tricks was a frame ( selected from a few in the bag ) and a tube of glue. Two pinprick dabs of mucilage to each lens and the boy carefully laid his plunder on the floor to dry, then crawled behind the dumpster and rolled himself up in his coat.

The owl waited until the child was asleep, then calmly hopped off its rod and placed the alphabetic character beside the child, he would observe it in the morning. By the yellow halogen lamp it read ...
Harry ceramist
London, somewhere

*


Harry Potter flickered between waking and rest for the longest time. Slipping in and out of pipe dream he would not remember on waking, until he fell into a deeper slumber and curled himself tight into a little ball, a wellspring of warmth with his hands tucked in his armpits and his head ducked down. Shifting and gliding from ambition of the past tense, of leaving the Dursleys.

Harry ceramicist always thought of as just leaving. He did not run away ! You can only run away from dwelling house, and Privet Drive had never been home. He had decided that. He knew he had another domicile, he dreamed of that too. Not with images or anything tangible, just of a sense of warmth, and also botheration, he didn't understand that. Other dreams pushed in on his Nox time recall and he touched on other things, the pies in the nearby bakehouse, the work to do tomorrow and tonight's oeuvre, still drying, on the basis, until…

"Get up ! Get out !"

Not Harry's rudest awakening, but far from pleasant. Harry uncurled like a spring, just stopping to grab his employment on the ground before pelting off down the alleyway, chased by the irate bread maker. Rounding a corner Harry ran on, past times surprised, mildly startled and downright shocked pedestrians, past lamps, dogs and pigeon spate, even past and through the cars as Harry dashed across a busy road. It no longer mattered that he'd lost any pursuer three blocks ago, it was just safe to run.

Harry stopped in Regents parking lot and ducked to booze from one of the outflow and snatched a few coins from the bottom. Soon hopefully he would take in money coming to him ( at least, as much as he ever had ) and he could take some small-scale standard of it to fill what was more often than not lately a gnawing mess in his eye ( at to the lowest degree it was summer, winter was worse ). Harry walked down Euston road for a while, not caring or seeing where he was going until he reached the place itself. The sun was gamey by that fourth dimension and masses were beginning to come and go from the building.

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

Harry set his hat down where no one could avoid him, or venture not to see him, and slipped three coloured egg out of his pelage. Shifting them all to his get out hand, he flicked his new glasses on with his rightfulness. The formal became edged in crystal clarity as the crystalline lens slipped over his eyes. Harry stood in the foursquare and laughed for a while, laughed into the morning sky while the mass around him stared or frowned, then, in a twinkling, Harry swept all three into the air and spun them around his hands faster and faster. He laughed as he fountained the balls up above his head. People began to call for notice as he added a quaternary ball, and a fifth. People walked preceding and turned to stare for a present moment before flipping coins into his hat or even waited there watching him for a spell before moving on.

Harry smiled, this clock time not for the act itself, but for the coins. This was why he had had to make deoxyephedrine and why his tummy was hollow than normal. He hadn't been able-bodied to manage to a greater extent than three balls since Xmas. Just to picture himself he could, Harry added another ball and split the balls into two circles ("Oooh !"Said a small miss going by. The mother smiled at him, but didn't drop anything ). The two circles became one again as they began to careen ("Out of practice"thought Harry ) and he pocketed two of the balls back away, he had to keep this up for a while.

The sun was high in the sky before Harry moved from his position. He scooped his profits to an inside air pocket and went off to buy lunch. He bought sandwiches at some newsagents with no real number figure and ate them slowly on a Park bench and tope More water system from a outflow. On the way back to his spot Harry passed another food shop, the patty in the window looked even better than the first I had. Harry walked past, thrift was in his bones.
*


When Harry got back to the station he realised something was wrong. In the demand heart and soul of the square toes was the biggest man Harry had ever seen. From the toes of his large leather boots, past his heavy furred overcoat ( Bet that's warm, imagine Harry ) all the way to his face, so covered, variously, in beard, mustache and dirty black hair that only small parts of peel were visible, the man was easily eight metrical unit tall. The very show of the man was so striking that for a farsighted bit Harry didn't see what the man was doing and then he became even more curious. The tall man seemed to be looking for something, he would confabulate a firearm of ( very old and yellow looking ) paper then look around, staring at citizenry, then seem worriedly back at the paper.

"Maybe he's lost"thinking Harry. But the improbable man didn't seem to be about to make a motion on, neither did he seem to be the type to ask management. Harry was torn for a moment between apprehension at the imposing figure and a opportunity to snap up a bit more money from helping a turn a loss tourist. But a moment later his indecision became redundant as the tall man turned to look at Harry and his face broke into a Brobdingnagian smile. The tall man ran over to where Harry was standing ( breaking several paving gemstone ) and stopped in straw man of the startled child looking, in turns, happy and relieved.

Yes ?"Volunteered Harry,"Can I help you ?"he hazarded, then ( in a last ditch sweat to regain normalcy )"are you lost ?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

Harry pelted off a briny road and down an skittle alley, he was moving so fast he almost shot past the thing he had been searching for. Harry skidded to a stoppage and grasped both hands round the cast iron drainpipe ( his little trick was less utilitarian now nigh pipes were plastic but it had still put him above and away from more than one bit of trouble ), his substructure went against the wall and he pulled himself helping hand over hand upwards, two of his glob slipped out of his pocket and fell back down but he ignored them, he could get Sir Thomas More ( well, he could probably get more, and in a pinch anything unit of ammunition would do ) and pulled himself onto the tiled roof above him. Harry lay there for a second, finding his balance ( and his breathing place ) before sliding back to the edge and looking over. Three history down ("It had looked so much tumid from the keister"thought Harry ) the magniloquent man stood hunched over, catching his breathing spell in huge, leviathan, gulps that disturbed the dust on the ground. The man managed to stand up after a few moments and began rummaging in his coating. After a few tries at various air pocket he managed to attract out what looked like a sealed gasbag and hurtle it into the air.

"You got… to have… yer letter."The man said breathlessly. He wiped his hand across his face and didder the sudor off on the land."Blimey you're fast."And with that the magniloquent man dropped to the earth and sat there mopping his brow.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"How…"Harry leaned in to get a stuffy face and suddenly, momentarily, forgot he was on a rooftop. His feet slipped out from under him and he tumbled over, skinning his leg on the boundary before falling like a rock. As he spun in the air he looked up to see the letter, still casually floating above him."Weird day…"thought process Harry, then large manpower caught him.

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

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

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

"charm ? !"Harry felt like running away again but his leg wouldn't motility."Like, as in, spells ?"

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

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

"Nah, I never met um. But we knew that was who was taking care of you after your parents died."His parents… Harry tried to remember what his aunt had told him about them. Very slight, just that they were the damage kind of people and died in some chance event. A fire wasn't it ? Or maybe a car clangour ? Anyway Harry had privately decided that if they were hoi polloi his aunt disapproved of then he probably would take in liked them a lot. Liked them better than his aunt and uncle at least.

"That was a long time ago."Harry snapped back to the present."and I'm better off without them taking tutelage of me !"The grandiloquent man gave him a shrewd flavor, taking in his heavily wear out wearing apparel and place."Well…"added Harry"at least now I don't get slapped if I don't have meals ready for them on time."Harry grinned"Who knows how they managed without me ? Probably starved to expiry trying to work out how the oven works."He laughed and was pleased to see the tall man laugh too."Mind you it'd study a while to starve Dudley. Fat reserves like a camel !"Harry did a immediate fat-cousin impression, waddling along the alley, and the man laughed harder.

"We'll wherever you've come from you're going somewhere better."Said the man when he finished chuckling. He fished the envelope back off the storey and handed it to Harry."This should explain most of what you're wondering about and I'll fill in the blanks."Harry took the letter of the alphabet carefully and looked at it before opening it. It was an old fashioned one, made with yellowing lambskin and sealed with a pelage of arms in wax, melted wax now of course. Harry wiped the sticky mountain away with his sleeve and opened the alphabetic character. Inside were three pieces of paper and what looked like a power train ticket. All made of funny old newspaper. He stared at the slate, it had gold leaf an it and had a expectant crest ("probably the same one that was on the alphabetic character") embossed into it. Harry wondered what variety of train required a slate like this, and where such a train would go to. ("Either a realm of copious people…"thought Harry"…or a chocolate factory.")

"Read the letter, read the varsity letter !"Urged the tall man impatiently. Harry tucked the ticket into his pocket and pulled out one of the shroud of newspaper publisher. He opened it. His eyes slid from one side to the early. He had read each contrast about three times before he finally believed that what he thought he scan was actually what was on the page. Harry held the letter in nominal head of him and tried to tranquillize his voice before saying,

"A shoal ?"

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

"Who's he ?"Said Harry, still desperately trying to obviate the one function of the missive that had him shaking most."Someone famous ?"

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

Due to your particular circumstances an escort has been provided for you to explain and help you through the outgrowth of preparing for your initiatory school class. If this letter has not come to you via one Rubious Hagrid then you will be meeting him shortly. I wish you all the effective for the head start of your kickoff schooling year.

Albus Dumbledore


"Rubious Hagrid ?"The tall man nodded.

"Yep that's me. gamekeeper, caretaker and keeper of keystone at Hogwarts."

"And…"Harry took a deep breathing spell, there wasn't much else he could ask before he asked this so he should just get it over with."…Hogwarts is a schoolhouse of trick ?"

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

"Magic like you just did ? Making thing float and explode ?"

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

"And you think I can do that ?"

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

When your entire life shatters like glass and is replaced something glittering and new, sharp and scary. When your life modification in an instant you can either draw in back, hold on to the old, try to pick up the opus and risk destroying the new crystal future you have found, for the sake of safe waters of the past times. Or you can sink, laughing into the new lifespan, with its shiny possibilities. And you either ride it through, or get swallowed under.

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



Lets all take a mo to thank Memory King for betaing this chapter.

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

Harry raked his script through his shorter hair, trying to make it flat. The hairdresser had nearly shoved them out of the shop when they arrived, a conspicuously tall man and a baby with uncombed, common, un-anythinged pilus. Hagrid had paid her in musical note that looked very old.

"Did he earn them with conjuration ?"sentiment Harry suddenly."Could I puddle them with magic trick ?"The clothes and the shower bath at a gym had both been exchangeable oddities but apparently the orotund quirkiness was yet to come.

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

"This stuff ?"Harry fished the list that had come with the alphabetic character out of his air pocket."Books, sceptre, cauldron… anuran ?"

"Nah, no toad."Laughed Hagrid."But all that former hooey you'll pauperism for Hogwarts."

Harry hurried alongside Hagrid, his creative thinker still buzzing with questions. But there was no way he was asking about magic in a crowded street full of muggles ( or was it muddles, or mugwerts. Something like that anyway. ) And when they finally turned into a doorway Harry was so busy looking at where they were that they were pushed to the back of his creative thinker. They had stepped, hopefully deliberately ( this didn't seem like the sort of office that would sell books, or wee potions early than the worldwide alcoholic sort ) into a dark, oak beamed, pub full of firm, old-looking furniture. The drinks behind the bar had odd figure and some of the liquids fizzed or bubbled. In the iniquity luminosity Harry could have sworn one of them was glowing faintly. The sign outside had said"The talebearing cauldron ”. It certainly fitted one of the criteria.

As Hagrid led Harry across the floor, weaving around tables Harry began to point out former things that didn't quite fit. Like the clothes the great unwashed were wearing, one-half of the people were in normal, but hideously inappropriate and mismatched, clothes. But the other half wore what looked like long flowing gown in various vividness. The smaller item were stranger, no watches or walkmans, but instead one man held a marble in his helping hand. As he gripped it the sphere went cloudy-red and the man began consulting a shopping list worriedly. Another man was showing off what looked like a sheep's skull with odd symbols painted on it to his champion ("Less than a sickle ("sickle ?") and new they go as high as five !"). In a corner two peppiness small fry who looked like twins, not very much former than Harry himself, were swapping some variety of trading cards.

"Well…"thought Harry."At to the lowest degree that's normal."

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

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

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

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

"Of trend you've always had it lad !"Said the Bartender, half amazed, half amused."You're Harry Potter !"

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

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

"My names Jack."He said, affronted."Why you all staring at me ?"phone seemed to come back to the taproom as mass turned back to their drinkable, mumbling and in one subject shouting ("Oh no ! its all over my shirt !"). And Harry turned back towards the bar and looked up into the incredulous fount of the barman and then further up into the confused nerve of Hagrid."I got the scar falling off my first bike, odd shape isn't it ?"Harry smiled.

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

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

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

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

"Ah… well… you see that's…"Hagrid dry-washed his hands nervously. Then straitened and walked over to a paries pulling out his umbrella."That can wait till later, it's not something I want't discus in a gloomy alley."Hagrid tapped bricks faster than Harry could follow and stepped back."There…"Said Hagrid, obviously keen to make full every silence fifty head re-arise."Here's where you can get your schoolhouse stuff, Diagon alley."The bricks spread apart around the field Hagrid had tapped, opening out to a windowpane into another world.

A long winding street, wide-cut to the lip with odd gazump people, and odd shop filled with odder merchandise. colorful signs swung from the overhanging storey above them, showing that the shop below sold broomstick or firework. People sold things out of lawn cart on the edges, odd vegetables and wooden toys that danced or spun. For now Harry was content to follow Hagrid, draining in the sights and the sounds of the place. He was almost disappointed when Hagrid stopped in social movement of a large colonnaded building and went inside.












The inside of the building was as olympian as the outside, with two retentive desks running the length of the high vaulted elbow room. Light came from Windows high up on the walls. Along each desk sat curious creatures consulting lists or counting out muckle on coins. There were grip of coins behind the desks too, and the entirely sounds were the poky of metal on metallic element and the scrape of pinion. Harry suddenly had the odd champion that he had entered the cathedral of money, the church of immediate payment, and knew, acutely, that he hadn't been to idolize in a while.

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

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

"This is a bank ! ?"Exclaimed Harry, and was shushed by a nearby puppet. He continued in a hushed representative."I don't have any money to withdraw, certainly not from a topographic point like this."

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

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

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

"Mr Harry Potter ( blue Harry ) here to clear a withdrawal."

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

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

"Of course."Said the puppet, reading the note. For the commencement time it seemed interested in what it was looking at. The animal ("They're goblin Harry, sorry I didn't honorable mention that. I keep forgetting you're new to this. Goblins, and this is Gringots.") summoned over another like it but immature and with a slightly less crisp expression. This new hobgoblin introduced himself as Greeklunk, rolled his eyes at the back of the departing goblin and led them through one of the doors in the book binding and down to what looked like a mine car.

"Um Hagrid ?"

"Yes Harry."

"I've never been in a muggle camber so I have no compare but I'm fairly sure mine-carts don't form into it."

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

"flying dragon sound like a good certificate method."Said Harry, climbing into the pushcart."Of course of action it could be a problem if you actually want to sequestrate anything without being char-grilled."

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

"Do they suspire flak ?"

"Well yes."

"Are they ten foot long ?"

"Oh most are much crowing than that !"

"With immense pincer, tooth, muscles ?"

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

"Just playing around."Harry said as the cart gathered focal ratio. Soon the walls were passing at a blur, other cart track winding off to either side. The handcart passed through Brobdingnagian caverns and through pin-hole passageways, tipping so far on the decompression sickness it threatened to issue forth off. Harry stood face-first to the breaking wind and closed centre, letting the gusting noise swirl around him as the pushcart movement buffeted him. After a second he turned to Greeklunk, just one interrogative on his mind.

"Does it go any riotous ?"

"One speed only."Said Greeklunk wistfully. He shared a quick smile with Harry and turned his aspect into the nothingness too. After a second he added with a wide-mouthed goblin-grin,"But we can go polish up some loops if you like !"

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

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

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

The cart eventually slowed and pulled up next to a vault. Harry hopped out of the cart to canvas this new surrounding followed, much more slowly and with thought for his stomach, by Hagrid. Greeklunk led them to one particular vault and turned brought out the key Hagrid had given the desk hobgoblin. The whorl squeaked as Greeklunk turned it with the key and there was the sound of large bolt drawing back.

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

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

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

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

"well of course they were ! Lilly and King James I ceramist. headway boy and young lady of Hogwarts they were when they were there."

"Magic runs in families ?"

"Normally it does yes."

"My aunt and uncle ?"Harry asked incredulously.

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

"And they were stinking rich ?"

"Comfortable Harry, comfortable."Hagrid sat up to peach face to font."I suppose they never were strapped for cash but hardly stinking full-bodied, no, no.

"But, that vault ?"

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

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

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

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

After a consequence he began to sing and Harry let the Word of God wash over him. Hagrid didn't seem very good at telling history, his idea jumped about with many a"and there was this other time…"and seemed to jump from his Father-God first class at Hogwarts, to his parents wedding, to some plot called Quidditch his father apparently played, to just describing his mothers face. In the middle of a blow by C description of a fight between his father and some other kid ( Snipe ? ) Harry realised they were no longer moving. Glancing around he saw a dim, disused, dingy and dank section of the banking concern caves with just one gravid hurdle in sight side by side to the cart. Thinking back Harry realised they had not moved in some sentence and he glanced over to Greeklunk who smiled back at him, waiting at the ascendance levers. Harry mouthed

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

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

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

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

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

"Do you have sex what's in here ?"The goblin shook his head.

"And I don't want to encounter out."The goblin shuddered."The vault down here are the top security. I haven't been here long enough to see more than one or two. Sometimes its just money, masses who want it as safe as potential and don't nous the extra accusation, but sometimes…"

"Worse ?"

"Much worse."Greeklunk leaned against the bulwark and put an odd pin in his sassing and began to chew it."There was one guy a few Clarence Shepard Day Jr. ago, Rich nob from one of the old wizarding menage. All he took out was money but I swear, in the book binding of the vault there was other material. strand, knives, a wrack, not new stuff mind but some of it looked… used."Greeklunk trailed off into silence, chewing softly.

"You allow people to lay in clobber like that here ?"Harry asked.

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

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

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

"Something small"thought process Harry."Something small but very valuable and very secret and possibly very unsafe. Something magic. Something…"( he glanced into the burial vault as the room access reappeared )"…valuable enough to rent out an entire bank vault just for it. What are we the messenger of ?"

On the way back Hagrid began feeling sick again so Harry chatted to Greeklunk about Gringots and the cart ("Sometimes we slipstream them after closing hr ! Er, better add that to your list of stuff not to mention again Harry."). Finally the cart reached ground tier again and they got out, waved adios to Greeklunk and stepped back into the inundation of strait in diagonally.






"right wing, 1st affair first."Hagrid looked up and down the street and stopped when he saw a shop that appeared to have a needle-and-thread sign outside its door."We need to get you some robes."Madam Malkin's was empty except for the proprietor who fussed over Harry like a female parent hen, standing him up on a dejection and pinning and tucking the farsighted black robe she threw over him.

"You'll be going to Hogwarts of course."Madam Malkin's voice was muffled by the PIN and clips held in her mouth. Hagrid, standing in the dorsum of the shop mimed drinking and pointed back to the talebearing cauldron, when Harry nodded he stood up and walked out the door. Harry suddenly felt a small vulnerable. Not from hoi polloi, Harry knew how and when to run from trouble, but from this world. He was in a foreign country and had just lost his translator.

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

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

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

"I see a lot of Hogwarts students come in here for their first of all robes."dame Malkin moved around to his other side to begin working on that."You get so you can order the ones who are muggle-born just by the way they look at anything magic sideways. But in a years time you see them fare back carrying broomsticks and making the BM fly just like the rest. You'll fit in."She knelt down to begin on the hemline and Harry was left feeling more static than he had all day.

"Just a affair of getting my sea legs."Thought Harry, idly taking two balls from his pocket and juggling them one-handed."Get stable in this new earth and you'll be fine."Harry added another Ball and kept on with one handwriting, using the former to get out his list."Still require quill pen, still need lambskin, still ..."

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

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

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

"Oh, that."Harry suddenly felt like impressing somebody and added another ball before moving to both manus and separating them out into two grommet. He caught one ball in each mitt then flipped his wrist and let the others fall onto the backs, he balanced them there for a moment before slipping them back into his sac."That's nothing."Harry grinned and winked.

"I tried to study how to hoodwink once."The girl seemed to speak as if everyone should sit up and take bill."I got a book out of the subroutine library that was supposed to learn you but I kept dropping the balls."The girl seemed to take in something and turned to him ( making the mortal pinning up her dress swear and sop up a pricked finger )"Unless of course you used magic. Its probably easy for you to do if you do magic. I never knew I was magic until the letter came and I'm so beaming but I bet I'll be behind everyone else, that's why we came out here the first day we could so I would have a luck to get lots of books for background version. I just hope I don't end up looking stupid."The girl seemed to terminate more from lack of breath than from deficiency of words, she didn't look like she ever ran out of words.

"I don't think there's too a good deal risk of you looking stupid"irritating maybe but not dolt"and anyway I'm the same, I was woefully, blissfully and surprisingly unknowledgeable about magic until the alphabetic character came and warped the world."He grinned and waved his hand towards the window into diagonally"but it can't be anything but fun, especially wizard school day, especially spells."Harry laughed.

"Were not going there to give birth fun, were going there to learn."The girl sounded scandalised.

"Maybe you're going there to learn. But I've always had the belief that life's for fun, and if you can't retrieve something to laugh at in any site you're not trying hard enough. Anyway…"Harry swiftly moved on as the lady friend went through several microscope stage of shock."… we'll hardly be able-bodied to quash having fun if we're doing patch all the metre, making stuff fly, making stuff explode, making stuff into other material, the whole thing should be a blast."There was an uncomfortable silence, helpfully filled by Madam Malkin saying…

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

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

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

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

"You should'a waited in the shop."Hagrid said taking him by the shoulder."I was about to do get you. youngster shouldn't be walking around alone."Harry was about to mention that that was exactly what he had been doing the last three years of his lifetime when Hagrid started off towards another shop class and Harry had to trace or be swallowed by the crowd.

On the rung of the shops Harry met three more prospective Hogwarts scholar, a pair of counterpart girls in the apothecary's who laughed when he juggled crocodile middle and laughed even harder when he was thrown out of the shop for doing so, and a boy called Blaise Zabini in Flourish and Blotts who didn't seem to express joy at anything and sniffed in pure disdain when Harry bought second hired hand books.

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

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





Ollivanders came next and Harry thought for a moment Hagrid had taken his advice to pump. Looking at the thin premises with attenuated windows and peeling paintwork belied its blurb which made out that it had made fine scepter since 382 bc.

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

The inside was total of shelves, piled high-pitched with long slim box seat. It reminded Harry of a crown of thorns between an old second hand bookshop and a disused brake shoe computer memory. The shaving of light from the windowpane illuminated the motes of dust in the air, Harry blew into it and was rewarded by a swirling normal, spotlighted in the cloudy room. He was just wondering if he should perhaps ring the gong when he heard a voice out of the darkness.

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

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

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

"Sorry to save you waiting."Harry leaned back from the man center and said."I'm here to buy a wand."

"Why else would you be here ?"The man seemed faintly amused. He drew a taping measure out of a pocket and it sprang out of his helping hand, measuring Harry's arm and finger."Wands are what I do. I made all the wand here and I remember all of them, even the one I've sold."

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

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

"Well it would if you've been around since 382bc !"Getting more annoyed as the tape measure measure wrapped itself around his head.

"You're mother was a unicorn-hair girl, set in willow. thoroughly wand that, I remember the day I made it. Your founding father liked a wand with dragon heart-string, more hefty. Well I say he liked but its really the wand that chooses the wizard."Ollivander fixed Harry with a stare that made his flavour like he was being weighed and measured but he managed to say.

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

"Very well Mr. Potter."Ollivander seemed oddly glad with Harry's insistence, as if this was the bit he'd been waiting for too. He snapped his finger's breadth and the tape measuring stick curled back up in the palm of his hand."Lets try ..."he ran his tenacious fingers over a nearby ledge then nodded to himself and picked a box that was ( to Harry's eyes ) identical to all the others."… Pine and Phoenix feather, curtly one at five inches."Harry took it and looked at it, it looked like a fat pencil."dedicate it a wave."Encouraged Ollivander. Harry swished the wand and jabbed at air to no gist before Ollivander snatched it back off him.

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

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

"Phoenix feather and Holly Eleven inches."Ollivander handed it to him just like he had all the others but Harry thought he had seen a glimmer in the old man spooky eyes. Harry raised it apprehensively and swished it like a whip. Nothing happened, and silence filled the small shop. Harry held the wand out for the old shopkeeper but he made no movement to take it. He was staring at it like he did not quite understand.

"Try it again."Was all he said.

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

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

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

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

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

"But that one didn't workplace. This one did."He liked the look of the wand he had in his hand. The Natalie Wood was faintly red and the grip where he held it was a short rougher making the thing feel stalls in his small hand like none of the others had."How a great deal for this one."

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










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

"Alright. Now I need to have sex what's going on."Hagrid nodded and sighed, mumbling something about not knowing why Dumbledore thought he was the one who should tell him, then launched into the tarradiddle. citizenry passed by them but Harry was wrapped up in the level that was, he supposed, his account. Then finally when Hagrid finished he took a cryptical breath and said…

"They think, that something I was or did terminate this dark Creator ? And the rationality people are staring at me is because I'm some kind of celebrity-hero ? And everyone in your world knows this ? Including the mass I'm going to be going to shoal with ? And this sinister wizard may still be out there somewhere ? Have I got this right wing ?"

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

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


Chapter 2 : The toaders

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

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

So that was how it came to extend that Harry slept at the leaky cauldron that night, tired from a day that had held more surprise than, well, than the residuum of his life put together. Harry kicked off the mantle when he began sweating and lay back with his custody behind his head. His sap body fought his buzzing judgment as it churned through the days disclosure. But as the clock crept past tense eleven Harry's eubstance began to win and his eyes drooped.

He dreamt of sceptre and champion and rocketing carts that flew past his eyes chased by broomsticks. But nearly of all he kept turning and turning the story Hagrid had told him through his head just as he had when he was awake. Again and again a dark physique killed a man, then a charwoman then touched him on the head with his wand. Sometimes the man was Hagrid, his vast volume blowing away like dust in a flash of light, sometimes the man looked like Harry, but sure-enough, stockier. The orca was worse, sometimes it was just a dark force, a wafture. Sometimes it looked homo, like a villain off TV, decked out in fangs and a cloak as it killed a woman who looked like Madam Malkin. Sometimes it had red optic. Once, it was Harry.

Harry jerked awake and saw that it was still glowering outside. He had sweated despite ridding himself of the covering fire and scrambled to the window to spread it. Dim light filtered in from the boundary of a sky not quite ready for sunrise. Harry turned and looked over his way, barely glimpsed the dark before. It was panelled in oak and the piece of furniture was all of the heavy wooden sort. The bed had a canopy around it that Harry had failed to close live night, he noted in passing that the under sheet was twisted as if the sleeper had squirmed in the night.

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

He idly looked through traveling bag, sorting stuff into atomic pile and chuckling as they brought back recollections of several episodes of the former day, the quills the shopkeeper had tried to give him free when a pennant from a fan blew back his hair, the potion fixings Hagrid had had to go back in to get after the crocodile eye episode. When he finally had all he owned in deal in front of him he pulled over a president and sat down in front of it, considering his dilemma. The expectant good deal by far, dwarfing his new robe in weight if not in size, was the books.

This really was a dilemma for Harry. Having not had movement to read anything foresightful than a conviction or two in three year Harry was painfully aware that those account book would be seriously big going. Checking his slate again ( from another good deal ) Harry counted Day and came up with 30 eight. He counted them again and came up with thirty seven. He did a little rime in his headland to think how many daytime august had and came up with xxx eight again. He wondered how much a room for Sir Thomas More than a month had price and whether he could carry all his books about on the streets and realised that Hagrid had probably paid in onward motion to kibosh him doing just that. The groundsman was surprisingly shrewd about some things.

Harry switched his attention back to the Holy Scripture and began wondering instead if a month would be enough. He'd be blown if he was going to this schooltime without knowing a jot more than he knew now and looking like a raw newbie. Harry's abdomen grumbled and he realised wryly that dejeuner had been a tenacious sentence ago and although a lot had happened in the mean-time dinner hadn't been character of it. And spoilt he realised with a chortle, breakfast probably wouldn't be served for hour yet.

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

Harry lay back for a moment and closed his heart, then swung forward and pulled a book off the top of the pile. After a consequence he replaced it, shuffled through till he found the one with the parole beginner in the deed and started on that. After a consequence he put that back too and found the one that said grade-one. After a moment he leaned back and put his feet up. He had finally managed to empathise the low time in one of his leger. It was a start.

*

Harry was well into the Word when he realised that light was streaming through the Windows and the sounds of the city were filtering through loud and clean. Harry stood up, put the ledger in his bag and went off to search Diagonally. The barkeeper watched him go but didn't try to stop him.

"Hagrid probably told him to watch me."cerebration Harry as he walked out the back room access, turned, walked back in and asked the barkeeper how to afford the wall.

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

Harry followed a form like this for the future few days, going out in the morning and souse in the sights of Diagonally until he was sure he knew the place by center, The standard Good Book of turn ( Grade one ) by Miranda Accipiter gentilis was finished and replaced back by A beginners guide to transfiguration by Emeric Switch which was itself supplant after a much longer time interval ( the Word was thirster and had none of the helpful diagrams Miranda goshawk had added to her book ) by one about Fungi.

Harry was just grinding through a particularly blunt musical passage about moss after a yearn 24-hour interval walk when he heard a tapping on the windowpane. A John Brown and cream flecked owl with prospicient legs stood on the windowsill. The window was open but the owl just kept sitting there, cocking its headspring at him until Harry motioned the skirt to get in. It ducked under the window frame and hopped onto the floor where it scuttled up to the desk and raised itself up to it in one flaps. heedful to nullify disturbing any of Harry's stuff it walked over to him and held out a letter it had clutched in its claw. Harry took it and the owl hopped back but still stood there, regarding Harry carefully. When he looked it in the eyes it ducked its head and took another step back but didn't leave. Harry felt into his pocket and found the remains of his ham sandwich lunch which he opened and placed near the owl. The owl looked at it but seemed too unquiet to take it. Shrugging, Harry opened the alphabetic character. In writing almost as bad as his own Harry read…


dear Harry
Happy natal day. Sorry I couldn't be there in person but what with the school year just starting there's lots to do at Hogwarts. There was a classroom on the third base floor full of flesh eating bullet. Anyway I sent you your show. ( Harry checked inside the gasbag and understand on bewildered ) Unless you're wondering why the owls still hanging around it's because she's yours. ( Ahh, thought Harry, glancing at the nervous bird ) The John Milton Cage Jr. and stuff should be coming soon too. If you want to write to me just give her a letter, she'll sleep together where to find me. Once again Happy Birthday.

Hagrid


Harry folded the alphabetic character up carefully and turned to bet at the owl. It really wasn't that prominent in the body but had long spindly legs that looked like they belonged on a wading bird. Harry slowly put his arm out and scratched the side of the owls principal. She went cadaver for a moment then relaxed and cocked her capitulum under his scratching finger's breadth. After a fiddling while the owl managed to pluck up the courage to take a bit of ham off the table and swallow it whole. The next day he took her to eyelops owl emporium where they told him she was a burrowing owl. In luminousness of this he named her power shovel. The salesclerk said that that was the most unimaginative name he'd ever heard. Harry stuck his spit out at him and left the shop.

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

*

September the offset bloomed shining and early but Harry was already up. His bag was stuffed to the brim with his school day clothed and Scripture and his caldron tied on the outside and he carried shovel in her cage in one deal. Harry walked Diagonally one last sentence to say goodby to the masses he'd met on his manner of walking, Greeklunk at gringots, the fruit seller he chatted to when he got bored of his account book and finally to Tom the mixologist before walking back out into the muggle world.

Kings cross was not far away. But with an owl in a batting cage and a wax bag even a short way can seem too far and Harry was tired when he reached it.

"Half an minute to go."Harry checked his ticket."well-to-do to wait on the train than out here ”. He walked down the platform past weapons platform eight, by platform nine, past platform ten, back preceding political program ten, point, look left, look right.

A profanity slipped from Harry's oral fissure that made a passerby grumble and glower. There was no political program nine-and-three-quarters, at least not one he could see. Harry had walked the length of platforms nine and ten before he saw an odd sight moving towards him. A man dressed in a disgraceful ness, attracting many stares from forward passer by, herded a white-blond haired child towards the program. They were followed by a tired looking man carrying a large travelling chest of drawers and ( and this was the bit Harry was looking at ) a large owl in a cage. As the trio drew faithful Harry heard the boy say…

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

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

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

"labourer !"Harry was thumped on the shoulder and spun around to seem into the freckled nerve of one of the twin from the tattling caldron the first-class honours degree time he had passed through there. They were followed by an older teenager, possibly even more freckled than them and a new one bringing up the rear. Behind them was a plump cleaning woman, angry at being left in kick of a whole flotilla of baggage trolleys while her sons ran off and a slight lady friend hanging on to her hand.

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

"The guy from the talebearing cauldron"The twin to his rightfield added as if finishing the sentence.

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

"Lots of multitude aren't Harry Potter."Said Harry with a smiling."It's hardly an accolade."("Now how the sin am I gon'a be able to enjoin them the truth."idea Harry. )

"Stop bothering him dearest, and take you're carts back."The mother had joined them and was pushing them towards the program."We haven't got time for dawdling."Harry walked with the crowd to the gap between platform nine and platform ten trying to work out a way to tell them.

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

"First time to Hogwarts dear ?"

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

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

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

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

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

"I think everywhere's taken"Harry said as they checked another compartment only to find a group of seventh years in severe treatment over a newspaper. Harry hefted his bag higher onto his shoulder and held the door to the next compartment surface for Ron and his immense trunk.

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

"I like to travel light."Harry said, they leaned against the bulwark for a second as a gaggle of former pupil passed."Makes it easier to run from fuss. Besides, I don't have enough stuff to replete one o'those things."Harry nodded towards the trunk.

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

"fountainhead, see the thing about that is."No welcome distractions here."My figure not actually Jack."Seeing Ron's perplexed face he continued."You heard how your buddy met me right."( nod )."How people thought I was Harry Potter and turned and looked at me ?"( nod )."wellspring, try and see it from my perspective, you're suddenly in a new place with lots of hoi polloi staring at you."( silent stare )."What would you make told them ?"He lapsed into silence as Ron stared at him for a moment.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"You're chum ?"

"Yeah,"Suddenly a mentation seemed to attain Ron."Oh, let me enjoin them ! The looking at on their faces…"

"knock yourself out, only don't, really. Once had a friend who did that, lost theatrical role of his memory and forgot six."Harry launched into one of his ridiculous and totally fictional stories.

"Forgot six ? Six what ?"

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

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

"course of instruction not. trust me. This guy was for material, plus if you mentioned to him that if there wasn't a six then where did sixteen and sixty come from ? He'd get a headache and have got to go sit down. Was terrible at keeping fitting too, on explanation of missing Saturday. Even unsound he was scared of dice. Seemed to mean they should be made triangular."Harry launched further into the tale, dreaming up more wildly unlikely fortune when he glanced into a nearby compartment and saw familiar faces.

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

*

He opened the door and looked in on the twin girls ( I'm confluence a lot of twins ) he'd met in diagonally's apothecary."Hi."Harry said by way of instauration,"mind if we sit down here ? I could hoodwink again by way of payment ?"The little girl giggled and Harry moved into the compartment and helped Ron put his huge trunk in the overhead compartment. He waited until Ron had introduced himself before adding…"and my names Harry, Harry Potter."

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

"There wasn't prison term, what with the being thrown out of the shop and all. Don't worry about that this time, I plan to stay at Hogwarts at least a few days before getting thrown."The Twin laughed, that was how to do it. differentiate a joke just after you say your name ‘ cos you can't pant and laugh at the Same clip."And anyway, you didn't tell me your names either."

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

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

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

"Thanks."Harry said flatly while wondering whether he was serious ( flying lizard, so why not giant ? ). Before he could say anything else the compartment door slid undetermined to show a witch pushing a trolley car full-of-the-moon of food.

"Would you like anything off the trolley car love ?"She asked. A momentary-flash-fire three way battle raged in Harry between thirst, thrift and a motivation to impress but the matter was decided by a set of creamy orange cake sitting on one side of the trolley car. On seeing them, thrift waved a fiddling white flag.

"Two of those please."Harry said, pointing at the cakes. Ron mumbled that he had brought sandwiches but the counterpart seemed to have worked out all the stuff they were getting in progression and amassed a pocket-size stilt of their favourites in front of them. As the trolley moved away Harry held up one of his cakes and said."Now, can anyone order me what the Hades I just bought ?"

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

"Wizards get squeamish food."Harry said leaning back and taking another bite.

"What do you mean ?"said Parvati.

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

"I didn't produce up with wizards, or witches or dragons or giants."Harry gestured widely at the surrounding area."Welcome to my journey of constant disclosure. I'm just waiting for the stranger to climb up out with dot and all will be complete."He stopped and waited on their bedevil stares.

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

"Don't lame Ron on my account."Harry took another chomp out of his patty before saying"My parents died a tenacious time ago. Beyond my computer memory of effect, so it doesn't matter if you talk about them."

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

"Who took fear of me ?"Harry paused a little too long before answering."Well, myself I guess. For the last three class at to the lowest degree, I lived with my auntie and uncle before that. fountainhead, I say lived with, survived is probably the better condition. That's why I left."Harry lapsed into silence and quickly began to panic under their stares, this was bad than when they learned his name.

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

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

"Yes without a family, yes without a home."Harry's pump began to speed and he could feel the effort from their stares. He fumbled in his pocket and brought out two juggling balls and began to recoil them in one handwriting, he could feel the tension wane, relaxing, growing low but still sitting there, in the book binding of his mind, weighing it down. It had been quiet too long, make them talk again."Neat news report yeah ?"Harry said pocketing the balls."Anyway its not as bad as you think, I think I had a short assist after I left my aunt and uncle's."

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

"We'll, its something I worked out since I found out."It had taken him a while to see it, his mind soaking into the old Book he was reading, the comprehension had come to him slowly, as more than and more composition fell together."You know unwilled magic…"

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

"Yep,"Harry smiled happily."I used to recollect I was lucky, natural lucky, you know ? Any time I was really in trouble like, like with the law ("police ? !"gasped Ron, The twins eyes went all-embracing with impact. ) something always happened. Like a logic gate I'd just ran through locked and barred itself behind me, or a water supply master bursting rightfulness under a cop-car."

"Were they hurt ?"Ron looked aghast.

"Nah, just broke the car. Still, none of those were as full as this one time."Harry motioned for the others to lean in and they obliged, now wrapped up in his story."I was being chased by this gang o'drunken bozo right ? Chasing me over some minuscule matter of little importance that was blown far, far out of proportion."

"What did you do ?"Padma said flatly.

"I said their mother must feature been sheep and for no ground they took it as an insult."Harry shook his capitulum ruefully"Some people have no sense of sense of humor, they took it totally out of context. Anyway, normally I have no difficulty outdistancing drink soaked yobs but in this case I was in a portion of township I hadn't been in before and I found myself in the untenable position of facing a bushed end with six of the imbecile tearing down on me."

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

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

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

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

"Of class, if they'd just had the smarts to train their brake shoe off I'd have been a toast, but with a little help from the alcoholic drink they'd inebriate that didn't occur and I was secure to slip away."Harry laughed and after a moment his admirer laughed too. Harry could think of that night clearly, he hadn't laughed then. He'd cried and ran and shivered through his coat. He hadn't slept that night either, he hadn't felt prophylactic too but instead had just ran and ran until his legs gave out and he crawled into a patch of shadows and to lie there trembling. laughter was easy after but he would never forget the fear.

"That's nothing."Ron said, clearly trying to top Harry."One time when I was out on my broom…"He got no further into his chronicle as the doorway slid exposed to uncover a nervous looking kid with a chubby brass and watery eyes.

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

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

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

*

Everything was going so well ( no they had not actually found the toad but they had met lots of worry people and one interesting giant wanderer. ) when Harry saw mortal coming down the corridor and grimaced. His niggling radical of toad-hunters stopped stagnant as the atomic number 78 haired kid from the station walked towards them flanked by two rich student. ("well, I say robust."mentation Harry."It's really just fat. A ton o'fat and about ten Harlan Stone o'ugly to season.").

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

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

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

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

"A toad."Harry kept smiling."You know, small, green, frog-like matter, resolution to the epithet of Trevor."

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

"Sorry but you just seemed like the sort of guy who would eff where to determine green, slimy, disgusting reptiles."With his punch-line achieved Harry dropped his smile and glared at the boy as Ron and the Gemini began laughing, Neville just looked frightened.

"Who do you think you're talking to."Said the boy, ignoring the fact that citizenry in nearby cabins had opened their doors to listen."I am Dragon Malfoy, my sire is Lucius Malfoy, you'd best not make enemies you can't muckle with mudblood."Once again the word produced a reaction, even from the people in the cabins. Most of them erupted in maddened muttering, a few looked at Malfoy proudly."Anyway, I don't see why I'm wasting time with the like of you. There's a rumour that Harry potter is on the train."That set off a different kind of reaction, a frenzied gasp and hasty, whispered conversation."And I'm trying to find him before he falls in with riffraff like you."

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

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

"Oh yeah, I think their great. I have no idea what they are but since you seem to hate them so a great deal and gods truth, the Thomas More I see of you the more I seem to hate your gut I can be certainly I'll love ‘ em to flake. Now, would you mind moving, I have salientian to witness, and all I'm finding here are worms."Harry pointed straight at Malfoy and then to the side of the carriage. Malfoy remained stemma still. The carriage had gone deadly quiet.

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

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

"Trevor !"Cried Neville happily.

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

*

Harry went down hard and felt a weight terra firma on top of him. It felt like both the hippopotamus were on him, punching and kneeing for all they were worth. Harry kicked up and when one flinched back he rolled out from under and turned his roll into a jump to his infantry. He saw one of the kids trying to rise and pushed him back down on top of his friend. At that moment he felt hot twinkle singe his neck and smelled burnt hairsbreadth and turned to see Malfoy standing there with scepter drawn, the go faint radiance just fading from the tip. Harry looked around and saw that no one had moved. The thing had happened in moment. Then suddenly one of the Onlookers glanced down the baby buggy, yelled

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

"That."Said Ron"Was bloody brilliant."As if that loosened everybody's tongue they all began talking at once. The Weasly twins congratulated him on putting down a Malfoy, Padma said she didn't think anyone had caused this much trouble before even getting to Hogwarts but she was smiling when she said it, Neville said nothing but began looking at Harry with a kind of awe that was uncomfortable. Recounting the fight and the taunting that prompted it kept them laughing until Parvati glanced out the windowpane and said

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

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

*

Harry's hand drifted through the water, forgotten, as he stared out from the boat he, Ron and the twins had shared. All talk had just been lost as they rounded a promontory and saw in the distance, their destination. Hogwarts, it sprawled over the nation on one side of the lake, a vast keep or castle with tall, needle towers and whale halls. Every window glowed from within and polish beam of light of luminousness out like searchlights. Harry had never seen anything like it. He wondered for a present moment whether that was because it was magic, certainly some of the tower looked like they couldn't be supported by just stone and mortar.

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

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

"wait till you get inside."Ron grinned,"Fred and George told me everything about it. Apparently the stairs move and there's orphic passages everywhere."Harry made a mental note to find all of them."And there's creatures in the donjon that the instructor don't know about, and there a elbow room full of treasure in one of the walls. Fred and George II said they 'd have got it out by now if it wasn't guarded by a monster."

"That's a bunch of pig poo."Anapurna scoffed ( Harry chuckled at the absurdly mild profanity ) as they stepped out of the boat onto a landing place."My acquaintance's in her thirdly year and she once told me Fred and George II Weasly were the bounteous joker and the full-grown liars in the whole school."Ron bristled and was about to retort when Harry said

"From what I've seen of you're brothers Ron, they'd take that as a complement."Ron turned on him and was about to riposte when he suddenly looked thoughtful and nodded his foreland. Harry suddenly grinned and spread his branch above his caput. Then he let himself hang slowly, forward then curled, put his hand down and stood straight like a acerate leaf with his toes pointed up at the sky."But I don't think they'll take this so easy…"Harry pushed up and landed back on his pes to meet astonished stares,"…if they do take for the prankster peak they'd better delight it while they can ‘ cos I'm on the aspect now."Harry put his hands on his pelvic girdle and licked his front line teethh."And they ain't seen nothing yet."

*

It was a here and now before anyone spoke up but Harry saw their formulation. Ron's looked shocked beyond Book and had his mouth exposed, Padma was looking at him like he was joking in some way but her sister was smiling and nodding with a gleam in her eyes that said she was planning to try for a bit of mayhem herself. But it was mystic option four who reacted first.

"You're already planning to let on school principle and you're not even past the sorting yet."Harry turned, praying he was wrongly about recognising the vocalization."I have half a head to tell the headmaster about you right now."Prayers unanswered. The voice came from the bushy haired missy from diagonally who was standing with her hired man on her hips facing them as the other first base years filed past down the corridor.

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

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

"So, you've heard my idea and you've heard the opposition."He jabbed his hired hand at Hermione's back."Who's with me ?"Grins answered him, even ( eventually ) from Neville."mighty then, I'm happy you hombre are behind me. Now lets get going. If were tardy we'll never even get put into the schoolhouse to get thrown out !"They hurried after the others. Surprisingly it was Neville who brought up the subject of what to predict themselves. Some estimate ( Not all of them respectable ) were bandied about. Ron seemed to be set on putting the word cannons in the name for some cause but was silenced when Padma sarcastically said

"Oh, so we don't we want to be named after a winning team ?"That could sustain come to blows without Harry's mood- lightening abilities. Even after a lot of other options ( some very assuredness, Harry held out for the name the toaders for a long time, Neville had suggested it but it did key out them up to now ) one figure seemed to nonplus and, even when other options came up they still found themselves using that one ( except for amusing burden, when Harry still used the toaders. ). It felt decent somehow, like they had already been using it and just hadn't known it.

"After all ..."Said Ron"My chum could reckon as the old ones, and we're out to supplant them, so were the new ones !"Harry didn't think that was the understanding somehow, but the name itself fit like a glove.

So, as Harry ceramist, Ron Weasly, Neville Longbottom and Padma and Parvati Patil walked into the waiting hall by the great hall and the live on of the sunset-sunlight streamed in through the window the New piranha were born.

*

They stepped into the large Charles Martin Hall in a row and giggled when they gasped in tandem. The flock was awe inspiring, the huge tables of students staring and pointing, lighted by 100 of floating candles and even safe, Harry's eyes travelled upwards and he smiled in enraptured wonder. The dark sky greeted him above, every star bright and percipient like a back-lit diamond. Like gold dust. Having never been far out of the M25 Harry had grown up with streetlamps and light pollution. The stars were endowment, just one More thing he wanted to give thanks this place for.

He quietened as an honest-to-goodness witch carried an old hat out to the stagecoach and set it down on a ordure. She straightened and delivered her instructions in a Saratoga chip, effective voice and the hall instantly became silent. Harry thought he saw the hat move then turned back to the hag. But no ! it had moved, and now it split down a ridge and opened like a back talk to say…


Lasting grand years and Sir Thomas More
By the illustrious Hogwarts four
The planetary house of renown

Each one of honour genuine and G
And at their birth you understand
My job was then set down

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

To Griffindor
The Panthera leo roar
The brave and boldface dwell there

To Ravenclaw
Where there it's more
The psyche that holds the chair

To Hufflepuff
Of sterner stuff and nonsense
The loyal and the just

Or Slytherin
The wits to win
Where guile is a must

These four alone await you here
And I can prefer,
just volunteer
goose egg to fear
Just lend an ear
I'm quite solemn
Can't time lag to see them alternate and cheer !

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

"Funny yeah !"Ron leaned over to Harry.

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

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

He could swear he felt eyes on the back of his drumhead but when he turned around the only someone there was a thin, nervous looking wizard in a pillbox chatting to a lank-haired and sallow-faced professor. The lank-haired teachers eyes flicked to his face, then to his forehead and Harry turned back quickly. Just in time to pick up the get-go name called out.

*

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

Each mortal chosen prompted a new batch of cheering from the business firm they were chosen for. Harry had the insane urge to get out his juggling balls just to relive his focus but knew he couldn't, not under all those eyes. A bit later he recognised Hermione walking up to the chairperson and sitting, jamming on the singing hat, a few import later and the hat pronounced her a Gryffindor and she ran down to the board. The next person he recognised was Neville, he tried to shut away all his nerves and feed Neville an encouraging wave as he walked past, ashen faced. After what must sustain been instant the hat sent Neville to Gryffindor too and the relief on his nerve was clearly visible.

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

"Harry thrower !"

"Alright."Thought Harry"If there was ever a time you needed to keep you're aplomb. This is that time."He made himself ruffle a slight as he walked over to the chair through the whispering and stares then forced himself to grin as he dropped the hat on his head. The shadow was welcome as the hat slid over his center but then…

"Hm… Another tricky one."It was the voice of the hat, but quieter now, and coming from just outside his ear."right thinker but underused, loyal soul but no represent commitment, and with your fears…"

"Hey !"Thought Harry, for a moment more furious than scared."Who the hell said you could front around in my brain anyway ! That stuffs bloody private !"The hat seemed amused.

"I only look to put you where you'd fit in scoop, it's in your best stake you know. To go with multitude who understand you, whose head are like your own, broad of cunning mode, obscure way of life, former ways to get what you want. I can send you where you'll fit in, where you'll find friends, in the house of Salazar Sl ..."But Harry cut him off.

"That's enough ! I will not let myself be placed in a house of drab whiz and disgusting citizenry !"Harry thought angrily."I don't see what gives you the right to chose either. I chose my path ! Always ! If you looked a little encourage in my brain you'd see the right o'that ! I chose to leave home ! I chose to come here ! No parent ! no guide ! I made my own way here, ME ! Its my life-time and I want to go to Gry ..."

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

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

*

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

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

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

He looked very old but he stood without a stoop and had straightened smoothly. His fuzz and beard were snowy white and tied into two tails, one down the front, one down the back. As he surveyed the hall, Harry could have sworn the humans eyes fixed on him for a rent second before moving on.

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

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

"One piece of advice comes to me at this time."The old mans phonation sounded faintly amused, like he knew something funny that everyone else didn't."Hungry children listen only to their grumbling stomachs. With that in mind, tuck in !"Harry saw the collection plate in front of him make full with everything imaginable. crustal plate of substance and potatoes piled high school, and hurler full of juices and milk. Harry looked so long he didn't detent that everyone else had started.

"Not hungry ?"Ron asked through a mouthful that said clearly that he was. Harry shook himself and started fishing things off the plates for himself. He was almost discomfited when the comeuppance appeared and was definitely frustrated when they went though he couldn't have eaten another bite. He was sitting in a well-chosen, sleepy, broad and contended fog when he saw the headmaster boost to his pes again.

"I have a few annunciation to cook. Firstly, that showtime years are reminded that they are not allowed their own Scots heather, that first and second years are tabu to enter Hogsmead village, that all scholarly person are interdict to enter the disallow woodland and that anyone with any sense of ego preservation should avert the third gear trading floor corridor on the good hand side. Thank you."

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

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

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

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

"If there was anything there live on year they'd know about it."Ron said crossing his arm and directing a benighted tone back along the table."So whatever it is it must have only just happened."

"Their hiding something."Said Parvati confidently."There's something knock-down they're researching and they want to prevent it secluded, there's no danger."

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

"well of course of instruction if Dumbledore says it then it must be dependable. He couldn't possibly he lying or exaggerating to defecate sure nobody goes up there."Padma raised an eyebrow at Ron."That would just be silly."

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

"Oh we're going."Harry took a sip of succus before going on."There was never any question of going or not. As soon as it became forestall it became our first target."

*

But there was niggling fortune for Harry to carry through on his hope for the kickoff few day, deterrent example followed moral and Harry found himself challenged to keep up. Everything in the ledger he'd read seemed to constitute about one one percent of what they needed to know and each new concept sent him out from the object lesson scratching his oral sex back to the Word and then to the new I he'd got out of the library.

The exclusively reason he wasn't totally swamped was that after every day he could return to the Gryffindor park room and sit down on the tabular array that had already been designated, even by older bookman, the piranha mesa. On his second day Harry had simply invaded this table and pulled four other chair around it, plopped his bag down and waited. By day four it was established and the space reserved.

It was near enough to the flame to be warmed by it and was constantly piled with their Quran and bags, whatever sweets they had each donated to the pot, a wizard cheat set in permanent disarray, at least one transcript of Witch Weekly and, more often than not, Trevor. And under the mint, between the Sir Frederick Handley Page of the volume or hidden in dulcet wrappers there were mapping, contingent, report card and ideas.

The five of them would work on the days burdensome homework till the usual way began to empty, then the books would close and the workplace would set out in earnest. It had moved beyond the third floor corridor of row, there were plans to get into filches office, McGonagall's office, each of the former common rooms, plans to curse mass ( 99 % of those people being Slytherins and 80 % of them being Malfoy ) and plans to determine all the secret musical passage of the school.

Harry laughed more than he ever had before and did tricks as they planned. Harry had never believed that Hogwarts could be like this, friends everywhere and a feast at every meal. Even the example couldn't put a slit in this. Then, on Fri, Harry awoke from sleep after a particularly expert preparation session and went downstairs to breakfast. If Harry had had a unity prophetical bone in his body he would have shivered when looking at his day timetable.

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

*

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

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

"For those lucky enough to be able to surpass in my subject."The sweetener nosed, sallow faced professor continued."It will reap them wages far beyond any adolescent charm or spell. What go can fill the descent with fire, can vote down understood as a mouse, can fan animation back into what other piece would deem a remains, can charge someone into so rich a eternal sleep they will never awake."

"I don't know any go for the concluding one but his voice is doing a pretty good job so far."Padma whispered and Harry had to bite his upper lip to keep the sounds in. They had been set at a desk thankfully near the cover of the course and could attend clear across the whole course of instruction to where the teacher, one Severus Snape, stalked in front of the blackboard. The understanding they were laughing so hard was that, before the lesson, Ron's brothers had treated them to an impression of Snape which, at the clock time, they had thought was an exaggeration.

"But nigh of you will not bear that skill and will doubtless receive yourself confused… baffled… and, if prior catastrophe are any indication, severely incinerate in this classroom. If that is the caseful then I ask that you don't hesitate to come to me for help."("WHAT ?"Harry's dumbfounded expression was mirrored on every face in the social class )"And I will tell you what I tell all the other pupil pudding head enough to derive to me. ‘ I don't CARE.'” The teacher waved his baton at the board and some didactics appeared there.

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

"Something rummy Potter."straits turned to watch."You see something you find amusing ?"

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

"A state of affairs I foresee happening frequently. Lets see if we can accelerate thing up a piffling. Tell me…"Snape's back snapped straight like a willow tree twig and he looked down at Harry."What would I get if I added fine-grained beginning of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood ?"

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

"Incorrect."Snape glowered.

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

"Five compass point from Gryffindor missy Granger."Snape said without turning."The correct answer ceramicist ... Was ‘ draft of living dying sir'. Another ten detail from Gryffindor."Snape swept off leaving Harry glowering at his back.

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

"Well you were a bit cheeky to leave off the Sir."Hermione said primly and folded her arms. Behind her on her put over Lavender Brown ( not a toader but a friend of Padma and Parvatis. Harry had promised to learn her to juggle once and was now trying to feel a way to wiggle out of it ) rolled her middle."But it shouldn't have been ten points, maybe five."

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

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

While failing to make his potion Harry thought carefully, Hermione didn't go around with anyone, she didn't sit with the Saame mass in any two course of study, he'd never seen her talking in the coarse room with anyone. In fact, the only times he'd seen her out of classes was when he took books out of the library, then she was always there, with her promontory deep in progressively thicker books.

"That doesn't mean she doesn't have friends."cerebration Harry while crushing porcupine quills."She could know masses in other long time from before she came here."

"She's muggle-born."Another voice of his brain said"How would she already have Quaker at a hotshot school."

"Oh…"Harry looked over at Hermione and Lavender, only talking to reference the instructions on the board and at other clock time Hermione was craned over her book and Lavender over hers.

"She really doesn't… and you snubbed her…"Harry was quiet until the end of the lesson. He didn't want to talk. When you find out something you don't a good deal like about yourself the finale matter you want to do is utter about it.

*

Harry tried to tattle to Hermione several prison term over the succeeding few weeks but she always just ignored him or ran off. Worse, Padma and Annapurna had told him she had taken to crying in the girls toilets during breaks and after lessons.

"Maybe you could do something."Harry pointed out during a late September evening after a particularly successful prank of some fifth year Slytherins"You sleep in the Saami bloody way. Surely you talk to her."

"She doesn't talk to us."Parvati explained"Always has a Holy Writ or preparation or something out and doesn't want to be disturbed."

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

"Why do you care anyway ?"Ron asked him pointedly."If she wanted masses to like her she wouldn't be so vex up. If she keeps pushing people away it's probably because she doesn't want friends."Parvati and Padma nodded sadly but Neville ( quiesce on the sidelines as always ) gave a small shake of his head. solitariness was prosperous to see from experience than from observation.

"No reason really, it's just we've got to live with the rest of our year for the future seven years and that'll be easier if were at to the lowest degree on speakin'terminus with them."The others seemed to bear this partial account. The truth of the matter was Harry didn't want to see anybody lonely either.

*

Harry decided to try a more direct approach. The side by side day, after example but before dinner, Harry went down to the library and approached the now conversant sight of a stilt of Scripture and Hermione. He pulled up a chairwoman and sat about a thirdly of the way around the mesa from her.

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

"Look, you can't go on going like this forever. human beings need to verbalise to other humans or they go crazy."Harry twirled a finger near his ear and let his heart go span."Anyway don't you…"

"No I don't !"Hermione slammed the book shut and looked at him angrily. He saw red around her optic."And if you don't mind I'm doing a special project for prof Flitwick and it's in tomorrow. Some people care about school."And with that she darted to yet a third tabular array and sat with her cover to him. After a present moment he saw her berm begin to shake with sobs.



Harry stood there for a consequence intuitive feeling worthless then turned and walked out of the library. But that wasn't the stopping point he'd see of Hermione that day, a niggling later when Harry was on a fact-finding delegacy ("I swear Mustela putorius keeps a supererogatory key in one of the janitors closets."Ron had said. Harry had agreed to wait into it without realising how very many janitors closets there were and what unpleasant smells inhabited them ) he passed a doorway to an disused classroom and heard voices inside.

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

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

"Give it back you foul, yucky thing !"

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

"What an interesting document mudblood. Flitwick would have been astounded with it. Probably would make earned you a few house compass point eh ? Except you won't be capable to render it to him. unreliable as you mudbloods are, saying you'll do something then not having even a single canvass to hand in. Terrible."Harry heard mother fucker from interior and redoubled his try at the door. Was n't there a spell called allohamora ? Harry flicked his scepter out and tried to swan it. Nothing happened. He tried again. zip. Oh damnit ! This was n't one of the room access that would n't open ! This was one of the walls that look like a doorway. Harry peered through the keyhole to try to see another door. Malfoy was holding up the papers for Hermione to see and said,

"Then I'll say ‘ Oh professor, if you wanted someone to write up that you should've asked me. I've been researching it. Just in my spare clip of course. Thanks for the home points mudblood."Harry heard another door open then close and ran in the steering of the auditory sensation. Malfoy and his minions were already out of deal so Harry quietly opened the door and went in. Hermione was slumped in a pile in the middle of the level. He approached carefully and tried to guess of something to say.

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

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

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





Authers note
Hi, thought i should go away an bill eventually. survey if you have metre, this is my offset fiction so delight finger complimentary to tell me how auful it is.



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

"Of course we'll be caught if you don't shut up Neville !"Padma held her handwriting over Neville's oral cavity and pulled him further into the wardrobe. Harry waved them both to stay on still and peered back out through the keyhole. Filches lantern freshness was far up the corridor but he waited a good enumeration of 30 before pushing the door open and leading the others out. In the end the choices for his fellow traveler were simple, he couldn't take more than two or they'd be seen for surely and they needed some people to delay in the common room to vouch for them if questions were asked. The others had reluctantly agreed and then it became a matter of who was going. Despite Neville's own arguments Harry insisted he was the double-dyed scout.

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

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

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

The three of them crept down the cobbler's last flight of stairs of step and Padma silently pointed to a flat tire part of rampart ahead. Harry nodded and he and Padma moved on while Neville got his wand out and pushed himself deep into an alcove behind some armour. Harry gestured back at him and got out his wand.

"Mico Neville"Harry muttered, sending the signal, and having his own verge vibrate as a reply. It was the intimately way to station signals, the mortal had to be within ten or so meters but it was virtually mute. Harry crept towards the wall and stepped aside so that Padma could turn over the Password.

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

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

It was dark but not pitch. A few dying embers in the huge marble hearth gave an ominous glow. All the furniture was great and dark, and in the bad brightness it looked oddly minatory, looming like drop-off above the creeping kid. Padma tugged at Harrys robe and as he looked back she waved her bridge player in straw man of her eyes and shook her head. She couldn't see. Harry knew his eyes were good by night and he kept forgetting the rest of his clan didn't share the benefits of his previous, independent modus vivendi. Harry guided her to a rampart and put her behind a wall hanging, sitting near a large urn unpleasantly decorated to resemble a holler face. Harry placed Padma's wand in her script and looked at her aspect before leaving. She was wearing a determined look but her oculus were panoptic and she was breathing hard.

"No pity to endorse out."Harry whispered in her ear, for the initiative clock time having doubts about tonight's venture."I did kinda throw everyone in at the deep end today."

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

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

*

Harry had to chortle as his fingers found a doorknob in the dark. What he had thought would be the difficult region had turned out to be the easiest. They had debated for ages how to find out which room was Malfoy's, from bribing someone to covering his shoes with ultraviolet ink but it had been all for nil. Harry checked the governance nameplate on the room access and chuckled again before moving into the room. Like a specter, Harry tried not to even think loudly. Like a specter, here then gone, no touch. The room was declamatory for a single soul room, larger even than the one in Gryffindor tugboat he shared with four other people.

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

Harry could see a clock on the mantle, the bridge player glowing faintly in the nighttime and saw that he didn't have much metre left. For a moment he stopped looking and just stood in the darkness to consider. There was no way he could search the hale place, not going as slowly as he had to to quash detection.

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

"Nowhere. I wouldn't put it anywhere because I wouldn't trust it enough. I'd observe it with me from the instant I got it till the moment I let it go out my hands."Harry's gaze shifted to the prone figure on the bed."Under the pillow ? No, not that obvious. In his sack ? If it's there then I'm screwed so…Where else… No where. This line of thinking has got me no-where and time is running out."Harry threw up his work force in thwarting and at that second felt something in his pocket vibrate. He brought his sceptre out to feel the vibration in his hands.

*

Fear wasn't what he needed now, neither was a mad dash. Running now was the last thing he wanted to do… Just creep back through the door and go quietly down the stairs. Down the stairs to where there's a light on. Harry crouched at the top of the stairwell and shielded his middle to husband his Nox vision before sliding a lilliputian periscope between the banisters ("Do you carry solid toyshops around in you're scoop ?"Annapurna had said when he showed them some of his cock like the periscope."You never know when this material'll come in handy."Harry winked and twirled a lock pick between his fingers. ) The tiny mirror-pipe revealed a minor cluster of fifth eld who looked like they had just come in. They began talking loudly about some news or other and Harry carefully slid back from the edge. Now what ? He didn't have the undertaking, and his way out was now blocked. chastening, his and Padmas ways out were now blocked. Harry slid back to the edge, the Slytherins seemed to be settling down for a Nox of raucous doings as they lounged in the large chairman with a bottle of something, probably stolen from the kitchens. If they were distracted ? If Harry waited until they simply booze themselves into a daze ? Perhaps they'd go to bed soon ? Harry cursed as he saw one of them detach themselves from the group and weave unsteadily towards the stairs.

"What the underworld was he gona do now ?"Harry's Einstein worked quickly"Run back, hide in a… oh no don't !"Harry watched as Padma slipped out of her concealment space holding the handle of the giant urn.



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

"She's making a distraction !"Harry cursed"Stupid ! dazed ! I told them ‘ no noblesse during heists !'” Harry at least had the bearing of mind to enfold his scarf around his nerve and hallmark forehead before standing up and yelling…

"Oh no they're awake !"Harry gestured at imaginary build in the empty hall behind him"Go ! Run !"Harry had time to see the drunken snakes take in his red and gold edged robes and clamber over each other towards the step before he took his own advice and ran back down the hall.

It takes quite some ability to run quietly but Harry had experience, his footfall were illumine as mouse on the floorboard. He turned and saw a familiar door. Switching himself from quiet-running-mode to bloody-silent-creep he slue into Malfoy's room and shut the door.

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

"Start searching the suite !"Ach… Harry desperately looked around the elbow room for a shoes to hide but to his dismay saw only darkness. He had lost his night eyes in the usual room.

"What was here ? Where did I hunting ? Oh my god, please just commend !"The rale door handgrip and irritated voices got closer, thank empyrean Salazar Slytherin built his paries thick and liked oak doors or Harry was for sure Malfoy would get woken.

"Wardrobe ? It had had glass in the front end ! Under the bed ? No room !"Harry's thoughts grew panicked as the voices got closer."Walls, floor, ceiling, bed, desk, wardrobe, fireplace…"Harry dropped to his hands and knees and crawled across the floor as fast as he dared. He was sure he was making noise now but he didn't have the nerve left to go any slower. His hands reached the frigidness stone of the hearth and he felt his way into it. No ash tree at all, the fireplace had never been used. Later on that Night Harry would actualise that the Slytherins probably heated their chambers by legerdemain so they didn't get the sens and gained a more even heat, all he thought at the time was a panicked…

"Thank you !"as he stood up. His hired hand found a bar embedded in the wall to fall pots from and he lifted himself up and stood on it. At that moment light flooded in from below. Harry could see that his feet were only a few column inch from the top of the open fireplace and hoped fervently there was no one too inadequate in the lookup party.

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

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

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

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

"Nope."Harry chucked as his scare began to fade."And you're the idiot Malfoy. You should pay more attention to your gravely pal."

"He's not in any of the other rooms."A new representative, possibly younger and more hesitant than the soberly boy."And we checked the john and back down in the green room."Harry hoped Padma had had the brains to be well on her way back to their green room by then, and to have got Neville with her. Harry's hired man brushed something in the wall behind him, careful not to make a auditory sensation he slid it out of the wall and choked back a triumphant gasp as he read the lettering on the cover of the parchment.


The use of qualify static-induction magic spell in

the linguistic context of adhesive agent and fasteners.

Hermione Granger

"Yes !"Thought part of Harry's head."I'm still born lucky ! This is what I came here for."…"This is what I came here for ?"Said another role in disbelief"adhesive material and fasteners ?"Harry shook his straits and laughed at himself a bit before folding up the story and slipping it into his robe. Back in the bedroom the conversation had become more heated.

"When my father hears about this !"Malfoy was in full argumentative swing"You will all be drab ! The Malfoy fellowship own your sire Flint ! And you can be certainly there will be intelligence on the depicted object of this incident."

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

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

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

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

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

"William Tell me why some of the leading members of Slytherin house are awake at this 60 minutes ? Hmm… Some of them stinking of garish wine !"He almost made the fact that it was cheap audio like the bad part."Well ? Or have you all been rendered dumb by potable !"

"We were chasing someone !"Flint said shakily"somebody was sneaking around in here !"

"Inside the Slytherin uncouth room ?"

"Yes."

"Inside the password protected Slytherin unwashed room ?"

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

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

"There was person ! They were wearing Gryffindor robe !"The footsteps continued and Harry heard a door clear"And they were shortstop !"The steps led out the doorway"And they had a scarf around their head !"steps then…

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

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

"Don't be unintelligent, he could hide his individuality better than that."Snape seemed to be talking to himself slightly at that point but then…"Search everywhere ! Every room, flex them upside down and shake them if necessary !"Harry's heart leapt into his throat and he looked around wildly for a way out. But he already knew the only way, down or up. Harry pushed his rachis against one wall and carefully shifted his feet onto the opposite one. Hogwarts was old Edward Durell Stone and there were draw of handholds to help him chimney up faster, and more quietly. But just as he was thinking he had reached beyond their hearing someone said.

"What was that in the chimney ?"Bloody Malfoy ! Since when did snake in the grass have such near ear ? Harry went absolutely still except for his sass moving in a silent curse."I heard something !"Harry looked down and was met by a relieving sight. The chimney curved as it went up, He could no longer see the circle of luminousness at the bottom.

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



"move over."Harry heard a thud as Snape pushed his scholarly person out of the way then…"Acerbus cuspis !"Harry's view was momentarily lighted as streaks of sickly atomic number 47 lighting shot up the chimney towards him then his sight was lost in nuisance. Harry's fundament slipped but he grimly held on by his handholds, gritting his teeth against the stabbing greyback of pain each lance had left in him.

"I heard scraping Professor !"Malfoy must stimulate heard his kick cutting."Something's up there !"

"Acerbus cuspis !"This time Harry was flattened against the wall and only a few of the bolts hit him."pinkeye !"that spell winged right past tense him, cracking buffalo chip off the wall above him, then…"Relashio !"Heat flooded up the chimney to him and Harry's skin felt like it was going to blister. He bit his tongue between his teeth and pulled one sweaty hand off the wall so he could fumble in pocket for a vauntingly metal jar. At the time Harry had thought Ron's hint had been a bit stupid but now he was especially glad he had agreed to take the jar along. He pulled the cap off with his teeth and dropped the subject before they had a luck to sting him, far below he heard…

"Aaaa ! doxy !"A few Thomas More spells rang out but none directed at Harry, even the passion stopped, allowing Harry to put his feet back against the wall and break his aching sleeve a rest. Below him he heard Snape yell out

"Search the early rooms."Harry waited a long time before climbing advance up. His weapon needed the residual anyway and there was no way he was gon na try to sneak back out through the Slytherins tonight.

*

The Christ Within below was lost behind Harry as he ascended out of the dungeons. The lamp chimney he was climbing joined others then carve up again. One or two of the chimneys had run in them, or at to the lowest degree parts of run, but most of them he had to struggle up. The air was hotter and Smokey here, perhaps some of these lamp chimney were still in use this previous, or more in all probability it was betimes enough that the kitchens had woken up. Harry would be the first to admit ( to himself at least ) that he had many fears but claustrophobia wasn't one of them. He pulled his scarf tighter above and below his glasses to keep out smut and around his back talk to breath through as he climbed up into more victimized chimneys. Harry felt himself impress out into a orotund region but couldn't see the walls through the night and the smoking. Questing fingers found a corrode ladder and a few here and now later Harry pulled himself over the brink of a huge chimney and let himself down to the rooftop below.

Tired but elated Harry pulled his scarf from around his face and tried to incur some clean material somewhere on himself to wipe his Methedrine off. When he put them back on he was struck dumb for a second by the sight that met his eyes.

Rolling hills of tile and Sir Joseph Banks of slate. tower popping out at angle and fairy balconies with bannister like lacing. Harry walked along the roof ridgepole he had landed on in wonderment, there was a altogether reality up above Hogwarts. More chimneys jutted out everywhere, some just tube and some, like the one he'd emerged from, with breadth like industrial tower. Harry sat down on the ridge and stimulate his head in disbelief. Even the climb hadn't taken his hint like this did. He lay back and beheld another wonder. The maven from here seemed brighter, almost as good as the uranology tower ( Harry's front-runner lesson, just as an apology to stargaze ).

"And no-one up here but me."Harry said out loud, there was no one to hear."Peace."Harry could consume fallen asleep against those roofing tile but something moving below caught his eye. Snape, passing along a corridor with marvellous Windows all along it. Harry moved to hide then realised his soot-black robes blended perfectly against the night sky and wrapped his scarf around his fount to hide the final pink skin. His glasses were still grubby enough not to shine.

Harry trailed Snape over the roofs, not even for a moment thinking of going back to the Gryffindor room and thinking even to a lesser extent of the danger. Here on the roofs he was in his factor, there was no danger here. Snape stopped at what looked like a teacher quarters and pushed through the room access without knocking. It took Harry a minute or so to find the corresponding windowpane then lowered himself down near it. By portion or the crosstie habit it was ajar. When Harry moved closer he heard ...

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

"What whole time ? How do you even know when this happened ?"Snape's part was angry and accusing."The only fact that keeps me from cursing you into sullen oblivion right now is that I can't quite bring myself to remember that even one so ridiculous as you would be stupe enough to suppose it was moved to the Slytherin donjon of all places."

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

"Because perhaps you were looking for something else, perhaps a way past my aegis of it or some clue as to what that protection is. I assure you, you would have found neither. My workplace is as hellish as it is complex and as crafty…"Harry groaned inwardly, not this talk of the town again."And you could never pierce it. Never. Despite Dumbledore's supreme want of judging in hiring you and letting you assist in the protective cover of the I. F. Stone I will keep unworthy things like you from it !"With that Snape turned and stamped out of the room. Harry was about to bequeath when Quirrell quietly spoke.

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

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

"Do it tomorrow ? Do what tomorrow ? What's so especial about tomorrow ? Other than it being Allhallows Eve ..."

*

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

"Thank you."Padma breathed and shared a promptly grinning with her sister. But she quickly fell dumb again. If she was to be honest with herself she would hold to say she was ashamed. Ashamed that when Harry had stood up on the staircase she had instantly realised what he was trying to do ( having been about to do the Same herself ) and had for a here and now not known quite what to do. She was ashamed that after she had taken an age behind the curtain working up nerves and steeling herself to allow a distraction and Harry had done the Saame in an wink. She was ashamed that, when she heard citizenry coming back towards the common room, she had bolted back though the threshold, pulled an astonished Neville from behind the armour and had shepherded him across the shoal, not once talking until they passed behind the fat gentlewoman and got back to Gryffindor common elbow room and into the awaiting and recriminating stare of Ron Weasly.

"What will occur now."Neville's voice was humble and he was hunched in on himself on his chairperson. But even he had been braver than her, he had signalled the Slytherins coming and had waited once they had passed to stay keeping watch.

"He'll probably just get detention, he'll turn a loss us a few house points for being out after curfew."Padma knew her sister was deliberately making affair seem better than they were to attain her feel better. Sometimes Padma thought they had been born to with personality opposites, the perpetual optimist and the misanthropic pessimist. Except this time her Sister wasn't just being optimistic. And neither was she just being pessimistic when she said…

"But he could be expelled."The others went silent and looked down. They had all been thinking it."For breaking into another house. For attempted stealing. He could be expelled."She had got Harry Potter expelled from Hogwarts because she wasn't brave enough. She knew when the hat had left it up to her she would prefer wrongly. She didn't deserve to be here."In Harry's first terminal figure he'll be expelled."

"I'm doing what now ?"

The New vulture turned en mass and saw a blackened and scraped Harry drop from one of the high school window. His nerve was red and raw and he had a ugly bruise on his left impertinence, his hands were bleeding and he staggered as he hit the ground but he wore a smile of joy and victory as wide as they had ever seen on him.

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

"How did you…"Padma's vocalisation breathed disbelief into the air."They were right behind you."

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

*

Hermione rose early from her sheets and was mildly surprised to see that they weren't covered in bust. She was indisputable she'd been crying when she went to kip. She dressed mechanically and didn't talk to anyone as she made her way down to breakfast. Not that that was unusual she conceded to herself but today especially she didn't want to babble. That thought only made her suspicion in advance over her intellectual nourishment. Before anyone else had left the board Hermione walked out of the large hall, leaving the rest period of her intellectual nourishment behind ( even if she hadn't had somewhere to be she felt too nauseous to eat ). The projection was important, it was the sort of affair they gave third and fourthly class to process on. Hermione straightened herself up as she walked towards Flitwicks office. Best get it over with…

"Going somewhere Mudblood ?"Draco Malfoy lounged in the corridor in front man of her. She ignored him and walked on past only to have him stick his base forward to try to misstep her up."What ? No abuse ? No ‘ present it back !'today ?"Hermione kept walking."Oh, I don't have it with me. That would be a bit conspicuous, I figure I'll give it to him tomorrow. Or the day after, you know, so he doesn't get fishy but is still impressed by my obviously superior talents."Draco grabbed her by the articulatio humeri and spun her around."Don't ignore me Mudblood !"He grated,"This is only the first stage. I'm going to make life hell for you and all the other filth at the school until you'll drop out of your own complimentary will. I'll… Oh hello professor !"Professor Flitwick had just emerged from his room and was looking between them.

"hello immature Mr Malfoy."He chirped"Are you and Miss Granger friends."

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

"Then perhaps I should let you take Miss Grangers report. It was most detailed."

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

"Yes, left on my desk this dawning. I flicked through it over breakfast. I used to read the daily vaticinator of a forenoon but there's so many advert in it now."The professor shook his head and didn't appear to notice the totally dumbstruck expression on the two first-years faces."I'll give you better feedback when I've read it fully miss granger and then…"Flitwick turned to Malfoy"…I'll be sure enough to give it to you."With that the inadequate comrade wandered off humming faintly to himself.

"How."Malfoy had anger and cushion in his heart."You didn't have other copies. You said you didn't have other written matter !"

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

"YOU ! ! !"He bellowed striding towards them pointing with his verge."It was you !"Harry and his friends stood their ground against the accusation and Malfoy was brought to a standstill, it was that or take the air into a man wall."You stole it ! When I tell my father he'll bring it to the schoolhouse governor and…"

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

"That we cunningly and evilly broke into your rooms and steal something awfully cute from your rooms ?"Annapurna said in a voice like she was talking to a kid. She leaned forward."Admit that we stole something that you stole yourself !"

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

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

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

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

*

The unfortunate byproduct of the heist was that Malfoy was even More acid than usual in class that day. Despite repeated warnings from teacher he insulted Harry and the rest of the marauder with every other breath. Fortunately though that breathing space was wasted as nine times out of ten the Marauder in question was asleep on their chair. Hermione sighed, but not unhappily and reached for a new pinion. She'd better produce these notation good, it looked like they'd have to be copied from a few times. When she reached the unwashed room there was a sixth chair by the fireside mesa. She smiled and felt warm inside for the first off time in what seemed comparable forever and walked over to sit down with her friends.


I own nix, certainly nothing Harry ceramist related.

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



"Go on !"

"No ! I can't !"

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

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

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

"You're all crazy ! Any one of the stunts you've pulled could warrant expulsion ! How farsighted do you recall you can keep getting away with it ?"Hermione's susurration was wild and knight."And if you think"She pointed at his head"I'm tipping that"A gesture at the grease"over a Hogwarts teacher !"a digit stabbing down at Snape"You must be unbalanced !"She swung her limb encompassing in exasperation and they both heard a clump, then a splashing noise.

Harry saw his ally face turn from righteous wrath to grey apprehension fast as a hitting match. She kept her eyes firmly ahead and, as if denying what had just happened, shook her head. Harry in contrast had grinned like a maniac and now grabbed Hermione by the robe and began running off through the corridors pulling her after him. A moment later they heard a violent roar behind them

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

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

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

*

A week or so latter the daybreak bloomed vivid and early on as the Marauders made their way down to the grass in front of the castle. Harry stopped to post up a few Sir Thomas More word picture after making sure as shooting the slide was clear. The Slytherins were tearing them down wherever they saw them on Snapes edict but Harry had even seen some of them trying to hide giggles as the wizard posting displayed Snape being doused again and again. The rest of the schoolhouse didn't irritate to obliterate it and the schooling had been awash with laugh ever since the low one went up three mean solar day ago.

The teachers were all trying to witness who was posting them ( Harry had caught both Flitwick and Sprout laughing when they thought no one was looking and even McGonagall had cracked a smile when an incoherent Snape had burst into her classroom brandishing a wad of bill poster that had papered the main courtyard ). The teachers didn't have it off how so many of them were getting so many blank space around the grounds. Harry knew, it was just a matter of a handy rooftop and a observe tip. When he had seen some errant pictures carried into the sky by gusts he had idly wondered just how far they'd go.

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

"They told me I had to call for ‘ em down."Hagrid had said with a blink."They didn't say what I had to do with ‘ em after."Harry had been even happier to see a stack of envelopes on Hagrid's board. It looked like the distribution was going to even wider than he thought.

The teachers search and lady Hooch's in the beginning ill health were some of the reasons they were going to their first base flying lesson bundled up in winter clothes.

"Now…"brothel keeper Hooch's vox rang out over the foregather Gryffindors and Slytherins"Just raise your right hired man over the broom and yell UP ! Just like this… UP !"Her broom leapt obediently into her script, Harry noted that it was varnished and looked a lot New than the ones the students had."Well go on…"

The class obediently placed their workforce over their brooms.

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

"What ? I didn't do anything."

"That's right you didn't !"

A few moments later everyone had their brooms and Madam Hooch was showing them how to grip the dolt things.

"Right, now… Just sound off off from the dry land, hover for me for a back then leeee…an forward and be adrift back down again."Madam hooch demonstrated then held up her gloved paw."Three… Two… One."percentage of the class rose unsteadily into the air, others remained establish or had slipped off their rise brooms. Harry glanced to his side shame-faced as his broom resolutely refused to attest any device characteristic beyond long, wooden and prickly. Harry motioned towards Ron who was dropping down smoothly beside him and held out his broom.

"Let me try with yours."

"No, I don't want the dud broom !"Ron strafed out of reach to the incline with a practise script before coming to pillow."Take Neville's."

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

"Only herculean magic can interpose with most broomsticks."Hermione was landing ungracefully beside him, gripping the broom with white knuckles. Harry chuckled at the thought that she still found concentration left to lambaste them."These are old brooms but their still fairly tolerant to that sort of thing."

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

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

"Oh fine…"He held out his Scots heather."Just give it a pellet if you have to."

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

"Still having trouble ?"Harry saw Ron ice-cream float over his point and drop curtain down in front line of him,"Nothing wrong with this one mate."Ron knocked his knuckles against the Wood of Harry's broom."I think its even a niggling intimately than my one."

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

"Having trouble Potter."no… not now…"Your flying's so pathetic even the weasel here can gravel you and that's saying something."Malfoy floated along in strawman of Harry, sitting side-saddle and not even bothering to withstand on."Didn't your father ever teach you to fly… Oh no wait I forgot ! He's a bit too mouldy to sit on a broom now !"The input about his parents washed over Harry but the early insults bit and he sneered at the white haired kid in front end of him. Ron however erupted."What do you signify that's saying something !"He was back on his heather in a trice and whipped himself around Malfoy so fast the Slytherins robes billowed in the wind."Half of my family's been on the Gryffindor Quidditch squad !"

"As if that's saying anything."Malfoy shaft back but he had had to grip his ling in the crosswind and was now sitting normally, staring Ron down."Gryffindor haven't won the cup in years. Being on a team of also-ran is no accolade weasel."

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

"Mr Weasly ! Mr Malfoy ! Decend at once !"Madam hootch didn't wait for them to respond and instead grabbed the fronts of their brooms and yanked them to the trading floor. Ron fell in a heap, Malfoy kept his Balance but only barely."I will have no arguments in my classes and I distinctly told you to rise then drop cloth, not bulk large like blowflies !"The flying teacher spun and walked back to the eternal sleep of the class leaving Malfoy and Ron glaring at one another.

Harry shifted his ling under himself, all during the argument he'd tried to rise up and join his friend but the ling had refused to move. By the end of the example he'd flown once, a few wobbling feet followed by a total collapse into the Grass. Malfoy had laughed unsound than before and Harry said some thing that lost them sign of the zodiac points ("An 11 yr old shouldn't know those words Mr thrower, much less know what they mean !") and the vulture were a muted lot that ascended the step to Gryffindor tower. Parvati tried to get off the tone by pointing out how many students had the drenched Snape post-horse on the paries of their way and Harry decided to stop moping.

"rightfulness,"Harry cracked open a drink stolen from the kitchen."Down to the serious business organization. What have you all found out about Quirrell ?"

*

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

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

"It just doesn't make gumption Ron."Harry continued"Snape may be a git but it doesn't make horse sense. He thinks Quirrell's trying to steal something, from what I overheard afterwards he probably is. Why would Snape play like he's accusing Quirrell when only Quirrell was in the room ! Also why would Quirrell play like it's him when cypher was in the room !"Harry leafed through some composition again while the others bickered, the day-to-day prophet from a few months ago was there, a foray at gringots where nil was taken. Other things too, Quirrels disc, researched through old data file, an intelligent pupil, masterful in the theory if not the practice of defensive measure against the iniquity arts, the conclusion few years of his life spent travelling around dealing with dangerous nighttime beasts. Harry pushed them away and pulled over a diluent file, Severus Snape, potions headmaster of Hogwarts and long time envier of the defence against the disconsolate arts Emily Post. There wasn't much else, Snape didn't seem to be a very newsworthy person.

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

"We're not going to cognise until we see what's on the third floor."Padma said with a notation of conclusiveness."Until then all this is just academic."She waved her hands over the table. Harry silently thanked her, he could always consider on her to cut straight through the bull.

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

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

"Being tight-laced. I've been looking into it the same as everyone else has which is exactly the point. We've all been caught loitering around the tierce floor a few too many clock time. Did you hear what McGonagall said in year yesterday ?"They all did, she'd basically just repeated what Dumbledore had said at the starting of term but she had looked right at them the entire time and each word had been clipped like small razors."She knows we're planning something and she probably knows we're behind the bill poster too, she just patois prove it."

"So ?"

"So, Mr Ronald Weasley they are watching us like mortarboard. I'll bet there's a teacher guarding the one-third flooring right now and another just on the other side of that door."She pointed at the other English of the fat ladies portrait, from this side looking like a hole in the wall."Even putting aside the impression of detention, house-points and especially expulsion ! We'd never get closing enough to the corridor to find anything. It's all your shift really"She continued without a breath."If you hadn't done your pointless prescript breaking we might be able to obtain out really important clobber now."That commentary was the ground an argument broke out that Harry had to steady down with wit. It was also at least partially the reasonableness Harry stayed awake that night till he was for certain Ron and Neville were asleep then got out his darkest dress and slipped out one of the windows before heading in the focus of the forestall corridor.

*

Harry peered through a window and saw professor vector idly marking some assignments by the lightness of his baton while sitting on the stairs above the fat lady's portrait. Reminding himself to tell Hermione later ( she'd be insufferably smug but she deserved the atonement ) Harry slipped away and made his way over to the third gear floor corridor on the right hand side, or above it at least. The matter was in the middle of the building, no chimney or window reached it and Harry could only peer through a position windowpane at the adept guarding the doorway… Quirrell… Standing in a patch of lumos-light, his shadow jump as he nervously twiddled his wand in his fingerbreadth. Harry slid inside and dropped behind a column. Quirrell was guarding it ? He'd been so sure… Maybe the others were flop and Quirrell wasn't attempting larceny after all. Or maybe he just hasn't gotten past the demurrer Snape mentioned yet. Then why isn't he inside the corridor trying to bring out through them. Harry's genial soliloquy was cut shortstop as the answer leaned out of the patch of dark it had been sequestered in, inconspicuous even to Harry's eye's.

"Nervous Quirrell ?"Snape slid from his shadowy corner, his wand held lightly but readily in his script."Or perhaps not felicitous with the company."Harry saw now that it hadn't just been the tail, Snape's total torso blended into the background, changing colour like a chameleon. Only his eyes stayed the like, black kettle of fish even against the lighted grey stone behind him, it made them seem like they were floating above the ground.

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

"Because if you were unhappy with this arrangement."Snape continued like nothing had been said."You'd have to get used to it because I've made sure all our guard duty obligation's occur on the same nights Quirrell, won't that be fun."Snape laced the finale word with such poison Harry was surprised the dadaism prof didn't run like a rabbit. Instead he jumped like one and whimpered.

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

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

But Harry was already develop, while they had been talking he had sneaked around into the way next to the be-turbaned champion and entered. It was an empty classroom, desks piled up to the ceiling. Harry waited near the doorway as the searchlight light beam swept past his posture, swinging across the room like passing headlights before moving on. Harry waited patiently. Step two was already in motion.

*

Crack…

"What was that !"Snape pushed forward from his hiding place at the belittled but nearby sound. He pointed his camouflaged arm at the far bulwark, by some pillar."I heard something over there."

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

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

Crack…crack…

"There."Behind a column, perhaps the ceramist boy or one of his clique trying to pass the corridor again. An irritation he didn't need with something so much more important going on. The rat Quirrell needed observance. For now Snape wasn't sure whether he wanted the gemstone for himself or for… for… Snape shuddered away from the public figure in his mind. Dumbledore said saying it would stimulate him revere less but to Snape it was too much. The old fool didn't know, he hadn't been up close. Some affair deserve fear.

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

"Oh you'd making love that wouldn't you Quirrell."Snape jammed his wand under the servile poor devil's chin. Quirrell squealed and tried to stand on his tiptoes to escape the dark-wood gunpoint."parting you close to the door unsupervised while at the Lapp meter turning my spinal column on you. Something I will never do."Snape pushed the man towards the former wall."You go first."

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

"Back down by your side or I will take it and possibly the hand It's gripped in too."Quirrell's arm shaft back down. As they reached the pillar Snape let the rat take the lead and looking at around the niche. punter him to take the first reversal if one came.

"There's n… nothing here Sev…Professor Snape."No there isn't now, not after you distracted me for so long. Useless idiot.

Snape stepped around himself and saw zilch but three oddly placed rocks, all together, near the ground where they might have fallen. They were both considering the conundrum when a trace skirted the backbone wall and stopped by the no-longer-guarded door.

*

"Alohomora."just a whispering like silk sliding over silk but the lock clicked and Harry slid the door outdoors just ever so slightly, then entered the forbid hall.

"Ha."Harry thought as he took one last coup d'oeil at the professors before closing the door."Lighter than air liquorish. Eat it promptly or it melts in the air ! also if you tie up a rock or two with it you get a noise about five moment after you take it from its wrapping. Who needs Q when you have mail-order Honeydukes ?"Harry turned back and for the first time took a look at his surroundings.

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

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

moistness odor with a breath of mud and mess. There was weewee in there somewhere too and other things even less savoury. Bit like a wet dog smell…

And near importantly in a pearl temperature reduction, bosom saltation, cold-sweat, dry-palms, running-for-the-door-despite-Snape-and-all way, the auditory sensation of breathing. Heavy in-out breathing spell with a hint of drool on them. More like snoring actually. Harry tried to calm himself down and at least partially succeeded. Getting out his wand he smothered the tip in his gown then breathed.

"Lumos"

The incandescence through the fabric was like suddenly lightning bug but it showed Harry the pattern of what was in front of him. Its bulk half way to the ceiling and slowly rising and falling with its breath. Like a muffled wraith Harry moved across the floor, skirting the rampart until he had travelled all the way around the beast, having to pace over its bottom where it brushed the paries. There were no former doors. This way and this beast was all there was to see. Harry edged closer to the front of the thing, his understructure turned and poised to flee to the door at any moment.

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

"It'll wake for sure as shooting if you don't shut up and let me condense !"Harry edged in closer to the beast and stopped when his light revealed a variety of texture in the base. Harry carefully traced its edge in his mind."A square… a trapdoor… that which is hidden… that which is forbidden."Harry grinned in the dark. The only problem was the darkness mass obscuring one turning point of the public square, a paw or claw of the thing. Harry's movements was as slow as drifting feathering and as quiet as his hands found the edge of the affair, and the handle, on the opposite face to the pincer. Harry wanted to extinguish his scepter but the sound he'd have to make was worse than the stifled luminescence. Harry reached for the trapdoor hold and applied the lite tactile sensation of draw to it, increasing by hairs breadths Harry felt the woodwind instrument move.

A grunt near his shoulder made his muscles halt and his spunk backwash. He felt flesh relocation all around him and the air brought new wafts of stink. But the beast just grunted again and fell back into snoring. Harry eased the door up a one-half span more then stand by his mitt in and felt inside. No step met his questing bridge player, just a straight spear. Harry propped the door outdoors with a rod and felt in his sack. He drew forth a foresightful twine. His nimble fingers felt the plummet on the end and he put it through the trapdoor then slowly and evenly paid out rope counting under his breath. The string went falling off. About eight measure. With something cushy he'd do it. With cold stone he'd break a leg. Harry wondered if a real sensation would know some self levitation charm to get themselves down safely. He pulled back up on the chain and suffered a surprise. It was stuck ! He tugged on it again. No give at all. He tugged again and in a heart stopping here and now, felt the rod brush his arm.

The trapdoor battering closed was like a cannon ball in the gut and Harry felt the duskiness move around him. He threw himself backwards as a guttural growl filled the way with primeval concern. He saw a shape the size of an oven smash down in straw man of him and heard wood sliver and go. Harry whipped the material from his verge and the stark shadows danced high on the walls before him as the massive rottweiler head turned and looked at him with bloodshot eyes. Harry dived again to avoid its teeth and looked up to see it descending from above him too ! Harry kicked off from the ground and slid, he felt hot breather on his spinal column and the ginger nut of jaws behind him but he was gone. Straight into the bankrupt trapdoor and plummeting down the shaft.

*

Harry spun in the air and he felt heavily pain as his head caught itself a crack on the expiration rampart. He landed in a works and in a daze, his heart showing him mordant blot more than anything else. He lifted his hand to his head and was surprised to see it came back clean, without stemma or possibly mastermind. He shook his head to solve it and held his shaking mitt and wand up to reveal his surroundings. A characterless room with this industrial plant covering the floor, covering some of the rampart too, and the roof, and him !

"What the inferno !"Harry shouted at the tendrils as they wrapped themselves around his legs. He tried to pull them off but they were like wire ! They wrapped his waistline too ! Harry pulled and tore at the vines !"Acerbus cuspis !"Harry used the jinx Snape had aimed at him but bare threads of lighter snap from his wand and the plant barely noticed. What was that former one ! ? Think ! Think !"Relashio !"red glint and heat gibe from his wand and where they hit the flora drew back."Relashio !"Harry aimed at his legs and cried out as his skin burned. But he was complimentary. He stumbled to his feet and blasted a few last tendrils. He leapt to the door and pushed through, staggering down the corridor occasionally pointing his sceptre back in grammatical case the demon industrial plant had tried to follow him, he reached another room access and carefully pushed it open, wand out in front he entered the way, and was met by a unknown sight.

Shining, fluttering glittering things, flying near the cap hundreds of them. Harry edged out into the centre of the eminent vaulted space. The fairy sparks remained near the ceiling and Harry at concluding stopped eying them crooked. He walked over to the doorway on the other side and tried the handle. Locked. Obviously. It could never be easy could it ? Harry was just wondering what to do when he heard voices from behind him. Spinning like a startled cat Harry saw faint light coming from around the bound of the door he'd just come through. The luminosity and the voices got stronger as Harry searched for a blot out station. He ran to a paries buttress and grabbed for a handhold, thank heavens they like decoration around this place…

*

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

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

They emerged into the key chamber and Snape strode forward and jerked the hold. The room access was still locked.

"They could take locked it from the early side."Ivy and describe ? imbecility and amentia. The early instructor hadn't protected the stone nearly well enough.

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

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

"Professor."Perhaps he'll listen to me now. Perhaps the doddering fool will take heed to what I have to say now."As I have said before, Quirenius Quirrell has every intention of stealing the philosophers stone."Snape was so incensed he didn't even notice the apparent movement above him in a high alcove, like individual getting into a wagerer post to heed."He was seen snooping around the Slytherin common room a workweek ago and he's never really explain why he took the defense job in the low gear place."Snape couldn't have vox to the real ground for his distrust. A gut feeling, a twisting knife in his heart and an nimbus of menace he felt in every jail cell whenever Quirrell was nearby. An irrational fright too. A fright of being discovered, a fear that made every moment a mum orison that his mental defensive measure would hold and he wouldn't be found out for what he was. He hadn't felt like that in over ten years…

"And as I have said before Severus I have no reasonableness to mistrust Professor Quirrell."As he half turned away Snape could birth sworn that Dumbledore's lips tilted into a hush smiling."But if it would help you sleep unspoilt I will locate my own protection on the Edward Durell Stone tonight rather than waiting until after Christmas."That was certainly a shock !

"Professor you have resisted every asking that you add your own magical's to the protective covering of the stone."He had. All the former teachers had done it but the master had maintained he wasn't ready yet and he still needed to try."What has changed ? Have I truly swayed you ?"

"Many things have changed. Before I had not tested enough. Now I have."Dumbledore took a little Sweet out of his air pocket and popped it in his mouth before continuing."I intended to do a bit more testing but…"The old man spread his men."I suppose the current version will probably work well enough."

"May I ask what this miraculous shelter is ?"The schoolmaster had made some extraordinary title about what his shelter would do."A auspices that not the Dark master, nor any Death feeder, nor anyone with indirect request to use it for ill or greed could penetrate ?"

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

*

Harry waited a good half hour after seeing Snape disappear, just to be sure he was truly gone before slipping out of his hiding place and climbing down to the floor. With a sneak coup d'oeil around he made for the door and was almost there before…

"going away already Harry ?"

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

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

"And…"

"And ?"

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

"well, the two headed dog was good."

"Last I looked it had three heads."

"Well I didn't marijuana cigarette around long, I only met two. The works was less secure though. A little heat, a few light and it's backing away."

"Devilsnare has clamed senior and wiser wizards than you Harry. You'd be amazed how few the great unwashed can still think clearly enough to burn it away while being constricted."Dumbledore stepped forward and touched Harry's face. A here and now later he nodded and touched Harry's forehead with his wand. A bit later Harry felt an odd prickling filling him, the burns on his leg faded and disappeared, as did the scrapes he'd received throwing himself away from the dog."There. All better."Dumbledore moved back and folded his arms."And now I'm afraid to say I must ask the veridical intellect you came down here tonight."Suddenly the air had grown colder. projection was back on the table.

In defiance of tradition Harry tried the truth.

"I overheard prof Snape threatening Professor Quirrell the night before Halloween."Dumbledore just nodded as if this was rule."Snape seemed to think he was going to try and steal something. We…"No, better he thinks I'm the merely one to blame"I worked out that it must be what's hidden here. What you got Hagrid to collect for you the Lapplander day we shopped for my schooltime stuff. The same thing individual tried to break away into Gringots to get later."

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

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

"Harry. As amazed as I am to say this it is potential you are going to call on out to be more trouble than your begetter. I never thought anyone would challenge that crown."Dumbledore's smile was back, and this metre not a half one. He shook his fountainhead ruefully then frowned as if a painful storage was surfacing. But the grinning was back in a moment and he motioned Harry over to the paries behind him where a marvelous mirror was stood.

"That wasn't here before."

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

"This is your trade protection ? What your using to protect the endocarp ?"

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

Harry obediently moved in front of the mirror and stared into his reflection. He wasn't alone in the mirror. Behind him stood the new Marauders, some of the early scholar he'd talked to around the schooltime, Hagrid, even Malfoy for some reason, more faces he'd met and some multitude he hadn't but still felt some odd connecter to, as if they were… ally. As he watched he saw himself age, and the others around him too, passing through teenage yr he grew taller, passing further and further, business line appeared on his face, then grey in his hairsbreadth. He grew to an old man, smiling, surrounded by his friends. Then in an instant he was back as a child and he saw it set about again.

"What does it have in mind ?"Harry looked at the ash gray haired professor who was standing nearby."Is it showing the future ?"

"One could go for so, but no."Dumbledore seemed pleased but faintly surprised as he looked down at Harry."The mirror shows us nothing more or less than what we truly hope above all else. You Harry, who by your own choice lived a lone and cold childhood desire friends, and companions and more than that ..."Dumbledore took Harry by one berm and kneeled down to talk to him face to face"…you want to know you'll keep them. You want to have intercourse that you don't have to go back to the cold life. Because that is what you most fear."

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

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

*

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

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

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

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

"Oh please Harry. Do you really think my protection would be so crude."

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

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

*

"Harry !"Ron's part filtered down from the first years room to where Harry was idly skimming through one of his school record by the Christmas Tree."What are you doing down there ?"

"What do you mean ?"Almost no one else left in the Gryffindor common way since everyone was away for the holidays, thus Harry didn't feel the need to hold in his phonation when yelling back to Ron. It was just one of the fun affair they had worked out about being left behind. Of course Ron wouldn't have kept quiet anyway. Ron had no volume controller."And Merry Christmas to you to !"

"Merry Christmas ? Yeah I can see why you'd leave that to last seeing as you've left all your presents up hear."Ron emerged from the stairway and tossed a demonstrate at Harry who caught it before it could knock over a lamp."Why'd you just exit them up there ?"

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

"Didn't want to awaken you. And why are you using my nowadays as missile ? What if it had been fragile ?"

"Nah mate."Ron shook his heading ruefully"I can narrate what that one is, however you wrap them they all feel the same."Harry unwrapped the parcel of land and pulled out a blue, knitted jumper. On the front were three juggling balls in red, chickenhearted and commons."My mum."Ron said holding up a similar article."She makes them for all of us. moldiness have heard you weren't expecting many presents."

"Its pretty good. Very debonair."Harry pulled the jumper on over his head and they went back up to the room to get the rest period of the present tense. Of form Harry had sent his friends presents ( poor shovel had been run ragged. The little owl was so aegir to please she didn't seem to take any pause in flight of steps. ) but it kind of failed to snap in his head that he ‘ d probably get some in return. Harry noticed one with Hermione's keen handwriting on it ( after all, he ‘ d copied off her notes enough times. Occasionally even with permission. ) and pulled it over first.

"It ‘ ll be a book of account mate."

"Wow Ron, a midst, sonorous, rectangular bundle from a known bookworm ? And just from that you can guess it's a book ?"

"That, and she got me one too."Ron held up a book with a checker board screening, there was a rook on the front but Harry couldn't read the title. Pulling the paper off his own present he smiled. It was an large pick of deep brown but what made him smile was the note on the top that said


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

Ron himself had provided Harry with an absurdly orangeness hat and Neville had found him some juggle billystick charmed to get behind rainbows in the air behind them when thrown. Padma and Anapurna had got him record book, but it looked like they'd collaborated because the championship read Secrecy and Illusion, charms of screen and Beyond allohamora, unlocking your obstruction. Most of the rest were edible thing ( not that Harry minded ) and he bit into a bar of deep brown while settling down to read.

*

Harry popped the moment to last of his Christmas chocolates into his back talk and handed the end one to Parvarti who was skulking in the shadows nearby. At least it was a prissy Night, nights with rain had been rather unpleasant. For the yesteryear few months the vulture had been working on the Quirell closed book but getting nowhere. Eventually one day when they were researching in the depository library Harry threw his book away in disgust and said

"This is pointless."

"You ‘ re the one who said we had to get him mate."Ron had been staring at a book on ancient alchemy for the retiring half hour. He hadn't turned the page.

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

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

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

"How ?"Neville had asked.

"We become his darkness. We watch him everywhere he goes. He ‘ s got to err up eventually right ?"

Organising a night watch had seemed like a lot more fun than it was. In teams of two they rotated, each team taking either the first half of the night, the second one-half or having a dark off. After a workweek and a half of reduced sleep the 1st year scamp were getting a bit ratty. At least he was paired with Parvarti. She was mostly cheerful.

"This isn't working."Or not…

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

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

"Funny you should say that…"Harry ducked low and pulled the young lady down with him as he saw the door to Quirrells poop unfastened and close, permitting the instructor to scurry off down the hall.

"Yes ! We've got him. Army of the Pure go !"The tiredness had drained from her brass and she had regained a grin. She moved off without a word but Harry had started in the inverse direction."Hey ! The third floor corridor is that way !"

"Yeah but we don't know he's going there."Harry held her hand as they walked a roof ridge on the slope of a courtyard."I'm not making the same mistake as the others, I'm not letting him out of my sight."They slid silently down a drain onto a flat tire ceiling above the kitchens and Harry saw the turbaned wizard slip out a side room access, cross the court, then insert a door leading to the entrance hall.

"wellspring we can't…"But Harry held up one finger to silence her and a bit later they, heard a door opening and closing then could clearly see the dark shape of the wizards robes as he crossed the grounds towards the forbidden forest."What do we do now ?"

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

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

*

"Do you bed where your going ?"Parvarti hadn't seen any centaurs, but there had seen other thing skulking between the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree. Harry looked back and wished he would feature offered some reassurance. He knew he could find the way back, fountainhead probably. He had made sure to punctuate it at veritable interval with cold shoulder on the tree trunks. But tracking a man through woodland was goose egg he had even thought of doing before. They had entered the timber at about the Saami spot as Quirrell and Harry had had his hope boosted by finding a footprint impression in mud nearby but after that nothing.

He was vaguely aware that they should front out for broken sprig or birdsong but the twigs seemed to give birth no discernable characteristic and the forest was eerily quiet. Except for the things.

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

"It ? What it ?"

"The unicorn silly !"Parvarti pointed her burglars lantern back at the leaf."Oh I cant think what could do such a thing ! This is unicorn line of descent Harry, and it looks fresh !"

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

It was one matter knowing nasty things were out in the forest butchering overnice affair, quite another to have proof and another still to have them be so close that the blood wouldn't have had fourth dimension to cool in the dark air. He looked at his friend and was suppressed to see no veneration in her face, only anger that something would hurt a unicorn.

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

"This way."Said Harry in utter tones and pointed at the ground ahead. In the mud there, pass for all to see, was the dog of a boot print. Harry didn't want to include even to himself that his outset instinct on seeing the mark was to level the other way. That or run for the mound."Alright. come together the shutter on the light right down, we can see the line well enough. And go slow."Parvarti did as she was told and they set off again into the woodland. Harry couldn't have told anyone afterwards how hanker they had walked, it seemed like an eternity. The splashes of roue grew larger and more frequent, the further they went until.

"!"Harry stopped dead and put his hand out flat in nominal head of the early Marauder. There was a clearing up ahead, bathed in the gibbose moonlight and the night air carried speech sound to them. It sounded like an repugnant slurping and gurgling and along with it there were the auditory sensation of feeble apparent movement. Harry pointed left, around the boundary of the clearing then once again put up a single finger's breadth. Silence.

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

A tug on Harry's sleeve brought him back to the consequence and he crouched back down with Parvarti. Her facial expression was a image of ire and she mimed jumping over the log while brandishing her lantern. Harry shook his fountainhead firmly. What the Hades was she thinking ? She gestured more firmly then touched her heart and made a pumping motion. What was that supposed to mean ? She opened her backtalk and mouthed something to him but he couldn't tell apart what. She did it again more overdo and the signification hit him with sickening certainty.

"It's still alive !"
Harry looked over the log again and saw what he had missed the get-go time. The Unicorns chest was indeed still moving up and down and its breathing spell disturbed the dust near its head. He sat back down and made the heart pumping motion while nodding, he'd seen it too. Obviously Parvarti wanted to save the puppet if possible. Harry stuck his finger's breadth in the dirt between them and wrote one word.

HAGRID

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

DISTRACTION

*

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

"Acerbus cuspis !"

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

It was as if that thought snapped him out of his fear paralysis and he ran, away from the clearing and the thing. He moved without thought process, feet slamming on solid ground where possible and pushing off roots and mud when not. Harry never looked behind him but he knew the thing was still on him. He moved into new sections of the woods where the tree were different shapes, older, novel, taller, more brushwood they all shot by him in an instant, too fast for him to see properly. He did notice that they weren ‘ t meeting any creature and thought that they were probably scared of the affair behind him.

He reached a heavyset tie-up of Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree and brush and slipped in sideways. Here he risked a look back. nix. incline ? nominal head ? Nothing. Harry allowed himself a controlled breathing time. It looked like he had lost it. Harry sat for a second on a log and let his leg repose. The tiredness of the past hebdomad and the tenseness of the night caught up to him at once and he sagged against the tree behind him. He didn't cognize how long he sat there, he may even have fallen asleep but he did have intercourse what caused him to add up to attention suddenly. A branchlet breaking nearby. Harry moved slowly and backed away from the author of the sound when a hand grabbed him from behind and swung him around roughly. Harry's fear of attack turned into embossment, then quickly back into fear.

"Out for a midnight stroll thrower ?"

"Professor Snape."Harry said trying his expert to put on a good expression."Thank god you found me."

*

The boy walked in silence in straw man of him as Snape led him back towards the palace. The charms he'd laced the edges of the forest with had tripped, waking him and warning him that Quirrell had gone on another of his nightly expedition. But once again the fiddling dirt ball had eluded him and he'd been on his way back when he'd seen potter in a point of view of trees. His sassing felt like twitching into a smiling, at least some sound could derive of tonight's work.

"What are you going to do when we get back to the castle."The boys voice was steadier than he expected. Planning something… Ha ! Just like the other ceramist this one thought he was smart.

"We are going to your head teacher of star sign. Then to Dumbledore. Then you can explain what you were doing in the forbidden forest after hours."Snape allowed himself a moment of joy then said."Then you can go back to your elbow room and pack for the train journey back. From which you will never return."

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

"What possible reason could that be ?"

"Saami reason you are. Following Quirrell."Had that been a shooting in the dark ? He tried to catch the unsufferable youngster's eyes but he looked straight ahead."And unlike you I succeeded."

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

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

Insufferable, Worthless, Sneaking, COWARDLY, MANIPULATING !, WORM ! ! Snape took a moment to assemble his thought before turning Potter and looking directly into his eyes. There was a flash, a tabular array, some faces… a frown crossed the boy face for a bit then he shook his head word worriedly. Even Snape could not conceal his shock absorber as a dummy paries appeared before him, slowly fading over the memories. The boy was an Occlumens ! But he couldn't know what he was doing, it must be subconscious ! With a flicker of veneration his centre were drawn to the scratch on the boys forehead. Or was it entirely subconscious ? Power would be transferred in such an event, great power…

"What are you suggesting ?"Inside himself he was seething. He so wanted to see the son of James Potter expelled. It would throw up for so much but… Quirrell was more important, if there was even the thin chance the stone could be use to lend back… Potter could look for another time.

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

"Why one week ?"

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

"Agreed."

*

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

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

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

"We shouldn't have left you. And it was me who wanted to save it in the inaugural space, I…"

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

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

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



*

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

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

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

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

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

"That would depend on how convolute it is."Hermione's phonation came from behind a pile of book, shed already begun revising for the end of year exam and at to the lowest degree some of the former marauders seemed to want to join her."But Dumbledore could probably do it."

"Alright then."A plan began to form in Harry's intellect."Dumbledore said he had no reasonableness to suspect Quirrell and Snape's got no proof to depict him otherwise. If we get this communicator then they've got the proof they need and they can affect to break Quirrell."

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

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

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

"The spellchecker seems to retrieve it is."

"What's a spellchecker ?"

"it's a magic spell that detect misspelled quarrel, underline them in red."

"I really need to revise."

*

But the chance didn't come for a longsighted while. Quirrell had begun sleeping with his window closed and the lock on his doorway resisted all the tricks in beyond allohamora. ("I can't believe you gave him that."Hermione had said"Its like giving a scamp the key to the plantation."Ron had shot back"Yeah, or you the key to the library !") and there was nothing to be done but expect and picket for Quirrell to slip up. There was a asset English though. safeguard duty gave them muckle of time to revise. Then the test came, dreadful and inevitable with the fear and dubiousness that came with them.

The lonesome I Harry was at any way comfy about were charms and uranology, the latter because unlike other classes he actually paid attending and the former because ( perhaps due to his Xmas present ) he was genuinely proficient at the spells. Potions was a nightmare and defense reaction against the sour artistry worse. Quirrell had taken to watching him out of the corner of his eye when he thought Harry wasn't looking. Harry hadn't told the others, Quirrell wasn't watching them and he didn't want to worry them.

Even with the exams and their persist in failing in their labor it was hard to feel bad. The weather had turned to wonderful and scholar could always be found out sunning themselves on the grass. Harry was just on his way to spend an afternoon in just such a manner ( the rest of the marauders already waiting ) when he looked up and saw what he had been waiting for for hebdomad. Quirrells window, open.

Harry glanced around, did he dare go up on the rooftops in the middle of the day ? When the unhurt schooltime would be able to see him. Harry turned to where he knew he could climb up and stopped. Should he get the others ? No. Quirrell might rejoin and their only hazard would be lost. He quickly scurried up the wall and slipped in through the window.

The room smelled strongly of garlic and indeed there were cloves hanging in various places around the room. He quickly began searching using what they knew of communication appealingness, mirrors were often used, sometimes gems or crystals. He checked the mirror in the lav but it appeared to be the normal kind ( no answer when tapped with a wand ). He was about to moderate the bedroom when he heard a vox behind him.

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




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


"Well, well, well."Professor Quirrell had lost his stammer and stood in front end of the lock away door with his baton pointed at Harry's pectus."You do get yourself into a great deal of awkward situations."

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

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

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

"case forward."Quirrell hissed."If you attempt to discourage anyone then that soul dies then you die is that take in ?"

"Why are you taking me up there ?"Harry tried to convince his wit to mold but he seemed to be missing brain cellphone.

"Oh that's quite simple. Your going to serve me, I knew what you and your fiddling protagonist were up to so I laid a trap. Now you are going to assist me with something, with two affair actually. The first is wide-eyed, all you have to do is work along. Lie. You're good at that yes ? The minute is a bit more composite. You see…"They grew close to the corridor and Quirrell pulled him to a stop and into a obsolete classroom."I've spent the yr devising foolproof way of life to get past times each defence except one that still eludes me."

"Snape."goodness old furtive bastard Snape.

"Yes Snape."Quirrell drew an odd potion from his robes, it was pitch nigrify and looked oddly oily."His protection I don't get it on how to overtake but… that is for later. For now ? Drink this."He held out the potion."Just a sip, we only need the effect for a few minutes."Harry hesitated."Do it ! Do it or you die !"

Harry took a tiny sip of the potion and instantly felt the effect. His hands seemed to uprise and he pulled off his shoes as the press in them increased. Negroid hair grew down in front of his eyes and he flicked it out of the way. After a few moments the essence ceased and he stood up again, taller by far than when he had begun.

"Ah, wonderful."Quirrell said smiling."Now put these on."He handed Harry some long gloomy robe and gestured to the mirror nearby. Harry took them and walked over, stopping for a present moment in electrical shock. He looked like Snape !"Get on with it boy !"Harry struggled into the gown then did them up and allowed Quirrell to moderate him towards the dreaded corridor. Harry saw professors Flitwick and Sinestra outside the room access. Sinestra was sitting crisscross legged and appeared to be meditating in some way. Quirrell prodded him in the backbone. Of track, Snape would spend a penny the first move. He tried to take his voice as sneering as possible then said.

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

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

"I can help me."Harry thought desperately as they entered the room with the giant dog. Its three read/write head instantly rose to see them but Quirrell pointed his sceptre at the floor nearby and a harp appeared. Another composite crusade and it began plucking out a simple tune. The big beasts lid drooped and it fell quickly asleep.

"seed on boy ! I haven't got all day."Quirrell pulled him forwards to the trap door then pulled it open. He whispered a little charm and a rope began curling its way out of his wand. Quirrell seemed to sustain to concentrate a corking hand to perpetrate this off and Harry backed away slowly. He felt some thing behind him and put a mitt back to palpate. It was the harmonica. Acting on instinct, Harry grabbed the harp and smashed it as hard as he could against one of the frank giant paw. The dog awoke with a roar and bit through the harps remains in a one chomp. Then it turned to the other interlopers in its room.

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

*

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

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

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

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

"For this year."

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

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

"Oh look the mudblood USA seem to be missing a general."The marauders turned en multitude to see Malfoy strolling towards them with his manpower in his pockets."punter get used to it though."

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

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

"Which teacher ?"Padma's interrogative seemed ominously quiet in the open air.

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

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

"Th… Th… Third story. That corridor with the maypole painting."Ron let him go. That was right future to the dog's room.

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

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

*

"viewing up Mr thrower. rising slope and shine for the brand new day."The sentence slid around the black cocoon of Harry's unconscious mind."Now now, that won ‘ t do. Up !"painfulness blossomed in Harry's stomach and the sting of it pulled him back to realism. He drew himself up on the cold gemstone floor shaking terribly. The long sleeves of his gown fell down over his limb and he realised he was back in his own body. Quirrell aimed another savage kicking at Harry ‘ s dresser and he sprawled on the storey again.

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

"Wh… where ?"

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

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

Quirrell bent over the table and read with a smile…

"Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,
Two of us will aid you, whichever you would chance,
One among us seven will let you incite ahead,
Another will transport the drinker back instead,
Two among our number hold only nettle wine,
Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line.
Choose, unless you wish to last out here forevermore,
To serve you in your choice, we give you these clue four :
low, however slyly the poison tries to hide out
You will always find some on nettle wine-colored 's left side ;
Second, different are those who stand at either end,
But if you would move onward, neither is your friend ;
third, as you see clearly, all are dissimilar size,
Neither dwarf nor gargantuan holds dying in their interior ;
fourth part, the secondment left and the secondly on the right
Are twins once you taste them, though dissimilar at foremost sight."

The thaumaturgist shook his mind angrily.

"What sort of a job is that ? You don't even need conjuring trick. And besides, I've never taken the lucid path to get answers. I so prefer the… experimental approach."He picked up one of the bottles at random and held it out to Harry with a indisposed grin."beverage up !"

*

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

"Mr Weasley ! If you can not control yourself I will have you dragged to my post where I will flue your mother ! And we will discuss your persist in presence at this school day !"The argument had moved from the outside to the corridors as the deputy headmistress had failed to take heed."As it is you are all already in enough trouble for just knowing about the rock ! Let alone disesteem to a Hogwarts professor. Two prof in fact as I think prof Quirrell will need to discover about the nucleotide accusal you have made."

"But you don't…"Ron was brought to a stay by a hand on his berm. He turned to see Neville holding him back with a terrify looking at on his nerve. He shook his headland quickly.

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

"Petrificus Totalus !"

The vulture gang watched in utter quiet as their point of house went stiff then slowly but inexorably fell backwards. Ron caught her and lowered her to the trading floor, ashen faced. He looked round to see Neville standing with his wand out and a horror-stricken face on his face.

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

Ron looked down at McGonagall brass. A soul shouldn't be able to evoke care while only moving their eyes but somehow the set of them said there would be hell to pay.

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

*

"Nil for two Mr potter !"Harry fell choking on the trading floor as Quirrell took a sip of the potion he'd just proved was safe."Still born lucky I see."Harry fell into a fit of coughing that wracked his physical structure with hurting. He pulled his head back and idly noticed the blood all over his sleeve. So, more than a cracked rib then.

When he had refused to drink the first gear bottleful Quirrell had used some sort of bludgeoning curse that squashed him back to the floor. As he had lain there vainly trying to get his breath back Quirrell had pulled his headway back and tipped the potion down his throat. The second fourth dimension he had tried to resist more than and been formally introduced to the cruciatus curse. He was ashamed to say he willingly took the bottle in shaking hands and drank a sip himself. All the prison term feeling wretched and a coward.

"Now."Quirrell looked down on him almost proudly."Since you seem to have learned your place in this picayune drama."The sadist looked down for a reaction but Harry didn't rising slope to the bait. He wasn't sure he had the energy too even if he had wanted."I'll let you chose the next one."He waved his paw over the remaining nursing bottle and stood waiting.

Harry pulled himself up on the border of the board and tried to lend a nous cell to contain."Hermione where are you when I need you ?"He must have said it out loud because Quirrell laughed and said

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

Neither dwarf nor gargantuan holds destruction in their insides.
Harry's eye slid to the small bottle in the row. His hands shook almost too much for him to take the cork out and he spilled some as he took a sip. An instant cold star trickled down his pharynx and into his weapon. But was this the send on potion or the indorse one ? It didn ‘ t really matter since Quirrell was between him and the way back, so only one way remained. Harry put his hand to his throat and pretended to choke, falling towards the flaming he took a heavy gasping intimation.

"Trickery ! Get Him !"DAMN IT ! Harry reacted on inherent aptitude and kicked the nearest table leg. One of the remaining potions fell between him and Quirrell, cracking on the floor and bursting into blue-black flame. That was all the misdirection Harry needed as he clawed himself off the level and jumped headfirst into the flaming.

The story on the other position knocked the hint from him but he wasn't burnt. It had been the mightily potion.

"You will pay for that !"A chain with a hook shot shoot through the pall of fire, trailing sparks.

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

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

"Where are you."Harry spoke to the vacuous elbow room. He felt himself falling backwards, lonely and reveal."Where are you now ?"

He floated in the shadow for a moment then was brought back around. Instinct again waking him when he was no long alone. He turned to see a charred figure, robes in shred and his turban unwound and trailing behind him.

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

*

"No."Harry pulled himself away from the pass on figure. Forgetting for a minute that there was nowhere to go.

"Yes Potter. What Severus seems to experience forgotten…"The wretched figure of speech said as it stalked towards Harry on ruined legs."Is that I would much rather walk through fire than admit failure to my master. much, a lot rather."He came to a stop in front of the Mirror and pointed his blackened verge at Harry.

"No delay, this won't work."He threw the wand away like garbage."But luckily I have another."He drew out Harry's baton, unmarred and pristine. He laughed at Harry's shocked look and said"Rubbed in what little of the potion you let drop on the floor. It was bound to survive upright than mine. After all, phoenix feathers are meant to surpass through fire."He flicked the verge negligently and ropes saltation Harry's pegleg under him.

"Yes, you left just enough for the scepter and for…"His manus rose involuntarily to the back of his drumhead and a quiver of pain ran across his face."But enough !"He stood in movement of the mirror, his anticipation authorise on his font."I see myself presenting the I. F. Stone to my master. He is restoring my body, making me well again… But how do I get it ?"

"Use the boy."Quirrell grabbed his arm and jerked him back in front of the mirror. The ikon swam in annoyance in front of him. His Friend faces still stared back at him, mocking him with their happiness.

"wellspring boy ? What do you see ?"

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

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

"Crucio !"pain obliterated the world again but soon enough he was excite awake and slammed in straw man of the glass.

"What do you really SEE !"

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

"Do you enjoy pain ?"Quirrell's brass was twisted beyond realisation."Do you recall even for a moment that your petty defiance will actually achieve anything !"

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

*

"A chess game set, what the…"

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

"Do you think he.. ?"

"No clock time for this ! We need to actuate !"

*

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

Brave, or maybe simply gooselike.
That representative again. The original.

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

Oh yes. Joking in the face of painful sensation. That is something I think your father would do.
"Yeah."Harry said as the human beings began to swim back into focal point."But I've got my mothers eyes."He looked up but Quirrell was standing a slipway away, curiously with his back to him. Harry groped around for his trash.

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

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

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

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

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

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

"I see…"

"Yes… yes !"

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

The crashing sound echoed through the Radclyffe Hall and Harry felt glass shards cut into his peel. He tried to pluck but a acute bother in his arm caught him and he stopped, quivering.

"You FOOL."He felt himself picked up and shook like a doll."You destroyed it !"He fell to the land again and saw Quirrell rifling through the shard, heedless of the cuts and line."Where is it ! Where is it ! … Gone… You knew !"The double promontory came up and looked him straight in the eye."You knew that wouldn't release the endocarp !"

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

"You.. YOU ! !"The double creature stood quivering with madness."Well I hope you savour your victory."The thing drew Harry's baton"Because, it is the last persuasion you will ever have ! Avada Ked…"

"Tarantella !"

The jinx spun over the creatures head and broke against the far wall. Harry turned to the door and saw the Marauders standing there. Five scepter pointed ramrod-straight at the thing, that had swung around to confront them.

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

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

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

"I ‘ ve already petrified my school principal of house."Neville seemed to have left his stammer in the world of fear and could talk calmly now he'd moved on to terror."It can ‘ t get a great deal worse."

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

"youngster !"Quirrells arms twisted back, cracking troll at the elbows to yield Voldemort control of the wand"I will not be stopped again by youngster !"

"Petrificus Totalus !"Hermione's voice rang out but Voldemort raised a shell disdainfully. The rebounding swearword took the vernal witch in the chest and she fell like a Lucy Stone.

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

"Crucio !"Padma fell, her arms wrapped around her chest of drawers. Screaming. He was still playing with them. He could have death as easily as pain.

"Crucio !"Ron fell in his caterpillar tread. He had tried to charge the creature.

"Im… im… impedimenta !"

"Crucio !"Parvati's magical spell died on her scepter and she fell beside her babe. He had to do something. He had no wand. He had no weapon… He had glass. Harry pulled his too long sleeves up around his hired man and picked up a long shard.

"Pathetic creatures."The grimace spat the words."Unworthy of lifetime !"Harry stepped closer careful not to raise up the shabu on the floor."You will all die ! For defying Lord Voldemort. You will…"

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

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

"Fine then snake-face."Harry raised the shard above his oral sex."See you in another ten age. Do try to fare back pretty next time."And plunged the fragment through Voldemort's eye.

The scream rung out through the bedroom. Rising higher and higher, louder and louder till the shards still on the floor shattered into Sand. Then the soundbox slumped like a rag doll and finally lay still.

Harry fell back drained. It felt like he had zippo left in his veins, felt vacuous. He slumped on the floor and looked up to see five concerned faces crowding around him. They were saying something but his creative thinker couldn't quite make sentiency of it. The epitome suddenly reminded him of something and he pointed at them with a rickety hand.

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

*

"I could just guide the one…"

"Ron people left those for Harry !"

Voices ? …

"But I just want the card."

Familiar…

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

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

Ah…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Dumbledore said they regenerate."Hermione answered smiling."We had to go through the Bromus secalinus patch too."

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

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

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

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

"There was a ruin harp on the story. What else could it have been but music ?"

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

"Children."The 1st days turned as Albus Dumbledore stepped into the infirmary wing."I can not envisage how pleased you must be that your friend is waken however,"He continued with a twinkle in his eye as he peered over his spectacles"…it will imply that you will hold to find a new source of chocolate frogs."Ron at least had the decency to depend guilty."Now, if you would reach us some privacy I would like to speak to your friend."The predator filed out and Harry was left alone with the master.

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

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

"You could accept told me that bit !"Harry shook his capitulum as he regained his stomach.

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

"So is he… gone then ?"Harry's voice was bright but something in him already knew the answer.

"Nothing about this death was any different from his late one. If he survived that I believe we can assume he can last this."

"Will he add up after the stone ? I mean, when you fix the mirror you can get the Harlan Fisk Stone ?"

"Yes, and it will be destroyed."Harry breathed a sigh of moderation."But it appears I was wrong about one thing Harry."

"Hireling a man who was literally double-tongued ?"

"No Harry."Dumbledore fixed him with a patient stare and Harry bit back a grin."I mean that you were ineffectual to get past my last-place trade protection. You did not get the stone."

"Yeah. What was I supposed to do ?"

"When you saw yourself in the mirror there. What did you see ?"

"The same thing as before."Harry shifted uncomfortably"You know, friends."

"So faced with the chance of eternal life and unending riches, your dream remained the same ?"

"I have a great bargain of wealth now, and if eternal life sentence means being someone's scalp I think I ‘ ll pass on that too."

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

"Hm ?"

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

"No."

"Harry, I can assure…"

"No. The answer is no Professor."Harry looked directly into the schoolmaster glittering regard."I will not."

"You are 11 Harry."Professor Dumbledore put his hand on Harry's shoulder and his voice went soft."It would be negligent of me to let you leave my tutelage without assuring myself that you would be looked after."

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

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

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

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

"Thank you."Harry smiled and he saw a certain tension lift from the air. Harry looked down at the gift arrayed in front end of him and picked up one."Chocolate salientian ? Go on, otherwise Ron ‘ ll just claim all of them."

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

"Who ?"Harry looked around and spotted a duet of slippers poking out from behind a pall."Who'zat ? They Ok ?"

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

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

"Hopefully after your friends leave."

*

"Last chance for legal magic !"Fred ( or George II ) yelled as he walked down the Hogwarts express. His crony walked beside him ringing a hand-bell up and down."I repeat ! finish chance for all summertime !"

"You heard that Harry ?"Ron said as his Brother walked past the piranha carriage.

"Yep."And indeed he could see the John Griffith Chaney skyline around the caravan as they pulled towards kings crossbreeding. He had asked Dumbledore if he could accompany his friends on the train and the Headmaster had agreed.

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

"And you have to visit home."Ron said through a taste of sweets"mom been bugging me about it ever since she found out."

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

"You brought your bag ? Why did you land your bag…"Hermione's phonation became shrill and a little scared. But the question was moot, everyone in the carriage had guessed the answer.

"Oh, come on guys."Harry shot them a grin and slid out of the carriage."Don ‘ t tell me you didn ‘ t see this coming ?"

"Harry ! The submarine of the wizarding world can not just go AWOL !"Padma shook her caput in disbelief."Dumbledore will find you, or the ministry."

"The ministry can only track me if I use magic."Harry said jumping down onto the platform."And space tally too, I ‘ m thinking Greece or possibly Spain. Mediterranean certainly."

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

"What they gon na do ? halt their shining hoagy ?"Harry winked and smiled his malevolent genius smile."And I ‘ ve realised something. Being a homeless drifter sounds a entirely lot more fun if you ‘ ve got a giant bundle of gold underground to fall back on. It ‘ ll just be like going somewhere fun, to have fun."

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

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

"HARRY potter YOU GET spine here ! ! !"

"Got ta go."Harry broke into a run as the teachers appeared at the other end of the platform. He dodged between groups of educatee as the yells got closer and shot between carts. He saw his fortune, launched himself like a ballista off the trunk of an astonish student and dived through the barrier. He kept running through king Cross, past tense groups of astonish muggles. Running for freedom.

*

"Think he'll lose ‘ em ?"

"Oh, Neville you know the answer to that."Padma smiled at the topsy-turvydom Harry had left in his viewing on the platform."It's the piranha first-class honours degree rule. ‘ You can do anything you set your mind to if you've got the face to see it through.'”

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

"That one too."




Phew ... one leger down ! Six to go.


Harry Potter stepped back onto British grunge with a spring in his step and a tan fit to blind gull. Officially there was not direct magical path across the channel save by broom or other putz of flight. However Harry had known before he had ever held a wand that the most utile matter were always hidden from those in charge.

It had been by this ancient hearth, disconnected from the rest of the fluke network but with a maneuver contact to a exchangeable muddle and hepatic portal vein around Europe, through which Harry had left the country weeks ago. An eleven twelvemonth old can not Bible a airplane just the ticket alone much lupus erythematosus jerk a lift on a broomstick and even if he could do so those ways had probably been watched.

After he was gone he'd sent a letter to Dumbledore, with a borrowed owl and an untraceable savoir-faire. He'd received a fundament one in response. The Headmaster understood his decision and his indigence for freedom, even sympathised with it. But Harry needed to be kept safe, protected.

But to Harry protected meant trapped and the reason he needed to be kept secure was the very thing he needed some exemption from. So Harry Potter had spent the majority of the summer as Jack Match, juggler and tumbler on assorted Grecian beaches. He had explored the wizarding side of the ancient country too, he had watched a school of genus Hippocampus breaching and jump like dolphins off the coast of Aeaea and seen the heavyweight of Cecil John Rhodes. He had walked to the tabernacle of Alcmeonidae at Delphi and climbed hand-over-hand up the tenacious trailing vines of ivy to where it floated in the sky. Levitated above the ‘ ruins'below and concealed from muggle middle. But the prophet that gathered there had seen through his disguise and greeted him as Harry potter. They had treated him with an eerie obedience and he had been taken to have tea with the electric current vaticinator. It was a encounter he would never forget…

"Sit dear one."She led him to a cushion on the flooring and sat down herself nearby him. She looked like she was barely a class or two older than him but he knew that if he believed that he was a gull. Only her eyes betrayed any clue that this was possibly the most knock-down seer in the universe. Harry had been shocked when he first saw them, he had heard stories that the bang-up oracle had milky white eyes showing that they were blind to the mundane. The oracles centre were normal except that the iris of one was rich purple and the early light green. Oh and the pupil ( and Harry had had to depend severe to hold this out ) were shaped like stars.

"Thank you Pythea."Pythea wasn't her epithet, the oracles held it as a title in accolade of the starting time."But you really don't have to do any of this."

"It is not very often we receive visitors."She smiled at him with those cryptical eyes. Something in them betrayed a long-lived gloominess, a wind of the memory board concealed behind. Memory that spanned 100.

"If you wish to promote more visitors your grace. Perhaps you should install stairs."He instantly felt that perhaps he was being too intimate. Harry generally ignored authority but the unruffled power of the small girl before him ( even sitting as she was, barefoot in a simple egg white dress ) was hard to deny. Anyway he didn't he didn't want there to be stairs. Too many hoi polloi, especially too many tourists, would smash this peaceful place.

"Yes, that is why we do not have them. And no, I prefer that you speak freely before me."Harry looked up confused and she laughed. It sounded like falling water."Your occlumency is quite dependable for one doing it unconsciously. But accession to thoughts is one of the gifts that comes with being… this."The unhappiness was back in her eyes for a here and now then she reached forward and poured him a glass of H2O out of a tall fluted jug.

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

"Those things are more probable to happen if you do not drink it seeing as you climbed for half an hour in the summertime sun."

"Mad hot dog and so on…"Harry took another draft of the odourise boozing and asked."But, why did you invite me up here ? Why am I sitting, joking, with the greatest seer in the world."

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

"Oh."Harry looked down guiltily. He knew he was a bit of a disappoint Italian sandwich but coming from her it seemed worse.

"You are anything but a dashing hopes Harry. I think you are touch to the task ahead of you, more than equal. I look into your soul and what I see gives me peachy Leslie Townes Hope. You are Sir Thomas More than you think you are Harry, you are far More than you, or anyone else, realises. You must trust that you know the itinerary you need to walk, not anyone else, and above all you must trust yourself."

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

"I like your eyes."

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

"You're a brat !"He sniped at her.

"Am I ?"She seemed to front far away for a moment then come back down to globe."Why do you say that ?"

"Because you ‘ re teasing me ! You're a seer, aren ‘ t you supposed to be telling me my future or something ?"

"Do you really want to have a go at it ?"She seemed amuse."Really ?"Harry thought about it for a moment.

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

"Good."She smiled."Good choice. But I think I will give you something anyway. In telephone exchange for a hereafter not told."She dipped her hand into a pocket of her dress and drew out a pendant on a braided leather cord. Harry leaned closer and saw that it was made of sea shell, glittering like it had just been plucked from the body of water. She held it out towards him.

"Hair please."She commanded and he obediently lifted his shaggy mane up so that she could tie the cord behind his sunburnt neck.

"What is it ?"Harry lifted the eggshell to look at it closer but it didn't have any grading at all. It looked like it was made of two pointed coil racing shell, hanging upright from its clasp. Harry looked closer and saw that the very bottom point was tinged greenness and the very top tinged purpleness."Is it legerdemain ?"

"Yes."

"Are you gon na separate me what it does ?"

"No."

"Meany."Harry tucked the chandelier into his T-shirt and felt it drop down near his heart.

"You ‘ ll find out what it does eventually. But you will have to check a few affair for yourself before you do. Call it a piffling piece of your future."She took his hand and raised him to his feet."Now I am afraid I must say bye-bye. The tariff of my function call."She seemed genuinely sad to see him go and Harry suddenly wondered if she was lonely up here.

Not trusting himself to speak Harry bowed for the first clip in his life and walked towards the threshold.

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

Harry climbed back down and walked a small ways away before turning around and gazing back at the peacefully drifting building, floating over the purview. power shovel flapped down on a rock future to him and handed him a letter. He took it without reading it and slipped it in his pocket, still thinking. Then he walked over to a glob of flowers sprouting out of the Oliver Stone nearby and picked some of the larger ones.

"Up there please."Harry nodded towards the temple while holding the peak out to his owl."Pythea. And be careful."The owl obediently took off and Harry walked off down the route with his top dog still entire of sentiment.

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

*

"Five Galleon ‘ s. Here."The tradesman pointed to a pot next to his Cash register. Harry nodded to him while dusting himself off and dropped five of the gold coins in the jar. This holiday had cost him surprisingly little, tourists had liked his juggling on the beaches and liked his witty input even more. The galleons to get there and the galleons back was probably more than he'd spent the whole time in between.

Harry stepped out into a dingy back street and set off away from the shop. Walking quickly he made for the abstemious end of the street where he could hear more people moving. hoi polloi turned to stare at his bright summery wearable in the darkness and shadowed street and he heard grumbling and muttering. A bony paw fell on his articulatio humeri and he broke into a run. Shadowy figures leapt out at him and Thomas More hands tried to gain purchase, Harry broke off as his way ahead was blocked and he sprinted down a side of meat street. He could see the shining sounds of diagonally ahead of him and sprinted as hard as he could.

Suddenly he hit what felt like a gum elastic wall, picking him up and bouncing him back into the darkness.

"What the… ?"But there was no time to conceive. image were closing in and Harry dove in the paired focus. He slipped down another route.

More clothe bodies seemed to pop out of every shadow. The small boy dodged down another street and found himself at a dead end. The entrance to the alley was blocked by a small gang, five or so wizards and Wiccan in dark ragged gown blocked his way back.

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

"What have we here ?"A scabby and dishevelled Wiccan said with a chatter."child shouldn't be in knockturn alley. Something bad could happen."She reached out towards him and Harry's hand tightened on his verge.

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

She shrieked and jumped away while the others tried to put out the fire. This left Harry with a clear view down the alley to the man standing there, his farseeing wand out.

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

*

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

"Quiet down pipsqueak."The man set off out of the alley with Harry held almost nonchalantly in the crook of his heavily muscled arm."You're in safe hands now."

Harry tried to pry the finger's breadth off of him but the valet grip was like a vice. Harry continued to struggle until they got out into the safer seaport of diagonally and he was dumped unceremoniously on the flooring.

"For someone being rescued by the greatest warrior, adventurer, devotee and explorer that the mankind has ever known."The man put his fist on his hip joint and turn down to put his face near Harry's."You sure don't seem to experience how appearance you're grateful."

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

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

"Not to vex. I'd imagine getting stuck down a dead end in knockturn alley is a little frightening for soul not as… imposing… as me."He tucked his baton in his belt and Harry looked him up and down. Even without taking his hat into account the man was easily seven feet marvelous and had shoulders like a ox. He wore thick leather boots and leather trousers above them, fitting tightly over muscled legs. The belted ammunition was snake skin and he had what looked like animal teeth tied hanging off it so they clattered as he moved. Above that he wore a word form trying on red undershirt that left his arms bare. Harry could see the edge of a tattoo peeking up amongst his chest of drawers hair and another on his bicep. Further down his sleeve he wore two stiletto heel dance band. To top it all off the man wore a cowboy hat over his thick blond pilus with a prospicient red plumage tucked into the band on one position and three rifle fastball on the early.

"Who are you ?"

"persuasion I introduced myself before. Never mind, probably slipped your judgement in all the excitement."The man struck a pose."I am Markus Maximus Michelson. felicitous to do your acquaintance pipsqueak."

"My epithet is Harry."Odd to hear that after a summertime of Jack.

"Good to meet you little Harry. Now…"the man looked around at the bunch"…where are you meeting your parents. Can't leave you alone out here since you seem to attract worry. You little tyke."He ruffled Harry's hair as if he was a little kid, earning himself Harry's everlasting hatred.

"…um. The ice ointment place."Harry lied with a uncoiled face."Their probably waiting."

"good, good."The man grabbed his arm again and set a brisk pace through the crowd. There were a lot of masses this time of day but they parted to let Markus through. Harry had hoped that when they reached Fortescue's ice cream parlour the odd wizard would leave him alone. He did nada of the form however and sat down at a board, leaning far back on his chairman and tucking his thumb in his belt loop. Harry was just wondering why he was waiting around when the reason walked up to the table.

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

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

"You helped him ?"

"Oh no."persuasion Harry."She was here lastly summertime. She knows who I am."

"You saved Harry Potter ! Oh, you ‘ re so braw and like, stiff !"

"Harry Potter.. ?"The man looked at him for a minute with a lighting smiling then turned back"Yes I did. And yes, I am rather warm. Mighty is my eye name."The girl swooned and rushed off to get Harry's ice pick. When she was gone the man turned back and fixed him with the grinning again. Harry crossed his arms.

"thinking your middle name was Maximus."

"Nope, Mighty."The man flexed his bicep and Harry was able to read the tattoo there. It was five Ms written one after another. The man pointed at the it with his former hand."Markus Maximus Mighty Majesto Michelson"he tapped the monogram with his digit."But the offset of my midsection name calling is my personal favourite. So these parents that we're waiting for…"

"My friends parents."Harry fabricated."I ‘ m living with them this summer. I didn ‘ t explain because I prefer to go under the radio detection and ranging a bit, you know."

"Can ‘ t honestly say I do little man."Harry's Lord's Day appeared and he began eating it quickly."How can you not walk down the street and feel the basking idolisation of the people Harry. I owe it to my legend to be seen, in the Hope that I inspire Thomas Young puppy like you to become just like me. Its my obligation Harry, as a man."

"Oooo."The waitress had stuck around to heed to Marcus speak and was now holding her custody clasped together over her pectus."You're so smart as well as so hansom. You're like a poet or a radio hotshot or something."

Harry rolled his eye and finished his ice cream quickly as the vain wizard chatted to ( or more accurately chatted up ) the girl. Harry dropped the price of the meal on the board.

"Ah, there they are."Harry pointed off in a random steering and got up."See you."

"Sure I will Harry."The man said cryptically before turning back to the other object of his attention.

*

Harry moved quickly once he was out of the mans sight and slipped into Gringots. He got money out more quickly than he should let by simply ignoring the queue and asking for Greeklunk. His old goblin friend quickly helped him fill again his pouch for another year. While he was down in the vault Harry stuck his tee shirt in his bag and instead took out a retentive gown with a hood. At Greeklunk's confused reflection he said…

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

"Oh rightfield. Bloody paparazzi."

Harry stepped back out into the street and did his school shopping quickly. When he walked back preceding 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 letter he held in his script. He was sure he was at least in the aright Greenwich Village and probably on the right-hand road. It was just that the road went a long way in both directions and Ron's advice on getting to his star sign had been rather obscure. 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 railway locomotive.

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

"Down the lane, crook left at the co-op."The man said without looking up."And tell the man I need my wrench back."

*

Harry had to resist the urge to break into a run as he caught pile of the Weasley house. Outside it in the overgrown garden he could see three boy working, flinging something he couldn't make out over the garden paries. Harry smiled, they were expecting him today but he hadn't exactly been capable to establish them an exact prison term. As he walked closer the room access to the house opened and molly Weasley ( Ron had told him all about his phratry ) emerged, carrying a tray with drinkable on it. Behind her a youth girl ( must be Ginny ) stepped extraneous and leaned against the doorjamb looking bored. None of them seemed to have noticed him yet, or maybe the tan had changed his appearance a bit. As he stepped up to the front gate he spread his arms astray.

"Aloha !"

"Harry !"Ron jumped in surprise"You ‘ re here."The Gemini jumped up too and ran to match him, but the most extreme point reaction came from the untried Weasley. Ginny went dead Stanford White under her tomentum and her mouth seemed to move as if she was trying to say something then she bolted through the still open room access.

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

"Nah, mate."Ron shook his capitulum."She ‘ s been jumping and squeaking every time we so much as mentioned your gens. speculation you in the frame was just too much for her."

"Ron, be nice to your sister."Mrs Weasley's voice was stern for a moment then turned soft 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 grinder thing doesn ‘ t concluding. I ‘ ve been told on retell occasions that I ‘ m a massive disappointment."

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

"Snape."

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

"Right."Chimed in one of the Twin Falls."We ‘ re pretty certain they ‘ re concubine droppings."

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

*

But Ginny's odd deportment didn't stop. Harry found that she was incompetent of staying in a room that he was in and that any attempt to mouth directly to her was adequate to send her scurrying away. One morning when he came down and found her curled up on the sofa with a magazine he decided to put a stop to it.

"Ginny."She stiffened and looked like she was about to take flight."Don't run away please."He walked around and sat side by side to her on the lounge. She looked like a pocket-sized rodent confronted by a serpent, oculus all-inclusive open and too scared to run."Can you secernate me why you run every time I try to talk to you or infix the room ?"Silence, except for the twitching she could have been petrified."Look Ginny I don't know what it is but could you please blab to me. We ‘ re going to be going to school together for the next six old age. Could you talk to me. Please."

"Y… you…"Harry had to filter out to hear her syncope whisper."you destroyed you-know-who."

"Oh you ‘ re still thinking about that ?"Harry waved his script dismissively."That happened long time and age ago. No one cares about that. Apparently Markus Mandy Michelson is everyone's submarine sandwich now."

"You ‘ ve got the scar."

"I ‘ ve got a lot of scrape. Which one in specific ?"Ginny reached out to betoken at his forehead and Harry brushed away the whisker to reveal the mark. But apparently this was too much for Ginny and she bolted up the stairs almost knocking over Ron.

"What ‘ s that about ?"He asked sleepily.

"She ‘ s still shy around me. That sucks."

"Why are you so messed up about it."Ron asked. Then looked up as if he remembered something."You were acting like this about Hermione too, last year. Back before she liked us."

"And that turned out OK."

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

"No Ron but I think I do suppose I need to take drastic activeness to decline this situation."Harry thought for a bit then latched onto a bright plan. An pose architectural plan. Possibly the not bad plan he had ever devised."You have a few ling here right ?"

"Five last sentence I looked. My old one, the twin, Percy's and one Charlie left here."

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

"But Harry you can ‘ t play Quidditch. The last clip you got on a heather you made a staring fool of yourself."

"Exactly !"

*

This was the rack up plan he had ever come up with.

"You have to follow through."Ron made a jabbing motion with the flatbed of his manus. 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 trouble was that I flew into a tree."Harry tumbled to the primer and spat out a leaf."What's the sign for ‘ You're about to fly into a tree ‘ ?"

"There isn ‘ t one, we'd have to forge it just for you."Ron helped him back on his broom and they flew back up to conjoin the counterpart. Ginny was sitting a slight shipway away watching them, when Harry had fallen out of the tree she had jumped up in shock. But as Ron and the similitude had begun laughing at him he had seen a shadow of a smiling cross her nerve as well. That dark was all that was keeping him from giving up the entire try and getting his feet back on solid land.

"Right."Ron said as they hovered at their end of the pitch."You make for the right mitt side. I ‘ ll pull them off to the leftfield then pass it to you. Then you can mark. Got it ?"

"Aye aye Captain !"Harry saluted and almost overbalanced.

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

"I would perforate you Ron, but I ‘ d Fall off if I tried."Harry began moving off to the right field and saw his friend shoot away with the Quaffle. After a moment Ron turned and chucked it ahead of him. He rushed forward to catch it, fumbled it, then snagged it in one handwriting.

"I got it ! I got…"Thump !

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

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

"There didn ‘ t used to be four of you."Harry pointed at her with a escape from bridge player."catch being four of you, person… girl… Where am I ?"Harry blinked and looked around blurrily. A little noise brought him back to the present and he looked forward. Ginny had her hand over her lip and was trying hard not to laugh. Little audio kept escaping like steam out of a kettleful.

"You ‘ ve got steam in your lip !"Harry tried to get up and fell back on his behind."Like water but… broken. Where are my deoxyephedrine ? The four of you should be capable to see them."And with that Ginny burst out laughing.

The four Weasley's carried him off the pitch shot and Fred and George ( who seemed to have experience with headway injuries for some reason ) pronounced him fine.

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

"Better idea."Harry tossed his heather to Ginny."You take my spot. I am never ever ever ever ever ever getting on one of those again. From now on I walk where I need to go."

"Hey ! I don't want her on my team."Ron said angrily."That ‘ s not fair when we're already behind !"

"Ron…"Harry pitched his interpreter to jibe Mrs Weasley's"Be nice to your sister ! And besides, your option are me or her."

"Welcome to the team Ginny."

*

"See ! No one can perplex my team !"Harry grinned and slapped his chest as the biz drew to an official finish.

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

"The team won."Harry explained with swing out hand gestures."And we all played a part in that."

"And your component is ?"

"Cheerleader. I really should get some pompoms."



Note : Right, thats the arcsecond year started.

Interesting news about Dumbledore, but it makes sense when you look back on it. Energy kind of make it more tragic however. The wiz of accepting people for who they were died without ever himself being accepted. He probably never even told anyone. The bit about how he did n't move against Grindlewald was interesting too and puts the unanimous matter in a new light. What if Grindlewald was well aware of Dumbledores feelings and used him to realise exponent in safety ? Knowing replete wellspring that Dumbledore was the only one who could have 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 jocularity but thats fine 'cos anyone who laughed is just as nerdy.






Martin Luther King hybridizing was crowded beyond opinion as the Weasley kindred crossed the place towards platform nine and three quarters.

"Hurry up."Mrs Weasley herded her respective charges towards the barrier."rightfield. cum everyone, while the muggles aren't looking."One by one the redheads shot 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 record 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 present moment of freedom."She disappeared through the barrier and Harry took a deep breathing space. There wasn't much more he could do to put this off. He started running forwards, lowered his head and closed his eyes as he reached the roadblock.

tornado ! Harry bounced back and fell to the ground gasping. The barrier hadn't opened ! He put his hand to his forehead and it came back bloody. His mind reeled.

"They don't want me back."Harry blinked and looked up at the clock. lupus erythematosus than a minute till the gearing was supposed to exit."They expelled me."

Harry stayed on the storey despite the odd looks he was getting. There didn't seem to be a great deal point in getting up. The clock ticked over the minute. The train was leaving.

Harry looked down platform ten and thought he saw a wisp of weed climb from beyond the rail. Where was the wizards platform anyway ? A mad melodic theme struck Harry and he was stood back up in a flash. His invertebrate foot seemed to move of their own accordance and he took first one then another halting step along the platform. Another wisp of skunk. He broke into a run and willed his peg to carry him faster and faster.

"it's a steam train."Harry dodged past a start director at the end of the political program and jumped down onto the rail."It takes a while to speed up."He pumped his legs for extra speed.

"power shovel !"Harry reached onto his backpack and flicked his owl's cage outdoors."pinch me up at Hogwarts !"Harry shot to the boundary of the train path and looked down. The normal, muggle train cut coming out of kings crisscross were raised up on a sorting of long bridge, raising them several stories above the metropolis streets. Harry glanced down in time to see the end of the Hogwarts express wring itself out from between the bricks of the nosepiece and head off down a cut that looked disused. Up ahead the raceway rose up and joined with the others, if Harry was going to do it, he ‘ d have to do it now.

"Please ! Oh god please let me still be born prosperous !"Harry prayed silently, then launched himself off the side.

He crashed into the top of the survive carriage and hung onto it for dear lifetime. The railroad train was beginning to pick up focal ratio and Harry crawled to the edge. Thankfully the rig window was opened. Harry swung his bag in through it then slid down into it himself.

"Harry ceramist. Nice to meet you."He said to the aghast first years who's carriage he'd dropped into."See you at Hogwarts !"Harry walked shakily out the door. Once he was safely in the corridor he leaned against the rampart and slid down till he was on the floor. He wanted to get up and find his Quaker but for some reason none of his arm seemed to work. He caught a glance of himself in the glass in presence of him and blinked in shock. He looked a shipwreck ! blood ran down the give side of his face and was matted into the hair above.

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

"Two cauldron bar please."He said, trying to think of something that would calm down his brass.

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

"Did you… just… jump onto the train."

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

*

Harry moved down the train as quietly as he could. Trying to line up his champion without drawing too much attention. Unfortunately talk travelled fast on the Hogwarts limited and he couldn't go five steps without encountering another stare or fleet a group of student without them breaking out in a fit of whispering.

"So pathetic tending seeking Potter strikes again."The representative was behind him. Harry turned around and sagged when he saw Malfoy and his goons staring at him.

"Malfoy I really don't have the zip for this now."It was true. Harry would have liked doing goose egg Thomas More than simply collapsing on the floor there for the remainder of the journeying."Could you please, and I mean this in the nicest potential way, sodomist off and die like the diseased piece of distended rectum figure you are."

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

"potter !"Harry turned and saw prof McGonagall standing in the carriage. Malfoy and his escort disappeared through a room access."How in merlin ‘ s name did you get here ?"She grabbed him and pulled out her verge, touching it calmly to the cut on his point then whisking away the blood on his look."I just spent an unpleasant few mo arguing with mollie Weasley who was franticly trying to get us to stop the train. She seemed to be under the notion that the roadblock had sealed with you on the former 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 railroad train !"

"The roadblock had sealed up ! There wasn ‘ t any early way ! And besides, I had a head accidental injury. I ‘ m not surely I was in an entirely rational frame of mind."

"That is beside the period Mr Potter, 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 experience to discuss this further in my office at Hogwarts. At the very least you will welcome respective days detention."

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

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

"After the categorization ?"

"As soon as you reach the castle."

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

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

"Of course prof. I ‘ ll be there."

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

*

Harry eventually found the vulture compartment and slid the room access open.

"Hello freindlies !"

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

"Couldn't."Harry noticed Ginny sitting quietly in the box of the compartment. Ron had probably been told to go on an eye on her."Had to acquire first appearance to the train by… former means."

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

"Couldn ‘ t care less. But no."

"Portkey ?"Neville seemed to think for a consequence."Or a ling ?"

"No."Ron and Ginny spoke at the Lapplander 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 marauder seemed to string up waiting for the answers.

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

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

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

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

*

The train meandered its foresighted journey through the mound and Harry ducked out of the conversations around him. His mind still hurt and he didn't have the get-up-and-go to entertain people. He leaned against the cold window as rain started to blotch down, leaving little trails on the window pane. He closed his eye and lay there for a long patch. Little lead of pee, swirling, drowning.

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

"Oh, are we there yet."Harry kind of wanted to get back to sopor. Even if it was to bad dreams.

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

"Worried ?"Harry grinned as she jerked in surprise. Harry waved his deal dismissively."Don't concern. You ‘ ll love it there. moral are well-fixed, specially spell. Friends everywhere. Plus if any of the Slytherins bother you we can demonstrate some swift retribution. We're feared by that house."

"That ‘ s form of what I ‘ m worried about."Ginny glanced at the red edge on Harry's gown.

"Ah."view Harry."My guess was rectify, and I just made that up to soften up McGonagall."

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

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

"Then recite it so."Harry looked at the young missy startled reflexion."You know what the sorting hat is right ?"nod."Then say it you want to be a Gryffindor. Don't take no for an reply. It's your life history, don't let a hat make decisions for you."Harry leaned back down and closed his center again.

*

"What the hell ?"Ron voiced what they were all thinking as the marauders moved away from the geartrain at Hogsmead. Ginny had left to charter her little boat drive and the six friends now stood in strawman of a line of carriages, each drawn by a thin scaly horse with folded leathery extension."Charlie told me the carriages pulled themselves ?"

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

"Still think this is weird."

*

Ginny Weasley stood fidgeting in movement of the foyer as the sorting hat finished its birdsong. She was so neural she wanted to bite her nails despite the expression they were already worn to the pith. Well, at least she was a Weasley. Her figure would be called near to close. She saw Harry on the Gryffindor table spinning three fork in the air in front of him. She tried to catch his eye but failed, he was talking to his real champion. Everyone began to pay attending as Dumbledore stood up.

"Before we begin the classification I ‘ d like to announce two thing. One is that, despite what this empty chair seems to indicate, we have found a new defensive measure Against the shadow artistic production teacher."Ginny looked along the teachers shelve and saw a lank-haired professor grimace. She giggled, that must be professor Snape."Sadly he could not be here tonight as he has been managing the transferral of his belongings from overseas. lie assured that he has my good confidence and he will introduce himself, probably at length…"did the lank-haired professor just pull a face even more ?"…in your first example with him tomorrow. Now the second thing is that we will be doing this years sorting backwards."

"What ?"That prompted a murmur about the manse.

"Yes, call it an old mans fancy. Now let us cover so that we can enjoy a brilliant feast after we are all done."Dumbledore sat back down but the murmuration hadn't ceased. McGonagall then took her station, the expression on her boldness clearly showing that the Headmaster had not discussed this with her. She looked down at her paper and read…

"Weasley, Ginevra."

"What ! Oh…"Ginny thought as she walked out in strawman of the schooltime."Backwards…"The end matter she saw before she pulled the hat down over her eye were the vulture turning to watch her.

"Another Weasley, seems I see those on almost a yearly ground. But a Weasley miss ? Why I haven't seen one like you in…"

"I chose Gryffindor."It seemed to her that the hat gasped loudly all around her.

"That's not quite how it works Weasley girl."

"No. That is how it works. Harry told me I could choose my theater. I want to be in Gryffindor."

"Quite brave of you to just abuse it out it like that. Almost military force me to find fault Gryffindor."Shout it out ? …Oh god !

"Ah… You didn ‘ t realise you were speaking out loudly ?"
Ginny lifted the brim of the hat just enough to see around the Marguerite Radclyffe Hall. There was whispering everywhere, and every face had an selfsame visage of shocked astonishment. Her eyes searched out her brothers at the Gryffindor table. Percy had buried his side in his hands and seemed to be trying to feign it all wasn't happening, Fred and St. George were watching her with huge evil grinning and Ron, Ron just looked discombobulate. Her oculus flickered past Ron to Harry and their gaze locked, then the boy did the unexpended thing, he pulled up his sleeve, put his hand medallion out and jabbed forward.

Follow through

Ginny glanced back at the teacher table, where every face mirrored the astonishment of the students. She glanced back to Harry and he jabbed again. Well, if she was gon na follow through then there was only one matter for it ...

"Yep."She said, trying to not have her voice 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 whisper uprising, the instructor, everything. There was a tush 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 vocalization but she swore his lips barely moved."Look 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 of meat. A candy of some form. Without a tidings, and before the tacit stares of the solid hall, she brought out, unwrapped and calmly ate a Glycyrrhiza glabra wand.

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

"Kingston, Victor."

It was as if the hall had been holding its breath the entire sentence and now let it out in a moving ridge of cackle. Ginny felt soul bang her on the vertebral column and looked sideways into Harry's face.

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

"Figured as much."Harry said glibly and offered her another liquorice wand."honorable thing I was paying attention, who the hell is Ginevra Weasley ?"

The diminished boy with exquisitely waxed hair and sunglasses apparently named winner Kingston 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 tables in the hall.

"Ravenclaw. I think I like Ravenclaw."

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

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

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

"We could make up some new standard if you like."His twin leaned in from the other side of meat of the table.

"Leave her twins."Harry was holding her by both shoulders away from her older sidekick."She tricked the hat, swindled McGonagall, caused a cross sign of the zodiac rotation and all in front of the stallion school !"Harry grabbed her and hugged her from behind."You can ‘ t have her ! She ‘ s ours !"

"What's he talking about."Ginny didn't think she could grin More than she was as she shot the doubtfulness at her crony across the board. 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 nerve to see it through and doesn ‘ t care what the rules say or who thinks what !"She stuck out her hand"Welcome to the Marauders."

By the end of the day Ginervrador House ( as it was briefly called ) had an unusually large social class of first years. Filch had to go some of the bed.

*

As Harry trudged back from his outset detention with McGonagall that Nox ( polishing one C and hundreds of governance buttons that were just going to be transfigured into mallet anyway ) he leaned on the wall near the portrayal hole and closed his eyes for a here and now.

"Harry ceramicist sir !"

Harry opened his heart and immediately realised his head injury must accept been worse than he thought. The hallucination had long pointy ears and was wearing some variety of ragged cloth like a toga.

"Wha… ?"

"Harry Potter should never accept got on the train !"

"Who ?"Harry shook his read/write head but the small-scale figure remained"What and/or who are you ?"

"Dobby sir. Dobby the home elf."The odd trivial creature bowed to him, its nose almost touching the level."Dobby is truly sorry to possess caused trouble for such a keen ace as Harry ceramicist. But Harry Potter must leave Hogwarts !"

"Caused trouble ? What fuss ?"Harry slid off the wall and stood straight. His wand was inconveniently tucked in an inside pocket, hard to reach. Was this animate being a threat ?"What are you talking about ?"

"Dobby thought that perhaps if Harry ceramicist was hurt he wouldn ‘ t be able to go to Hogwarts."

"What precisely…"Harry heavily enunciated the countersign"… are you talking about."

"Dobby thought that if the weapons platform closed…"

"That was you !"Harry snapped forward like a shot and caught the trivial animal by the arms. The thing whined and tried to give away away but he held on."I could have missed the bloody train !"The wight nodded and whimpered a little more."I could have been killed ! Wait… knockturn alley…"Harry remembered the condom wall. The elf stiffened again and he seemed to be avoiding Harry's eyes."That was you as well ! Why WHY !"He picked the thing up and shook it roughly."Are you trying to kill me ? Are you ?"The elf was truly crying now and Harry let him go. The pitiful affair crawled away from Harry and sat on the floor, looking up at him with its huge, tear filled eyes. It looked like a kicked puppy.

"smell, I ‘ m sorry."Harry reached out towards the elf but it shied away."I didn ‘ t mean value to bruise you. The hospital wing isn ‘ t far, can I…"

"No !"Dobby's facial expression became a mask of awe."Dobby can not be seen. Dobby ‘ s masters can never recognize. Dobby isn ‘ t suffering, Dobby gets far worse than this at nursing home. Dobby's masters are…"the elf seemed to stiffen for a mo then he rushed over to the wall and began hitting his nous on it surd.

"Bad Dobby ! Bad Dobby !"

"time lag ! Hey, full point !"Harry was torn between the need to stop it hurting itself and trying to avoid grabbing it again since he'd obviously hurt him. He pulled his gown off, quickly balled it up and ( between point bound ) slid it between Dobby and the wall. The poor elf continued on for a couple of smasher, apparently not realising he was now cushioned, then dropped to the floor.

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

"Dobby…"Harry saw a need to step carefully here."If, IF call back ! 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 parody ?"The elf appeared to suppose about this, cocking its oral sex to the side. Then he nodded.

"If I asked you to order me why you want me to leave behind Hogwarts ?"the elf's oral sex stayed very still."How much can you tell me without having to punish yourself ?"

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

"If I asked you whether your captain were involved ?"Dobby tensed like a rod."Just IF remember, if I asked you that would you consume to penalize yourself ?"

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

"And is I asked what forge the danger would take ?"

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

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

"Harry Potter will leave Hogwarts ?"

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

"Harry Potter must result, Harry potter is in danger."

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





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


"Wonder if he ‘ s cute ?"Parvarti wondered quizzically as the second yr wandered to the defense reaction against the iniquity nontextual matter classroom. They had the socio-economic class offset period Mon, so would be the commencement to suffer the new teacher."Dumbledore said he ‘ s foreign, so I bet he ‘ s cute."

"I just inquire if he ‘ ll be a good teacher."Hermione hung her head teacher a little."After a yr of… of bad educational activity we need to overtake up. We ‘ ll be golden if we can get to it up in time for the OWLs."Harry could tell she had been about to say Quirrell, but had stopped herself. As far as he could separate none of his Quaker wanted to think about the effect at the end of last year.

"fountainhead, so long as he only has one look, I ‘ ll be happy."Harry stuck his hands behind his head and laughed."Right ?"The others stopped for a consequence, then grinned with him."cerebration so. Anyway…"Harry was the first to the door and pushed it candid."… after Quirrell we can ‘ t do a good deal worse can we ?"

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

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

"Take a seat up front my good lad ! I can already evidence this is going to be one of your darling course of instruction !"The marauder filed in the front row and the former student moved in behind them. All of them looking a little apprehensively at the booming muscled chassis in front of them.

"The name's prof Markus Triple-M Michelson. I ‘ ll be your defense force against the darkness arts teacher this year. Thought I ‘ d pick out a breakage from the globe-trotting to pass by on some of my knowledge to the adjacent generation !"He swept his hat off and spun it across the room, it landed neatly on top of a suit of armour."Oh and by the way the Ms standpoint for Maximus, Mighty and Magesto but they might as well brook for Muscular, Magical and most of all Masculine !"He laughed and put his fist on his hips."So, on to the matric !"He grabbed the register off the tabular array and began yelling out names, variously chuckling at the odd figure and winking at any girl who answered him quickly. When he got to Potter he said

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

When the register was finished the prof strode up to the straw man of the class. To the shock of all watching he slammed one fist back into the blackboard. Holy Writ jumped off the surface as if they had been jolted into being.

"Duelling !"The prof said and indeed this was the title of respect on the board."Who here has cast something harsh than jelly-legs at another thaumaturgist ?"

A few hands went up around the social class, including Harry's. Neville gulped and tried to harbor his hand as low as possible, but Padma took it and jerked it up.

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

"Full Body Bind sir."Neville appeared to be wishing he had a gob to creep into.

"Good ! goodness satisfying spell ! incantation, for those who don't know is Petrificus Totalus. And who did you use it on ?"

"McGonagall."

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

"Acerbus cuspis."

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

"Er…"

"And who did you use it on ?"

"Quirrell."

"Right OK."Michelson shook his fountainhead."Before we dredge up any Thomas More rape against Hogwarts teachers lets start on something else. Who here knows what a shield appeal is ?"Many of the paw went down ( though not of row, Hermione's )"Right ! we'll start there."

*

The division let out an hour later. Many of the scholar had the after-effects of minor jinxes and hexes on them from when their carapace hadn't been good enough or when their opposition had been too honorable. Professor A. A. Michelson seemed to call up 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 year he had picked Harry to evidence some more serious curse to the class. Harry ‘ s buckler magic spell wasn ‘ t nearly safe enough and he ended up suffering for every spell that winged his way.

"I hate him ! I hate that muscle-head son of a bitch !"Harry ranted as they walked to history of trick."He knows my epithet and he keeps calling me pipsqueak ! He singles me out ! He will pay for this ! right ?"

The other marauders kept a condom distance, giggling behind their hands.

"You know Harry, he seems to be a pretty good teacher."Hermione said. Harry rounded on her."I mean, some adult hotshot can't do shield charms and he managed to get half the class doing them in just one lesson."

"He keeps calling me poor !"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 wickedness."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 sentence you ‘ ll agree with me about Markus Mary Albert Michelson !"

*

But they didn't.

defense reaction Against the dark Arts quickly became the most looked forward to lesson by the intact school. Every few deterrent example Markus Michelson would bring out a new combat spell and work with them, pulling them with laugh, belittlement and boost, to perfect the spell. From disarming and stunning through to shields and self-defence he taught everything with an identical gag and identical arrogant attitude. Harry remained sullen and dumb in these lesson especially when the inevitable happened and he was called up to serve demonstrate a new spell. He had tried to get the marauders riled up to play a prank on Professor Michelson but they had flatly refused. Harry had to content himself with dropping potion on a chemical group off Slytherins that gave them oozing boils. It had been quiet coordination compound, whoever the pus hit when the furuncle exploded developed them as well.

It was on his way back from laborious detention that he heard somebody yell. Harry saw a first-class honours degree year rush past him upstairs and followed him, towards the noise. A group of students were gathered on the third storey. Harry pushed through them without a view and stopped at the front to see a awful muckle. Painted on the rampart in what looked the likes of line were the words…

Arise those of ancient rip ! Cast out the impure from this mansion of our beginner ! Be avowedly to your line ! Destroy the enemy of the heir ! This is the birdcall to arms !

Harry glanced to his face, lined up next to one another stood a mathematical group of Slytherins. Malfoy, Goyle and Flint stood position by side, each wearing superposable expressions of Glee.

On the floor in nominal head of the letters crouched poor superior Kingston, the kid who'd liked the feel of Ravenclaw, curled up in fear behind his sunglasses.

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

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

"He doesn ‘ t have a pulse."Harry murmured, trying to go his fingers around for a sound feel."No pulse. Get Madam Pomfrey ! Get Dumbledore !"

"Both are here Harry."Harry looked up to see the Headmaster walking to the edge of the crowd. He stood back gratefully as the schooling nurse went to turn.

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

"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 winner.

"Yes Miss Clearwater. I think so, in time."latent hostility seemed to go out of the group but the prefect pressed on.

"Professor…"She glanced up at the writing on the wall."master was a muggleborn, do you think that there ‘ s any danger ?"

"I am sure I can trust every scholar here to act in a way that does not dishonour the safe name of this school."

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

*

The first attack happened just the future morning. Hannah abbot was found with a broken arm at the bottom of the stone's throw leading down to the Hufflepuff common room. Her bag and playscript strewn haphazardly at the top. She'd been coming up from the basement early to get breakfast and been pushed back down.

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

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

In a subject of week it was no longer safe for a muggleborn or half-blood student to be out on their own. gentlewoman Pomfrey was being worked of her feet by the stream of accidental injury coming into her concern.

Then, one break of day, Oliver Wood the Gryffindor Quidditch captain was petrified in the prefects lav. The instructor had tried to prevent a lid on it but the words that had been scrawled on the walls somehow got out.

Mudbloods and blood-traitors cower in fear ! The heir of Slytherin replication and the chamber has been opened. Rise up around his standard ! Spill the scotch blood line on the land !

"It ‘ s getting worse."Harry said as they walked towards their next course."I mean just smell !"He gestured out the windowpane.

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

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

"They can ‘ t."Padma said dully as they passed the Defence Against the nighttime Arts schoolroom"Not on this scale."Her sister nodded silently. Her normally upbeat mood dulled.

"Padma ‘ s rightfield Hermione."Ron shook his school principal."Things are just getting unsound and besides, we can ‘ t afford to lose any to a greater extent Quidditch players."

"Is that all you care about !"

"I just meant…"

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

"But what ?"Padma said, shaking her brain."This isn ‘ t like Quirrell Harry. There ‘ s no evil genius behind it. Its half the school, trying the killing the early half and we don't know till too tardy which is which."

"With some we got a pretty skillful idea."Harry murmured darkly as they passed a group of Slytherins. The Marauders curled around Hermione like a human shield as they passed and only spread back out after they had gone. A second later Harry's wand vibrated in his sac."darn it !"Harry motioned the others to quiet and the audio of hexing could be heard above them. They broke into a run towards the nearest stair.

*

"farewell him alone !"Ginny's own vocalisation sounded shrill in her ears. She stepped in front her injured friend and tried to swallow her fear.

"What ? Protecting your mudblood boyfriend traitor ?"Marcus flint stepped out of the tintinnabulation of Slytherins surrounding her and Colin."footfall aside for me. I ‘ d rather not spill wizard bloodline, even your kinsperson, unless I have to."

"Mico Harry."Ginny whispered, holding her verge out in straw man of her. Hoping he was in compass."Mico Harry."

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

"Mico Ron. Mico Hermione."

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

"It summons demons !"

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

*

Harry was the get-go to admit that he probably wasn't destined to be a dueler. His beginning smash against the seventh year had been favourable and he now found himself shielding for his lifespan in the eye of a war-zone. Other student from other houses had been drawn in or joined in or been pushed in by the crowd and now the corridor was filled with flashing luminosity and cry of pain.

"You ‘ re dead ceramicist. Oh you ‘ re dead."Flint advanced on him and Harry ducked behind a statue as the big Slytherins swear smashed into the ground near his metrical foot. A endorsement one smacked into the stone ace and it began to tumble over. Harry scrambled out as it crashed to the storey and jabbed his wand at his assailant.

"Expelliarmus !"The while struck Flint but his midst, sausage-like fingers were curled tightly around his baton.

"Confringo !"Harry leapt out of the way of the blasting curse and fell badly on his shoulder. He threw his own back in answer and the Snake stumbled backwards. Harry jumped to his fundament and shot a bludgeoning hex only to have it bound off a shell and smack him in the chest. Tumbling backwards he landed on his rachis among the debris. His wand skittered off along the floor. A phantasma fell over him and a huge booted foot slammed onto his chest of drawers, holding him down.

"how-do-you-do Potter."Flint River pointed his scepter at Harry's look."Now I ‘ m gona have some fun."

A consequence later Flint River was thrown off him as a sweeping wafture of lightness nip through the corridor, forcibly pulling opponents apart.

Harry's hand darted out and grabbed his wand while he looked for the generator of the turn. His eyes found Albus Dumbledore standing at the end of the corridor with several other teacher behind him.

"Is any bookman here injured or in need of the hospital annex ?"His spokesperson was stony as he eyed the forgather scholarly person. A few students raised their mitt. Dumbledore nodded and turned to speak to the teachers behind him."Please escort them there."No one spoke as the wounded were gathered up. Harry saw Markus A. A. Michelson handing Ginny her bag with one hand while picking Colin up in his other. As professor McGonagall walked past him he caught her eyes for a moment, they were coldness, harsh and disappointed. When the last of the injured were gone the master turned back to the remaining student.

"Now can anyone tell me why this happened ? Why Hogwarts pupil saw fit to wrench this corridor into a battleground ?"He looked over the students and Harry realised that he and Flint were right out in the middle, the two of them surrounded by emptiness. Somehow the ringleaders had been singled out."Why bookman who I thought I could desire to act in estimable faith instead acted like gull ?"

No one rung. No one wanted to drag attention to themselves.

"You will all riposte to your common rooms now. Tomorrow cockcrow you will all come to the great hallway where you will spend your Saturday in secrecy. You will give back the day after that and for many weekends to come until I decide that the heartsease and repose of the school day has returned. Your parents will also be informed of your disappointing behaviour."Dumbledore gestured at the children."Go off now. Not you Harry !"Harry was drawn back by Dumbledore's interpreter. Marcus Flint smirked at him with his troll-like grinning and slinked off. Harry followed the Headmaster in secrecy as he turned and walked off through the school. He stopped before a gargoyle on the 2d level.

"sherbert Lemon."The childish parole seemed oddly out of kilter with the situation. They remained tacit as they were raised up by the staircase and walked out into the headmaster power.

Harry glanced around in wonderment at the odd silver machines, many moving or making flaccid audio, filling tables around the edges of the office. His eyes were drawn to the pole behind the desk where a tired looking red raspberry sat. Even as Harry watched another of its plumage fell off and twirled towards the flooring.

Dumbledore caught it before it hit and slipped it into an inside pouch of his robes. He turned and sat behind the heavy desk. Saying nada, he regarded the student before him over steepled fingers.

Harry knew that with any former teacher this was the prison term to be tranquilize and look guilty, but with Dumbledore he might actually be honorable off explaining.

"Professor."He began and licked his dry lips. Dumbledore's center flicked to his."I heard the sounds of someone being attacked nearby and I went to see whether I could assist. When we… I got there Marcus Flint and some other Slytherins had the starting time years surrounded."He couldn't evidence what gist this was having on the Headmaster. His expression was cryptic."I fired a spell to make them back off and they responded, I never thought that so many early student would be drawn in or that it would snowball like this. I ‘ m sorry."

"You cast the first hex ?"

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

"Several scholar are injure Harry."deity teeth the annoy bird was eyeballing him as well."And there was some structural damage to the school. Several paintings were damaged and statues broken."

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

"And with this standard pressure of awe already around the school you have given everyone another reason to hate each other."Harry felt very small in front of the continued stare."Worse, you have escalated this problem with your legal action. Next fourth dimension people will be even fast to draw wands in anger. Next time the curse will be spoilt and people could be seriously hurt Harry, do you understand that ?"

"Yes sir."Harry thought of Marcus Flint's smirk. Next prison term they wouldn't wait to taunt people.

"Today you chose to press hatred with anger and furiousness. That way will always breed further hatred do you understand that ?"

"Yes sir."

"See that you do not reiterate this mistake."

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

*

Harry walked back slowly to the Gryffindor common way. By probability the route took him back past the field of battle. Some try had been made to strip up but the station still felt damaged. Great clump were missing from the endocarp and the collapse picture had all been taken down. The handing over was bare. Harry saw movement at the other end and tensed for a 2nd, then relaxed as he saw red hair and freckle.

"Ginny ?"

"Harry."The picayune 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 clock time Hermione said I would be I ‘ d be some sort o'earthly concern record."Harry walked up to his fresh recruit and ruffled her hair's-breadth."And I taught you that call exactly so you would call me if you were ever in trouble. All this…"Harry waved his hand at the damage and shake up his straits."Not your demerit. But why are you back here ? Shouldn ‘ t you be in the green 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 middle. There was a surprise amount of money of fear there."Why don't you want to recount me ? You don't have to you know."

"doomed something."Ginny's vocalisation became smaller with each word she said."A Diary. mustiness have fallen out in the fight."

"Your journal ‘ s missing ?"Harry shook his mind."Did you spell anything bad in there ?"

"Not my diary."

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

"I found it in my ledger before I even got here. Thought maybe it got leave alone there."

"Who ‘ s was it ?"

"The front said it was Tom Marvolo Riddle ‘ s."Ginny was acting almost like when he'd first met her.

"And the bit you ‘ re not telling me is…"He hated doing this but she was obviously hiding something.

"It was… special."Ginny seemed to squinch into the background a little."It spoke to me."

"Spoke ? It could babble ?"

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

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

"I can't talk to them."Ginny began to sob a little."They don't understand. They laugh at me. Tom understood. And now he ‘ s gone. What if someone else picks him up ? What if he tells them the stuff I wrote ?"Ginny looked up shocked and daunt and suddenly broke down into rent. Harry just stood there, he didn't know what the hell to do.

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

"Ginny listen to me."Harry tried grabbing her berm but she wouldn't facial expression at him. With his early hand he cupped her face and brought it up so he could see her eyes."Tom sounds like a well friend, I ‘ m sure you can trust him to prevent your closed book. I mean, former people must hold had the diary before you and Tom never told you any of their secrets right ?"

Falco columbarius's beard, he didn't know what he was doing. What did he have sex about comforting people ?

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

"And…"Ginny had stopped crying at least."You don't detest me ?"Harry shook his read/write head.

"Only when you cry. Gryffindors don't cry."He regretted it as soon as he said it, that wasn't what she needed to hear. As he had often done before Harry asked himself where Hermione was when he needed her. She would birth known what to say. He smudged a sleeve against Ginny's cheek to get rid of the tears. At least he could do that right.

"semen on. Lets get back to the usual room."He stood up and held out a hand to her."And as for having a acquaintance to babble out to…"He pulled her into a rough hug then let her go."… what am I a alien ?"

"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 skin can hire a tan. Why'd you ask ?"But Ginny didn't answer him.

"She's probably distraught."Harry thought, putting an arm over her shoulder and walking with her towards Gryffindor column."I ‘ m no practiced at this sort of thing."