Disclaimer: All character and previous plots/basis belong solely to JK Rowling. Without her,
this amazing book series would not exist. Thanks to her.

Chapter 1: Classes

This would be the last time that Harry, Ron and Hermione had a first day. They had hoped it might be a better one, but who can predict fate?

The ceiling of the Great Hall was not as it was on opening days of school; in fact, it was quite dark, cloudy, and very gloomy. Looking up at the table in the front of the hall, the majestic chair in the center stood vacant and lonely, much like the faces of students and professors.

The passing of Dumbledore was almost too much to handle. A few students had not returned to school because of this, distrusting the safety of Hogwarts, now that the Headmaster was gone.

A letter they had received from Professor McGonagall, and Mad-Eye Moody a few weeks before, assured them that certain unbreakable charms and enchantments of all sorts, were guarding the school. In addition, Quidditch would no longer occur due to dementors surrounding the school. However, all of these precautions, both Harry and Hermione felt, did not at all guarantee that Voldemort and his army would not be able to penetrate the spells. It was almost a sure bet that Voldemort was capable of the impossible.

Hermione stirred a spoon slowly around her porridge, barely hungry. She looked up from her class schedule and said nimbly, "Ready for your classes?"

"Oh yeah. Definitely." Harry said sarcastically. Hermione scowled at him.

"Hey." Ron, who was poking the bacon on his plate, looked at him. "Everyone knows what's going on. But we're here now. It's not her fault"

Harry looked at Hermione and reached for her hand across the table. "I'm sorry, Hermione. For everything. I'm sorry to both of you." He grabbed his textbooks and quickly strode out of the Great Hall, ignoring the calls from both Hermione and Ron.

"Where are you going?" Hermione stood up and called after him.

Harry walked, as fast as his feet could carry him, before passing a teary-eyed Ginny in the hallway.

"Harry!" she ran into his arms and hugged him.

"What's wrong?" He stroked her hair.

"I...I don't know what to say, or do anymore. Just...be careful. I'm not sure I even feel safe here.." She looked at him.

He tilted her chin up at her, closed his eyes, and kissed her gently. "None of us do. I'll try. You can do me a favour by getting something to eat. You're positively pale."

She smiled feebly. 'Okay. See you later, in the Room of Requirement?"

"Huh?" For a moment, he forgotten what she meant..."Oh. Yes. Dumble...D-Dumbledore's Army. 8:00." He even had trouble saying his name. He remembered that last night, Hermione had bewitched tiny pieces of parchment with menda-ink, ink that only lasted for a certain duation of time, before the paper disintegrated into ash. She passed it out to all the members of the DA. She nodded and proceeded to the Great Hall. He turned around and headed straight for the clock tower at a brisk pace again, concentrated, not even hearing the footsteps behind him, following him.

He arrived at the clock tower menagerie and memories came flooding back to him. He felt light-headed for a moment, and sat at the fountain, looking at the cherubine statue atop it, now partially covered on its right side by moss.

"Harry James Potter." Hermione's voice said firmly. He looked up at her, slowly. Her eyes were serious, and full of intention. She was breathing heavily. He had not realised she had been following him.

"I'm sorry for being curt with you, Hermione. You don't deserve that. I know you're just...you're just being you, and by doing that, you want to help us along. I'm sorry."

"Harry, " she began, walking toward him, kicking some stones in the path. "I'm not mad at you. You've every right. What do you mean, sorry to both of us?" She demanded, standing in front of him now, crossing her arms.

"Hermione, it's all my fault." he said, looking down. "No one else is going to die because of me. It's my fault about Sirius, Cedric, Dumbledore-"

"Harry James Potter." She repeated as before, this time more severe, and he saw tears welling up in her eyes. "Don't you DARE blame yourself. It's not your fault. You never asked for this to happen. Do you hear me?" She stared at him now, a tear falling down her cheek. "We're all here now. That's it. We've all made the decision to come back. It's not your fault. Don't you ever say that." She sighed heavily again, and sat beside him on the fountain.

After a few moments of silence, he said, "Hermione." he took her hand. "Thank you." He looked at her face, wiping her tear away with the sleeve of his robe, and patted her arm. "For being an amazing person...an amazing friend."

She looked down at her shoes, and back up at him again. "You're welcome." She smiled lightly.

He looked up at the cloudy morning sky. Rain was sure to come.

"Hermione, do you remember that night? When we were here? With Sirius and Buckbeak." His green eyes glimmered a moment.

"Of course. That awful time-turner."

"It was your time turner that helped us go back and save Buckbeak. Sirius, too."

"How you play Quidditch, I'll never know. Flying is absolutely terrifying."

He laughed. "It's the feeling of ultimate freedom. Amazing, to be in the air. Go anywhere."

She smiled back at him. "Well, I'm going to head to charms. Are you coming?"

"Yeah." He nodded, and he took one more glance up at the cloudy sky.

He could see dementors about a quarter mile up in the sky. They had already decided upon the return to Hogwarts. If the war was coming, and, at any unknown moment, he had better be as prepared as humanly possibly. He was positive, that, if not at least for a bit of training in Occlumency, Voldemort would
be able to track his every move and every word. He threw a rusty-looking knut into the fountain and followed Hermione back into the stone corridors towards their classroom.