AN: Well, this is my first posted fic, and hopefully it's good enough to continue. I know this is rather short, but it's necessary to understand what happens later in the story. Please read and review, flames are welcome, but it's really more helpful to give me a way to improve my story rather than lament on just how sucky it was.
I had to edit and repost, and lost my lovely reviews in the process :'( so please review?
Disclaimer: Yes, I own Harry Potter. I also claim exclusive rights to couches, the letter P, the way some people combine front and room to get frunchroom instead of living room, and the process itself of blinking. No, seriously, not mine, though I do claim Lantur and Predak. : D
The war's end affected so much more than was expected.
Voldemort had fallen by both Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy's hands in their sixth year, Draco's actions shocking the entire wizarding community. Draco had not participated in the battle until he saw his father enter the fray, and then switched sides, much to the Death Eaters' horror. After seeing to his father's fall, he assisted his godfather Snape in holding the masses of Death Eaters back from Hogwarts. Draco had proven himself many times that day, from shielding Order members from wayward curses to protecting a fallen 5th year with his own body. The public no longer knew what to make of the name Malfoy, and with Draco's refusal to correspond with any press, the media could run only rumors and far-fetched tales of what might have prompted Draco's switch.
After Professor McGonagall's fall in the battle, Dumbledore was never quite the same. Gone was the twinkle that normally resided in his eyes, gone was the smile that used to hover over his features. Hogwarts figurehead seemed to lack the strength he once instilled in others, and the students and staff of Hogwarts felt the blow with every tired look and uninflected speech.
With all that changed, life at Hogwarts continued, but with some interesting twists. Snape finally took an assistant at Dumbledore's continued pestering that it was no longer necessary to retain a cover story of the overworked professor. Much to everyone's astonishment, he chose none other than Hermione Granger. It was a more subdued group of Slytherins that attended Hogwarts after seeing their classmate Crabbe struck down by an Auror and many of their parents imprisoned. The most change, it seemed, was wrought in Draco Malfoy. While his cold exterior remained in place, he stopped all harassment of Muggles and half bloods, and withdrew into himself, speaking only when spoken to, and quick to block any gestures of kindness or gratitude with sarcasm. The newly distant wizard was now avoided by all, regardless of the influential part he had played in the war. But the end of the war set in motion more things than anyone had ever realized, and new paths were set in unexpected directions.
"Miss Weasley!"
Ginny Weasley started, jolted from her reverie of memories from the war by Professor Snape's irritated tones. Wide-eyed, she gaped as Snape moved toward her desk, his robes billowing behind him in a manner that she suddenly noticed was very disconcerting.
"I don't understand how you came to be in my class", Snape hissed, "Seeing as you obviously find it difficult to even take simple notes and pay attention." Snape paused to glance meaningfully at her empty parchment. "Do you have anything relatively intelligent to say for yourself?"
Ginny looked down at her blank paper, as if words might materialize there with further scrutiny. Ever since Dumbledore had allowed her the privilege of attending seventh year potions, Ginny felt that every minute she spent there was another minute she had to prove herself.
"I…uh…I…", Ginny stammered, trying to think of an excuse that wouldn't sound like one.
"Spit it out, Weasley!", Pansy Parkinson snapped from across the room, leering at any Griffindor that shot her a look for her impudence.
"5 points from Slytherin, Miss Parkinson, for speaking out of turn." Snape intoned this without ever breaking eye contact with Ginny. Since the war, favoritism toward Slytherins had all but vanished, but Snape's continual bad attitude toward students in general persisted, if not intensified. With a sigh, he whirled around and stalked back to his desk, muttering about the unreliability of any orders from Dumbledore. "Hopefully, the rest of you have managed to understand and retain the bare minimum of this lesson, and I shall expect two feet of parchment detailing the effects of the Draught of Sleeplessness by tomorrow. Class dismissed."
As Ginny packed her things, Harry and Hermione approached her, bearing identical sympathetic smiles. "Gin, you knew Double Potions with the Slytherins would be nothing short of a terror", Hermione gently chided. "Do try not to push Snape's buttons. It could be he's just having a bad day."
"More like a bad lifetime", Ginny muttered, earning herself a reproachful look from Hermione and a chuckle from Harry. The latter swung his arm around her shoulders, leading her out of the room while coaching a smile out of her by imitating Snape at his snarkiest, swagger and all. Across the room, a certain blond watched the interlude silently, but with an interest in his eyes that was rarely seen anymore.
"Lantur! Must you always land us in the worst possible place! We could have been seen!"
A blonde sat on Hogwart's floor, coughing dust. She was a bit stocky as far as height went, with expressive brown eyes that were currently flashing in anger and disgust.
"It's not as if I can control this thing. Do stop your complaining, Predak. We're here to be seen anyway." This was said by a redhead with sky blue eyes that were currently surveying the corridor they had landed in, one before Great Hall. Fingering the Time Turner around her neck, she moved forward to help her twin up. "Let's see if we can do what we came here to do before it's too late. We don't have much time left."
The two girls turned as one, and began to search for the leader of the building, sticking to the shadows and avoiding students in an attempt to keep their presence hidden; for now.