Return of the Heirs
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Harry Potter. I'm just borrowing them. I promise I'm not making a dime off of this…
Ratings: T
Summary: Read Petunia Takes Charge first… Harry and Dudley are going to Hogwarts. Albus is playing games with Harry's life and Voldemort is hiding in a diary. It is going to a very interesting year not only for Harry but the entire Wizarding World.
Chapter One
September 1st
It was six in the morning at Rosewood Hall and the boys were sitting at the table in the sunroom eating breakfast or they should be. Harry was inches away from having a face full of oatmeal when Remus and Sirius burst into the room. "Wake up!" Sirius yelled scaring Harry so badly that the poor kid jumped a foot out of his chair right before his face fell into his oatmeal.
Harry ran his thumb across his eye wiping the oatmeal away as he glared at his Godfather. "You are going pay for that," Harry said.
Sirius laughed. "Prongs Jr. wants to get into a prank war," Sirius said smiling childishly.
"No, he does not," Petunia said walking into the room. "Harry still has packing to do. Besides, he can't do magic outside of school." Petunia pulled her wand and cleaned Harry up. "Now, eat up then go upstairs and finish packing. I want to be at the train station by nine." Petunia gave Sirius a stern look before getting her own breakfast and sitting to enjoy it.
"Yes, Aunt Petunia," Harry said and he finished eating his breakfast looking up at Sirius giving him dirty look now and then. If his aunt hadn't been there, Sirius would be wearing Harry's breakfast, not Harry eating it.
Harry and Dudley both went upstairs after that to finish their packing. Petunia had bought both boys new trunks. These trunks were magically lightened trunks making it easier for the boys to carry. They had three areas that magically expand when needed. This way Harry had enough room for his books and school supplies, his clothes and of course his broom and Quidditch gear.
Harry also had enough room to carry the books that Hermione had begged him to take with him from the Ravenclaw Library. It turned out that a lot of books that were in their personal library were books in the restricted section of the Hogwarts Library. Once Hermione found them,
she couldn't resist in reading them. The trouble was that there were so many she didn't have time to finish all of them. So, Harry was her personal library. He would borrow the books and she would read them during the school year. Harry didn't care as long as she didn't make him read them. The last one he had put in the trunk had covered his entire desktop. He was shocked that the book shrunk as he started to put it inside the trunk. It fit perfectly in the spot designed to hold books.
Harry was double checking he had everything when Dudley walked in carrying his broom. "Did you find more about your ability to talk to snakes," Dudley asked.
"Yes," Harry said pulling out a book from his trunk Magical Gifts and You. He opened the book to a spot in the book where he stopped reading. "It says here that Parseltongue is only just one magical gift that I could have. It seems that since I can talk to one animal. There might be others that I can talk to," Harry said.
"How do you find out what other animals you can talk to?" Dudley asked.
"I found a potion that can be brewed to tell what kinds of gifts that a wizard has. I'm going to show it to Hermione and see if she can do it for me," Harry said.
"Why don't you do it?" Dudley asked.
"I hate brewing potions. It is one of my worst subjects," Harry said as he put the book back into his trunk then grabbed for Dudley broom. "We better get going. We don't want to be late," Harry said placing Dudley's broom beside his Nimbus before closing the trunk.
While Harry and Dudley were getting to go to Hogwarts, Vernon Dursley was sitting in his lawyer office that morning with an intern from Petunia's law firm finishing up the final details of his divorce. Vernon was dressed in a wrinkled brown suit with catsup stains on his white shirt waiting for his low paid lawyer to finishing reading the paper. "Oh, give me those," Vernon snapped grabbing the papers from the man before him and signing the papers quickly. "It doesn't matter as long as I don't have to pay that woman a dime. I bet she is living on the streets right now, that is why she didn't bother showing up."
As the intern took the papers, he said, "Oh, no. Lady Evans is busy getting the boys to school. It is beginning of term after all."
"Lady Evans?" Vernon said his face turning red.
"Yes, I assumed you knew this. You wife is from a very powerful family in the Wizarding world. She controls several seats from the Wizengamot," the Intern said and he put the papers in his briefcase and left.
Vernon turned glaring at his lawyer. "You knew about this?"
"Of course, I did, I'm a squib remember, but you did not want anything do with 'that world'," Vernon's lawyer said mimicking Vernon's first remark when the man hired him. "You wanted a cheep and quick divorce and that is what you got. Good day, Mr. Dursley."
Vernon stood there his face going from red to purple before settling on white. He grabbed his chest and fell to the floor. His lawyer sighed and said, "Oh, dear, why me." The man the picked up the phone and called an ambulance. The only reason the man spent the next moments keeping Vernon alive was because Vernon's check hadn't passed yet. If it had, he would have just sat behind his desk and waited for the medics to arrive. He wouldn't have called the ambulance if he had known Vernon Dursley was as poor as a church mouse.
Dudley, Harry, Petunia, Remus and Sirius stepped out of the floo network at Platform 9 ¾ to find some of the others had already arrived. Neville and his Grandmother were the closest to them. Petunia walked up to Mrs. Longbottom and said, "Good morning, Mrs. Longbottom, you look lovely today."
"Thank you, Petunia. I love your dress by the way that color is perfect for you," Mrs. Longbottom said as she glanced in her grandson Neville's direction. "Neville your toad is getting away again," Mrs. Longbottom said to her grandson.
"Trevor," Neville cried out grabbing the toad and putting it back into his traveling box. "I don't get why he always wants to get away."
Harry heard a crooking coming from inside the box and laughed. "Harry," Petunia said giving the boy a gentle shove miss reading the boy's laughter.
"Sorry," Harry said trying to hide his smile. He finally understood Trevor's problem and figured he would tell Neville about it later. Trevor was not a boy but a girl. She wanted to go and find a mate but Neville keeps her from doing it.
At that moment Susan Bones and her Aunt Amelia walked over to join the group. Susan joined Harry and the others while her aunt talked to Petunia and Mrs. Longbottom. "I swear it
gets worse every year. I don't know why the Headmaster doesn't allow us to take the children to Hogwarts ourselves. It would be so much easier," Amelia Bones complained.
"There is more about that school that needs changed then how the kids arrived. Do you know that the curriculum hasn't changed since the founder's time? Divinations; that class is out of date; everyone knows it can't be taught. You either have the gift or you do not." Mrs. Longbottom said.
"Well, we do try to change things but Headmaster and some of the older generation just can't take change. I really hope I don't when I am that age," Amelia Bones said.
"I hope you were not adding me to that category," Mrs. Longbottom said.
"No, my dear, you are nowhere near being old. I'm talked about the ones who are over a hundred. They don't know when it is time to let the younger generation take over. They seem to think they are right we are just young pups," Amelia said.
"I know Lucius is not a man that you agree with lightly but I'm starting to think he is right. It is time for Albus to retire and let someone else be in charge of Hogwarts," Petunia said.
"Yes, I sometime think that myself but Professor Dumbledore is well Professor Dumbledore. He does know more then we do most of the time," Amelia admitted.
"Don't count on it," Petunia muttered. The ladies heard her but ignored her. They thought they understood why she felt this way about the Headmaster but if they really knew the truth even they might think of having Albus Dumbledore removed from the school.
The group slowly made there way towards the train Harry, Susan and Neville greeting people as they passed. Harry introduced Dudley to several of the boys from Gryffindor House. Finally though they finally made it to the train with the help from Remus and Sirius, a compartment was found and the boys' trunks were stowed away. "Now, you behave," Petunia said to both Harry and Dudley as they stood on the platform beside the train.
"We will," the boys promised smiling innocently.
"Oh, I like the look. It is good," Sirius said winking at them as he and Remus stepped off the train.
"Come on, Sirius," Remus said dragging his friend away leaving Petunia and the boys alone.
"I want to say good-bye," Sirius complained.
"Later," Remus said.
"Okay, spoiled sport," Sirius complained and he walked away with Remus.
Petunia shook her head and said, "That man is an overgrown child." Dudley and Harry laughed, they liked Sirius most of the time unless he was playing prank on them and then he got annoying.
Finally everyone had arrived and the train was ready to go. The kids were hanging out windows saying one more good-bye to their parents and siblings. Sirius was giving Harry some advice about who to prank, how to prank and when to prank. Harry promised he would try and the train started forward.
Harry and his friends were cramped into one of the compartments. Harry had just given Hermione the book that he found about magical gifts. She took the book and quickly started to read it. "What is that?" Ron asked.
"It's a book about magical gifts," Harry explained.
"Oh, why do you want to know about them?" Ron asked.
"Because Ronald, it would be nice what strengths you have and you don't. This way it will help you figure out what you should do when you grow up," Hermione said looking up from the book.
"That is years away," Ron said.
"Not that long," Hermione said and she went on reading.
Susan was looking over Hermione's shoulder and said, "I would love to read that when your done."
"Sure," Hermione said and she moved the book just enough to share it with the girl.
Ron huffed at this pulling out his chessboard. "Harry, you want to play?"
"No, but I bet Dudley would," Harry said smiling. Harry found out that his cousin loved chess. He played it on his computer all the time. Dudley's computer had a chess set that played almost like wizard chess. Harry lost in that too but he figured that Dudley had a chance to beat Ron at least better chance then he did.
"Okay," Ron said and he figured anyone to beat was better then none.
Dudley and Ron played chess. Hermione read the book. This left Harry, Neville, Ginny and a girl named Luna, a friend of Ginny's, to talk to. The kids were enjoying themselves when suddenly a small house elf appeared right on Harry's lap. "Please, Harry Potter, get off train. You are in danger," the house elf said.
"Who are you?" Harry asked.
"Can't say, I'm not allowed but you must get off train and not go to school this year. You are in danger," the elf said.
"What kind of danger?" Hermione asked.
"Don't listen to him, he was sent by his master to trick Harry into getting off the train," Neville said.
"Dobby is not!" Dobby said and he quickly covered his mouth. Dobby started to bang his head against the wall.
"Stop," Harry said grabbing the elf and pulling him away from the wall. "Don't do that."
"Dobby must punish himself. He shouldn't be here. His master will be upset with him but he must protect Good Harry Potter. He has to leave the train," Dobby said looking sad.
The kids didn't know what to do. "I have to go to school but if you tell me the danger then I can help people," Harry said.
"Harry Potter so kind, he worries about his friends then himself," Dobby said.
"He believes this," Ron muttered.
"Ssh," Susan hissed at Ron.
Dobby looked at Harry and said, "There is great evil at Hogwarts. It is after the heirs and if he destroys them then he gets all the power of Hogwarts." Dobby then vanished leaving the kids and confused.
Harry looked at his friend and asked, "What do you think?"
"I don't know but I think I need to get to the library the first chance I get once I get to school," Hermione said eyeing Harry's trunk with a hungry look in her eyes.
Harry laughed. "Go head, maybe one of those books have the answer," Harry said.
Hermione jumped up taking down Harry's trunk gleefully as she started to go through the books that Harry had brought for her to read. Susan helped her, she too like Hermione wanted to know what was going on and why this little elf did not want Harry to go Hogwarts.
"We might want to keep our eyes open," Ginny said.
"Your right," Harry said thinking this was going to be an interesting year.
At Hogwarts, Albus sat behind his desk looking at the diary before him. It was the diary of Tom Riddle or as everyone knows him, Voldemort. Alastor had given it to him just a few days ago. Albus always knew that Tom had done something that made himself immortal. He would have died the night he attacked the Potter's other wise. There were a few dark spells and potions out there that could do this. Tom would have found at least one of them. Albus wondered if the clues were in the diary itself.
Fawkes squawked giving his master a strange look. "I know. It is dangerous. Lucius gave this to little Ginny for a reason but the answer that I have been looking for might be in it. I will be careful," Albus said and he picked up a quill and started to write in it.
Inside the diary, Voldemort was almost giddy for this was going to better then he had planned. He wanted the boy but Albus would better. He could get even with the old man that had destroyed his life. He would of course have to be careful, Albus was not going to be as easily lured in as the boy would have been, but he was Voldemort after all. He was up to the challenge.
The kids filled into the great hall everyone talking at once. Harry and his friends found a seat at Gryffindor table. Everyone was excited and upbeat but Ron. He was sulking because Dudley had beaten him in chess. It wasn't by much but it was still loss. "How?" Ron asked himself for the tenth time.
"Oh, get over it. It was one loss," Hermione snapped looking up at the table to see Gilderoy Lockhart. "Oh, he is so dreamy and smart."
"Oh, brother," George groaned.
"Yes?" Fred said laughing as the girls around them glared at both he and George.
"You two, and your games, you are just jealous," Hermione said.
"Of that?" Fred said laughing as he pointed at Lockhart. "I don't think so." Hermione huffed and sat there staring at Lockhart with a dreamy look.
Harry rolled his eyes at this. He heard stories about Lockhart from Remus and Sirius. It seems that Lockhart had gotten caught on several times stealing others work. One person he tried to steal work from was Remus and he paid for it. Sirius and Harry's father James found out about what he done and they got even. Lockhart was spotted days later a magical sign behind his back that said "Kick me, I'm a thief!" It was charmed to vanish every time a Professor or member of the staff was around but it showed up when the kids were around. Sirius said that Slytherin house
had fun kicking the git in the butt every chance they got. He also said that Lockhart stayed away from Remus' things from that point on.
It wasn't long though before everyone got bored sitting there talking and some like Ron were getting hungry. It was then that people started to notice that the Headmaster was missing. "I wonder where Professor Dumbledore is?" Percy said.
"I don't," Harry said coldly.
"Harry, I know you don't like him but we can't start without him." Hermione said.
"Oh," Harry said realizing that he would have to see the Headmaster now and then. He just hoped he wouldn't have to deal with him personally.
Right about then the Headmaster stumbled into the room with his hair a mess and his robes disheveled. He was trying to smile but it was clear to everyone that something was wrong. "I'm sorry I'm late," Albus said in his best Grandfatherly voice. "I'm a bit under the weather. Please excuse me."
Professor Dumbledore took his usual seat after waving at Madam Pomfrey and called everyone to order. As he smoothed down his hair and beard, Professor McGonagall walked in with the first years behind her and the evening started.
Harry sat there excitedly listening to sorting hat sing his song and then one by one the first years took a seat on the stool to be sorted. Dudley was the sixth person to be sorted because he now went by the Evans name not Dursley. It took forever for the hat to decided where to place him, Harry was starting to worry that Dudley wouldn't be placed but finally the hat called out. "Gryffindor!"
"Yes," Harry said smiling as his cousin walked over smiling brightly to join the other kids at Gryffindor table.
Luna, Ginny's friend was placed in Gryffindor house, as was Ginny. The only surprise among the new members of Gryffindor house was Draco's sister Erin. After the hat placed her in Gryffindor, Draco stood up and started yelling at her calling her names of all sorts. Professor Snape got up go over to young man and take him from the room to talk to him.
"Sorry, about my brother," Erin said to the kids around him. "He has a mental illness. He gets that way sometimes. He must of forgotten to take his potions."
Ginny laughed at this. "I think we are going to be good friends," Ginny told the girl.
"Thanks," Erin said and the two girls sat there talking together getting to know each other.
Ron was watching Ginny closely giving her a dirty look. "Why is she being nice to that Slytherin?" Ron asked.
"Ron, Erin was placed in our house by the sorting hat," Hermione said.
"Big deal, she still a Slytherin," Ron said.
Hermione was about to open her month to say something on this but Albus stood and did his usual start of feast speech. The food appeared and Ron was to busy shoving food into his mouth to continue listening to Hermione. He wouldn't have listened to her anyway. So, she let the matter drop and turned her attention to meal.
Harry in the mean time was just about to dig into the bowl of mash potatoes that were in front of him when his scar suddenly started to hurt, causing him to drop the spoon, "Harry, are you alright?" Dudley asked noticing his cousin's distress.
"I think so," Harry said rubbing his scar.
"What is it?" Hermione asked.
"My scar hurts," Harry said looking up to see three of the Professors at the head table looking in his direction: Professor Snape, Professor Dumbledore and Professor Lockhart. The three men were eyeing Harry closely. Only Professor Snape looked away when Harry looked up.
"The last time when your scar bothered you this much when You-Know-Who was around," Ron said worried.
"Who?" Dudley asked thinking it was a secret that Harry's friends didn't want him to know about.
"He means Voldemort," Harry said ignoring Ron and several other people's reaction at the name. "The wizarding world is scared to say the name." Harry explained.
"Oh," Dudley said not getting the big deal. It was only a name. It wasn't like if you said the name it would cause him to appear like doing a spell would cause things. Would it?
"Let's just eat," Harry said and the meal went on.
As everyone ate, Hermione sat reading the book about wizarding gifts checking on something that had caught her attention. It was sometime during dessert that she found what she was looking for. Hermione slipped the book in front of Harry and said, "Here read this."
"Classes haven't even started," Ron complained.
Hermione ignored him as she pointed to the place that she wanted Harry to read. "Is that what you feel?" Hermione asked.
"Yes," Harry said.
"Than that could mean that you are a natural in occlumency and someone is trying to use legilimency on you," Hermione said.
"Yes, it could but I don't get what it means," Harry said.
"This book doesn't go into details about it but I'll check out the library. It should have more on it," Hermione promised.
"Thanks," Harry said and the meal soon ended.
Professor Dumbledore then stood up and gave his usual speech. He did give Ron and Harry dirty looks when he warned everyone to stay out of the forest. "Whose fault was it that we were there last year anyways?" Ron snapped noticing the cold look from the Headmaster.
"I agree," Harry muttered still rubbing his scar. It was bothering him, but it didn't hurt like it normally did. It was as though someone was slowly pecking away trying to get into his mind and not trying to burst their way in like before. It wasn't working of course and who ever was, was getting annoyed about it. Or these were the feelings Harry was getting at this very moment.
Dinner finally ended and everyone started up to there dorms. The kids were tired but excited as well. Classes were going to start tomorrow and their adventure in learning magic was about to begin.