Harry Potter and His Witches Ver. 2
By: Shinteo5
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
A/N: This is a rewrite of my previous story. When I went back to it the last time, I found so many mistakes that I could not continue it as it was. I hope everyone can forgive me. It should be better this time round.
I'll leave the last one up, just as a benchmark, to see if I have improved this last two years...
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Chapter 1:
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June 30, 1997
The school year had just ended a month ago, and the events that had happened near the end of the last term of school are still fresh in the minds of those of us who had witnessed them. The newly appointed Headmistress of the school had seen the students off at the Hogwarts Express with a grim face, and the students themselves seemed subdued, and filed away into the Express without their usual bustle and noise.
The week that followed was a busy one. Harry had requested permission to stay behind at Hogwarts to do some research on the Horcrux; naturally we stayed back as well. Well, Ron had wanted to go back to the Barrow, seeing as Bill's wedding is coming soon, but I managed to talk him into staying. When Headmistress McGonagall tried to protest, Harry insisted, ceding the last wishes of Dumbledore. The Headmistress had no choice then but to let us stay.
We spend many hours in discussion with the portrait of the late Headmaster Dumbledore, pumping him for any information he had on the Horcrux, and many more within the restricted section of the school library, searching for more information on the Horcrux. We even made a trip down into the dungeons, and went through Snape's office with a fine-toothed comb. Unfortunately, whatever information we found were of little to no use. The Horcrux were the darkest of the dark arts, and information on them was highly unlikely to be found in a school, where impressionable minds would be able to find them, after all. But we had to try. No stone could be left unturned.
I did manage to find something of personal interest though. After Snape managed to betray the Order and Dumbledore, I began to think about Harry and his safety. Who knows if anyone of us would do the same, whether willingly or not, such as the Imperius curse or blackmail. The fact that he is, literally, our last and only hope, is indisputable. There is even a prophecy on him and Voldemort. The fact that the Ministry is worse than useless, even the Order of the Phoenix cannot help him now. They are all busy maintaining their cover, given the close lookout that the Ministry is keeping on everybody; ready to haul anyone that the new Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour, deems to be dangerous. I swear, that guy is a bigger attention seeker than Cornelius Fudge ever was. Doesn't help that he's better at it too...
No. What Harry needs is a group that is loyal to him alone. A group that would support him up till the time when he has to face off with that snake Voldemort. But for that to work, I will have to find a way to ensure loyalty. We cannot afford to have the likes of Wormtail or Snape within this group. Not when the stakes are this high. It is a good thing that the Headmistress gave us an unlimited pass to the restricted section of the library. I was able to do a great deal of research that does not exactly have to do with the Horcruxes...
I think I may be onto something. I just hope I know what I'm doing. Some of the stuff I'm looking into belongs to the restricted section for a very good reason. Nothing concrete at the moment. Vague hints only. However, It just might be what I'm looking for. I'm not going to find it here, of course. Like the Horcrux, the things I'm looking into have no business being in a school. I would need a better source of information.
Finally, we ran out of time. Harry has to return to Privet Drive to renew the blood protection his mother left for him. He did not want to, of course, and I cannot blame him for that. But we have no choice. Professor Dumbledore's instructions were pretty clear. Though my own project requires a little more time, time is something we do not have. We will be leaving tonight.
Hermione Jane Ganger
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Hermione shut her diary with a sigh. She looked around the common room, empty now that most of the students had left for the summer. Her backpack was on the ground by her side, and she stuffed her diary into it, looking up towards the stairs leading to the boys' dormitory with an impatient huff. It was half-pass eleven already, and they had planned to leave at midnight. What were the boys doing?
She was debating if she should go up to their dormitory and hurry them up when a loud crash was heard from the stairs. Hermione could only sigh in expiration when she saw the reason for the commotion. Ron was spread out on the ground next to the stairs with his pack busted open beside him, and Harry looking down in amusement from halfway up the stairs, trying without much success to hide his grin.
"If you're done laughing at me…" Ron grumbled, picking himself up from the floor, and shoving the items he dropped back into his pack with wounded dignity.
"Sorry, mate." Harry gave up the fight and laughed, hopping down the remaining steps of the stairs to help. "But you must admit that you look rather funny on the floor like that. I had no idea that you miss Hermione so much that you would dive off the stairs to see her."
"I tripped!" Ron nearly screamed as his ears grew red. He pushed the last item into his pack with much greater force then needed, determinedly not looking in the direction of Hermione.
"You know, you don't have to do this..." Harry begin hesitantly, but was cut off by Hermione placing her finger on his lips before he could continue.
"We've been through this already, Harry. We're going with you, and that's that!" With a huff, she shouldered her pack. "I wouldn't leave you to deal with those... muggles alone!"
"Yeah, what she said." Ron said, as he too took his place beside Harry. "Besides, someone has to be there to keep you from going stir crazy if you only had her for company..."
"Thanks guy." Harry smiled gratefully. "I really appreciate that."
"No problem, mate. Anytime." Ron answered.
"Are you ready then?" Headmistress McGonagall appeared through the portrait hole, carrying a pot of floo power.
"Just about done, Professor." Hermione replied. "Is the floo connected?"
"Yes, for a one time trip only." The Headmistress made her way to the fireplace, the trio falling in steps behind her. "I'll be locking down the school for the summer after you are gone, so make sure that you have everything with you." She stopped beside the fireplace. "You remember the plan?"
"Yes, Professor. Floo to the Leaky Cauldron, then take the Knight Bus to Privet Drive." Hermione recited in one breath.
"Right. Make sure you follow the plan." She admonished, holding out the floo power.
"Let's go then." Harry said, grabbing a handful of the power and tossing it into the fireplace. "Last chance to back out."
"Just get going already. We'll see you on the other side." Hermione sighed, exasperated, before shoving Harry into the fireplace, leaving Him with just enough time to shout out his destination before spinning out of view. "Hopefully we'll see you for the new year, Professor."
"I'll do my best to make sure the school stays open." Headmistress McGonagall promised. Hermione nodded, before tunning to Ron.
"You next."
"What? Wait a minute! Ahh... Leaky Cauldron! Leaky Cauldrrrrrrooonnn...!" And Ron was gone, whipped away by the floo system.
"Goodbye, Professor. Stay safe." Hermione said before stepping into the fire herself.
"You too, child." McGonagall whispered, a tear in her eye.
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"Potter has moved. Get ready, Bella." Voldemort hissed as his eyes opened, untangling his mind from the link he shared with his cursed child nemesis. It has taken much effort to eavesdrop into his thoughts, and he could not gleam much, but what he did recover was more then enough.
"His location, my Lord?" Bellatrix asked from her position at the side of her Master, head reverently lowered.
"The Leaky Cauldron." Voldemort replied. "You should not encounter any difficulties there. Take Draco with you. It'll be a good lesson on how we operate."
"Of course, my Lord." Bellatrix agreed, bowing. "It'll be his honor, I'm sure."
"Go then. Bring back this... boy that is said would be my downfall."
"At once." Bellatrix bowed again, before moving out to collect her nephew for her mission.