Chapter 1
Harry blinked his eyes and centered himself. What was going on?
"Well, do you want my help finding the proper sort of friends or not?!"
Harry looked around and took stock of himself. Everything in its place? Check. Wand? Check. Ron, Hermione, and Neville in the compartment? Check. Malfoy and goons? Unfortunately… check.
He didn't know how he had appeared to travel back to his first ride to Hogwarts, but since he was going to do it again, he was gonna do things right.
Harry stuck out his hand for Malfoy to take.
The soon to be Slytherin grabbed hold and they shook. Ron was almost apoplectic with rage at the whole idea of his new friend shaking the hand of his sworn enemy. Hermione looked troubled and Neville… well, he was merely confused.
Not letting go of Malfoy's hand, Harry pulled him in close.
"I know who your true 'Master' is Draco. I also know who your father puts his lot in with. And I want no part of it!"
Pulling back a bit, Harry cocked his free hand and yanked hard on Draco's arm. Letting his fist fly, he buried it at least several centimeters into the boy's gut.
Draco's face immediately went red and then white as he fought to breathe. Falling back allowed Harry to close the compartment door. Whipping out his wand, he put all his power into a spell.
"Colloportus!"
He re-took his seat and closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, he found his past (or was it future) friends staring at him in wonder. Hermione was again looking troubled, but Ron and Neville looked positively gleeful.
"Harry, you're going to…" started Hermione.
"Be in my good book forever for that stunt." Finished Ron.
The suddenly popular Harry Potter looked at Hermione.
"I know that you have read 'Hogwarts: A History' a dozen or so times already so far haven't you?"
Hermione looked embarrassed as she mumbled "Two dozen.".
"Tell me, is there any rule that forbids the use of magic on the Express?"
"According to the bylaws of Hogwarts, it is to be used for defensive purposes or studying only."
"Good. That's exactly what I needed to find out."
"Find out what Harry?" asked Neville.
"Anybody ever hear of the Fidelius Charm?... put your hand down Hermione and give others a chance to excel at something."
Chagrined, she put her hand down before it was even half way up.
Ron shook his head and simply stated 'No'. Neville on the other hand looked as though he were trying to remember something.
"It has to do with keeping secrets, doesn't it Harry?"
"Indeed it does. It is the concealment of a specific secret within a living soul. Difficult to pull off, but the result is that unless the secret-keeper voluntarily gives up the secret, even Veritaserum and Legilimency won't find it."
His three friends were amazed at the thought.
"For example: if we cast the charm to hide the existence of this cabin on the train, as long as we remained inside of it, nobody and I do mean nobody, not even Professor Dumbledore himself could find us. Even if his crooked nose were pressed up to the outside window looking in."
Hermione was outraged at Harry's 'crooked nose' comment.
Seeing that she was about to fly off the handle, Harry looked at her pointedly.
"He is a great Headmaster, Hermione. Possibly the best ever to grace the halls of Hogwarts. He is even considered the most powerful wizard in centuries. But you are forgetting something rather important."
Calming a bit, Hermione asked the million Galleon question.
"And what is that?"
"Ever hear the saying 'To err is human'?"
"Yes."
"Do you all see what I am getting at?"
Though they did not answer him directly, Harry saw looks of understanding dawn upon their faces.
"To make my point, I must ask you all to do something for me. I ask this of you three because I trust you. And I will tell you everything, if you agree to my condition."
Seeing their collective nods, he continued.
"Ron and Neville, I would like for the two of you to explain to Hermione what the differences are between a wizard's oath and a blood oath."
Ron had an inkling of what Harry was going to ask of them. So he began.
"A wizard's oath is a verbal promise, sealed by the magic of their wand to do whatever is asked of them. Should they fail, depending on the circumstances, the consequences can be as simple as being unable to speak for a while to losing your ability to perform magic of any type."
Neville, as forgetful as he was understood what was going on.
"And the blood oath is much the same except that the promise is sealed in the giver's blood and not by their wand. The result of breaking a blood oath is very severe."
Hermione looked horrified. Yet she asked any way.
"What are the consequences for breaking such an oath?"
Neville looked at her pointedly.
"You'll die." He said in a small voice.
Hermione was white as a sheet, but looking resolute.
"What could be so horrible that you would ask us to do either of those?"
Harry pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration as he closed his eyes.
"I'll give you a sample of what I am asking of you." Turning to Neville, he spoke.
"Have we ever met before today? Even if it was just passing by on the street?"
Neville thought for a moment before answering… "No."
"I must ask your forgiveness for revealing a painful secret of yours, but I must do it."
"If things are as serious as you are claiming, then you are forgiven."
Steeling himself, Harry spoke again.
"Please tell us how and why your parents are in the long term care ward of St. Mungo's Hospital."
White-faced, Neville nodded and answered.
"It was several years ago. They were at home with me since I was a baby at the time. Although I was there, I don't personally know what happened. My gran said that three of You-know-who's followers broke into our house and tortured my parents with the Cruciatus Curse. It was held on them so long that they were driven insane."
Ron and Hermione were sharing pained looks. Being that she was a girl, Hermione got up from her seat and hugged Neville tightly.
"Ron, since you were raised in the wizarding world, you tell her what that curse is and does."
Ron was looking rather peaked, but nodded his assent.
"The Cruciatus Curse is very simply a spell that causes massive amounts of pain. There is no reason for a spell like that to even be used. That is why it is called an 'Un-forgivable'."
She didn't know whether to be horrified or interested in that she was learning something new.
Harry then focused his gaze on Ron.
"Ron, when you were like 4 or 5 years old, you broke Fred's first broom. He retaliated by transfiguring your favorite teddy-bear into a large spider. You have been afraid of them ever since."
Pale, and a little green around the gills, Ron nodded his head.
Continuing his profound revelations, Harry turned to Hermione.
"We've never met before today either have we?"
"No."
"Then how would I know that your biggest fear is failing at anything? Especially a homework assignment?"
Comprehension dawned on her first. Before she could even open her mouth, Harry charged right in.
"If you want to know how I know these things, give me either oath you wish. I say this to all of you. There are going to be some changes in the way things happen. If any of you wish not to know what I am about to reveal, I will obliviate you with the memory charm and then you will find another place to sit."