Chapter 1 – Real Hero

"…THE ONE WITH THE POWER TO VANQUISH THE DARK LORD WILL BE BORN AS THE SEVENTH MONTH DIES…"

With one last harsh breath, Sibyl Trelawney's young translucent form swirled into the silver fluid of the pensieve. Albus Dumbledore watched the descending figure and let out a long sigh.

The prophecy.

It had once been his source of hope—a breath of life during dark times—but it had proved to be nothing but fruitless. Nineteen years had passed since his meeting with Miss Trelawney in that small room above the Hog's Head and Lord Voldemort still remained. Albus feared it would not be long before the entire wizarding world would be irrevocably changed.

He had dismissed the prophecy years ago, convincing himself it was worthless. That time had been wasted dwelling on it. That it was not the answer in defeating Voldemort. And yet, when he was feeling particularly hopeless, as he currently was, he found himself drawn to the prophecy made so long ago, marveling at the idea that someone was—no, could have been destined to destroy Tom Riddle. It was times like these that he found himself carefully watching Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom before he realized neither of these boys had been tied to any destiny…

The prophecy was worthless, he had to remember that. But he still couldn't help but hope for a savior, a chosen one who was destined to save them all.

"Where are you?" Albus murmured.

~sSsSsSsSsSsSsSs~

In another—yet familiar—world, Harry Potter was questioning his sanity.

He should have known this was going to be a bad idea—scratch that, he had known. He had just chosen to ignore the knowledge and now that a headache was forming he was beginning to regret it.

"Remind me again why you're doing this, Potter."

Harry stared at his former school rival. Why was Harry doing this? Something Dumbledore had said?—Choosing between right and easy? Yes, that was it…

"Because he's an idiot."

Or that. Not that he'd ever admit it out loud.

"Sod off, Ron," Harry quipped, looking around at the five others who surrounded him. "You lot know ruddy well why I'm doing this."

The group consisted of Harry's two best friends, one Luna Lovegood, and two former Slytherins. They were sitting around a front row table outside Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. It was a table Harry had adamantly avoided when he visited the parlor before his third year. Anyone who would have walked down Diagon Alley would have been sure to see him, but now Harry wanted to be seen. What good was a publicity stunt if it was done in the privacy of a dark corner?

"Ah, that's right," Draco Malfoy drawled. "Your golden boy sensibilities have you convinced you can change the wizarding world in the blink of an eye. How could I forget?"

Harry rolled his eyes at the familiar insult. If only it could be so easy.

"I can't believe I agreed to this," Blaise Zabini muttered. He slouched down into his seat as a group of curious witches passed by.

Next to Harry, Hermione shared a look of obvious irritation with Ron. "If you two want to be shunned for the rest of your lives," she said, "be my guest."

"Hermione…" Harry started.

"What? It's true."

"Don't get your robes in a twist, Granger," Zabini said lazily. "Draco and I are just not use to all this public attention."

"Speak for yourself, Zabini."

"Fine.I'm not used to this public attention. Draco, here, is not familiar with public adoration."

"This is hardly adoration," Malfoy scoffed. "Half of the people passing by look ready to hex us."

It was true. While the group was attracting a few curious glances, most people were just looking at them suspiciously. Yet instead of dampening Harry's spirits the suspicion fueled his cause. "Exactly," he said with conviction. "This is why this needs to be done."

Zabini slouched further down into his chair and groaned. "Why must you be so…optimistic?"

"Trust me," Ron snorted. "It's better than the alternative."

Harry rolled his eyes, but otherwise decided to ignore the two comments. Someone needed a positive outlook on life and surprisingly it had been him for the last year. Having the piece of Voldemort's soul removed had been an instant mood lifter. His friends had been thrilled…for the most part.

"Oooooh look!" Luna chimed in with wide eyes. "That man over there is taking pictures of us."

Harry turned and saw a man pointing a camera in their direction. A moment later, a cloud of purple smoke appeared, indicating that a picture had been taken. "That's the point, Luna," he said, grinning. "Now we just need to look like we're getting along."

"Is it not enough we're eating ice cream together?" Zabini said bemused. "This practically screams friendship."

"It might help if you looked like were actually enjoying yourself," Harry said lightly. "And it probably wouldn't hurt if Ron and Malfoy stopped glaring at each other." He kicked Ron underneath the table for good measure.

"Ow!" Ron cried, "okay, okay!"

Malfoy began to snigger, but immediately stopped when Harry shot him a look. "Old habits die hard," he said, shrugging.

'If not at all,' Harry thought dryly.

"Seriously Potter," Zabini said, eyeing another group of passersby. "I don't think this is going to work. Hogwarts was one thing, but…"

"But what?" Harry challenged tiredly. They had been over this a hundred times already. "I'm telling you it will work. It worked before and it will work again."

Zabini didn't say anything; he only exchanged a skeptical look with Malfoy, Ron, and Hermione. A surge of annoyance shot through Harry and his patience snapped.

"Oh come on!" he said. "If I would have known defeating Voldemort would change nothing—"

"Then you wouldn't have bothered coming back," Hermione said over him, reciting his thoughts perfectly. "We know, Harry. We all remember."

"The problem is in the forgetting really," Ron said, and when Harry glared at him, he shrugged. "Sorry mate, but I've heard that speech at least fifty times."

"Speaking of your little speech," Malfoy said. "Are you ever going to bother telling us what it means? Because it still sounds as if you're claiming you died."

"Oh for Merlin's sake," Harry muttered underneath his breath. Not this again.

It was one of those things Harry had regretted saying and leave it to Hermione to recite his words perfectly. 'His speech' had been originally given well into October last year, when Harry's frustrations had been running at an all time high. The first few weeks of his 'eighth' year had been unbearable. First and second years followed him around in hordes. People constantly stared at him. The Slytherins were being hexed and isolated by the rest of the student body. And in turn, the Slytherins were nasty to everyone else…

Nothing had changed.

His efforts against Voldemort had seemed so pointless. Yes, he had known future lives had been saved, but normal everyday life at Hogwarts had felt the same. Harry had become sullen and irritable until, one day, it hit him. Voldemort's defeat could only change so much. Real change came from something else entirely.

So after much thought and a rather lengthy chat with the Sorting Hat, Harry crossed the Great Hall and had dinner at the Slytherin table. It was a few weeks later, when a tentative alliance had been formed between the returning eighth years, that Harry had spoken those words out of frustration. No one seemed to understand why he was so adamant that everyone got along, that their example would encourage their younger peers to do the same.

He had thought his words had been played out nicely, but Malfoy had jumped to conclusions…which happened to be the truth and Harry had not dared shared it with anyone besides Ron or Hermione. He didn't think the whole 'I was one of Voldemort's Horcruxes and came back from the dead' thing would go over well. It had stayed a secret among the trio, but Malfoy had remained annoyingly curious...

"Don't be thick," Ron said, coming to Harry's rescue. "Of course Harry didn't die. We all know he meant returning to Hogwarts."

"Or so he says," Malfoy said.

"Well I'm clearly alive," Harry said mildly. "Besides, that is hardly the point."

"I think it's an excellent point," Zabini said. "You want us to play mates, but you have yet to regale us with your heroic tale."

"And it won't be done today," Harry said glibly. 'Or ever,' he mentally added. The two Slytherins knew the basics and as far as he was concerned, that was good enough.

"You can't keep it a secret forever."

"Try me."

"Come on, Potter," Malfoy whined. "I thought allies shared secrets or at least how one survives a Killing Curse."

"Here we go again," said Harry, exhaling loudly. "I already told you, I didn't—"

"Don't tell me you didn't! My own mother and father saw it with their own eyes. That spell hityou square in the chest!"

"Look," he said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "The point of today is not to discuss the logistics of something I once said or how I may or may not have survived some spell. The point of today is to demonstrate to the wider wizarding world that civil relationships can be formed regardless of past histories and beliefs."

"And we are doing a fantastic job of it," Hermione said sarcastically.

Harry frowned slightly. They had done a fantastic job of it. Despite a rocky start, their efforts had been a relative success at Hogwarts. He had actually been shocked when so many of the group seemed resistant to the idea of publicly hanging out outside of Hogwarts. There was a reason the group today only consisted of six people rather than the usual twenty something.

"We can do this," Harry said firmly. "I know it was easier at Hogwarts when no one but the younger students were looking at us, but we have least got to try."

"Of course we'll try," Luna said. "That's why we're here. We just want to make sure you understand it's going to more difficult out here. The Wrackspurts are everywhere, after all."

"I—what?"

"Wrackspurts," Luna repeated. "I've told you about them before. The wards around Hogwarts help guard against them so they don't interfere with our learning too much, but out here, they're everywhere. It will just take longer to get through to everyone."

Harry stared at Luna for a moment and then he couldn't help it, he grinned. He had long ago decided that Luna may have a point with her odd views. "Of course," he said, ignoring the exchanged looks between the other four. "Wrackspurts—that makes sense."

Luna smiled encouragingly at him.

"Right, so that just means there is more work to be done," Harry said. "So are you lot going to help me or not?" He looked pointedly at everyone but Luna.

Hermione and Ron muttered, "Of course," Zabini nodded his head once, and Malfoy just sighed, "Anything for the chosen one."

And despite the sarcasm, Harry was grateful. "Wonderful then."

But no one else seemed to share his sentiments. Ron and Hermione shared yet another look, Malfoy rolled his eyes, Zabini took his turn to sigh, and Luna was looking at him with a cocked head. The group fell into a silence and Harry couldn't help but wonder if Ron was right.

Maybe he really was an idiot.

But was it really too much to ask for civility? Harry wasn't dimwitted enough to believe everyone would make up and hug after the war, but he could barely stomach blind prejudices. Not against Muggles and Muggleborns, nor against Purebloods and Slytherins.

Harry may be an idiot, but he knew what he was doing was right

"So why'd you go see George this morning?" Ron asked, bringing Harry out of his thoughts.

"Oh, uh—what?" Harry started, caught off guard. He routinely met up with George for business reasons, but it was to be kept a secret from the rest of the Weasley's, including Ron. It was his stipulation for his continued investment in Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. "How'd you know about that?"

Ron shrugged. "Mum said so. You know how she checks on him."

"Right. Of course. I was just there for some bruise remover…That's all."

Ron seemed pacified, but out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Malfoy and Zabini exchange a smirk. Harry no longer had only Hermione to fool; he now had a slew of Slytherins that were quite deft at catching him in a lie. There were others, of course, like Ginny, Luna, and Neville, but they tended to confront Harry privately or in Luna's case, not at all. Come to think of it, Ron wasn't even as oblivious as he used to be…

Harry took a bite of ice cream, hoping the conversation would go else where, but knew he wouldn't be so lucky when he saw Hermione's expression.

"Harry Potter," she said. "If you're keeping something from us, I swear to—"

"I'm not!" Harry said indignantly.

"Yes and my name's Neville Longbottom," Malfoy drawled, amused.

"No, it's not," Luna said.

"It was a joke, Luna," Hermione explained impatiently.

"Am I not allowed to joke back?"

Ron chuckled and Harry couldn't help but grin as Hermione crossed her arms and pursed her lips. His grin faltered when she suddenly glared at him. "I swear Harry. You're becoming worse than Dumbledore."

"What!" He sputtered out. He was not!

"Merlin, let's hope not," Ron said.

"And for once I agree with a Weasley," Malfoy said, shuttering.

Harry rolled his eyes despite his previous indignation. "For once? You say that every time you agree with Ron—oh get over it," he added when both Ron and Malfoy gave him horrified looks. "You two agree all of the time."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Potter."

"Nor do I," Ron added, his nose wrinkled in disgust.

"So you both agree that you have no idea what I'm talking about?" Harry asked innocently.

Ron and Malfoy glared at him. "I'm not falling for that one again," Ron grumbled.

"Shame."

Hermione was shaking her head in amusement. "This is exactly what I'm talking about Harry. You are turning into Dumbledore."

"I am not!"

"You know, Granger. I think you're on to something," Zabini said thoughtfully. "The secrets for one..."

"What secrets?" Harry said in exasperation. "There are no secrets!"

"Speaking in riddles..." Ron added.

"When? Name one time!"

"Playing games so everyone gets along..." Malfoy said, his eyes still narrowed.

"One time—one time—that hardly counts!"

"And the Wrackspurts," Luna said cheerfully.

"Well I don't know about that one," Hermione muttered under her breath.

"You lot are off your rockers," Harry shot back. "I'm nothing like Dumbledore," He said it because it was true, but the others were just looking at him with arched brows, including Luna who didn't even have eyebrows. He didn't know whether he should be offended or…

"Well I'm not," he mumbled.

The group exchanged yet another look, but Harry barely caught it before his attention was grabbed by something else—a flash a flames in his periphery. He automatically turned towards it and saw a phoenix perched on the roof of Fortescue's. "Fawkes!" he called out, surprised and delighted.

"Of course," Hermione said, "how did we forget Fawkes?"

"No clue," Ron replied, "but we'll add him to the list."

"There is no list," Harry told the group before turning around and yelling, "Fawkes!" once more. While Harry wouldn't claim Fawkes was his pet, the phoenix did seem to spend an extraordinary amount of time with him. He had recently purchased a perch for Grimmauld Place for the bird to use when he visited. It had been a few days since Harry had seen him, however.

Fawkes let out a melodic cry, expanded his wings, and glided towards the group. Harry smiled fondly as he watched Fawkes fly towards him, until he was startled by cries of panic.

"POTTER!"

"HARRY!"

"Wha—"Harry started in alarm, but the words died in his throat the moment he turned around. A ball of blinding light was expanding from the middle of the table and before he had a chance to react—to even think—the light engulfed him and he was falling—not the short distance to the ground, but through an endless sky with the sounds of panic fading away. It ended only moments later when Harry landed with soft thud.