Redefining Hogwarts

by Loralee

beta by Skeptic7

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

Chapter 4

Harry came back to the tower to find Ron, Neville, Hermione and Ginny all standing outside the portrait.

"What's going on?" he asked, glancing around the hall.

"We wanted to wait for you," said Ginny.

"You know there's going to questions when we go in," said Ron.

"Did that Auror or Madam Bones tell you anything?" asked Neville.

Harry shrugged and said, "Not anything more than you already knew."

Hermione looked from Harry to Neville. "What did Neville already know?" she asked.

"Neville knew that I told Madam Bones about Umbridge the week before we came back to school," said Harry.

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "So that's how they knew what questions to ask," she murmured.

"Yeah, now lets get in before McGonagall comes to let us out, and finds us out here instead of in there where we are supposed to be," said Harry with amusement in his voice.

"To late, Mr. Potter," came the voice of Professor McGonagall. "I should take points for not obeying instructions, but I suppose I will let it go this time."

"Thank you, Professor," they said in chorus.

"In you go," she said.

The common room was full of loudly talking students, until they noticed first Harry and then McGonagall coming in.

"The Aurors have left, and you are all free to go about your own pursuits for rest of the day," said McGonagall. "Let us not forget our outstanding course work in the mist of the gossip."

"Professor," called Jane Freeman, the seventh year Prefect, "Can you tell us just what that was all about?"

McGonagall's lips compressed into a thin line, and she said, "Madam Umbridge has been arrested because of a complaint by a student of inappropriate behavior during detentions given last year. The Department of Magical Law Enforcement wished to corroborate the complaint by questioning all those who had detentions with her to see if any other students were ... affected."

"Eww are you saying she touched-- eww that's just sick," said Seamus.

"Mr. Finnegan, please, remove your mind from the gutter. She forced several students to write lines with a blood quill. A quill specifically designed for contracts, and not an appropriate way to punish children," snapped McGonagall. Harry repressed a shudder, and shook his head to force the images from his mind. Just the thought would give him nightmares.

McGonagall turned away muttering, "That boy, of all the things he could have asked."

The volume in the common room rose, and Harry turned to Ron, "I'm going to get my broom, I need to fly," and pelted up the stairs.

In the Staff Room after curfew:

"You've all been made aware of what happened this morning. I fear that we have failed in our responsibilities, if these children did not feel they could come to a teacher about this abuse," said Dumbledore from the head of the table.

There were upraised voices around the table, and Dumbledore held up his hand for quiet. "Please, may we do this in an orderly fashion, Minerva?"

"Headmaster, I looked over the detention records this afternoon, and discovered all of the students personally targeted by that woman were muggleborn or half-blood. She sent the pureblood students to Mr. Filch for their detentions," said McGonagall.

"We knew she was bigoted, Min," said Sprout.

"I believe that we should look in to our overall detention practices, " said Flitwick.

"What do you mean, Filius?" asked Dumbledore.

"My Mr. Rosen was quite surprised that there was anything wrong with that woman's use of that quill. Apparently he's scrubbed his fingers bloody several times cleaning cauldrons. He said the quill wasn't really any more painful than that and at least he could still write his essays," said Flitwick glaring at Snape. Snape sneered back.

"If Rosen would contain his inane chatter during my class, he wouldn't have to scrub his fingers bloody," drawled Snape.

"We are not here to point fingers," said Dumbledore, "but to find a solution to the matter at hand."

"If we cannot punish the miscreants, then we will have chaos," said Snape.

"I've always said that inflicting physical trauma upon a child is not a suitable punishment," said Poppy Pomfrey, "I've treated children who couldn't raise their arms after spending hours polishing the trophy room, children with boils or open sores from processing potion ingredients without gloves, children with puncture wounds from trimming tangle vines, bites and scratches from tending Hagrid's animals, and of course those are only the ones who actually come to me. Children like Rosen, Towers and Potter wouldn't come on their own if you paid them."

"Potter," snarled Snape.

"About Potter, Minerva, Mr. Finch-Fletchley was under the impression that Mr. Potter had complained to you about those detentions," said Pomona interrupting Snape's tirade. All the heads swiveled to stare at her.

"Harry did complain about being give an undeserved detention," said McGonagall with a sigh. "Just after the first DADA class. I told him that there was nothing I could do, and to keep his head down. He never told me what he had to do during his detentions however. He had more with her than all the rest of the students put together."

Snape snorted and said, "You told Potter, that bloody, arrogant, insufferable gryffindor to keep his head down. That obnoxious brat couldn't keep his head down if his life depended on it. He's probably the one who went whining to Bones. Well I am not going to allow those little idiots to run riot in my classroom. My detentions will continue to be as painful and disgusting as I can make them."

"That's enough, Severus," said Dumbledore.

"No, I don't think it is, Headmaster. It's obvious that this is Potter's doing. It's the only thing that explains your over reaction, everyone knows that you favor him over the rest of the school," snarled Snape, face flushing.

The other teachers watched open mouthed and barely breathing, as Dumbledore stared at Snape over the rim of his glasses with an unreadable expression, until Snape dropped his gaze, paling. Then the Headmaster looked around the table. "Do the rest of you feel that way, as well?" he asked quietly.

There were a few nods, and some head shaking. Flitwick glanced around at the other teachers and finally said, "A few years ago I would have agreed, Albus, but last year you virtually ignored Mr. Potter. You've allowed his name to be slandered, time and again, both here in the school and by the press. I certainly didn't believed the remedial potions excuse for the extra lessons you allowed Severus to give the boy, an excuse that allowed others to taunt him, by the way, and I could certainly see the toll that put on him. That's not the actions of someone playing favorites. You've always allowed Severus to be harder on Mr. Potter than any other student, and I've never understood why you didn't allow Minerva to make the lad a prefect last year. He's a natural leader." There were grumbles of agreement, and Snape flushed again.

Dumbledore sighed and nodded, "You're quite right," he gazed around the table at the gathered staff. "I-- There is a prophecy that Mr. Potter will be the one to defeat Voldemort," there were gasps around the table. Snape's head snapped up to stare at Dumbledore, and Flitwick, Sprout and McGonagall exchanged long looks. "I am not at liberty to disclose the full contents, but Mr. Potter is the chosen one. I have recently had my nose rubbed in the fact that I have made a good many mistakes in my dealing with Harry Potter. I cannot correct those mistakes, but I can try to work with him as an equal and make no mistake Mr. Potter is my equal in power. I believe it is our duty to teach him everything we can, to aid him in the work he must do."

"So you're going to allow his clandestine group to continue to meet and encourage special treatment," asked Snape incredulously.

"Yes, I am," stated Dumbledore firmly.

As the others began to discuss how they might help Harry Potter, Snape sat sullenly in his chair.

IIIIIII

Harry came down the stairs Sunday morning, a little after nine, ready to have a big breakfast and then help with Quidditch try outs.

"Potter, what the hell did you do to the little Weasley?" asked Katie Bell.

Harry looked around the common room for Ginny, but didn't see her. "I didn't do anything, is she all right?" he asked.

Katie sighed, "She said she didn't think you'd be comfortable with her on the team, so she's not going to play this year."

"What?" asked Harry in shock. He shook his head. "We need her."

"That's what I told her. Find her Harry, talk sense into her before I beat you with your own broom, and have her on the pitch ready to help at Eleven," demanded Katie.

"All right, do you know where she is?" he asked. Katie shook her head. "Well, will you check her dorm?"

"Oh, she isn't up there, she left with camera boy, but I don't know where they were going," she told him.

He went back to the dorm for the map, and saw they were in the courtyard. He decided to carry his broom with him in case he didn't have time to come back for it, and hoped he'd actually have time to eat.

Ginny and Colin were sitting on a bench in the courtyard with their wands out and charm's text books in their laps.

"Hey, Colin, Ginny" called Harry, "Can I talk to you?"

"Hi, Harry, wow is that the new Mark 2?" asked Colin excitedly.

"Yeah, it is," he thought for minute, "would you like to try it?"

Colin's eyes widened, and Harry thought his head might fall off from the force of his nods. Harry handed off the broom, and said, "Better go over in the grass." Colin took the broom reverently and hurried into the side yard.

Harry watched him for a moment, and then turned to Ginny, and said softly, "I need to talk to you."

She smiled slightly, "Must be pretty important to let him try your new broom."

Harry shrugged, and watched Colin, "He's not so bad when he doesn't have that bloody camera in my face." He turned to her, "Why don't you want to play Quidditch?"

She blushed and turned her head away, "I thought maybe it would be uncomfortable for you to have me right there. My healer said I needed to make my own friends, and not hang around Ron's so much. I'm spending time with my dorm mates and Colin, and we're studying for OWL's."

He watched her for a long moment until she turned back toward him, and then asked, "So you don't really like Quidditch, you only played to get close to me?"

"What? No I love Quidditch, I-- oh," she said.

Harry raised an eyebrow, and said, "It would bother me a lot more for you to give up something you like, you know? I do think of you as a friend Ginny. If you need to not play for you, then that's okay but not if it's for me."

She nodded, and said, "I understand Harry," then a sly smile broke out, and she said, "So can I try that broom too?"

"Yeah sure, if it means Katie won't beat me to death with it. Hey is that Creevey's camera?" he pointed to the device on the bench. Ginny nodded, and with a laugh picked it up, and snapped a couple shots of Colin on the broom.

After a few moments, Colin came back to earth and Ginny said, "I have to go change and get my broom for the Quidditch try outs, Colin are you coming up?"

"I'll meet you there, and watch," he said. She nodded, and ran back up to the castle. Harry started to excuse himself to breakfast, but stopped and turned to Colin who was gathering up Ginny's and his things.

"Say, Colin, are you serious about Ginny?" he asked.

Colin straightened, and looked Harry in the eye. "I'm serious about being her friend," he cocked his head to one side, "I know what happened to her, I thought you weren't interested?" he questioned.

Harry smiled tightly, and his eyes seemed to glow. "I love her like a sister, Colin," he said softly, "I wouldn't ever want to see her hurt."

Colin Creevey blinked, and swallowed with a suddenly dry mouth. "I wouldn't want that either. Anyone who hurts her would deserve to have something bad happen to them," he said.

Harry's smile widened and warmed, "I'm glad we agree," he said with clap to Colin's shoulder.

"Uh, Harry? That was pretty scary, would you give me pointers when my sister comes to Hogwarts next year?" asked Colin with a little bounce.

Harry couldn't help but laugh, "Sure, no problem." He glanced at his watch and sighed, "Well I guess I'll just get over to the pitch, looks like no breakfast for me."

There was a pop, and Dobby appeared, holding a glass of juice and three bacon sandwiches. "Dobby has brought ma-- Mr. Harry Potter sir his breakfast," said the little elf with a wide smile.

"Thanks Dobby," said Harry as he tucked his broom under one arm to accepted the food, and the happy elf popped away with a bounce.

The tryouts went well, with Ginny on the team, they only needed one chaser and one beater. Harry suggested recruiting a reserve seeker, but Katie went with a reserve chaser instead, with plans to substitute Ginny in Harry's place if needed.

Harry entered the Great Hall for dinner flushed from the exercise, collar unbuttoned, and his hair a rumpled mess, never noticing the appreciative eyes following his every move. He did feel the overtly hostile glare from Snape at the Staff Table, and ignored it with a perverse sense of satisfaction.

Harry chatted with his friends enjoying his meal, until he caught the flash of his shield charm being triggered. He glanced around sharply for the perpetrator, but could find no one paying special attention to him. Malfoy had his back to him.

"What is it?" asked Neville.

"Someone just triggered my shield charm again," said Harry softly.

Hermione leaned in close to Harry, and said, "The first time could have been an accident, but second time is more likely an attack."

Harry nodded slightly in agreement. He glanced up at the Head table, and wondered briefly if he should mention it to Dumbledore, but decided not to until he had some sort of proof. The spell had to be minor, low power jinxes for the embedded shield charm to stop them completely, and he didn't feel as if there were any spells affecting him. He'd scan himself once he reached the common room to check. Basic First Aid for Non Healers had several very good diagnostic spells that were used to identify spell damage for removal.

Hermione had taught him the shield charm she'd used on the necklace, so he didn't have to bother her to replace it. He went up to bed early that night to do the spell work behind the curtains of his bed. When he'd finished the necklace he thought for a moment, and pulled out the box of plain gold bracelets he'd removed from his family vault that summer. He removed five from the box, and began the spell work to embed a shield charm into each of them, then he added a poison detection charm from one of the advance DADA books he'd gotten from Neville's cousin that summer. He made a mental note to write to the Ministry about a portkey license. If and when he could do that he'd add a permanent portkey to the bracelets as well.

When all five were done, Harry set them aside and with a yawn put out the light. He did his Occlumency exercises, and drifted to sleep comforted by the thought of taking care of his friends.

IIIIIIIII

Harry caught up with Hermione in the common room and stopped her with a hand on her arm. "Hermione I found these in my vault, and put a shield charm and a poison detection charm on them. Will you wear one?" he asked, holding out the plain gold band to Hermione.

She blushed with pleasure and reached out to take it from his fingers said, "Of course I will Harry, thank you." There was a flash of light, and Harry jerked his head only to see Colin Creevey holding his camera. He grimaced and blinked, then said, "Brilliant, see you at breakfast, I want to try to catch Luna this morning. You can tell Ron I have one for him and Gin," as Hermione slid the bracelet on to her wrist. He hurried away never noticing the puzzled look on Hermione's face as the band resized itself to her wrist, and now showed the crest of the House of Potter.

He nearly ran into Neville in the corridor outside of the common room, and seeing no one else in sight said, "Hey Nev, I've got something for you." He held out the bracelet, and Neville's eyes grew wide as he looked first at the bangle, and then into Harry's face. Harry laughed at the look, and said, "It doesn't mean I want to date you."

"Merlin!," said Neville, and dragged him into a nearby classroom. "Of course I'll wear your sigil, but are you sure this is the right time?"

"Er, my what?" asked Harry confused. Neville sank onto a chair with a groan.

"You don't know what that is?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Muggle raised, remember, Gran didn't say anything about, er, what was the word sigil?"

Neville took a deep breath, and said, "Okay, first where did you get that?"

Harry frowned at the band in his hand. "I got a whole box of them from my vault, I put a shield charm and poison detect on them, hoping to keep my friends safe," he said.

Neville nodded. "In the old days a king or other ruler would give a sigil, an emblem of his protection, to his vassals, his sworn followers, usually in a commendation ceremony so that everyone could recognize them. I've already sworn to you, Harry so I'd be happy to wear your sigil."

Harry blinked, and said in a faint voice, "Sworn followers?" at Neville's puzzled nod, he went on, "I already gave one to Hermione, she's going to kill me."

"No, she won't, but I think you should probably explain it to her before someone sees it," said Neville with a grin.

"So how do we do this ceremony?" asked Harry.

Neville stood then dropped to one knee, and reached out for the bracelet Harry held, as his fingers took a hold he said, "I Neville reaffirm my allegiance to Harry Potter Black, and will wear his sigil with honor." There was a white flash of light, and Neville rose, and slipped the band onto his right wrist where it resized itself, and the crest of the House of Potter appeared.

"Damn, I thought that Colin had taken a picture, but it was the magic instead," said Harry. Neville pulled open the door to the classroom, but instead of exiting hissed at someone in the hall. A few moments later, Hermione, Ron and Ginny were standing there staring at Harry, while Neville shut the door, a huge grin on his face.

"Harry, is there something you'd like to tell me about this?" demanded Hermione, sticking her fist under Harry's nose.

"Er, oh yeah, um, you see, I didn't realize, I mean I only wanted to keep you safe. I didn't mean to--" sputtered Harry. He fell silent as Hermione smiled and gave him a hug.

"Thank you Harry," she said.

"Harry can release you if that's what you want, Hermione," said Neville softly.

"I can?" asked Harry.

"He can?" asked Hermione at the same time. They looked at each other, and laughed then Hermione continued, "No, that isn't necessary, but I do want a explanation of what all is involved."

"Basically you've pledged your loyalty and support to Harry. To serve his needs, and fight for his banner. He in turn has pledged to protect and support you," said Neville.

She huffed a bit, "Well I would do that anyway."

Ron and Ginny looked at each other, and then both knelt before Harry and drew their wands.

"You don't have to do this," said Harry.

Ron shrugged slightly and said with a grin, "We Weasley's are already sworn, Harry, just not formally. Dad and Ginny both owe you life debts, and Dad has accepted your coin. I, Ronald Bilius Weasley swear my loyalty to Harry James Potter," Harry held out the gold band, and Ron touched it, "and will wear your sigil with honor." He stood and slid the band onto his wrist.

Harry turned his attention to Ginny, "Gin?" he asked as he held out another bracelet.

She grinned at him, "I, Ginevra Molly Weasley swear my loyalty to Harry James Potter, and will wear your sigil with honor." He helped her to her feet, and she gave him a hug. "Thank you Harry, for forgiving me," she said.

He shook his head, "There was nothing to forgive, you were ill, Gin, now you're well." He blinked a couple of times, trying to convince himself that it was the flashes of bright magic that had caused his eyes to water.

After a few moment he pulled himself together, and looked at his smiling friends. "I made one for Luna too, should I offer it, do you think?" he asked.

"Do you trust her?" asked Hermione.

"Of course, "said Harry immediately.

"Then I think she'd be offended if you didn't," said Hermione.

"Can we eat now?" asked Ron plaintively.