The group was sitting at one of the long tables in the Hall, the Gryffindor table, surrounded by rich reds and gorgeous gold. Harry was still floating on the after effects of his flying. He had gone easy for him and was looking forward to when he could test if he had retained his ability to do air gymnastics using his broom. It would be fun. It had been too long since he had done flips or somersaults of any kind. And because of how his health stood at the moment, Harry knew he would have to work to get back to his normal ability.
"James, how much free time do you get?" Harry asked, already starting to plan his year, never mind that he didn't even have a timetable yet. He would get it soon, and if he worked hard this year he could have plenty of free time. Sometime on the last year he had uncovered a talent for learning close to Hermione's. He wasn't a genius, but he was better than he had been, once he got over his sense of inferiority and realised that yes, he could actually do this. And his spells were always strong once he got the hang of casting them. He still had trouble with non verbal spells, but he figured he just needed to apply himself a bit more.
"This year, not much. Our teachers will be giving us a lot of work in preparation for the NEWT's at the end of the year. Plus if you make the Quidditch team, even less time due to practice and games. Why?" James looked across at Harry, who smiled back at him.
"I just wanted to know, I would like to know what else I can fit in. Are we allowed to go outside of the curriculum?" Harry tapped the table as he thought. With Hermione to help with as in do his homework, he should be able to do all the study on other areas he wanted, as well as work at his broom skills. He'd need to start on the ground again, though. It was time to 'discover' the Room of Requirement.
"Mr Granger, Miss Granger, Mr West, Miss West," Professor McGonagall cleared her throat behind the group at the table.
"Yes, Professor?" Harry asked feeling quite pleased with himself for not jumping or screaming in a very girl-like manner. Hermione noticed and giggled slightly. Professor McGonagall, having had experience with the Marauders, was immediately suspicious but settled for giving Harry a disapproving look.
"I have your timetables. As we are not sure what level you are at, they may be subject to change within the first few weeks if you find them too difficult. Your uniforms are on your beds and your first classes will be second period today. First period every Monday will be a study period for all of you. I'll see you in Transfiguration," McGonagall handed out the sheets of paper and walked stiffly away, as Harry blinked twice and Hermione huffed.
"Find them too difficult? Too difficult? How dare she imply that I could find something too DIFFICULT!" Hermione screeched her voice gradually rising till it was shrill and impossibly loud. Several students turned to look at her.
"Hermione, you're making a scene," Harry said calmly, although he too was feeling insulted. He might find things hard, but he always did at the beginning of the year. He wondered if that was going to be the reaction of all the teachers that year. It would sincerely annoy him if it was. Thinking that they were not as well educated as the other students just because they weren't there in the previous years! He would make sure that they all realised that they were just as smart – no, smarter than – all of the students there.
"Making a scene Harry? Are you trying to tell me that I am not entitled to feel outraged that it has just been implied that I am stupid?" Hermione asked with a deadly calm. Harry flinched. When his Uncle had gone that calm it had always meant bad news for him.
"No, Hermione. I'm saying you should instead put more effort into proving her wrong that shrieking about it. After all, me, Ron and Ginny all know that you could probably take the NEWT's now and pass. Come on, we need to change into our uniforms, and then we can lounge about till our first class. What is our first class?" Harry checked his timetable, which showed the following:
Monday:
Period One: Study
Period Two: Potions with Slytherin
Period Three: Healing
Period Four: HoM with Hufflepuff
Period Five: Transfiguration with Slytherin
Period Six: Transfiguration with Slytherin
Tuesday:
Period One: DADA with Ravenclaw
Period Two: Potions with Slytherin
Period Three: Charms with Ravenclaw
Period Four: HoM with Hufflepuff
Period Five: Study
Period Six: Healing
Wednesday:
Period One: Transfiguration with Slytherin
Period Two: Charms with Ravenclaw
Period Three: Charms with Ravenclaw
Period Four: HoM with Hufflepuff
Period Five: Potions with Slytherin
Period Six: DADA with Ravenclaw
Thursday:
Period One: DADA with Ravenclaw
Period Two: Transfiguration with Hufflepuff
Period Three: Study
Period Four: Potions with Slytherin
Period Five: Charms with Ravenclaw
Period Six:
Friday:
Period One: HoM with Hufflepuff
Period Two: Charms with Ravenclaw
Period Three: Healing
Period Four: Transfiguration with Slytherin
Period Five: DADA with Ravenclaw
Period Six: Study
HoM – History of Magic
DADA – Defence Against the Dark Arts
Study periods are meant to be used for study.
"Potions, Harry," Hermione said, laughing at the look of sheer horror on Harry's face. James looked between the two with a confused look on his face.
"I'm horrible at Potions. I never get anything right. Well, I do get it right, but it's only extremely average work, and not the way to start to show that we can do better than any of you," Harry explained, looking depressed. What a way to start off his idea. He'd have to work even harder at Potions, the one subject he truly hated.
"What's the bet that you get paired with a Slytherin," James said, shuddering. Hermione poked Harry hard with her elbow, then immediately apologised when he flinched. Harry knew what she meant by it though.
"Slytherin's? What's so bad about that?" Harry asked, hoping he sounded convincing. Yeah, since Voldemort had truly died the two houses got along better, but that didn't mean the tension and competitiveness wasn't there. It just meant that there were no more attempted murders among the houses.
"Our rival house. We hate them, they hate us. They're all slimy snakes and Death Eaters. You need to stay clear of them as much as possible," James explained. Harry nodded to show that he understood, and left the table, James quickly moving in front of them to show them the way. Sirius and Remus followed quietly. Peter had gone back to bed. He didn't have any classes until third period.
They walked along in silence Harry jumping at every out of place noise, even if it was just a mouse until they reached the Fat Lady's portrait.
"Snivellus," James said, unable to suppress a laugh. Harry shook his head and clambered through after James, the other five following. They climbed up the stairs, into the dorm. There, James said goodbye and left for his own rooms. Harry and Ron got changed quickly, and then went back downstairs, meeting Hermione and Ginny there without anyone else around them.
"We need to 'find' the Room of Requirement, and soon. If one of us can get an excuse to be in that corridor and pace then you need to do so. We will need the Room this year, I think. Then we can study and quickly be able to get even farther forward than I think we already are," Harry said quickly and quietly. Hermione nodded in agreement.
"Ron? You've been rather quiet today. I agree with Harry, what do you think?" Ginny looked at her older brother, who hadn't spoken since they had gotten inside.
"Peter Pettigrew is in this time. Wormtail. Scabbers. Do you know what this means? We have to be around the traitorous little rat for an entire year, knowing what he will do and not even do anything. We can't even warn your parents, Harry," Ron scowled at the ground. Harry 'oh'ed in realisation.
"I got over that ages ago, Ron. Think about it. If we change time, we don't know what will happen. We could muck it up so much that everyone we know is dead, or not even born. Or we could inadvertently make Voldemort King of the World, literally. We can't risk that. Ignoring Pettigrew is not too much of a price to pay for that, don't you think?" Harry asked Ron, who nodded reluctantly.
"I guess. Anyway, finding the Room is a good idea. We should do that today. Hermione can worry about how she did on the first day, while we get lost and wait for the others. Does that sound okay?" Ron looked around the other three as the others nodded.
"It's decided then. Hermione gets to do what she does best, worry," Harry said, smiling at his faux-sister. Hermione poked her tongue out at them, giggling slightly.
"What are you laughing at, lovely Miss Granger?" James bounded into the room, grinning slightly. Harry suddenly noticed that Sirius hadn't said much more than a couple of sentences since they had arrived. When Remus had said 'subdued' it was an understatement.
"Nothing, Potter," Hermione sniffed, before giggling again. The other three laughed as well and James wrote Hermione's comment as an inside joke related to what they were talking about. And Harry relaxed quietly, revelling in being in the presence of the father he had never known.
A/N: Review? Please?
