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Hogwarts Shuffle! Chapter Nine
09/02 - Monday (First day of classes)
A scream woke the entire tower who came running to find Harry on the floor beside his bed and Gabrielle in it, blinking at Ginny sleepily. "You...you...Harry...and..." Ginny stuttered.
"Gabby, what are you doing in here?" Nerine asked as if it were a normal occurrence.
"I like sleeping with Harry."
Neville looked skeptically at the boy on the floor and the doll of a girl in his bed, "Harry...you like them young huh?"
"I'M NOT A PEDOPHILE!" Harry yelled at him. "SHE'S FIFTEEN IN CASE YOU FORGOT!"
"Loud..." Gabrielle said making an annoyed face.
"Oh..right, sorry mate must not be awake yet..."
Harry was still waking up and realized he might have been a bit harsh, "No...no sorry Neville...it's a touchy subject."
"Can I sleep with Harry next?" Sia asked brightly.
"You...he..." Ginny continued.
Hermione sighed, "Harry I think you broke her."
"But I didn't do anything! She must have snuck in here again."
"Hands..." Ginny said with a blush.
"In any case, since we are awake I think we should get ready and grab breakfast. It's the most important meal of the day." Luna said and walked away to odd looks.
Her casual acceptance of the situation seemed to affect everyone else but Ginny and Harry. They returned to their rooms to get ready and Harry pulled himself up off the floor and put a hand on her shoulder. "Gin, you know she was here without me knowing right?"
Ginny nodded, "It was just...your hands were..."
"What my hands do in my sleep isn't really my fault is it?" He asked.
"Of course not, I just...freaked out a little, sorry. It's okay, you can sleep with whoever you want to...I mean you're practically engaged to the other two girls..."
"Gin..."
"Anyway!" She said smiling at him, "I agree with Luna, it's time for breakfast. Since you are up already I guess my job is done here." With that she turned and left the room leaving him feeling more than just a bit confused.
At breakfast they got to sit at the front table for the first time, the hall seemed eerily quiet as every eye in the room was on the new house table and it's occupants. Harry and to some extent Hermione were used to scrutiny but the others were showing signs of paranoia.
"Why do they keep staring at us?" Sia asked finally.
Hermione sighed, "Human nature is to fear or hate that which they do not understand, I'm sure that most of them are just genuinely intrigued by your presence at the school but a number of them are jealous or angry at the change to their normal lives."
"But we asked them not to treat us any differently." Nerine said with a frown.
Harry shrugged, "It will pass, you just have to learn to ignore it. Within a month it will become the new normal and most everyone will go back to ignoring us. Right now though we are the big gossip so of course we're under scrutiny. If you'd like my advice we should just ignore it and talk as if they weren't here."
"Since when do you act like people aren't talking about you?" Neville asked, "Every other year I watch you go through the agony of being center stage."
"Well not this year, I've got a new outlook on life and the ones that matter are the ones that will move on soon. The ones that don't, don't matter."
"If you say so..." Nerine said with a nervous look around the room before smiling at him, "So, we were asked about our schedules and both Sia and I wanted to be in every class with you..."
Sia joined in, pointedly ignoring the rest of the room, "The Headmaster was all for it but Professor McGonagall insisted on testing us. Afterward it was her suggestion that I stick with you but Nerine should stick with Hermione."
"Oh really?" Hermione asked, "My schedule is quite demanding."
Nerine blushed, "Arithmancy and Ancient Runes aren't that much different than subjects taught in our world. Actually many of the runes ancient civilizations use originated in one of our realms. Most of the deities in ancient religions were underpowered Gods or Devils who made their way to this world where they were far enough above average for magic users that they were worshiped. Uncle Aerus still tells stories about his time in Greece."
"Wait!" Neville exclaimed, "You're related to the Greek God of War? And he's still around?"
Nerine nodded, "We have very long lifespans...it's related to the amount of magic we have, the more powerful you are the harder it is on your body when you are young, but if you survive the growing up you can live for centuries or longer. Aerus is getting feeble in his old age, being underpowered his childhood wasn't all that difficult. Really he is probably average."
Luna was intrigued, "How was your childhood?"
"Luna I don't think that is a proper thing to ask a person." Hermione commented.
"No," Nerine said, "It's alright, everyone in our world knows how sick I was...I nearly died because I couldn't handle the amount of magic I was generating. My father was so proud, but scared to death for me..."
"Wow." Harry said, reflecting the mood of the humans at the table. A thought then occurred to him, "Didn't you say Gabby was probably the most powerful being in either of your realms?"
Sia jumped in as she grabbed some toast, "Yes but Gabby is a special case, she was very sick as well but when she stopped being able to use the magic she had it seemed to stop the sickness. But it looks like her aging stopped early because of it. She's stunted."
"Sia that isn't a very nice thing to say..." Nerine began
Gabby interjected, "It's okay, I like being small. I take up less space in bed that way."
There were blushes all around the table, most especially Harry who changed the subject quickly, "So you're going to be in classes with Hermione? That's good because I share several with her too, what about you Gabby?"
The girl shrugged, "I told them I liked Ginny so they let me go to class with her."
Ginny was caught off guard and choked a bit on her pumpkin juice before recovering with a smile at the small girl, "That's great though! It will be nice to keep you close."
"I agree." Sia said with a wink at Harry.
Dumbledore stood at the head table and made a motion for silence even though it was unneeded. "Students, a lovely day for learning and with it a bit of news that we neglected to announce last night with all the excitement. You will have all noticed the new face at the staff table, Professor Horace Slughorn." The headmaster turned and held a hand out to the new professor and the man stood and waved quickly before sitting back down. "Thank you Horace," he turned back to the hall, "Professor Slughorn was the former Potions Master at Hogwarts before Professor Snape, and after a brief decade of sabbatical has consented to return to his duties."
"What?" Harry asked quietly and the other humans shook their heads, not understanding either.
"Professor Snape has kindly agreed to become your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. I hope you will all treat him with the same respect in his new subject. And now, Your Heads of House will distribute your schedules. I wish you all good day."
The Great Hall erupted into chatter at that and Harry, though a bit freaked out, was happy that the attention of the room had shifted. "Potions?" he asked.
"I can't believe Snape finally gets to teach Defense." Neville commented.
Harry sighed, "I just hope we don't have Defense on our first day with him, I'd like to extend my Snape free summer as long as possible."
Professor Dumbledore came down from his seat to the Royal table, "Alas I find myself without a fifth head, which is something I did not think I would ever hear myself say." He said with an amused smile, "And so, as is probably fitting for Royalty, I will be personally taking over the Head of House duties for this group. Please feel free to visit my office with any business you deem fit."
"That's great Professor, it is an honor to have you as our Head as well as our Headmaster." Hermione commented brightly.
"The honor is all mine I assure you, and now I believe you will be needing these," he pulled a stack of parchment from his robes and handed them out to each of the students before turning and heading toward the staff room.
"Looks like I get my wish," Harry said with a grin, "No Defense or Potions today, only Charms and...Herbology? Can that be right?"
Hermione reached across the table and pulled the schedule from his hands, "Well Harry, it is our first NEWT year, I'm sure all that time off will be used up doing homework and projects."
"Let me see yours!" He said reaching out and snagging the parchment she offered without argument. "When are you supposed to have time for homework and projects? You've got a solid block almost every day."
"Yes but you'll notice there are free periods built in to the schedule even for someone with a full load. I will have plenty of time for coursework outside of classes. You just have more, though I daresay you and Ron will need it with the way you study."
Ginny rolled her eyes, "Why did you have to suck the fun out of it for him? Meanwhile I've got a solid block from 9 til 3:30 today and that last class is double Defense with Slytherin!"
"It's our OWL year though, of course we're going to be busy." Luna said with a smile. "I have double Potions for my last class, I'll have to let you know how Professor Slughorn is as an educator."
Hermione looked at the girls schedule, "But you have free time this morning before Divination, maybe you can show Gabrielle around? Meanwhile we really should get going, we have Charms in ten minutes and that's several flights of stairs and an entire wing away from here."
Harry turned to the Princesses, "Alright then, are you ladies ready for your first day?"
"I'm ready for anything as long as I'm with you." Nerine said quietly.
"Ditto!" Sia said with a grin, "This will be fun!"
The group caught up to Ron on his way toward the stairs and back up to Gryffindor Tower. "Oi! Whats the hurry mate?" Harry called out.
"Oh, well..I figured I'd kip off for a spell before Charms...and I guess I figured you lot would have things to do without me...House things."
"Don't be a prat Ron, we're sleeping somewhere different that doesn't mean you aren't still one of us." Ginny chastised.
He looked guiltily at the ground, "You sure? I mean...I realized laying in bed last night that I might have made a horrible mistake. I know I've screwed up in the past and I don't want you guys to hate me or anything."
There was a cough from behind him and Harry followed Ron's line of sight to the princesses, Nerine with a nervous smile and Sia waving cutely at him. "Oh! Um, Ron, I'd like you to meet Nerine and Sia. Ladies, this is Ron, he was my first wizard friend my own age."
"It's very nice to meet you Ron..."
Sia smiled, "Any friend of Harry's is a friend of ours right Rina?"
"Of course!"
Ron looked at them nervously before grabbing Harry and turning their backs to the group, "They're even more gorgeous up close! Have you picked one yet? Because if you don't want them I'd be happy to take one of them off your hands."
"Ron that's crude, and I thought you wanted me to date Ginny?"
The redhead smiled, "Even better, I'll take both of them."
"What the hell has gotten into you? Besides, if you haven't noticed I'm not exactly popular with the male population at the moment! You really want this headache?"
Ron looked over their shoulders and smiled, "I dunno mate, might be worth it for both."
The idea of Ron with either of the girls left Harry feeling...unpleasant.
"Ehem," Hermione cleared her throat loudly. "If we could take this back to the tower at least those of us not involved in your sidebar could sit down?"
"What? Oh..is that allowed?" Ron asked her.
"Is what allowed?" Ginny asked curiously.
"Well you know, for me to go to your tower. Not like we ever hang out with the Claws or Puffs now is it?"
"There was that one time in the Slytherin common room with Malfoy." Harry said with a smile.
"Yeah but we weren't wearing our own faces then were we?"
"Can we focus please?" Hermione pleaded, "Ron I'm sure there isn't actually a rule against it, and even if there were I would consider Royal Tower to be an embassy of sorts and thus we make our own rules inside it."
"Emba-what?" Neville asked.
Nerine chimed in, "Actually I hadn't thought of it that way but you are probably right. The Tower is the only place in this world we have officially claimed. I'm guessing both our fathers would agree and the Headmaster seems happy to go along with whatever they ask for."
"This making up our own rules thing might come in handy later too." Sia said with a grin.
Harry could almost see Hermione forcing herself not to put her head into her hand, "I was joking of course...but it is an interesting idea. In any case, shall we?"
"Yeah Ron, lets go see what you're missing!" Harry remarked jovially.
Ron pondered the question for a moment before losing his jovial look, "Harry...you know how I always get jealous and do something stupid to screw up our friendship for half a the term?"
This sudden turn in attitude and atmosphere threw Harry for a loop, "I don't..."
"No, seriously. Don't try to cover it up because you're afraid of losing me as a friend or some rot, okay? I know I'm a jealous git and I'm trying to change that. I had a lot of time to think...sitting in the Gryffindor common room alone last night. I've got issues I need to work through, and I will, because I'm tired of always fighting with you, putting Hermione in the middle of it, and having to eat my words down the road. I always complain about you being rich and famous, and now its my chance to prove I'm not just 'riding on your coat tails'."
The way Ron said that last, with air quotes no less, and the way Ginny suddenly looked down at the ground, told Harry that someone had probably said that to him a time or two.
"So...respectfully guys, I'm going to go back to the dorm and kip off. Then I'll see you in class and at meal times. If I come with you now...I might as well have joined Royal House in the first place, and I am already imagining just how amazing it is in a brand new tower with your own rooms...no...I think its better for all of us if I don't know what I'm missing." The redheads eyebrows were knotted together, as if he were straining to think so hard, and to say what he was thinking without messing it up.
"Ron..." Hermione began, not really able to counter any of his arguments and, in fact, rather surprised by just how much thinking he'd been doing.
He smiled, "Don't go trying to convince me otherwise Hermione, I think this is best for all three of us. Once I'm 'out of Harry's shadow' maybe we can be close friends again, but with everything that is happening...I just know I'm going to bugger it up again if I stay nearby. I'll see you all in a couple of hours."
Ron waved and left them standing in the hallway, Hermione and Neville with gobsmacked looks, Ginny looking guilty and Harry looking..introspective.
Sia broke the silence with a cheerful voice, "Who wants to play cards until class time?"
The rest of her housemates shook out of their strange encounter with Ron and agreed to spend a bit more time relaxing before classes officially started for all of them.
After dinner the Royal's went back to their house and collapsed onto the furniture, Harry had taken one of the plushy armchairs near the fireplace and Neville the other one, the girls were on the couches facing each other and talking animatedly. Harry sighed and put an arm over his eyes.
"Alright there mate?" Neville asked quietly, eyeballing the giggling girls.
Harry raised his arm just enough to peek at the only other male in the room, "I'll be fine, its just maddening that this stuff keeps happening to me!"
Neville smirked, "One should only be so lucky, if you ask me I think Fate is trying to make up for using you as a chew toy for the last decade."
"Neville!" Harry said in an overly dramatic shocked tone, sitting up to face him, "Did you just make a joke?"
"What?" Neville asked defensively, "I have a sense of humor!"
"Yes, but for five years you've been so quiet. I'm not sure I shouldn't check you for polyjuice." He said eyeballing the other boy.
"Come off it! ...I just...what you said before...about wanting me to fight with you. That really means a lot to me Harry. I had to let it sink in before it really hit me, but I'm your man Harry."
Harry had to suck in a short breath and nodded, "I meant it."
The boys sat quietly for a bit while the girls kept talking, Hermione and Ginny were talking on one couch with Gabrielle while Sia, Nerine and Luna were on the other.
"So how did you like your first day at Hogwarts Gabby?" Hermione asked.
"There are lots of stairs." Gabrielle said quietly and both other girls giggled.
"There are but as a bonus they keep you in shape, I'm not sure how anyone can be overweight in this castle." Ginny remarked, "I mean, Professor Sprout I can understand. She's mostly on the first level all day or at worst, down in the dungeons where the Hufflepuff common room is. But even she isn't really overweight. Not like Crabbe and Goyle."
Hermione nodded, "I think those two have a thyroid problem or something, we've all seen how Ron eats and he just gets taller, not wider."
Gabrielle was sitting quietly and playing with her hands, looking up at Harry every once in a while. "Did you like your classes?" Hermione asked.
The girl nodded, "I like Professor Kitty, Professor Bat is scary though."
Hermione looked at the other girls wide eyed, Ginny was trying desperately not to laugh and was turning rather bright red. "That's Professor McGonagall Gabby...don't let her hear you call her that!" Ginny lost it.
"I notice you didn't defend Snape! You know we all think it every time he comes flapping into the room!"
The brunette rolled her eyes, "Honestly..."
On the other couch Luna was having much the same conversation with the other girls, though they had already left off of classwork and onto a certain green-eyed boy.
"So you both must love Harry very much, you came to the Human realm just for him right?" Luna asked.
Both girls blushed and Sia spoke first, "Well..he made quite the impression on us."
Nerine nodded, "I haven't stopped thinking about him for years...its still like a dream to be here."
Luna nodded, "I could tell when you first saw him that all you wanted to do was run up to him and scream something about how happy you were to see him while covering him with kisses and hugging him like a bugbear."
The girls blushed again, "We both wanted to...but we thought that might cause problems for Harry if we did it in public." Nerine said quietly.
"Well we aren't in public now are we?" Luna asked. Three sets of eyes landed on Harry all at once.
Harry gulped as a sensation passed over him, Neville couldn't help but notice his shiver. "You look like someone just walked over your grave...or maybe its a little more pleasant?" He asked looking up at the girls staring at Harry on the couch.
Harry shook off the feeling and leaned toward Neville conspiratorially, "First let me clarify, I never wanted this..I thought I'd be lucky to find one girl who loved me just for me..someday. Someday far off in the future after my life settled down, if I was lucky enough to live past Voldemort."
Neville sensed a "but" and made a "go on" motion with his hand.
"But between just you and me...I'm sixteen and male...the idea has certain...charm."
Neville laughed quietly at that, "Only you could handle it Harry, I've got a hard enough time with just finding one girl and even if I had more than one interested I don't think I'd be able to so much as think through the possibility of both without my head exploding." Harry noticed Neville's eyes drifting toward a certain ex-Ravenclaw.
"You know Nev, she's very perceptive. I'd bet she already knows you like her and is just waiting for you to get the wrackspurts out so you'll ask her."
The other boy blushed slightly and changed the subject, "SO! Uh...so Malfoy hasn't been his usual prat of a ponce this year. What do you think changed?"
Harry was momentarily stunned that he hadn't even given the Slytherin a second thought, "You know you're right? Maybe he's grown out of it?" The two shared a glance and grinned, "Nah!" they said together.
"He's probably plotting something nefarious and knows better than to egg you on and tip you off."
Harry nodded, "You're probably right, I guess we'll just have to keep an eye on him and the rest of the Death Nibblers."
"Death Nibblers?" Neville asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Wanna-be Death Eaters in training, Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, Nott, Parkinson...I heard all of their fathers names when He came back. Maybe we should take a wait-and-see approach this year, it has to be hard having Death Eaters in the family and basically having it assumed that you want to be one too. I think for once I'll let the Headmaster handle it. Lord knows I've got enough going on this year without worrying about them."
Neville nodded and both boys looked up in surprise as the Princesses got up off the couch and approached Harry with determination. Harry gulped again.
The girls walked sedately about half the way to him before they shared a grin and broke into a run, jumping into his lap and wrapping their arms around him. They each kissed him on the cheek, blushing just as hard as he did but not getting up.
"Harry I missed you so much! You don't know how happy I am to finally be with you again!" Sia said with a grin.
The boy stumbled through his words, "But its only been half an hour or so? You were both with me almost all day!"
Nerine looked down shyly, "We mean in general...Harry. Eight years is a long time to wait."
"I-I...I guess I can understand that...um...ladies..." Harry was having a difficult time controlling his bodies reaction to having two very beautiful and soft girls in his lap, he was thankful they were on either leg instead of against the bulge in his pants. "But uh...do you think...not that this isn't really nice...because it is...but um..do you think you could get up? I need to uh...go take a shower!" He latched on to the first thing that popped into his head.
Sia and Nerine hopped up and helped him out of his seat while Ginny stared at the three from across the room. No matter how she tried, apparently she couldn't just let go of her jealousy. Luckily Harry was too flustered to pay attention to her as he bolted up the stairs and into his room.
A/N: Sorry this wasn't better, but I think I just need to move on to the next chapter. Some time skips should be ahead as I don't want to write a diary, but it might move a little slow for a while til I reach a point that everything is stable enough to do so.
Maybe I should just quit trying to write any plot and jump straight to the lemons?
Nah!
