Merge Animo - Chapter 8 - Keep your friends close and you should tell them what stupid ideas you have

You-Know-Who alive! Defeated by Harry Potter again!

The Daily Prophet Emergency Post

By Rita Skeeter

Harry Potter, 11-year-old orphan who somehow defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named when he was just a toddler, has somehow defeated the Dark Lord again, at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

In a day filled with drama, a prank by Hogwarts' resident poltergeist Peeves during dinner had an unexpected turn. Professor Quirrinus Quirrel, who until yesterday was the professor for Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts, along with the other professors, was trying to curse the poltergeist away, when the poltergeist swooped in and pulled away the turban Quirrel was wearing. Unbeknownst to everyone, there was a face at the back of Quirrel's head, hidden by the turban. It was immediately identified as You-Know-Who by Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore.

"The Headmaster and You-Know-Who had some words, when Harry suddenly stands up," said fifth-year prefect Penelope Clearwater. "He then shouts at Voldemort. All of a sudden Quirrel summons Neville Longbottom. Harry then does something mad and runs at You-Know-Who. It got a bit confusing after that because there were people casting spells and jinxes, but when everything calmed down, Harry was on the ground with Neville Longbottom, a bunch of dust and Professor Quirrel's clothes."

Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge, who was a witness to the event as he was visiting Hogwarts to discuss the strengthening of cooperation between the school and the Ministry of Magic, refused to give a comment. It was rumored that he hid under the table when the skirmish between You-Know-Who and Potter happened.

Yours truly is at Hogwarts right now, trying to find out more of the story. We will have more information as this story progresses.


Harry breathed. He could smell it. He knew it well.

The Hospital Wing. He knew he was there without opening his eyes.

He was barely at Hogwarts a month. Bugger.

Voices were saying things.

"Really, Albus. Surely he's gone now. The boy has defeated him twice!"

"Seriously. I don't know why the twins keep complaining about school being boring. So far everythings bloody exciting."

"Do tell Mr. Potter that when he wakes up he has the thanks of the Longbottoms. Although Neville, I am very proud of what you did. Fighting You-Know-Who at such a young age. Your parents would be proud."

Harry breathed, and opened his eyes. The sun streamed in from the windows, high. He estimated that it was probably lunchtime. He couldn't tell clearly till he wore his glasses. He sat up and tried to feel around for them, only to have them given to him. He put them on, and his vision cleared, and the grinning face of Ron Weasley greeted him. Harry looked around. Hermione and Neville were sitting on the next bed reading books. He could see Professor MacGonagall at the other side of the hospital wing talking to Madam Pomfrey. Hermione and Neville looked up and smiled at Harry, relief etched on their faces.

"Morning mate," Ron said. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," Harry said. "A bit tired. How long was I out?"

"Most of the night and half the morning," Hermione said. "It's half-past ten."

Harrys eyes widened, "What was wrong with me?."

"Nothing really," Neville replied. "Pomfrey said you had quite a fever when she checked on you, but nothing else was wrong inside and out. She gave you some Dreamless Sleep Potion because she thought you needed rest."

"What about Voldemort?" Harry asked, even though he knew the answer.

Ron flinched at the name. "Vanished after whatever you did to him. Quirrel became dust," Ron answered. "Stay away from Filch for a while. The House Elves will clean the whole hall except the spot where Quirrel fell. They say it's a spot with very sinister magic. Filch had to clean it last night, and probably has to for quite a while."

"I can't believe that Hogwarts has slaves!" Hermione said, outraged. "They're doing the cooking and cleaning and are not even paid for it!"

"Are you alright Neville?" Harry asked quickly. He did not want a discussion about S.P.E.W. to come up so early.

Neville nodded. "It was scary, but no harm no foul. Gran was here earlier. She said the Longbottoms owe you one. Two actually, after the broomstick incident."

"What are you talking about Neville? I'm the one who owes you! You stopped Quirrel from cursing me!" Harry said.

"Only after you stopped him from getting me!" Neville replied.

"I think," a voice suddenly said, "that the question of who saved who is something to be debated later." MacGonagall continued, walking closer to the bed, Madam Pomfrey beside her. Pomfrey immediately started waving her wand around Harry. After a few seconds she was done, nodded to MacGonagall and left.

"Why is it that every time something strange has happened this past month, Mr. Potter, that you're somehow in the middle of it?" she asked.

"I have no idea professor," Harry replied. He tried to give her his most innocent face. He really did.

So why did she look like she had just seen a ghost?

She shook her head and collected herself. Her eyes hardened.

"I am in two minds, Potter and Longbottom. I am very angry that you two would do something so foolish!" MacGonagall snapped.

Harry loved Minerva MacGonagall. She was a great teacher, great duelist and a professor with one of the biggest hearts he had ever met. He was also petrified of her, and this was one of those moments that solidified his feelings for him. Voldemort, he could handle. An angry, Minerva MacGonagall, he'd rather go fight a basilisk again.

"To actually run towards the Dark Lord, what were you thinking Potter?" she shouted. "And you, Longbottom," she turned to Neville. "Once you were free from the summoning charm you had to go and sit on his hand! What if something went wrong? You could have ended up a body without legs!"

Neville looked down at the floor, cheeks red with embarrassment. Hermione looked very uncomfortable to be in the middle of a chewing out. Ron stood at the corner of the room, trying not to laugh, the prat.

MacGonagall took a breath, "However," she started, "whatever you did Potter and Longbottom, it stopped You-Know-Who from doing some real damage. A search of Quirrel's quarters come up with some rather alarming results. They were going to lure a troll into the school grounds."

All four students looked up, horrified.

"I am very proud of both of you," she said. Her face was still stern but her voice had softened. "You two were willing to risk life and limb to help each other, and everyone around you. It is not just very Gryffindor of you. It was very Hogwarts of you. Your parents would be proud," she finished and walked off, leaving four stunned students behind her.


Harry, in the previous timeline, did not enjoy the limelight as much as some people thought. Although Ginny was naturally charismatic whenever she had to make a public appearance, be it because of Quidditch or some other god-awful event they both had to attend because he was the 'Saviour of the Wizarding World', Harry always felt awkward and forced a smile unless he was talking to a friend at these events. He guessed it was the price he paid for helping rid the world of evil. The gift that kept on cursing.

He was thus really peeved that when he entered the Great Hall for lunch, he was met with a standing ovation. A really loud standing ovation. Literal as well. Quite a lot of the students were standing on the tables. Half the Slytherins were applauding as well.

Harry just stood there, not knowing exactly what to do. Neville was beside him, in the same situation. Ron and Hermione were clapping along, the prats.

Dumbledore, bless his soul, stood up and put his hands up, signalling an end to the unwanted attention. Or so Harry thought, as he took his seat at the table.

"Misters Potter and Longbottom have shown the courage that exemplified everything their house stands for. With this in mind, I would like to award them 200 points each," Dumbledore said, to a round of rapturous applause again.

"They will also be presented with Special Awards for Services to the School", he added, "Which will be presented before the Gryffindor versus Slytherin Quidditch Match." Dumbledore was giving him a huge smile, clearly enjoying this. The prat.

That night, Ginny was laughing so much she was doubled over, the prat. "Oh I wish I was there to see your face!" she said, before breaking off into gales of laughter again. Harry just glared at the mirror.

"So we've got Riddle settled for this next year or so," she said, after taking an extraordinarily long time to calm down. Harry even got a chance to go to the bathroom, and when he came back she was still laughing. "What else do we have this year?"

"We need to start training, I'm meeting Sirius and Remus soon to sort out the Horcruxes, and we've got to get rid of Fudge, Umbridge or both," Harry answered. "What do you think?"

"Well, Hermione's plan did account for either or both of them," she answered. "Why don't we just do both?"

"See, I was thinking that. There is something I'm worried about though," he replied.

"Which is?" Ginny asked.

"Well we wanted to make sure we would do this with as little collateral damage as possible, yeah?" Harry asked. Ginny nodded. "However it's been a month. Malfoy got beaten up badly, Neville nearly falls on the Whomping Willow and then he somehow got dragged into the fight with Quirrel. What if it's the law of balances trying to balance out what we're doing? What if getting rid of both leads to getting two people who are worse? Or maybe something else happens that we haven't accounted for." It was a question that went through Harry's mind a lot the past month.

Ginny didn't have an answer to that.


Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville were called up to Dumbledore's office the next day, much to Ron's horror.

"Did you fight anymore Necromancers last night without telling us?" he asked half-jokingly as the waited for the staircase to stop moving. Harry just gave him a rude sign, and was rewarded with a slap on the head by Hermione.

Harry of course knew what the meeting was about. It was part of the plan. He was still unbelievably nervous.

Dumbledore had summoned a few chairs to accommodate the foursome, but there were already chairs occupied by Minerva MacGonagall, Severus Snape and Kingsley Shacklebolt. Ron recognised Kingsley immediately.

"You're the Auror who caught Scabbers!" he said, eyes wide with awe.

"Indeed I am Mr. Weasley. You can call me Kingsley," he said, extending an arm, which Ron shook with much aplomb. "Send my regards to your parents the next time you write to them."

Ron reddened at the statement. Harry knew from his conversations with Ginny that no letters were sent home yet. Hermione seemed to take the hint and glared at Ron, but chose to refrain from saying anything.

She's not embarrassing him in front of the professors, Harry thought. We must be a good influence on her. Or bad. We'll see.

"The events of the past month," Dumbledore started, "has gotten me quite worried. You three," he pointed to Harry, Ron and Hermione, "have stopped a beating of a fellow student. You, Harry, have saved Neville and both of you have stopped Voldemort."

"As proud as we all are that you seem to be taking care of each other and other students," he continued, "it should not be the responsibility of four first years to do so. It should be the responsibility of myself and the professors. It shows an adept failure at some level of me as headmaster, and I would like to apologise to all of you." Dumbledore said, grim.

"Professor Dumbledore," Hermione said, shock in her eyes. "It's not your fault. You didn't know that Professor Quirrel was You-Know-Who, and the Draco incident were the fault of the students, no one else."

"If this were normal circumstances, Hermione, I would agree. However, after last night, I am well aware it is not. I should have foreseen it, but I didn't. This are not normal circumstances," he said.

"Why is that professor?" Neville asked.

"Because of me," Harry replied, quietly. Ron, Hermione and Neville looked at Harry with wide eyes. "Professor. Voldemort," the others flinched, "said my parents were meddlesome. Did they fight him or something?"

"They did, and that is the reason I brought you here. I need you four to promise that what I will share with you will not leave this room. Professor MacGonagall is your Head of House which means she must know about what's happening, and Professor Snape has a connection to what I'm about to tell you. I will explain Kingsley's role later. But for now, I must share this with you. Hogwarts' Professor of Divination is Sybil Trelawney…"


The old man and woman stared down at the happenings of the world.

"They are changing quite a lot. Are you sure we should let them continue?" she asked.

"They are correcting an imbalance. It's happened before and it saved everything. Let them at it," he said.

"But we've calculated. Any wrong moves by him, and it all goes to hell. We've seen that happen before as well. Egypt, Ragnarok, Krakatoa. Bulge. I think he's doing it way too fast," she said nervously. "We can't even see past 2 years from now."

"You forget one thing my friend," he said, smiling.

"Which is?"

"They were alone. He has Ginny. If she didn't come back we'd have to do something ridiculous like give him powers of a thousand wizards or get Merlin and other legendaries to reside in his brain and train him. That usually never ends up well. We didn't need to do anything this time. He just needs to make sure the anomaly is defeated this year," he assured her.

"What if he doesn't?" she asked.

"Then we'll do a Phil Connors," he said, smiling. That was one of his favourite plays. Rarely used but enjoyable when necessary.

"I guess you're right. Let's focus on Trenzalore. I think he just found River's tombstone."


A/N: Deitical beings might or might not be a representation of deities, science things or a mix of both. Stay tuned to find out more.

Gellert99: Thanks for the kind words. I would disagree. Maybe he would have sent them to the Burrow. However, regardless of his earlier failings with Albus Severus, it's pretty obvious he's an attentive father.

TroyWeb: I've seen you commenting on other legendary fics so it's an honour you're following mine.

SeanHicks4: That's a pity but understood. Thanks for the nice review!

TheWateringWizard: You seem to be enjoying it. Thanks! And patience. As River Song liked to say, Spoilers. Also yes. Viridian is sick. Go to the Viridian Dreams FB group and send your message of support to him. It's a real pity. NOFP is the inspiration for this, although I didn't want it as dark as NOFP is. I wish we could see how it ends, but we might not, ever.

Gin110881: Don't worry about Lucius. I despise the man. I'm in a roll in terms of writing so they're coming hard and fast. I can't seem to be one of those authors who writes 10k chapters, so you lot will have to deal with shorter, more dense ones.

hellieboo2010: Thanks for the kind words!