Chapter 9
A train ride

It was the first of September once again and Ginny and Harry made their way to the Hogwarts Express. They had agreed to do their seventh year at Hogwarts, while searching for a way to get back to their own timeline. They had agreed with professor Dumbledore that Hogwarts would be the best place for them to stay.

"It'll be weird seeing Mini in frond of the classroom having to address her with professor McGonagall," Harry said with a smile. "I got so used to calling her Mini."

"And don't you forget to call me professor!" she warned him with a twinkle in her eyes. "You are to take the train to the station and take the carriages up to the castle. But do not sit with other students just yet. You have to be officially sorted again."

Harry groaned. Ginny just smiled. "It's not that bad."

Harry looked at her. "You don't know the sorting hat. He rambles on every time I put him on. I wonder what he'll say this time. You have done a lot in your time Harry; I wonder where to put you in this time. Maybe I should put you in Hufflepuff to teach you a lesson or in Slytherin as you seemed to be so against it."

Ginny laughed, but Minerva just looked at his dubiously. She couldn't seem to figure out if he was serious or if he was joking, so she just shook her head. "I will be apparating to Hogwarts. Don't cause any trouble while you are on the train or I'll make sure to take points in which ever house the sorting hat decides to put you."

And with that she left them at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. "Well," Ginny said with a grin. "Here we go again. Another year at Hogwarts and nothing to do but a little research." And she stepped through the barrier.

"Nothing to do but a little research," Harry muttered and moved trough the barrier. He was still impressed with the sight of the Hogwarts Express. It reminded him of all the times he had been there. The first time when he had seen it he had met the Weasleys, unsure and excited and wondering what Hogwarts and being a wizard would be like.

Then in second year not being able to ride the train but seeing it glistening below them from where they were flying above it in the car. Its scarlet body weaving through the countryside like a snake. In third year when the Dementors searched it because they were looking for Sirius Black. His wrongly convicted godfather. And when he had first met Lupin.

Leaving the older Weasley's behind with so many questions unanswered, only to find out at the welcoming feast that the Triwizard Tournament was to be held at Hogwarts that year. They would certainly not miss Malfoy's taunting.

In fifth year all it had brought was worry. Seeing as Voldemort had just returned and Sirius was acting like a lost puppy. Sure only Malfoy had realised who he was, but it didn't take the worry away. And it was also the where they had met Luna for the first time. Of course Harry had also been confronted by the fact that Ron and Hermione were prefects, who left him with many doubts about him own abilities. Not forgetting the horses…

Sixth year only brought back painful memories. Well not only. Sure he had been disappointed by the fight against Draco Malfoy, in which he stood totally alone. And the highly embarrassing Slug Club, in which he had been invited to. But there were also good memories. Like getting recognition after a year of being made out a liar. Not that he had cared much, he was just glad that the world had finally opened their eyes about Voldemort. And of course, realising his feelings for Ginny…

He grabbed her hand for a bit as they both stood staring at the train. Ginny turned to him and smiled. "Come on," she said. "We don't want it to leave without us." And with that they started to upload their luggage. It took them a while to choose a compartment. It was still early so they had free range. They choose one at the back so they wouldn't attract too much attention.

They had started a game of wizards' chess when there was a knock on the door. They both looked up and saw Remus standing outside the compartment door. He waved and slid the door open. "Hey you, had a good holiday?" He was almost bouncing where he stood, his prefects badge already pinned on his shirt.

"Good, great." Ginny and Harry said at the same time. "Come sit with us," Harry said pointing at the seat next to Ginny. "Or do you need to sit with the other prefects?" Harry glanced out the window to see if the platform was filling up already, but it was still early.

"No," Remus said, taking the offered seat. "I only need to be there five minutes before departure. But for some reason I always end up being here way too early. I think it's training for when school starts seeing as I always have to make sure everyone's up." He smiled and let his eyes linger outside for a while before he blinked and looked at Harry and Ginny. "So, looking forward to this year?"

Harry turned his focus on the chessboard for a while. Ginny however smiled and started talking animatedly about what she was expecting. "Sure it is never going to be like what we're used to, because we're used to a lot." Harry snorted. "Understatement," he muttered. "Your turn."

Remus frowned. "Are you such trouble makers? I'm not sure if I can imagine bigger troublemakers then James and Sirius. They seem to find trouble as much as they make trouble. And Peter follows loyally even if it takes him to the dungeons with Filch more then once a week."

Harry tensed slightly hearing Peter's name but he just rolled his eyes with a smile. "I don't go looking for trouble," he said, a slight whine in his voice. "Trouble finds me. It's been like that ever since I got to the magical world. All right then," he continued after a look that Ginny gave him. "But I can't help it that my cousin was such an idiot and liked to beat me up."

"Who liked to beat up who?" a voice said from the door. The three of them turned and saw Peter standing in the entrance. "Hey Remus, Harry, Ginny," he said almost cheerfully as he swung his bag into the rack. "How were your holidays?" He dropped himself into a seat next to Remus and started eating from the sweets he had in his hand.

"Mine was good," Remus said, smiling at his friend. He glanced at his watch. "We were just talking about trouble. Seems Harry here had his fair share of it."

"Understatement," Harry muttered again as he made another move. "Not trying to sound tough, but my cousin is nothing compared to a Troll." Or Voldemort for that matter, Harry added in his mind, smiling again. "Though I can laugh about it now but when we faced that this in first year, I wasn't laughing."

Peter lost his grin and paled, mouth hanging slightly open. Remus seemed just as shocked, though it was only reflected in his eyes. Ginny rolled her eyes. "You and your hero complex."

"Hero complex," Harry sputtered, staring at her clearly offended. "If it wasn't for your brother and me we would have had another ghost hunting toilets."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Oh please," she said, making her move on the chess board. The game seemed to move at more speed as they entered the discussion. "If you two had just told someone a teacher would have been able to find her before the troll did. And if I remember correctly you two first locked her in and then saved her."

Harry moved his chess piece that if squirmed in his hand. "We thought it was a closet, it wasn't our fault! Besides if it hadn't been for Ron she wouldn't have been there in the first place."

Ginny's eyes glinted dangerously. "Don't blame Ron for that. Nothing would have happened in the first place if you three had resolved it from the start. And we weren't talking about who was to blame we were talking about your hero complex."

Harry narrowed his eyes. "Yes," he hissed, the game forgotten. "Let's add the troll to the list of trouble due to by hero complex. What else shall we add while we're at it? I already know everything from the past six years, including the death of my godfather. Who more shall we add? All the deaths of the last battle as well as your brother?"

Ginny paled and her eyes watered. "That was not your fault and you know it. If it weren't for you the battle would have never ended."

At that moment Remus coughed uncomfortably. Peter mouth was still hanging open slightly but seemed more astonished and embarrassed now. Remus had paled his eyes casted downwards. "I think," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "That we can agree trouble brings the worst out of people."

"Trouble brings the best out of people," another voice sounded from the door.

"To true Prongs," Sirius said slapping his friend on the shoulder, his eyes trailing after a girl that just walked past. The mood in the compartment changed right away. The last two Marauders seemed to lighten it with just their presence. They joined them at the same time that Lily walked past, ticking lightly on the window and gesturing to Remus so he would follow her. She waved at Harry and Ginny, shot a questioning glance at Sirius, Peter and James and walked on.

"See you in a few," Remus said, making his way out of the compartment.

The train ride was not much of an interesting affair. Sirius, James and Peter were making plains for the pranks they were going to pull on their classmates and teachers. Harry and Ginny were making due playing games. First chess, then exploding snap (in which the other three joined) then finding solitude in books and drawing pictures.

Regulus passed at one point together with Bellatrix and many soon-to-be Death Eaters walked passed. Harry hissed softly, but quickly turned it into a cough. He hid his clenched fists under the table and stared at the book in front of him. Ginny touched his hand lightly and he let himself relax a bit more.

He gave the group five minutes before he excused himself. Ginny gave him a worried and warning look, but he just smiled at her. "Be right back." As he walked to the nearest toilet non other then Severus Snape walked out of it. Harry halted abruptly and stared as the younger version of his now deceased potions master passed him without so much as a glare.

Harry let the air he was holding escape as he fled into the toilet. How was he ever going to survive? All the Death Eaters that were in the school. How could he restrain himself when their future selves had killed so many of his friends? And Snape… the man who had saved him so many times. The man he had come to admire over the summer as he had realised how much he had done for Harry. How could he stand by and watch as they moulded him into a Death Eater. Had he already accepted? And what about his father? How could he stand to watch as James and Sirius teased Snape about everything? Harry stared at the door with unseeing eyes. If it came to that, he wasn't going to watch, he thought to himself. If it came to that, I will teach them a lesson of respect and wrong and right. I don't care if they are my father and godfather or not.

Wait, he paused with his hand on the door. I can't do that! He is my father and Sirius was the closest thing to a father I had. This isn't my fight. I mustn't meddle. He stood there bighting his lip, unable to make up his mind. How could he choose between a man he had hated for seven year or his father and godfather?

He unlocked the door and stepped out. Only when he turned on the water did he realise his hands were shaking.

His face was a mask of smiles the rest of the journey, only Ginny not convinced by it. The train ride did not take much longer and before he knew it, Harry was at Hogwarts once again.

A/N: Well, there we go again. Another chapter finished. Sorry it took so long. Bit of a brain freeze in the middle of it. Must be all this rain we're having, lol. Ciao, luv ya all.