I do not own Harry Potter. So, now it's back to Hogwarts.

It was September 1st, and the wizard world was in an interesting state. The Death Eaters and Voldemort had been very quiet. Harry knew that Voldemort was still fighting radiation poisoning and wouldn't be able to do much for quite some time. Witches and wizards were still in confusion about the last session of the wizengamot. The press was in an uproar. With Fudge gone, even the Prophet had toned down its reports, and Newsday, the new newspaper that Fleur had started, was coming along very well, with some veiled criticism concerning the power structures in Britain and the question if it was still enough for the modern world.

So when Harry and Gabrielle entered the platform 9 3/4 together with Hermione and their goblin guards, they caused quite some ruckus. They all wore their official robes, Gabrielle her long green and silver Slytherin robes, Hermione her red-and-gold robes and Harry his gamot robes with the heavy golden chain of office as Lord Protector of Britain. Thirteen goblins (five each for the Ladies and three for him) with swords and machine guns secured the area quickly. Three house elves carried their luggage. Several teens turned to them, waved, and Harry greeted some of them. Then, they boarded the train, sitting back in the last coach in a simple compartment. "Nervous, love?"

"Oui, a little."

"I'm sure you will be sorted into Slytherin, love. And we will live together in our quarters, so you won't have to stay in the snake's den longer than you want to."

"You know very well that this not possible. I will stay in my House's common room as much as I can. And you will be with me some of the time."

"Trust your wife, Harry. Even the Slytherins will not be mad enough to hurt their princess. And also, you will make them swear to you and her. So, she is absolutely safe. Just because you don't want to let her alone, that's no reason."

"Don't worry, Harry. They will feed from my hands. I am their leader by default."

"I really hope so, Gabrielle."

A moment later, Ron and Luna entered their compartment. Luna smiled vaguely and sat down next to Gabrielle. Ron kissed Hermione and Gabrielle on the cheeks, hugged Harry and sat down next to his friend. "Anyone fancy a game of Risk?"

Harry and Gabrielle groaned. Harry was pretty sure that Ron had his whole cache of war games with him to play with whoever was silly enough to play three minds at one time. "I really wonder who is the new prefects of Gryffindor?"

"My husband took Neville and Parvati. Neville can do it and Parvati was pretty much a given. She is almost as smart as her sister, and second in Gryffindor."

"Ah, I forgot you should know. Mum was livid that I retired. Well, maybe one day she will understand..."

The door opened, and Neville and Ginny looked in. "Hi guys. We're just leaving for the prefect meeting."

Ron stared at Harry. "Don't tell me that my sister is a prefect?"

"It was Neville's price to accept prefect status."

"Oh dear."

"Yepp. Congrats, Ginny."

"Thanks again."

Harry, Gabrielle Ron and Luna spent ten minutes on their own, then Cho appeared in the doorway. "Fashokai-Merlin?"

Harry grinned.

"We are waiting for you, Harry."

"Why would you?"

The witch raised her eyebrows. "Very funny. We need you at the prefect's meeting."

"I'm not a prefect."

"So? But you are the Merlin's commander. Thus, we want you with us."

Gabrielle shoved him up. "Get going, Harry. You know by now that no good deed goes unpunished."

Harry followed his almost-ex and entered the prefect's compartment in the first carriage. Every one, except for Hermione, rose. "Please be seated." When he saw that Cho was waiting for him, he nodded to her. "Cho, I am just a guest here. When there is something important, I will interrupt you. Please carry on."

"Thank you, Harry."

Half an hour later, Harry knew that he had done Malfoy and Ron a favour when he had dismissed them as prefects. It was boring! Cho had almost everything planned out. When to patrol, where to patrol, when who was allowed in the prefect's bathroom, how and when clubs, quidditch and study groups were organized. "You will continue the DA, Harry, won't you?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "We have a very decent defence-teacher this year, Cho."

"And everyone will sleep better when you teach them once a week. Please, Harry!"

Harry looked in the pleading eyes of the others. "I will see."

"Great. Do you think V-v-v-..."

"Do I think Voldemort will attack Hogwarts this year?"

Cho nodded timidly.

"I am very sure that we will not have to fear an attack from him. Their Lordships will not involve schoolchildren in the fight against Voldemort." He shrugged. "Maybe except for Ron, Hermione, Neville, Luna and me. But then again, we kind of volunteered."

It was obvious that the other teens believed him. A hidden tension washed out, and the quietness and strictness of the meeting seemed gone. Here was their very own Harry Potter and assured them that nothing would go wrong. They knew that the Lords were powerful, some were even representing their houses in the wizengamot. But it was something very different that the Boy Who Lived would see for their safety. Harry bowed out of the meeting and tried to return to the others, while Cho started on additional aspects. He didn't get far. Whenever he passed a compartment, the door would open and students called after him. He shook hands, hugged a few of the former DA members and exchanged some words. He began to feel what power his name really had. The fact that he was the boy who lived and that the semi-divine Merlin of Britain had declared him defender of the realm gave him an authority among them that even Headmaster Dumbledore could not match. So, when he had finally arrived at his carriage again, he just look in quickly and made his way slowly to the rear, talking to the students and signing some front pages of Teen Witch Weekly, which was dominated by a huge picture of him and Gabrielle during their wedding dance.

When the train arrived in Hogsmeade Station, he was surprised. He was quite happy that he didn't have to change robes and stepped out of the car with the others. Hermione had kept him a place in a carriage, and he sat down with a content sigh. Gabrielle grinned at him. "Harry, would you please, please sign my knickers?"

He rolled his eyes and nodded. "With you in them?"

"Sure." His wife put her arm around his shoulders. "Tough day?"

"Yepp. But it was worth it."

"Don't get your head swelled, love."

When they entered the Great Hall, Harry reluctantly let go of Gabrielle's hand. She kissed his cheek and went down to the Slytherin Table, nodded regally at her housemates and sat down at the very top end.

Hermione and Ron had to pull Harry to their own table. "She will be fine."

"I know. But still..."

"Shut up, Harry. Sit down and relax. Enjoy the sorting and the feast."

Harry did exactly that. The hat still did his song, welcoming back three of the four Lords of Hogwarts, and the sorting of a rather large class began. The food, as always, was superb, and finally, it was Professor Dumbledore's time to hold his welcoming speech.

The old man – now, with all the experience in his mind, it was easy to see how frail the leader of the light had become – rose painfully from his chair, looked around and began:
"Welcome. Not for several centuries have we had a year in our school that sees so many changes. You all know that the Lords Slytherin, Rawenclaw and Gryffindor have returned. They will lead their houses themselves, so Professors McGonogall, Snape and Flitwick have retired from this offices. I think a big thank you is in order for them."

Applause filled the hall, and consternation appeared.

"Also, the Lords have decided to modernize our school system. You all know already that from this year on, the NEWTs will not take place after seven, but only after eight years. Also, we have many new subjects, some elective and some compulsive. You also see many new faces on the head table."

Even though expanded, the Head Table seemed crowded with the new faces there. Knowing that wherever they were was the top, the three Lords had sat down far from each other. In between them, there were most the old teachers and even more of the new ones. Harry had organised two teaching assistants for all NEWT subjects to soften the workload for the teachers. Dumbledore introduced everyone and his subject for a few moments, and finally it was time to leave for the dorms.

At the Slytherin table, conversation had been hushed, confused and laced with several glances at the young girl at the top end. When Dumbledore closed his speech, and the other tables rose chaotically, the Slytherin prefects held their house down until Gabrielle gracefully rose. They followed, and the House formed a queue behind her, neatly with the exception of some first years who were quickly brought in line. Gabrielle glanced back and slowly made her way to the dungeons, giving Lord Slytherin the time to be there first. She was relieved that she had spend hours studying the Marauder's Map and found the entrance quickly. The portrait that hid the common room bowed under her glance and opened when she pronounced the new password. "Honour."

The students filed in to come face to face with the old man in the green robes. Harry hadn't been to cheep to study some tricks that made this impressive man even more. Everyone stared at him while they formed a half-circle in front of him.

"What was Salazar Slytherin's great ambition? The ambition he looked for in his students and his house?"

Silence answered him. Some of those who had felt leaders of their house before stared at him, but nobody answered.

"The first Merlin in the dark time before there was writing on these islands, when the few humans who lived here were organised in small clans, when magic came to the humans for the first time, swore an oath. He swore to keep the people on these islands secure. Safe from the beasts that roamed the countryside, safe from foreign invaders, safe from each other."

The room was completely quiet. No student even dared to breath loudly.

"When the first high king of Britain was crowned centuries later, we swore to uphold the monarchy, too."

Harry paused for a moment. "No Merlin in history had been able to fulfil this on his own. He needed help. Thus, almost three thousand years ago, Merlin Sitaf founded the first magical school in Britain, the circle of Mona. And for a thousand years, the Merlin and his druids kept the land safe."

"When Rome and new magic came, we could not fulfil our duty, and for some centuries, the Romans were our masters, but still the Merlins kept the population as safe as they could. Mona was destroyed, and our traditions only stayed strong in the hiding. Roman magic and our old traditions fused and for several centuries, peace, or at least relatively good times returned to England. By then, the Merlins were no longer alone. Roman wizards who had stayed behind after the Empire disappeared, Norse wise-man and witches, and later on Norman mages united behind this aim. To keep the population of our beautiful islands safe from harm. In 984 the last Lord Merlin, Salazar Slytherin, High Druid of Britain, the Roman-born priest-witch Rowena Ravenclaw, the Norwegian-born wise-woman Helga Hufflepuff and" Harry stopped a second for effect, "some no-good Norman wizard named Godrik Gryffindor" he let the students grin "united to find a place where the youth could learn from all four major traditions."

"In 1006, Salazar Slytherin and his heir, Takiesin, died while they protected the land from an invasion. The founder of our House in Hogwarts, the Head of the noblest family in Britain, the Merlin laid down his and his only heir's life so that a village full of muggles could life. As he had sworn when he became Merlin."

When these words set in, the silence became different.

"You are supposed to be the elite of Hogwarts. The Merlin's own chosen. The vanguard of our nation. The last ones to stand between the hail of the realm and all enemies." His eyes wandered through the rows. "Among your number there are only five whose family has even existed when the Merlin Salazar lived. And only Mr. Johnson there" he nodded to one of the first years, a bright eyed muggle born, "will find the crest of his family in the carvings of the great Slytherin families. Two of his ancestors were among the members of Slytherin House who fell with their Merlin." The little muggle-born became the centre of interest for a moment until Harry continued. "The others of you are of young birth. I will expect every one of you to do your duty to the realm, to me and to yourself. I must expect of you to be the elite. To be the best, the most driven, the most valiant. I know that some of you have been told different things about what my House is about. Don't believe them for a second. From the moment on you took to wear my crest, the royal green and silver, you became members of my House. Every one of you is a prince of magic, second only to my heiress. Every slight against one of you is a slight against me. I will not tolerate any." A moment of silence. "But remember, every slight from you to others will compromise me. And believe me. I am not someone who likes to be either slighted or compromised. Behave accordingly. I am aware that a dark wizard with substantial following is fighting my lands. He will lose and he will be destroyed with all his followers. We will meet tomorrow evening at 7 sharply in this room if you have any questions." He turned and slowly went through a tapestry into his chambers.

His speech in the Gryffindor tower was different and much shorter. He sat on the stairs to the boys' dorms and had waited until everyone had arrived. The students sat in chairs, on the floor or stood. "For all of you who are new to our world or have not read the news. I am Lord Gryffindor. My office is there." He pointed to a tapestry. "You can always come in if you have any questions, problems or need someone to talk to. Please refrain from doing things you know you shouldn't do. For the older of you, my rules are exactly the same as Professor McGonagall's. Questions?" He looked around, found none and nodded. "I you should find questions, you can also ask my wife. She'll probably know at least as well as I do." He exited, and Ron turned to Harry, pulled up an eyebrow and shook his head.

HHHHhhH

The first morning at Hogwarts dawned. Harry, Hermione and Ron, followed by their goblin escorts, went down early. In the entrance hall, they met with Gabrielle, who was chatting with one of the Slytherin third years. She turned to Harry, kissed him lightly on the cheek, and let him lead her along. When her classmate turned to the Slytherin table, she called her back, and for the first time in a lifetime, two Slytherins sat down for breakfast at the Griffindor table. Gabrielle extensively described her dorm room (four girls) and introduced Tiffany, a girl from an old Welsh family.

When the tables had filled, the prefects started to hand out the timetables. Harry and Ron had decided that this work would not completely fit with the mystery of the three Lords, and had delegated. Hermione smiled. "About as full a schedule as I can manage without a timeturner..."

Gabrielle threw a look, shook her head and grinned: "Only you, grial. What about taking it slow?"

"You don't know her as well as we do, love. She physically can't not take a course."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Very funny. I could, but what would be the fun in it?"

Harry's week started with potions. He had understood why Snape had acted the way he had. He was very curious how his guarantee would help. When he arrived in the classroom, the Professor was already sitting at his desk. On each Grifindor table was a thin book. When all had taken a seat, Snape rose. "It has come to my attention that not all students have perused the right study material so far. Everyone of you will read through "Basic Potions" until next Monday. Now. I want everyone to produce a pain-relieve potion. You have 70 minutes." As always, the instructions appeared on the blackboard. However, the teenagers were surprised by the whole atmosphere in the dungeon. Of course, it was still dank and dark, but Snape did not seem so overbearing as he had before. Harry actually brewed a decent potion without his teacher breathing down his neck. When he rose to leave, a voice stopped him. "Potter. Wait!"

Harry turned to his teacher.

"Has Lord Slytherin told you?"

Harry hesitated for a second, then nodded. "Yes, and I understand, Sir. But I have to admit that I can't bring me to like it."

"I understand that. Still, even if it is difficult for you, if you need anything, you can come to me." The man did something Harry had never seen from him. He shrugged. "It's preposterous, isn't it? Offering something like that to the Merlin's fashokai?"

Harry didn't answer right away. "I will take it in the spirit offered, Sir." Severus Snape had murdered to obtain the dark mark. He had had the same choice as Marcus Flint and he had not passed the test. Harry knew that. And he knew that he had only started to atone for his crimes. Here was a man that would not be able to be with a woman without seeing the child he had killed that night. Someone who would never pursue his calling, the art of potion making, without remembering what his potions had done. "There is no need for me to add to the burden you carry."

The potion master nodded slightly. "Your father did not stay the boy he was. He grew up without losing his humanity on the way."

"Thank you, Sir."

Harry left the room. His surviving godfather was actually a moral man. Harry was not sure if he had found these morals after he saw what a death eater really was or if he had suppressed his believes to win the appreciation of his peers.

Their next lesson was to be much different. The class, consisting of all Slytherins and Gryffindors, several Ravenclaws and Susan Bones, met in Myrtle's bathroom. Lord Slytherin waited for them. The pathway to the chamber was already opened, and the teens went one by one down the slide to the dark Chamber of Secrets. In the dark chamber that had been cleared of all remains of the basilisk, the Merlin addressed his class. "It has always been in this chamber that Salazar Slytherin taught his chosen. In a place where he could make sure that there were no listeners. Now, first of all. In this chamber you will learn ritual magic that immensely powerful. It is so strong that it sank Atlantis. Thus, I require an oath."

On his motion, all teens except Harry and his friends brandished a wand and repeated his words. "Of what I learn in this chamber, I will not talk, write or communicate anything to anyone who has not been initiated to the telmasca-Merlin. I swear that I will use the knowledge obtained here only for the good of the realm and according to the rightful orders of the Merlin of Britain. This I swear on my life and magic."

"Now, is there anyone who wants to leave?"

Obviously, there were several, but everyone stayed. "What you must never forget is the fact that the Merlins of old were not only political and military leaders, but also the Head of the old religion. Thus, some of the rituals you will learn have a religious aspect that might feel wrong for those of you who have been raised as Christians. Also, some rituals demand sacrifices or sexual intercourse. Except for some in which a little blood is needed, you will not actually try these rituals here. But I will teach you the theory, and there may come the time that I will ask some of you to participate in stronger ones."

This caused another buzz among the students. "No, we will not see lewd behaviour here. And again, I cannot stress enough how important your concentration will be. If you make a mistake in any ritual you may be happy if it will only result in your death. Thus, you will pay attention or be punished." Harry's presence together with his words held his students captivated. He began with an introduction to the ceremony he would hold on Samhain, the Purging of the Land. With that ceremony, it would be possible to finally vanquish Voldemort forever and minimize the risk for future dark lords in Britain. It would be a painful event, but cleansing.

After three hours, he sat down on the only chair in the whole chamber. "Obviously, you will not have any homework. If you have the need to discuss this class, you will only do it in classroom 27, on the fifth floor. The password is Britain."

At six in the evening, Harry in his Slytherin persona slowly made his way to the council chamber when he heard the voices of his best friend and his wife. They seemed to be bickering again. But Ron had changed more than he really felt comfortable with. Far from the mostly immature, slightly egocentric boy, his voice was that of a teacher, a mentor.

"No, I don't think so, Hermione. Yes, you are smart. Definitely top 5 per cent of the population, maybe even top 1 percent. But even Ron was almost as good as you in most classes. And I did that without any studying. Now, I am three. And Liz is definitely Nobel quality. She was very smart, a bit like you, but more brilliant, more original than you. Thus, she was able to invent a system for ancient runes. She would be genius level at least. And if you take John, well, he is a league of his own. Don't forget that he single handed invented arithmancy. He's among those whose name will be remembered for centuries, like Imhotep, Aristotle, Newton, Einstein. The geniuses who shape our world. And we three are combined now."

"But Ron, you are missing centuries of muggle research."

"I am. And sadly I don't have Harry's ability to know everything that has ever been known."

"So Harry is the most powerful of us?"

"Of course. Power-wise, we are so far below him that it's not even funny. I mean, he could produce a patronus at thirteen that scared away a hundred dementors. And now, he has all magical reserves and all knowledge of Britain at his call. That doesn't change that Harry will never be a scientist or a researcher. His mind isn't built like that. He will be an inspired leader, hell, he is now. And he will do everything he feels necessary. But he will never be interested in inventing new concepts."

"And why do you think that you are better suited than me?"

"Tell me, Hermione, what happens if you put a feather-light charm on an object that is close to light-speed? Can you break the light barrier?"

"Er..."

"Most likely nothing would happen. The feather light charm does not alter the mass, but the forces of gravity."

Hermione made a surprised sound.

"Have you ever spent your nights dreaming about putting a spell into the LHC at CERN? Have you speculated if magic is more of a wave or a corpuscle? What happens if you sent spells through a double-blind? Will you find interfering waves? Can you put a freezing spell on an electron? Can magic trump Heisenberg's theories? And how does magic really work? Is the super-string theory correct? Could magic be a proof for the n-dimensional universe? And much simpler – if we should map our DNA – will we find the magic gene? Or why can we work it?"

"I have no idea."

"Neither have I. But I have three notebooks with experiments I want to try and theories I want to falsify. After reading ten books on muggle science."

"Oh."

"Indeed. The scientific method has made immense changes since John was living. And the difference is obvious. While you have lived in both worlds, you have never asked yourself why and how. I believe that you will be completely capable to conduct, even to invent the experiments. But it is not Hermione Gryffindor who will ask the questions."

"So you want..." Harry didn't want to listen in any longer and went up the last steps. His best friend immediately saw him.

"Hi Harry. I'm just trying to seduce your wife." Ron grinned. "I really need a research assistant."

"What are you talking about?"

"About who's smarter. And about how magic works."

"You believe it's just another force, don't you?"

"No, sadly not one. At least one new class of forces."

"You are wrong, old friend. Magic may be found in forces, but she has a mind on its own."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Harry, I know that you are the high druid, and that you have to..."

"I am serious, Ron." Harry's voice had lost its light tone.

"Come on, Harry, you can't really believe in something like a godlike magic."

"Then explain how life debts are possible. Gravity, weak and strong nuclear power and the electromagnetic force are all without direction and, though they keep our atoms together, do not influence our lives. With magic, it's different. Take prophecies, for example, or the effect of a life debt on a veela."

Ron stood straight for a moment, then, obviously after an intense internal discussion, he slowly nodded. "I will have to research that, too."

"And I am sure that Luna will assist me on bringing you back on the right way."

Again, Ron nodded, and smiled. "How was your day? I think I already like the new Hogwarts better than the old."

He was right. Among students and teachers, there was an atmosphere of expectation, new beginnings and intensity. The Slytherins did their best to hold their selves aloft of the masses, but there was not as much tension between them and – for example – the Gryffindors. And the teachers somehow seemed more active in their classes. Harry cast a small glance at his watch. "Damn. I need to get to the Syltherins. House meeting. See you later."

He hurried to his chambers and then stepped into the common room one minute to seven. All students were standing in a half-circle around his tapestry-door. He looked from one to the other, and was surprised that Connie Flint and Mary Sue Granger had found their way into his house. This was something he really could tease Hermione with. Her own sister in the snakes' den!

"Now, is there anything we need to discuss?"

Silence answered him. "Very well. The House will meet every Monday at seven for a short discussion. Also, on Thursday, we will meet on the quidditch pitch to prepare the new team. Anyone who wants may try out."

He turned when a voice called out. "My Lord? May I speak to you in private?" Draco Malfoy had stepped to the front.

"Follow me." He stepped through the tapestry, and sat down in the heavy wooden chair behind his desk. The teen followed him and pulled up both sleeves. The skin was unblemished. Harry motioned him to sit down.

"Thank you, Sir. I have two things on my heart." After a nod of Harry, he continued. "You are aware that my father is a Death Eater and currently in prison. Am I right to assume that he will participate in your plans of Samhain?"

"You may assume so, Mr. Malfoy. I believe that three other classmates of yours are in the same position."

"You are right, Sir. Is there any chance for mercy for our fathers?"

Harry thought for a second, then shook his head. "No, Mr. Malfoy. There is none. I know what they have done and they have deeply wounded Britain with their deeds. They and all people who have killed for the dark wizard named Voldemort will participate at Samhain. But I will grant you and your three friends not to participate in the ceremony. No son should be forced to participate in the execution of his father."

The pale face of the blond Slytherin relaxed a little and he bowed in his seat. "I thank you, my Lord Merlin."

Harry nodded and expected to see the boy leaving, but he stayed seated. "Another thing, my Lord?"

"Go ahead."

"I have recently learned that my father through several attempts at murder has fallen into an atul life debt against your heir's husband." A strange emotion crossed his face. "Master Potter-Black and I have a history. In his shoes, I would call the debt due, even if only to avenge the things I have done and tried to do to his friends."

Harry sat quiet.

"As you know, I have a younger sister who has started Hogwarts. I have no right, but I would beg from you to protect my sister from this debt. For myself, I must reap what I have sowed."

After a moment of silence, Harry nodded again. "I will see what I can do, Mr. Malfoy. But I guess Master Potter-Black will see reason and understand that your sister has nothing to do with the slights your family committed against him. If you want a recommendation, take your sister and approach him when he is with my heir."

"I thank you again, my Lord." He started to rise when a boy knocked and timidly entered.

"My Lord, Master Potter-Black asks for the right to enter the common room."

Harry smiled. "Why not? Let him enter but ask him for his word not to reveal anything he learns about the secrets of Slytherin." The boy ran out, followed by Draco Malfoy.

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