A/N: I want to thank everyone for their reviews, and I wanted to let everyone know that all the mistakes that have been pointed out have been corrected. And a thank you also to everyone who has been following this story. I know that everyone is probably confused at this point, and I wanted to note that it should get better toward the end. I wrote this with the intention of having some fun. I think I managed to not violate canon throughout the whole thing, but I came awfully close a few times. Once again, I apologize in advance for the Space Vikings.

Chapter 10: Arrival

"FIRST YEARS, THIS WAY," Hagrid shouted as the students began to pour out of the cars. In the distance he saw a student shoved to the ground. The next instant he grabbed one of the prefects, a Ravenclaw, told him to keep shouting for the first years, then began running toward the rear of the train.

"Don't inter . . ." the dark wizard said as Hagrid approached. What else he meant to say was lost as the man was pushed thirty feet away, by the nearest estimates, and decided to take an impromptu nap.

Hagrid was kneeling by the boy he had seen struck. "Are ye hurt?"

"Not as bad as some," the boy said as the giant helped him up.

Seeing the boy was fine enough to walk on his own, yet had others to help him if need be, he demanded from one of the older students to know who was hurt, and how.

"Stay out of this," another wizard said, and Hagrid turned on him in anger. The wizard decided that backing away and tripping over his own feet might be a better idea.

"No one's killed," a fifth year girl said, "but some are still recovering. They used the Cruciatus curse for discipline."

"DISCIPLINE?"

Several windows on the train chose that moment to shatter in response to the giant's volume.

Hagrid pulled out his wand and looked around for anyone who was not a student. He called to the older students to make sure everyone was off the train and to tell him at once if anyone needed help. "And Get Yer Wands Out. An' use 'em if you have to."

No one from the last cars had a wand. They had been confiscated. But no few students from the middle cars had come to watch the excitement. And they were more than willing to help.

Hagrid began marching the length of the train. Two of the wizards that were part of the escort were forcibly helped back onto the train. The others had been wise enough to do so voluntarily. No one wanted to deal with students who had their wands drawn and were willing to use them, nor a giant who might not bother using his wand.

As he neared the front of the train, he spotted the two faces he was looking for.

"Malcolm, I need a favor from ye. Fly up to the school and let McGonagall know what them hooligans were doin'."

Jared felt a moment of dread. It was only a matter of time before someone would want him to change shape. He looked around instinctively for Simon but he caught Dennis waving to him. Dennis gave a thumbs up and Jared watched as the other boy assumed a form that he was familiar with. A Griffin. Jared smiled as he saw the creature fly off in the direction of the school.

"It's already been taken care of."

Hagrid laughed. "Ye knew? An' already told? Then why'd ye fly back?"

Jared smiled. The giant had made the wrong conclusion but it was a safe one. And he knew what to say as an excuse. "First years get to sail across the lake."

Hagrid beamed at the thought that Malcolm would want to make that journey again. He was still smiling when he turned to Nob. "I guess yer eager to get started."

Simon knew his part. This man was his godfather. "More than eager."

"An' if ye have any questions, you jus' ask me."

As the situation seemed to return to normal, Hagrid went back to rounding up all the new students and leading them to the lake where the boats were waiting.

"I guess yer excited to be here, Nob," Hagrid said as he loaded the boy into the boat.

"It was unexpected," Simon admitted. "I'm not sure what to expect."

"Well, don't expect any favors from me in my class."

Simon paused from stepping into the boat. He was curious about something. The giant was supposed to be his godfather. And he taught at the school. "Hagrid, no one ever told me what you teach."

Hagrid looked surprised. "Care of Magical Creatures," he said with a laugh

Simon, who could not pass an animal without wanting to take it home as a pet, went wide-eyed. "YOU just became my favorite Professor."

Hagrid beamed at the words. He looked at the other students waiting to enter the boats. "Tha's my godson, you know."

"You made him very happy," Jared told to his brother.

Simon smiled back. "Do you believe that? And he'll want to show me all sorts of creatures. I'm his godson."

Jared paled at the thought of what kind of pets his brother would be keeping. He also worried about what they would find once they reached the school. But when Simon pointed and said it looked great, he glanced in that direction and saw the school for the first time. He decided that it just might be worth it.

"I have it on very good authority," McGonagall was saying to the gathered teachers, "that things are starting off on the wrong foot." She told them everything that had been happening on the train, without mentioning her source. She was also thanking herself for keeping a secret from the rest of the teachers.

The two new teachers laughed at the accusations, drawing angry looks from the rest of the faculty. The new Defense teacher suggested that such punishments were appropriate.

Severus Snape, as Headmaster, had his first problem, but he was already prepared.

"Professor McGonagall is right. The actions of the adult guardians on the train were completely out of order. They should never have taken place. However, I do not have any authority over what happens on the Hogwarts Express. We may all make our objections known but the truth is there is nothing anyone here can do about it."

McGonagall was furious. The part that made her most angry was the fact that the new headmaster was correct. They could do nothing about it. And the Ministry, now in the control of the Dark Lord, was already doing worse things. One of the things Dennis had told her was that at least two people were seized on the platform itself. One of them was taken while her children watched.

The school was now a fortress, she decided. The duties of all the teachers were to educate AND protect the students. And there was one advantage in this tactic. The traitors within Fortress Hogwarts were already known.

Dewey walked up to the teachers table as soon as he entered the Great Hall. He walked directly to the new headmaster.

"Professor Snape?"

Severus Snape turned around. He was smiling. "Dewey, any problems you have you should take up with your head of house." He pointed to the portly gentleman near the end of the table. "That would be Professor Slughorn."

"It's not a problem. It's a favor." Dewey handed the Professor a folded piece of parchment. Snape, showing his irritation, took the parchment. He read it, looked at Dewey, read it again.

"Follow me. We'll talk in private." Snape led the way to a room behind the table, the same one the contestants went to at the drawing for the Tri-Wizard tournament. He cast a silencing spell as soon as the door was closed.

"How did you . . . how could you know about Potter's escape?" Snape stared at the young blond boy with the crew cut hair. As he did, he remembered an 'accident' from last year. "It's something to do with that boy. The one that appeared in Malcolm's place."

"Kinda. Look Professor, I can't explain everything, but I know all about you and Dumbledore. I even know about . . . other stuff. I won't tell anyone. Ever. I promise. But . . ."

Snape sighed. "It's Malcolm. I know it is. What did your brother do now? Isn't starting school all over again bad enough?"

Dewey tried to remain calm. He was about to reveal a secret to another person. Idly, he thought it was becoming the largest known secret at Hogwarts. "Sir, it's not what he did. It's what he can't do. You need to publically forbid him to change into an owl. And Nob, too, while you're at it."

"I would love to forbid Malcolm anything. And that includes returning to this school. But I need a reason."

Dewey cringed. "That isn't Malcolm. He only looks like Malcolm. And everyone's going to want to see him change and then they'll all know."

Snape rubbed his eyes. His first official day as headmaster was not going very well. "Where is Malcolm?"

"Uh . . . we lost him. Him and Nob."

"Lost?"

"Misplaced?" Dewey suggested.

"Where? No, don't even try to answer that. I don't want to know."

Professor McGonagall led the first year students into the Great Hall. She had given all of them her standard speech as though nothing was wrong. She told them the names of the houses and that they would all try on the sorting hat. As she lined them up according to their names, she was mildly surprised to see one particular boy in the front.

"I see you changed your name."

"Had to," Anthony admitted. "Not old enough for my old one, anymore."

"A curious choice."

"It was Rose Zeller's idea. She said it was from a movie." Anthony looked away and sighed. He turned back. "I thought about it, and it does fit."

She eyed Malcolm and Nob, both were acting peculiar. Then Nob told Malcolm to smile, and Malcolm did. A shy smile. McGonagall smiled in return. The boy would recover from his embarrassment and then . . . she did not want to think what would happen once Malcolm was his old self.

And now they were walking toward the teacher's table and the stool where the sorting hat sat. Everyone stood and waited. And waited. Professor McGonagall understood. There would be no song this year. Regardless of how much they tried, this would not be a normal year.

"When I call your name, you will sit on this stool and I will place the sorting hat on your head." She looked at her list. "Adverse, Anthony."

Anthony walked forward and sat on the stool. The hat was placed on his head. And Anthony thought, 'no song this year'.

'What could I say?' the hat thought back. 'And where to put you?'

'Gryffindor? I always ended up there before.'

'True, but would it be better to place you elsewhere. You were a follower when you were older, and now you are a leader. And with Malcolm I have . . . a problem.'

Anthony understood. When Malcolm's name was mentioned, he thought of Malcolm and now the hat knew. He almost laughed at the next words to come into his head.

'You always seem to end up there'. "GRYFFINDOR".

The Gryffindors applauded their newest member as Anthony took off his hat and walked to the table. Matt was sitting there, with Euan and Jenny, waiting for their old friend.

"What took you so long?" Matt asked.

Anthony smiled. "Had to put up a fight. Just to make it look good."

The names were being called. The girl after Anthony went into Slytherin. The same with the boy after her. Dutton, Rebecca was called. Again, it took some time, and the Hat called out Gryffindor. Becca sat down across from Anthony, looking at him carefully.

"The hat told me you were a difficult choice. It told me I was going to Gryffindor in case you needed help. With Malcolm."

It was Euan, who was sitting next to her, who had to ask. "What do you know about Malcolm?"

"He's the reason my last name is Dutton." She told them how, three years earlier, she was an orphan in the hospital playing Owl Post. Malcolm, as an owl, delivered her letter to her new parents.

The sorting continued to play itself out. Miriam, Ben and the others ended up together in Ravenclaw. They all agreed to follow the first one to the same house. When they compared notes, they found that the hat offered no objections to any of them. Shana and Michael ended up in Gryffindor for the same reason.

All in all, the sorting was going along at a normal pace. Until Malcolm's name was called. The hat was placed on his head, and everyone waited. Jared sat there. And sat there. And sat there. After fifteen minutes, the hat called out, "Gryffindor." More than one student would swear it sounded exasperated.

Jared was pointed to the Gryffindor table. He apologized, and walked as quickly as he could. Nob's name was called. Before Jared sat down, his brother was on his way to join him. The first question everyone asked was what took so long. Jared shrugged his shoulders and said, "stuff, I guess".

The sorting was finished. Charles Rowland was the only one to notice that Miriam and her five companions from the train all went to Ravenclaw. There was an expectant hush as the new Headmaster stood up. By now, most of the first years had heard about Severus Snape and did not expect much good.

"Before we begin the feast, let me first introduce two new teachers to the faculty. First is Alecto Carrow, who will take over as Professor for Muggle studies. It is hoped she will give a refreshing and accurate view of what muggles are really like."

A short woman in black robes stood up to a smattering of applause, the majority from Slytherin. As she sat back down, the man sitting next to her stood up. He was also short, and fat in an uncomplimentary way. To the casual observer, it would be assumed that his nickname was Lumpy. And he had a crooked smile. A smile that guaranteed no one would trust him behind their backs.

"As Professor for Defense Against the Dark Arts, may I introduce her brother, Amycus Carrow, a man who has significant experience in this area. There are also a few necessary announcements. Enforcement of the rules has often been lax in this school under its previous leadership. This will now change. Anyone found breaking the rules will find themselves subject to punishment. No excuses will be permitted, nor accepted."

Professor Snape turned to look directly at Jared and Simon. "There are also some students who are 'blessed' with extraordinary abilities. As these abilities are not part of the standard curriculum, they are not to be exercised. I believe it is obvious which two students I am referring to, and they will meet with me at the end of the feast so that I may make certain they follow my directions in this area." He did his best to glare at the entire student body all at the same time. "You might as well start eating."

"Sir," Jared said as he and Simon approached the headmaster.

"Follow me." Snape led them to the same room where he had talked with Dewey. He closed the door behind him after the boys had entered and cast the silencing spell so they would not be overheard. He looked directly at Jared. "You are an Animagus. Change into an owl right now or I will have you expelled."

A look of fear crossed Jared's face. The headmaster noticed it, and smiled. The look of fear crisscrossed Jared's face, found a suitable spot, and stayed there for all the world to see.

"And you are?" Snape asked.

"Ma-Malcolm," Jared said as he lowered his eyes.

"You seem thrilled by the fact. I suppose you'd rather be Nob."

"You know?" Simon asked.

Severus Snape looked up and cursed several imaginary gods. "Regretfully, yes. And I am blackmailed into helping the two of you. Before I do. MALCOLM, I want to know what the Sorting Hat was telling you that took so long."

"Telling?"

The surprised looks of the two boys was matched by the headmaster. He knew now what had happened. The two students he least looked forward to seeing had been replaced by muggles. That was the only reason they would never have heard anything. As he mentally thought of ways to punish Dewey for getting him into this situation, Snape also decided to take the simplest course of action.

"Never tell anyone about the Sorting Hat. And if anyone, and I mean this, if anyone asks either of you to turn into an owl, tell them I had you take a Wizard's Oath not to. Do both of you understand?" Both boys nodded. "Now, get out. Wait, you are supposed to know the way to Gryffindor."

"We'll find it, Sir," Jared answered. "We have someone who knows about us to guide us."

"Who at the school knows about you? Beside Dewey."

Jared looked at Simon, who nodded. Not all the names would be mentioned. "Matthew Zeller and Anthony Adverse. Funny. Saw an old movie with that name, once. Ginny Weasley knows."

"No teachers?"

Both boys shook their heads.

"Keep it that way. I don't want any more names added to the list." The headmaster sighed as the two boys left the room. It was going to be a long school year.

Charles signaled from the top of the stairs.

"The way is clear," Edwin said to the twins as he led the way. "But you shouldn't say anything to me, to be on the safe side." He marveled at the bit of fortune. Because they could see ghosts even when they were in their invisible state, it was a simple matter to have the boys follow him. It was also fun to play tour guide and tell them things they should know, such as where the trick stair was, that the staircases like to change, and which portraits would try to talk their ears off.

Basil appeared at the halfway point to let them know the password. It was "Courage Always".

David Winter was smiling. He had good news for the master. When he was permitted entrance, he quickly explained what had occurred at his most recent meeting.

"And he suggested you become my servant?" Voldemort asked.

"His suggestion is that I should pretend, my lord. He does not know that I have placed all pretenses aside. I prefer to serve someone who has proven himself to be a leader. Not someone looking for a second chance."

Voldemort smiled, his malice visible to everyone. "It is time, then, to reveal to your former master that you have a new allegiance."

David Winter apparated directly to the house he had left only yesterday. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room, his master and several other Death Eaters also appeared. The house was deserted. The only signs that anyone had lived there was in the adjoining room where the televison had been left on except that the volume had been turned all the way down. The screen showed only static. On the chair, in front of the television was a piece of paper.

"What is it?" Voldemort asked. "Has our quarry left us a taunting note?"

"No, my lord," the Death Eater called out. "There's only one word written on it. Bang."

Voldemort noticed the sudden fear in David Winter's eyes and managed to apparate before his American acolyte. The Death Eater holding the piece of paper never knew what happened when the television exploded. He was killed instantly. The others, with varying injuries, managed to escape the house and return to the Manor.

As the last Death Eater vanished, a shadow moved in the corner and Malcolm appeared. The fifteen-year-old boy looked around and sighed. It would have been too much to expect David to be the victim, but it would make him and his new boss more careful if they tried to stop him. He pictured himself face to face with the Dark Lord, smirking. To the air, he said, "I know the prophecy, you fool. I'm waiting for you to die."

Knowing there was no more to be done, he slipped back into the shadows. He had a long journey ahead of him. He could not rely on wizarding transportation. But he did know how to get to Hogwarts without magic.

"Is it really you?" Avery asked, after making sure everyone else was asleep.

"Yeah, and I had a lot of fun. But it's good to be back."

Avery nodded. "I couldn't help notice that Malcolm was acting strange."

Dewey snorted. "He told me the Great Hall is bigger than he remembered."

Avery snickered. "It was funny. It was like he was seeing it all for the first time."

"You look nervous, David."

Voldemort was not angry.

"I failed you, My Lord. I wanted to prove myself to you."

"In this, you did fail. But I know Malcolm too well. I remember how he created an elaborate ruse, disrupting the entire wizarding world and creating anger and animosities, simply to guarantee that his brother's adoption would be accepted by the Wizengamut. There is always more to him than you expect."

"Malcolm is your enemy," David emphasized.

"Perhaps, but he will not threaten me directly. He knows that he cannot harm me. I need not fear him. But there is another I must face, and he may help that one. You can help me by trying to discover the pieces of his plan. Find out what happened to his adopted brother. And you are an American. Surely you can discover who these two wizardlings are that claim to be who they cannot possibly be."

David bowed as he was dismissed. As he turned to go, Voldemort told him to wait. He had one more question to ask. "How did the Americans react to our new Minister?"

David understood. Voldemort would not praise him directly after the fiasco at Malcolm's hideaway. This was his way of telling his servant that he did not fail.

"Our Government accepted my assurances that it was an internal matter, a political power play. They also accept my statements that the rumors and accusations are from the radical fringe of Scrimgeour's group. They are satisfied."

"And Scrimgeour's death?"

David grinned widely. "As you know, My Lord, my wife died the same night as the Minister. She died with her lover who was using Polyjuice Potion. I have mentioned both incidents, in private, to members of my government and encouraged them to come to the most scandalous conclusion."

David Winter bowed again. As he left the room, he smiled to himself. He had a few secrets of his own to keep, but he had definitely made the right choice, as long as one pesky teenager keeps his distance.

With help, the twins found their way to the portrait of the Fat Lady. Charles informed them that they were to give her the password. Simon looked up at the expectant figure in the painting.

"Uh, Courage Always?"

"You must be Nob," the Fat Lady said. "Welcome to Hogwarts." The portrait swung open to reveal the entrance to Gryffindor. Both boys entered and tried to appear unsurprised by what they saw. But what they saw was Professor McGonagall talking to the students. If anything, having everyone go silent and suddenly stare at them gave the two an excellent excuse to appear nervous.

"How did the two of you get in?" McGonagall demanded.

"We, um, gave the Fat Lady the password," Jared answered.

"And how did you get the password? I know I didn't tell you what it was."

"The headmaster told us."

"I did not tell Professor Snape what the password was."

"One of the other students," Simon offered.

McGonagall was initially curious but now she was suspicious. "I didn't tell any of the students until they were in the common room. I made it a point to have the portrait open and waiting for them when they arrived from the Great Hall." She emphasized each word as she said, "HOW . . . DID . . . YOU . . . KNOW?"

Jared tried to hang his head yet look at the Professor at the same time. "Lucky guess?"

"FRED WEASLEY, THIS IS NOT A LAUGHING MATTER?"

For one second, there was dead silence in the room. Then, Professor McGonagall realized what she had said. She threw up her hands and walked out amid gales of laughter.