Author's Note:

Heya, I would have updated this earlier, but I had no internet Yay!... I wasn't just rolling around on the floor in tears... god I'm sad, seriously though that wasn't what I did (though I may have felt like doing it) my mum and dad just took me out for long walks instead... long, long walks :/.

Aynway you don't want to know about that.

This chapter is quite short and might be boring IDK, but I swear, give me a few chapters and this story will get going properly.

Enjoy :3

Chapter 9: Returning Home

-October the 10th

The castle had not changed, its grandeur was still breath taking; the lights in its windows still glittered just as bright.

"How long ago was it since we were last here?" Ron asked, Harry shrugged, running a hand through his hair, the cold wind tickling the tips of his fingers.

"Five years, give or take." He answered; he and Ron had visited the school a few times before to give talks but they hadn't been back in a while.

The two had stopped after apperating to stare at the magnificent structure, but now began walking up the rickety road that lead to the castle.

Harry glance at Ron, his friend looked nervous; after all the years of knowing his friend he could recognise the expression in his face.

"Ron?" He looked warily at Harry, "What's the matter?"

Ron shrugged, "I just don't think this is right."

"Why?"

Ron straightened and pausing for a minuet he said, "Harry this was our home for seven years, people we're supposed to be able to trust work here; Neville, Hagrid. McGonagall and Flitwick they're not just our old teaches Harry, they fought beside us," Ron paused for a minute catching Harry's gaze and holding it. "And what are we doing? We're walking into their school; we're lying to our friends on the word of a man we only just met. Harry does this really seem right to you?"

Harry nodded slowly. Ron was right - how could he just waltz in there and not care about how his own friends would feel about it. The sword didn't belong to him; he couldn't just take it out of its rightful place whenever he felt like it! – But that wasn't the point…

"This is more than that Ron; this time it's more than protecting our friends, it's more than fighting for what we believe in, if we ignore this boy, it's not just our friends that fall, it's the whole world. If we ignore this boy, and he's right, there's no going back; you have to understand that."

Ron sighed and with a bow of his head he said, "I do."

"Ah, there you are!" a voice rose from above the sound of chatter, a tall man with dark blue robes darted through the untidy mass of pupils and made his way towards Harry and Ron.

"Neville!" Harry exclaimed, greeting his friend with a warm smile.

"Harry, Ron so glad you're here how long's it been?"

"Five years." Ron muttered, obviously still unsure about his motives.

"Five years! I do wish you'd come more often, it reminds me of the old days. Your kids though, I have to say Harry, that James of yours, bit of a trouble maker, extremely intelligent though. In fact all of them are proving to be very promising especially your Rose Ron, she doesn't half remind me of Hermione when she was her age." As Neville said that, Harry could see the simile growing at the corners of Ron's mouth.

"I'm not sure it that's a good thing" Ron said jokingly, but Harry knew no matter how much Ron teased his daughter inside, truly he was proud of her.

Neville lead them through the torrent of young witches and wizards on their way out to break, as he filled them in on what had been going on since they'd last seen him and before they knew it, they were in the staff room.

Familiar faces surrounded them; Not only McGonagall, Flitwick and Hagrid but also other staff that they had met on previous visits.

Hagrid was the first to approach the pair, "Harry! How nice to see ya again, look at you, I still remember the boy in the light house all those years ago you've changed so much!" The giant looked old; grey had started to mix with the browns of his beard, and his eyes, though still dark, where blood shot and tired.

Harry embraced his old friend, feeling like the child Hagrid remembered, as he was smothered in those huge arms. "Nice to see you too Hagrid," He couldn't hold back the grin as Hagrid released him.

Hagrid sighed, "So how have you been gettin' on then, trust all's well with the ministry, no problems?"

"None; the peace has never been better." Harry answered, though out of the corner of his eye he could see Ron raising his eyebrow. Had never been better Harry thought to himself, the smile slowly fading from his face.

"Well that's marvellous." Hagrid said content with what Harry had said even though, maybe he shouldn't have been.

Behind him emerged the two other professors, an uncommon smile resting on McGonagall's lips.

"Harry, Ron." She nodded at them.

"Professor." Harry nodded back, regaining his smile from earlier. He nodded down at Professor Flitwick, who practically grinning back up at him.

"I trust you've been well?"

"Good thank you professor." Harry answered.

"Well for that I'm glad," The Professor smiled "Harry there's someone I'd like you to meet." McGonagall gestured backward and a lady with dark, black hair appeared at her side. "This is Professor Pollywood, our new potions teacher; she will be showing you round, as Professor Claybrook is currently on break duty."

The woman curtsied slightly, bowing her head as she did so, reminding Harry of some sort of old age princess, she defiantly looked like one, more so than a teacher at least, she was very young, younger than most in her profession at Hogwarts.

Harry bowed his head back at her and offered a hand, "Harry Potter," He said as means of introducing himself. She shook it. Harry flinched; her grip was harder than he had anticipated.

"Melantha," She said back, coolly removing her hand from his. Then she looked at Ron, smiling kindly.

"Ron Weasley" Ron answered her unsaid question.

She bowed her head again, twiddling her fingertips childishly, "You'll be taking Professor Claybrook's fourth lesson today. Come with me I'll show you to his class room."

Melantha started walking, but before they could follow McGonagall stopped them.

"Harry, there's something I wish to tell you. In the ministry's eye it is not necessary for you to know a detail such as this, but scene as you will be teaching this boy I think it is. " She paused, checking to see if anyone was listening. "Meet me in my office at six."

As they walked away, Ron and Harry shared an ambivalent glance. What could McGonagall know that she felt was important enough that she felt it necessary to disobey a power such as the ministry's just to tell him? Harry could only begin to think.