Hey everyone,
So originally I wasn't really planning on making Harry's return to Hogwarts be a two-parter like this, but last chapter covered Harry's return to Hogwarts for the night so perfectly, I felt it deserved to stay its own chapter. Plus Harry is going to experience a few things in this chapter that are just different enough from last chapter that I think they both deserve their own respective chapters. If that even makes any lick of sense.
Either way,

Venquine1990

Chapter 43
To Start Anew – Part 01

18th of March 1996
Great Hall, Hogwarts
Harry's POV

Dobby had woken Fred, George and myself quietly before the others woke and reluctantly the twins snuck back to their own rooms. I had still been pretty sleepy, so I had drifted off again after I heard the door close behind them. An hour or so later, I woke up and got ready for classes. Downstairs the twins await me as if nothing happened and I happily kiss them both on the cheek before they walk Ron, Hermione and me down to the Great Hall.
I easily notice that Hermione has some issues with us being together and I'm sure that our newest betrothal contract isn't helping matters, even though I'm also sure that either Neville, Luna or even Lupin explained to her why Sirius set it up. The man doesn't think that anything can happen that might break us apart, he just wants to give us a safeguard against potential naysayers who might not like the three of us seeing each other.

Still at the same time I can't help but love the fact that my future is now secure and that it will involve my two favorite gingers forever and ever. Even Ginny, who I had worried about seeing her crush on me, grins widely when she sees how I am happily squished between her two brothers. And both girls can easily see how the twins are lovingly holding me close against their sides and how their thumbs are caressing my hands as we walk.
I really hope that my best friend will see how happy this makes me sometime soon and that she'll just accept it and be happy for me. Part of me wonders why no one like Angelina hasn't sat her down and had a talk with her about this yet. But then I remember how stubborn Hermione was the previous year about SPEW and how she just wouldn't listen to anyone who would try to argue against her beliefs when it concerned the House Elves.

I grimace as I feel as if the same might be true for this and decide to enquire with Angelina or Katie as soon as I get a chance. Then, at the Great Hall, we're suddenly stopped by someone. I only vaguely recognize her as the girl who had gone to the Hogs Head with Cho to meet with Ron, Hermione and I when we first wanted to form the Defense group. For a moment I wonder what might have become of that group, but then the girl speaks up.
"Potter, I spoke with Cho last night as she's my best friend and I thought you had a crush on her. I heard her out and I need to hear you confirm what she said. Is it really true that, even though you're bisexual and swing more towards you own sex, you still pretended to like Cho, because you thought we'd harass you if you picked someone other than her? Why? And why my best friend of all people? Why not someone more of your preference?"

I feel genuinely touched by the genuine curiosity in the girl's voice and answer: "First of all, if you feel like I hurt your friend last night, I apologize. I had already arranged the whole thing between Cho and the twins and Cho was perfectly okay with me dropping the charade. As for why? Call me paranoid, but you lot had already proven what happened if I didn't meet up with your beliefs and your expectations. I didn't want that.
As for why Cho? No offense meant to her character or her intelligence, but her looks make her someone that would make most Boy-Who-Lived fans look at her and say Yea, that looks about right for our "hero". And why not someone my own preference. To be honest, Cho was the one who explained to me that being gay or bisexual isn't a bad thing. But I didn't want my actual lovelife scrutinized and criticized, so I hid it.
I admit, the twins and I had originally planned for Cho and me – if that ever happened without Cedric – well –. Either way, the three of us planned that, if Cho and I would really fake a relationship, we would fake hardships and troubles in my Sixth, her Seventh and let the stress of her NEWTs break us up. Then, I would pretend to be single for a year while I focused on my own NEWTS and then upon graduation, the twins would propose.

This whole thing with Voldemort and the Order just sped the whole thing up. So instead Cho agreed that we'd break up before anyone could really expect us to get together and Sirius put up the betrothal contract incase of potential naysayers. Though that's mostly because of Skeeter's article about Hermione, Krum and myself from last year. Let's face it, if the Goblins approve of it, even Skeeter can't befoul it."
The girl giggles at this and tells me that it was pretty smart of me. For just a split second I want to tell her that the Sorting Hat felt like I would fit in all four Houses and that it thought I should be in Slytherin. But while I falter and stop myself, I can't help but wonder what the Sorting Hat might say now that my scar has been cleansed. The girl lets us through and we head into the Great Hall. I ignore the small crowd as I walk.

Last night I made sure to sit closest to the Great Hall doors. This time I take my seat closest to the Head Table. I gather some breakfast on my plate, but while I prepare an apple to mix into my yoghurt, I send a look at Dumbledore. The man catches my gaze and while I don't wear one, I pretend to adjust the rim of my hat. The man seems to need a minute before he gets my silent message and he sends me a quick, silent nod and a smile.
I return the smile and gently whisper at the twins that I am meeting Dumbledore before I return to the shack after classes. The twins nod and while they don't say it, I know they'll be with me. I smile at them, even as I wonder if they might have guessed my silent message and what it had meant. Then, to my surprise, Professor McGonagall comes over and asks if I want to change my schedule. I want to shake my head, but then falter.

"Professor, if the twins tutor me, do you think I could sit a preliminary exam to see if I can do OWLs in Ancient Runes?" I ask her instead and the woman sends a short, questioning look at her colleague. Professor Babbling seems to have heard us as she nods her consent and my Head of House vocally confirms this. I smile at her and say that I would like to switch Divinations for Ancient Runes. Naturally the woman understands why.
Indeed I try my utmost hardest not to stare at the empty seat of Professor Trelawney as just the thought of her and what she had, perhaps involuntarily, caused me makes me angry enough I can almost hear my magic sing with the desire to extract painful revenge upon the woman. I suppress this need and just focus on how good it will feel to get back at her by making my life exactly the opposite of what her prophesy made it all those years ago.

The others all smile at me as Professor McGonagall makes the necessary adjustments to my schedule and Ron tells me that he and Neville quit too and that Hermione is tutoring them both. I send a short apologetic look at my best friend as I hadn't known this and would have recommended her if I had. Hermione gently smiles back at me and the look in her eyes proves that she's fine, I'm worrying over nothing with this.
Yet as I take a look at my adjusted schedule, two emotions follow each other up in quick succession. History of Magic – Double Potions – Ancient Runes – Defense Against The Dark Arts. At first I feel horrified at the fact that I forgot what a bloody nightmare the Monday schedule had been. But then I remember that Umbridge is gone and a sense of relief and curiosity replace the horror as I wonder what Jones and Runes will be like.

Then Professor Vector herself comes over and hands me a book as she says: "I'll take your Divinations book from you in return for this, Mr. Potter. It's the book assigned to all Fifth years in my class." I dig into my bag and happily switch the two books around, while thanking her for the generosity. The woman nods and together with Professor McGonagall, who sends me a quick smile, she returns to the Head Table.
Yet as they leave, Professor Jones also comes over and the same thing happens. I get a new DADA book and I happily hand her the DADA book that Umbridge had put on the book list for us. The woman raises an eyebrow when she sees the scuffs and marks and I wince as I mutter: "I used it for target practice while venting. It was my elf's idea as he helped me with the skeletons in my closet." The woman smirks and nods.
To my amazement Hermione's not even upset as she too is grinning at me. Then she amazes me even further as she hisses at Ron the question why she didn't think of that. All of our friends laugh softly before we finish up breakfast. At the start of the Grand Staircase, the twins again treat me to a kiss on the cheek each and then head out as their first class is Herbology. I linger on the staircase for a moment as I watch them leave.

Seamus laughs as he passes me and says that I got it bad. I grin at the fact that he calls me mate as it proves that he wants the same thing I do; to put the past and the whole debacle with Umbridge and the Prophet behind us, just like he said in his letter. I nudge the Irish lad in the shoulder and tell him: "Well, what do you expect? They were two of my Keepers, but wanted to keep that secret, so they couldn't visit me.
How would you feel if you hadn't seen your boyfriends in almost half a year?" Seamus lets out another laugh and concedes that I have a good point. but then suddenly he pulls a letter from his pocket and tells me that it's from his mother, that she wrote him and asked him to hand it to me personally. I remember that our whole fight this year started because she believed the Prophet and so I take it, while I try to hide my concerns with a smile.

I put the letter in my own pocket as we reach History of Magic. Hermione takes her usual seat up front, but I move over to one of the seats halfway down the classroom. Binns floats in as he always does, but before the man can start his droning lecture, I grab my new Ancient Runes textbook and open it. And because the writer seems to have written the textbook as if he's describing an adventure, I can tune Binns out as I read.
The whole text fascinates me, even if I need to reread certain portions, and just like I had always thought and expected, Ancient Runes has a lot to do with the cultures of many ancient civilizations. I hold back a gasp of amazement as I don't want to reveal that I am reading something else other than History when I read how one lost and almost forgotten culture grew itself around Runes meant for nature, growth and fertility.

Then suddenly someone shakes my shoulder and I look up. Ron asks if I'm okay and only then I realize that the class seems to be over as everyone else, other than Ron, Neville and Hermione, has already left. I try to suppress a blush of embarrassment as I quickly tuck my book away in my bag, but Hermione still notices the title. And as we leave, she hisses at me: "Harry, that was for Ancient Runes. What were you thinking?"
I roll my eyes and answer: "I already read about the war Binns was droning on about three times while I was in hiding and Ancient Runes fascinated me. It kept me awake." Ron laughs awake and immersed, but I don't see a problem with that, so I just grin and shrug. Hermione bites her lip and then starts to question me about the war Binns was going on about. I roll my eyes and fluidly answer each of her questions.

Yet when she asks who the guilty party was in the trial that preceded the war, I answer the name of a wizard and Hermione yells that I'm wrong. I shake my head and say: "A manuscript was found in the man's handwriting some 40 years ago. In it, he confessed that he bribed the defense Law Wizard to give a half-hearted defense for the Goblin, but make it look believable. That's why the Goblins started their war. They felt cheated and mocked."
Hermione's eyes widen and smile and shrug as I tell her that our friend got me a lot of books to read whenever I needed them or felt like reading. Then suddenly Parvati jumps in between us and asks what I did while in hiding. I quickly confirm with her that this won't reach the grapevine and the girl gives me a solemn nod. I smile at her and answer: "Well, for one I hid myself in a pretty old place that my elf spruced up for me.

Not that you'd be able to see that from the outside, but regardless. Anyway, I would wake up, head for the living/dining room for breakfast, spent about half an hour to an hour in my exercise chamber, read a few books that I had wanted to read growing up but that the Muggles would never let me, have lunch, if my elf had time I would vent and work through the skeletons in my closet, have dinner and then watch a movie or play a game before bed."
Parvati's eyes widen and Lavender, who is walking behind us asks how I could watch a movie if I'm hidden within the Fidelius. I smile at her and want to answer, but then suddenly Bill passes us and says: "Just be patient, Miss Brown. The teachers are discussing certain new rules that will concern this new development. Once those rules have been set in stone, an explanation for Mr. Potter's secret will be given in the Great Hall."

I grin at this as Bill obviously means to say that Muggle entertainment will be implemented into Hogwarts, but only in such a way that it won't annoy the Old-school Purebloods like Malfoy or disrupt classes. Both gossip queens nod in acceptance and then, for some reason, Bill asks me: "Mr. Potter, I have a quick question for you. Did you read your contract through before you signed it?" I shake my head and feel confused.
Mostly because Bill snickers and mutters that he didn't think so. I ask him why and he sends me a grin that reminds me of my favorite twins, yet doesn't make him look even half as devilishly handsome as them as he tells me to just wait and see. I raise my eyebrow at him, but then we reach the dungeons and Bill heads back up to the Second floor while we head down. And as we head over to the classroom, I realize something else.

"Snape's gone. Maybe this time around I can actually enjoy Potions the way I had hoped I could when I first came to Hogwarts." Yet at the same time I remember what Ron told me about Slughorn. My stomach churns for just a moment, but I push this sensation down with the reminder of Bill's talk with the man during the Teacher's Meeting a few weeks ago. And so, with very mixed feelings of hope and trepidation, I enter the classroom.
The first thing I notice is that Slughorn didn't let us wait with the Slytherins like Snape always did or that he opened the door himself. Instead, the man is already standing behind his desk, which has a couple of bubbling and stewing cauldrons set on it, and he apparently used his wand to open the door. I send a quick look at Ron and he sends me a single nod in return. Slughorn always opens the door with his wand and he often starts his class like this.

Some of my trepidation dissipates and my hope rises with a tentative notch. And because I don't know what to expect, I follow after the others as they all congregate around the man's desk. I stare at the man for all but a minute and then turn my focus to the cauldrons on his desks. Instantly I recognize all of them and my stomach churns as I realize that the lot of them are all Polyjuice Potion. I spare Hermione a glance, but she shakes her head.
Instead I focus back on Slughorn, who claps his hands once everyone has gathered around his desk. "Alright everyone, good morning. One quick little thing before we start today's class. Mr. Potter, the vials that you sent to me through your elf were all quite excellent. Well done." Because I really don't know what to expect of the man, I just give him a silent nod and word of thanks. The man doesn't seem to expect more as he just goes on:

"Next, before we start brewing today, I thought about something exciting for us to try out. And just to be crystal clear, I planned this little treat for you all several weeks ago, as those of you who know what this potion is will probably already know. Now, does anyone want to venture a guess?" And just like Hermione, but then faster thanks to my Seeker reflexes, I raise my arm. To my amazement, this makes Hermione lower hers.
I wonder about this as Professor Slughorn calls my name and answer: "It's Polyjuice Potion, sir. It allows someone to take on the identity of another. Though if you take the hair of an animal by accident, you turn into a hybrid of sorts. It was used by Crouch Junior last year while he pretended to be Alastor Moody, who he had locked up in Moody's own multi-compartment trunk." And as I speak, a small smile grows on my face.

While the sight of the Polyjuice Potion had made me feel mixed feelings, I slowly grow to feel more and more proud of myself. As while I talk about what happened last night, I don't feel any guilt over what happened to Cedric and the memory of that night doesn't come up either to haunt me. And so, just for my own personal sense of relief, I let out a sigh of relief as I finish. Slughorn seems to get why as he grins and says:
"Excellent, Mr. Potter. And, as your classmates know by now, I always appreciate it if someone embellishes their answer with either extra data or personal information. Very well done." And somehow, I just know that the last compliment isn't because of the personal information. The man understands why I sighed in relief and the compliment is because of that. Slughorn is genuinely proud of me for putting the past behind me.

The man turns back to the cauldrons and the class at large and says: "Right, now we won't have to worry about accidentally putting in the wrong hairs or anything of the sort. Though I must say, I've never heard about anyone putting in animal hair or knew about that hybrid thing. Most intriguing, but it's also neither here nor there. No, no, let's focus on today's class. I want all of you to grab one vial, fill it up and put your own hair in.
I repeat, your own hair. Anyone putting in anything else can leave the classroom. Now, everyone, from left to right, one cauldron at the time." The fact that the man wants us to find out what our potions will come to look like when we put our own hair in takes away the last bit of my concerns. At the same time I send Hermione another guilty smile. The girl waits till she filled her own vial and with her back to Slughorn, she winks at me.

After a few minutes everyone has their own vial of Polyjuice Potion and just like when we filled them up, Slughorn watches us closely as we pluck a few of our own hairs free and add them to the Potion. Just like the man himself and just like quite a few other students I watch in intrigued interest as the grey mucky-like juice turns various new shades. It really doesn't surprise either Ron or myself to see the vials hardly change with Crabbe and Goyle.
The two brute-like thugs seem to feel genuinely upset to see their vials turn murky brown and the color of a bogey respectively. What astounds and intrigues me is the look on Malfoy's face. He looks as if he's trying to hide a sense of dread. I turn to Ron and he whispers the word later to me. I nod and then go back to studying the others. But I also notice that Slughorn has picked up on the color of the two boys as a concerned frown is on his face.

Malfoy's own potion also intrigues me as it turns a bronze-like copper that has bits of silver sparks bubbling within the depth. What intrigues me is the shock on Malfoy's face as it almost looks as if he wasn't expecting his vial to turn out like this. Slughorn rewards him with a huge grin and then moves onto the others. Yet behind his back, Malfoy stares from his own vial to Crabbe and Goyle and only then I realize it.
When the group had gone to gather around the desk and the cauldrons, Malfoy actually had Parkinson and Zabini between himself and the two thugs. And last night, when Zabini toasted me, he and Greengrass had been seated on both sides of Malfoy with Crabbe and Goyle seated much further down the table. More and more I wonder what happened to Slytherin House while I was away and after Snape left for another country.

Then it's Neville's turn and while I am deeply proud of him, I am also just as shocked as everyone else when his vial turns a matted golden color. Slughorn gasps and asks if any of us knows what this means. And again I raise my arm with lightning speed. The man nods at me and I answer: "The closer to gold a Polyjuice Potion turns, the purer a person's soul. Matted gold often means that there is an emotional scar put upon the soul."
And while I know all about what happened to the Longbottoms thanks to my little trip into Dumbledore's Pensieve last year, I get the strange feeling that that's not the reason behind Neville's potion being matted gold instead of pure. Slughorn nods in pride at my answer, while the other students all stare at Neville's potion in awe. Though then I notice that it's only the Snakes as the Lions all grin at our fellow cub in pride.

And while only last year Neville would have been beet red and stuttering, now he just holds the vial with a large grin on his face. Then it's Ron, Dean and Lavender's turn. Ron's amuses me as it turn almost bacon red. Dean's turns the same yellow as the hammers on the West Ham United logo. Lavender's shocks the lot of us as, at first, it looks pure golden. But then I realize that it's actually sun-yellow, but looks golden due to the lighting.
The girl in question turns red as she realizes that her potion almost misled the others and she whispers an apology to Professor Slughorn. But the man shakes his head and tells her that she's just one of many with who this problem occurs. He even jokes that, in all the years he's been teaching, he lost count of how often he has seen this happen. The girl smiles at him gratefully and then, at long last, it's finally my turn.

I already have my hand above my vial and, at Slughorn's nod, I drop my four hairs into the potion. And to the shock of most of those around me, my potion turns the same matted golden color as Neville's did earlier. Instantly my stomach drops as this, just like Divinations, reminds me of the prophesy. "It really could have been either of us." I think as, out of nothing but pure instinct, I raise my free hand to my face.
And with a feeling of pure disgusted despair I run a single finger across my scar, the one reminder I will always have of what I lost, even now that Voldemort is gone. Tears prickle at the corners of my eyes, but I blink them away and just glare at the vial in disgusted hatred. The professor asks me if I'm alright and I hiss: "I'm fine, sir. I just – there is a personal reason behind why Neville and my colors are so eerily similar. A reason I despise."
I quickly turn to face Neville to let him know that it's nothing against him. Yet Neville already seems to know my reason as I can almost see my own disgust and annoyance reflected in his greyish green eyes. The man looks between the two of us for a moment and then he gives us a single nod. Yet while the rest of the class is all of my friends, I don't really pay it any attention. Instead I try to not throw the vial on the floor and shatter it.

Seamus is the last to test out the color of his vial and it turns a soft yellowish-brown, with the yellow side of the color slightly outshining the brown shade. Then Slughorn returns to his desk and pulls a whole set of corks out of a drawer as he says: "Now onto the fun part. These corks are enchanted. They will keep the potions from expiring, but they will also keep the bottles closed until two days into your upcoming summer holidays.
Now everyone, cork your potions and come up here one at a time to see if anyone would like to be you for an hour this summer." Instantly my hand is up in the air and when the man acknowledges this, I ask him if students can refuse to share their potion. The man smiles and confirms that this is indeed possible. And while Zabini and Greengrass seem shocked that I asked this question, I apologize to the man and head for the sinks.
The man seems to realize what I am planning and yet he doesn't stop me. What also doesn't surprise me is that Neville follows behind me and comes to stand with me in front of the sinks. The two of us share a look of understanding and acceptance and Neville whispers: "To burying the past." I nod at him and as one, the two of us tilt our vials and let our Polyjuice Potion drip down and disappear down the sinks in front of us.

Again tears prick at my eyes and this time I let a few of them fall. Neville gently wipes one away and I gently thank him. I don't really elaborate on what I'm thanking him for, but Neville proves that he understands what I mean with a single nod. And the fact that, even after being apart for almost half a year, we still understand each other so well lightens my heart a little. The two of us rejoin the others and enjoy the rest of class.
Unsurprisingly Lavender and Parvati switch vials, just like Crabbe and Goyle. At this Ron whispers if either of them will even notice the difference and I tense up to keep myself from snorting. When Hermione switches vials with Daphne Greengrass I feel some level of surprise, yet it's really intensifies at the fact that none of the other Snakes criticize Greengrass on her choice. Ron switches with Dean and Seamus.
The three stand in a triangle with each other and, at the count of one, they hand their vial to the one on their right. Ron gets Seamus' vial, Seamus get Dean's and Dean gets Ron's. Malfoy and Zabini also switch their vials with each other and even agree to a meeting at Zabini's home three days into summer. The whole arrangement sounds mostly cordial, but I can't help but spot that there is a level of friendliness to their tones.

Parkinson feels insulted and annoyed that she is the only one who won't get others to take her vial and while her color is similar to Seamus' though then more brown than yellow, I really can't say that I'm surprised about this. Yet Slughorn also seems to have expected that such a thing would happen and gently takes the vial from her and tells her that he will see if someone else wants to be her for an hour and that he will keep her up to date.
To my surprise this whole exercise took the first of the double period. Slughorn seems to have expected this as he moves over to a cabinet I hadn't noticed yet and says: "Well, you can't very well brew an OWL potion in only one hour, so just pick a book from the shelf and study a potion of your fancy for the rest of the period. I expect an essay of one foot long on the potion of your choice on my desk by next class."
And just like with the vials, the class moves to the cabinet in groups. But while the man spoke, one book had caught my interest and the whole time that the others head over, I silently pray to myself that none of them pick it. To my relief, none of the others seem interested in the book in question. Yet when I head over and pick the book, Professor Slughorn turns flustered and speaks up: "Oh goodness, Mr. Potter, no.

That book belonged to Professor Snape. I really don't know how it ended up in my bookcase or why he didn't take it with him. Please, pick something else." I tense with shock when I hear who the book used to belong to and then I make a split second decision. I turn and head over to Malfoy. I want to hand it to him and tell him that he should have it because Snape was his Godfather. But the boy crosses his arms and says:
"Thanks but no thanks, Potter. Like I said at the start of the semester. Snape is a traitor to our house. He denounced me as his godson when he left without a word and, to be honest, I've been a lot happier, relaxed and at ease with myself since he left." My eyes widen and I blink as my curiosity over what happened to Slytherin House raises another notch. Yet I nod at the blonde's words nonetheless and hand the book to Slughorn instead.

The man nods at both Malfoy and myself and after this I turn to the bookcase. And instantly another book piques my interest and I pluck it from the shelf. Slughorn's eyes widen when he spots my choice, yet he doesn't stop me this time around. Instead he grins and nods in pride at my choice. I move over to the empty seat between Neville and Dean and open the book on the Animagus Revealing potion. I read the time away.
The book is incredibly fascinating as it doesn't just dive into the potion itself. There are also chapters dedicated to people who used the potion in the past, people who used other methods to find their Animagus form, how certain ingredients are tied to the magic that allows one to become an Animagus and even the history of how people first discovered that they could turn into animals. As I read I wonder if my dad read this book before me.

Then the period is over and Professor Slughorn reminds us of the essay he set us. He reassures us that we can take our chosen book with us, but also tells us that there is a charm on them that will make them return to the bookcase in the next class. I happily and excitedly put the book into my bookbag and join my friends as we head out of class. Yet as we leave I feel as if I learned just as much about the Snakes as I did about Slughorn and Potions.
Ron assures me that he'll explain about the Snakes and how they've changed since January later and I give him a grateful nod. For some reason Ron hasn't brought that up even once when we had our talks and neither had Dobby or Kreacher when they made their reports to me while handing me one of my meals. Yet at the doors to the Great Hall, the thoughts about the Snakes leave my mind as I see Fred and George waiting for me.

The sight of those two muscular, tanned, handsome redheads brings a happy smile to my face and the two smile back widely when they spot me. I don't even care that some girls who spot this happening giggle and coo at us, I just happily dash over to them. Fred hands me a very sweet looking flower when I reach them and I thank him, but then he tells me to press the petal. I comply and my eyes widen as the flower – turns into a bouquet.
Roses, purple lilacs, sunflowers as well as red and white camelias. The whole bouquet is in one word stunning and I can barely believe that the twins made this for me. Bill passes us by and his grin proves that he knows something I don't as he compliments his brothers. Then I remember his question about the contract and suddenly it all clicks. I look at the two shocked and they snicker as they realize why I'm so shocked.

Fred wraps an arm around me as George asks me the same question his older brother did after History of Magic. I shake my head and say: "I figured Sirius would do right by all of us. And when Bill gave his official approval as a Gringotts employee, that was just confirmation to my beliefs. But –." But before I can argue that they don't need to comply with the whole gift-giving portion of the contract, the twins silence me.
Fred firmly plants his lips against mine and George moves his lips back to the spot of his earlier hickey, the one I enchanted to remain on my skin just a little longer than normal. Yet the kiss is only swift enough to silence me and the twins part from my lips and neck after I moan in delight and they chorus: "We know we don't have to – but we want to." And the look in their eyes proves this, so I lovingly accept their desires.

We head in and an elf appears besides me and asks if I want him to put the flowers in a vase on my bedside table. I smile at him and bend down to whisper in his ear: "Give them to Dobby. He'll put them in my actual bedroom. I don't sleep in the dorm rooms yet, because of my trial period, remember?" The elf nods and accepts the flowers before Fred and George lead me over to the far side of Gryffindor table.
Yet as I get up, I can't help but notice Malfoy staring at the three of us. And it's the look of approval in his eyes that astounds and confuses me. I turn my back on him as I sit down, Fred and George again on either side of me, and mutter: "I really expected Malfoy to make some kind of derogatory comment about our relationship by now." The twins turn their heads to look at Malfoy for a short moment and then they turn back to me and Fred says:

"It's a Pureblood thing. Malfoy might think we're Blood Traitors, but he's not stupid. He knows we played a role in taking his father's master down and he was raised to believe that betrothal contracts are a big thing in society, that they prove the severity and longevity of a relationship between two Houses. Plus, it's not uncommon for families like ours to – as Malfoy would call it – cleanse our slate through methods like these."
This certainly explains the blonde's somewhat odd behavior to a point, yet I can't help myself and ask if they're sure he won't cause trouble. The two shake their heads and George says: "As long as we keep to the terms of the contract – and one party giving the other gifts is pretty common with these things – Malfoy will leave us be. The only thing that could cause trouble is if we don't invite him to the bonding ceremony. Or wedding if you'd prefer that."

I try with everything I have not to let my face heat up as I remember the wet fantasy I was having when Sirius barged in on me on Saturday. But because I've also done some reading up on ancient pureblood customs and the likes while I was hiding, I know about the differences between a Bonding ceremony and just a regular wedding. So while I silence Hermione with a sharp look, I happily tell the twins: "Bonding, definitely."
The twins beam at me and Fred fills each of our plates with a nice salad. And just like with dinner the other night, they happily feed me a few bites of either their own plates or mine. And I happily and lovingly cuddle up against either of them when one of them prods their fork or spoon against my lips. I'm well aware that a lot of eyes are on us and that Lavender and Parvati are cooing at us, but I really just don't care, I'm too content to care.

Good for you, Harry.
Yeah, who would've guessed that I had so much content on one single day that I would split the day in two? I really hadn't planned on that, but because Harry has been away for so long, because he has changed quite a bit since he went into hiding and because so much has changed around Hogwarts, I felt I needed to describe all of that to the best of my ability. Also for those of you wondering, Hedwig was in hiding with Harry.
All clear? Good,

Venquine1990