Chapter 24! I know I haven't had much substance in my chapters lately, but I promise it was for a reason! There will be approximately 15 more chapters left. We have a few events to really hit, so it's about to be action packed.

This chapter is not beta'd, so mistakes are all mine. Unlike the rights to Harry Potter.

Please feel free to review. It really gets my butt in gear to write the next chapter! Haha.

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Chapter 24

School started as it always did at Hogwarts. A large feast, a song from the Sorting Hat, sorting new students into their cheering houses, and friends flocking together to babble and laugh about their summer holidays. Lee had filled the boys in on as much as she could remember about the year to come, and had refrained from Avada'ing Umbridge as she interrupted Dumbledore, just as Lee knew she would. She had also filled in the headmaster on what was to come as well.

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"Miss Turner, a pleasure to see you." Dumbledore intoned, as she entered his office. "I wasn't aware we had a meeting today."

"We don't." Lee breathlessly replied.

Those stairs are going to kill me one day.

She thought, as her lungs and legs returned to normal.

"But I figured you may want to know as much about Umbridge as possible." Lee was banking on the fact that Dumbledore loved information. He was the puppet master, after all. No matter how good his intentions may be.

"Ah yes, I should have realized you would already know we had an addition to our school this year. Is there something of importance that I need to be aware of?" The sparkle in his eyes proved that Lee was correct. He was eager to know what events may lay ahead.

"Well for starters she is abhorrently awful. But I guess long story short, she is spying for the ministry, is after your job, and will hurt anyone and everyone that stands in her way. With a smile on her face, if I may add. I don't know if you have studied much muggle history, but she is a dictator of the worst kind." Just thinking about the woman had Lee ready to throttle her.

"I had guessed at most of that myself. However, I'm not sure how this will play out now that you have altered the timeline of your story. I think it's best we approach with caution, but keep our minds open." He simply smiled at her, letting her know he had the information he wanted and that she was gently dismissed. " After all, Miss Turner, this year may go nothing like the year you have read about." Lee returned his smile and turned to leave.

It will be nothing like the fifth year I read about. I'll make certain of that.

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After the feast Harry walked over, a timid smile on his face.

"Good summer, Harry?" Lee called, as she elbowed both of her boys. A silent warning to behave.

"Got better at the end." He laughed, as he reached her. "Malfoy, Zabini." He nodded to each boy. They merely nodded back, but Lee took it as a good start. "Did you have a good summer?" Lee nodded and prattled on about her summer with the boys and her day with Narcissa. "I'm sure you're ready to go hang out with Ron and Hermione, but would y'all like to come hang out with us before curfew? I know my letters over the summer were a bit short, but I would be happy to explain why." Lee wanted to get everything out in the open sooner rather than later. If Harry was going to hate her or think she was crazy, she would rather rip that particular bandaid off quickly.

"Er… I'll ask, but I'm sure it would be fine. They… I'll ask, but I'd like to either way, if that's okay?"

So they still hadn't written to him this summer. Even after I had told Dumbledore not to distance them.

Anger burned hot and fast through her veins. Hopefully they would join him tonight.

"Absolutely! Anytime." Lee smiled. "Just motion when you're ready to head out. No rush." Harry grinned and headed back towards the Gryffindor tables.

"And y'all will be on your very best behavior." She shot at the blonde haired Slytherin.

"What about Zabini?!" Draco sputtered.

"I said y'all. But Zabini hasn't made it his life's mission to torment the trio coming to hang out." Draco narrowed his gaze, sulking. "I said what I said." Lee iterated. A few moments later Harry caught her eye and both trios got up and headed towards the dungeons.

"I already asked Harry,but how was y'all's summer vacation?" Lee asked Hermione and Ron. The latter turned a startling shade of red.

"Pretty good. Not much happened." Lee knew they had been at Grimmauld Place all summer. I'm sure Harry was furious when he arrived to realize his two friends had been staying at his godfather's house and didn't even tell him. A quick glance at Harry told her everything she needed to know. He was still angry about it.

I would be too. Not only did he have to go back to the Dursley's, but his best friends got to stay where he longed to be, before he even had the chance to.

Lee didn't ask anymore questions as she entered the Slytherin Dormitory and made her way into her apartments.

"Please, come in. Make yourselves at home." The trio all entered differently. Harry walked in like he had been there a million times before, eager to just be a part of this. Hermione was curious. She catalogued everything, no doubt curious as to why Lee had a whole apartment to herself. Ron walked in like he was walking into the girls dormitories. Lee wasn't sure if he was embarrassed or still irritated about Harry befriending Slytherins.

"So..." Lee began, levitating some of her snacks over to the table in the living room. "What did y'all think of Umbridge?"

Might as well jump right on in.

"She was at my hearing. I wasn't a fan of her then, and that hasn't changed." Harry stated. Lee nodded and took a deep breath.

"Would you like to know what all she is going to do this year?" Lee didn't miss the confused looks on all three of their faces, not that Draco quietly reached over and laced his fingers with hers. No doubt, remembering how he had reacted to her story, and what had happened after.

"I guess…" Harry started. "But I don't know how we are going to manage that."

Lee stood up and gently released Draco's hand, placing a quick kiss to his forehead before she started pacing. Ron made a disgusted noise, which Lee pointedly ignored.

"What I'm about to tell you will probably make you think I'm absolutely crazy," she began, "but it will explain a lot and hopefully we can use it to our advantage." Everyone exchanged glances but kept silent. Lee took this as permission to begin her story.

For an hour she poured out everything from the beginning, her stopping the task, going to the graveyard, knowing to nab Wormtail, and everything that had happened since. No one interrupted, but no one balked as she laid everything out bare.

"And that's pretty much everything." She exhaled deeply, finally able to draw in a full breath. For a moment nothing happened. Lee anxiously plopped down beside Draco once more, drawing comfort from him.

"So you knew what would happen? In the graveyard?" Lee winced, preparing for the anger he was sure to feel.

"Yes. That's why I kept Cedric with me. I should have grabbed you too Harry. I'm so sorry!" She wished she could read his expression for some hint to what he was thinking, but his face was uncharacteristically blank.

"I don't blame you Lee. You saved both of us and cleared my godfather." Shock rippled through her body at his words.

"But I left you to deal with Voldemort." She exclaimed, as everyone but Harry flinched. "Also, I just told you I'm from another dimension basically and your first thought is how you're not mad at me for neglecting you in the graveyard?" She sputtered.

"Lee I was raised as a muggle, on my eleventh birthday told I was a wizard and that magic was real, and have had to survive a maniac every year since. Being told another dimension exists is not high up on my list of things that should phase me." Logically she knew he was right, but he was taking it a lot better than she had ever anticipated.

"Makes sense really." Hermione piped up. "If witches and wizards have found a way to bend space and time, then logically there stands reason for alternate dimensions to exist. I'm sure the library has something on it. I can look into it, if you'd like." Lee smiled at the curly haired girl.

"Thank you Hermione, that would be wonderful." Lee would eventually need the information of how she got here if she was expected to go back. The thought made her sad.

"And now we have to find and destroy these hokeys?" Ron finally spoke up.

"Horcrux, Ronald." Hermione corrected the red head, causing him to blush furiously again.

"Yes Ron. They have to be destroyed to even have a shot at defeating Voldemort. We already have some, but we need Harry's help to find the last few. Because of his particular ties to old Snake Face, he can sense them. I know one is here in the castle, and one is at his godfather's. The quicker we can find them, the quicker we can secure them and set up a final attack that won't endanger everyone else. I don't know about you, but I'm not keen on giving a bunch of kids PTSD from war." Hermione and Harry nodded solemnly, while Ron looked baffled.

"Is that like a curse or something?" He asked.

"Oh Ron." Hermione huffed. "I'll explain later."

Lee had finally relaxed into Draco's side, still shocked that Harry hadn't run screaming. Blaise had a protective arm sling over the back of the couch, the picture of ease, but Lee knew he had been ready to defend her if needed.

"Look, we don't have to come up with a full plan tonight. I wanted you to know who I was and what to expect this year. But it's getting fairly late and I don't think detention is exactly a great start to the school year." The trio chuckled as they headed towards the door.

"Maybe we can talk tomorrow at lunch or something?" Harry asked, the other two already heading out to the hallway.

"Sure thing. Maybe not detailed but enough to start gathering some sort of plan." The boy smiled. Lee understood why Ginny was attracted to him. He was quite adorable, in a brotherly sort of way.

On instinct, Lee reached out and hugged the Boy Who Lived.

"Er… thanks. I'll, er, see you tomorrow I guess." He gave a quick squeeze and walked out. From what Lee could see, his neck and ears and a red shade that could rival Ron's.

"You just had to hug him." Blaise piped up. "Now he is going to follow you around like a puppy. Just what I wanted, a Gryffindor trotting alongside us." Lee swatted his arm but giggled.

"Oh hush, Zabini. Go get ready for bed. Classes start tomorrow, along with starting to find the next horcrux. You will definitely need your beauty sleep." Zabini chuckled but leaned down and placed a kiss on her cheek before heading towards the boys dormitories.

"You just had to let him kiss you." Draco started, sauntering towards her and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Don't even start Malfoy." Lee sneered at her boyfriend, but her tone was playful. "Zabini follows me around like a puppy regardless if I would have let him kiss me or not." She giggled as Draco nuzzled her neck.

"Fair enough." He laughed, raising his head to place a kiss on her lips.

"Will you be okay tonight?" Lee asked, resting her face on his chest. Some nights Draco woke from night terrors, memories of his time in the Manor holding him in their clutches. Most of those nights she had been pulled from sleep as he crawled in bed with her, terror wracking his body. She would wrap him in her arms and she played with his hair and hummed songs to him. Eventually he would relax again and drift off to sleep. She didn't want him to wake up in the grips of a night terror, surrounded by his peers.

"I don't know. But I've kept you up too many nights with my issues, as is. I'll be fine tonight." He kissed her once more before heading towards the door.

"You know you can always come here if it's a bad night Draco. Always." She tells him as he nods and heads for his dormitory.

She prayed that he would sleep soundly tonight. She knew he wouldn't want anyone else to hear his panicked cries.

She headed to her room and readied everything for the day. Classes would start and she would finally get to learn with her class. Once everything was laid out, she slipped into her pajamas and crawled into bed reaching for her slip of parchment that Draco had gifted her.

Good night love.

It had been so long since they had used the sheet. Draco had been a few steps away since his time at the manor. There really hadn't been a need, so she didn't expect a reply. But she had wanted to send it in case he needed to read it.

It took Lee a while to get comfortable and settle her mind. She was so wrapped up in things to come, she missed the sound of her front door opening. Warm hands wrapped around her as the bed dipped behind her. A split second she felt Draco curl up behind her.

Seems he is having a bad night, then.

Lee rotated and snuggled the blonde to her. Most nights they didn't talk, his mind too wired to coax any conversation out of him. Lee was fine with that. Sometimes just having someone there was all that was required.

"There's going to be a battle, isn't there?" His hushed voice skittered across her skin as she played with his silken tresses.

"Yes. But I'm hoping it won't be as bad as what originally is supposed to happen." She hummed.

"Tell me about it. Please." He sounded so distant already.

"Oh Draco. I don't know. It's pretty awful. There were so many tears shed just reading about it. I don't know if that's something you need to hear before trying to sleep."

"I'd like to know. I want to know what all we are fighting for." Tears welled in Lee's eyes, but she blinked them back. Not wanting her brave boyfriend to see.

"Okay." She murmured. She told him of how the battle started, how Seamus set the bridge to explode. He chuckled at that. She told him of how Tonks and Remus stood together, their child safely at home. Of how George loses Fred. How Lavender is killed by Greyback. All the heartbreaking stories from the Battle of Hogwarts.

Silent tears streamed down her face as she shared the loss of that great battle, but also the purity of how people banded together to save each other. She decided not to reveal what all happened to Harry. She wasn't sure if that being told would change how events would unfold.

"So much loss. So much death." He whispered into her neck.

"Yes." She uttered. Not trusting her voice to say more.

"We will end this without all of that loss, Lee. That's why we must fight. So others don't have to feel what I feel." Her heart broke just as pride filled her. Draco had come so far in such a short time. It was at a high price, however. She prayed he could heal in time. And vowed that Voldemort would pay for what he had done to Draco.

I will make sure he knows loss and fear before Harry kills him.