August flew by and in short order it was time for House and Draco to pack and go up to the school. McGonagall sent a note that House was elected as the newest staff member to serve as a chaperone on the train and that he should take the train to London on the 31st to accompany the students back to London on the following day. The note also told him to take Draco along, to be sure he could get through the platform barrier. All three of them heard the sarcastic humor in McGonagall's voice as House read the note aloud.

On the 30th, Draco, House and Narcissa, took Draco and House's belongings to the school. Draco took his to the Slytherin dorms while Narcissa helped House settle into his new quarters and office. All three were present when Snape arrived and got settled in. Pomfrey set the fireplace to allow House entrance to the headmaster's quarters by floo on medical emergency status, much to Snape's displeasure, and also assigned Tippy, one of the house elves, to see to Snape's daily needs. Tippy was also to inform them if Snape's condition worsened, no matter whether Snape ordered her to keep silent or not. Tippy took this in stride; she was an experienced elf and had raised young before, nodding sagely that she would see that he recovered well.

Come the morning of September 1st, Draco and House went through the barrier at King's Cross Station quite early, around ten o'clock. "A lot of wizard families apparate in, but if they have young children that can get risky," Draco explained, "hence the barrier to allow them to floo to the Leaky Cauldron and come to the station that way."

"Kind of cool, to think that there's this whole world on the other side of the portal though," House smirked.

"Is it?" Draco asked curiously. "I never thought about it, you know? What it must be like to see all this for the first time at eleven."

"You spend your whole life outcast for being different. Punished for things that were accidental magic, things a wizard family is happy to see," House mused as he looked up at the gleaming train. "Then suddenly, there it is. The thing you knew in your heart was real no matter what anyone told you. And the whole world opens up to you suddenly. And once you have that proof, going back almost feels like killing a part of yourself."

Draco glanced at him, startled. "Really? You think the muggle born feel that way? Did you feel that way?"

"Yes, to both. You have to close off a part of your mind, like occlumency, and stuff it away so deep inside it's almost like you've been obliviated. But some small part of you never can forget and aches forever."

Around ten-thirty, families started arriving. Draco was of a mind to stay out of sight in a corner but House wouldn't allow it. It wasn't so bad with the new muggle born students but when his classmates arrived and then his year mates, the tension on the platform exploded. Then the moment he'd been dreading most; the Golden Trio arrived together with Molly and Arthur Weasley and Ginny. House nudged Draco's elbow and straightened up, holding his head high and looking at Draco expectantly. Draco swallowed hard but nodded and did the same.

"Malfoy," he heard from behind him, a few minutes later.

"Weasley," he acknowledged, turning around to face an angry Ron, backed by Ginny, Harry and Hermione.

"How dare you show your face at Hogwarts again?" Ron demanded. "All of you Death Eaters should have been expelled and sent to Azkaban!"

"Ron! Stop it!" Hermione chided but she went unheeded.

Draco seemed uncertain for a moment but caught sight of House leaning against a nearby wall talking with Arthur Weasley and remembered what he had told him that first day in House's flat.

"I'm still a wizard, Weasley. I belong in this world just as much as any of you do, like it or not. That's what Granger always said about herself. Turns out she was right but it applies to me too."

"Murderers don't belong," Ron started angrily but was silenced by Harry.

"He didn't murder anyone, Ron. He wasn't charged with any crime. He has as much right as anyone to come back to school," Harry said firmly.

"Only because you testified for him! I don't know why you did it in the first place! He only made your life a living hell," Ron snapped back and stomped away, followed by Ginny. Hermione glanced at Draco with a touch of apology and went after him, leaving Harry there.

"He's really angry and broken up about his brother dying," Harry explained. "Not to mention our shared past at school. But I meant what I said. You have just as much right to be here as anyone."

"Thanks, Potter. I understand; he's grieving. I expect a lot of hatred back this year actually. Payback is a bitch."

"Yeah, well. Probably you will get a lot of that. Malfoy… sorry about your father. I heard Snape is doing better now though," Harry said, hoping Draco found some solace in that.

"Yes, he is. It's been hard without Father. No harder than others who lost family though," he said, nodding at the Weasleys. "But Snape is doing better. The healers expect a full cure now."

"I'm glad of that," Harry responded with a true smile. "I'd better go before Ron blows a gasket. See you at school."

Draco nodded and let out a sigh of relief as Harry rejoined the others. Maybe he could make it through this year after all. He saw Blaise and Pansy on the other side of the platform and made his way over to talk with them.

Harry was introduced to House when he rejoined the Weasley family. "This is the muggle healer we told you about that helped to cure Professor Snape," Arthur said excitedly.

"Nice to meet you, Professor House. I'm Harry Potter," Harry said, shaking the man's hand.

"Potter. I got the seniority rule pulled on me and wound up chaperone on this trip," House said with a smirk.

"Might be a bit of a rocky ride if the beginning is any indication," Harry said, glancing over at the isolated group of Slytherins.

"Not on my watch," House declared firmly, making sure to catch Ron's eyes.

"Malfoy started it!" Ron declared petulantly.

"Oh please, don't count me that stupid. I was watching. You walked up to him, you insulted him. You started it. Don't do it again."

"I suppose you're a Slytherin too," Ron groused. "Gonna' take points from Gryffindor just because, just like that git Snape did."

"You've got an anger management problem, Weasley. Better get it under control. I've been where that road takes you. You don't want to go there," House admonished sharply, then nodded to the others and headed for the train.

House swept his eyes across the gathering crowd of students and shook his head at the clear isolation of the Slytherins. Something he would make sure didn't happen in his view or in his classes. Maybe I should get sorted, he thought as he went to the teacher's carriage, nodding to Professor Sinestra who was his fellow chaperone this trip.

"Did every professor attend Hogwarts?" he asked seemingly out of the blue.

"Not always, but yes most of the time," Sinestra answered.

"What house are you?"

"Ravenclaw," she answered proudly. "Are you thinking of being sorted?" she asked, looking at him curiously.

"Yeah. Just got accused of Slytherin favoritism by Ron Weasley. Made me wonder which house I'd be in," House answered, looking out the windows as the students now hurried to say their goodbyes and board the train.

"Anything you say that casts any sort of good on Slytherin is likely to be met with that attitude right now," Sinestra said. "I don't think it's entirely fair but they seem to have more than their share of pureblood supremacists and dark magic affinity."

"Dark magic, my ass. Magic is magic. Intentions make it dark or light, not the spell itself," House snapped.

"Oh? And how would a spell like Imperious be a light effect?" Sinestra asked archly.

"Force someone about to commit suicide to come off the ledge, put down the knife," House replied at once. Sinestra raised an eyebrow in surprise. She hadn't looked at it in that light.

"Still. Many of the later year Slytherin children are from Death Eater households and were vocal about their family's leanings. They'll be facing some heavy hostility from the other three houses at first and will have to prove them wrong."

"Question is, will anyone let them prove them wrong?" House asked challengingly. "Cause if you call someone a murderer or whatever long enough, sooner or later they believe it. They figure that if that's what everyone thinks of them, why put the energy into changing?" he added sharply.

"I take it that this is a personal issue for you?" Sinestra asked, catching him off guard. House dropped his head and looked back out the window as the train started off from the station.

"Yeah, it is personal. I used to brag that people didn't, couldn't change. Until finally I wanted to change and found out the people I wanted to change for now fully believed me that people never changed. I became a self-fulfilling prophecy. I'd like to see these kids avoid that."

"To do that, you may have to disclose some painful, personal details," Sinestra warned him. "Otherwise they'll have no reason to think you understand the circumstances, especially just fresh in from the muggle world."

"Muggles and wizards are different only in the ability to wield magic. History bears that out in no uncertain terms."

"Well, I hope you are prepared to teach them that," Sinestra said quietly. "I have to go meet with the prefects now. You should make a patrol every hour and a half on the journey. We won't arrive until late evening meal."

By the time the train arrived at school, House had already made an impression on the students, who compared him to Snape, which he considered a great compliment. He broke up a couple of fights and many more verbal arguments but the students arrived at Hogwarts with few difficulties. House rode on the carriages up to the school, although he thought the boat ride to the castle would be pretty cool. While the students assembled at the tables, he put on his teaching robes and took his place at the head table with the other teachers.

"Good evening, Professor House," McGonagall said with a smile. "No problems on the train I heard?"

"Nothing not easily stopped in its tracks," he agreed.

"Excellent. I appreciate your attention to discipline and school unity on the ride. That is the hardest issue we will face this year. I'm afraid we let inter-house rivalries run high the last several years and it will take a bit to counter that."

"Nothing like going easy on the new guy," he teased.

"No one like the new guy to bring some objectivity on the matter," she teased back.

Flitwick led the fresh batch of first years in to be sorted and House watched the ceremony intently, trying to guess what choice the hat would make and found he was right only 50% of the time. What did the hat see that he didn't, he wondered. What would it see in him? The new Slytherins were met with silence rather than applause as those chosen for other houses had been. It took every bit of effort he had to prevent himself from interrupting the whole proceeding to take the whole student body to task. Once all were sorted, McGonagall got up to address the students.

"Good evening and welcome to Hogwarts, new students and returning students alike," she began. "As all of our returning students will be repeating last year, we have a very large first year class. I ask all older to students to help the prefects guide the first years through their adjustment to the school and courses."

"Our headmaster remains Professor Snape, although he is still quite ill from his injury and will not be attending any classes or meals until further notice. Professor Slughorn will continue on teaching potions and as head of Slytherin House. Defense Against the Dark Arts will be taught by our own Bill Weasley this year," she paused as the Gryffindor table erupted in loud cheers. "Muggle Studies is now a required course for graduation and will be taught by Professor Greg House. Wizard Studies is also a required course for graduation and will be taught by Professor Jesse MacDougal."

"For those who are interested, Professor House will also be teaching an introduction to healing course, designed in coordination with Madame Pomfrey and certified by the training program at St. Mungo's. You needn't have decided to be a healer to take the course, this is simply to give an introduction to see whether your interest develops into something more. Please see your head of house tonight if you wish to sign up for the course.

"Now the standard rules still apply. All Weasley products are banned from the hallways and classrooms. The Forbidden Forest is strictly off limits to all students. No magic in the corridors and curfews are to be strictly observed.

"I have spoken with the heads of houses and it's been decided that the Head Boy and Head Girl will be chosen based on academic achievement previous to last year. Nothing from last year was taken into account since we have determined that all students will repeat a year. Therefore the Head Girl is Miss Hermione Granger and the Head Boy is Mr. Draco Malfoy. Please come forward and get your badges."

There was a confused melee of grumbling and scattered applause amongst the student body but House and the rest of the staff held their applause strong for both students, striving to set the example for the rest of the students.

"Very well, I wish everyone a good year of school. Let the feast begin!"

House was stunned to hear that a member of his wizarding family was now on the teaching staff. For a moment he wondered if McGonagall had hired him purposely but she didn't seem the type to give in to subterfuge. The next surprise was the sheer amount of food presented on the tables instantly with the her announcement and he looked over the choices in front of him as the hall descended into the loud chatter of children. Madame Hooch leaned over toward him.

"Bit overwhelmed? The house elves always go big on the opening feast," she said with a chuckle. "Pass the gravy, please," she added.

He chuckled and passed her the gravy, picking some food choices for himself and settling in to watch the students and lightly chat with the professors closest to him. He was completely stuffed long before the desserts came and sipped tea until the dishes finally disappeared, signaling it was time for the students to go to their dormitories and him to his room. He decided not to check on Snape that night. Better to wait until after the first day of classes. Snape would be in a mood about being coddled already, and House would have something to talk with him about that way, other than his health.