Harry Potter is owned by JK Rowling. The members of the Secret Sealing Club are the creations of ZUN.

Note: The Japanese honorific "-san" is a neutral title similar to the English "Mr" or "Mrs". Except not really. There isn't really a direct translation for these kinds of things.

Chapter 02 – Welcome to the Divination Tour

Harry awoke to pre-daybreak darkness with sweat on his brow and a silent scream lodged in his throat.

Graveyard – green light – falling body – white masks –

With a great effort, he forced himself to look downwards at his hands, which were trembling slightly. He then raised a palm to head level, on which he slapped himself in the face.

Ow.

A bit harder than he would have liked, but the slap did its job. Having designated sleep as a lost cause, Harry now decided to head down to the Common Room.

Maybe I'll try to read ahead for once.

Sighing to himself amidst the quiet snoring of his roommates, Harry drew open the curtains of his four-poster bed. He was about to grab Slinkhard's Defensive Magical Theory when he noticed, somewhat dimly, that he wasn't the only one up and about.

"Neville?" he whispered.

The aforementioned boy jumped quietly and turned, a slightly guilty expression on his face. "Harry? What are you doing up so early?"

"Couldn't sleep." Harry waved a dismissive hand. "What about you?"

Neville looked around at the rows of beds. Eventually, he relented. "Why don't we go downstairs and talk?"

A tiptoed trip down the stairs later, the two boys were sitting by the embers of the fireplace.

Neville spoke first, somewhat reluctantly. "I've been training."

"Training?"

"Yeah, physical exercise. Gran's been nagging at me all summer. Told me straight up that now that You-know-who's back, we all need to start getting prepared. All but dragged up one of Dad's old Auror training manuals and forced me to follow the routines." Neville rubbed the back of his head, somewhat sheepishly.

It was then that Harry noticed Neville's attire: a plain shirt and shorts, with Muggle trainers.

"And you thought that you'd continue after you'd come back to Hogwarts, huh?" Harry stared off into space.

Neville was about to open his mouth when Harry spoke again. "It's a good idea. Hell, I would join you, but I've never done this before. And I don't have any clothes."

Neville stood. "I'll just lend you a spare set, then."

Jogging along the coast of Hogwarts' lake as the sun slowly rose was, Harry mused, certainly a novel experience. Staring upwards into the rose-tinted sky, Harry kept pace with a steady Neville. For a few blissful minutes, even as his legs began to ache, he could almost believe that nothing had happened a few minutes ago; that he hadn't just been woken up by nightmares that had been plaguing him ever since the end of the Third Task.

"So," Harry panted, "you…you gonna do this…this…every morning?"

"Yep," Neville replied with more pep than anyone at that level of physical exertion had any right to have. "Or at least, every other day."

They rounded a bend, and Neville gradually slowed to a stop, with Harry gasping for air behind. Only a few more seconds elapsed before Neville dropped to the ground.

In between several routines of various calisthenics, Harry learnt a bit more about the rest of Wizarding Britain in the wake of Voldemort's silent return.

"Gran believes you, of course. Always said that things were too good to be true, back then. Especially since Mum and Dad…well…" Neville trailed off. He was sitting cross-legged, as Harry struggled to finish the latest set of push-ups.

With a jolt, Harry realized he knew basically nothing about Neville's parents. But a quick look at Neville's sombre expression, and even he knew better than to ask. At least, at the moment.

He decided to change the topic.

"So, where did you say you got this routine from again?"

"An Auror training manual. An old one, since the standards have been dropping," at this, Neville wrinkled his nose in an imitation of his grandmother, "over the years. Amelia Bones came around for tea a couple of times, and she's always complaining how getting more funding from Fudge is like pulling hens' teeth."

Harry recalled a stern, monocled witch from his trial. The head of Magical Law Enforcement, huh?

"So, Harry. I'm not sure how to say this, but," Neville paused, "are you sure you're fine?"

Flat on his back and sore from exhaustion, Harry couldn't even muster enough energy to sit upright with a squawk. Instead, he simply stared into the sky.

"I know we aren't, um, the closest of friends," he continued, "but even I can see that you're…troubled."

"Yeah?" Harry retorted, although only somewhat weakly. The sun was slowly starting to rise. "You think?"

Neville held up his hands. "Hey, I'm only trying to help. Besides, it's quite obvious that you fought with Ron and Hermione over the summer. And you have this weary air about you, and dark circles under your eyes-"

"What?" Harry shot upright for real this time, and started gingerly feeling his face.

Is it really that obvious? Is that also why people have been giving me these weird looks?

"Really, it's the dark circles that have you all concerned? I didn't know the Boy Who Lived was that much of a Lockhart," Neville joked.

At the mention of his title, Harry let his head fall back onto the ground with a slump. "Don't even compare me with bloody Lockhart." He sighed again. "Guess there's no point trying to hide it if you've already guessed. Yeah, I've been having trouble sleeping. You bloody happy now? You want a prize, mate?" His voice started to rise.

There was a moment of silence, punctuated only by the soft splashes of the Giant Squid echoing from the lake.

"Well, if anything, I heard exercise helps you sleep better at night," Neville said awkwardly, from somewhere off to the side.

Hey Harry, note to self: maybe try not being an ass towards people who are trying to help.

"Right." With his hands outstretched to his sides, Harry looked like a giant "T" from above. "Hey, listen. I'm sorry I snapped at you like that, when you were trying to help. If you don't mind, I'd actually like to do this again." He attempted to sit up, and winced at the soreness of his legs.

"No worries. I think everyone has their bad days sometimes."

"Wow, when did you get so wise?"

"Around the same time I outran Harry Potter, seeker of the Gryffindor Quidditch team."

"Shut up."

The boys went back to the castle in significantly higher spirits.

Yeah, if I could just keep my good mood for more than two minutes, that'll be great, thank you.

"Seamus reckons you're lying about You-Know-Who," Ron announced, as he plopped down besides Harry at breakfast.

"Does he now?" Harry shot back.

"Yeah, heard him talking with Dean this morning. Says he almost didn't come back because his mum wouldn't let him, or something."

"Lavender's been saying similar things, too." A new voice joined them.

"Hello, Hermione," Harry replied wearily. "I'm certainly glad that everyone spent last night arguing about whether I'm an attention-seeking liar or not."

"Don't shoot the messenger," Hermione replied evenly. "I defended you, by the way. Still, it's almost worrying how quickly everyone is to jump at everyone else. You'd think they'd take both Dumbledore's and the Sorting Hat's warnings more seriously."

"Which is?" Ron spoke.

"In simple words, basically to stand united against the coming threat," Hermione spoke, matter-of-factly.

"Well, you aren't going to catch me getting friendly with the Slytherins anytime soon," retorted Ron. "Who knows how many of them actually support-"

"Oh, knock it off, Ron," Harry spoke, somewhat wearily. "Pass me the bacon, would you."

"Oi, aren't you supposed to be on my side?" Ron said.

"I can't really muster a damn to care when half the school thinks I'm deluded."

"Well," Ron spoke, then decided to change tack "Actually, where were you this morning?"

"Exercising with Neville," Harry replied simply. At least he tells me what the hell is going on without me needing to beg.

"Exercising? You're bonkers to wake up that early to suffer, mate." Ron scoffed.

"Say what you like. I'll be going." Harry stood up and left, while Hermione looked worriedly after him.

With some trepidation, Harry made his way to the fifth floor. History of Magic had been the usual brand of dullness, and Snape his usual brand of unpleasantness, and so Harry was ready for whatever could come next. However, as he neared the new Divination classroom, he could hear a pair of voices, and he peered in to see the new teachers in animated conversation.

"—knows what Yakumo-san was thinking, sending me here," the blonde was complaining grumpily.

Hmm, apparently the new teacher has something out for this Yakumo-san.

"Oh cheer up, Merry. Think of it as a holiday," the brunette was slightly more upbeat. "Besides, you always said you wanted to visit Stonehenge."

At this point Harry knocked on the door, slightly awkwardly. "Is this the new Divination classroom?" He took a step back as two glances were directed at him.

"Yes, do come in," said the blonde in an airy voice. "Take a seat anywhere."

The tables and chairs had been removed, and soft mats now covered the floor instead. The windows had been opened, and soft sunlight shone into the room, giving it a tranquil atmosphere.

Feeling slightly out of sync, Harry found a spot off to the side, and sat down cross-legged as he watched the classroom slowly fill up. With annoyance, he noticed that some people were still shooting him fearful looks.

As the clock began to chime, the chattering of the students died down, and the blonde in the purple dress began to speak.

"Good morning, and welcome to Divination." A soft but clear voice echoed through the balcony, and several heads (and backs of those who had been lying down) immediately shot up. "As mentioned, my name is Maribel Hearn, though you may call me Professor Merry if you so wish. Joining us will be my friend and associate, Renko Usami, who will be my teaching assistant for the term." The brunette, who had been standing off to the side, gave a short wave.

"Now," Maribel continued, "I must warn you that this class will be very different from what you are used to. Contrary to what you have been taught, Divination is not just about seeing the future. In fact, rarely are visions of the future precise enough to be of much use."

Both Lavender and Parvati looked slightly put out.

"Rather, it is seeing clearly the present, knowing what is in front of you at this very moment, that will be more important." Maribel's gaze seemed to rest on Harry for the briefest of moments, before she moved on.

"Can anyone here tell me what the root word of 'Divination' is?" She peered around the room; no hands were upraised, but all were staring at her in rapt attention. "No one?"

I bet if Hermione was still here, she'd have her hand raised in a heartbeat, thought Harry wryly.

Maribel sighed. "Well, the root of Divination is to divine. To gain knowledge. To attain information, and to know what one previously was ignorant of. Any magic that involves such a thing falls under the purview of 'Divination'. Needless to say, Divination intersects many other fields of magic, like Charms, Arithmancy, and Astronomy." At the last word, Maribel nodded and gave a small smile to Renko.

"During this year, you will be learning many things. Of course, we shall continue with the usual trappings related to predicting the future, such as dream interpretation and tarot-card reading. We will also be covering search and sensory magic, though I can't promise you that you'll be able to see through walls." At this, she paused and gave a tinkling laugh. "Also, if time permits, we shall also cover the very basics of the mind magics of Occlumency and Legilimency. However, most importantly, I hope to impart onto you a degree of common sense and an inquisitive mind, which will serve you more than just for this class alone."

"Now, are there any questions?"

It was, as Harry reflected, Divination as he had never experience it before. They were all instructed to sit cross-legged and to meditate, to "focus on your own mind and your own magics within you."

"To learn how to be in touch with one's own magic," Professor Merry's voice rang with a calm and ethereal quality, "is a basic skill that will improve one's spellcasting in any field."

Towards the end of the class they were all taught Tempus, the basic Time-Telling charm that could be performed with a single flick.

"Notice how your magic is feels as you perform the charm. Remember this the next time you need to cast another spell." Merry continued.

All too soon, the bell rang. "Homework: a single paragraph on your class experience today. Simply reflect on your sensations of casting a spell. Additionally, please begin recording your dreams every night from here on out, since we will be beginning the topic of dream interpretation soon. Class dismissed!"

There was a cacophony of groans as the students stood up and stretched. Harry himself was slightly stiff from sitting in the same position from an hour. He had made it to the door when the Professor's voice sounded quietly from behind him, as if she had been standing right next to his shoulder.

"Mr Potter, could I have a short word?"

Oh my, I wonder what Merry has to say?

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