Harry found a seat at the Gryffindor table, Neville and Ron either side of him, Dean, Seamus and Ginny across from them. Hermione sat on Ron's other side, still reading the book he'd given her on the train.
Welcome back, Mr Potter.
Harry startled, and then glanced up at the staff table. Snape wasn't looking at him, but it was undoubtedly him that had welcomed him back. He smiled slightly to himself.
I wish I could say I'm glad to be here.
He saw Snape's lips tilt up just slightly, and then turned his attention back to his friends. It certainly wouldn't be good if he was caught staring at the Potions Professor—by anyone—and he didn't really relish meeting Dumbledore's eyes, if he focused on the rest of the staff.
When the rest of the students were seated, the double doors opened to reveal Professor McGonagall leading the newest batch of students to the rickety old stool where the sorting hat awaited them.
That was quite the article this morning. How on earth did Alex manage to rein Skeeter in?
Harry snorted, drawing a few questioning looks. He shook his head at his friends, and looked at the hat as it began to sing, though he paid little attention to the song.
He has her bound by a contract, Harry admitted. He gave her an offer she couldn't refuse. As long as she behaves herself, she has exclusive rights to any press I want to release, and any interviews I agree to sit for.
The song ended before he received a reply, and as the first student was sorted into Slytherin, Snape said.
The Headmaster was quite pleased with the article. He seems to think it means you've changed your tune on working together.
Harry had to bite his lip to stop himself from laughing out loud.
I may be thinking too much like a Slytherin, Snape added, but it was another blow against him in the eyes of the public, wasn't it?
Harry clapped along with his housemates as they gained their first new Gryffindor. I'm surprised he didn't pick up on it, to be honest. I was expecting a summons to his office as soon as the train pulled into the station.
There was a pause, and then Snape replied, The evening is not over. When Minerva comes and asks you to go and discuss your aptitude tests, you'll be led to the Headmaster's office.
Harry rolled his eyes. Fantastic. Even in his own head, he sounded sarcastic.
I believe he's going to be full of praise for you showing a united front to the press. Please do tell me that you're going to soundly disabuse him of the notion?
As the sorting drew to an end, Harry glanced back up at the staff table and smirked at Snape, who was looking his way.
Absolutely.
He heard a chuckle in his head, but there was no reply as Dumbledore stood to make his start of term announcements.
"Welcome students, both new and returning, to another year at Hogwarts. I know that you're all eager for the spectacular feast, but I have just a few notices for you before we eat.
"For our new students, and perhaps a reminder for our returning students, there is a full list of banned items on Mr Filch's office door, and the Forbidden Forest remains, as always, strictly forbidden to all students.
"We have a new professor joining us this year, so please give a warm welcome to Professor Jones, your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."
He paused to allow the polite applause to permeate the air for a few moments.
"That is all from me for now, so please, enjoy the feast."
He clapped his hands and platters of food filled the five tables. Harry found himself with a plate full without having to choose anything, and he sent a silent thanks to Dobby, who he knew must have done it.
It was one way to ensure he didn't have to check for poison, he supposed.
He dug in as conversation started around them about the summer. He was getting curious looks, particularly from people in his year, but thankfully, none of them asked him to explain the headlines.
Not yet, anyway. He was sure he wouldn't be so lucky when he got to the Common Room. Across the hall, he could see Draco picking at his own food. Parkinson and Zabini sat either side of him, and seemed to be speaking with him without malice, though Harry didn't appreciate some of the looks aimed his way from people at others points on the table.
He knew he'd have to keep a close eye on the situation, if only because Alex had already warned him of the dangers of empty threats, and if someone was messing with Draco, it was a matter of his honour to step in and defend him.
"Har—Lord Potter, may I speak to you when we return to the Common Room?" Hermione asked, looking around Ron to meet his eyes.
Harry nodded his head at her. He saw Dean and Seamus looking at him with confusion, but when Dean opened his mouth to undoubtedly voice his curiosity, Neville shook his head.
"Later," Neville said to them. "Now isn't the time."
"So what have you been up to this summer, Dean?" Harry asked, having already heard from Seamus.
Dean's tales of summer got them through until dessert, and the conversation naturally flowed into O.W.L results, which kept them going until the end of the feast.
Dumbledore dismissed them after a few more brief notices, and Ron had already gone to guide the first years by the time Professor McGonagall reached him.
"Mr Potter," she greeted with a warm smile. "It's good to see you back."
Harry returned the smile. "You're here to take me to the Headmaster, aren't you?"
"He asked me to lie for him," she replied quietly, her nostrils flaring slightly. "But I will not. He'd like to see you."
Harry sighed, but nodded and stood, offering his arm to her with a cheeky grin. "Well, then, My Lady, allow me to escort you to his office?"
She chuckled, but surprised both him and the students still around by slipping her hand into the crook of his offered arm.
"Do you know what he wants?" Harry asked, as they walked along the empty corridor towards the Headmaster's office.
"I'm afraid not, though I believe it's to do with the article printed this morning. I've been told simply to deliver you and leave."
She didn't look happy, and Harry shook his head. "That just won't do, Professor. I've already informed the Headmaster that due to an issue with safeguarding, I refuse to be left alone with him while he's in a position of power over me."
Her steps faltered, and she looked at him. "You make me proud, Mr Potter."
He smiled at her gently. "You know, if things had been different, you could have had the dubious pleasure of being my guardian. You were named in my parent's will, did you know?"
"I received a missive from a goblin named Bludaxe telling me as much over the summer," she admitted.
He noticed the look of shame on her face and asked her about it.
"I was there when Albus dropped you off with the Muggles, Harry," she admitted, shaking her head. "I tried to warn him that they were the worst kind of people, but he insisted you would be safe there. I'm ashamed to say that I eventually gave in to him."
"It's not your fault," Harry assured her. "You didn't know."
"If I'd had any indication that I was named in your parents will, I'd have come back for you," she said fiercely, and he believed her.
"I believe you," he promised. He looked up to see the gargoyle looming in front of them. "Ah, into the breach?"
She smiled. "After you, Harry. Bakewell Tart."
The gargoyle moved to the side, and they stepped onto the steps that would take them up to Dumbledore's office. Harry knew without a doubt that if he asked her to stay once they were inside, nothing on earth would make her leave him.
…
The door opened before Harry could even knock, leaving him standing with his hand raised. He shook his head and stepped inside with Professor McGonagall only a step behind him. Dumbledore was already behind his desk, though Harry was mildly surprised to see Snape sitting in the seat Harry had occupied many times over the years.
"Thank you, Professor," Dumbledore said, nodding and smiling at Professor McGonagall. "You can leave us now."
"Actually, I'd be happier if you stayed, Professor," Harry said, before she could even turn to leave. Before Dumbledore could protest, Harry looked at him directly. "The school charter states that a Head of House can be present at any and all meetings between the Headmaster and a student, if safeguarding is a concern."
"Safeguarding isn't a concern," Dumbledore replied, his patented disappointed air practically visible around him.
"It is," Harry replied flatly. "So whatever you need to say, you can say it in front of Professor McGonagall, or I can call for Alex to come as my solicitor. It's up to you, Headmaster, but it's been a long day already and I'd really quite like to retire for the night. I have aptitude tests in the morning."
"This is not, strictly speaking, school business, Harry," Dumbledore implored.
"If it's not school business, then please refer to me by my proper title. If it's about the war, then Professor McGonagall, as a member of the Order, should already be aware of whatever you want to speak to me about."
Harry shook his head.
"There's also the point that, and no disrespect meant, Professor Snape, that if Professor Snape is allowed to remain, then I find it distinctly problematic that you're trying to force my Head of House to leave the room while you speak to me."
Dumbledore stared at Harry in utter shock. It seemed that he'd made the grievous mistake of believing that Alex had been pulling Harry's strings during the summer. It appeared that the Headmaster had been under the illusion that once Harry was back in the sphere of his control, that he'd crumble like a wet biscuit.
Realising he didn't have a choice, he invited them both to sit.
Harry—and he was showing off, and he knew it, but he couldn't help it—conjured a comfortable armchair for Professor McGonagall before he took the only remaining seat in front of Dumbledore's desk.
"Tea, anyone?" Dumbledore asked, waving his hand at the tea tray on his desk. When both Harry and McGonagall declined, he said, "I read your interview this morning, my boy. Very well done. I am pleased to see that you have begun to realise that I'm not your enemy."
"Actually, Headmaster, I didn't state anywhere in that interview that you aren't the enemy, merely that I see Voldemort as the bigger threat. I thought you would understand the context, given that you are very much a 'read-between-the-lines' kind of man."
Snape actually choked on his tea, earning himself a very dirty look from Dumbledore for his trouble.
"I see," Dumbledore said, looking back at Harry with sad eyes. "Well, that changes things. I had hoped we could begin sharing information, but that seems unlikely in the circumstances. A shame," he muttered, as though he was talking to himself rather than Harry.
Nobody in the room seemed even remotely shocked by his behaviour and Harry barely restrained from laughing at the pitiful showing.
"If you want to share information, I'll give you a freebie," Harry offered. "There's going to be an article in the paper next week about Voldemort's parentage."
"What?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes clouding, his magic crackling as he stared at Harry, anger clearly replacing his 'sadness'. "What on earth do you think you are doing, releasing such sensitive information to the press? Are you stupid, boy?"
Harry tilted his head. "Actually, Headmaster, they didn't receive the information from me. Even if they had, I do not see this article as a bad thing. If it makes the Pure-bloods rethink following him due to 'dirty blood' then that can only be a good thing. It's a matter of public record, and anyone with an ounce of an ability to research would have been able to find out; which they did.
"The editor at the Daily Mail gave me a heads up as a courtesy, not realising that I already knew of his heritage. I asked them to delay publication slightly so that I could give you due warning, but if this is the thanks I get, then I certainly won't bother to do so again."
Harry wasn't actually lying. He had asked the Daily Prophet to delay the timing of the article, but only because Sirius had foreseen this exact offer of sharing information and they'd planned it out accordingly.
It had been less about courtesy and more about making Dumbledore look like an idiot. Again.
Dumbledore looked down, clearly ashamed of his outburst. He really did need to stop underestimating Harry's ability to get under his skin, it wasn't working out well for him at all. All he was doing was causing more damage, and he could tell by the look on Minerva's face that this story would be passed along to other members of the Order.
"I apologise," he said, shaking his head. "That was unnecessary, and very rude of me. Thank you for telling me, Harry."
"Lord Potter," Harry corrected, smiling slightly at the flash in Dumbledore's eyes.
"Lord Potter," he corrected himself stiffly. "The latest intelligence we've gathered is that Voldemort is looking to recruit creatures to his side. Over half of the giants have been swayed by his promises of freedom, and of course, he had Fenrir Greyback, a very prominent werewolf, on side, trying to persuade the packs to join him."
Harry waited, but when nothing else seemed to be forthcoming, he ran a hand through his hair. "So your idea of sharing information is for me to give you actual information, and for you to try and fob me off with news that anyone with even a modicum of intelligence could work out for themselves?" He shook his head. "Voldemort is trying and actually managing to recruit the 'dark' creatures that have long been maligned by the Wizarding Community at large. You've shocked me."
Standing up, Harry asked "If you have any reasonable, actual news for me, then by all means send for me again, but really Sir, don't insult me. May I be excused?"
Dumbledore nodded, having nothing left to say, and Harry turned to Professor McGonagall. "May I escort you to your office before I go back to the Common Room?"
"I think I'll stay for a moment, Harry," she replied softly, shaking her head. "But I'll see you in the morning for your aptitude tests."
"Okay. Goodnight Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape. Goodnight, Headmaster."
…
Harry entered the Common Room and found himself thoroughly unsurprised to find that an argument had broken out between Ron and Hermione, though Neville also seemed to be involved, which was certainly new. Harry was aware that the quiet boy tended to avoid conflict whenever possible, especially with people he considered his friends.
When they caught sight of him, all three of them started talking at him at once, shouting over one another until all Harry heard was noise.
Harry shook his head and walked past them, sitting on the arm of the chair that Ginny had been spectating from. He glanced around at the other students. Thankfully, it was mostly the upper years still there. He was glad this wasn't the first impression of Gryffindor for the firsties.
"What's going on, Gin?" he asked, paying no mind to Ron, Hermione or Neville.
"Ron and Hermione are arguing over who has been the better friend to you, and Neville was trying to get them both to shut up until you arrived. It's stupid really; surely there are more important things to worry about?"
"I agree," he said, glancing back at his friends. "Ron, rein in your temper before you explode. Nev, trying to place peacekeeper between those two is only going to give you a headache, honestly, I wouldn't even try."
He looked at Hermione. "Hermione, you asked for a moment of my time. Would you prefer to speak to me in private, or is here good for you?"
"Here's fine," Hermione replied. "I just… I wanted to apologise to you for treating you so badly. I didn't mean to hurt you, and I genuinely thought that the Headmaster wanted the best for you, so I didn't really realise that what I was doing was wrong."
He nodded.
"I was hoping that five years of friendship would be worth enough that you'd learn to trust me again with time."
Harry softened slightly. "I accept your apology—"
He didn't get any further, before she'd turned to Ron with a smile. "See, I told you that he'd forgive me. He knows I'm a better friend to him, I haven't abandoned him before and he needs me."
Before Ron could reply, Harry continued.
"I accept your apology, Hermione, but I have no intention of continuing our friendship. I accept your apology, and we can draw a line under it, but without trust, there's no friendship, and I honestly don't have the energy to be around people that I have to watch every word with."
She stared at him, hurt in her eyes, and part of him did feel bad. She'd been there for him through a lot, and he had a lot of respect for her. What he'd said was true though, and he'd be forever wondering if what he said would get back to Dumbledore. With so much going on in his life, it would be almost impossible to keep everything important from her while continuing a friendship.
"I don't wish you any ill," he added. "I really don't. I want you to be happy, Hermione. I just… don't trust you. Excuse me, I have to get up early in the morning, so I'm going to bed."
He ruffled Ginny's hair and smiled at Ron and Neville before he turned and headed for the stairs. When he was out of sight, he paused to make sure that the argument didn't continue.
There was silence for a moment, and then he heard Neville say, "When you decided to spy on Harry for the Headmaster, did you never think how much it would cost you? Not only are people going to surmise that something happened between you, but you've lost someone who cares about his friends more than anything else, and who would have helped you achieve anything you wanted to.
"For someone that prides herself on being smart, Hermione, you've proven yourself to be an idiot."
Harry continued up the stairs, thinking of Neville's words. He really would have helped her with anything, to the very best of his ability. He couldn't help but wonder what the Headmaster had promised her, or if he'd just banked on Hermione's almost unnatural respect for authority.
Running a hand through his hair, Harry knew he couldn't go to bed yet. He'd promised to meet Snape in his trunk, and Alex and Sirius would be waiting to hear about the first night back.
He really needed to get a time turner or something, or this year was going to kill him.