Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and settings belong to J.K. Rowling.
That evening before dinner, Harry went to his parents' quarters to plead his case. Sirius had offered to come with him but Harry had told him it would be better if he talked to his dad alone. "Please, please let me on the team," Harry begged his dad as soon as he entered the sitting room. "I know I shouldn't have been flying but I just wanted to get Neville's Remembrall back for him. I wasn't trying to be bad."
Primrose, sitting on the sofa and reading one of her schoolbooks, looked up curiously. "What did you do?" She asked her brother eagerly.
"Prim, it's almost time for us to go to dinner," Lily spoke up as she entered the room. "Why don't you put your book away and get ready so we can go."
"I am ready," Primrose said, looking at Harry. "So what did you do?" She asked her brother.
"Prim, do as your mother asked," James instructed.
Primrose sighed and stood up. "Will you tell me what you did later?" She asked Harry hopefully.
Harry stifled a laugh. "Yeah, I will." He promised.
After Prim and Lily had left the room, James focused back on Harry and frowned. "You know you're not bad, Son. And I do understand wanting to help Neville, I would have done the same at your age," He admitted. "But good intentions aside, you still disobeyed and put your safety at risk. You know how your mother and I feel about that." He said with a slightly exasperated tone.
"I'm sorry," Harry said in a small voice. "I wasn't trying to, honest. I didn't realize I had come so close to hitting the ground."
"Definitely a seeker," James said with a wry smile. He sighed. "We've talked about you thinking before acting. You need to start doing that, Harry. I'm serious."
"I thought you were James," Harry quipped, unable to help himself.
James stared at him for a moment before laughing. "Merlin, I'm raising myself." He shook his head ruefully, rubbing his hand over his face.
Harry gave him a lopsided smile. "Sorry."
James pulled him in for a hug. "You're such a brat. But Harry, I mean it. You have to start thinking before acting. What you should have done in that situation was wait to tell a professor about the Remembrall and let them handle it. That is what I expect you to do from now on. Otherwise, there will be consequences." He warned. "And if your grades slip or get in trouble breaking school rules then you will be restricted from the team until further notice. Understood?"
"I understand." Harry nodded solemnly. Inside he grinned. He was on the Quidditch team!
"And losing points better not become a habit," James added. "You've lost fifteen points in two days. I'm not pleased about that."
Harry's face fell. "I'm sorry."
"What am I going to do with you?" James asked in pretend exasperation as he tickled his son.
"Uh, love me no matter what?" Harry giggled, wriggling to get away.
"That goes without saying, Pronglet."
HP
"Is it true, Harry?" Draco demanded, accosting Harry before he could enter the Great Hall for dinner.
"What?" Harry asked in confusion.
"Were you really made Seeker?" Draco narrowed his eyes.
Harry nodded. "Yeah. Sirius talked to Dumbledore and -"
"But that's not fair!" Draco burst out. "First years can't play! It's a rule!"
"I know, but Dumbledore made an exception for me since Gryffindor didn't have a Seeker," Harry explained.
"So they make a first-year a Seeker?" Draco gritted his teeth. It wasn't fair! It was against the rules!
"You're only on the Quidditch team because your dad is your Head of House!" Theo spat at him as he stood beside Draco.
Harry rolled his eyes. "That's not true. I just finished begging him to let me be on the team."
"You're both just jealous," Ron scoffed.
Draco's face darkened. "Shut up, Weasel!"
"Don't call him that!" Harry said angrily.
"Don't tell me what to do!" Draco snapped.
"Come on Draco, don't be mad," Harry sighed, his anger fading. He didn't want to be enemies with Draco, not like in the other reality. Especially as Remus was now married to Narcissa.
"It's not fair," Draco muttered. "First years aren't allowed. I asked Professor Snape if I could be on our team and he said no. If you get special treatment, then I should too!"
"It's Nott's fault I'm on the team," Harry shot back, his temper getting the better of him. "If he hadn't been such a prat and taken Neville's Remembrall, then I wouldn't be on the team. So thank your housemate!"
Theo scowled at him. "Come on, Draco. You shouldn't hang around the likes of him. We're better than Potty and Weasel."
Draco knew it was wrong to agree with Theo. He knew he shouldn't be mad at Harry but he couldn't help it. Harry got to have his family here at the castle, he was close with Draco's Head of House and now he got to have his godfather working here! Draco missed his mother and stepfather and he couldn't help but feel jealous. "Yeah. Harry is only on the team because of his dad and mum being professors." He smirked.
"Oh please. You saw him fly, you're just mad he's better than you." Ron said.
Draco glared at him before turning his glare to Harry. "That's it! I challenge you to a wizard's duel!" He said impulsively.
"Why should I bother?" Harry scoffed, a vague memory trying to surface in his mind. Had he and Draco dueled before?
"Scared?" Draco smirked. "So much for Gryffindor bravery." He said mockingly causing Theo to burst into laughter.
"I'm not scared!" Harry protested.
"Then we will duel," Draco nodded in satisfaction.
"I'm his second, who's yours?" Ron asked, crossing his arms.
"Me, of course," Theo said.
"You? Didn't you keep dropping your wand during our lesson on the Smokescreen Spell?" Ron smirked.
Harry coughed a laugh and saw that Draco started to smile before clearly remembering he was angry at them. "We'll meet in the trophy room," Draco said. "I hear it's always unlocked."
"Fine, what time?" Harry asked. He didn't want to duel Draco, but he didn't want to back down either. Draco could be such a spoiled brat.
"Midnight," Draco said. "And if you don't show up, it will prove you are a coward."
"Same goes." Harry scowled as Draco sauntered off with Nott. It was strange, sometimes he really liked Draco but other times...
"They're both gits," Ron said. "You'd think Draco would be more tolerable with Remus as his dad now."
"My parents say we need to be patient with him as Lucius wasn't exactly a warm, loving father, and then with him being killed, it really messed with Draco," Harry said. "It's good he has Remus, as he is really patient."
"At least you can take him down a peg or two during the duel," Ron said in satisfaction.
"If I win," Harry shrugged.
"Of course, you'll win, Draco is just all talk anyway. He probably won't even show." Ron said.
"Maybe I should, uh, borrow my dad's cloak," Harry mused.
"The invisibility cloak?" Ron asked, his eyes brightening.
"Yeah," Harry hesitated. "I can't ask him for it because he will want to know why I want it, plus when Prim and I used to play with it we had to be supervised, so I'll have to sneak it out." He bit his lip. He would be in big trouble if he got caught taking it without permission.
"Brilliant!" Ron said.
"Only if we don't get caught," Harry responded.
HP
At half-past eleven that night, Ron and Harry put on their bathrobes, grabbed their wands, and crept down to their common room, opening the portrait and climbing through the hole. It was dark and quiet and a little creepy as they covered themselves with the invisibility cloak Harry had smuggled out of his parent's room and made their way to the third floor and into the trophy room. No one was there.
"Ha! I bet they don't show." Ron said gleefully as they took off the cloak.
"Wait, I hear something," Harry whispered.
Draco stepped into the room, his expression was slightly tense. "You're here. Listen -"
"Where's your second? He chicken out?" Harry smirked when only Draco gave a huff.
"No." Draco glared. "Actually, he -"
"Someone's coming!" Ron gasped and grabbed the invisibility cloak, throwing it over Harry and himself.
"Where?" Draco nervously looked around. He turned back to look where they had been standing. "Hey! Where did you two go?" His eyes alarmed.
"Draco?"
"Uh, hi Professor Snape," Draco said weakly as his Head of House approached him.
"What are you doing out here?" Snape crossed his arms. "It is way past curfew, young man."
"I know, I uh...couldn't sleep and thought taking a walk would help," Draco lied.
Snape narrowed his eyes. "Is that the truth?" He asked suspiciously.
Draco nodded. "I, um, miss my mother and Remus." It was true, after all.
Snape's face softened. "Of course you do. There is nothing wrong with missing them. Are you writing to them?"
Draco nodded.
"Good. Now, this one and only time I will let you off with a warning. You do not sneak out after curfew, otherwise, you will end up with detention and a letter home. Am I clear?"
"Yes, Sir," Draco said.
"I'll walk you back. Would like some Dreamless Sleep?"
"No, I think I'll be able to sleep now," Draco said, glancing around the room once more before they left.
"Whew," Ron said after they had left. "That was close."
"I can't believe Draco didn't rat us out," Harry said.
"Yeah, that was pretty decent of him," Ron admitted. "I wonder why he didn't."
"Well, we are friends," Harry pointed out.
"He wasn't acting like it earlier" Ron huffed.
Harry shrugged. "Maybe he just had a bad day or something."
"Nott's a prat, I can't believe he didn't show," Ron said, shaking his head. "What a coward."
They heard a noise and both spun around in alarm. "Hermione!" Harry said in relief. "What are you doing here?"
Hermione put her hands on her hips. "I overheard you two talking about the duel earlier. I was trying to stop you but then I lost track of you. Honestly, don't you care about Gryffindor? If you get caught, we'll lose points! And I got a lot of points from Professor McGonagall during class today so -"
"Shh!" Harry hissed. "Did you hear that?"
"Sniff around, Mrs. Norris. They could be hiding anywhere."
"Filch!" Ron hissed in horror.
Harry threw the cloak over the three of them.
"What -" Hermione started to say.
"It's an invisibility cloak," Harry whispered to Hermione.
Mrs. Norris walked near them and stopped, looking right at them. She sat and stared, tilting her head to one side.
"Can she see us?" Ron whispered.
"Maybe she can sense we are here. Come on!" Harry took the lead, not knowing where he was taking them but went down a corridor, turned a corner, and then went down another corridor. Soon they ran into a door but it was locked.
"Oh no," Ron groaned.
"Move over!" Hermione grabbed Harry's wand and tapped the door. "Alohomora!"
The door swung open and they hurried inside, shutting the door and listening and tensing when they heard Mr. Filch's voice.
"Where did they go, Mrs. Norris?"
"I think he's gone," Harry said in relief a moment later, after hearing Filch's footsteps fade. "We should wait a few minutes to be sure."
"That was too close, we could have been in so much trouble." Hermione fretted.
"We got away, that's what matters." Harry looked at Ron, who was staring at something behind them, his eyes wide with terror. "Ron? What's wrong?"
Hermione turned and then pulled on Harry's sleeve. "Harry!" She whispered.
Harry turned and his eyes bugged out. He realized they were in the forbidden corridor and the reason it was forbidden was staring right at them. A huge, monstrous dog that had three heads. It began to growl. All three heads began to growl!
"Run!" Harry said hoarsely, quickly opening the door so they could get out. He slammed it shut and they ran. They didn't stop running until they were in front of the Fat Lady. Hermione gasped out the password and they tumbled inside, breathing hard.
"Why do they have that thing here?" Ron asked after they had caught their breaths.
"It looked like it was standing on a trapdoor," Hermione said. "Perhaps it is guarding something?"
"What could be so important to guard that the school would put that monster here?" Ron asked.
Harry felt a small memory take place.
"Gringotts is the safest play in the world for something you need to hide – except for Hogwarts, of course."
It was Hagrid's voice. Harry frowned. What would Hagrid need to hide here? Was it something he had hidden in the other reality? And if something had been hidden here at Hogwarts in the other reality, was it being hidden here again? Why? And what could it be?
"Well, thanks for the adventure," Hermione said sarcastically. "But I'm going to bed before we get ourselves killed, or worse, expelled." She turned and flounced off to her dorm.
"Someone needs to sort out their priorities," Ron remarked.
"Yeah." Harry yawned. "She's right about one thing. We should turn in."
HP
Going down to the Great Hall for breakfast, Harry and Ron noticed Draco and Theo near the entrance. As they got closer, they could hear Theo talking.
"I bet they were expelled," Theo was saying gleefully to Draco. "I told you tipping off Filch was a great idea!"
Draco stayed silent.
"That git!" Ron seethed. "It was a set-up!"
"Draco came to warn us," Harry realized. "And then he didn't rat us out when Sev showed up."
"That was decent of him," Ron said grudgingly. "But Nott, I ought to punch his nose!"
"No, don't say anything to him," Harry said with a grin. "Just smile and wave at him as we walk past."
It was gratifying, to see the shocked expression as they walked past him and Draco into the Great Hall. They both gave a wave and then snickered as Nott's mouth dropped open. Harry took another look over his shoulder and could see Draco fighting a smile.
TBC: