A/N: All right I know that this took a while, I'm sorry. I hope you like it. Here are answers to your reviews
Wolfmoon: I know you beat me to the punch again. I know I haven't reviewed your story in a while and I'm going to try and catch back up soon. Thanks for the review!
Master-of-Magic: thank you, that makes me feel good. I think it has fewer reviews then it deserves too. I think this is a little more realistic too. Thanks for the review!
Takari4ever7: the howler came to me one day and I thought it was a good idea. I'm glad you liked it.
Queen of Redwall: thank you I'll go back and change it when I get a chance.
Queen of Redwall: thank you for the review. In response to what you said about wolfmoon's stories, all I'll say is this; though I stand behind my high recommendations of her stories, her and I have different ideas of what Harry is really like. I hope that you will still read this story.
ER: hey thanks where did you think of that prank? Did you take that from a story or come up with it? Thanks for the review.
Takari4ever7: Hermione and Ron will begin to play a much bigger part in the story now that we are in Hogworts.
Dark: thanks for the chapter title idea. I think I'll use it.
Fairymagic689: the duel idea was also one of my favorites. I'm glad you like it. Thanks!
White owl: I'm glad someone said something about the teachers. I wasn't sure what the reaction would be. The dueling will start soon.
Twilight witch: I'm sorry this wasn't out as quickly as I had hoped. I hope you still like it. Thanks for the review.
RJLL: no pranks in this one but I hope you still like it! Thanks for the feedback.
Harry Potter and the Return of the Dark Lord
"Ron, Ron, Ron! WAKE UP!" Harry yelled.
"Give me two more minutes." Ron pleaded.
"You said that fifteen minutes ago. GET UP!" This time Harry physically pulled Ron out of the bed and onto the floor.
"Ouch! That hurt." Ron whined.
"Good, get changed. I'll be in the Great Hall. I'm not waiting any more. I'm hungry." With that Harry took off to breakfast. About five minutes later Ron arrived.
"Here, these were already passed out." Hermione said as she handed Ron his timetable, clearly disapproving of him being late.
"Oh! Potions first thing in the morning, on a Monday, and with the Slytherines? Is Dumbledore trying to kill us?" Ron complained after he looked at his schedule.
"I know, and after that howler yesterday, I don't expect Snape will be in a very good mood." Harry remarked.
"Well, we better get going. We'll be late." Hermione said. There were only a few others still in the hall.
Ron looked horrified, as he stared down at all the food he just put down on his plate.
"But I just got here." He protested.
"Extra incentive to be on time from now on." Hermione said simply. Ron frowned at her and the three headed off for potions.
"Everyone sit down! We don't have time to waste." Snape snapped as he walked into the room. The whole class scrambled for their seats. "Today we will be working on a simple truth potion, it can, with some practice, be thrown off. That's what we will learn next time. But for now, get out your ingredient and I'll put the directions on the board." They worked silently for about forty minutes, then Hermione leaned over to help Harry. This was when the mayhem started.
"There should be no talking, Granger!" Snape growled.
"She was just trying to help me." Harry snapped back. That was a big mistake.
"I wasn't talking to you, Potter. Ten points. As defiant as your stupid father." Snape whispered the last part, thinking no one heard him. But Harry heard. So he turned to say something to Ron. "I said no talking Potter. Stay after class." Harry was so angry he was about to burst. But he kept his eyes down, staring into the cauldron until the bell rang. He packed his things and walked to the front of the class. "Did I, or did I not, tell you there was to be no talking?" Snape addressed Harry without looking up from his papers.
"I heard what you said about my father." Harry said as an answer.
"I asked you a question." Snape now looked up.
"I think you owe me an apology." Harry was still defiant.
"Let me tell you something Potter,: Snape was now whispering, and he had leaned forward so his face was very close to Harry's, "I don't owe, you anything. This is my classroom, and I will say what I please." Snape was now very angry. "Dumbledore will hear of this insolence."
"He certainly will, Snape. He happened to be quite fond of my father, and I do not think he will take a liking to you dishonoring his memory!" Harry yelled, speaking a lot braver than he felt. He was quickly silenced though as Snape stood up and drew his wand, though he still held it at his side, pointing down.
"Snape spoke in no more than a whisper, but his message was loud and clear, "You will address me as professor, or sir, or I will personally see to it that you will never speak again." Now Snape raised his wand so it was eye level with Harry, and Harry lost every bit of confidence he had built up. He began to shrink backwards.
"Is that so?" A voice interrupted from the doorway. Remus Lupin, also with his wand drawn, practically ran over to stand in front of Harry. "Put your wand away, Snape." Lupin ordered.
"As I just told Mr. Potter, this is my classroom and I will not be told what to do." Snape retorted.
"I'll tell you one more time, then I'll blast your god damn arm off the rest of your body." Remus threatened.
"You little-" Snape raised his wand again, ready to attack.
"SEVERUS!" Anther interruption came from the door. This time from Dumbledore. "My office." He ordered. "NOW!" he said again when he noticed Snape was not moving. Slowly Snape lowered his wand and stalked out of the room. "Remus, please escort Harry to his next class." Dumbledore said shortly, then followed in Snape's dust.
"Well, he's not very happy, is he?" Harry tried to joke.
"He'll get over it." Remus answered. They walked the rest of the way in silence. Soon they were at Harry's next class; Defense Against Dark Creatures. Again this class was with the Slytherines and Draco smiled as he saw Harry had been kept a long time with Snape. Harry and Remus whispered goodbye's to each other and Harry took his seat. Remus walked up to Patrick, said something quietly to him and walked away. Patrick frowned but continued with his lecture. Harry looked quickly at the room. It was not a regular classroom. All the desks were pushed to one side, looking facing the side of the class. The empty part of the classroom was huge. Harry quickly mouthed to his friends 'tell you later' and then started listening to Patrick.
"So now that all the introductions are done with, you can all put away your books. You won't need them. In fact, you don't need to bring them to class again, unless I tell you a day ahead of time." The class cheered. They put their books away and took out their wands. "This is where this class is different though. You won't need your wands much either. We will be using other types of weapons. So before I start my demonstration, I will ask each of you to go to that closet over there, and take a sword out of it." Everyone was excited at learning how to use something besides a wand for protection, and they all jumped out of their seats and ran to the closet. The rest of the class wasn't very eventful for Harry though, Patrick was the only one using the sword, and everyone else just had one so they could look at things up close. Most of the things he was saying he had already told Harry. It was things like how to hold the sword. Before they knew it the class was nearly over. "Ok, next time we will be learning some basic motions with the sword, so be ready. Now put them back into the cabinet, Filch would kill me if I let you guys walk around the castle with swords." Patrick said with a smile. They all walked over to the cabinet and everyone was talking excitedly. Harry could see Malfoy making faces to Crabbe and Goyle in the corner and the two goons laughed. Apparently Patrick heard them. His face got hard and he asked Malfoy, "What was that, Mr. Malfoy?" Malfoy looked at his two buddies and the smile wiped off his face.
"I said," Malfoy's voice was slightly shaking, "now we have a muggle teaching us, and we can't even use our wands." As the words came out he looked a little more confident. Patrick lost his temper. He took two quick steps forwards, pushed Crabbe and Goyle out of the way and grabbed a handful of Malfoy's robes. He slammed Malfoy against the wall and still holding on to him said,
"If you ever call me a muggle again, I'll blow your head right off, with my wand." He added the last part for affect.
"My father will kill you," Malfoy spat. Patrick pulled him a little away from the wall and then slammed him back into it,
"You ask your father if I'm someone to mess with." Patrick growled. Patrick pushed Malfoy one last time then turned to walk away. Malfoy fell to the ground.
"Am I interrupting something?" Dumbledore's voice came from the door. He eyed Malfoy, who was reaching into his robes, and quickly took his hand away when he saw the headmaster.
"Nothing Albus." Patrick said calmly.
"Good. Patrick I would like to speak with you in my office," Dumbledore then got closer to him and whispered, "order business." He stepped back and now said for the whole class to hear, "Ms. Granger, as the only prefect in the room, can you watch over the class until the bell rings."
"Certainly, sir." Hermione looked ecstatic. Dumbledore got closer to Harry and said very quietly so no one else could hear,
"And I'd like to see you at the end of the day. Don't worry you're not in trouble." Harry smiled back at the man,
"Aren't you just in all the right places today."
"Purely coincidence, Harry." Dumbledore answered back with a wink.
"Ya right." Harry said and with a final smile Dumbledore turned and walked out of the room with Patrick in tow.
Harry heard Malfoy in the corner saying something about his father coming after Patrick.
Against his better judgment Harry walked over to his enemy. "Why don't you ask your father how he lost his arm." Harry suggested.
"What are you talking about Potter?" Malfoy demanded.
"Oh so you don't know, he tried to kidnap me, then curse Patrick. So Patrick cut it off." Malfoy took a step towards Harry but Ron intercepted him with a hand to his chest. Then the bell rang. Malfoy pushed through Ron and Harry but turned around when he reached the door.
"I'm going to see you in the corridor one day Harry. When your friends aren't there to step between us, and there is no bell to ring."
"I look forward to it." Harry called back as the boy turned to leave. "He's such a pleasant boy." Harry remarked to Ron and the two of them went to go catch up to Hermione.
A/N: This seems like a good place to stop. I'm really sorry this took so long. I've been so busy and then ff.net has been down. This was a struggle to just find time to do this one but I have a new system I set up for myself that will hopefully insure a more steady flow of chapters. Please review!