Chapter 5

Separated in darkness they shall grow

Of each other they shall not know

Prospering apart, until their ready

Together they will keep the dark steady

Then they will defeat evil with his own way

But not before in darkness they shall lay

Harry heard Hermione gasp in surprise when he told her who he was. "Look, I can explain what happened tonight and over the summer. But I only want to have to do it once, so can you get Ron and meet me outside the common room in ten minutes?" Hermione nodded and opened her mouth mostly likely to ask a question, but Harry was already gone.

She went to the bathroom and washed her face hoping that it wasn't too obvious that she had been crying. Satisfied with her appearance Hermione went in search of Ron.

Ron, as she has been, was in his dormitory, all alone. Though he hadn't resorted to tears yet, Ron was still obviously affected by what had happened. He sat in his bed, staring into space, as though he hadn't even heard her enter.

"Ron," she said cautiously. "Harry wants to talk to us, he said he could explain what happened." Ron turned to face her; his blue eyes angry and not hopeful or even curious like hers.

"There's no need for him to explain anything, I already know what happened, why he did it." Ron said in a broken voice.

Hermione, not sure whether to cry in frustration or hit Ron over the head for his unreasonableness, reached for his hand. "Come on, we got to go meet him." When he still made no move to get up, she pulled harder. "Now."

Harry watched as they exited the portrait hole, and motioned for them to follow him. Harry led them to the nearest classroom and locked the door behind them. He didn't want Rose or Draco showing up invisible.

"Okay, I'll try to explain everything, but please don't interrupt me until I'm finished. It'll be easier that way." Hermione and Ron sat down, both silent.

Taking it as a signal to begin, Harry spoke. "Rose and I were separated because they were afraid that together we'd out balance the dark and light sides so much, that every dark wizard would be out to murder us before we turned two."

"The sorting hat places you in a house based on your personality. Everyone develops their own individual personality as they grow. Without Rose in my life, I grew up one way. Over the summer I spent more time with her, and I became a new person. Now I would no longer fit in with Gryffindors, I'm a Slytherin."

"You're lying." Ron said coldly. Harry looked at him surprised, he had thought it was a good story, Sirius had fallen for it, why couldn't Ron.

"The Harry I know wouldn't turn his back on his friends for the past for years for a sister he's known for two months!" Harry was shocked, obviously Ron knew him better than he thought he had. Harry had been expecting a struggle with Hermione, not Ron. Ron he expected to be so angry and hurt that he wouldn't be able think clearly.

"Who's blackmailing you? Who?" Harry shook his head in denial. "Oh so your doing this to protect us eh? Think that if you don't spend time with us we'll be safe, guess what Harry, you're wrong! My dad's in the ministry, and he loves muggles. Percy's Mr. Crouch's old assistant, and all Weasleys are natural enemies to Malfoys. A.K.A Voldemort's little sidekicks!"

That fact that Ron had actually said Voldemort's name showed how angry he was at the moment. Harry put up his best sneer and spoke. "Believe it or not Ron, everything isn't about you. I am doing this for me; I want to be a Slytherin. Not because you think it'll protect you."

Ron looked back at Harry unconvinced. And then, Hermione spoke for the first time. "Why you are in Slytherin doesn't matter, the sorting hat doesn't make mistakes. You were first chosen for Gryffindor, you still are one. And even if you weren't I'd still be your friend." Harry tried to cut in and deny that their previous friendship still existed when she held up her hand. "No, let me finish."

"Dumbledore obviously knows about whatever you're doing, and I trust him. But even if he didn't, I'd still be fine with it because I trust you." Harry had to leave soon before the guilt killed him. "And if what Ron said is true, and you're doing this for our protection, it's too late. Everyone already knows how close we are, and not even your switching houses will change that."

Hermione looked ready to cry, while Ron looked capable of murder. Harry had to put a stop to this. "Touching as that may be it's not true. I no longer want to be around you two, or any Gryffindors for that matter. If you try to approach me anyway, I will hex you." With that he replaced the invisibility charm, unlocked the door, and left.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The next morning Harry woke up as planned, ran, took a shower, and grabbed his wand. He still had to get back at his sister for trying to hex him yesterday.

Harry opened the door to the fifth grade girls' room and stepped in. On the first bed lay Blaise, a Slytherin pureblood with blonde hair. She slept tangled in all her sheets moaning to herself quite loudly. The second bed held Pansy, a girl with a pudgy face and short hair. She lies on her side, mumbling incoherently.

Harry glanced quickly to the third bed to make sure its occupant was still asleep when he gasped. His hands shot up to his mouth to muffle the noise. Fortunately no one heard him, and he moved on.

Harry would be sure not to look there again. Moving on, Harry's eyes sought out his twin's sleeping figure.

Rose was on the fourth bed, across from Pansy. She slept as though she was a corpse in a coffin, with her hands clasped on her chest, and her body ramrod straight. Perfect.

Harry first placed a silencing charm around her bed and curtains; nothing would be able to wake her. Then he put an alarm on her pillow to start shaking fifteen minutes before their first class. Lastly her wrote with his wand in green letters on her canopy. Rise and shine!

Though this was pitiful compared to what he was capable of doing, he didn't want her to be too angry with him on her first day of school. After all, the first day set the tone for the whole year.

Immensely pleased with himself, Harry whistled down to breakfast. No one besides a third year Ravenclaw was there, yet another thing that made Harry happy. After eating his breakfast in peace, Harry went back to his dorm room to get his books. Then he walked with Draco to breakfast so he could get his course schedule for the year.

As Draco ate, Harry examined his schedule. As usual the Gryffindors had potions with the Slytherins, what was good about it though was that it was first. If Rose showed up late for Snape's class on the first day there was no telling how much detention she would be serving! Yes, this day was going to be good.

"Where's Rose?" Draco asked as all the fifth grade girls sit down together. Draco, unlike Rose and like Harry, was a morning person.

Blaise answered first. "We couldn't get her up, and believe me we tried everything." She said glaring at Pansy who had the grace to blush.

"Well it's not my fault we couldn't get the lazy bum up." Blaise's kick under the table silenced Pansy as she caught a glimpse of Draco's glare.

Just then the morning post came in and Salzy, Rose's black owl, flew down. Not spotting Rose, Salzy landed on Harry and allowed him to take the letter attached to his foot off. Then he dug his claws into Harry's shoulders almost as a warning to deliver it unopened.

Harry rubbed his shoulder and groaned, he bet Rose had taught the stupid owl to do that. Harry was about to leave for class when he saw a far too familiar face approaching his table, Harry let out a moan before dashing out of the Great Hall. Colin Creevey (and his camera) hot on his heels.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

By the time Harry had been able to ditch Colin, he had two minutes before class started. How was it that he, who had been up hours before the rest of the school, was going to barely make it to class on time?

Harry sped up and ran the rest of the way, reaching the door with one minute to spare. As he entered the potions room he saw an available seat on the near wall next to Draco, and soon occupied it. It was in the back, and on the Slytherines' side of the dungeon (near the door), which gave him a perfect view of Rose when she would come tumbling in, late, and without a good excuse.

Harry idly wondered if Snape would take points off, on one hand she was a Slytherin, and therefore exempted from losing points in potions. But on the other hand she was a Potter. An automatic reason to lose at least 25 points a lesson. Harry was interrupted from his musings as Snape entered and started to call the roll. Yes any second Rose would make her appearance.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

At that moment Rose was damning her brother to hell and back as she made her way towards the dungeon classroom. But her cursing was soon broken up by a first year.

"D-D-Do you know how to get to ch-charms?" A little Hufflepuff boy stuttered at her. Seeing the collar of his shirt sticking out of his robes, that declared him muggleborn, Rose was struck with an ingenious idea.

"Why yes, but you'd better hurry or you'll be late. It's right through that end door," Rose said indicating the classroom she was suppose to be in. "All you have to do is go up to the teacher, which is really an illusion and say 'Hokus Pokus you little locus'. Make sure to flick your wrist like so." Rose stopped to demonstrate.

"And it'll disappear and you'll be in the right classroom. Don't worry you only have to do it on the start of each month. It's a test to see if you qualify to be in Hogwarts. Only about 7 or 8 kids are actually sent home each year." Rose just smiled, silently holding back her laugh.

"A-Are you sure?" The boy asked tentatively.

"Of course, now hurry or it might disappear and then you automatically fail." Rose said pushing the boy to the door. While he distracted Snape, and hopefully the class, she'd slip in. Though she might have to pull off an explosion from the kid's wand to make it enough of a distraction. After all, a chance to torture a little helpless first year Hufflepuff should never be passed up. If she just happens to get into class, it was just an added bonus.

~

Snape had finished calling off Malfoy when a boy entered the room. First he took a look around, and then spying Snape, he made his way towards the teacher. Snape had paused in taking attendance as the kid approached him and drew out his wand. Then, before Snape could ask the nature of the boy's business, the kid starting waving his wand like a conductor would. And shouted, "Hokus Pokus you little locus!" Then to the class' great astonishment, sparks came out of the wand, turning the boy blue.

While this was happening Rose sneakily made her way to the empty seat in front of Harry. Who was the only was who noticed her sudden appearance, while the rest of the class sat in a stunned silence. A silence, which was quickly interrupted by Snape.

"May I ask, who you are to dare interrupt my class with such display?" The boy looked at Snape, and then pinched him. This only made Snape glare harder. "Yes I am real, and so are the 20 points you've just lost for your house. Which one is it anyway? Don't you have class?" Snape shouted at the now trembling first year. Once Snape had learned his house he then shouted, "Granger, you're a prefect, accompany him to the hospital wing, and then to his class. Get your work from Weasley." With that Snape continued with the roll, only stopping to glance at Rose when Potter was called a second time. Rose just smiled innocently back at Snape until he continued.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

When Harry sat down to lunch he felt a hard jab on his shoulder blade as Rose made her way to the seat across from him. "What was that for? And don't deny it wasn't you, I know it was."

Harry just shrugged before answering, "For trying to hex me yesterday when I was reading, oh and here's your mail." Harry said handing her the letter, presumably from Sirius. Before Rose could answer, Draco stood on the chair next to Harry where he had been sitting and announced,"Quidditch try outs are tonight at six on the pitch, all second years and above can try out. Though I doubt you'll make. It takes a very talented person to make the team as only a second year." Draco said, obviously referring to himself. Then he sat down again to be swarmed by eager Slytherines all enthusiastic about the up coming season, and all having an opinion on how to hold the trials. All speech was lost between the twins across the table from each other. But Rose was contented just to glare at her brother.

Seeing that his meal couldn't be eaten with silence, Harry left the Great Hall, in search of the kitchens. Little did he know that Draco was tailing him. But as Harry passed he portrait of the old hag, he finally become aware that he was being stalked. Curious to see who would be perusing him, Harry began to formulate a plan.

When the picture of the pear came into view he deliberately walked by it. Then he quickly disappeared into a hidden chamber located above the chandelier, reached by climbing a bookshelf. One of the many secret rooms he and Rose had discovered over the summer. There he waited patiently until he spotted Draco, aimlessly wandering, obvious frustrated he had lost sight of Harry. No longer worried that it was a Gryffindor trying to stay pleasant with him, Harry let himself down.

Hearing a noise behind him, Draco spun around. And yelled, "Ahhh," before realizing it was Harry. And then let at a stream of curses that even Harry was impressed with.

"Now that your finished, are you going to tell me why you're following me?" Harry asked calmly. Loving to see Draco squirm.

"I wanted to clear up a few things, about quidditch that is." At Harry's nod he continued. "Being as I am captain, I'm obligated to choose the best players for the team. And if you were to try out, people might get the impression you're good." Harry rolled his eyes at the understatement, waiting to see where this was going. "And then I'm no longer on the team, if you're the better seeker. So, don't come out for the team."

"But don't you want Slytherin to win?" Harry asked innocently.

"Not if I'm not the seeker and you are. You see I can beat anyone else, just not you."

"Well I'm not going to try out as seeker." Harry stated.

"Y-Your… Your not!" Draco half asked, half shouted surprised.

"Of course not, I'm going to try out as a chaser. Rose is too. You see our father was one, and as you said, I'd hate to be the reason for you to lose your position. But, if I did, your threats wouldn't stop me. Never threaten me again." Harry ordered to a now ecstatic Draco.

"Of course, but can you play chaser? I mean, are you good at it?" Draco asked hopefully.

"You'll have to wait for tonight." Harry replied before heading back to the kitchens. Leaving an unusually happy Draco in his wake.

~Quidditch Tryouts Later That Day

After Changing in their dorm rooms, the Potters walked briskly to the quidditch pitch. Rose had taken longer than expected, and they were already two minutes late. The fact that they were late, and therefore not likely to make the team didn't seem to faze Rose in the least. In fact, she seemed positive that she would make it even if they had to hold a separate trial for her because she missed the first. At the moment Rose was busy telling Harry how he was the one who should be worried, not her.

"You know I'm going to make it, I don't see why I'm even bothering trying out. I mean I'm a lock." Rose said arrogantly to Harry.

"Hmmm. That's modest of you. I could say the same thing, and it'd be more likely to be true. Considering I have more experience, and I'm the better flier. But I'm not." Harry responded patiently, he hadn't told Rose of his previous conversation with Draco.

"Yes, that true, but think. Draco's captain, he chooses the team. And he's not going to pick you, a seeker. But he'll pick me, the beautiful girl, he's so helplessly besotted with." Harry snorted at that. "What? You don't think he likes me?" She asked in fake anxiety.

"He's only interested in the fact you're the only Slytherin girl above 4th year he hasn't gone out with, and done god knows what with, besides Mandy. I don't blame him on that account." Harry shuddered with the memory of seeing her this morning when he visited Rose. That would probably scar him for life. Yes, definitely it would.

"Really, I hadn't known that. And here I was thinking it was the Potter charm, which by the way, you don't seem to use. Not that it would matter much anyway, girls are into you. Apparently a lot of them visited some muggles this summer. You were a hot topic for some adolescent girls, posters of your sexy body plastered around their bedrooms. Sighs over your dashingly dark looks, and mys-"

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THIS!" Harry shouted at her, everyone on the quidditch pitch clearly winced. That is everyone except Rose, who just tutted.

"Temper, temper. I'll have to remember that." Rose muttered. But before Harry could ask what she meant Draco started shouting instructions to all the new beaters trying out. They needed one beater, and two chasers. Apparently the beaters where to try out first.

Harry took a seat in the stands, and Rose, who took it for granted he wanted her company, soon joined much to his irritation. Harry then began to watch Draco order about the possible beaters, all who were about four times as big as Rose. But then again, most people where, Harry mussed.

Looking at Draco again, he could tell why he was made captain. Other than the obvious reason that his father provided the team with all the latest equipment, Draco was authoritive. He yelled at everyone freely, and left no room for argument. Which was good considering he was always right. Since Draco had been raised in the quidditch world he knew everything there was to know, the rules, strategies, and how to best cheat without it being too obvious. Draco was also an early riser, which promised to be hell for Rose if she made the team.

Rose meanwhile sat toying with her wand, when she was struck by an idea. Watching her brother's face carefully as to be alerted if he knew what she was doing, she snatched his broom. Harry didn't notice. Then with her wand Rose began to mutter things underneath her breath for a good five minutes. Then she looked down at her work proudly. The handle of Harry's firebolt was now silver. And read Cobra in green, with two snakes figures on either side of the name. Which were enchanted to bite at anyone who approached the broom in air. No one would be able to touch Harry. Fortunately the bites made no mark or had any poison so he couldn't be accused of foul play. Then as quickly as she had taken it, Rose replaced the broom.

Once Draco called the chasers over, Harry and Rose stood up. Harry noticed that they were attracting a lot of attention, but just assumed that it was because of the switch in positions. So self consciously, he continued to walk. But quickly Harry summarized that it was not he who was the center of attention, but his broom. One glance at it was all it took. "Rose," Harry groaned. "Why did you do this?" Rose just continued to smile up at him mischievously.

"Oh just think of it as a good luck gift, baby brother. Why, do you not like it?" Rose asked, pretending to be hurt. Draco spared Harry an answer.

"Since there are six chasers trying out, we'll play a mini scrimmage. I'll be watching in the air." Then Draco began dividing them into separate teams, once that was accomplished he blew his whistle. A signal to mount and start. Harry flew to his end, and immediately captured the quaffle. Which he then passed to Rose who was on his team, along with a 6th year girl, whose name Harry hadn't bothered to learn.

Rose was quick and agile, a superb chaser. She snuck in and around people like a blur. Easily intercepting passes, and stealing the ball. While Harry on the other hand, hung back and played more defensively. He would get the quaffle, then using his strength, to pass it up the whole field. Where Rose would be waiting, to score. All the while the rest of the players sat in shock as the ball flew over their heads so quickly.

After about half an hour of this, Draco called the players down. Rose landed panting slightly and then glanced at Harry who had landed behind her, intending to congratulate him on a great game, when she cut herself short. Here she was out of breath, and dead on her feet; while he hadn't even broken a sweat. She looked around and saw that the rest of the chasers were also glaring at Harry. Harry returned all their glares individually, and soon the rest of the players were shaking. That is, all except Rose who just turned to face Draco.

Draco, who had been watching the display with amusement quickly recovered. "You all did well, I'll post the list tonight in the common room, after consulting with the rest of the team. Go to locker room, you all reek." With that he turned and left, oblivious to looks being shot his way.

AN: If you have any opinions on who Harry should get with let me know. Hermione, Ginny, Cho, Blaise, Padma, Lavender, OC…..Draco…..?