** Dimension Wander **
By Tvillinger
Chapter Four -- Returning Home
"Sirius, Remus, do you have any idea why I've called you here?" Dumbledore asked, voice undemanding and understanding. The voice of a trusted elder, or a grandfather. Not someone who should be feared, someone who shouldn't be any bit frightening.
Which was why Sirius was having a hard time explaining to his subconscious exactly why he was sweating so badly. Must be previous experience, seating in this very chair as a teenager after committing some hilarious--and, unfortunately, very dangerous prank. The only good thing he could see to this was that Remus, seating beside him, looked just as nervous as he did.
Sirius cleared his throat and smiled as winningly as he could. "No, headmaster. I have no idea what we're doing here." If that smile worked on McGonagall, it would work on anyone.
Dumbledore chuckled and Remus rolled his eyes. "Me neither, sir. But I have a feeling it has something to do with Harry."
"Why do you say that?" Dumbledore asked, stirring a spoon in his tea. When he removed his hand to clear a spot on his desk, the spoon kept on stirring, looking like it was going to accomplish its task with or without the headmaster's help.
"Well, it's only logical. After all, the only connection either of us have at the moment to Hogwarts is Harry," Remus explained. "And with Sirius being Harry's guardian, I think it highly likely that Harry's been getting in trouble-"
"No, that's not it," Sirius interrupted. When Remus raised an eyebrow (a talent that Sirius, unable to raise one eyebrow without the other shooting up, found very annoying) Sirius shrugged. "Harry's gotten himself in lots of trouble in his two years here, especially with that dragon thingy of his. But when he does, Minerva just owls me. Harry would have to get in a lot of trouble to warrant a parent-teacher conference. And I haven't been to one of those since last month, when he accidentally enchanted the mermaid in the prefects' bathroom to laugh at the boys taking their baths. A level-A prank, if I do say so myself."
"Something that you know from experience, Sirius?" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled and Sirius blushed. "Both of you are correct, in your own ways. However, what I'm about to tell you," and his voice went very solemn, "goes no further than this room. Is that understood?" The two friends nodded, slightly frightened of what Dumbledore was going to tell them.
Dumbledore turned and looked passed them, to the door. "You can come in now, Harry."
The door opened and a very serious-looking eight-year old walked in. His face was still very youthful, very smooth to the touch, and tanned from the days outside. Jet black strings of hair, silky soft, fluttering in its wrecked state and looked like he'd never seen a comb in his life, yet the look suited him. His black robes clung to his body, still too small for any normal student of the school, and his bright green eyes scanned the room, worry tinting its color and adding swirling shades that captured the mind.
At his shoulder was a thin but elegant golden dragon, clawing onto his shoulders. Its body was covered in small horns, making it look like a prickly gold string.
Harry smiled tightly at his guardians but kept his eyes averted, like he'd done something horribly wrong. Dumbledore smiled comfortingly at the young lad, but there was worry in his eyes as well.
"Harry, how are you?" Remus asked, breaking the thin tension in the room. "I was at your last Quidditch match. You should learn to let the snitch run about a little longer, at least long enough for someone to score points!"
Harry grinned, stroking his dragon. "I tried, really," he protested playfully. "But everyone was going too slow."
"But you showed those Hufflepuffs," Sirius retorted, pulling his face back in a show of disgust. "I suppose they deserve it, keeping you off the team this year."
"They only thought they had a better seeker," Harry replied. "But, yea, they deserved it." His eyes clouded momentarily, as though he was remembering something before focusing again.
"So you still haven't lost a game yet?" Remus asked and Harry shook his head. "That has to be a record-"
"Yea, another trophy!" Sirius sighed tragically. "Soon, I'll be kicked out of the house with all those trophies of yours Harry: youngest student, youngest seeker-- best seeker-"
Harry grinned again but it looked strained. He never did like popularity, and talk of trophies brought bad memories. He had been in Hogwarts for over two years now, and was in his seventh year. It was already November. Time went too fast for Harry to enjoy.
In his two years, he'd developed a reputation in Hogwarts and also across the wizarding world, but not only because of his 'Boy Who Lived' status. He was the youngest student ever, the youngest seeker as well. And his non-house status only enriched everything else, for in all the time Harry had spent at school, he had yet to truly be called a member of any of the four houses.
Instead, the young wizard was shipped around like a treasured possession. Every month was spent in a different house, among different friends and with a different Quidditch team. At first, the idea looked doomed to fail, but as the other students got used to the idea, they interacted not only with Harry but also with each other. His friends were their friends, and while rivalries were still there, the infamous hatred between houses had been muted down to a controllable dislike between hardheaded students.
The other students had also grown accustomed to having such a youngster in class with them, especially when he showed his more mischievous side. They no longer cared how young he was, no longer felt jealous of how smart he was; Harry was their friend and that was it.
His dragon, still unnamed, had become his icon, and some of the first years had been told the legend that Harry was a member of a house all his own.
Harry toyed with one of his dragon's wings, still trying to shake off the bad feeling that had come when McGonagall first told him the headmaster wanted to see him. His guardians' presence wasn't helping much. He absently counted down his time spent here; eight years. Eight years, stuck in a body that was too small for him, but one that he'd become used to; enclosed in a school that was so like his own, but was not; shared between friends almost as good as Ron and Hermione, as the twins and Ginny, but who weren't. No friends could be as close as those he once had, those he had already given up for lost. His memories of his own Hogwarts time was fading quickly, but he could still remember the comfort his school gave after the oppressiveness of the Dursleys. On the edge of his memory, however, his Hogwarts gave him a sense of worry he couldn't remember the reason for.
"Take a seat, Harry," Dumbledore directed kindly, drawing Harry back to his new reality and away from the old. "Now, I'm sure all of you are wondering why you are here. I've come to a discovery, an answer to a question that has bothered me greatly. But first, Harry needs to give you two an explanation."
"Excuse me?" Sirius asked. Harry paled.
"There is an important thing about Harry that neither of you know, but you deserve to know now." Dumbledore glanced at Harry. "I'm sure Harry knows what I'm talking about."
Harry gulped and looked down at his shoes. What, tell them who he was? That was crazy! They wouldn't believe him, and if they did, they'd hate him! Sirius would-
"Harry." Dumbledore's voice was still kind but there was a ring of force beneath the kindness.
Sighing in defeat, Harry looked up into his guardians' eyes. "Um... well, hehe, I've got a new story to tell you!" he began nervously. Dumbledore looked like he was about to say something but Harry pushed on. "Ok, there once was a kid. He, um, he came to Hogwarts and everything. He was magical, a pretty good student, pretty good Quidditch player, too. And he was in his fifth year."
"Harry, where's this going?" Remus asked.
"I'm getting there." Harry took a deep breath, shoving some hair away from his eyes but it came back anyway. "So, um, one day he was in potions. And something accidentally happened, and he got sent back to the past. The potion he drank also made him a little kid, so no one knew he wasn't supposed to be there."
"Harry?"
Harry refused to look up into his godfather's eyes. "And everything worked out fine, actually. Nothing bad happened, and some really good things happened. Better things than what was supposed to happen. And this kid was really happy, and he loves his godfather a lot and hopes no one's too mad at him."
"Harry," Sirius got over to Harry's hair, looking at the little kid in the eyes. "Harry, what are you saying?"
"Headmaster, that's not possible is it?" Remus asked, panic in his voice. "Time travel, there are laws to that. You can only go back a few hours, a day at the most."
"You are correct, Remus. Harry most certainly did not travel back in time." Harry looked up in surprise, and Sirius caught sight of the dread in his eyes. "No, it is not as simple as that." Dumbledore sighed and took a drink of his tea, leaving the room in suspense.
"You see, Harry has not traveled across time; he has traveled across a universe."
"What?" Sirius' harsh exclamation made Harry wince. "Universe? What do you mean?"
"This Harry belongs to another universe, another dimension if you will." Dumbledore took another sip of his tea and eyed the adults critically. "If you'll take a seat..."
"Now, this is an extreme shock for you, and you do not yet know the many details involved in this. I am not surprised by your outbursts, but I ask that you keep them controllable."
Sirius barely heard him, eyes glued to the child he'd always thought to be somewhat strange, somewhat unusual, but not along the lines he'd just heard. He noticed that there was tears in Harry's eyes, and immediately wished he hadn't acted as he had. The boy was still his godchild, even if Harry was from another dimension.
"Now that you know the truth, I advise all of you to take a breath before I continue on with this discussion." Dumbledore picked up a small tray from his desk. "Sour gummy worms, anyone?" Everyone shook their heads. "Very well. I'd like to ask you a question, Harry."
Harry looked up, confused.
"When, exactly, did you reach this dimension?"
"I-I think it was just as I was born, sir." Harry blushed. "I just remember being stuck in a small body, with lots of noise and not being able to speak other than cries."
Dumbledore nodded gravely. "I had thought so."
"Wait!" Sirius suddenly leaped up and stared at Harry, gaping. "I-I remember now! It all makes sense now, doesn't it, Remus?" The werewolf nodded, sudden enlightenment in his eyes.
"Yes, it does Sirius," Dumbledore agreed. At Harry's confused look, the old man went on. "I was there for your birth, Harry. Your powers in the womb so astonished me that I had to be there, because if I felt them, Voldemort did as well. And when you were born..."
"Stillborn," Remus added after a moment of silence, an expression of awe on his face. "You came out without a sound. Lily was heartbroken."
"But then you sort of jumped, and started breathing. Made a lot of noise for a few minutes before going quiet again. James always joked around saying that you couldn't decide whether you were coming or going." Sirius smiled at the memory.
"I knew that moment you had died, Harry," Dumbledore continued gravely. "But your return to life has always baffled me. When you explained what happened a few years ago, it helped me in my search and at last I have found an answer. Your timing, Harry, was impeccable. You entered your other's body just as it died."
Harry was staring wide-eyed at everyone. "I-I killed him, didn't I?" No one understood so he said, "If I hadn't come, the other me wouldn't have died, would he?"
"What?" Remus wrinkled his forehead. "You haven't killed anyone."
"Yes I did," Harry exclaimed shrilly. "I killed Cedric, and I killed myself here! I probably shoved his out so that I could go somewhere!"
"Harry, you most certainly didn't kill yourself," Dumbledore answered solidly. "And as for Cedric, your story tells me that you did everything to save him. You are not responsible for anyone's death."
"Cedric?" Remus shrugged at Sirius' look and mouthed 'Other universe.' "Ah..."
"So, what you're saying is that Harry accidentally drank a wrong potion in his fifth year and got sent here, and has, all this time, been able to understand everything we've ever said or done?" Sirius went pale. "All this time?"
"No wonder you were able to use James' wand so quickly," Remus added. "And all those tricks and spells; James probably already taught you them before we did."
Harry smiled sadly. "My world isn't the same as this one," he whispered, refusing to comment more on the subject when Sirius questioned him.
"However much fun as it has been, having you in this world Harry, you belong back in your own world." Dumbledore ignored the shocked expressions on the three's faces as he called over his shoulder, "Severus, could you come in?"
Snape stumbled in, looked as shocked as the others did. He stared at Harry. "No wonder you knew all the answers-"
"Severus has been working on a potion," Dumbledore explained. "And now it is finished."
"Potion?" Harry dreaded the answer.
"Yes. You are going back to your own world, Harry. You can't remain here any longer."
"But-"
Dumbledore raised a hand, silencing the three. "There cannot be any exceptions to this rule. If Harry were injured here, what would happen to his own world? No, the balance must be kept and Harry must go back."
"But sir," Snape, of all people, started. "Potter is the only one who has stood against Voldemort! When Voldemort arises again-"
"Harry has already told me what has happened, and the only way Voldemort can come again is with Harry's blood." Everyone looked to Harry, who went pale. "From what Harry has told me, I can not only prevent the Chamber of Secrets from being opened-"
"Chamber of Secrets!" Remus' eyes went wide.
"I can also capture Voldemort when he tries to sneak into the castle in two years with the help of a traitorous teacher."
"Snape!" Sirius jumped up. "What will you do!"
Harry burst out laughing, despite himself. He started laughing so hard that he ended up on the floor, clutching at his belly. Sirius' cheeks went pink and Remus snorted with amusement. Dumbledore smiled but said, "Severus has my complete trust, and he would never betray that trust. No, there is another teacher, one I would never suspect."
Dumbledore's eyes clouded over a moment but then they shined brightly at Snape. "The potion, please?"
In Snape's hands was a bubbling vial, smoke trailing in the air above it. Harry stared at it apprehensively.
"You must take this, Harry," the headmaster urged. "From my research and resources, this will send you back to your normal existence."
"What if it send me to another place," Harry whispered back.
Dumbledore smiled and handed Harry a sheet of parchment. "This is a list and a recipe for the potion. If anything goes wrong, then explain to me again and we'll try again. Is that alright?"
"Harry," Sirius scooped him up in his arms, crying. "I don't want you to leave... but I can't make you stay. What would James say if he found his son missing? And I'm sure that the me over there misses you like crazy. I can't deny you to your parents; I'm sure they're much better than I am. "
"Sirius!" Harry awkwardly hugged back. "You're the best parent I've ever had!" He grinned. "Seriously."
Remus chuckled at that, then grabbed Harry up. "I'm sure that your parents are much better than I am," he murmured gruffly, tears on his face as well. "A werewolf isn't much of anything-"
"You're the best werewolf I've ever met!" Harry defended.
Remus ruffled his hair. "That's because I'm the only one," but he looked happier.
"It's not like I'm going to be gone forever," Harry shook his head. "Like I could do that. I'd miss you too much." He looked at the parchment in his hands. "I'll just test this real quick, than go to find Neville and make him tell me what he put in the original potion. Then I can come back and visit. If you don't mind, headmaster."
"No, Harry," Dumbledore smiled. "I could not imagine a world without the illustrious Harry Potter. Though you must explain to me, the me in your world, first before you go."
"Of course," Harry chirped, then turned gravely to face his potions master.
Snape shoved the potion at Harry, but looked slightly... whatever he looked. Harry managed to smile. "And I have to come back and take my potions final, anyway. If my Professor finds out that I skipped your test, he'll send me back here just to make sure I fail both of the finals."
Snape nodded briskly. "At least I am not so changed, in your world."
Harry hugged Sirius again. "I'll be back before you notice," he promised and took a gulp, draining the vial. He barely had time to acknowledge Sirius' drawn face before he felt himself falling again. Falling, without a thing to help him get up...
*
"Mister Longbottom, what did you put in that potion!"
"W-what you told me to, s-sir-"
"I-"
"Professor! He's back!" Hermione exclaimed brightly, interrupting Snape's torture of Neville. And indeed he was; looking rather pale, perhaps a little worse for wear, but Harry Potter was returned back to the land of the visible. And his worried friends immediately swallowed him up.
"Harry! Where were you? What happened?" Hermione sobbed, clinging to his neck.
Ron, who seemed to be glowing with anger, stopped his glaring at Snape to give his best friend an unbelieving look. "You were gone, Harry," he whispered. "Just... gone! No one knew where you were, not even Snape. He nearly killed Neville, trying to figure out what happened."
"It figures," Draco drawled. "Potter probably agreed to take the potion to get more attention. Harry winced before he remembered. The Harry-hunting was back on, full speed. At Draco's comment, half the class turned away with disgust quickly replacing their previous concern.
"How long was I gone?" Harry wondered. It couldn't have been eight years, but he could remember each year spent in that alternate universe with startling accuracy.
"Just a few minutes," Seamus assured him, having settled with being Harry's ally for the moment.
"A few minutes?" Hermione turned to face the boy, anger radiating from her face. "He was gone for nearly five minutes!"
"Hermione, that really is only a few minutes," Ron urged but she ignored him.
"I can scream if I want to, Ronald Weasley! Harry was gone! He could've stayed gone forever and-"
"Miss Granger, I suggest that you return to your seat," Snape's cold voice informed her, and he was suddenly standing over the small group huddled by Harry. "As with the rest of you. Potter, go and inform the headmaster that you've return, then get back to my class."
Harry rubbed his head, getting to his feet with shaky legs. "I don't think I can make it," he admitted after a moment of trying to keep the world from spinning. "I don't think I can even make it from this class." His voice stopped as he fell over in a dead faint.
*
"Headmaster, I insist that there is something wrong with him."
Harry groaned lightly as he awoke. Was there always someone talking about him? Whoever it was didn't hear him, because the conversation continued.
"Poppy, I understand your concern but you said yourself that there was no visible signs of damage-"
"I changed my mind!"
Harry blinked his eyes open, Madam Pomfrey? He must be in the hospital wing. And that was Dumbledore. Did the potion work? He tried to move and found that there truly was nothing wrong with him. Nothing hurt, nothing required his attention. The only thing wrong that he could tell was the sleepiness clouding his brain, but that was only because he had been asleep. How long had he been asleep, anyway?
"No wizard can heal that fast!" Pomfrey was saying. "And no one can come back, after disappearing for five minutes, with more magical power than he left with!"
Harry got to his feet, glad that the nauseous feeling that had accompanied his dimension hop (as he decided to call it) was gone. "Professor?" he called out.
The drapes around his bed were pulled back immediately and Harry was faced with the nurse's worried face. "Up already? No you don't--get back in bed this instance! Mister Potter!"
"Professor!" Harry looked over the nurse's head, catching Dumbledore's eye. And with that look, Harry knew he'd come home.
"Well, Harry, you've given us quite a scare," Dumbledore assured him gently. "Are you alright?"
Harry nodded, unable to keep from staring. This was his Dumbledore, one that he hadn't seen in eight years. And now that he saw him, Harry could pick out the differences from his Dumbledore and the other one, differences he hadn't seen before, like the wrinkles that were missing from his Dumbledore's face, and the look of warning that the other Dumbledore hadn't had.
Without a reason, Harry broke out in a huge grin. Dumbledore's eyes widened and Harry remembered how down he'd been before going to the other place, how depressed he'd seemed. The thought only made his smile wider. "It's good to be back, sir."
"Back?" Dumbledore couldn't help smiling back at Harry, a look of relief on his face. "Can I ask where you've been?"
"I don't know," Harry lied. "But wherever it was, it's helped me get better." Adding that statement would assure that Dumbledore didn't ask too many questions.
"If you're fine, then get out," Poppy stated. "I would like you to stay another day, but since you seem to be so certain of your wellness, I can do nothing else. But don't come crying to me when you don't feel better later on"
"Thanks!" Harry leaped up, quickly hugging the nurse, before rushing out of the wing.
"Oh my," Dumbledore raised an eyebrow at the look on the nurse's face. "Perhaps we should continue this conversation elsewhere?"
"No one's ever thanked me before," Poppy muttered to herself, tears in her eyes. "Except you, headmaster; oh, what a child he is!" She wiped at her eyes and cleared her throat, going slightly red. "Oh, I'm sorry headmaster. No, no I can finish this... what were we talking about?"
"Harry's magical power."
"Oh yes. Well, um, right." She cleared her throat again and regained her previous, no-nonsense look. "As I was saying, Harry's powers have increased."
"Perhaps it is a growth spurt-"
Poppy shook her head. "No. Every witch or wizard is born with a certain amount of power, and that power can't increase. You can only increase your skill or knowledge. Oh sure, there are exceptions: magical devices to increase your strength, certain spells that do the same temporarily. But Harry, he's just disappeared and reappeared with a magical increase! As if he wasn't powerful enough!"
"How large is this increase?" Dumbledore frowned, staring at the door Harry had rushed through a moment before.
"Nothing too incredible or off the scales, but any increase is news."
"Hmm. Well, there is nothing we can do about it, and there certainly is no harm with this. Why don't we just let the matter be."
Poppy sighed. "All right, headmaster."
*
"So Harry, what in the world happened?" Ginny asked during lunch, meeting him in their usual hiding place. Harry had almost forgotten to go--it was something he'd come up with to escape from tormenters during lunch. The others would be here soon. "Everyone's talking about you leaving, then coming back and going straight to the hospital wing. Did something happen?"
Harry smiled, giving Ginny a shock. For the past few weeks of school, smiles had avoided Harry at all costs. "Yea, but if I tell you, you have to promise not to tell anyone else."
'Be still my beating heart.' "Of course, Harry," Ginny promised, heart in her throat at seeing that smile being given to her, and her alone.
Harry leaned back against the wall. They were in a small room, hidden behind Sir Cadogan's portrait. The knight had always been telling students that there was a room behind him, but the only way in was through him. When Harry had taken up the challenge, the knight had been so overcome by the fact that someone took the time to talk to him that he'd swung right open.
Almost carelessly, Harry related his eight years as a child again to Ginny, whose eyes seemed to widen beyond ability. "Wow," she muttered when he finished. "And I thought I had a good day."
They couldn't say anything more because Sir Cadogan's voice could be heard, barking out insults before he swung open to admit Ron and Hermione into the room.
Ginny could almost die with the joy of knowing something that no one else knew when Harry casually avoided the questions, redirecting each back to something else like, "Oh, nothing happened. But what happened when I was gone?" Soon, the four sat in relative quiet, Harry eating his lunch with a smile and the other three watching him with confused but happy smiles.
"I'm off," Harry announced suddenly, finished with his meal.
"Where to?" Hermione squinted up at him, trying to analyze him. "You know what'll happen if any Slytherins catch you alone."
"Like you really need to remind him," Ron huffed but Ginny saw Harry pale just a little as memory hit him. Ron took an oblivious bit from his sandwich before glancing up. "You want us to come with you?"
Harry shook his head, an uncertain smile on his face. "No, I'm just going to find Neville and ask him what he put in his potion." At Hermione's looked, he quickly added, "I really want to know what happened. Maybe I can get Dumbledore to find out, but he'll need the original potion."
"I'll come," Ginny volunteered. "Harry can't go out by himself." Besides, she added to himself, he's forgotten everything that's happened. It's been eight years to him, just a morning to us. He'll probably start joking around with some second year and then what will happen?
Harry gave her a look and nodded, making the other two look much more at ease. "All right. But we better hurry--I don't want Neville to forget."
"And please remind me," he whispered to Ginny once they were out the room. "Is Neville one of those who hate me?"
"Hate you? No, he's too scared of you to hate you. To him, you rank right up there with Snape and You-Know-Who." Ginny giggled at the expression on his face, his good mood reflecting back to her. "Are you going to go back?"
Harry nodded. "I promised them that I would, remember?"
Ginny sighed. "This is amazing. Next time, let me come with you, alright?"
She felt his eyes on her and he nodded slowly. "I'll take you. Maybe not next time, because it might not be safe. Voldemort's still out there, and I don't want anyone getting hurt."
"You'd get hurt," Ginny pointed out.
"Well, what do we have here?"
Both looked back sharply to see some Slytherin girl, leaning lazily against a wall. "The redhead and the murderer." She stood up and started walking towards them. "Where's your gang, murderer?"
"Back off," Ginny warned, pulling out her wand. Harry watched the scene with mute surprise, then as though he was trying to remember something. "We haven't done anything to you."
"So?" the girl shrugged. "That doesn't mean anything."
Ginny grit her teeth and thought of the most likely hex when Harry suddenly walked up to the girl, a smile on his face. "Hi, I can't seem to remember your name what was it again?"
The girl's friends appeared from nowhere, circling Harry and separating him from Ginny. She smiled nastily. "It's Monica, murderer."
"Monica, Monica," Harry tilted his head to the side with a soft frown on his face, not at all worried about the enclosing Slytherin pack. "That's a hard one. Monica."
"A hard one what?"
"How's this: Monica, bo bonica. Fo fe, fi, fo, fonica, Monica!" Harry recited in a singsong voice. The Slytherins paused to stare at him. "No, how about this!" He reached his wand in time and pointed it at the girl. "Petrificus Totalus."
She hadn't even time to shout when she fell over, hitting the ground hard. Harry spun and sent a curse at another, making her fall over and start retching slugs. Two others were hit with the jelly-legs curse, and another fell with the tickling charm.
Harry eyed his work critically before turning back to Ginny. "Let's go before someone finds them."
"T-they're going to tell!" Ginny huffed as she ran alongside Harry. "When they get all that stuff off of them--bloody cool, by the way."
"The only way I got to do that was because they didn't expect me to fight back," Harry relied modestly. "I just remembered how they'd always expect me to just stand there like an idiot."
"You used to."
Harry nodded but kept running until they reached the Gryffindor tower. "Diggory," he whispered painfully and the Fat Lady moved aside to let him in. Originally, the password had been "Merlin's Uncle's Beard," but when the Gryffindors turned on Harry, the password had changed to bring about the greatest pain possible.
Entering the common room, Harry spotted Neville right away. "Neville!" he called out with a huge smile plastered on his face. The boy in question gave a whimper and started off for the dorms. Harry's smile dimmed. "No, wait! Neville!"
"Leave the boy alone, Potter," Angelina bit out. "You made his life difficult enough."
"And exactly how did I do that, huh?" Harry turned around and shot back angrily, losing his patience with the angry looks and harsh comments that had been flung at him all day. He vaguely wondered how he ever thought he deserved such things.
Angelina and everyone else in the room took a step back in surprise. This wasn't the Harry they'd come to expect since school started. This Harry was as alive as he'd ever been, not the dark, depressed little kid they'd grown used to. "Harry?"
"Thank you!" Harry breathed out, throwing his arms in the air. "Thanks for calling me by my name, not Potter, Seeker, murderer-"
"Harry, you might want to get Neville," Ginny whispered as the frightened teen tried to sneak out.
Harry whirled and caught Neville's arm. "I'm not going to bite your head off, Neville," Harry started slowly. "I just need to ask you a question."
"Neville, please just listen to him," Ginny pleaded, holding Neville's hand. "He's not going to get mad, and you know Harry! He's your friend, you don't need to be scared."
Neville was doubly pale but shivered and looked up into Harry's eyes.
"Alright, I just need to know what you put in that potion," Harry said calmly. Neville gulped. "I'm not mad or anything, it's just that I really need to know, ok?"
The rest of the room watched in quiet suspicion as Neville stuttered out the ingredients. Harry sighed as he realized that they were exactly what Snape told the students to mix together. "B-but I think that I-I put them in wrong," Neville finished, looking slightly more confident. "I-I put the g-goat's tooth after the egg shell. And the powdered lizard claw before the owl feather. And-"
"Great!" Harry smiled. "Can you write down exactly what you did, so that I don't forget?" Neville nodded and immediately searched out for a quill and parchment. "As for the rest of you," Harry went on, turning to glare at the room. "I've just spent eight years-"
Ginny coughed.
"I-I mean, five years here at Hogwarts," he recovered smoothly with a wince. "I thought that you'd know me enough to know what I'm not a murderer, or a dark wizard, or responsible for Cedric's death. I feel just as bad as you do but I'm not going to let you take it out on me anymore. Try, and I'll forget that you were my friends just as quickly as you forgot I was yours."
He held out his hand and summoned his broom. "If you need me, I'll be out flying." And he left.
*
"It's amazing," Minerva was telling her fellow professors as Severus walked into the teachers' lounge, looking for a spare bit to eat. "I wouldn't be able to recognize him if he hadn't been walking with my team, talking about Quidditch. You've all seen how quickly he's changed. Just a day."
The other professors were nodded enthusiastically and Severus felt that he should drop everything and simply run when they all looked over to him.
That feeling magnified an unaccountable number when Minerva let out a squeal and rushed up to hug him.
Severus' eyes bulged and the only reason he didn't spin the woman on her heels and curse her was because she was squeezing him too hard. "Can't... breath..."
"Severus, whatever you did worked! I didn't even know you were worried about him, but you helped him!" She was too busy muttering and blubbering that she didn't hear Severus, or else she just plain chose to ignore him. Probably the latter.
"Woman!" Severus managed to snake out of grip and leaned against a chair, breathing heavily and clutching at his robes. "Do not, under any circumstances, touch me!"
"Oh, I can't thank you enough," Minerva ignored him again, and went on for a few minutes on how great a potions master he was, how successful he was about hiding his real feelings, and how grateful everyone was to him.
When she paused to get a breath, Severus, still fixing his disordered robes, stopped to give her a look. "What are you talking about?" he snapped angrily, brushing Minerva's dead skin cells (he was too dignified to say "cooties") off of him.
"Why, Harry Potter, of course," Minerva answered as though it was clear as day.
"What?"
"He's gotten out of his depression," Filius answered, voice high as ever. It must come with being short. The Charms professor waved his arms about excitedly. "Harry's actually participating in class, and when one of your students started teasing him, he came right back. He's not letting anyone pushing him around anymore. And," he added sheepishly, "while I'm not encouraging fights... well, it's much better than when he just sat there and ignored everything."
"I think the rest of us agree," Annie Sinistra put in as she stirred her tea. She sipped at it thoughtfully. "He's not been in my class yet, but I've seen the change simply by walking in the halls. Everyone has."
"Though not everyone likes it," Michelle Sprout voiced in a humored tone. "Particularly the Slytherins-"
"I hope that you're not making an insult against my house," Severus suddenly commented, voice low and dangerous. Michelle flushed; she'd forgotten that the potion master was even there.
"Of course not," Minerva answered calmly. "We are merely stating the facts. You know all about the rivalry between our houses, Severus."
Severus let his cold black eyes remain on Michelle several more moments, letting his promise of revenge sink in, before he nodded briskly and turned away, heading to the small cooling department in the back of the room that held several cold sandwiches, his absolute favorites. Michelle let out a loud sigh of relief.
"I wonder what's brought this around," Liana Vector wondered aloud. "I sincerely doubt that you, Severus, truthfully sought out a way to help Harry. It doesn't calculate."
"Few things do to one so drenched in useless numbers and equations," Severus responded coolly. "Your mind becomes awash with symbols and make-believe numbers that anything unable to be mathematically proven is surely an impossibility to your mind. You've forgotten that this world is full of magic, which is anything but stable and proven." His paused and blinked lazily, elegantly if such a thing was possible. "But, no, I had nothing to do with Potter's sudden return to life," he bit out distastefully. "If anything, I would have prevented such a thing."
"Severus!" Minerva looked furious and Liana looked on the verge of tears.
"It's true," he returned with a casual shrug of his shoulders. "Now, the boy will become full of himself again, and will take back his habit of trouble making and thievery."
"You know that Harry didn't steal anything of yours," Minerva shouted angrily but Severus slammed his fist down onto the table, turning back to the other teachers with his infamous temper.
"I know no such thing!" he bellowed. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes and clutching awkwardly at his left arm. "And I will not so simply excuse the boy from his pranks and infractions. Potter has broken more rules in his time here than his parents ever did."
He glared at the room in general and grabbed his sandwich, starting to the door and ignoring the cold feeling that come over him as the other professors hurriedly made way for him. "Good day."
Minerva, holding her ground to the end, grabbed his arm and jumped back in surprise when he let out a hiss of... pain? "Severus, what's wrong?"
"Nothing," was the short reply, and his robes billowed after him. 'Nothing, if the Dark Lord's callings can be called such; if he's constant torture can be called such; if his undying corruption can be called such. There was nothing wrong. Nothing at all.'
Severus bit back a cry of pain as his arm burned. 'Not again.'
*
"See, I told you," Pansy whispered and Draco watched with grim amusement as Harry walked down the hall, alone at last. "He's going somewhere, just like's he's been going for the past two nights."
"Very good, Pansy," Draco murmured, watching the idiotic girl swell up with pride. Then he turned his attention back to the prey at hand. "Well, Mr. Potter, it seems that you've become too cocky for your own good. Go get him," he commanded to his two body guards, Crabbe and Goyle. "And make sure he doesn't make too much noise. The last thing we need is a teacher to come down here."
The two boys nodded, dumbly as everything else they did, and walked towards the distracted Gryffindor in what they must have thought was a very sneaky manner. In truth, though, the two looked more like fattened pigs trying to sneak up on a stag.
A shimmer caught Draco's attention and he quickly motioned for the two to stop, leaning forward from the shadows to catch whatever Potter held in his hands. He blinked. "Is that what I think it is?"
Pansy leaned forward and blinked herself. "A string?"
Harry, however, didn't seem to be the least bit bothered by the fact that he was walking the ground of Hogwarts with only a string for comfort. The boy was as thick as Draco's cronies were; hadn't the last two weeks taught him anything?
"What's he doing?" Pansy whispered and Draco, too busy to get angry at her questioning, shrugged truthfully.
Harry looked around and Draco swore the Gryffindor saw the Slytherins sneaking up on him before he took a seat in one of the stone windowsills, playing with the golden piece of string in his fingers. Draco waited a few moments before giving Crabbe and Goyle and quick nod and the two started forward again.
"He's wand's out," Blaise informed politely, playing the lookout position given to her. Draco again made the stopping motion and the two heavy boys looked exasperated, pausing again. Idiots. Didn't they know that Potter would be able to signal for help if he saw they coming?
Pansy whispered her question again and this time Draco glared at her, making her back up into the shadows with a whimper. With his father being the right hand of Voldemort, Draco enjoyed the highest position in the Slytherin body, a position of power that he often abused. And abused gladly.
"Watch him," Draco murmured to Malcolm, who nodded and took up a position beside Blaise. Draco sneaked a look to Potter and dropped to his knees, crawling from shadow to shadow until he was within body length of the distracted boy.
Harry turned the string over and over in his hands, muttering under his breath. Draco slowly made for his wand, a dozen dark magic hexes flowing through his mind. But he stopped again and watched in fascination as Harry, loath as Draco was to admit it, did something amazing:
With a few more encouraging words, the string in Harry's hands twisted and turned, flexing out its knots and wriggling free of the boy's hands to float an inch above Harry's palms. Draco's breath caught in awe as four legs shot out and the string turned again, freeing two long wings to the air. One end stretched out, turning into a tail, while the other formed itself into a smooth skull. Harry whispered and raised a hand above the string, as though he was encouraging the sudden mutations and as his fingers passed over it, the string popped out dozens of horns, long and twisting and elegant. The skull snapped open its jaws and bit out at the air, taking a few shaky breaths. Talons grew long from its legs, and its wings twisted into four separate parts, each protected by curving spike.
And a dragon was born.
As long as Harry's arm, the spiky thing looked menacing enough, snapping indignantly at the air. Draco was frozen as Harry's face broke out into a huge grin and he stroked the dragon's chin. "Welcome back," the Gryffindor murmured. The dragon purred.
Snapping from his awe, Draco took a quick look at the situation and decided that Harry was as vulnerable as he'd ever be and he waved a hand. Crabbe and Goyle advanced.
The dragon stiffened and let out a small growl, stretching its wings out and taking flight. Harry sat up quickly, looking around.
Draco swore and motioned again. All the Slytherins moved forward.
The dragon let out a surprising loud roar and flung its small body at the closest Slytherin, Crabbe, and Harry, realizing what was going on, took off. Draco jumped from his position, tackling the Gryffindor with a grunt.
"Malfoy," Harry bit out as he struggled. Malfoy grinned viciously. "Let me go."
"No," the Slytherin replied evenly, grunting again when Harry kneed his chest. A shrill cry above was the only warning Draco had before the golden dragon jumped into the fight, apparently having ditched the other Slytherins in favor of immediately defending its master. Draco jumped back, letting go of Harry who leaped up and took off. The dragon scratched him vengefully before taking high to the air, out of reach.
"After him!" Draco shouted, pointing at Harry's retreating figure. He didn't have to; the others were already going.
"Are you ok?" Pansy asked, the only one to stop and help Draco to his feet.
He pulled his arm back angrily, glaring at her. "What are you doing? I said after him!"
"I thought you might be hurt-"
"Go!" Draco ran off, leaving Pansy to stare a moment in shock before chasing after him. They quickly reached the others and Harry wasn't far ahead, disappearing in the shadows before reappearing by the light of the moon through the window. The Gryffindor turned a corner and disappeared, giving Draco time to wipe at the light scratches on his face. His fingers came back with blood tinting the pale digits. Draco cursed and then ignored his wounds.
They turned the corner and saw Harry, not too far ahead, stopping to pull out a piece of paper from somewhere, studying it intently. When he saw them catching up, he took off again, disappearing in the shadows to reappear. Disappearing, reappearing, disappearing, reappearing, disappearing, re-
He was gone.
The Slytherins stopped short. All they saw was Harry running into a dark shadow and a glimmer of silver before... nothing.
"Well?" Draco asked. "Where is he?"
"I-I don't know," Malcolm answered, as confused as the rest of them.
"He couldn't have gotten far," Blaise reasoned. "He might just be hiding in the shadows."
Draco nodded and they took off again, reaching the last place they'd seen Harry. The area between on window and the next wasn't much, but the suits of armor might be enough to provide a hiding place. Draco grinned again, thinking his enemy caught. What a stupid prat Potter must be, thinking to hide in such an obvious place-
His thoughts were cut short when one of the arms moved, the helmet clattering to the floor. All the Slytherins jumped, suddenly remembering the rules of wandering about the castle at night.
"Who did that?" Draco hissed. The questioned answered itself when, a moment later, Mrs. Norris stuck her furry head from behind the suit, watching them with hateful eyes.
Pansy cursed and they all took a step back. "Mrs. Norris!" she whispered fearfully, her eyes scanning the area. "That means-"
"Ickle students out at night?" a ghastly voice called out as Peeves materialized from behind the suit. Mrs. Norris glared at the ghost; she must've been chasing Peeves before catching the group chasing after Potter. Peeves grinned nastily, floating high in the air. "Ickle Slyhties, out for a night stroll? Naughty"
"You'd better keep your mouth shut," Draco suddenly stepped forward. Peeves paused to watch the pale Slytherin, light streams of blood streaming down his face, with interest. "I doubt that the Bloody Baron would enjoy you squealing on his house."
Peeves paused and looked ready to run but Draco didn't even have time to thank his lucky stars when another voice whispered from right behind him, "Fifth years out of bed? And threatening Peeves? Yes, the headmaster would like to hear about this."
Draco turned around slowly to see Filch, rubbing his hands together in glee.
*
"Awk!"
"Shh!" Harry shushed from beneath the invisibility cloak. "You'll get us caught!"
The dragon didn't seem to particularly care, as it let out another of its noises, stretching its wings out happily. And Harry couldn't blame it. With his friend back, life was almost back to normal.
He couldn't believe how stupid he was. He'd felt someone, or several someones, around when he got to the window. He'd known they were there, but he'd gotten too used to being friends with Slytherins to really feel threatened by them anymore. "Stupid, stupid, stupid," he muttered to himself, and the dragon settled onto his shoulders for comfort.
It worked and Harry smiled. It was his own luck--and several intensive hours spent at the library--that let him not only recreate a dragon, but recreate his dragon. If anyone asked, he wouldn't be able to explain it. The dragon "crawk"ed and Harry smiled wider, stroking its ticklish spot between its two front horns.
"Let's see if I can clean up the mess of a place I left here," he muttered softly and walked down the halls, back to the Gryffindor common room.
*
"Hey, you. Get up."
Harry was roughly shoved at and in response he groaned and kicked out a leg. He heard a muffled yelp and smiled sleepily, rolling over to catch a few more minutes of sleep. From beside his head, he could hear the small dragon yawning and beginning to stretch its forearms and wings. One ruffled Harry head, catching onto some hair and yanking the black strands.
Harry yelped, leaping up and hitting his head on the roof-like tops over his bed. He accidentally dragged the creature with him, and it came up screaming as well.
Beyond the drapes of his bed came the sounds of muffled curses and hurried footsteps. Someone was complaining and someone else--the person who'd tried to wake Harry up in the first place--was back at it, reaching through the drapes to shake his shoulder. "Harry, you alright?"
"Just perfect," came the sardonic reply as Harry lifted his hands to his tangled hair, pulling the entangled dragon wing from his black tresses. The dragon let out an undignified squeak, much louder than its first noises. This time, everyone in the room could hear it. There were more mutterings and the beds around the room creaked as their owners jumped up and headed for Harry.
The drapes were fully pulled back and Harry blinked in surprise a moment as a fuzzy, redheaded shape came into view surrounded by several other bobbing orbs. Another moment went by before Harry recognized with a start Ron Weasley staring back at him and his other male Gryffindors as well. Before he could make a fool of himself, however, Harry remembered his return back to this dimension and the day before, where the world had barely moved during his eight years in the other world.
The boys were gaping at Harry in shock. He stumbled about and grabbed his glasses, blinking as everything suddenly came into focus, and fixed them all with a shape look. "What's the matter?"
Wordlessly, Ron lifted a shaking finger to point at the dragon that had taken up space to preen at its scales on Harry's shoulder.
"Oh! You mean this little guy?" The boys nodded, mouths still hanging open like fish. The dragon gave another squawk and tried to wrestle out of Harry's hands. He thought quickly and figured he might as well just tell the truth. "Well, you see, I found him last night." A version of the truth, anyway.
"Found him?" Ron repeated incredulously.
Harry nodded proudly. "If you don't mind, I'd like to have some privacy. I was trying to sleep."
"Where'd you find him?" Dean Thomas asked hurriedly even as Neville whispered in a horrified tone: "It could be dangerous! Why'd you bring it in here? And in your bed of all places!"
"It hasn't hurt me yet," Harry pointed out hotly. "I think it likes me." As if to prove his statement, the little dragon snapped at Harry's fingers when they got too close.
"Oh yea. I can see the love there," Ron muttered sarcastically. He ran a hand through his red hair. "Blimey, Harry, sometimes you're so stupid even I'm surprised."
"Stupid?" Harry shot back, faking a shocked voice. He grinned brightly at the boys, making them all take a step back in surprise. "Jeez, what nice friends you are."
"Harry, are you alright?" Seamus asked, repeating the earlier question with doubt written across his face.
Harry let out an exasperated breath and motioned with his hands. "Yes, yes. I already told you I'm fine. Now will you all get out of my bed?"
"I think there's something with the dragon," Dean was whispering to a grave Neville. "He's acting very strange."
"Reckon we better tell Dumbledore?" Neville asked in reply.
Ron shook his head but before Harry could feel thankful for his friend's confidence, the redhead whispered, "Nah, we better get Madam Pomfrey first. It might be something serious."
"Right," Seamus took a step back. "I'll go get her. McGonagall, too." The boy disappeared down to the common room and the three turned back to the boy in question to see Harry glaring at them, arms folded across his chest.
"I'm not a little kid," he started, but got the strangest look on his face and burst out laughing. "Oh man, I can actually say it now!" he managed to say between great gaps of laughter.
Ron, Neville, and Dean all exchanged worried glances and took a unanimous step back. They weren't the only ones Harry's behavior was bothering: the little dragon was being shaken from its spot at his shoulders and in retaliation, it sank its talons into Harry's skin.
"Ow!" Harry winced and stopped moving but a great grin was still on his face. "Knock it off." He swatted at the dragon and it took an angry lift to the air, flying out from the draped bed. The three other boys ducked with scared cries but the golden daemon flew right over them, going up to land on a dresser across the room.
Harry yawned, stretching out wide and collapsing back on the bed. "What time is it, anyway?"
"Wha?--oh man!" Ron moaned. "I was going to tell you: we're late for breakfast!"
"What?"
"Yea, I was trying to wake you up when all this happened-"
Harry let out another sigh and groggily got out of bed. He brushed his fingers through his hair and went to the stand his dragon was perched, waving it away to grab some clothes. It curled up, spiking out its horns, and Harry drew his hand back quickly, scowling at the little thing. "Don't start with me this early," he warned, shaking a finger at the arrogant creature. "I've had to put up with you as a kid; I'm not going to put up with it any longer."
When it showed no signs of moving, Harry's threatening voice quickly turned to a plea: "Oh, come on now! Be reasonable. If I'm not there for breakfast, how will you get anything to eat? You know the house elves are plain frightened of you; please just let me get dressed."
"Harry?" Ron cautiously moved towards his best friend while the other two shook their heads in utter bewilderment.
The dragon snorted once but finally moved and Harry let out a happy cry. "Thanks! I'll get you something good, I promise. Sausage, or something." He dug into his clothing, pulling out a simple outfit and glancing over in surprise to see the other Gryffindors just watching him. "Aren't you guys hungry?"
"Um-"
Harry waved Dean off with a frown. "Just hurry up and get dressed unless you're planning on modeling the latest pair of guys' night gowns." They blushed and went to do as Harry said.
All four were just getting down into the common room when Seamus rushed in, panting, followed by a distracted-looking Pomfrey and an absolutely frightened McGonagall. Several girls were there as well, and almost all of them screamed when Harry waltzed in, his dragon soaring little spirals above his head.
"Oh, bugger," Ron heard the usually (at least, considering the last two weeks of school) quiet Gryffindor swear as the two adults fixed a look on Harry.
"Students, leave," McGonagall barked, moving away from the portrait. Most didn't argue; her voice left no tone for complaint. "Now!" she screamed at the few hesitant and even Ron left in a hurry. The teacher turned to the nurse. "Poppy?"
Pomfrey took a deep breath then shook her head. "I can't feel anything," she admitted. "But it could be a delayed spell, or something that I can't tune into or-"
"Or I could just be acting like this because I'm happy," Harry interrupted with annoyance in his voice. His dragon swooped down from its morning stretch to land on Harry's shoulder.
"Is that so?" McGonagall raised an eyebrow. "Then what is that, that thing?"
"It's just my dragon," Harry replied defensively, rubbing the area between the dragon's eyes. It purred and settled down, letting the two adults come nearer.
"You're dragon?" McGonagall lifted an eyebrow at Poppy, plainly saying 'Dark magic.' She turned back to Harry and, in a patronizing voice, asked, "Can we see that thing for a moment, Mr. Potter?"
Harry grinned and cheerfully handed the protesting dragon over. The other McGonagall couldn't change it back, so this one wouldn't be able to either. And he was right: try as she might (and she certainly looked like she was exerting herself) McGonagall could only stare as the little thing nipped at her hands.
"You might want to be careful," Harry advised. "He doesn't take well to strangers."
"I think we might need to contact the headmaster, Minerva," Pomfrey started nervously as sweat began to roll down McGonagall's forehead.
"I'm already here," Dumbledore announced, stepping through the swinging portrait. He clapped his hands once and the dragon froze in midair, floating out of McGonagall's hands and towards the old wizard.
"Thank you, Albus," McGonagall huffed, wiping her forehead.
Dumbledore studied the petrified creature then turned his wise old stare at Harry, who suddenly felt that now was the time for Quidditch. "Harry, would you care to explain?"
"Uh... explain what, sir?" Harry asked, grinning and hoping against hope that the smile would distract the headmaster from any personal questions. For a second he thought it worked. Dumbledore blinked in the face of a still-surprising smile but Harry's hope vanished as Dumbledore cleared his throat warningly.
"I can sense you magic here, Harry," the headmaster informed him. "It seems that you are sustaining this creature's life. I would like to know exactly how you managed to do so, when such magic is beyond your level."
"Uh, well," Harry rubbed the back of his neck and let out a nervous bit of laughter. "There's a real funny story behind that, sir-"
"Harry."
"Yea, well. You see-"
Hermione suddenly burst through the portrait, flying across the room and landing in a big heap at Harry's feet. "I-I taught him the spell, Professor!" she huffed, breathing hard. "I-I got it f-from the library and-"
"Slow down Miss Granger." Pomfrey's forehead wrinkling in concern. "Good heavens. Did you run all the way here just to tell us that?" Hermione nodded wordlessly from the floor, hands clutched to her stomach.
Dumbledore looked from the gasping Hermione to the astounded Harry for a moment more before all seriousness disappeared from his face, dissolving into a smile. "Splendid! It's good to see students trying to get the best out of their education." He clapped his hands and the dragon was released, snarling at the air before nearly falling in shock at being let go. "Now that this mystery is solved, why don't we all go down and have something to eat? I'd say that the other students are hungry enough without having to wait for us to be there."
McGonagall was eyeing the two Gryffindors suspiciously but muttered to herself, "It does make sense," before walking out the door behind the headmaster, Pomfrey following her.
"Hermione, are you insane?" Harry exploded once the portrait shut. He hurriedly helped her to her feet, picking up her spilled books. "Lying to a professor, the head of your house no less? And to the headmaster?" He grinned. "Are you planning to become another trouble maker or what?"
Hermione rolled her eyes but let him help her up. "For your information, Harry, I was waiting in the Great Hall for you when Ron came in, swearing that you were about to be expelled. As soon as he told me what happened, I recognized the spell that you used as something I read out of a familiar book. It is your familiar, right?"
"F-familiar?" Harry's mouth dropped open.
"Yes, the being that you use to store your magic in and that also exemplifies how strong you are." She took a deep breath and launched out a dictionary explanation. "A familiar is usually a magical beast but in the last few centuries, only a few creatures have chosen to become a witch or wizard's familiar, for the beast must chose to become such or no bond can be made. A familiar not only stores a person's energy, but it also strengthens the person's magical force, boosting the person to higher power levels-"
"I know what a familiar is," Harry hastily interrupted her.
He expected her to look angry at the least for being interrupted, but instead she got a somewhat victorious look in her eyes. "I knew it!" she declared, backing him into a wall. "Something did happen! I mean, at first, I just had my suspicions but now--before, you didn't have a clue what a familiar is. In fact, only a few people in the entire school had taken the time to find out anything about something so ancient and all of them are in Ravenclaw. But now you know what a familiar is and--oh Harry, what aren't you telling us?"
Harry grinned uncertainly, backing up until his legs hit the edge of a common room couch. "I-uh, I have no idea what you're talking about Hermione-"
"Don't lie to me!"
"Hermione! Harry! If you don't hurry, you'll miss breakfast!"
Harry let out a relieved sigh at the sound of Ron's voice and grabbed Hermione's arm, thankful for the distraction. "Breakfast, Hermione!"
"I'm not deaf," she complained but hurried along as well.
*
Harry rolled his eyes to the sky with all the weight of a tortured soul. Except that he couldn't see the sky; all he saw was the dusty, rank looking ceiling of the Potions classroom. Why, oh why did he ever want to come back to this? In the other place, he only had a few weeks until the end of the year, and he'd have graduated and been done with Snape forever. But now...
"Mr. Potter, I suggest that you pay attention," Snape snapped (*snort*) from the front of the class. The rest of the room chuckled, albeit uneasily at seeing Harry being chastised. "Unless, of course, you'd prefer to fail this year's class right now."
Three more year! Three more years of this, this-
Harry rolled his eyes again and sighed heavily, sitting up straight in his seat. Ron and Hermione, glad to be back at his side, were sitting in the table next to him and were both constantly casting him anxious looks. Harry had to grin at that, or at least he would have to if Snape didn't let out some snide comment every time he smiled, like "Is something funny, Mr. Potter?"
The only good thing about this class was the unlimited potential for trouble! Snape was going to assign him a detention by the end of class, anyway; might as well make it worth it.
Harry slowly spread his books across the table, grateful that today's class was only notes instead of any real potion making. Malfoy usually sat beside him but was absent today, hiding in the hospital wing. Harry thought of the night before and smirked. Those scratches weren't going to leave anytime soon. His books slid across the smooth surface soundlessly and soon the entire space was full, successfully blocking Snape's immediate sight of Harry's mischief.
Careful to keep his expression blank, Harry reached a hand into his robes and poked his left chest pocket. It rumbled. He poked it again. It stirred and a golden wing lazily came into view, swatting at his fingers. Harry frowned and poked the pocket again, more viciously. This time, he got a response as the dragon's long neck craned into view, looking annoyed.
"Come on," he urged, opening the pocket more to lift the sleepy dragon out. "You've got enough sleep for a lifetime; time to do something about all that fat, eh?" It snapped at him semi-angrily and shook awake. Harry quickly glanced up and saw Snape lecturing on about something Harry had already learned about, unaware of Harry's activities.
The dragon stretched out fully from behind the books, but its wings were too long to be hidden; they tipped into sight like golden sails. Harry tried to squish them down but was rewarded with a poked thumb.
"Ouch!"
He glanced around and breathed out when he saw no one paying any attention, then glared at the innocent-looking dragon. "That hurt!" It opened its mouth to protest but Harry, on pain of a pricked pinky, shut the jaw. "No, shhh. Quiet. You don't want Snape to hear you, now do you? Remember the last time he caught you in class? You had to stay outside for a week."
It's lips curled back in a snarl, letting its fangs come out and poke Harry's fingers. He winced and drew his hand back. "Stop that!"
The dragon curled its wings down and stared intently at Harry, who couldn't help from grinning evilly. Checking to see that no one was paying attention, Harry leaned down and whispered some instructions into the little thing's ear.
The dragon hopped to the ground and slid against the floor, folding its wings up so it moved like a snake across the cold bricks. Snape lectured on tonelessly and the class snoozed and dozed off, unaware of the future show. It stopped several times, getting distracted by some candy in a student's bag or seeing something that absolutely had to be chewed, but eventually made its way to the front of the class, narrowly dodging a tragic fate of stomping when a Slytherin started tapping his feet to some unknown beat.
With a flutter, the dragon slipped into the air, flying up the Snape's desk just beyond view. Then, with a cackle befitting a witch (and one that served like an alarm clock to the class) it spread its wings out wide...
*Crack* went the pot of a green, oozy liquid.
*Splat* went the bottle of foul-smelling fungus.
*Fizzle* *Pop* *Snap* went the mugs of some unknown pink substance, rumored to glow in the dark.
The flask of dye slammed into the floor. The jug of mystic water splattered into the wall. Several glasses of nectar, a goblet of elixir, a beaker of tonic: all came crashing down. For a moment, the noise was deafening. All that was heard was the crashing, the bashing, and the falling apart of any and every container on the table.
For a moment, all anyone could do was stare.
Then the dragon hopped into the air again and took off like the devil, slamming into the door and high-tailing it out of there. At the back of the room, Harry smiled.
It felt good to be back.
