Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.
Talks with Dumbledore.
Harry climbed out of the train and looked around. Everything was the same he remembered from his own time, and he smiled brightly when he saw Hagrid's big figure standing over the first year students. His smile became larger when he saw the giant turn towards them and greet the marauders.
"Aren't you going to go with Hagrid?" Asked Lily, while she looked as the giant disappeared towards the lake with the scared students in tow.
"No. James' father wrote to the Headmaster and he said I had to go to the school with you."
Together, they got into the first carriage they saw and they made their way to the castle. Just as he had done during the last part of the journey, Harry stayed completely silent, worrying the marauders. Harry's mind couldn't help but remember the last happenings he had gone through in the school. Specially the final feast, when he saw Cho crying, while everyone else raised their cups in Cedric's honour, who had been the first of Voldermort's victims after his return. And before he could help it, he thought once again about the time the bright green light had hit his Hufflepuff friend and how he had fallen down, dead. In his mind, Voldermort's laugh rang clearly. Harry closed his eyes while his body shuddered slightly at those memories.
"Harry, are you alright?"
James' concerned voice made him return to the real world and jumping slightly, he opened his eyes. He saw five worried pairs of eyes looking at him and he put up a strained smile, trying to reassure them.
"Don't worry, I'm fine."
"But you're very pale." Said Lily, carefully.
"Really, I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me, I was just remembering something unpleasant."
The others didn't seem to believe him, but since they had just arrived at the school, they couldn't push the matter. All Marauders were startled when they saw Professor McGonagall standing at the entrance door. They were no the only surprised students, everyone else was wondering why their teacher was there.
"I suppose you're the young Potter, aren't you?" Said the professor while coming closer.
"That's right." Answered Harry.
"Would you be so kind to come with me, Mr. Potter.?"
Harry nodded towards the others and followed the professor through the hallways, knowing very well where she was leading him. He wasn't mistaken. Professor McGonagall stopped in front of a horrible gargoyle, whom started to move when she spoke the password. They walked up the stairs together and knocked on the door.
"Come in."
***************************
The marauders looked worriedly as Harry walked away with their Transfiguration's teacher. Since Harry had had that confrontation with Snape he had been very quiet, as if something was bothering or worrying him. But even if they had been worried, they had stayed silent. When he had become pale and had seen him shudder, not even James had been able to keep his curiosity at bay, even if Harry hadn't wanted to answer them.
"I'm worried." Said James.
"Yes, he's doing worse than yesterday." Agreed Sirius. "And I thought he was better when I saw him this morning."
"He was doing better." Affirmed James. "Something must have happened to make him react this way."
"By the way, James." Started Remus. "You didn't tell us why Harry was here. Maybe if we knew, we would be able to understand his reactions better."
"Right, you never told me." Said Sirius.
"I would tell you, but I don't know."
"You don't?!?!" Asked four voices at once.
"No. My parents didn't want to tell me, and they forbade me to ask Harry."
"But, they didn't say anything?"
"Well, yes. They said he had health problems, but when they forbade me to ask Harry, they kind of made it clear that that wasn't true."
"Well, whatever it is, I think the headmaster knows." Said Lily.
********** When Harry and Professor McGonagall came in Professors Dumbledore office, he couldn't help but think that no time had passed and that it was still the night after the third task. That thought made him shiver lightly. There, sitting behind his desk, was professor Dumbledore, looking much younger but with the same kind smile on his face.
"Welcome, Harry. Please, sit down."
Harry walked closer so he could sit in one of the chairs, but he had barely taken a few steps when he felt someone hugging him from behind and someone else patting his back. As well as he could, he turned around and his eyes became huge when he saw who it was.
"Ron! Hermione! What are you doing here?"
"Surprise!" Said both of them at the same time.
"But... but..."
"Please, if the three of you would be so kind as to sit down, we will be able to talk." Said Dumbledore, obviously amused.
Harry, Ron and Hermione sat down in front of the Headmaster and Professor McGonagall. Ron and Hermione seemed to be very happy and excited while Harry was just confused.
"Well..." Started Dumbledore. "I had thought you would be able to explain about those two teens, Harry, but I think you're just as confused as I am." Harry nodded while Ron and Hermione tried to hid their laughter. "Well, we'll talk about this later, right now you're more important. The letter that Mr. Potter send me from my future self said that you were here to protect yourself from Voldemort, is that right?"
"Yes, sir."
"Ok, it seems you should start your fifth year. And even if the letter says you're a Gryffindor, would you mind if we sorted you again?"
"No, sir."
"Good, now that that's arranged, I think that the two of you owe us an explanation."
"Yes, sir." Started Hermione. "My name's Hermione Granger and he is Ron Weasley. Harry is our best friend." Dumbledore nodded, indicating she should continue. "At the end of term last year He who must not be named came back after 14 years, but he did it with a spell that made Harry vulnerable to him."
"Yes, that's what the letter said."
"You saw that the protections that had always been around him would not be enough and so you decided you would send him to a time where He who must not be named was not a danger to him." Continued Ron. "And so you did, and Harry was send here."
"From the moment Harry disappeared, both, Ron and I started to insist that we wanted to be with him, because even if James Potter is his father, we are his friends."
"We insisted for a whole month, and yesterday we finally were allowed to come, so here we are, ready to stay with Harry till the end."
"Hey! Wait a minute, I spoke with the two of you yesterday. You could have told me." Cried Harry.
"And ruin our surprise?" Asked Hermione.
"Never." Said the two of them in one voice.
Dumbledore looked at the three teens standing in front of him. Yes, it seemed that they had lived many adventures together and that their friendship had reached unsuspecting limits. He couldn't help but smile, thinking that the three of them were very lucky to have such great friends.
"Well, it seems everything is in order, we should be going to the great hall. There you'll be sorted again. Ok?"
"Yes, sir." Answered the three of them together.
"Good. Minerva, will you take them with you?"
"Yes, please follow me, you three." Said Professor McGonagall.
The Professor led them through the halls until they reached the room their remembered from their first year. There, the first years were already waiting for them. They all seemed to be very scared and the three teens felt a bit sorry for them. They would have wanted to tell them that they only had to put on a hat to be sorted, but that would have drawn a bit of attention.
Once Professor McGonagall had finished her speech, she started to lead them towards the great hall. Just before they got into the room, she asked that the three of them stayed there until they were called.
"Ron, do you still have the locked?" Asked Harry once McGonagall had left.
"No," said the other boy while shaking his head. "I gave it to my brothers, so we will still be able to know what happens at the school. Why?"
"I was just wondering."
In the Great Hall, the sorting had ended and everyone was waiting impatiently for the feast to start. The Marauders were still worried because Harry had disappeared. Everyone was already looking towards their plates anxiously when the Headmaster stood up, drawing everyone's attention.
"I know all of you want to eat a bit, but before that I have to tell you something. During at least this year we're going to have a few exchange students coming from Salem's school of wizardry, from the United States." All students began to talk excitedly. "So first we'll have to sort them, don't you think?"
"Well, now we know where Harry was." Said Lily.
"Yes, but why was he talking in plural?" Asked Remus.
"No idea." Answered James and Sirius at the same time.
Just at that moment, the doors that lead to the great hall opened and three teens calmly walked towards Professor McGonagall.
"But those are Ron and Hermione!" Cried James.
"Who?" Asked the other four.
"Harry's best friends!" Said James surprised, while he watched as the approached their professor. "Harry talked to me about them; he even showed me a picture from the three of them, but he didn't tell me they would also be coming here!"
McGonagall's voice made him shut up.
"When I call you, you will put on the hat and you will be sorted to one of the houses. Hermione Granger."
Hermione approached the hat calmly and put it on. A few seconds later, the hat shouted loud and clear: 'gryffindor.' And with a smile she walked towards the Gryffindor table, saying 'see you in a minute to her friends'. She sat down just in front of the Marauders and turned around so she could see the sorting.
"Harry Potter." Said Professor McGonagall.
Harry, who was just as calm as Hermione, walked towards the hat, steeling himself to have an argument with it.
"Well, well,. so you are Harry. you really are a lot like your father, did you know that?" Said the hat.
"Yes, that's what everyone says."
"Well, lets see, what house should you be in. in the future I wanted to put you in Slytherin, and I see I had plenty of reason, but."
"But?"
"You've proved you're a Gryffindor to the bone, you even managed to pull out Godric Gryffindor's sword, so." "Gryffindor!"
Harry stood up and following Hermione's lead, he told Ron he would see him in a minute. He sat down next to Hermione and after smiling towards the marauders, he turned around to watch Ron's sorting. A few minutes later, Ron sat down next to Harry.
"Very well, guys, I knew you would make it!" Cried Hermione.
"Was there ever any doubt?" Answered both boys at once.
The three looked at each other and started to laugh. The Marauders were torn between confusion at their antics and relieve that Harry was doing better.
"Say Harry, you never told me that your friends would be coming too." Said James.
"But I didn't know!" Answered Harry with a big smile. "I just found out when I saw them in Dumbledore's office."
"Well, Harry, aren't you going to introduce us?" Said Ron while resting his head on his friend's shoulder.
"Maybe, if you stop leaning on me."
"Ok, ok, I won't lean against you, and now?"
"These are Ron and Hermione, my best friends. Guys there are my cousin James, his girlfriend Lily Evans, and his friends Sirius Black and Remus Lupin,. oh," he added flatly. "and Peter Petigrew."
The Marauders were a bit surprised. Harry and his friends had been smiling all the way through the introductions, but they started to scowl when Peter was introduced. That was very strange, after all. what could Peter have done to them?
Talks with Dumbledore.
Harry climbed out of the train and looked around. Everything was the same he remembered from his own time, and he smiled brightly when he saw Hagrid's big figure standing over the first year students. His smile became larger when he saw the giant turn towards them and greet the marauders.
"Aren't you going to go with Hagrid?" Asked Lily, while she looked as the giant disappeared towards the lake with the scared students in tow.
"No. James' father wrote to the Headmaster and he said I had to go to the school with you."
Together, they got into the first carriage they saw and they made their way to the castle. Just as he had done during the last part of the journey, Harry stayed completely silent, worrying the marauders. Harry's mind couldn't help but remember the last happenings he had gone through in the school. Specially the final feast, when he saw Cho crying, while everyone else raised their cups in Cedric's honour, who had been the first of Voldermort's victims after his return. And before he could help it, he thought once again about the time the bright green light had hit his Hufflepuff friend and how he had fallen down, dead. In his mind, Voldermort's laugh rang clearly. Harry closed his eyes while his body shuddered slightly at those memories.
"Harry, are you alright?"
James' concerned voice made him return to the real world and jumping slightly, he opened his eyes. He saw five worried pairs of eyes looking at him and he put up a strained smile, trying to reassure them.
"Don't worry, I'm fine."
"But you're very pale." Said Lily, carefully.
"Really, I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me, I was just remembering something unpleasant."
The others didn't seem to believe him, but since they had just arrived at the school, they couldn't push the matter. All Marauders were startled when they saw Professor McGonagall standing at the entrance door. They were no the only surprised students, everyone else was wondering why their teacher was there.
"I suppose you're the young Potter, aren't you?" Said the professor while coming closer.
"That's right." Answered Harry.
"Would you be so kind to come with me, Mr. Potter.?"
Harry nodded towards the others and followed the professor through the hallways, knowing very well where she was leading him. He wasn't mistaken. Professor McGonagall stopped in front of a horrible gargoyle, whom started to move when she spoke the password. They walked up the stairs together and knocked on the door.
"Come in."
***************************
The marauders looked worriedly as Harry walked away with their Transfiguration's teacher. Since Harry had had that confrontation with Snape he had been very quiet, as if something was bothering or worrying him. But even if they had been worried, they had stayed silent. When he had become pale and had seen him shudder, not even James had been able to keep his curiosity at bay, even if Harry hadn't wanted to answer them.
"I'm worried." Said James.
"Yes, he's doing worse than yesterday." Agreed Sirius. "And I thought he was better when I saw him this morning."
"He was doing better." Affirmed James. "Something must have happened to make him react this way."
"By the way, James." Started Remus. "You didn't tell us why Harry was here. Maybe if we knew, we would be able to understand his reactions better."
"Right, you never told me." Said Sirius.
"I would tell you, but I don't know."
"You don't?!?!" Asked four voices at once.
"No. My parents didn't want to tell me, and they forbade me to ask Harry."
"But, they didn't say anything?"
"Well, yes. They said he had health problems, but when they forbade me to ask Harry, they kind of made it clear that that wasn't true."
"Well, whatever it is, I think the headmaster knows." Said Lily.
********** When Harry and Professor McGonagall came in Professors Dumbledore office, he couldn't help but think that no time had passed and that it was still the night after the third task. That thought made him shiver lightly. There, sitting behind his desk, was professor Dumbledore, looking much younger but with the same kind smile on his face.
"Welcome, Harry. Please, sit down."
Harry walked closer so he could sit in one of the chairs, but he had barely taken a few steps when he felt someone hugging him from behind and someone else patting his back. As well as he could, he turned around and his eyes became huge when he saw who it was.
"Ron! Hermione! What are you doing here?"
"Surprise!" Said both of them at the same time.
"But... but..."
"Please, if the three of you would be so kind as to sit down, we will be able to talk." Said Dumbledore, obviously amused.
Harry, Ron and Hermione sat down in front of the Headmaster and Professor McGonagall. Ron and Hermione seemed to be very happy and excited while Harry was just confused.
"Well..." Started Dumbledore. "I had thought you would be able to explain about those two teens, Harry, but I think you're just as confused as I am." Harry nodded while Ron and Hermione tried to hid their laughter. "Well, we'll talk about this later, right now you're more important. The letter that Mr. Potter send me from my future self said that you were here to protect yourself from Voldemort, is that right?"
"Yes, sir."
"Ok, it seems you should start your fifth year. And even if the letter says you're a Gryffindor, would you mind if we sorted you again?"
"No, sir."
"Good, now that that's arranged, I think that the two of you owe us an explanation."
"Yes, sir." Started Hermione. "My name's Hermione Granger and he is Ron Weasley. Harry is our best friend." Dumbledore nodded, indicating she should continue. "At the end of term last year He who must not be named came back after 14 years, but he did it with a spell that made Harry vulnerable to him."
"Yes, that's what the letter said."
"You saw that the protections that had always been around him would not be enough and so you decided you would send him to a time where He who must not be named was not a danger to him." Continued Ron. "And so you did, and Harry was send here."
"From the moment Harry disappeared, both, Ron and I started to insist that we wanted to be with him, because even if James Potter is his father, we are his friends."
"We insisted for a whole month, and yesterday we finally were allowed to come, so here we are, ready to stay with Harry till the end."
"Hey! Wait a minute, I spoke with the two of you yesterday. You could have told me." Cried Harry.
"And ruin our surprise?" Asked Hermione.
"Never." Said the two of them in one voice.
Dumbledore looked at the three teens standing in front of him. Yes, it seemed that they had lived many adventures together and that their friendship had reached unsuspecting limits. He couldn't help but smile, thinking that the three of them were very lucky to have such great friends.
"Well, it seems everything is in order, we should be going to the great hall. There you'll be sorted again. Ok?"
"Yes, sir." Answered the three of them together.
"Good. Minerva, will you take them with you?"
"Yes, please follow me, you three." Said Professor McGonagall.
The Professor led them through the halls until they reached the room their remembered from their first year. There, the first years were already waiting for them. They all seemed to be very scared and the three teens felt a bit sorry for them. They would have wanted to tell them that they only had to put on a hat to be sorted, but that would have drawn a bit of attention.
Once Professor McGonagall had finished her speech, she started to lead them towards the great hall. Just before they got into the room, she asked that the three of them stayed there until they were called.
"Ron, do you still have the locked?" Asked Harry once McGonagall had left.
"No," said the other boy while shaking his head. "I gave it to my brothers, so we will still be able to know what happens at the school. Why?"
"I was just wondering."
In the Great Hall, the sorting had ended and everyone was waiting impatiently for the feast to start. The Marauders were still worried because Harry had disappeared. Everyone was already looking towards their plates anxiously when the Headmaster stood up, drawing everyone's attention.
"I know all of you want to eat a bit, but before that I have to tell you something. During at least this year we're going to have a few exchange students coming from Salem's school of wizardry, from the United States." All students began to talk excitedly. "So first we'll have to sort them, don't you think?"
"Well, now we know where Harry was." Said Lily.
"Yes, but why was he talking in plural?" Asked Remus.
"No idea." Answered James and Sirius at the same time.
Just at that moment, the doors that lead to the great hall opened and three teens calmly walked towards Professor McGonagall.
"But those are Ron and Hermione!" Cried James.
"Who?" Asked the other four.
"Harry's best friends!" Said James surprised, while he watched as the approached their professor. "Harry talked to me about them; he even showed me a picture from the three of them, but he didn't tell me they would also be coming here!"
McGonagall's voice made him shut up.
"When I call you, you will put on the hat and you will be sorted to one of the houses. Hermione Granger."
Hermione approached the hat calmly and put it on. A few seconds later, the hat shouted loud and clear: 'gryffindor.' And with a smile she walked towards the Gryffindor table, saying 'see you in a minute to her friends'. She sat down just in front of the Marauders and turned around so she could see the sorting.
"Harry Potter." Said Professor McGonagall.
Harry, who was just as calm as Hermione, walked towards the hat, steeling himself to have an argument with it.
"Well, well,. so you are Harry. you really are a lot like your father, did you know that?" Said the hat.
"Yes, that's what everyone says."
"Well, lets see, what house should you be in. in the future I wanted to put you in Slytherin, and I see I had plenty of reason, but."
"But?"
"You've proved you're a Gryffindor to the bone, you even managed to pull out Godric Gryffindor's sword, so." "Gryffindor!"
Harry stood up and following Hermione's lead, he told Ron he would see him in a minute. He sat down next to Hermione and after smiling towards the marauders, he turned around to watch Ron's sorting. A few minutes later, Ron sat down next to Harry.
"Very well, guys, I knew you would make it!" Cried Hermione.
"Was there ever any doubt?" Answered both boys at once.
The three looked at each other and started to laugh. The Marauders were torn between confusion at their antics and relieve that Harry was doing better.
"Say Harry, you never told me that your friends would be coming too." Said James.
"But I didn't know!" Answered Harry with a big smile. "I just found out when I saw them in Dumbledore's office."
"Well, Harry, aren't you going to introduce us?" Said Ron while resting his head on his friend's shoulder.
"Maybe, if you stop leaning on me."
"Ok, ok, I won't lean against you, and now?"
"These are Ron and Hermione, my best friends. Guys there are my cousin James, his girlfriend Lily Evans, and his friends Sirius Black and Remus Lupin,. oh," he added flatly. "and Peter Petigrew."
The Marauders were a bit surprised. Harry and his friends had been smiling all the way through the introductions, but they started to scowl when Peter was introduced. That was very strange, after all. what could Peter have done to them?
