Harry Potter and the Unforgiving Mistake
Chapter 1 The Escape
"You fool! Now that Sirius is destroyed he is going to do anything to get
back at me!"
"But my Lord he's not that upset is he after all.......Sirius isn't important."
"You're right about that but the boy doesn't think that, after all Sirius was related to him. Now that stupid fool is stuck in an eternal life of doom, that's what you get for trying to make my work harder than it already is. You better not turn against me again or you'll be where he is but I'll make it much more of a living hell."
"Yes master, I will never betray you and now that you've grown into your fullest strength we can finally rid Potter from your life permanently!"
A hoarse high-pitched laugh came from the Lord.
Harry woke up. His scar blasted with pain as if hell itself had been engraved into his scar. He clutched it within the time that it hurt until it slowly started to surrender. This wasn't unusual now for Harry to hear voices or picture people as he slept the nights in the Dursley's house in Dudley's old room and even though he was supposed to block them out of his mind as Snape had taught him, he thought of himself as a spy for the Order of the Phoenix. Voldemort and his followers were everywhere and most magical wizards and witches feared to go back to Hogwarts because of Voldemorts appearances there in then past years when Harry attended. Now that the order was formed Harry could go to his 6th year of Hogwarts with out even worrying, he knew almost ever curse, jinx and hex in all the books he had temporarily "borrowed with out Ms.Pince noticing" but Harry had to, being as bored as he was during the summers at number four Privet Drive, Little Whining. That wasn't the only magical things he had been learning over the hot days of summer, he was also giving frequent visits to Mrs.Figg the Squib, that for someone who couldn't produce a teaspoon of magic, knew a whole lot more about it than he did.
He went to his trunk, which by now was wearing around on the edges from years of use, and took out a rather long piece of parchment and a quill and thought. Should he tell them about what Wormtail and Voldemort had said and risk being scolded for not trying to clear his mind of all thoughts or should he have this rather disturbing conversation stuck in his head with no one to talk to about? He decided to write to Ron instead, he would understand more than anything (Hermione would be a bit more concerned and curious than Ron).
Dear Ron, I had another dream and please don't lecture me like everyone else. Voldemort's going to attempt to kill me again. Don't be too worried as long as I have my wand I'm fine. Please don't tell anyone either I don't want your mum worrying about silly dreams. Worry about trying to find a way to get me out of this place, it is torture worse than words can say. Say hi to Pig for me. P.S. Write back soon so I can know that you are thinking of possible escape plans. Your friend, Harry
Harry rolled it up and set it on the top of Hedwig's cage. He hated it when she was gone, like now, it made he feel so lonely. He missed Hogwarts, Hermione, Ron and casting spells for fun. He had to get out of the Dursley's house soon or he would blow up, not like his Aunt Marge who had swelled so large because of Harry, but because of loneliness. Harry then decided to write to Hermione just to tell her to find a clever way (which wasn't that hard ,for her being so smart and all) to get him out of the house in which he loathed and the so called "family" that despised him and anything that had to do with him.
He then decided, just to pass time, to lie on his bed and look at the very dull ceiling (it was kind of funny to Harry that how something seems so boring, like staring at the ceiling, can become more entertaining than doing nothing). An hour or so later he heard a swishing noise and saw that Hedwig had come back from a day's hunt and was determined to eat the carcass before Harry sent her any where. Finally, when she was done he attached the two parchments onto her leg that she held out for him and flew off through the window which was, right now, his only source of light.
Harry noticed that now the sun was slowly descending from over the distant hills and that there was the sound of movement coming downstairs. He dressed into his big hand-me-down clothes from Dudley and ran downstairs. His Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon were engaged in a rather boring conversation (at least to Harry) as Dudley was sneaking as much food as possible from the refrigerator. After Aunt Petunia stopped talking, she noticed that her freakish nephew had woken up she pointed at a plate of fruit and said, "Eat".
Harry sat down and ate as he was told, even though he noticed that Dudley's fruit wasn't nearly as mushy and brown as his was. After he was done forcing down the gross food he went back upstairs. He was just about to start reading another book on jinxes when he hear rather loud footsteps coming up the stairs and the door opened , it was Uncle Vernon, "My family and I are going to my work so I can show them how much I do to feed my family. You will stay here with the door locked. Mrs.Figg will be here in case you try to slip away from our reach like last time. Understood?"
"Yes", Harry replied, trying not to hint that he was excited. And without another word the door shut and Harry heard his uncle locking the door then went back downstairs. He ran to the window and saw the Dursley's over- polished car pulling out of the drive way and heading down Privet Drive. A few moments later there was more footsteps coming up the stairs and Harry heard a loud "crash". Just then the door opened and there was Mrs. Figg with a hammer in her hand, she had brocken the lock, "Start packing the others will be here soon", she said in a worried voice. At first he just stood there feeling slightly shocked, but then noticing that he was going to get out of this place he quickly scurried around the room picking up his robes and books which were scattered messily all over the floor. There was two loud "cracks" and Fred and George Weasley appeared.
"Thought we'd come and help you since we can apparate as well as anyone else", said Fred with a large smile on his face. Just then there was a two more "cracks" and Dumbledore and Mr. Weasley appeared right next to the twins both holding two broomsticks.
"Best keep your firebolt out", said the headmaster with a small smile on his face. Harry got everything together and soon they were all standing outside. Even though it was about noon there was no hint of the sun it was complete darkness until Dumbledore light his wand.
"I put a darkness spell on the town", Dumbledore explained, "Everyone mount your brooms and get ready to fly."
Harry saw his trunk getting loaded onto a basket on Dumbledore's broom and then they all started to fly.
"We'll be at the Grimmauld Place in no time", said Fred laughing.
After a few hours of flying they finally were at the familiar street with the broken-down houses and Harry thought of what had made the house be seen before, "The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, London. Then, like last year the Black's house appeared. Dumbledore went up to the door and put the tip of his wand on it, then Harry heard chains being clattered and then there was a loud "click" and the door opened.
Harry had half expected it to be Sirius, but then there was a sudden jolt in his stomach and he remembered Sirius was dead. Out of all those lessons of erasing his mind's thoughts, he had only used them to forget about Sirius's death.
"Harry? Harry dear oh how it is so nice to see you!," Mrs. Weasley was in the door way now looking at Harry with a smile on her face, yet she seemed exghuasted and worried about some thing. Harry had just realized why he hadn't answered, for one he was deep and thought and the other was that Mrs. Weasley was hugging him so tight that he couldn't breathe. Finally she noticed this and let go, giving Harry the gift of being able to breathe again. Next came Hermione's hug behind her, it seemed much more gentle and warming to Harry than Mrs. Weasley's.
"Did you finish that two-foot long essay for Snape?, just kidding. I missed you a lot. I'm so glad that you are finally out of.........out of that place of ....of well you know almost evil people," said Hermione. This made Harry laugh for the first time in a while.
"It's nice to see you all. Ron! You look so...............er......," Harry couldn't think about what made Ron look so different than usual.
"Tall?," Ron guessed.
"Yeah and something else........um.......,"he still couldn't think of it.
"A little cuter than before?" Hermione said laughing. This was unexpected to Harry so he decided not to laugh, but every one else was, it seemed to be a joke. At that point Ron's ears turned bright red and he was trying to hold back a smile with great difficulty.
"Well come along you've got to unpack before we go about Diagon Alley," said Mrs. Weasley in an uncomfortable sort of voice, still staring at Hermione, she obviously didn't find it as a joke and took it quite serious.
That whole day was spent on shopping for new school books and supplies and other trinkets to amuse them while they were at Hogwarts. Then the following days were used to clean the Blacks' house, last year's cleaning wasn't entirely done.
There was one more day until they went back to Hogwarts and Harry and Ron were in their room packing. When they were done they sat on Harry's bed and talked about what had been on their minds all of the summer.
Just then Hermione came in, "Don't you two have anything better to do than just sit there?.
"Uh, to tell the truth no," said Ron with a smile on his face.
"Well I suppose since I'm done packing I'll join you," and with that Hermione sat down.
The three-some spent the rest of the day talking about any topic of interest that one could think of. And soon found themselves exhausted and ready to get a good night's sleep.
Chapter 2 The New Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher:
Harry woke up on the day of their leave by the sound of shouting.
"Harry, get up! Dammit, get up!" it was Ron, who was violently attempting to push him off of his bed.
"I'm up, happy?," now Harry found himself yelling too.
"God, I thought you were dead or some thing. But never mind that, Harry the train leaves in a half an hour!," now Ron was starting to sound desperate.
"Ok, well thanks for telling me now, it helped a hell of a lot," Harry said trying to sound as sarcastic as he could.
He got up and dressed and went down to the basement like usual. It wasn't like the other days when he had woken up and just ate and cleaned, every one instead was rushing around finding everything they needed for school and no one seemed to have time to talk. Even when they ate breakfast most of the plates were still half-full when some one said that they were done.
After a few minutes the cars, that the Ministry of Magic had let them borrow, pulled up outside and they loaded their trunks and themselves in the cars. They were off to platform 9 ¾ and were soon standing in front of the Hogwart's Express. Smoke was coming from the top and there only was a few minutes until they had to get on. So they found their usual compartment at the end of the scarlet train it was almost empty except for Cho Chang and her friend Marietta. Ginny said hi and sat down next to Cho, but Harry kind of froze. Noticing that he wasn't moving, he gulped and sat down next to Ginny.
"Hello, Harry," said Cho's sweet voice.
"Erm, hi," now Harry was getting angry and almost wished that he was sitting near Malfoy instead of Cho.
"Did you have a fine summer? ," the way she talked like she wasn't mad at Harry made Harry mad at her. After all she had confused him far too many times before, he wasn't going to make the same mistake again, he was going to move on.
"Ya, I had a really fun time with muggles that only give me mushy, brown fruit and that hate my guts and keep me locked up. I had the time of my life! ," he now found that he was shouting and Cho almost looked scared, but yet concerned. After that no one talked the rest except for when Ginny reminded them to change clothes.
Just after they changed and were heading back they ran into the nearly-evil Malfoy.
"Hey Potter it looks like you've been buying robes from the Weasley's. Did they use the money to buy their dad a better job?" Harry looked down at his robes and noticed that he had changed into the ones with the holes in it.
"No, but at least their father didn't have to bribe people to get a job or did he just get Voldemort to jinx them into giving him his job?," right then Harry noticed that he had gone too far, Malfoy was now getting redder in the face by the second.
"We're even now and if you don't mind I'm going to go change, thanks for reminding me that I put on my junk robe," and with that Harry turned around and ran back to change.
A few minutes later they were off the train, they walked through the Hogsmeade station, and on to the path that lead them to the threstrals. The threstrals stared at Harry with their gleaming eyes.
As Ron, Hermione, and Harry climbed in to a carriage, Ron gave it an almost frightened look. This made Harry laugh, last year Ron hadn't liked the fact that he had had to ride on an invisible animal and trust it.
Soon they were through the oak doors and were in the Great Hall. As every one filed in with happy, excited voices and faces, Harry was on his tip- toes trying to look at the staff table over the heads of some 7th year Ravenclaws, but with no luck.
Finally, when the chatter went away and every one was seated, Harry had a chance to glance at the staff table. He saw Dumbledore and McGonagall and the usual teachers, but there was a new one. She was a rather young lady, around 30, with long,curly brunette hair, a thing pail face that appeared even more pail by her bright red lipstick.
Just then the first years came in with Hagrid, his hair looked if possible, more tangled than usual. They lined up in front of the staff table, with nervous and anxious faces, like the new teacher's.
After what seemed like hours of endless sorting, it was over and Professor Dumbledore stood up.
As usual, he welcomed them with his annual Hogwarts speech, then said some thing new, "Also, I would like to introduce you to our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Okwin. The lady that Harry had observed before stood up and mouthed the words 'thank you' to Dumbledore, then sat down. I've also like to inform you that we have 6 new students this year they will be sorted so", he got interrupted as the door swung open and the new students came is, of whom three were girls and three were boys.
Professor McGonagall now had pulled out a short list of names and started to call them up to try on the sorting hat, "Laury Attriff, year six, Whiteland School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." A girl in the middle of the small line of students came up, she had short, black hair with pink and blonde streaks. She sat on the stool, looking extremely nervous as the hat was placed on her head.
After a few moments the brim of the hat opened and shouted, "GRYFFINOR!" All of Harry's table clapped as surprisingly, Laury chose to sit in the empty seat next to Hermione.
There was only two students of the six that were in Gryffindor, both of whom were in their sixth year, like Harry. Larry of Kartan's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was the other Gryffindor. He was rather short and ugly looking, and looked like some one Harry had seen before, but he couldn't figure out whom.
We are pleased to have you all in the midst of our school, I hope you have a fun year and I wish you all the best, well enough of me, let the feast begin," as the headmaster said this delicious piles of food appeared in front of them. Then everyone started to stuff their mouths with tons of food.
"Duffink fey fowfasuch fasus?" Ron asked through a mouthful of meat pie. "Ron, really, what's the use of talking like that if you know we're not going to understand you?," said Hermione sounding annoyed. At this the new 6th year Laury laughed. Ron smiled, at the fact that he had made Hermione annoyed or somebody laugh, Harry could not tell. Hermione shot Laury, then Ron a look that made them stop laughing and smiling.
"I thought you would've become more.........mature by now, but it seems you haven't changed at all," Laury giggled again, trying to muffle the laughter with her hand. Because of Hermione's bad mood no one dared to talk through the rest of the feast, though Harry notice that Ron and Laury would glance at each other and smile. Hermione seemed to notice too and this didn't help her anger.
As they all filed into the Entrance Hall and up the stairs to the Gryffindor common room, Harry noticed that the only person Hermione was talking to was Harry.
"I wonder what Professor Okwin is going to be like. She seems nice, but then again what if she is so nice that she doesn't give us any homework! Oh no, then I'll have read all of those books and have no use of my new knowledge," Harry tried not to laugh at what Hermione was saying.
"Hermione calm down! You are so smart it won't matter, you won't fail, besides don't you think your judging her a little too early, I mean you haven't even talked to her before."
"Yes I have, Ron and I have, all of the prefects had to meet her and the whole time we were saying 'hi' and stuff she smiled. She smiled so much I thought her jaw was going to break," Harry did laugh at this.
"Maybe you should try to be like her because I rarely see you smile, oh wait a second, how would I know if your face is always hidden behind a book?" Ron had been listening the whole time and was waiting for something to say. Harry now noticed tears filling up her eyes as Hermione ran into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.
"Oh dear, I'll go," Laury finally spoke.
"I'll go with you she knows me better than she knows you and Ron you stay here, we don't need her to start crying as much as Moaning Myrtle," Ron frowned, but listened as Laury and Harry entered the bathroom.
"Why are you in the girls' bathroom and who's Moaning Myrtle?" Laury looked confused.
"I can come in here because of Moaning Myrtle, she haunts her toilet and no one comes in here now," Harry explained.
"A ghost lives here, my school never had ghosts this sounds fascinating."
"Hermione, come out."
"Hermione, what an extremely unique name, I like it," Laury added, not really helping the situation.
"Go away!" was finally Hermione's response.
"Hermione come on what's wrong?"
"I'll tell you, but Harry has to go!" at this Harry was shocked, why did she want to speak to a complete stranger, but not to her best friend?
"Is he gone?"
"I'm going, I'm going," Harry slowly walked to the door hoping to hear a bit of the conversation.
"Well you see it all is a very complicated matter," was all that Harry heard of Hermione before he had to close the chipped door.
After fifteen minutes of waiting, they still hadn't come out, so Harry and Ron decided to go to the common room. As they entered only the first years seem to notice Harry enter. As he walked past them he heard what they were saying in rather loud whispers, "Harry Potter, that's him, look at the scar!"
Ron had found two unoccupied seats for them and as they sat down a little first year with long, brown hair came up to Harry.
"You know my cousin; she talks about you a lot. Brags so much if you ask me, but what really gets annoying is when she talks about some boy named Ron. Ron, Ron, Ron, if I ever meet him I'm going to tell him to steer clear from her," with all of what the girl had said Ron had jumped right out of his seat.
"Who, who is your cousin?" Just then Hermione entered with Laury behind her, the little girl had noticed too and ran quickly back to her group of friends.
"That was strange, real strange if you ask me. No one talks about me unless they're talking about the poorest family in the world," Ron was still shocked.
"Sounds like someone fancies you, Ron," Harry said with a joking smile on his face.
"Oh, shut up," Ron attempted to push him off his chair, but this only caused Harry to laugh harder.
Hermione went straight up to the girls' dormitories as Laury stopped in front of them, smiling and laughing, "Too bad I can't ell you two, especially you Ron. Really such a shame that she made me promise." Now Laury was laughing harder at their eager and confused faces.
"What? Tell me! I won't tell anyone! Tell me!" Ron sounded a little angry now.
"I can't, definitely not you Ron, but she told me that if you keep it a secret, Harry, and swear not to tell anyone, she'll tell you." Now she trusts me, Harry thought.
Ron didn't seem happy at all, "I'm going to bed and I'm sure whatever is wrong with Hermione, that she can't tell me, she'll find the answer in a book!" And with not another word he stomped up the stairs to bed.
"Well, better go after them," Laury suggested.
Harry and Laury parted at the stairs and went to comfort their friends.
That night Harry didn't get much sleep. Ron kept waking up screaming.
Harry woke up early the next morning. He saw that Ron, not to his surprise, had fallen off his bed and was now in a mass of tangled sheets.
"Ron, wake up," Harry was shoving him lightly.
"Mum is it time to get up already?" he said dumbly unaware that he wasn't at home.
"I'm not your Mum, but you've got to get up or we'll be late and we won't get our schedules."
The Great Hall was noisy and Harry chose to sit next to Ron and the new boy, Larry.
"Holy crackers you're Harry Potter!" Larry exclaimed.
Harry wanted to reply "you noticed that?" but instead said, "you'll get used to me because I'm going to be in all of your classes."
"Ok well I've got to go, bye!" and as quick as the conversation had started, it ended. After he had ran out the door the mail had arrived along with the schedules.
"Strange boy isn't he?" it was Hermione from behind them.
"Ahhh, don't do that!" Ron yelled.
"Sorry Ron and what happened to not talking to me?" she was getting him annoyed now.
"Well, uhhhhhh, you talked to us first!"
"Oh right, well anyway I'm just warning you to stay away from that Larry boy. I have a strange felling about him." Harry didn't know why, but he did too.
Their first class was to their surprise Defense Against the Dark Arts.
"Good morning everyone, as you know I am Professor Okwin. Now is everyone here?" as she stopped hoping to hear an answer and when no one replied she went on. "I guess we'll start then. Today we will be going over four rather complicated and difficult spells. The first one is called the Enemy Detector Spell."
They spent the rest of the class learning the four new spells and weren't actually going to cast them until the next lesson.
As Harry was about to exit Professor Okwin called Harry back, "I've heard that you've produced a Patronus. If you would like I could teach you more complex spells that I think will help you, I could continue Remus's lessons if you'd like."
"I'll give it some thought over the next few days," was Harry's answer.
He ran back into the corridor, where Ron and Hermione were waiting.
"What did she want your autograph?" Ron joked.
"No, she wanted to give me extra lessons. I suppose she wanted me to prepare for when I meet Voldemort again," saying his name made Harry's stomach give a nasty jolt, Sirius dead, falling, falling through the whispering veil.
"Well I think you should, it would help so much, Harry, just in case, but as much as I tell you, it is your choice and besides you only listen to me half the time," Hermione had interrupted Harry's horrible recent past memory.
As the rest of the day passed slowly, Harry thought about what Professor Okwin had asked him.
Nothing that day seemed to go horribly wrong, except that he forgot to add powdered dragon nails to his potion, causing Harry to get a zero for the day and Gryffindor five points less than before.
After dinner Harry and Ron stayed up until 11:00 doing their complicated Transfiguration homework and studying the four new spells they had learned that day. Then when both were finished they went to bed, heads sleepy and swarming with the day's lessons.
"But my Lord he's not that upset is he after all.......Sirius isn't important."
"You're right about that but the boy doesn't think that, after all Sirius was related to him. Now that stupid fool is stuck in an eternal life of doom, that's what you get for trying to make my work harder than it already is. You better not turn against me again or you'll be where he is but I'll make it much more of a living hell."
"Yes master, I will never betray you and now that you've grown into your fullest strength we can finally rid Potter from your life permanently!"
A hoarse high-pitched laugh came from the Lord.
Harry woke up. His scar blasted with pain as if hell itself had been engraved into his scar. He clutched it within the time that it hurt until it slowly started to surrender. This wasn't unusual now for Harry to hear voices or picture people as he slept the nights in the Dursley's house in Dudley's old room and even though he was supposed to block them out of his mind as Snape had taught him, he thought of himself as a spy for the Order of the Phoenix. Voldemort and his followers were everywhere and most magical wizards and witches feared to go back to Hogwarts because of Voldemorts appearances there in then past years when Harry attended. Now that the order was formed Harry could go to his 6th year of Hogwarts with out even worrying, he knew almost ever curse, jinx and hex in all the books he had temporarily "borrowed with out Ms.Pince noticing" but Harry had to, being as bored as he was during the summers at number four Privet Drive, Little Whining. That wasn't the only magical things he had been learning over the hot days of summer, he was also giving frequent visits to Mrs.Figg the Squib, that for someone who couldn't produce a teaspoon of magic, knew a whole lot more about it than he did.
He went to his trunk, which by now was wearing around on the edges from years of use, and took out a rather long piece of parchment and a quill and thought. Should he tell them about what Wormtail and Voldemort had said and risk being scolded for not trying to clear his mind of all thoughts or should he have this rather disturbing conversation stuck in his head with no one to talk to about? He decided to write to Ron instead, he would understand more than anything (Hermione would be a bit more concerned and curious than Ron).
Dear Ron, I had another dream and please don't lecture me like everyone else. Voldemort's going to attempt to kill me again. Don't be too worried as long as I have my wand I'm fine. Please don't tell anyone either I don't want your mum worrying about silly dreams. Worry about trying to find a way to get me out of this place, it is torture worse than words can say. Say hi to Pig for me. P.S. Write back soon so I can know that you are thinking of possible escape plans. Your friend, Harry
Harry rolled it up and set it on the top of Hedwig's cage. He hated it when she was gone, like now, it made he feel so lonely. He missed Hogwarts, Hermione, Ron and casting spells for fun. He had to get out of the Dursley's house soon or he would blow up, not like his Aunt Marge who had swelled so large because of Harry, but because of loneliness. Harry then decided to write to Hermione just to tell her to find a clever way (which wasn't that hard ,for her being so smart and all) to get him out of the house in which he loathed and the so called "family" that despised him and anything that had to do with him.
He then decided, just to pass time, to lie on his bed and look at the very dull ceiling (it was kind of funny to Harry that how something seems so boring, like staring at the ceiling, can become more entertaining than doing nothing). An hour or so later he heard a swishing noise and saw that Hedwig had come back from a day's hunt and was determined to eat the carcass before Harry sent her any where. Finally, when she was done he attached the two parchments onto her leg that she held out for him and flew off through the window which was, right now, his only source of light.
Harry noticed that now the sun was slowly descending from over the distant hills and that there was the sound of movement coming downstairs. He dressed into his big hand-me-down clothes from Dudley and ran downstairs. His Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon were engaged in a rather boring conversation (at least to Harry) as Dudley was sneaking as much food as possible from the refrigerator. After Aunt Petunia stopped talking, she noticed that her freakish nephew had woken up she pointed at a plate of fruit and said, "Eat".
Harry sat down and ate as he was told, even though he noticed that Dudley's fruit wasn't nearly as mushy and brown as his was. After he was done forcing down the gross food he went back upstairs. He was just about to start reading another book on jinxes when he hear rather loud footsteps coming up the stairs and the door opened , it was Uncle Vernon, "My family and I are going to my work so I can show them how much I do to feed my family. You will stay here with the door locked. Mrs.Figg will be here in case you try to slip away from our reach like last time. Understood?"
"Yes", Harry replied, trying not to hint that he was excited. And without another word the door shut and Harry heard his uncle locking the door then went back downstairs. He ran to the window and saw the Dursley's over- polished car pulling out of the drive way and heading down Privet Drive. A few moments later there was more footsteps coming up the stairs and Harry heard a loud "crash". Just then the door opened and there was Mrs. Figg with a hammer in her hand, she had brocken the lock, "Start packing the others will be here soon", she said in a worried voice. At first he just stood there feeling slightly shocked, but then noticing that he was going to get out of this place he quickly scurried around the room picking up his robes and books which were scattered messily all over the floor. There was two loud "cracks" and Fred and George Weasley appeared.
"Thought we'd come and help you since we can apparate as well as anyone else", said Fred with a large smile on his face. Just then there was a two more "cracks" and Dumbledore and Mr. Weasley appeared right next to the twins both holding two broomsticks.
"Best keep your firebolt out", said the headmaster with a small smile on his face. Harry got everything together and soon they were all standing outside. Even though it was about noon there was no hint of the sun it was complete darkness until Dumbledore light his wand.
"I put a darkness spell on the town", Dumbledore explained, "Everyone mount your brooms and get ready to fly."
Harry saw his trunk getting loaded onto a basket on Dumbledore's broom and then they all started to fly.
"We'll be at the Grimmauld Place in no time", said Fred laughing.
After a few hours of flying they finally were at the familiar street with the broken-down houses and Harry thought of what had made the house be seen before, "The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, London. Then, like last year the Black's house appeared. Dumbledore went up to the door and put the tip of his wand on it, then Harry heard chains being clattered and then there was a loud "click" and the door opened.
Harry had half expected it to be Sirius, but then there was a sudden jolt in his stomach and he remembered Sirius was dead. Out of all those lessons of erasing his mind's thoughts, he had only used them to forget about Sirius's death.
"Harry? Harry dear oh how it is so nice to see you!," Mrs. Weasley was in the door way now looking at Harry with a smile on her face, yet she seemed exghuasted and worried about some thing. Harry had just realized why he hadn't answered, for one he was deep and thought and the other was that Mrs. Weasley was hugging him so tight that he couldn't breathe. Finally she noticed this and let go, giving Harry the gift of being able to breathe again. Next came Hermione's hug behind her, it seemed much more gentle and warming to Harry than Mrs. Weasley's.
"Did you finish that two-foot long essay for Snape?, just kidding. I missed you a lot. I'm so glad that you are finally out of.........out of that place of ....of well you know almost evil people," said Hermione. This made Harry laugh for the first time in a while.
"It's nice to see you all. Ron! You look so...............er......," Harry couldn't think about what made Ron look so different than usual.
"Tall?," Ron guessed.
"Yeah and something else........um.......,"he still couldn't think of it.
"A little cuter than before?" Hermione said laughing. This was unexpected to Harry so he decided not to laugh, but every one else was, it seemed to be a joke. At that point Ron's ears turned bright red and he was trying to hold back a smile with great difficulty.
"Well come along you've got to unpack before we go about Diagon Alley," said Mrs. Weasley in an uncomfortable sort of voice, still staring at Hermione, she obviously didn't find it as a joke and took it quite serious.
That whole day was spent on shopping for new school books and supplies and other trinkets to amuse them while they were at Hogwarts. Then the following days were used to clean the Blacks' house, last year's cleaning wasn't entirely done.
There was one more day until they went back to Hogwarts and Harry and Ron were in their room packing. When they were done they sat on Harry's bed and talked about what had been on their minds all of the summer.
Just then Hermione came in, "Don't you two have anything better to do than just sit there?.
"Uh, to tell the truth no," said Ron with a smile on his face.
"Well I suppose since I'm done packing I'll join you," and with that Hermione sat down.
The three-some spent the rest of the day talking about any topic of interest that one could think of. And soon found themselves exhausted and ready to get a good night's sleep.
Chapter 2 The New Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher:
Harry woke up on the day of their leave by the sound of shouting.
"Harry, get up! Dammit, get up!" it was Ron, who was violently attempting to push him off of his bed.
"I'm up, happy?," now Harry found himself yelling too.
"God, I thought you were dead or some thing. But never mind that, Harry the train leaves in a half an hour!," now Ron was starting to sound desperate.
"Ok, well thanks for telling me now, it helped a hell of a lot," Harry said trying to sound as sarcastic as he could.
He got up and dressed and went down to the basement like usual. It wasn't like the other days when he had woken up and just ate and cleaned, every one instead was rushing around finding everything they needed for school and no one seemed to have time to talk. Even when they ate breakfast most of the plates were still half-full when some one said that they were done.
After a few minutes the cars, that the Ministry of Magic had let them borrow, pulled up outside and they loaded their trunks and themselves in the cars. They were off to platform 9 ¾ and were soon standing in front of the Hogwart's Express. Smoke was coming from the top and there only was a few minutes until they had to get on. So they found their usual compartment at the end of the scarlet train it was almost empty except for Cho Chang and her friend Marietta. Ginny said hi and sat down next to Cho, but Harry kind of froze. Noticing that he wasn't moving, he gulped and sat down next to Ginny.
"Hello, Harry," said Cho's sweet voice.
"Erm, hi," now Harry was getting angry and almost wished that he was sitting near Malfoy instead of Cho.
"Did you have a fine summer? ," the way she talked like she wasn't mad at Harry made Harry mad at her. After all she had confused him far too many times before, he wasn't going to make the same mistake again, he was going to move on.
"Ya, I had a really fun time with muggles that only give me mushy, brown fruit and that hate my guts and keep me locked up. I had the time of my life! ," he now found that he was shouting and Cho almost looked scared, but yet concerned. After that no one talked the rest except for when Ginny reminded them to change clothes.
Just after they changed and were heading back they ran into the nearly-evil Malfoy.
"Hey Potter it looks like you've been buying robes from the Weasley's. Did they use the money to buy their dad a better job?" Harry looked down at his robes and noticed that he had changed into the ones with the holes in it.
"No, but at least their father didn't have to bribe people to get a job or did he just get Voldemort to jinx them into giving him his job?," right then Harry noticed that he had gone too far, Malfoy was now getting redder in the face by the second.
"We're even now and if you don't mind I'm going to go change, thanks for reminding me that I put on my junk robe," and with that Harry turned around and ran back to change.
A few minutes later they were off the train, they walked through the Hogsmeade station, and on to the path that lead them to the threstrals. The threstrals stared at Harry with their gleaming eyes.
As Ron, Hermione, and Harry climbed in to a carriage, Ron gave it an almost frightened look. This made Harry laugh, last year Ron hadn't liked the fact that he had had to ride on an invisible animal and trust it.
Soon they were through the oak doors and were in the Great Hall. As every one filed in with happy, excited voices and faces, Harry was on his tip- toes trying to look at the staff table over the heads of some 7th year Ravenclaws, but with no luck.
Finally, when the chatter went away and every one was seated, Harry had a chance to glance at the staff table. He saw Dumbledore and McGonagall and the usual teachers, but there was a new one. She was a rather young lady, around 30, with long,curly brunette hair, a thing pail face that appeared even more pail by her bright red lipstick.
Just then the first years came in with Hagrid, his hair looked if possible, more tangled than usual. They lined up in front of the staff table, with nervous and anxious faces, like the new teacher's.
After what seemed like hours of endless sorting, it was over and Professor Dumbledore stood up.
As usual, he welcomed them with his annual Hogwarts speech, then said some thing new, "Also, I would like to introduce you to our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Okwin. The lady that Harry had observed before stood up and mouthed the words 'thank you' to Dumbledore, then sat down. I've also like to inform you that we have 6 new students this year they will be sorted so", he got interrupted as the door swung open and the new students came is, of whom three were girls and three were boys.
Professor McGonagall now had pulled out a short list of names and started to call them up to try on the sorting hat, "Laury Attriff, year six, Whiteland School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." A girl in the middle of the small line of students came up, she had short, black hair with pink and blonde streaks. She sat on the stool, looking extremely nervous as the hat was placed on her head.
After a few moments the brim of the hat opened and shouted, "GRYFFINOR!" All of Harry's table clapped as surprisingly, Laury chose to sit in the empty seat next to Hermione.
There was only two students of the six that were in Gryffindor, both of whom were in their sixth year, like Harry. Larry of Kartan's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was the other Gryffindor. He was rather short and ugly looking, and looked like some one Harry had seen before, but he couldn't figure out whom.
We are pleased to have you all in the midst of our school, I hope you have a fun year and I wish you all the best, well enough of me, let the feast begin," as the headmaster said this delicious piles of food appeared in front of them. Then everyone started to stuff their mouths with tons of food.
"Duffink fey fowfasuch fasus?" Ron asked through a mouthful of meat pie. "Ron, really, what's the use of talking like that if you know we're not going to understand you?," said Hermione sounding annoyed. At this the new 6th year Laury laughed. Ron smiled, at the fact that he had made Hermione annoyed or somebody laugh, Harry could not tell. Hermione shot Laury, then Ron a look that made them stop laughing and smiling.
"I thought you would've become more.........mature by now, but it seems you haven't changed at all," Laury giggled again, trying to muffle the laughter with her hand. Because of Hermione's bad mood no one dared to talk through the rest of the feast, though Harry notice that Ron and Laury would glance at each other and smile. Hermione seemed to notice too and this didn't help her anger.
As they all filed into the Entrance Hall and up the stairs to the Gryffindor common room, Harry noticed that the only person Hermione was talking to was Harry.
"I wonder what Professor Okwin is going to be like. She seems nice, but then again what if she is so nice that she doesn't give us any homework! Oh no, then I'll have read all of those books and have no use of my new knowledge," Harry tried not to laugh at what Hermione was saying.
"Hermione calm down! You are so smart it won't matter, you won't fail, besides don't you think your judging her a little too early, I mean you haven't even talked to her before."
"Yes I have, Ron and I have, all of the prefects had to meet her and the whole time we were saying 'hi' and stuff she smiled. She smiled so much I thought her jaw was going to break," Harry did laugh at this.
"Maybe you should try to be like her because I rarely see you smile, oh wait a second, how would I know if your face is always hidden behind a book?" Ron had been listening the whole time and was waiting for something to say. Harry now noticed tears filling up her eyes as Hermione ran into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.
"Oh dear, I'll go," Laury finally spoke.
"I'll go with you she knows me better than she knows you and Ron you stay here, we don't need her to start crying as much as Moaning Myrtle," Ron frowned, but listened as Laury and Harry entered the bathroom.
"Why are you in the girls' bathroom and who's Moaning Myrtle?" Laury looked confused.
"I can come in here because of Moaning Myrtle, she haunts her toilet and no one comes in here now," Harry explained.
"A ghost lives here, my school never had ghosts this sounds fascinating."
"Hermione, come out."
"Hermione, what an extremely unique name, I like it," Laury added, not really helping the situation.
"Go away!" was finally Hermione's response.
"Hermione come on what's wrong?"
"I'll tell you, but Harry has to go!" at this Harry was shocked, why did she want to speak to a complete stranger, but not to her best friend?
"Is he gone?"
"I'm going, I'm going," Harry slowly walked to the door hoping to hear a bit of the conversation.
"Well you see it all is a very complicated matter," was all that Harry heard of Hermione before he had to close the chipped door.
After fifteen minutes of waiting, they still hadn't come out, so Harry and Ron decided to go to the common room. As they entered only the first years seem to notice Harry enter. As he walked past them he heard what they were saying in rather loud whispers, "Harry Potter, that's him, look at the scar!"
Ron had found two unoccupied seats for them and as they sat down a little first year with long, brown hair came up to Harry.
"You know my cousin; she talks about you a lot. Brags so much if you ask me, but what really gets annoying is when she talks about some boy named Ron. Ron, Ron, Ron, if I ever meet him I'm going to tell him to steer clear from her," with all of what the girl had said Ron had jumped right out of his seat.
"Who, who is your cousin?" Just then Hermione entered with Laury behind her, the little girl had noticed too and ran quickly back to her group of friends.
"That was strange, real strange if you ask me. No one talks about me unless they're talking about the poorest family in the world," Ron was still shocked.
"Sounds like someone fancies you, Ron," Harry said with a joking smile on his face.
"Oh, shut up," Ron attempted to push him off his chair, but this only caused Harry to laugh harder.
Hermione went straight up to the girls' dormitories as Laury stopped in front of them, smiling and laughing, "Too bad I can't ell you two, especially you Ron. Really such a shame that she made me promise." Now Laury was laughing harder at their eager and confused faces.
"What? Tell me! I won't tell anyone! Tell me!" Ron sounded a little angry now.
"I can't, definitely not you Ron, but she told me that if you keep it a secret, Harry, and swear not to tell anyone, she'll tell you." Now she trusts me, Harry thought.
Ron didn't seem happy at all, "I'm going to bed and I'm sure whatever is wrong with Hermione, that she can't tell me, she'll find the answer in a book!" And with not another word he stomped up the stairs to bed.
"Well, better go after them," Laury suggested.
Harry and Laury parted at the stairs and went to comfort their friends.
That night Harry didn't get much sleep. Ron kept waking up screaming.
Harry woke up early the next morning. He saw that Ron, not to his surprise, had fallen off his bed and was now in a mass of tangled sheets.
"Ron, wake up," Harry was shoving him lightly.
"Mum is it time to get up already?" he said dumbly unaware that he wasn't at home.
"I'm not your Mum, but you've got to get up or we'll be late and we won't get our schedules."
The Great Hall was noisy and Harry chose to sit next to Ron and the new boy, Larry.
"Holy crackers you're Harry Potter!" Larry exclaimed.
Harry wanted to reply "you noticed that?" but instead said, "you'll get used to me because I'm going to be in all of your classes."
"Ok well I've got to go, bye!" and as quick as the conversation had started, it ended. After he had ran out the door the mail had arrived along with the schedules.
"Strange boy isn't he?" it was Hermione from behind them.
"Ahhh, don't do that!" Ron yelled.
"Sorry Ron and what happened to not talking to me?" she was getting him annoyed now.
"Well, uhhhhhh, you talked to us first!"
"Oh right, well anyway I'm just warning you to stay away from that Larry boy. I have a strange felling about him." Harry didn't know why, but he did too.
Their first class was to their surprise Defense Against the Dark Arts.
"Good morning everyone, as you know I am Professor Okwin. Now is everyone here?" as she stopped hoping to hear an answer and when no one replied she went on. "I guess we'll start then. Today we will be going over four rather complicated and difficult spells. The first one is called the Enemy Detector Spell."
They spent the rest of the class learning the four new spells and weren't actually going to cast them until the next lesson.
As Harry was about to exit Professor Okwin called Harry back, "I've heard that you've produced a Patronus. If you would like I could teach you more complex spells that I think will help you, I could continue Remus's lessons if you'd like."
"I'll give it some thought over the next few days," was Harry's answer.
He ran back into the corridor, where Ron and Hermione were waiting.
"What did she want your autograph?" Ron joked.
"No, she wanted to give me extra lessons. I suppose she wanted me to prepare for when I meet Voldemort again," saying his name made Harry's stomach give a nasty jolt, Sirius dead, falling, falling through the whispering veil.
"Well I think you should, it would help so much, Harry, just in case, but as much as I tell you, it is your choice and besides you only listen to me half the time," Hermione had interrupted Harry's horrible recent past memory.
As the rest of the day passed slowly, Harry thought about what Professor Okwin had asked him.
Nothing that day seemed to go horribly wrong, except that he forgot to add powdered dragon nails to his potion, causing Harry to get a zero for the day and Gryffindor five points less than before.
After dinner Harry and Ron stayed up until 11:00 doing their complicated Transfiguration homework and studying the four new spells they had learned that day. Then when both were finished they went to bed, heads sleepy and swarming with the day's lessons.