Disclaimer: I own nothing. I am not getting paid for writing this, nor am I making any profit. Everything that you see before you (characters, places, jargon, etc) all belong to one Joanne Kathleen Rowling, who is a genius. And I thank the fates everyday for making her take that train ride from Manchester to London.

The Hero-Complex

Chapter Three

"There is no way that I caused that much trouble when we went here," Harry said to Hermione as they made their way down to the Great Hall for dinner several hours later. Hermione laughed as Harry continued. "I mean, sure, there was the whole 'Voldemort is trying to kill me' thing, but I was not a troublesome student, was I?"

Hermione gave a snort-like laugh and said, trying to hold back her laughter, "Um, well, you weren't as bad as you could have been…"

"Hey!"

"I'm just kidding!"

"No you weren't."

"You're right. I wasn't."

As they rounded a corner, they saw four redheaded kids come out of one of the classrooms, sniggering. It was the Weasley twins: Luke, Lucy, Tini and Tino. Tino caught sight of Harry and Hermione and walked over to them, trying to hide the guilty expression covering his face. The other three followed him.

"Hi Uncle Harry! Hi Aunt Hermione! Nice evening, isn't it? Well, must be going! See you around!" He said, and all four of them tried to slip by.

"Hold it, you four!" Hermione said, and the four stopped in their tracks. "What did you do?"

"What are you talking about, Aunt Hermione? We didn't do anything. We're innocent." Lucy piped up, trying to keep the guilt out of her voice.

"First of all," Harry began. "I don't think you four were ever innocent. Secondly, it's Professor Granger and Professor Potter at school, except perhaps weekends. Lastly, you've really got to work on your lying skills. I can tell that you're lying because your blinking too much and having a hard time looking me in the eye. So don't even try telling me that you didn't do anything, and just tell me what you did do."

Tini and Tino answered this time, taking it in turns to speak, finishing each other's sentences.

"Well, we decided to put glue -"

"On Professor McGonagall's chair -"

"But we decided that we could get in too much trouble with her, so we-"

"Ended up putting glue on your chair, Professor Potter, like a sort of-"

"Welcome back-"

"About darn time you came back-"

"Present from your favourite, not-really-nieces-and-nephews."

For all his Auror training, Harry had to admit that he was having a hard time keeping his face straight.

"Well, thanks for the tip-off." Harry said sarcastically. "I'd like to see you four in my office after classes tomorrow, you savvy?"

The two sets of twins looked slightly put out that one of their favourite 'Uncles' was punishing them, but replied with enthusiasm all the same.

"Sir, yes, sir!"

"We savvy, Professor Potter, sir!"

"Tomorrow after classes, your office. Gotcha!"

"Eiy, eiy, Captain!"

At the last reply, everyone looked strangely at Luke - who had made the comment - and his sister and cousins started laughing their heads off, and then making their way towards Gryffindor Tower. As soon as the quartet was out of earshot, Hermione started hooting with laughter.

"Did you see their faces when you told them that you could tell that they were lying? It was hilarious! How did you know, anyway?" Hermione chuckled.

"I have my ways," Harry said mysteriously as they made their way once again to dinner.

"No, seriously. How did you know?" Hermione asked, a little more calmly this time.

"I have my ways." Harry said, a little more seriously this time. Hermione seemed to pick up on the underlying message of 'I can't tell you.' They walked the rest of the way in silence.

*~*~*

The next day, during fourth period, Harry had Gryffindor and Ravenclaw second years. He hadn't had them before, but he had been warned by several teachers that they were quite exuberant and liked to ask inappropriate questions at inappropriate moments. He supposed that it did not help to have the Weasley quartet in that class, either.

He was sitting behind his desk, organizing some papers in his drawer when the first few students came in, laughing and joking around.

"Hey, Professor Potter! Hope you checked your chair before you say down!" Tini Weasley called.

"Don't worry, Tini! I put a good repelling charm on this chair after I got all the glue off it." He smiled at the four of them and winked.

The bell rang and the class kept on talking. Harry got up from his chair and stood before the students. A few of the Ravenclaws hushed up, but the rest of the class kept right on talking.

Without using his wand, Harry moved his hand in a sweeping motion and he door shut itself. This display of wandless magic stunned the class into silence.

"Thank you. Good afternoon, class. Welcome to second year Defense Against the Dark Arts - " Harry was interrupted in his welcome speech by several loud whoops coming from the Weasley quartet's direction. Harry gave them a small stern look before continuing. "I'm going to try and make this class as fun for you as possible. As you've probably heard, I like to start this course playing a little question and answer game. But first, let's take the register -"

"We're all here, Capt'n!" Lucy Weasley called from her seat.

"Well, I have to learn everyone's names, Lucy, so - did you just call me Captain?" Lucy nodded her head enthusiastically. Harry gave her a funny look for a second then shrugged. "OK, just checking. Anyway, moving on … Alibar, Jennifer!"

Once Harry had called out all the names, he went on to explain his question and answer game. " … if you get the answer wrong, it goes to the next team, OK? Mr. Jennings, you are team A's leader, and Miss. Alibar, you are Team B's leader. Right, first question is - "

"Are you and Professor Granger in love?" Jennifer Alibar called out, and all the girls in the class giggled loudly.

"Wha - Where did you get that idea?" Harry asked her, taken aback.

She shrugged and answered, "Well, you're always talking and laughing with her, so… " She shrugged again.

Harry decided to humor her and answer her question. "No. Professor Granger and I are just friends and have been since we were 11. We just haven't seen each other for about three years. That's all."

"Where were you during those three years, Captain?" Jennings, team A's leader piped up.

"I was in South America on a deep cover mission." Harry answered, getting thoroughly tired of being asked that question repeated times.

"Capt'n! I have a question! How did you close the door without your wand? Did you use wandless magic?" Tino Weasley called from his seat at the back.

Harry smiled slyly. "I am not at liberty to answer that question." The class gave a collective groan, and Harry smiled again. "I have a question for you all. Why do you keep calling me Captain?"

"It's your nickname! We can call you that, right?" A girl named Miranda yelled out.

Harry shrugged. "Go ahead, I guess." It's not like you're going to stop saying it even if I tell you not to, he added in his head.

"Captain, could you - could you tell us about how you beat You-Know-Who?" Miranda asked quietly. The class immediately fell silent.

"First of all, always say the name. Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself. Besides, Voldemort is gone for good. And I - I don't think I can tell you guys right now. Maybe some other time, OK?" Harry answered her. The question had caught him completely off guard, and besides that, he thought they were way too young to hear such a horrible story. "Actually, speaking of time, class is almost over. Why don't you lot pack away your things and go early, alright? Have a good day everyone! Oh! Tini, Tino, Luke and Lucy, meet me here tomorrow after class instead, I have something I need to take care of at the Auror offices today." The quartet nodded and left.

Hurriedly packing away his papers into several file folders and shoving them into his desk, Harry left the classroom, locking the door quickly and running down the hall towards his living quarters.

As soon as he reached his living room, he dumped his bag in the middle of the floor and ran to his bedroom and dived under the bed. Harry pulled a large stone basin with several runes carved around the edges out from under it and lifted it onto his mattress. He looked in at the swirling, shimmering mass of thoughts swimming around inside and took a deep breath. He took out his wand and lightly touched the tip to the surface. Immediately the thoughts began to circle very fast, and then they began to slow down, and then completely stop. Harry looked into the basin to see the inside of an old and ruined house with two people - one standing and one lying tied and gagged on the grungy floor - in the room. He touched the surface of the thoughts again, but this time with his fingertip. He was instantly sucked bodily into the basin, and into the memory. The memory that still haunted him in his sleep, even though it had happened ten years ago. The memory of the night when he had killed Lord Voldemort.

*~*~*

A/N: He he he!! Cliffy!! Yeah! My first! I understand that this chapter may have been a bit - repetitive, shall we say? - but guaranteed, the next one will be different. As always, please review! And always remember these two things:

1.CONSTANT VIGILANCE!!!!

2.Constructive criticism helps!! (Hint, hint)

Thanks to all these excellent people who read and reviewed!!

Athenakitty Yes Harry is taking the DADA position and yes, Hermione is a teacher.

Melissa Didn't you already read all this in History class? Anyway, thanks!!!

Love-Power-Child Reed isn't a wanna-be Dark Lord, although that is a good idea and I'll have to use it for another character. Well, maybe. Thanks.

Queen of the Elven City Thanks!!

Lauren Booth Thanks! I've got some idea of where I want this to head in the end, but if you've got any ideas, I'd love to know them! Who knows? Maybe they'll help out with a couple chapters!!