Warnings and disclaimers can be found before Chapter 1.
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Chapter 2 - On the Express
The room was dark, and the tension, tinged with fear, was hanging heavy in the room. Hermione looked to her left. Ron had his wand drawn, an intense look on his face as he stared at the person he had drawn on. She looked to her right, and Harry had his wand drawn as well. Unlike Ron, Harry's face portrayed a sense of calm, as though he were perfectly comfortable with the circumstances. In fact, he began to walk casually forward, and Hermione's eyes followed him. Harry stopped only when his wand pressed into the chest of Draco Malfoy. "My god," Hermione thought, "what's Harry about to do?"
"Don't do it Harry! He's not worth it," Hermione yelled in a voice that seemed oddly unfamiliar, like she wasn't quite herself.
"Stuff it, Hermione! They've laughed at you and pulled hexes on you one time too many. These twits need to learn a lesson," Harry responded, keeping his focus on Malfoy, who looked visibly shaken.
"He's right, 'Mione. These two have pushed you around far too much. They're lucky that you are too kind to fight back yourself. You probably know enough magic that they'd be in serious trouble," Ron added. Hermione's eyes shifted to see who was held under his wand; Pansy Parkinson, who very much looked more satisfied with herself than Malfoy did. "You've saved Harry and me plenty, and now it's time we defended you. And Pansy here, she'd better come up with the counter-hex or she's going to be really sorry."
"It's really not a big deal, Ron. And I don't want any of us being expelled for this. Let them be the ones tossed out on their ears," Hermione tried to reason. Her mind remained distracted by the foreign tone in her voice, even as she spoke.
"Not a big deal, 'Mione? Look at yourself again, and tell me it's not a big deal. It's the most despicable thing they've done yet." Ron seemed pretty perturbed by whatever had happened. Perhaps she had better find a mirror and see just what had been done.
"Not a big deal, eh, Hermy? We'll see about that," said Pansy, her haughty voice carrying hints of glee as she spoke. "Oh, and Potter, do let Draco go. He had no knowledge of this, and he never will. And if he speaks of this to ANYONE, he now knows the kind of power I wield. He now knows that I'm the true power in Slytherin House. That should be enough to keep him awake nights for the rest of the term." Pansy didn't just sound gleeful. She sounded nearly psychotic.
"Is that so, Malfoy? You did not know about this? And you don't know the counter?" Harry's voice carried an air of skepticism. Always a good thing when dealing with Malfoy, to be certain.
A shaky voice replied, "no, I didn't know, Potter. And I'd be careful about upsetting Pansy if I were any of you. After this, who knows what she's capable of? She may just be the most powerful student in Hogwarts, Potter. How does that thought strike you; that you might be even lower on the order now? And with the Dark Lord on your tail, no less!" Malfoy's voice seemed to be more confident with the last two sentences, perhaps because he was able to play on Harry's self-doubt.
"Go on, Malfoy. Go and find your thugs, and hope you'll be safe from Pansy with them around. She may well be able to take all three of you." A slightly maniacal laugh from Pansy accentuated Harry's warning as Malfoy skittered away. Harry then turned to Ron. "Wand down, Ron. I think that we're safe letting Pansy go for now. She seems to have gotten whatever perverse pleasure she can from this. We need to get Hermione to someone who can find the counter, since Pansy's not going to give it up."
"Oh, if only there were a counter TO give up, Potter. It would please me even more to know that I had the counter and was holding out," Pansy interrupted.
"Sure. Whatever you say, Pansy," Harry replied, dismissive. "Wand down, Ron, please." Ron lowered his wand finally, and Pansy swiftly moved to the door, her smile as wide as the Cheshire Cat's. "Now, let's get Hermione some help." Ron nodded agreement, and Hermione shrugged. Hermione noted mentally that her robes felt ill fit, which wasn't entirely odd with how rapidly 16-year olds grew. She'd just need to get them altered on the next Hogsmeade weekend.
The trio began to head out of the room, when Hermione noticed a mirror on the door and caught a glimpse of her reflection. She stood stunned for a moment, then screamed herself awake from the nightmare. She looked over at Ginny in the next bed, in the early-dawn light coming through the inn room's window. She patted along the length of her body, making sure that she was still whole, that it had only been a nightmare. Ginny looked at her bleary-eyed, questioning.
"Just a nightmare, Ginny. It'll be okay," Hermione explained, a slight quiver in her voice. She lay back, staring at the ceiling, unable to fall asleep again for fear of the nightmare returning. As much as she thought that Professor Trelawney was a quack, and thought that she was cracked for making her Divination students keep those silly dream journals a couple of years earlier, Hermione wished she kept one now. Not that she believed in dreams being prophetic. No, that wasn't it at all. But this one was especially vivid, and she wished she knew what, if anything, it was supposed to mean. Maybe she'd talk to Harry about it later. He might be able to help her figure it out.
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"So, we meet again, child," came the chilling voice. There was silkiness to the rasp of the voice, and it sent shivers through Harry to recognize it. Voldemort had come for him, and found him, in the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. "This time you don't have any escape. No portkeys, no incompetent professors I had to possess, and no werewolf professor to teach you the right magic to protect yourself. Just you, and me; man-to-boy. And when I kill you; and I assure you this time that I WILL kill you; the wizarding world will bow to me. I will have defeated their great young hope. 'The Boy Who Lived' will be no more, and there will be no more saviour for them to look to for protection. My victory will be final, and it will be complete."
Harry was glad that he had taken to concealing his wand up his sleeve, as it would be easier to access it than if it were in his pocket, as most wizards kept their wands. It was a trick that was taught in their first N.E.W.T. level Defence Against the Dark Arts course, and it seemed terribly obvious at the time. Perhaps they weren't taught this trick earlier to make it harder for students to pull quick hexings, cursings and jinxings in the hallways of the school. Harry looked at Voldemort defiantly as he very slowly began to ease the wand out of his sleeve, trying not to draw attention.
"Yes, the Daily Prophet has already prepared their story for the morning proclaiming you as the top student performer in the Auror-track. They're talking about how soon you will pass the Auror exams and will step in to bring me to my final end. They have a bare mention at the end of the item about my newest Death Eater being second on the list. Of course, they don't know that Draco has joined our ranks, or that he will help me purge the Auror services of those who would oppose me." Voldemort's eyes slid to Harry's right arm. "Tsk, tsk, Potter! Trying to sneak that wand out against me! Expelliarmus!" Voldemort's eyes lit up as the bolt from his wand struck Harry's. "Accio wand!" The wand flew into Voldemort's hand.
"Now, not only do you have no means of escape, but you don't have a wand that can block mine! Isn't this wonderful!" Voldemort began to laugh when Harry heard the loud sound of the classroom door flying open behind him.
"Not so fast, Voldemort. Have you not learned by now that nothing happens in this school that I do not know about?" Dumbledore's voice came from behind Harry, and Harry felt a bit of relief. However, after a moment of surprise, Voldemort's smile returned, even bigger.
"Very well, have it your way, Dumbledore. You've always been too much of a do-gooder; never knowing when it was best for you to keep to your own business." Voldemort raised his wand towards Harry. "Avada Kedavara!" Harry swallowed hard as the beam issued forth from Voldemort's wand. As it approached his right shoulder, Harry closed his eyes and prepared for what was to come next. Perhaps he'd be able to see Sirius again! And his parents, too! Would they be proud of his attempts to save the world from Voldemort, or will his failure disappoint them? Then he heard the sound of a body hitting the floor. That was impossible! He was still standing!
"Now that that meddler is out of the way," Voldemort said as Harry opened his eyes with the realization that it was Dumbledore, not him, whom Voldemort had cast upon. "It's your turn! Avada Kedavara!" This beam streaked towards Harry's heart. It hit him with the force of a rocket, the pain searing through his chest like a white-hot fire. He screamed out voicelessly in the interminable split-second his body flew backwards. When his body crashed to the floor, he felt pain searing through his forehead, and eyes his flew open.
Harry was lying in the bed at the Leaky Cauldron. The early morning light was streaming in through the window, making worse the pain searing forth from his scar. He could hear Ron snoring next to him, and assumed that he truly did not scream. Just as he was about to lie down and attempt to go back to sleep, Harry heard a scream coming from the room across the hall where Hermione and Ginny were staying. Harry supposed that he wasn't the only one having nightmares, though he didn't know whether or not to be relieved by that fact.
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That morning the four students were enjoying breakfast at the Leaky Cauldron with Mrs. Weasley when Arthur Weasley, the patriarch of the clan, walked in. As he approached the table he rubbed his hands together, a hungry look in his eyes. "Good morning, everyone! I have a Ministry car outside waiting for us. Is everyone excited for the new year? I'm sorry I've not been around. Ministry's been keeping me busy since they've bumped me up to Deputy Minister for Muggle Affairs. Lucius Malfoy wouldn't be happy with that one, I'll tell you what! But with him off in Azkaban, who's to care what makes him happy?"
Molly patted Arthur on his shoulder, interrupting him. "Get some breakfast, love, and take a breath, would you. You're talking so fast, it'll burn everyone's ears off."
"Oh, right. Right. Very well," said Arthur as he signaled for a server. After ordering his food, he continued, "everyone is ready for school, yes?"
"Most certainly, Mr. Weasley. In fact, I was just wondering about the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. The book that we've been assigned is strange, as it seems to deal almost exclusively with Continental creatures," Hermione responded.
"You've read the book already, 'Mione," Ron asked in astonishment.
"C'mon, Ron. You know that she starts reading for classes as soon as she has the books in her hands," Harry replied. Hermione shot him a penetrating glare, but Harry couldn't help that he was telling the truth.
The Diagon Alley entry to the Cauldron then opened, and in came Bill and the twins. "Good morning, everyone," called Bill. "Is everyone ready for another exciting year at Hogwarts?"
"Dad just asked us," Ron responded. "It's school, I'm not ready to go back for more essays and reading. 'Mione is, though. But I think she hates holiday more than we hate school." Hermione shrugged helplessly in response and the others at the table laughed.
"Well, Hogwarts just won't be the same this year," added Ginny. "After all, the twins won't be there. It will only be Ron and me. It will be so strange."
"It may be strange, but I'm sure it will also be a relief to Dumbledore," joked Mr. Weasley. The twins laughed in agreement. "Or Professors Snape and McGonagall, for that matter. They may actually get to enjoy their dinners rather than monitoring your detentions." Arthur gave the twins a sly smile, while Molly scowled at the thought of the twins being in detention so often.
"Yes, I think that we'll miss the old musty place ourselves," said Fred.
"But we won't miss the money that we're making for ourselves now, either," finished George.
"I just expect to hear that the good name we built for ourselves will be upheld with honour by our darling brother and sister. If that's all we hear from Hogwarts this year, we'll be even richer," Fred added.
"How do you expect that when they're both prefects," Molly asked, taking Fred far too seriously. "They can't very well go around making trouble when they're meant to be setting an example for the others."
A server came by to take orders from the three newcomers while Harry tried to change the subject. "So, what's happening in the Muggle Affairs department, Mr. Weasley? Do you get to deal much with Muggles?"
"Myself? No, not as much as I would like. Of course, if your aunt and uncle are anything like most Muggles, I could understand having a lot of work to soothe hurt feelings and the like. No, I think I would rather deal with Muggles like the Grangers. Most of the Muggles of that sort seem to be okay with us, though. But when something does go wrong, they seem much more likely to laugh about it; even if it's something that they should not be laughing about at all. They just make the work more pleasant, though. And the Muggle government has some of the strangest concerns; like these aluminium tubes that they fix a fire to one end of, and they fly them at each other. Very odd, that sort of thing." Mr. Weasley could talk at length about Muggles and how fascinating he found them. Harry sometimes wondered if Mr. Weasley wouldn't have been happier as a Mudblood or a Squib. And it did redirect the conversation from some more contentious matters.
Mr. Weasley continued to talk about his work, asking occasional questions of Harry and Hermione, until it was time to finish the meal and take the students to King's Cross and to the platform for the Hogwarts Express. As the family got up from the table, hugs and handshakes were shared around as Fred, George and Bill headed back to their jobs on Diagon Alley. Harry found himself wistfully wishing he had a family as close as the Weasleys had. As much as Molly insisted that he was as good as family, Harry knew that it wasn't quite the same as if he were truly part of the group.
As the boys were bringing their trunks down to the front of the Cauldron to be loaded into the car, Harry thought about telling Ron about his nightmare, and about his scar hurting. However, he really should tell both Ron and Hermione. It could probably wait until they were on the train. They would have plenty of time there, after they returned from the prefects' carriage. It suddenly dawned on Harry that he was the only one of the four that wasn't a prefect, and he felt a bit left out. On the other hand, if he were a prefect, Ron wouldn't be, and that would be almost as bad. Harry would rather Ron were prefect given his family; and Harry could entertain himself until the rest arrived from the front of the train.
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The car pulled up to the front of King's Cross Station with nearly an hour to spare before the Hogwarts Express was due to leave. The students and Mrs. Weasley got out of the car and began to unload the trunks from the boot. Each of the teens then ran to get trolleys for their trunks while Mrs. Weasley kept an eye on the belongings. When they returned, Mr. Weasley informed them that he would find a spot for the car in the carpark, and would meet them inside. Once all the trunks were situated, Mrs. Weasley herded the group inside, to the space between platforms 9 and 10, where they waited for Mr. Weasley to join them.
While waiting for Mr. Weasley, some of the other early arrivals came by. Among them were Draco and Narcissa Malfoy, passing by with their arrogant and disdainful looks at the group as they walked by. Also they had seen the Creevey brothers, both Gryffindors; Seamus Finnegan, a sixth-year Gryffindor like Harry, Ron and Hermione; and Cho Chang, a sixth-year from Ravenclaw, with whom Harry had had a brief relationship the previous year. Each of these stopped to chat briefly before continuing on their way.
Just after Cho had headed through the barrier to Platform 9 3/4, Hermione turned to face Harry, noticing Ron had busied himself with annoying Ginny. "Harry, you've been in Divination. Do you really think that dreams can predict the future? I had a dreadful nightmare this morning."
"That was you that screamed? I wasn't quite sure if I had heard it or dreamt it," Harry lied. He knew very well that he had heard the scream, and that he was awake at the time because he'd had a nightmare of his own.
"Yes, it scared me. Pansy had cast a curse on me, and you and Ron were going to get her and Malfoy for it. But Malfoy said he had had nothing to do with it, and he seemed to be telling the truth. And Pansy seemed to enjoy the fact that people had been underestimating her. It was too real to seem like it was just a dream," Hermione explained to Harry, recounting the basic details of the dream.
"What was the curse that Pansy cast on you," Harry asked, growing curious.
"I don't know. I was about to find out what it was when I woke up screaming," Hermione replied, now lying herself.
"The scream woke me out of my own nightmare, Hermione. I had another one with You-Know-Who. But this one seemed different from the others, the ones he wanted me to have. I wasn't seeing this one from someone else's perspective. It was my own. He had me cornered in the Defence classroom, and as he was about to kill me, Dumbledore walked in. He killed Dumbledore first, and then he killed me. He doesn't usually kill me in dreams, either."
"Are you going to tell Dumbledore about the dream," Hermione asked, almost predictably.
"I suppose that I had better, after last year. He'll probably want me to learn Occlumency again, too. That means extra classes with Snape, I fear."
"Even if it does, Harry, you probably should tell Dumbledore, and do what you need to do. It can't be good that You-Know-Who is still giving you those nightmares. I'm sure that Dumbledore will want to know. You need to be able to defend yourself against him."
"I know that, Hermione. I know that I need to be better prepared. I feel badly that I didn't try harder last year. It's because of me that Sirius got killed, since I allowed You-Know-Who to continue putting dreams into my head. But Snape was being so hard on me in the Occlumency lessons, and I was trying as hard as I could to succeed. But every time that I thought I'd done well, he would criticize and tell me that it wasn't good enough. It was like he wanted me to fail. Like he was happy to see me struggle," Harry said. "But I know that I need to learn to close You-Know-Who out, now more than ever."
"Promise me that you will, and that you'll write down the dreams that You-Know-Who gives you. You need to do what Snape tells you, even if you don't like it," said Hermione, her voice full of concern.
"I know, 'Mione. And if you have strange dreams, you write them down, too. Even if they don't end up meaning anything, it can't hurt to see if they do have a connection to future events," Harry said, realizing that he was suddenly seeming to lend credence to something that Professor Trelawney had taught them.
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Hermione appeared sullen and remained quiet as she and Ron made their way forward to the prefects' carriage, leading Ginny as they went. They had stowed their trunks, and situated Harry in a compartment, stowed their trunks, and assured him that they would rejoin him as soon as they were able. Hermione wished that she could be back with Harry. After her nightmare, the last people she wanted to see right now were Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson. Unfortunately, it wasn't up to her whether or not she did see them, though.
"Well, I see that Gryffindor has upheld the fine tradition of appointing Muggle-loving wizarding trash to prefect positions," sneered Malfoy as the triad entered the prefects' carriage. The comment elicited a nasal laugh from Pansy Parkinson, his female counterpart as sixth-year prefects from Slytherin. "And, of course, they have the Mudblood in tow. Tell me, Weasley, does your family have a nose that attracts you to people like Granger?"
The red was rising in Ron's freckled face, and Hermione grabbed him by the wrist. She said, "just take it out of him on the Quidditch pitch, Ron. You don't want to get expelled for this. He's not worth it."
"I know you're right, 'Mione. I just don't get how you can take his insults like that." Ron's face indicated that he wanted to be able to protect Hermione, even as he knew she was perfectly capable of standing up for herself.
"She doesn't say anything because she knows that Draco is right," replied Pansy, her voice carrying the tone of something nearing hero worship. "After all, she is a Muggle-born. There's no way for her to dispute that. She's not fit to dip Mrs. Norris for fleas."
Hermione could hear a growl developing in Ginny's throat and glanced back to her in warning. "Pansy, if I'm so unfit to be a witch, and if I'm so much lower than you lot, why is it that I perform better than you in all classes. Including Potions." Hermione threw in the final fact as a turning of the screw. Slytherins generally would pride themselves on being the best in Professor Snape's classes. Yet, marks aside, everyone knew that Hermione was the best of the sixth-year students in Potions, and she had gotten an "Outstanding" on her Potions O.W.L.
"You are unfit, Granger. All Mudbloods are unfit. And don't you ever forget it, either. Don't you forget it, or I'll see to it that you never forget it." Pansy's face had twisted into an ugly mask of rage. Malfoy continued to simply sneer at the three Gryffindors before him. Hermione knew whom she was more scared of, and it wasn't Draco. Her hand closed around her wand, inside the folds of her cloak. Before anything more could happen, she heard the carriage door sliding open, and glanced back to see Padma Patil arriving.
"Well, whatever it is that you wish to teach me had better wait. I think that we are blocking the way into the carriage." Hermione gave Pansy a tart smile and ushered Ron and Ginny towards a bench, where they would receive the traditional instructions from the Head Boy and Girl.
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Harry had just sat back in his seat with the load of sweets he had bought from the food trolley when he heard the compartment door slide open. It was only Ron and Hermione who entered, and Harry raised an eyebrow in question.
"Ginny and the other first-year prefects were made to stay back and monitor the students first, and it was rough getting back here," explained Ron. "Do you know who the other Gryffindor prefect is? Colin Creevey! Can you believe it? He's a bit much of a, well, you know..." Ron's voice trailed off.
"A what, Ron," Hermione inquired.
"Well, it's not really a nice thing to say, but," Ron began to respond, before Hermione began to cut him off.
"If it's not a nice thing to say, should you really be saying it, then?"
"But he is a bit of a camera-loving spaz, don't you think," Ron said. The compartment door began to slide open halfway through his sentence; the horrified looks spreading over the faces of Harry and Hermione alerting Ron as to who was there. He slowly turned to see his sister's furious glare and a hurt look on Colin's face. Ron's cheeks flushed deep red in embarrassment. "I was just reminding Harry of something that I said to him when you were a first-year, Colin. Wasn't I Harry?"
Harry's face now showed a bit of annoyance at being dragged into covering for Ron. "And in his second-year as well, Ron. Don't forget that time." Harry's eyes darted over to meet Colin's. "You'll have to forgive Ron, Colin. He tends to speak without really thinking about what he is saying. Oh, and good on you for making prefect." Harry pushed past Ron, handing him a Chocolate Frog on the sly as he passed. He stuck out a hand of congratulations to Colin, who shook it eagerly, the look of awe Colin so often had around Harry in his first year returning.
"Thank you, Harry! Thank you very much. It means so much to hear that from you. Did you hear that I'm going to try out for Quidditch team this year? I am! There are quite many spots to fill this year, aren't there? So, who is going to be captaining this year? Are you going to be, Harry?"
"I don't know, Colin. I'm not even certain that I'm going to be reinstated. But if I'm not, I don't know who will be made captain. Everyone else on the team will have been new last year. That will likely be the argument that McGonagall uses in favour of reinstating me, and the reason that Snape will try to keep me off."
"Well, they've just got to reinstate you, Harry. You're the best Seeker that Hogwarts has ever seen!"
"If Dumbledore has any say, I'm sure that I will be reinstated. I've just not been told whether or not I will be. I suppose I should ask McGonagall when we're back." Harry felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Hermione there.
"Pardon me, Ron and I need to make rounds. We'll be back quickly," Hermione said. Ron, who was behind her, groaned and followed her as Harry and Colin stepped aside to let them through.
"What is with them? Are they, you know, a couple? I thought Hermione was with Viktor Krumm," Colin asked, looking to Harry, then to Ginny, as though unsure whom he should be asking.
"Your guess would be as good as mine, Colin. I know that Hermione and Viktor broke up this summer, and that she fancies Ron. I just think he's a bit too dense to understand that," Harry replied.
"That's putting it mildly," Ginny added. "He's been too dense to figure it out for a long time now. I think she's fancied Ron since they were third-year, at least. She was waiting for him to ask her to the Yule Ball for the longest time. When Viktor asked her to the ball, she accepted mainly because she didn't think Ron ever would."
"And how about you, Ginny? Are you and Dean still together? I haven't heard you talk about him at all," Harry questioned.
"No, we aren't. Dean's nice and all, but it just didn't feel right to me. He just doesn't make me feel as strongly as some others do. You know, that tight feeling in your stomach." Ginny began to look down at the floor in front of her feet, her cheeks reddening. She looked to quickly change the subject. "So, what N.E.W.T. courses are you taking, Harry?"
Harry knew that Ginny knew very well that he was taking the Auror courses, but realized she was trying to change the subject, as well. "I'm going to be taking Transfiguration, Potions, Charms and Defence Against the Dark Arts; the basic Auror courses."
"I've heard that you have to have gotten an 'Outstanding' on your Potions O.W.L. in order to get into the N.E.W.T. level course. How did you ever manage that from Snape? I bet he was plenty sore when you scored so well," Ginny replied.
"I think it was more a miracle that Ron scored so well, myself. Not that Snape would care as much about Ron. Of course, this means he'll be harassing us both for another two years."
Ginny, Colin, and Harry sat down in the compartment and continued to discuss their courses for the coming year and were speculating about the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor when Ron and Hermione returned. In hearing the subject of conversation, Ron's eyes narrowed and he stated that he and Hermione had run into him while making rounds. "Odd bloke. He sounds like Krumm, and looks like Snape with a tan and clean hair. I didn't understand what he said as he was passing, either."
Hermione looked a bit annoyed with Ron's description and followed up. "The accent isn't quite the same as Viktor's. His accent is Transylvanian, and Viktor is from Bulgaria."
"Whatever, 'Mione," Ron said. "It's all the same sort of thing over there, isn't."
"Not really, Ron. And I guess that would explain the book for Defence this year. He must know a lot about Transylvanian magical creatures, and most of them are related to the Dark Arts. After all, where was it that You-Know-Who was hiding out when he first came back? It was in Albania. I think that they may be afraid he's enlisted some Transylvanian creatures to aid him."
The five continued to discuss the new Defence professor as the train pulled into Hogsmeade Junction. As it stopped, they grabbed their trunks and made their way off the train, heading towards the carriages that would bear them to Hogwarts Castle. As Hagrid's familiar voice called out to the new first-years, a smile came to Harry's lips. It was good to be back at Hogwarts.
---To Be Continued---
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Chapter 2 - On the Express
The room was dark, and the tension, tinged with fear, was hanging heavy in the room. Hermione looked to her left. Ron had his wand drawn, an intense look on his face as he stared at the person he had drawn on. She looked to her right, and Harry had his wand drawn as well. Unlike Ron, Harry's face portrayed a sense of calm, as though he were perfectly comfortable with the circumstances. In fact, he began to walk casually forward, and Hermione's eyes followed him. Harry stopped only when his wand pressed into the chest of Draco Malfoy. "My god," Hermione thought, "what's Harry about to do?"
"Don't do it Harry! He's not worth it," Hermione yelled in a voice that seemed oddly unfamiliar, like she wasn't quite herself.
"Stuff it, Hermione! They've laughed at you and pulled hexes on you one time too many. These twits need to learn a lesson," Harry responded, keeping his focus on Malfoy, who looked visibly shaken.
"He's right, 'Mione. These two have pushed you around far too much. They're lucky that you are too kind to fight back yourself. You probably know enough magic that they'd be in serious trouble," Ron added. Hermione's eyes shifted to see who was held under his wand; Pansy Parkinson, who very much looked more satisfied with herself than Malfoy did. "You've saved Harry and me plenty, and now it's time we defended you. And Pansy here, she'd better come up with the counter-hex or she's going to be really sorry."
"It's really not a big deal, Ron. And I don't want any of us being expelled for this. Let them be the ones tossed out on their ears," Hermione tried to reason. Her mind remained distracted by the foreign tone in her voice, even as she spoke.
"Not a big deal, 'Mione? Look at yourself again, and tell me it's not a big deal. It's the most despicable thing they've done yet." Ron seemed pretty perturbed by whatever had happened. Perhaps she had better find a mirror and see just what had been done.
"Not a big deal, eh, Hermy? We'll see about that," said Pansy, her haughty voice carrying hints of glee as she spoke. "Oh, and Potter, do let Draco go. He had no knowledge of this, and he never will. And if he speaks of this to ANYONE, he now knows the kind of power I wield. He now knows that I'm the true power in Slytherin House. That should be enough to keep him awake nights for the rest of the term." Pansy didn't just sound gleeful. She sounded nearly psychotic.
"Is that so, Malfoy? You did not know about this? And you don't know the counter?" Harry's voice carried an air of skepticism. Always a good thing when dealing with Malfoy, to be certain.
A shaky voice replied, "no, I didn't know, Potter. And I'd be careful about upsetting Pansy if I were any of you. After this, who knows what she's capable of? She may just be the most powerful student in Hogwarts, Potter. How does that thought strike you; that you might be even lower on the order now? And with the Dark Lord on your tail, no less!" Malfoy's voice seemed to be more confident with the last two sentences, perhaps because he was able to play on Harry's self-doubt.
"Go on, Malfoy. Go and find your thugs, and hope you'll be safe from Pansy with them around. She may well be able to take all three of you." A slightly maniacal laugh from Pansy accentuated Harry's warning as Malfoy skittered away. Harry then turned to Ron. "Wand down, Ron. I think that we're safe letting Pansy go for now. She seems to have gotten whatever perverse pleasure she can from this. We need to get Hermione to someone who can find the counter, since Pansy's not going to give it up."
"Oh, if only there were a counter TO give up, Potter. It would please me even more to know that I had the counter and was holding out," Pansy interrupted.
"Sure. Whatever you say, Pansy," Harry replied, dismissive. "Wand down, Ron, please." Ron lowered his wand finally, and Pansy swiftly moved to the door, her smile as wide as the Cheshire Cat's. "Now, let's get Hermione some help." Ron nodded agreement, and Hermione shrugged. Hermione noted mentally that her robes felt ill fit, which wasn't entirely odd with how rapidly 16-year olds grew. She'd just need to get them altered on the next Hogsmeade weekend.
The trio began to head out of the room, when Hermione noticed a mirror on the door and caught a glimpse of her reflection. She stood stunned for a moment, then screamed herself awake from the nightmare. She looked over at Ginny in the next bed, in the early-dawn light coming through the inn room's window. She patted along the length of her body, making sure that she was still whole, that it had only been a nightmare. Ginny looked at her bleary-eyed, questioning.
"Just a nightmare, Ginny. It'll be okay," Hermione explained, a slight quiver in her voice. She lay back, staring at the ceiling, unable to fall asleep again for fear of the nightmare returning. As much as she thought that Professor Trelawney was a quack, and thought that she was cracked for making her Divination students keep those silly dream journals a couple of years earlier, Hermione wished she kept one now. Not that she believed in dreams being prophetic. No, that wasn't it at all. But this one was especially vivid, and she wished she knew what, if anything, it was supposed to mean. Maybe she'd talk to Harry about it later. He might be able to help her figure it out.
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"So, we meet again, child," came the chilling voice. There was silkiness to the rasp of the voice, and it sent shivers through Harry to recognize it. Voldemort had come for him, and found him, in the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. "This time you don't have any escape. No portkeys, no incompetent professors I had to possess, and no werewolf professor to teach you the right magic to protect yourself. Just you, and me; man-to-boy. And when I kill you; and I assure you this time that I WILL kill you; the wizarding world will bow to me. I will have defeated their great young hope. 'The Boy Who Lived' will be no more, and there will be no more saviour for them to look to for protection. My victory will be final, and it will be complete."
Harry was glad that he had taken to concealing his wand up his sleeve, as it would be easier to access it than if it were in his pocket, as most wizards kept their wands. It was a trick that was taught in their first N.E.W.T. level Defence Against the Dark Arts course, and it seemed terribly obvious at the time. Perhaps they weren't taught this trick earlier to make it harder for students to pull quick hexings, cursings and jinxings in the hallways of the school. Harry looked at Voldemort defiantly as he very slowly began to ease the wand out of his sleeve, trying not to draw attention.
"Yes, the Daily Prophet has already prepared their story for the morning proclaiming you as the top student performer in the Auror-track. They're talking about how soon you will pass the Auror exams and will step in to bring me to my final end. They have a bare mention at the end of the item about my newest Death Eater being second on the list. Of course, they don't know that Draco has joined our ranks, or that he will help me purge the Auror services of those who would oppose me." Voldemort's eyes slid to Harry's right arm. "Tsk, tsk, Potter! Trying to sneak that wand out against me! Expelliarmus!" Voldemort's eyes lit up as the bolt from his wand struck Harry's. "Accio wand!" The wand flew into Voldemort's hand.
"Now, not only do you have no means of escape, but you don't have a wand that can block mine! Isn't this wonderful!" Voldemort began to laugh when Harry heard the loud sound of the classroom door flying open behind him.
"Not so fast, Voldemort. Have you not learned by now that nothing happens in this school that I do not know about?" Dumbledore's voice came from behind Harry, and Harry felt a bit of relief. However, after a moment of surprise, Voldemort's smile returned, even bigger.
"Very well, have it your way, Dumbledore. You've always been too much of a do-gooder; never knowing when it was best for you to keep to your own business." Voldemort raised his wand towards Harry. "Avada Kedavara!" Harry swallowed hard as the beam issued forth from Voldemort's wand. As it approached his right shoulder, Harry closed his eyes and prepared for what was to come next. Perhaps he'd be able to see Sirius again! And his parents, too! Would they be proud of his attempts to save the world from Voldemort, or will his failure disappoint them? Then he heard the sound of a body hitting the floor. That was impossible! He was still standing!
"Now that that meddler is out of the way," Voldemort said as Harry opened his eyes with the realization that it was Dumbledore, not him, whom Voldemort had cast upon. "It's your turn! Avada Kedavara!" This beam streaked towards Harry's heart. It hit him with the force of a rocket, the pain searing through his chest like a white-hot fire. He screamed out voicelessly in the interminable split-second his body flew backwards. When his body crashed to the floor, he felt pain searing through his forehead, and eyes his flew open.
Harry was lying in the bed at the Leaky Cauldron. The early morning light was streaming in through the window, making worse the pain searing forth from his scar. He could hear Ron snoring next to him, and assumed that he truly did not scream. Just as he was about to lie down and attempt to go back to sleep, Harry heard a scream coming from the room across the hall where Hermione and Ginny were staying. Harry supposed that he wasn't the only one having nightmares, though he didn't know whether or not to be relieved by that fact.
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That morning the four students were enjoying breakfast at the Leaky Cauldron with Mrs. Weasley when Arthur Weasley, the patriarch of the clan, walked in. As he approached the table he rubbed his hands together, a hungry look in his eyes. "Good morning, everyone! I have a Ministry car outside waiting for us. Is everyone excited for the new year? I'm sorry I've not been around. Ministry's been keeping me busy since they've bumped me up to Deputy Minister for Muggle Affairs. Lucius Malfoy wouldn't be happy with that one, I'll tell you what! But with him off in Azkaban, who's to care what makes him happy?"
Molly patted Arthur on his shoulder, interrupting him. "Get some breakfast, love, and take a breath, would you. You're talking so fast, it'll burn everyone's ears off."
"Oh, right. Right. Very well," said Arthur as he signaled for a server. After ordering his food, he continued, "everyone is ready for school, yes?"
"Most certainly, Mr. Weasley. In fact, I was just wondering about the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. The book that we've been assigned is strange, as it seems to deal almost exclusively with Continental creatures," Hermione responded.
"You've read the book already, 'Mione," Ron asked in astonishment.
"C'mon, Ron. You know that she starts reading for classes as soon as she has the books in her hands," Harry replied. Hermione shot him a penetrating glare, but Harry couldn't help that he was telling the truth.
The Diagon Alley entry to the Cauldron then opened, and in came Bill and the twins. "Good morning, everyone," called Bill. "Is everyone ready for another exciting year at Hogwarts?"
"Dad just asked us," Ron responded. "It's school, I'm not ready to go back for more essays and reading. 'Mione is, though. But I think she hates holiday more than we hate school." Hermione shrugged helplessly in response and the others at the table laughed.
"Well, Hogwarts just won't be the same this year," added Ginny. "After all, the twins won't be there. It will only be Ron and me. It will be so strange."
"It may be strange, but I'm sure it will also be a relief to Dumbledore," joked Mr. Weasley. The twins laughed in agreement. "Or Professors Snape and McGonagall, for that matter. They may actually get to enjoy their dinners rather than monitoring your detentions." Arthur gave the twins a sly smile, while Molly scowled at the thought of the twins being in detention so often.
"Yes, I think that we'll miss the old musty place ourselves," said Fred.
"But we won't miss the money that we're making for ourselves now, either," finished George.
"I just expect to hear that the good name we built for ourselves will be upheld with honour by our darling brother and sister. If that's all we hear from Hogwarts this year, we'll be even richer," Fred added.
"How do you expect that when they're both prefects," Molly asked, taking Fred far too seriously. "They can't very well go around making trouble when they're meant to be setting an example for the others."
A server came by to take orders from the three newcomers while Harry tried to change the subject. "So, what's happening in the Muggle Affairs department, Mr. Weasley? Do you get to deal much with Muggles?"
"Myself? No, not as much as I would like. Of course, if your aunt and uncle are anything like most Muggles, I could understand having a lot of work to soothe hurt feelings and the like. No, I think I would rather deal with Muggles like the Grangers. Most of the Muggles of that sort seem to be okay with us, though. But when something does go wrong, they seem much more likely to laugh about it; even if it's something that they should not be laughing about at all. They just make the work more pleasant, though. And the Muggle government has some of the strangest concerns; like these aluminium tubes that they fix a fire to one end of, and they fly them at each other. Very odd, that sort of thing." Mr. Weasley could talk at length about Muggles and how fascinating he found them. Harry sometimes wondered if Mr. Weasley wouldn't have been happier as a Mudblood or a Squib. And it did redirect the conversation from some more contentious matters.
Mr. Weasley continued to talk about his work, asking occasional questions of Harry and Hermione, until it was time to finish the meal and take the students to King's Cross and to the platform for the Hogwarts Express. As the family got up from the table, hugs and handshakes were shared around as Fred, George and Bill headed back to their jobs on Diagon Alley. Harry found himself wistfully wishing he had a family as close as the Weasleys had. As much as Molly insisted that he was as good as family, Harry knew that it wasn't quite the same as if he were truly part of the group.
As the boys were bringing their trunks down to the front of the Cauldron to be loaded into the car, Harry thought about telling Ron about his nightmare, and about his scar hurting. However, he really should tell both Ron and Hermione. It could probably wait until they were on the train. They would have plenty of time there, after they returned from the prefects' carriage. It suddenly dawned on Harry that he was the only one of the four that wasn't a prefect, and he felt a bit left out. On the other hand, if he were a prefect, Ron wouldn't be, and that would be almost as bad. Harry would rather Ron were prefect given his family; and Harry could entertain himself until the rest arrived from the front of the train.
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The car pulled up to the front of King's Cross Station with nearly an hour to spare before the Hogwarts Express was due to leave. The students and Mrs. Weasley got out of the car and began to unload the trunks from the boot. Each of the teens then ran to get trolleys for their trunks while Mrs. Weasley kept an eye on the belongings. When they returned, Mr. Weasley informed them that he would find a spot for the car in the carpark, and would meet them inside. Once all the trunks were situated, Mrs. Weasley herded the group inside, to the space between platforms 9 and 10, where they waited for Mr. Weasley to join them.
While waiting for Mr. Weasley, some of the other early arrivals came by. Among them were Draco and Narcissa Malfoy, passing by with their arrogant and disdainful looks at the group as they walked by. Also they had seen the Creevey brothers, both Gryffindors; Seamus Finnegan, a sixth-year Gryffindor like Harry, Ron and Hermione; and Cho Chang, a sixth-year from Ravenclaw, with whom Harry had had a brief relationship the previous year. Each of these stopped to chat briefly before continuing on their way.
Just after Cho had headed through the barrier to Platform 9 3/4, Hermione turned to face Harry, noticing Ron had busied himself with annoying Ginny. "Harry, you've been in Divination. Do you really think that dreams can predict the future? I had a dreadful nightmare this morning."
"That was you that screamed? I wasn't quite sure if I had heard it or dreamt it," Harry lied. He knew very well that he had heard the scream, and that he was awake at the time because he'd had a nightmare of his own.
"Yes, it scared me. Pansy had cast a curse on me, and you and Ron were going to get her and Malfoy for it. But Malfoy said he had had nothing to do with it, and he seemed to be telling the truth. And Pansy seemed to enjoy the fact that people had been underestimating her. It was too real to seem like it was just a dream," Hermione explained to Harry, recounting the basic details of the dream.
"What was the curse that Pansy cast on you," Harry asked, growing curious.
"I don't know. I was about to find out what it was when I woke up screaming," Hermione replied, now lying herself.
"The scream woke me out of my own nightmare, Hermione. I had another one with You-Know-Who. But this one seemed different from the others, the ones he wanted me to have. I wasn't seeing this one from someone else's perspective. It was my own. He had me cornered in the Defence classroom, and as he was about to kill me, Dumbledore walked in. He killed Dumbledore first, and then he killed me. He doesn't usually kill me in dreams, either."
"Are you going to tell Dumbledore about the dream," Hermione asked, almost predictably.
"I suppose that I had better, after last year. He'll probably want me to learn Occlumency again, too. That means extra classes with Snape, I fear."
"Even if it does, Harry, you probably should tell Dumbledore, and do what you need to do. It can't be good that You-Know-Who is still giving you those nightmares. I'm sure that Dumbledore will want to know. You need to be able to defend yourself against him."
"I know that, Hermione. I know that I need to be better prepared. I feel badly that I didn't try harder last year. It's because of me that Sirius got killed, since I allowed You-Know-Who to continue putting dreams into my head. But Snape was being so hard on me in the Occlumency lessons, and I was trying as hard as I could to succeed. But every time that I thought I'd done well, he would criticize and tell me that it wasn't good enough. It was like he wanted me to fail. Like he was happy to see me struggle," Harry said. "But I know that I need to learn to close You-Know-Who out, now more than ever."
"Promise me that you will, and that you'll write down the dreams that You-Know-Who gives you. You need to do what Snape tells you, even if you don't like it," said Hermione, her voice full of concern.
"I know, 'Mione. And if you have strange dreams, you write them down, too. Even if they don't end up meaning anything, it can't hurt to see if they do have a connection to future events," Harry said, realizing that he was suddenly seeming to lend credence to something that Professor Trelawney had taught them.
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Hermione appeared sullen and remained quiet as she and Ron made their way forward to the prefects' carriage, leading Ginny as they went. They had stowed their trunks, and situated Harry in a compartment, stowed their trunks, and assured him that they would rejoin him as soon as they were able. Hermione wished that she could be back with Harry. After her nightmare, the last people she wanted to see right now were Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson. Unfortunately, it wasn't up to her whether or not she did see them, though.
"Well, I see that Gryffindor has upheld the fine tradition of appointing Muggle-loving wizarding trash to prefect positions," sneered Malfoy as the triad entered the prefects' carriage. The comment elicited a nasal laugh from Pansy Parkinson, his female counterpart as sixth-year prefects from Slytherin. "And, of course, they have the Mudblood in tow. Tell me, Weasley, does your family have a nose that attracts you to people like Granger?"
The red was rising in Ron's freckled face, and Hermione grabbed him by the wrist. She said, "just take it out of him on the Quidditch pitch, Ron. You don't want to get expelled for this. He's not worth it."
"I know you're right, 'Mione. I just don't get how you can take his insults like that." Ron's face indicated that he wanted to be able to protect Hermione, even as he knew she was perfectly capable of standing up for herself.
"She doesn't say anything because she knows that Draco is right," replied Pansy, her voice carrying the tone of something nearing hero worship. "After all, she is a Muggle-born. There's no way for her to dispute that. She's not fit to dip Mrs. Norris for fleas."
Hermione could hear a growl developing in Ginny's throat and glanced back to her in warning. "Pansy, if I'm so unfit to be a witch, and if I'm so much lower than you lot, why is it that I perform better than you in all classes. Including Potions." Hermione threw in the final fact as a turning of the screw. Slytherins generally would pride themselves on being the best in Professor Snape's classes. Yet, marks aside, everyone knew that Hermione was the best of the sixth-year students in Potions, and she had gotten an "Outstanding" on her Potions O.W.L.
"You are unfit, Granger. All Mudbloods are unfit. And don't you ever forget it, either. Don't you forget it, or I'll see to it that you never forget it." Pansy's face had twisted into an ugly mask of rage. Malfoy continued to simply sneer at the three Gryffindors before him. Hermione knew whom she was more scared of, and it wasn't Draco. Her hand closed around her wand, inside the folds of her cloak. Before anything more could happen, she heard the carriage door sliding open, and glanced back to see Padma Patil arriving.
"Well, whatever it is that you wish to teach me had better wait. I think that we are blocking the way into the carriage." Hermione gave Pansy a tart smile and ushered Ron and Ginny towards a bench, where they would receive the traditional instructions from the Head Boy and Girl.
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Harry had just sat back in his seat with the load of sweets he had bought from the food trolley when he heard the compartment door slide open. It was only Ron and Hermione who entered, and Harry raised an eyebrow in question.
"Ginny and the other first-year prefects were made to stay back and monitor the students first, and it was rough getting back here," explained Ron. "Do you know who the other Gryffindor prefect is? Colin Creevey! Can you believe it? He's a bit much of a, well, you know..." Ron's voice trailed off.
"A what, Ron," Hermione inquired.
"Well, it's not really a nice thing to say, but," Ron began to respond, before Hermione began to cut him off.
"If it's not a nice thing to say, should you really be saying it, then?"
"But he is a bit of a camera-loving spaz, don't you think," Ron said. The compartment door began to slide open halfway through his sentence; the horrified looks spreading over the faces of Harry and Hermione alerting Ron as to who was there. He slowly turned to see his sister's furious glare and a hurt look on Colin's face. Ron's cheeks flushed deep red in embarrassment. "I was just reminding Harry of something that I said to him when you were a first-year, Colin. Wasn't I Harry?"
Harry's face now showed a bit of annoyance at being dragged into covering for Ron. "And in his second-year as well, Ron. Don't forget that time." Harry's eyes darted over to meet Colin's. "You'll have to forgive Ron, Colin. He tends to speak without really thinking about what he is saying. Oh, and good on you for making prefect." Harry pushed past Ron, handing him a Chocolate Frog on the sly as he passed. He stuck out a hand of congratulations to Colin, who shook it eagerly, the look of awe Colin so often had around Harry in his first year returning.
"Thank you, Harry! Thank you very much. It means so much to hear that from you. Did you hear that I'm going to try out for Quidditch team this year? I am! There are quite many spots to fill this year, aren't there? So, who is going to be captaining this year? Are you going to be, Harry?"
"I don't know, Colin. I'm not even certain that I'm going to be reinstated. But if I'm not, I don't know who will be made captain. Everyone else on the team will have been new last year. That will likely be the argument that McGonagall uses in favour of reinstating me, and the reason that Snape will try to keep me off."
"Well, they've just got to reinstate you, Harry. You're the best Seeker that Hogwarts has ever seen!"
"If Dumbledore has any say, I'm sure that I will be reinstated. I've just not been told whether or not I will be. I suppose I should ask McGonagall when we're back." Harry felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Hermione there.
"Pardon me, Ron and I need to make rounds. We'll be back quickly," Hermione said. Ron, who was behind her, groaned and followed her as Harry and Colin stepped aside to let them through.
"What is with them? Are they, you know, a couple? I thought Hermione was with Viktor Krumm," Colin asked, looking to Harry, then to Ginny, as though unsure whom he should be asking.
"Your guess would be as good as mine, Colin. I know that Hermione and Viktor broke up this summer, and that she fancies Ron. I just think he's a bit too dense to understand that," Harry replied.
"That's putting it mildly," Ginny added. "He's been too dense to figure it out for a long time now. I think she's fancied Ron since they were third-year, at least. She was waiting for him to ask her to the Yule Ball for the longest time. When Viktor asked her to the ball, she accepted mainly because she didn't think Ron ever would."
"And how about you, Ginny? Are you and Dean still together? I haven't heard you talk about him at all," Harry questioned.
"No, we aren't. Dean's nice and all, but it just didn't feel right to me. He just doesn't make me feel as strongly as some others do. You know, that tight feeling in your stomach." Ginny began to look down at the floor in front of her feet, her cheeks reddening. She looked to quickly change the subject. "So, what N.E.W.T. courses are you taking, Harry?"
Harry knew that Ginny knew very well that he was taking the Auror courses, but realized she was trying to change the subject, as well. "I'm going to be taking Transfiguration, Potions, Charms and Defence Against the Dark Arts; the basic Auror courses."
"I've heard that you have to have gotten an 'Outstanding' on your Potions O.W.L. in order to get into the N.E.W.T. level course. How did you ever manage that from Snape? I bet he was plenty sore when you scored so well," Ginny replied.
"I think it was more a miracle that Ron scored so well, myself. Not that Snape would care as much about Ron. Of course, this means he'll be harassing us both for another two years."
Ginny, Colin, and Harry sat down in the compartment and continued to discuss their courses for the coming year and were speculating about the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor when Ron and Hermione returned. In hearing the subject of conversation, Ron's eyes narrowed and he stated that he and Hermione had run into him while making rounds. "Odd bloke. He sounds like Krumm, and looks like Snape with a tan and clean hair. I didn't understand what he said as he was passing, either."
Hermione looked a bit annoyed with Ron's description and followed up. "The accent isn't quite the same as Viktor's. His accent is Transylvanian, and Viktor is from Bulgaria."
"Whatever, 'Mione," Ron said. "It's all the same sort of thing over there, isn't."
"Not really, Ron. And I guess that would explain the book for Defence this year. He must know a lot about Transylvanian magical creatures, and most of them are related to the Dark Arts. After all, where was it that You-Know-Who was hiding out when he first came back? It was in Albania. I think that they may be afraid he's enlisted some Transylvanian creatures to aid him."
The five continued to discuss the new Defence professor as the train pulled into Hogsmeade Junction. As it stopped, they grabbed their trunks and made their way off the train, heading towards the carriages that would bear them to Hogwarts Castle. As Hagrid's familiar voice called out to the new first-years, a smile came to Harry's lips. It was good to be back at Hogwarts.
---To Be Continued---