Back to Gryffindor

Harry was sitting in the staffroom at Hogwarts and looking at all the unfamiliar faces of the new teachers that had replaced the old teachers that Harry knew. Of course Professor Binns was still floating around and there was also of course Draco Malfoy. He seemed to be having a very loud conversation with another teacher about some sort of creature that Draco was claiming had been taken off the syllabus for the OWL year and was only just put on the NEWT syllabus. The other teacher was exclaiming quite loudly that seeing as he was the Care of Magical Creatures teacher and that he, of all people, should know, and that Draco was actually incorrect.

Harry smiled and shook his head and then looked around at the walls. A jolly Wizard in a painting was smiling, his long wispy silver-grey beard disappeared out of the bottom of the frame and he was smiling with a jolly twinkle in his eye, he then winked and waved at Harry.

Professor Dumbledore, Said one of the other teachers, Of course you'd know Harry very well indeed wouldn't you. The wizened old man in the frame nodded slowly,

Hello again Harry, Dumbledore said,

said Harry and he bowed his head in honour to the man that had been there for Harry so many times when he had hit a sticky spot.

Please, call me Albus, Harry, Dumbledore said, I should be calling you Sir, Dumbledore chuckled to himself,

I owe everything to you Albus, Harry said, feeling quite strange.

said a miserable voice, On first name terms with him now are you? Harry looked around and saw that Draco was talking to him.

Ah, I see that you are still the same as ever, Harry said and he looked away to carry on with a conversation with Dumbledore but Draco scoffed,

So it would seem that you are also the same as ever, still seem to think that you are the best thing since the automatic cauldron, egotistical little-Now, now then Draco, said the young Care of Magical Creatures teacher, Be nice to the guest, most of us wouldn't be here if it weren't for him you know?Yes I know, Draco said, Yes I bloody know, it's hard to forget when you work here, everyone loves him and talks about him all the time.Need I remind you, Harry said and he turned to face Draco again, That I didn't ask for all the fame and fortune that you so desperately seek. Do you think that I like being here, knowing that one of my best friends is dead because there was nothing I could do to save him, to stop him? Do you think I like being stared at everywhere I go?Well, youyou probably love the sympathy vote every time you even mention Weasleby, people saying they feel really sorry for you, Draco spat and stood up and walked out of the staffroom, If anyone wants me I'll be in the dungeon.

Harry unclenched his wrist that had managed the tightened during his heated discussion' with Draco and he took a few deep breaths.

said one of the teachers nervously, That was interesting, are you okay Harry? Harry nodded and forced a smile. It had to be someone like Draco to ruin his day.

Harry started to think only of Ron and what had happened to him. It was horrendous, true, and it was the worst thing he had ever had to witness, considering that Ron was his best friend. Hermione was lucky and hadn't had to see that. Harry looked around for Hermione and realised that she wasn't in the staffroom,

Ah, where's Hermione? He asked to the teacher sitting next to him.

Well, last I saw of her, said the teacher in a croaky voice, She was bombarded by a group of students, male students, asking her if she wanted to go to the Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer. Harry laughed and smiled, then nodded and walked out muttering

He saw Hermione telling a lot of male students that she was already seeing someone and the faces on all of them turned from one of a smile to one of misery and disappointment. She turned and saw Harry and smiled with relief and walked over to him and put a hand on his back.

You look upset, she said quietly, Are you okay? he said and nodded, I'm fine. I guess it's just being back in this place, brings back a lot of memories, you know, of Ron and of how much of a pain Draco was and still is,Oh Harry he hasn't upset you has he, you know what he's like. Hermione, who had looked after Harry through a lot, was constantly uncertain of how mentally stable Harry was after his magnificent defeat of Voldemort. She was always wary that the smallest thing could mean that Harry would go off his rocker and do something he'd regret.

I know, I guess I expected him to change, he's a teacher now,And does a leopard ever change its spots? Harry shook his head and then smiled at Hermione.

You're right, I was being stupid. Hermione gave a small sigh of relief knowing that Harry was fine and they walked around the school for a while, looking in to classrooms and occasionally walking in to them to watch what they were learning.

They stepped slowly in to the History class and Professor Binns never even noticed that they had arrived. Though the students of course had and murmured to themselves excitedly. Harry would smile and wave and then Hermione would occasionally whisper answers to some of the questions that a student would bring up about their lesson, seeing as Professor Binns, as ever, was too shocked to see that there were people in the class to give a full answer.

How come you still remember all that stuff? Asked Harry as they stepped out of the class after the lesson, I mean I can only just remember stuff about the Goblin revolutions because I remember that the date it ended was on the date of my birth, just two hundred before of course. Hermione just shrugged.

I paid attention? She answered but formed as a question. Harry sighed and nodded and they carried on going.

The halls and the paintings and the walls were the same as ever and unaged. Harry was even surprised to see that Filch, the horrible and moody caretaker, was still guarding the halls and dishing out random detentions to students that he didn't take a liking to. He then stumbled across an unmistakably familiar face who was sitting in her office, searching through papers and giving an occasional tick or cross. She sighed to herself and resting her chin on the back of her hand and reached for a new paper. As she looked up to reach for a new quill she noticed that Harry Potter was looking through the door window at her, and standing next to him was the ever stunning Hermione Granger.

said the old yet familiar voice of Minerva McGonagall, Is it Harry nodded and opened the door. The old Witch quickly stepped away and round her desk and swung her arms around Harry. Harry, I haven't seen you for such a long time, I always seem to miss you, very busy you know, doing some important stuff, I never get out of here nowadays. I heard rumours butHarry, you look well, Harry smiled and hugged McGonagall back and smiled.

So do you, he said sweetly, How have you been? Minerva smiled and nodded,

Good, so good, I was worried about you, your old teachers, those who survived, were too, afteryou know, what you did and then we never saw from you or heard from you, we wondered whether the Ministry were just making like you killed him and then died or something but Dumbledore knew, he just knew you were still alive. In hiding, shying away, but Harry couldn't explain himself. For the years after Voldemort's defeat had been the darkest times of his life, it had taken him too long (in his eyes) and he was too late to save those important too him. Minerva shook her head,

No need to explain yourself Harry, what you did was too amazing, I think it a highly natural thing that you should shy away. Hermione butted in, Where is Dumbledore? I haven't heard from him for a long time now, he hasn't-? Minerva shook her head,

He is still alive and well but not as strong as he was, no where near as strong, loosing his mind with anger about those teachers and students who didn't survive the attack on the school by those Death Eater's, she sighed and Harry noticed her eyes prickle with tears.

said Harry, remembering only too well the attack, in his last year, on the school where half of the students were killed and half the teachers as well. Those he knew so well, Professor Sprout, killed by the Avada Kedavra curse while her back was turned, Professor Trelawney, who was made to kill herself by the Imperius curse, a knife to her own throat. And as well, Hagrid, Professor and friend, who was driven mad by the Cruciatus curse and then ended up killing himself while he was in St. Mungo's. And of course half of the students, most of them half blood or less. That was the only reason Draco Malfoy had ever survived not being killed by the Death Eaters, that and the fact his dad was one of them.

They stood in silence for a few minutes then Hermione had to break the silence.

Ah, Professor, are you still the head of Gryffindor? She asked politely, Minerva nodded,

I refuse to give up that title, it gives me such pride, people that I tell always look so stunned and pleased that I was head of Harry Potter's house, and of course yours as well, Hermione. Hermione shook her head. She was used to people always knowing about Harry but not herself. She hadn't done anything to be well known, just been hidden away.

Do youHarry, could we see our old common room? Hermione asked, and Minerva's face lit up and she nodded and smiled.

Of course, come with me, She turned on her heel and walked out of her office, Harry and Hermione hot on her tail, trying to keep up with the ever fast pace of their old Transfiguration teacher.

They reached the familiar painting of the Fat Lady and she squeaked to herself with pleasure, unable to speak, and didn't even ask for the password, knowing that Harry's rightful place was in Gryffindor.

It was amazing and brought a tear to Harry's eyes, causing them to sting. He looked around and saw people stopping what they were doing and looking to Harry and Hermione and smiling and chatting animatedly to each other.

Harry saw the fire place where he had on several occasions chatted to his godfather and true friend Sirius Black, whom Harry still couldn't bear to recollect how he had died. He saw the beautifully coloured windows where many a time Hedwig had flown through to deliver secret mail that wasn't supposed to be seen by other eyes in the Great Hall. He then looked to the Wizard's Chess table where he and Ron and both etched their names on to the wood; looking carefully Harry noticed that there names were still there. He then looked to the faces that were looking at him all around the room. He smiled and gave a wave.

You know this was my favourite place in the school? People nodded and a couple, probably just trying to impress Harry, murmured mine too!' and same here.' Harry smiled and pulled up a chair next to the fire place and settled comfortable in to his old chair, shortly followed by Hermione who sat in hers.

Louisa and Renne who were sitting nearby looked at each other with eyes open wide and giggled to themselves. Micca had just walked down the stairs from the boy's dormitories and he dropped his books that he was holding, apparently he was intending to do some homework but he soon forgot about that as he stared at Hermione and Harry as he walked across the room to Join Louisa and Renne.

Holy moley! Micca said, That's, that's! Louisa and Renne nodded.

We saw them come in; everyone went quiet for a moment. He waved at us and I think he looked at me directly, maybe he knows I'm his biggest fan. Louisa said. At this though Harry turned around and stuck out a hand to Louisa and smiled,

he said. Thanks for being my fan, but really I'm no hero. Louisa took Harry's hand in her own and just held it there. He hand was warm and he had such soft skin. She opened her mouth to say something but no sound came out.

I – uh. Whoa! She managed to say before letting go of Harry's hand. He smiled again and she blushed as Harry turned away to say something to Hermione.

Professor McGonagall turned and walked out of the common room, just leaving Harry and Hermione to sit comfortably by the fire and talk to each other, feeling the most content that they had in a very long time, she imagined.

As she stepped outside the Gryffindor common room she walked past Draco Malfoy and she nodded her head.

I suppose you've seen Potter? Malfoy said maliciously. She nodded and smiled.

It's so good to see him again, after all he did, and he must know how pleased I am. She chippered away. Malfoy shook his head and murmured something as he walked away but Minerva didn't understand what he had said and was in too much of a good mood to let it bother her.

To Be Continued

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