Harry Potter
And the
Green Flame Torch
Chapter 5
Albus Dumbledore entered his office and slammed the door so hard that several of the paintings of past headmaster's hit the floor and the glass in the small window overlooking the grounds shattered into millions of pieces. To say that he was angry came no where close to how he truly felt and he swore that as soon as Severus made the mistake of showing his face he intended on hexing him so hard that any children he might have would feel his wrath for several generations to come.
"How dare he defy me and leave." Albus muttered angrily not at all caring that the reason may have been important.
"Did it ever occur to you, that he might have had a good reason?" Merlin asked as he spun around in the chair that Albus usually sat in.
"What are you doing here?" Albus demanded as he took in the sight of his great grand father many times removed.
"It's always a pleasant experience to see you as well. Although I had hoped you would have been a bit more calmed since our last meeting. However you always did have a bit of a temper, so this is not exactly a surprise." Merlin rambled on.
"However in answer to your question, I am here to inform you that a few changes are about to take place. Some I am willing to share, others I think I will leave as a surprise. Makes life a bit more interesting if you know what I mean." Merlin laughed ignoring Albus' foul mood, for the moment at least.
"Say what you have to say and get out. I have more important things to do than humor you at the moment." Albus growled.
"Have a seat." Merlin said quickly loosing his patience with his descendant.
"I said SIT!" Merlin finally roared when it seemed that Albus was intent on ignoring him. Whether it was the order to sit or the shaking of the castle caused by Merlin's anger, Albus didn't know, but from the dark look on Merlin's face, Albus knew it would be better to do as asked rather than risk angering the man further.
"As I was saying, there are going to be a few changes made around here, as I have it on good authority that you are not doing such a good job of things." Merlin began only to be interrupted by Albus.
"And who have you been listening too to believe such lies?" Albus questioned.
"Harry." Merlin stated simply.
"You do recall your grandson. You know the one you have lied and manipulated to almost since the day he was born?" Merlin asked.
"You old fool what have you done to my grandson?" Albus demanded. Sure that Merlin had somehow kidnapped the boy.
"SHUT UP!" Merlin roared finally reaching the end of his rope.
"For once in your life your are going to just shut up, listen and do as your told or I will personally take you out of this world myself." Merlin growled angrily before continuing on with what he had been about to say.
"Now are we clear on everything?" Merlin asked nearly four hours later as he rose to his feet and glared angrily at Albus.
"As crystal." Albus said not liking anything that had been revealed to him, or the part he would be forced to play.
"Make sure that you are, because if you step just one toe out of line, I will deal with you personally and I assure you that hell will be a lot more pleasant. Now get out. I have things to do to prepare for the arrival of the students." Merlin stated as he dismissed Albus with a wave of his hand, sending the man to a deserted island somewhere in the pacific where magic did not exist.
"Let's see you get out of that." He murmured as he smiled to himself and rose to his feet. It was time for some changes to be made and he was just the wizard to do it, he thought to himself.
Harry was kicked back in his room reading a book while he waited patiently for Severus and his family to return from their shopping trip. Since Diagon Alley was still pretty much in chaos, Harry had suggested another magical shopping area on the other end of London.
It wasn't as upscale as Diagon Alley, but it would have all the things they needed and more importantly since it was not as well known, it was safe. Harry, wanting to simply relax and calm his mind, had opted to stay behind, plus he thought it would be a good thing for the family to spend a little time to themselves without him in the background. He was just beginning to doze off, when he felt the subtle shift of the air around him and snapped his eyes open to find himself staring at Salazar.
"I'm really sorry." Harry said softly as he watched Salazar move toward him.
"For?" Salazar asked as he pushed Harry's legs aside and sat on the edge of the bed.
"Being such a jerk the last time we talked." Harry answered as he scooted aside, staring at his hands as he found himself unable to meet Salazar's eyes.
"Don't worry your self over it." Salazar said as he tipped Harry's head back to meet his eyes.
"Besides, after all you have been through, I figure you are entitled to a bit of rebellion. Now give me a hug and order some fresh coffee. There is a lot I need to explain." Salazar said as he smiled at Harry and wrapped him in his arms.
Harry gratefully returned the man's hug before pulling away and calling room service.
"So how did your concert go?" Salazar asked as Harry hung up the phone and they waited for room service to arrive.
"It went quite well considering how nervous I was because of my old Professor being there." Harry replied as they made their way back to the sitting room and sat down.
"The mysterious Professor Snape. How are he and his family getting along?" Salazar asked.
"Well his son is certainly a handful, but in a good way and his wife is one of the nicest people I have ever met. However it is easy to tell that they are quite awkward around one another since they have not spent much time together. Severus is trying his best, so I think they will do okay. I just hope that since Melena is a muggle that she won't feel too out of place in the magical world." Harry said as a knock sounded at the door and he went to greet the room service attendant, returning a few minutes later with a tray containing two cups and a fresh pot of Salazar's favorite flavor of coffee.
"So tell me, how is everyone else." Harry prompted as he poured them both a cup of coffee.
"Busy, very busy. Which is why I am here; to fill you in on what is happening." Salazar replied as he was practically foaming at the mouth for his coffee. Taking several long moments to savor its taste he smiled at Harry after draining the cup.
"Excellent." He stated as he helped himself to more and then continued to fill Harry in on what was happening at that very moment.
"So did Merlin say exactly what kind of changes he was going to make?" Harry asked a short while later after Salazar had explained his reason for being there.
"You know how he is, thinks everyone will be pleasantly surprised." Salazar said as he refilled his cup.
"I guess as soon as Severus and his family returns we can leave for Hogwart's." Harry sighed as the thought of returning was somewhat daunting.
"You seem a bit reluctant to return, why is that?" Salazar asked.
"Because so much has changed now, yet remained the same; my parents and I were not exactly on friendly terms, or my godfather for that matter. Then there are my friends. I feel like I will be going back in time, but at the same time, I have moved on with my life. In a way I just want to leave the past in the past, but in a way I don't." Harry sighed as he tried to make sense of the confusion.
"You have moved on to a certain point." Salazar agreed.
"But in some ways you have not and will be unable to do so until you confront those in your past. Just remember that like you, everyone else has changed as well, you only have to look at Severus to see that." Salazar added.
"Oh, just so that we all know, Merlin wants to know which name you will be using. Harry Potter or James Evans?" Salazar asked.
"James Evans." Harry sighed hoping it would give him enough time to feel out the people that was on his list to make some kind of peace with before Voldemort showed his ugly face.
Hermione Granger sat silently in the back seat of her parent's car, listening as her parents spoke softly to one another, barely able to contain the anger she felt toward them for not allowing her to go to the Burrow during their summer break.
"Hermione stop acting like a two year old." Her mother chastised as she glanced into the back seat to see her daughter pouting.
"Well will you look at that." Mr. Granger said as he neared the train station and found signs pointing to a special lot for the students of Hogwarts.
"I guess that gentleman was right." Mrs. Granger said recalling the man that had stopped by one afternoon at their dental office.
"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked as he father followed the signs and finally pulled into an empty parking spot.
"Just someone stopped by the office last week, to tell us about a few changes regarding your school." Mr. Granger said as he climbed out of the car and opened the boot to take out Hermione's trunk.
"Allow me to take that sir." A gentleman said as he approached with a trolley with several other trunks already stacked on top of it.
"I am Mike and a representative of Hogwart's sir." The attendant assured Mr. Granger as he stacked Hermione's trunk on top of the others and then placed the cage containing her familiar on top.
"Please follow the other's to the barrier, however I warn you that for security reasons only students will be allowed to pass through." The attendant said before rushing off to help another student.
"What is going on?" Hermione asked as she glared at her parents.
"Nothing to worry about dear however I think it best to say goodbye here as there seems to be quite a few more people than usual." Mr. Granger said as he hugged his daughter with a sigh, hoping that she would get over her anger at them before the next break.
Hermione bit back an angry retort as she hugged her parents and then made her way into the station. Glaring angrily at anyone stupid enough to get in her way and pushing past several other groups as she headed for the barrier. Ignoring several remarks being thrown her way, she was just about to step through the barrier when someone stepped in front of her and stopped her before she could step through.
"Excuse me miss, but you are not allowed through until you have checked in with one of the staff." Melena said as she ignored the young lady's glare. Finding it was nothing compared to the glares she had seen upon Harry and Severus's faces upon the rare occasion that someone pissed them off.
"Look lady, I don't know who you are nor do I care, but I am student so just step aside." Hermione stated angrily.
"Problems?" Severus asked as he saw his wife sending him a desperate look and hurried to her aid.
"I should have known." Severus said as he arrived to find Hermione glaring angrily at Melena for not allowing her through.
"Ms. Granger, I suggest you follow procedure and get in line." Severus stated as he dropped an arm around Melena's shoulders and returned Hermione's glare with one of his own.
"Professor I demand to know what is going on here we have never had to go through this before." Hermione stated as she took a step back.
"The way I see it Ms. Granger, you are in no position to demand anything, therefore if you have plans on attending Hogwart's this term, I suggest you step to the end of the line and await your turn with everyone else or go home. The choice is yours." Severus stated as he dismissed her with a silent smirk, before turning his attention to the next student in line, leaving her no choice except to get into line with the other's.
It took another two hours before Hermione was actually allowed through the barrier, only shocked to find that the moment she stepped through, she was again taken in hand.
"Ms. Granger, please follow me and I will take you to your seat." Harry said, having already heard how difficult she had been to Melena and not liking her behavior at all.
"No, I am waiting for my friends." Hermione said stubbornly, having had more than enough bossing around for the moment.
"Ms. Granger, either come with me now, or I can contact your parents and tell them you need a ride home. Either way is fine with me." Harry sighed as he signaled he would need a few extra moments to deal with Hermione.
"Well?" He prompted a few seconds later as he waited for her to make a decision.
"What's the hold up here?" Sirius asked as he came hurrying up to Harry with a frown.
"Sirius am I glad to see you." Hermione burst out, glad to finally see another familiar face.
"Ms. Granger, as pleasant as it is too see you again, you are holding things up. Come on and I will take you to your seat." Sirius said having heard from Alex, how difficult and rude she had been to Melena.
"What's going on?" Hermione asked as she glanced around to find several students that she had never seen before.
"On the seat you have been assigned, there is a booklet that will explain everything." Sirius said as he led a pouting Hermione to her seat after checking his list to see what seat she had been assigned.
"Please do not get up and roam around, as all the seats are reserved." Sirius said as he led her down the isle of train cars. Nodding to several of the students that he had helped a short while earlier.
"Almost forgot." Sirius said as he halted in his steps and turned back to face her.
"Do you have your prefect pin?" He asked.
"Right here." Hermione said as she pointed to the collar of her robe.
"Thank you." Sirius said as he waved his wand and the pin disappeared.
"Due to the many students attending Hogwart's, the new Headmaster will be reassigning the roles of prefects." Sirius explained as he double checked his list to make he had brought her to the right seat. He didn't want to cause another mix up and hold anything up.
"What do you mean new Headmaster? Where is Albus?" Hermione demanded.
"Ms. Granger, I should have known." Severus drawled as he approached and said something she could not make out to Sirius.
"I would suggest that you do yourself a favor Ms. Granger and for once in your meaningless existence, sit down, shut up, and do as you are told before I throw you off this train, and I assure you that after the way you treated my wife earlier, nothing would make me happier than to do that very thing." Severus growled softly after Sirius had hurried away.
"Severus, they need you outside." Harry called from the end of the car.
"Do not cross me again." Severus snarled before spinning on his heel and striding angrily away. Leaving Hermione feeling as if she had been slapped. More angry than she had ever thought possible, Hermione flung herself back into her seat and tossed her small bag in the seat next to her.
"Excuse me, but is this your bag?" A tall dark haired boy asked a short while later, disturbing Hermione from her light doze.
"And if it is?" Hermione asked nastily.
"Considering it's in my seat, then yes, I say we do have a bit of problem." The boy replied as he reached for the bag and dropped it into her lap before hastily taking his seat.
"Everything alright here Mr. Davids?" Alex asked as she turned from helping another student.
"Perfectly fine; but I do have a question for you." Kyle added before Alex could turn away while sending Hermione a strange look.
"Are all the old Hogwart's students as grumpy as this one, or is she the exception?" He asked sending Hermione a hateful glare.
"Ms. Granger is the exception." Harry answered as he neared.
"Alex, Sirius would like to speak with you concerning a problem with one of the French students." Harry said as he looked at Hermione with a sad look upon his face before turning away to go inform the driver they were ready to go.
"Let me guess, the poor child asked a question and he doesn't have a clue as how to respond." Alex groaned as she hurried away in search of her fiancé.