A/N – sorry this chapter took so long to get to – I've been a bit distracted with loads of homework and the elections and all. But awhile ago I wrote sort of a prologue to this in songfic form, called System, if anyone wants to check it out.
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Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny met up with Neville on the train bound for Hogwarts. Luna Lovegood also managed to find her way over and sit down with them.
"We looked all summer for the Crumple Horned Snorkack." Luna told them sadly. "But daddy says it's their mating season, so he knew they'd be hard to find."
"Indeed." Said Hermione, carefully withholding anything caustic.
"I'm glad you're okay." Neville told Hermione softly. "Grandmum wouldn't let me go out at all after . . . she had me cleaning and weeding for punishment all summer."
Hermione smiled at him. "Well, thanks. And – I hope the weeding wasn't too horrible."
Neville smiled. "It was more than worth it."
Harry looked curiously at Ginny, who had squeezed her eyes shut. The rest of the ride she just stared out the window. She had become rather quiet after the events at Durmstrang, and Harry was worried about her. He knew she'd had a few nightmares; wondered if they were anything like his own.
The group talked amiably the rest of the journey, but an awkward hush fell over them all when they reached the carriages that would carry them the rest of the way to Hogwarts. Harry knew they could all now see the thestrals. Luna saw the expressions on their faces. "Welcome to the club." She said, far too brightly, and then walked off.
"I rather think I liked it before better, when I couldn't see them." Ginny said softly. Awkwardly, Harry put his hand on her should and squeezed. She looked up at him gratefully. The group all sighed at the same time, and made their way after Luna.
Harry's stomach was rumbling hopefully by the time he sat down at the Gryffindor House table. The train ride and all the talk had gotten him quite excited about the following year. They had had a long discussion about restarting Dumbledore's Army, and couldn't wait to see how many more members showed up. And Ron and Harry both couldn't wait to play on the same team for Quidditch – Harry's ban having been lifted. They talked about their classes, about their new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, about how nice it was to have the O.W.L's over with. Everyone in the Great Hall now turned and watched as the first years lined up to be sorted. The sorting hat began its song:
The time again has come I see
To sing my little song
And sort each little child out
Right where you belong.
There's a place for each of you
And have no fear I'll find it.
I never have gone wrong before
I always strike a fit.
Gryffindor's the house for you
If you're the type who's brave
Daring and good of heart,
Always ready to make the save.
And if loyalty's your cup of tea
You'd fit right in at Hufflepuff
Just and full of patience,
They're kind but also tough.
But if learning is your game,
Then Ravenclaw would fit you best
Witty, wise and also sharp
They're the one's to pass the test.
And if you are the winning type
The Slytherin's would star
Cunning, they would call themselves
Ambition gets them far.
But while I divide you yet again,
I want to make quite clear
Unity will be the force
That saves you all this year.
Ron shrugged. "Sounds a lot like last year. Maybe it's finally running out of ideas." Everyone nodded. But the same message two years in a row . . . Harry was glad for the hunger in his stomach, he was pretty sure it was covering up the knot of anxiety that grew with each mention of the war. The hat was just another reminder that the battle had really just begun.
After most had finished eating, Dumbledore rose for his speech.
"I will make this quick, I know you're all very excited to be here for the first time or returning. Our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher will be arriving tomorrow." Harry felt a stinging bit of happiness at the disappointed look on Snape's face. "Quidditch tryouts will be in two weeks; talk to Madam Hooch if you're interested in playing, of course. We've been awarded security agents by the Ministry, so I hope all students feel very safe. And of course, good luck to you all this year."
Slowly, everyone left the Great Hall. Hermione posted the first meeting time for D.A. on the bulletin boards as she passed them. Harry smiled as he walked down the hall. After how horrible the summer had been, he felt like he had finally come home.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO"Oh it's so exciting to be back, isn't it?" Hermione exclaimed as they were walking to the Gryffindor common room after their first full day of lessons. "I missed this place so much over the summer."
"Yeah." Harry agreed heartily. "I know the feeling. It's just too bad Defense of the Dark Arts was canceled today."
"You know, Granger, hanging around real wizards doesn't make you any less of a Mudblood." A vicious voice from behind them said.
Ron, Hermione and Harry turned to face Draco, Crabbe, and Doyle.
Hermione sniffed airily. "At least my father's not in Azkaban. How have you been handling that, Draco? I heard you and your mother have to live with some distant, poor, relative because the Ministry confiscated all your father's wealth? I heard you had to borrow money to pay for your new books –"
"Shut up!" Draco snapped, as Harry and Ron laughed. Malfoy turned to them and glared. "It's only temporary. The Wesley's will be poor forever. And my father won't be in prison so much longer, while Harry's will always be dead."
Harry stopped laughing - pulled his wand out. "Don't let any more filth come out of your mouth Malfoy. I'll make you eat it."
Draco sniggered, pulled out his own wand. "Is that a promise?"
"Harry Potter!" All six turned to see Snape walking towards them. "I don't even care what you were doing. Unless you've forgotten, you still haven't passed remedial potions. We might as well begin tonight. Come along."
Trying to ignore the laughter of the Slytherins behind him, Harry reluctantly followed Snape, wanting to curse him for ruining his first real day at Hogwarts.
They entered Snape's office, which was the same dreary place as Harry remembered it. As soon as the door had closed Harry let out the protests he'd been thinking of in the hall. "Do we really need to continue this? I don't think –"
"Yes, we really need to continue. You won't be able to take the class officially until next year, and there's quite a lot that could be done to you in a year, hmm? Have you been reading the news at all, Potter?"
Harry shook his head. He had been too content to be oblivious to the outside world.
Snape nodded disgustedly as if that's what he'd expected. "Then I suppose you haven't heard much about the war. Besides all of the straight away deaths that have been caused, there's also been a lot of reports about people doing things opposed to their normal character. Which means the Death Eaters, if not the Dark Lord himself, have been using mind control abundantly. This is as important now, if not more so, than last year."
"Excuse me?"Harry turned and saw a young woman walking towards them. "Are you Harry Potter? Well, yes, I can see that you are." She smiled, which turned into a yawn. As she drew nearer, Harry could see that her eyes were bloodshot and her hair uncombed. "Dumbledore has informed me I am to take over Harry's Occlumency instruction."
Snape scoffed. "Well, I won't argue with having this disaster taken off my hands, though I don't think one should teach something so advanced if one cannot be sober for it." With that he strode out quickly.
Carmela Fudge yawned again, then offered her hand. "I'm quite please to meet you. Also, quite sorry about canceling class this morning. Last night hit me a bit harder than I'd expected it to, if you know what I mean. Oh dear, I supposed I should hope you don't know what I mean." She sat down near Harry.
"Well, I'll be quite honest Harry. I've never really taught before. What did Snape do?"
Harry sat down by her, feeling frustrated. He certainly didn't feel prepared with what Snape had taught him, but at least he couldn't smell firewhisky on Snape's breath. He wondered if she was always like this. "Well, he told me about how to relax my mind and free it from emotions. Then he performed the legilimacy curse on me, and I was suppose to defend myself."
"Oh." Carmela rubbed her forehead. "Were you able to perform the counterspell?"
Harry shrugged. "I did once, I suppose."
"Well, maybe we won't start that way then. Allright. Okay." She rubbed her hands together, apparently thinking. "Okay, I know what I'll have you do." She frowned for a minute. "Yes. Okay – Harry. Close your eyes. Now, you're going to breath in and out with me, and listen to the sound of my voice. I think for now, I'll teach you a type of meditation. It's how I learned to control my emotions, and once you get really good at it, you can control them in a hurry."
Harry closed his eyes, and decided to try his best, though he had some misgivings about learning about emotional control from an alcoholic.
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"You're mother died on her knees, begging like a whore."
Harry snapped out of his meditation and jumped to his feet. "What!" He was ready to slap Carmela.
"Do calm down." Carmela sighed and Harry looked at her confused. "Harry, honestly, if you can't even control your emotions when it comes to mere insults, how will you control your emotions when it comes to magic?"
Harry felt his temper rise further. "You know – was it really necessary for you to use my mother?"
Carmela tilted her head to the side, looking at him funnily. "Of course it was. And I'm dreadfully sorry about it. Now lets try again. Go through the steps I told you – soon they'll be automatic – and concentrate. This time try to stay under control. And I don't mean stay under control by not hitting me. I mean stay under control by staying calm. I'll need your honesty in this Harry."
Harry struggled with Carmela for the next hour and a half. She told him his friends were dying because of him, told him Sirius had been a murdering bastard, even surprised him by calling him ugly and telling him no girl would ever like him. By the end of their session Harry felt even worse than he had usually with Snape.
"Okay Harry, not bad for tonight. Before you go to sleep each night, I'd like you to meditate. Next week hopefully we can move on. This really wasn't thoroughly enjoyable, was it?" Harry finally noticed that her eyes – always red – were now bright with unshed tears. At least she hadn't enjoyed what she'd said to him – he was sure Snape would have.
"Will you be in class tomorrow?" Harry asked before he left.
Carmela sighed. "I suppose so. It is my job, after all." She smiled at him, and Harry headed back to the Gryffindor common room, trying to shake all the emotions she'd roused in him.
Ron and Hermione were waiting for him. "How'd it go?" Ron asked. "Snape didn't run you too ragged, I hope?"
Harry shook his head and sat down beside them. "No – Snape's not going to give me lessons anymore. Carmela Fudge is."
Hermione frowned. "Was she any good?"
Harry scratched his head. "I don't know. She doesn't seem to have too much experience. But at least she isn't Snape."
Ron smiled. "Hey - how about tomorrow we go see Hagrid? He seemed really excited about this year – maybe he's got a few good surprises for us again."
Hermione winced. "Indeed."
Harry smiled. This year – despite the last two hours – seemed like it would have a lot better in store. People didn't think he was insane anymore. Snape wouldn't be giving him private lessons anymore – though Carmela had yet to prove she was better. He'd finally have a chance to play quidditch again. And there weren't any huge exams to worry about. Yes – this year had potential.
The thought that this would all be without Sirius made Harry sigh. He wondered when the day would come when his thoughts wouldn't always return to someone who had died. Then Hermione and Ron started arguing about the relevance of learning the history of magic, and Harry smiled again. At least some things would never change.