Jay Morris

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, just the gremlins in my head.

"Chapter 13: Welcome Back"

Harry stepped out of the fire to see Draco, Hermione, and Ginny waiting for him.

"You allright?" Ginny asked. She herself looked on the verge of tears.

"I will be. It'll take some time to get used to being a full-time student again. And I'm gonna miss Neal." Harry put his head down, and fell to his knees crying. Ginny bent down on her knees and embraced him. Hermione put a hand to her mouth to muffle her own whimpers, and Draco put an arm around her shoulders for comfort. Another burst of green flames and Devine was standing in front of them.

"I'm sorry that this didn't work out. I had planned a way for making the children leave easier, and it just couldn't work. Dumbledore shot it down faster than a Death Eater."

"I don't want to hear anything about Death Eaters. If I ever see another one, they had better run or they won't move again!" Harry turned to Devine, and Devine just stared back into the fury filled eyes of his.

"Oh, by the way. I put that mirror for you in your common room. And you know where my classroom is. I'm actually thinking of taking refuge in there, so drop by for any reason if you have to."

"Okay. I'll do that."

"Now, follow me please. Madam Pomfrey would like to examine each of you, and I don't want to make that woman mad. Please just do what she says. I don't need more people upset with you than already are."

"Who else is?" Draco asked.

"Can you think of no one?"

"Snape."

"Yes. I don't see his logic, but then again I see a lot of things he doesn't. And I'm going to give each of you permission to leave your class if it upsets you, and drop in on me. I'll owl the teachers with the official permission form in the morning."

Devine lead them through the dark halls of Hogwarts, and none of them could remember when the school seemed less inviting. All of them wanted to run back to their little village, and hide their for eternity. Madam Pomfrey put all four of them in a corner with a hot meal, and went back to trying to figure out what charm turned all the students to stone. Tanya was the closest to them, and Ginny couldn't bring herself to look at it. None of them spoke as they ate a dinner of spaghetti and salad. Even the dessert of ice cream a la mode' didn't cheer them up. Draco stated their feelings best when he said, "You know, I really don't want to be at school for the first time in my life." And Ginny summed up their fears by saying, "Tomorrow's gonna be hell."

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When Harry, Hermione, and Draco all showed up to Herbology together; is when all the trouble started. They all worked together with Ron, tending a sapling Weeping Willow. This tree was the opposite of a Whomping Willow, in that it sensed the emotions of anyone near it, and would react to those emotions. While many group's Weeping Willows grew strong and healthy, theirs withered and almost died. Fortunately Professor Sprout came over, took one look at them and the tree, and took it away. "I think it'll be better for you four to research the effects of the different emotions, and give me a two foot scroll on your finds. It'll be due in a week. The rest of the period I would like you to count out Snapdragon petals for me again, since you all did such a wonderful job."

"We had to count all those stupid petals again. Not that I mind the benefit, but that doesn't really make it more enjoyable," Ron whined. And for the first time, Hermione didn't disagree with him.

In Magical Finishing, their feelings only dropped lower. Devine handed a letter to everyone from the employer and received critiques and advice on whether they were right for their field. Hermione's letter was rather lengthy in comments, as was Harry's and Draco's. After Devine turned the class over to themselves everyone who had not been turned to stone started interrogating Draco and Harry trying to figure out what had happened. Harry retreated into a pretend sleep, and Draco tried to act like he was studying. But, he could only take so much more until he snapped. "If you really want to know so bad talk to Voldemort! It's his fault not ours! So just shut up!" Devine had looked up from grading papers, and sighed deeply.

"Draco, please calm down. Class, what happened at the party has become classified information, and if Draco were to divulge that information the Ministry of Magic could send him to Zeroth."

"Where's that?" Pansy asked.

"That's the new wizard prison, as Azkaban has been basically abandoned by the Dementors, allowing virtually all the prisoners to escape. Oh, and as of two thirty this morning, Sirius Black, the major criminal has been cleared of all charges, and Peter Pettigrew has been sent to Zeroth for punishment of his crimes."

"Wait!"

"Yes Miss Lovegood?"

"What is keeping those wizards and witches in Zeroth if almost all the Dementors have joined You-Know-Who?"

"As the Official Magic Expert, I have found a spell that will not allow wands to work in a certain facility, and will force any person under subjection in there to be put through whatever would give that person a guilt trip, thus giving the general effect of the Dementors."

The bell rang stopping any further questions. Devine asked Draco, Harry, and Hermione to stay behind. Ron whispered he'd wait outside the door. When all the students were out of the classroom, Devine spoke quietly. "I know what I'm gonna say what have much effect on how you feel today, but I just think you should hear it from me. Dumbledore told everyone about what happened, as it happened. So, curiosity can't kill the cats, they're gonna play with the line."

"Fine," Draco sighed. He was really sorry he snapped.

"Now, I want you to go to Snape's Potions class, and pretend that you actually enjoy the class. Okay?"

Each of them nodded their heads, and headed out of the door. They met up with Ron, and sat down before Snape swept into the classroom with his usual dramatic flare.

"Today we will study the Irreversible Potions. Now they all do have an antidote, but the chances that the circumstances being complete are so low that they have been given the name of the Irreversible Potions. There are five: the Lylliri Potion, the Murtrifa Potion, the Yelst Potion, the Quenff Potion, and Xeronium. Well, aren't you going to write it down?" After a brief pause to allow quills to race across parchment, Professor Snape went on. "The Lylliri Potion is a potion that will cause any subject to lose all memory and go into a state of hysterics whenever a memory will surface. The Murtrifa Potion will cause the subject to regurgitate their organs. The Yelst Potion is the deadliest potion known to wizard-kind. It will cause a person to lose all immunity in their body, and whenever cures for any other ailment are administered, without first curing the Yelst Potion, will result in causing the ailment to escalate while causing the subject excruciating pain. The Quenff Potion will create illusion of the subjects worst fears whenever stimulated by adrenaline. It will transform even the vision of a seer against themselves. Xeronium, or Death Potion, is the second most deadly potion known to wizard-kind. It will cause the subject to rot from the inside out, like the condition known as Leprosy, and is very painful. Your assignment will be to give me a six paragraph essay on each of these potions. You will include such information as the creator, antidote, ingredients, and other such useful information. It is due in one week. Mr. Malfoy, you will also move yourself to help Mr. Crabbe and Mr. Goyle."

Draco didn't move, but opened his Guide to Exotic Potions, and began looking up the information.

"Mr. Malfoy."

Draco looked up.

"Did you hear me?"

"Yes sir."

"And why aren't you moving?"

"I can help them later, and I am perfectly comfortable in the chair I'm in right now."

Snape's eyes flashed along with the charm he casted. Draco hit the floor; his chair having vanished. He was on his feet, and before anyone could stop him, had his wand pointed at Snape and yelled, "Forte forticus!" and sent Snape backing into his blackboard.

"How dare you attack me as a teacher!"

"How dare you attack me as a student!"

"Expelliarmus! Accio wands!"

Devine caught both wands, and stood in the doorway with no emotion on his face. His eyes were searching the class, and he nodded his head.

"What James?"

"Well, Severus, I just witnessed two unlikely wizards just get into a pissing contest. Maurice is coming to take over your class, and while Laura is watching mine I am going to escort the two of you to see Professor Dumbledore. Is that clear?"

"How dare you!"

"Dare I what? Treat you like a student? You'll get over it, or you'll have a psychotic episode later. Now move!"

Once in Professor Dumbledore's officer, Devine conjured chairs for them to sit in, and told them to wait for a moment. Dumbledore came back with Devine in mere seconds, took a look at the two of them sitting there, and smiled.

"I don't see what's funny Headmaster."

"I do on the other hand it appears. Now, I have heard Devine's story of events. And I want to hear yours."

Dumbledore sat down as Draco told everything that had happened in Snape's class. Snape didn't flinch as he listened, and when his turn came he sighed deeply. His tale of events was mostly the same only it painted Draco as the first offender, and Snape the defender. When Snape finished, Dumbledore leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He stayed that way for only a short time, before moving so suddenly that he startled everyone. His voice was quiet, and his words deliberate.

"Draco, I have to agree with Professor Snape in that you did have no right to attack him." Snape's smile was smug. "However," Snape's smile drooped a little "Professor Snape did not have a right to assault you verbally or otherwise. Is that understood by both parties?" Both of them nodded their heads. "Now, if I hear of this again between the two of you, Draco you will be expelled, and Severus fired. Do I make myself quite clear?" Dumbledore looked them each squarely in the face.

"Yes Headmaster," Snape said.

"Yes Professor Dumbledore," Draco sighed.

"Good. Off with you now." Dumbledore dismissed them with a wave of his hand, and beckoned Devine to sit down. They were in deep discussion when Draco and Snape left his office. Snape strode back to his classroom with an almost inhuman pace, as Draco took his time going back. When he got there, the class was over and many of the students were leaving with smiles and grins on their faces, and Hermione met him with a kiss outside of Snape's doorway.

"Welcome back to class Draco," Hermione teased.

"Well, if this is the reward I get for knocking a teacher against a wall, what do I get for doing it to the Headmaster? Teasing only." Draco dodged a playful slap.

"That would be what you get."

"What should we do tonight?"

"What do you want to do?"

"Find out if Maurice gave you guys any extra help."

"Are you kidding? He practically wrote it for us. You earned the admiration of many of the students when you did what you did."

"I shouldn't have done it, but I was mad."

"You should have seen the class re-enact it. Maurice wanted to see it exactly so Ron and Seamus showed him exactly how it happened."

"Who played who?"

"Seamus played you, and Ron played Snape."

"I thought Ron hated Snape."

"He does. He made Snape look like a wuss, so he played him. But where did you learn that charm you used against him? I've never heard of that one."

"It's a long story."

"I have a long time to hear it in. It's afterschool time now."

N/A: I want to write another story (I will continue this one). Send me some ideas. I just may use something in yours.