Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or his magical little realm. If I did, I wouldn't be sitting at the overly air conditioned house of my cousin.

Harry Potter stared past Professor Binns' translucent head at a vague mark on the board the erasers hadn't quite cleaned up. As usual, nobody other than Hermione was even paying any attention to Binns' droning. On Harry's right, Ron's head was bobbing up and down in a half-sleep. On his left, Hermione was studiously copying down the ghost's every word in shorthand only she could understand. It was only one week into their last year at Hogwarts and they had already settled into something resembling their old pattern of easy camaraderie with remarkable ease. There had obviously been a few tweaks. Hermione was Head Girl and nobody had been surprised other than Hermione herself. She tittered that she had been sure Hannah Abbot or Padma Patil would have gotten the revered position. Ron was a prefect and Harry was the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain. All three kept late nights with their separate duties not to mention the endless amounts of homework the professors piled upon them mercilessly. Ron and Seamus routinely grumbled about the teachers' lack of souls much to Hermione's chagrin. Harry's arbitrary reflecting was interrupted by a sharp jab in his side. Harry rubbed it and glowered at Hermione who whispered that Harry better pay attention before Professor Binns noticed his lack of focus. Harry mentally rolled his eyes and said in a normal tone of voice that Professor Binns wouldn't notice if someone were to transform every desk into an animal and jump around naked. A few snickers could be heard around the room as Binns slowly turned to Harry and said,

"Mr. Potter, is it? Did you say something about Merwyn the Malicious?" Harry tried in vain to hide his grin as Ron rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

"Umm, I had just asked what Merwyn did to be labeled as malicious."

"Merwyn the Malicious is credited with the invention of numerous curses, jinxes, and hexes. It is rumored that he invented the Cruciatus Curse and helped to fashion the killing curse. Not much is known about Merwyn as he disappeared at the height of his power. He was believed to have been killed by Godric Gryffindor himself, but no documented proof exists." The students were back in the dazed states they had been in before Harry's interruption long before the ghost came to the end of his lecture.

As the trio left the History of Magic room, Hermione berated Harry and Ron for the millionth time about their lack of attention in classes.

"Ron, you should know better; as a prefect you should set a good example for the rest of the students. Stop rolling your eyes at me Ron, I mean it. It's a wonder the two of you actually know anything about magic at all. If I was to sleep through 98 percent of my classes, I'd be as daft as Crabbe and Goyle. Couldn't the two of you muster up enough enthusiasm about your studies to pay attention for your last year of school?" Hermione broke off and strode in the direction of the library as Ron stared after her with a bemused look.

"Can't believe she's already heading off to the library. It's only the first week of school and the weathers been absolutely brilliant. How about a pickup game of Quidditch, Harry? I bet some of the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws would be up for it. And Ginny and Seamus were going on about wanting some extra practice." Harry didn't answer as he was already racing outside to see who would be up for a game. Ron grinned after him before jogging out, notifying people of the game on his way out. Life had never seemed more promising than on an autumn's afternoon with nothing more than a lazy game of Quidditch to worry about.

A/N: PLEASE READ THIS AS IT LETS YOU KNOW WHAT IS TO BE EXPECTED OUT OF COMING CHAPTERS!

Harry will discover something belonging to a bitter rival. It brings unexpected consequences and a motion of events is thrust into action.

Ginny will be featured in the next few chapters; she will play a large part in coming chapters.

Draco Malfoy will be introduced into the concoction for even more mayhem.

Ron and Hermione will fight, make-up, and get together, but not necessarily in that order.

Please stay with me, I promise it will get better and the real action will start in the next chapter. I was rushed to churn this one out just so it would be out before HBP was released. Chapters WILL be longer from now on…thanks for reading and please review with constructive criticism or praise.

With love from,

Inferno