Reviews-
melissa ivory- Wai! Thank you. I'm glad you're enjoying it so far.(and no, you didn't make me gag. don't worry.)
Lyla Hayden- Yes. Internet shopping for firearms.. been there, done that.
Svetlana Lvova- You do? You do? You do? You do? You do? You do?
mischeif-maker- I know exactly how you feel. There 's this one fic I've been waiting for almost a year... and it hasn't been updated yet(growl).
Dark lil Hiei- I know! It would be funny to reveal to Snape about Harry. (HAHAHAHAHA! In your face, Snivilus!) But, I can't. Not yet(wink)
Thanks!
Part 7
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Hogwarts:
August 18th, 2005. 9:47am
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As Harry slowly walked in the Great Hall, he was bombarded with hugs.
"OH MY GOD, HARRY! It's really you!"
A woman shouted and trapped Harry's face between her hands.
"Hermione..?.."
Harry looked up at the woman with a long ponytail.
Even though she was taller and now a fully-grown woman, Harry could see the unchanging features of her eyes. She was mature to begin with anyways, so the overall impression hasn't changed a whole lot.
"Hey, stop staring at my wife."
Harry was held in a chokehold from behind.
"Ron!"
Harry held on the muscular arms and looked up to see the upside-down face of a grown man.
"It's good to see you all in one piece, mate. I was a bit worried since that candy you ate was made by Fred and George."
Ron nudged Harry's head.
When he was released, Harry turned around to inspect his 25-year-old friend. He was a bit square-jawed and had very broad shoulders. Harry was amazed by his friend's height, easily passing six feet. The bright red hair was cut very short which stood up. In short, he looked nothing like the Ronald Weasley Harry knew and loved.
"I know," Ron stroked his short hair, "I would stare at me too."
Harry laughed. He was wrong. This was Ron alright.
Snape and Draco watched amusingly from their table, though Snape showed none of it on his face. But he felt relieved to see Harry laughing sandwiched between the Weasleys, and knew being around them was the best thing for Harry.
"Where are the twins? It was them who brought me here."
Harry looked around, frantically.
"Fred is working at a shop they own. George is babysitting for us. He has kids of his own, so he doesn't mind looking after a few extra."
Ron informed.
"How old are they?"
Harry excitedly asked.
"Our oldest is four and the other just turned two. George's twins are almost five."
"He has twins?"
Harry's eyes widened.
"I know," Hermione giggled, "isn't it funny?"
Just when Harry opened his mouth to ask more about their children, people started appearing in the middle of the Great Hall.
"See? I told you it was the Great Hall."
A man with a violet top hat crossed his arms.
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. It's still the same Hogwarts."
The man with shoulder length red hair put the pen away in his pocket.
"I gave you the portkey to bring some members of the Order, Mr. Weasley... Not all of them..."
Snape sighed while Draco smirked.
"Sorry, headmaster. They all wanted to see Harry."
The man with the red hair shrugged.
"Ahhh, Mr. Potter, it's so nice to see you again. Do you remember me?"
The man took off the top hat and bowed in front of Harry.
"You're... Mr. Diggle?"
Harry hoped.
"YES, YES! Oh you do remember! I am so delighted!"
Dedalus Diggle placed the hat back on his head but slipped off out of excitement.
"Of course, Mr. Diggle," Harry quickly caught the hat, "we've met at the Leaky Cauldron."
"Oh, thank you," Diggle took the hat from Harry, "and you can call me Dedalus.. That's what you call me... well, the grown up version of you, I mean."
Diggle laughed as he shook hands with Harry, his hat almost falling off again.
"Move, Diggle. You need to learn how to share."
A tall bald black man with a golden hoop earring pushed Diggle aside and took Harry's hand.
"Yes, this is how I remembered you, Harry. You looked just like your father…. But as you grew, you started to look more like your mother."
The man smiled.
"...I'm sorry, but..."
Harry faltered.
"Ah, I am Kingsley Shacklebolt... I forgot you haven't met me yet. Like Diggle, you call me Kingsley."
"Um.. nice to meet you, Kingsley..."
Harry gave him a confused smile.
"Hey, Harry... Nice to meet you, I guess."
The man with the red hair smiled.
Harry looked back at Ron, for Snape had referred him as Mr. Weasley.
"That's Charlie, Harry. The one that likes dragons more than his family?"
Ron teased.
"Git."
Charlie laughed.
One by one, people started to introduce themselves. Harry smiled politely at each one but he couldn't help but wonder who they are. He secretly looked towards the table for help. For some reason, he glanced at Snape instead of Draco.
"You'll meet most of them during your fifth year, Potter."
He simply answered, but Harry relaxed a little.
"You might not know me, yet, Potter," a very old man with scars all over his face approached the shocked boy, "but you have saved my life and for that I am grateful."
Harry slowly nodded his head as the old man stopped inches away. He couldn't help but to stare at the man's features, especially his eyes. One was small and beady while the other was piercing blue, at least two times bigger than the other. The dark beady eye observed Harry closely as the large blue orb constantly moved about in the huge socket.
"You're scaring the poor boy, Moody."
Draco offered.
To Harry's horror, the blue eye moved all the way to the back.
"I wasn't talking to you, you fool."
The man growled and the blue orb returned to look at Harry.
"That's Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody. The best Auror in his days,... according to him."
Ron tapped Harry's shoulder to comfort him from the traumatizing encounter.
"No one asked you, little Weasley! I can talk on my own, you know."
'Nitwit' Harry heard him mumble as he walked away.
"You must be hungry, Harry. Come, sit with us."
Hermione gently guided Harry towards the table.
Harry had been hungry ever since the candy incident... but after meeting with Moody, he wasn't so sure if he wanted to eat.
"Where do you want to go shopping, Harry? I know this one store you might want to check out... Oh, and you'll need books so you won't fall behind your lessons."
Hermione served Harry's food while she yapped on about the day's schedule.
"Uhh.. Hermione?... Exactly how long do I stay here?"
Harry asked the question of the day.
"You'll be stuck with us for a whole entire year, Harry."
Draco smiled as he finished his toast.
"A whole year!"
Harry jumped off his seat.
"Yes, mate. I'm afraid it's true."
Ron laughed as he pushed Harry down on the seat.
"How... People are going to miss me..."
Harry whispered.
"Believe me, we all did."
Hermione nodded her head. Harry saw Ron doing the same.
"I don't know... I liked having Professor James."
Draco eyed Harry, pensively.
"DRACO!"
Ron and Hermione yelled.
"Oh, so what? He's going to find out when he returns to his time anyway."
Draco waved them off.
"Who's Professor James?"
Harry questioned.
"Someone you're better off not knowing."
Snape interrupted.
"I disagree, Severus... I became a better person because of him," Draco gave a warm smile to Harry, "Professor James is you, Harry. The one you traded place with."
"That's right! The best damned DADA instructor there is!"
Ron raised his glass of orange juice.
"You were our fourth year DADA professor, Harry. All the students, even the Slytherins," Hermione glanced at Draco, "wanted you back for the returning year as well."
"Yeah. We bloody looked everywhere, but of course we couldn't find him. I kept nagging you about him until you finally told us it was you."
Ron laughed, remembering how shocked he was.
Harry took a moment to take it all in. He wanted to pat himself in the back for coming up with a brilliant idea of taking the job he was already good at. He must have told Dumbledore about his situation and the headmaster helped him throughout the year. He wished he could be there to see how he teaches, and see for himself what kind of person he turned out to be.
"Severus, if I may..."
Harry turned to see Shacklebolt whispering to Snape, who nodded without changing his expression.
"Well, Harry. It was good seeing you."
Shacklebolt said with his very low voice and smiled.
"Won't you join us for a late breakfast, Mr. Shacklebolt?"
Hermione stood up.
"We would love to stay, but I'm afraid we have things to take care of."
Shacklebolt apologized and signaled to Charlie who was munching on a big slice of waffle.
"Right then."
He managed to speak as he took the small pen out.
"Hey Charlie, when can you visit us again? Hermione is an excellent cook and she's been nagging me to invite you for dinner."
Ron said, looking at Hermione as it to say 'see? I did remember.'
"Yes, Charlie. We'd love to have you. The kids keep asking me when their Uncle Charlie will be able to stop by again... But please, no Romanian Longhorn or Ukrainian Ironbelly this time?"
Hermione hugged Charlie and kissed his cheek.
"Come on, 'Mione. The kids loved it! Bring a dragon or two again, Charlie."
Ron hugged Charlie and tapped his back.
"I'll see what I can do, " Charlie laughed and looked at Harry, "if you're ever interested in riding one Harry, just ask."
Harry nodded as the portkey activated. Tonks waved goodbye and Diggle looked as though he wanted to say something, but was pushed by Shacklebolt. Moody stared at Harry before going through which gave Harry the chills. Finally, Charlie went in and the portal closed.
"Who are they?"
Harry asked, to no one in particular.
He became even more curious when Ron and Hermione quickly glanced at Snape. Was it some kind of a big secret he wasn't allowed in on?
"They're the members of the 'Order of the Phoenix.' Everyone in this room is a member... And yes, that's including you as well."
Snape added before Harry could ask.
I don't really know much about Moody, but I get the feeling he's a real good man. As well as Shacklebolt.
If battle scars are a big turn-on, wouldn't Moody be the hottest man ever?(lol)