Chapter 21 – The Return to Hogwarts

"…it was great." The boys all laughed at the result of Dean Thomas' sister and her attempt to perform magic with his wand.

"So, she actually tried to turn you into a frog Dean?" Seamus had asked between laughing and coughing at the story.

"Yep, she made herself grow twelve inch long bushy eyebrows. It was hilarious."

The four boys in the compartment had another good laugh at Dean's sister's attempt to perform underage magic. Apparently the three other boys had had a very good Christmas holiday, and Darren was glad for them. At least somebody had. His had ended as he had thought it would. His grandfather had taken him to King's Cross and put him on the train, but not before one last reminder of what he was supposed to do, and the consequences that awaited him if he failed the Dark Lord.

Once on board the train he had found Neville, Seamus and Dean already in a compartment and had joined them out of habit. Their conversation had quickly turned to the gifts they had received that year, and it did not surprise Darren that Neville had gotten a Remembrall once again, and once again had forgotten it and left it at home. That had been almost as funny as Dean's sister. After a while the talk had died down and they had all tried to get some sleep before the train got to Hogsmeade Station.

However Darren could not sleep. Instead he was reading a copy of the Daily Prophet that Seamus had brought with him. The front page was covered in one huge headline. Amelia Bones sworn in as the new Minister of Magic: Promises sweeping changes. He was not surprised by the announcement. After all, it had been not that long ago that the wizarding community of Great Britain had called loudly for Fudge's resignation. Apparently the thinly veiled bribe from the Malfoy family had been the final stroke that brought him down and Darren read the article to pass the time.

Yesterday in London, Amelia Bones, member of the Wizengamot and the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, was sworn in as the new Minister of Magic. Her term is for the next ten years and she takes over from the previous Minister immediately. She was sworn in during an emergency session of the Wizengamot that was called by a majority of the members of the wizarding ruling body. During that meeting, Cornelius Fudge was voted out of power by a margin of 45-5 for his resignation. Mr. Fudge refused any comment after the meeting and was last seen in a Ministry car that was apparently taking him to his London home.

Madam Bones assured the Prophet that she will be in the office first thing this morning and that she will dedicate her time to the riddance of bribery, graft and will send the Aurors after the supporters of You-Know-Who immediately in the hopes of curtailing the amount of support he is able to rely on.

"The first matter of business is to re-arrest and send back to Azkaban the ten Death Eaters that escaped from there last year. All efforts will be taken to capture those individuals, no matter where they may be hiding. Number one on the list is Bellatrix Lestrange, who the public should be aware is a psychopath and will kill or torture anyone that gets in her path for the fun of seeing the look on their face. Also, her husband and brother-in-law, Rudolphus and Rastaban, are on the Ministry's highest wanted list."

When Minister Bones was asked if the Ministry's new policy towards the supporters of You-Know-Who would affect the parole of Lucius Malfoy, she had the following to say.

"Unfortunately, the parole of Lucius Malfoy, while questionable in both the timing and the possibility of money changing hands in order to expedite his release is legal and binding. He cannot be sent back to Azkaban unless he commits some other crime. However, that does not mean that the Aurors will not be watching him and all of the rest of Voldemort's supporters."

When asked why she would dare to speak the name of You-Know-Who, she had this to say.

"It is only a name. How can we be expected to defeat a person that we are afraid of so much as to not even say his name?"

Madam Bones then excused herself citing important business to attend to and the interview ended.

The Daily Prophet also tried to speak to Albus Dumbledore, but was unable to get a statement regarding the replacement of Cornelius Fudge, but the Prophet has reason to believe that Dumbledore is none to sad to see Fudge leave. Readers would do well to remember that over two years Dumbledore announced at the Tri-Wizard Tournament being held that year at Hogwarts that You-Know-Who had returned and Cornelius Fudge then launched a smear campaign against both Dumbledore and Harry Potter. Now it is likely that Minister Bones will rely greatly on the advice of Dumbledore.

For more information on the secret vote of the Wizengamot and how each member voted, turn to page 12

For a chronological history of Fudge's time in office and the events of You-Know-Who's last reign of terror, turn to page 13

For more background on Madam Bones and her time at the Ministry, turn to page 10

Darren had folded the paper and set it beside him after finishing with it. Most of the articles did not interest him, but the one about the new Minister of Magic and the speculation about what she would do to catch Voldemort and his followers had intrigued him. He could not help but laugh at the thought that the Ministry actually thought that Voldemort may be hiding near Hogwarts. Why they thought that he had no idea, but he knew that Voldemort and a large group of his followers were at the Clarkson family estate in Ireland. For a second he tried to think what might happen if he tipped the Aurors off as to the whereabouts of the Death Eaters, but then he realized that Voldemort would probably find out and that would be the end of his family. Then, it hit him.

'Did Voldemort notice any thoughts about Cho?' Darren thought to himself.

He tried to remember if he had let her slip into his mind while there for Christmas, but he could not remember thinking about her at all. He was certain that he had not, and besides, Voldemort couldn't watch him every minute of every day, could he. Darren decided that it was physically impossible to be monitored that way all the time and the thought gave him a bit of comfort at the prospect of a few minutes each day not being watched. He could remember how it felt when he had been taught Occlumency and he knew he would notice the effects that a Legillimens would have on his mind, but was Voldemort powerful enough to not be detected?

"Shit, I hope not,' he told himself before finally being able to get some much needed sleep.

At Hogsmeade Station he had deliberately stayed behind. He had acted as if he was looking for something in order to leave the train last. He did not want to see Cho, at least not yet, so he had ridden to the school in a carriage with four very excited Ravenclaw first years. Even his dour expression did not shut them up and he had to stare out of the window and ignore them the entire trip.

In the dormitory he threw his trunk down at the foot of his bed and lay down without changing clothes. His body was tired, but his mind was exhausted from the stress of his trip. Actually, his mind was exhausted from the last two and a half years of living in terror for his mother and sister and he was sure he was about to reach his breaking point. The thought of what Bellatrix Lestrange would do to his mother kept him up all night. He tossed and turned for hours and was still wide awake as the first ray of sunlight broke through the windows of the room. Darren did not want to get up. He wanted to stay in bed forever and never get up for anything.

Finally he had to. It was thirty minutes until the first class of the day started, and he forced himself out of bed. McGonagall's Transfiguration class was first up, and then potions, of all things. In the Great Hall he grabbed two bananas and a glass of orange juice before running to make it to class just before the bell rang. He took his seat next to Neville and felt his mind wander as professor McGonagall started talking. He was listening, but hearing only about half of what she was saying. His thoughts were wandering back and forth from his mother and sister, to Neville, and finally to Cho and the thing he was going to force himself to do that weekend in Hogsmeade.

"…Mr. Clarkson?"

Darren heard his name but had no idea what Professor McGonagall was talking about.

"I'm sorry ma'am, what did you say?"

Professor McGonagall's lips grew thin and taut as they always did when she was irritated or flustered by a student.

"I asked if you and Neville were ready to try the transfiguration that I assigned before the Christmas holiday."

'Oh shit,' Darren thought. He and Neville were supposed to be able to transfigure each other into the other's image. He had to make Neville look like him, and Neville had to make Darren look like himself.

"Err; I don't think so Professor McGonagall. I am not too, err, confident in my ability to do that yet," he lied. In truth he had not studied at home and did not want to try the spell at all at this time.

"Well Mr. Clarkson, if you want to tell me that you are unprepared, you can just say it and not attempt such a feeble lie to cover up the fact that you did not do your assigned work over the holiday break."

Darren felt his cheeks flush with both embarrassment and anger, but could only respond with a weak 'Yes, ma'am."

"Well then. Mr. Longbottom, have you prepared for this today? I hope you have because if you haven't it could be a bad day for the ill prepared Mr. Clarkson here."

Darren could see that Neville was scared witless at the thought of performing such a spell in front of the class, but he did manage to give a small nod of affirmation to professor McGonagall.

"Good then. If Mr. Clarkson and Mr. Longbottom would come to the front of the room and take their places then please?"

Darren and Neville got up from their desk and walked to the front of the classroom and stood on either end of her desk.

"Very good boys. Now, Neville, please perform the Transfiguration spell we have been studying to make Darren look like yourself then."

Neville fidgeted nervously but did not raise his wand.

Mr. Longbottom, I assure you this will come up in your N.E.W.T. examinations for this subject, so you will have to do this at one or the other. Mr. Clarkson here has already failed his attempt due the fact that he is not prepared to use this spell, so I would think that you would want to at least try to get a passing grade today."

Darren looked at Neville and told him, "Just do it Neville. It will be fine."

Neville nodded and pointed his wand at Darren just as Darren gave Professor McGonagall a knowing smile that she did not see.

"Humanoverto Me!" Neville said out loud and Darren felt it strange that it seemed as if nothing hit his body. But then he saw the look on Neville as he looked into his own face. The class reacted with loud surprise as Neville stood there in shock at the success if his spell. Darren could not see himself of course, but he knew from everyone's reaction that he looked exactly like Neville.

"Excellent Neville," Professor McGonagall said, as she was unable to hide the surprise in her voice. And she stepped forward to apply the reversing spell that they had not learned as of yet. Darren felt himself turn back into his original form and then joined in with the applause form the rest of the Gryffindors that being directed towards Neville, who was blushing profusely, but obviously very proud that he had done the spell correctly for on his first try. After the class the students headed down to the dungeons to Snape's potions class and Darren tried to get Neville to sit in the back, but Neville had not listened and took their usual table. Darren just took a deep breath and forced himself to sit with his friend and to not look around so as not to see Draco Malfoy. The last thing he wanted was to be antagonized by Malfoy because he really didn't know what he might do after the last holiday. As he was sitting there trying to ignore Malfoy and his friends Professor Snape stormed in as he always did and ordered them to be quiet, as he always did.

"Settle down class and be quiet. Now that the holiday is over, we can all get back to work."

He looked around the class as he said this and seemed to be trying to gauge the reaction to making them jump right back into their studies. None of the students said anything and he continued.

"Good, then it seems we are all ready to work on the new potion today. We will be brewing the Woodruff Potion. Does anyone know what it is used for?"

As usual, Hermione's hand was the first into the air and Snape, as usual, tried his best to ignore her, but he finally sighed and called on her when no one else seemed willing to attempt to answer his question.

"Yes, Miss Granger."

"The Woodruff potion is used to treat cuts and open wounds and the Woodruff plant is very good at treating liver ailments."

"That is correct, but five points from Gryffindor because none of the other members of that house tried to answer."

Darren wanted to jump to his feet and tell Snape to go fuck himself, but he knew it would only do more harm that good, so he sat quietly with the rest of the members of Gryffindor House. The Slytherins however were laughing and giggling at the Gryffindor loss of five points and Darren felt his blood rise as he watched Malfoy guffaw at them all.

"Now, the instructions are on the board", Snape waved his wand in the air, "and the ingredients are in the cupboard. You have forty five minutes to brew the potion, and I expect everyone to be successful, is that understood?" he said while looking directly at Neville, whose newfound confidence from Transfiguration had left him now that he was in Snape's presence again.

After thirty minutes, Darren had his potion the right shade of lavender as described in the directions, but poor Neville's was dark black and thick. Darren was trying to talk Neville through fixing it, but it was hopeless. The potion was ruined and it could not be fixed. And, to make matters worse, Snape was heading towards their table.

He took his place behind Neville; a place that the Gryffindors swore was about worn out from Snape standing there all the time, and looked over Neville's shoulder. Neville stopped working and closed his eyes in preparation for the certain attack and insult that was sure to come, however Snape just clucked his tongue and walked over to Seamus and Dean's table. Darren could not believe what he had just seen. Snape had actually left Neville alone, at least for the time being. He sat and watched Snape between stirring the ingredients of his potion and trying to still help Neville pull a passing grade and could not believe that Snape was not acting as he always did. He could not help but think that maybe something happened to Snape. Maybe Dumbledore had finally had enough of his bullying? Whatever it was, it lasted just until the end of class as when Neville went up to turn in his flask Snape marked it with a large P that meant the Neville had not passed the class that day. Darren saw Neville's shoulders slump as he went out into the hallway and stood alone.

Darren went up to him to try to help him feel better, but he did not know what to say to him. Hermione however came over as well and tried to talk to him.

"Neville, its okay, Snape failed half the Gryffindors today. He always does, you know that."

Neville looked up and said, "Just because he always does doesn't make it right."

Hermione had no response to that and Neville continued speaking. "Why can't I do anything right, huh? I do the Transfiguration Spell perfectly, and then I can't make a simple potion in the next class. What's wrong with me Hermione?"

"Neville, nothing is wrong with you. You do well in other classes, don't you, like Herbology?"

Neville just nodded.

"Well, you just have to take the confidence you have I Herbology and try to transfer it to your other subjects, especially Potions."

"I know what is wrong with him," a voice said from behind them all.

Darren just sighed and looked at the floor, because like the rest of them, he had recognized Malfoy's voice.

"Nobody is talking to you Malfoy," Hermione said vehemently.

"What? I can't give an observation? Even if it is so easy to figure out?"

"No, you can't Malfoy, now shove off," Ron told him.

"No, no, no. I think I want to tell everyone what is wrong with little Longbottom here. He is a chicken and he is scared of his own shadow. Probably has to do with his parents being crazy if you ask me." And he pointed his finger at his head and swirled it around in circles to further antagonize Neville.

Neville exploded. He went after Malfoy, just as he had one time before. But this time, he had friends around him to keep Crabbe and Goyle off of him. Neville took Malfoy down with one swing that caught him flush on the nose. Malfoy's face was covered with blood as he fell to the floor and rolled around in pain. Crabbe and Goyle tried to get to Neville but Harry, Ron, Seamus, Dean and Darren held them back. Hermione was trying to be a peace keeper, but then Pansy Parkinson hit her from behind and a full fledged fight erupted in the hallway. It had been almost six years coming between this group of Gryffindors and Slytherins, and now it finally happened. Crabbe and Goyle were losing badly to Harry and Ron with Seamus and Dean's help and Pansy had Hermione in a headlock that was threatening to pop her head. Darren could not believe what he was seeing. The Slytherins were getting their collective behinds kicked and it was Neville that was leading the way. He was back on Malfoy in a flurry of punches that did not all connect, but enough did to make Malfoy scream like a baby. Suddenly Snape burst through his doorway and screamed "Impedimenta!" at the top of his lungs. Everyone involved in the fight stopped immediately and the fight ended then. Snape had Neville by the shirt collar and his face was covered with a look of shock and puzzlement. Malfoy, his favorite Slytherin, was on the floor bleeding, and it had been Neville Longbottom that had done it. He was so mad at what had happened that he ignored Harry, Ron, Seamus and Dean and without a word dragged Neville off and up the stairs and very likely to Professor Dumbledore's office.

The students stood quietly for a few moments as the shock of what had just happened set in. Then Malfoy got up and wiped the blood from his mouth. "I'll get you for this Clarkson," he said.

"Me? I didn't touch you Malfoy. Neville kicked your ass, or are you going to try to convince everyone else that it was somebody else?"

"You could have stopped him, but you let it happen, so I blame you Darren. I blame you and your half-muggle blood."

That set Darren off. "My what Malfoy?"

"Oh, I know all about you Clarkson," he said between sniffles. "How your father was a Slytherin and then he married a low class Muggle and had you. How you wound up in Slytherin in the first place I don't know, but I am glad you are among your friends in Gryffindor now. You can all sit around and talk about how much you all love Muggles and Mudbloods."

The Gryffindors and Slytherins were watching Darren and Draco closely now, apparently expecting another fight to break out any second. But Darren decided to make Malfoy hurt emotionally instead of physically.

"Do you know what your problem is Malfoy?"

"What is it half-blood?" he said angrily.

"Your problem is that your parents, your father in particular, who you bring up every time something happens to you to threaten people, doesn't give a damn about you or what might happen to you. Not even a little bit. You tell everyone how powerful and connected he is, but the truth of the matter is that he doesn't give two shits about you. And you pick on people like Neville because you think it makes you look strong and dominant, but you just got your ass kicked by him, so how do you look now? The fact of the matter with you is that you are just a bully, and everyone knows that bullies are the weak ones. So, you can put me down because my mother is a Muggle, but the funny thing is that my Muggle mother loves me, and you pureblood mother only tolerates you for show. I bet the sweets she sends you are for show so they can keep up the good image of a pureblood family so they can keep in good with the rest of the wizarding community."

Malfoy looked like he had been hit with a lightning bolt. He looked around at the quiet students surrounding him and could not utter a response.

"That's what I thought Draco. Now get out of my way," Darren told him as he pushed through the crowd and past Malfoy. He could feel the eyes on his back as he walked away and he heard Malfoy yell at him as he went up the stairs.

"You'll pay for saying that Clarkson, I swear you will."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever asshole," Darren said under hi breath.