Disclaimer is in chapter 1.

After the explosive events of the World Cup, Magical Britain mostly quieted down on the surface at least. For Xander, he got the privilege of watching a parade of Aurors show up to talk with Lucius, mostly leaving with a belt pouch they hadn't arrived with. The chink sound of gold in a leather pouch was distinctive, and even sounded clearly through magical enhancements.

Connecting the dots wasn't the hardest thing to work out, even for Xander who had no experience in such matters at all. He ignored it for the most part, however, since there wasn't anything he could do about it.

For Harry, back with the Weasley's, things went far quieter than for Xander. All he could do was listen to the rumors for the most part, and fly brooms with Ron.

Mostly at least.

He did take advantage of the Knight Bus tutorial he'd received from Xander to visit Diagon a couple times when the Weasley's thought he was out for a walk. He'd needed to visit Gringotts in order to take full control of his account.

Taking control of the Potter account was a bit of an eye opener. He'd known that he was pretty well off, but it was apparent that his trust vault was just a piece of the pie. Most of his assets were in property, but he found that he had roughly five million pounds worth of liquid assets, and twice that in investments. The investments were a bit of a worry, however, since some of them had dovetailed in the last few years, untended by his family, losing over twenty million pounds in the years since his parents had died.

Harry had wanted to take up the Goblins on their offer to tend the account, but remembered Xander's advice to never make a deal with the Goblins unless he was confident he knew what he was doing. So he decided to leave the investments as they were, figuring that things weren't going to get much worse in the next few months.

His portfolio was a magically expanded book the likes of which he'd never seen before, and Harry was resigned to a lot of reading before he could make much of them.

Sirius had contacted him, and Harry learned that the threat of duels wasn't as bad as he'd been envisioning, but he had to do some work anyway. Sirius had recommended talking to professor Flitwick at school, and also just plainly practicing with his friends as long as they had supervision.

That meant starting some sort of dueling club, Harry supposed. The first time he'd seen that it hadn't turned out spectacularly well. He'd have to think about it, maybe Hermione would have an answer to the problem. For the moment, though, he was almost entirely isolated from the Wizarding World, so it shouldn't be a problem for the foreseeable future. Duels couldn't be issued at Hogwarts, not to the death anyway, and the rest of the year he was a recluse.

So he had time.

He just needed to make the most of it.

The day of the Hogwarts Express was on them almost before they knew it, the summer gone by and school almost ready to start again. On that day Xander and Harry ran into each other again for the first time since that night in the camp ground.

They just nodded to one another as Hermione greeted Xander with a hug, and Molly Weasley fussed over her whole family, Harry included. Xander heard her telling them not to open their special packages until they got to Hogwarts, saying it was a secret, but he wasn't paying attention.

Instead he was smiling as he noted a dark shadow passing through the crowd like a hot night through butter. People turned and moved away from its source without thinking, and Xander envied her for that ability.

"Wednesday." he said, wiping the smile from his face.

"Alexander." She responded, hefting a familiar furry shape in his direction, "I believe that this belongs with you."

"Hey Fenrir." Xander accepted the hefty pup. Fenrir had grown over the years, but as It had predicted the growth rate seemed tied to Xander's own, with the pup being roughly the size it would be at four years old in human terms. From what he gathered, Xander expected Fenrir to be at its full growth at some point when Xander reached his mid-twenties.

Of course, as he'd already seen, Fenrir had a magical form that was immensely powerful and quite large.

"How was it with the mean old Addams'?" Xander asked, eyes laughing as he glanced up at Wednesday, who merely raised an eyebrow. "Did you get to eat any postmen?"

The dog yipped at him, causing Xander to laugh.

"Please." Wednesday rolled her eyes, "The postman never comes close enough to be eaten. Not after the last three, anyway."

Xander chuckled, though he was far from convinced that she was joking. "Thanks for taking care of him."

"It was no trouble." She said simply, "Did you have a good time at the match?"

Xander smirked slightly, imagining the reaction from Harry or Ron at the World Cup being reduced to a mere 'match'. "Aside from the bitch of a headache from the Veela blasting my shields, it was pretty cool. What happened after was interesting though."

"Oh?"

Xander nodded and told her about it as they moved along the tracks to the door of the train. Wednesday was almost sad at missing the fun, he rather thought. He was somewhat sad she'd missed it to, in all truth. He'd love to have seen what she pulled out of her familial bag of tricks to torment the masked twits with.

The boarded quickly, finding themselves a compartment, and settled in for the ride.

"So," Wednesday said as she fed Odin something Xander rather didn't want to get too close a look at, "The Hogwarts letter this year was slightly odd."

"The dress robes?"

Wednesday tilted her head, "A gown, actually. For me, anyway."

Xander nodded, "Yule ball."

"Indeed? Why?"

"Something called the Tri Wizard Tournament." Xander shrugged, "Lucius let Draco in on it, Mrs. Malfoy told me. Going to be a big deal this year, I guess."

"Ah. I suppose it may be interesting."

In another car, Ron was complaining. "What do you suppose that was all about?"

Harry shrugged, though he was pretty sure he had a good idea.

Ron didn't really pay attention to him anyway, instead tearing open the package his mum had told him not to open until Hogwarts.

"Blimey!" He muttered. "Look at this!"

Harry looked over and winced as some of the ugliest robes he'd ever seen in his life were hanging from Ron's hand.

"Mum's flipped her lid. When am I going to wear this?"

"Honestly, Ron," Hermione rolled her eyes, "It was written in the letter, clear as day. We're required to have formal wear this year."

"What? WHY!?"

"I'm sure I don't know."

Ron whimpered a little, looking at the frilly purple robes. "I can't wear this!"

Harry sympathized with his friend. They were hideous robes.

"Open yours," Ron said, nodding to Harry.

Harry shrugged, knowing that he wouldn't be wearing them either way, and did as he was bade.

"Those aren't too bad," Ron said, "They look kinda good. How come I got... oh."

Ron slumped, looking depressed.

Harry figured out what Ron was thinking and made a decision. "I should have told your mum not to get me any."

"Why not?" Ron asked.

"Alright, have them." Harry said, glancing at Hermione. "Right?"

Hermione nodded, "Yes, they were delivered to me, I have them in my trunk."

"You want these?" Harry asked, offering the ones Mrs. Weasley had bought him. "I'm not going to wear them."

Ron looked at them longingly, but visibly held himself back before sighing. "Better not. Mum got me these, and yours won't fit me anyhow."

"So get them resized." Harry shrugged, "Parvati and Lavender know the spells, right Hermione?"

"They're pretty good at it, actually."

"There." Harry tossed the package over. "Those are yours, I'm never gonna wear them."

"You're sure?" Ron asked, his voice tinging with a slight hint of hope.

Harry smiled, "I had a bit of unfair warning, Ron. I knew we'd need these, so I got a set tailored."

"Who told you?"

"Xander." Harry shrugged, "He found out from Malfoy. I'd have told you, but I thought your Dad would have mentioned it. Besides, things got kinda hyped up when I got to the Burrow."

Ron looked glumly at the robes, "You're sure you don't need em?"

"Absolutely. I swear, Ron, if you don't wear em I may as well give them to the Creeveys or something." Harry said, exaggerating. There was no way in hell he was giving anything to Colin or Dennis. They'd probably frame it and put it on display or something.

"Honestly, Ron. Just say thank you." Hermione said with a smile and roll of her eyes, "And save us all from the horror of you prancing around Hogwarts in that purple... thing."

Harry couldn't help it, he snickered, which set off Hermione. In turn that set him off, and before long they were laughing loudly as Ron looked on, hurt. Well, he tried to look hurt. One look at the purple monstrosity convinced him that it was actually pretty funny and he joined in.

"Alright, alright. Thanks, Harry. I WILL pay you back." Ron promised, "but thanks."

Harry waved it off, "Ron. You've been my friend through all kinds of insanity, and I think it's a fair bet that more of the same is coming. You have my back, and I have yours. I don't really need to keep track of anything more than that. If you want to, well that's your choice. But for me? You earned those robes and more when you cast your first Wingardium Leviosa."

Ron didn't look convinced, but was willing to let it drop as the train sped on its way to Hogwarts.

Harry and the others looked up when the door to the compartment opened, half expecting Draco to be making his biannual threats on the express. Harry was surprised to see that it was Ginny with her friend in tow, though he was having a difficult time remembering the friend's name.

Luna. That was it.

"Hey," Ginny said, "Do you mind if we sit here? Things are a little too exciting out there."

"Not at all," Harry shrugged, glancing at the other two, "But what do you mean, exciting?"

"Draco is running around as usual, and some of the Ravenclaws are tormenting Luna." Ginny shrugged as she dropped into a seat.

"Why?"

Luna shrugged in response, "I think it's a Tremlwart infestations."

Harry stared, but honestly couldn't come up with a response to that and so he just nodded slowly before turning back to his book.

"What are you reading?" Ginny asked him.

"Huh? Oh, it's just a property ledger." He answered. "I got it from the Goblins, just a list of Potter properties. There's a surprising amount of them."

"Wow. I guess you could sell them for a lot, then, huh?" Ginny said.

"Nah. Most are entailed, apparently. The family owns them, but they're locked up in one way or another." Harry said, not really caring much.

"Really?" Hermione blinked, "That's strange, isn't it? How do you mean?"

"Well, there's this one property in London that's under permanent lease to the government." Harry said, "There's another in France that is entailed for the use of a monastic order for so long as they choose to remain. They've been there for five hundred years, so I'm guessing they're not going to move to more modern locations anytime soon. And there's this one in Tasmania that's a little confusing. I guess it's a chunk of the country that was warded out before colonial settlers moved in, so while I own it it's not on any land registries or anything."

"Tasmania, really?" Luna perked up, looking over.

Harry nodded, "Yeah. Potter Plantation. Big chunk of land, over a thousand square miles, including several islands. I guess it's a magical preserve, but the place looks kinda run down."

"You have pictures?" Luna slid over, "may I?"

"Sure." Harry showed her the pictures, magical images of the plantation home. "See all the holes in the walls?"

"Oh those were caused by the Tasmanian devils. Your wards must be failing." Luna said quickly.

Hermione squawked.

Harry looked over, "Hermione? Are you ok?"

"I'm... fine." She said, taking a breath and glaring at Luna. "Luna Lovegood, you know as well as I do that the Tasmanian devil is hardly going to go around blowing holes in walls. It's just a small animal that's nearly extinct."

Luna shook her head, smiling tolerantly. "Hermione, the Tasmanian Devil is a magical creature that can spin like a dervish and chew through almost anything. Everyone knows that."

Hermione looked at Ginny and Ron, who just looked totally confused, then blew her top. "You're talking about a CARTOON!"

"What's a cartoon?" Luna asked, looking befuddled.

"Did you hear that?" Xander asked, looking up.

"What?" Wednesday glanced around.

"Sounded like Hermione screaming."

"And how, pray tell, are you so familiar with the sound of her screaming?" Wednesday asked, one eyebrow raised.

Xander smirked, "new hobby."

She stared at him evenly for a moment, "Explain."

"What? A guy can't have a hobby?" Xander asked, grinning.

Wednesday just stared at him until he began to shift in his seat and finally gave up out of self-preservation.

"Alright, yeesh. I just figured out that Hermione doesn't relax near enough," Xander said with a weak chuckle, "Do a few little things and she lets it all build until she blows her top. It's fun trying to figure out exactly when she's gonna go off."

"And just what did you do this time to get her to 'blow her top'?" Wednesday asked with a slight shake of her head.

"Nothing actually." Xander said, a little confused. "That one wasn't one of mine."

"I see." Wednesday said, rising as she noted a shift in the feel of the train. "Well there is no time to investigate now, we're arriving."

The train deposited them all at the Hogsmeade station and they were all soon bundled off into their carriages, or boats for the first years, and trundled along into the school. For Xander it was what had become a yearly tradition, but for Harry it was a home coming.

He looked at the castle walls as they loomed ahead and felt comfortable for the first time since he'd left in the fall, a feeling that even the warmth of the Burrow couldn't quite replicate. They were soon all packed into their seats in the great hall, and watched as the hat was carried out and the firsties led in for the sorting.

Xander settled into his seat at the Slytherin table, eyes roving the assembled students and professors, and he noted idly that there was an open slot at the teachers table. He leaned in Daphne's direction, "We missing a teach?"

Her eyes flicked in the same direction, and the blond girl shrugged, "It would seem that the Headmaster has had difficulty finding a defense teacher again this year."

Xander nodded, having guessed as much himself. "Imagine that, huh? One dies, one terrorizes the countryside, and whatever happened to Lockhart anyway?"

Xander suddenly felt a pang of guilt, he never had found out what happened the twit.

"You didn't hear?" Daphne hissed, sounding surprised. "They found him wandering the catacombs under the school, babbling about coming clean about his books. The dolt confessed to the headmaster on sight, apparently he's been obliviating people and stealing their stories for his books. The ministry's been spending a lot of man hours tracking down all his victims since. He got five years in Azkaban."

"Only five?"

"Obliviation isn't a huge crime," She shrugged, "As long as you're good enough at it to make it reversible. I guess he was good at one spell, after all. He'll be poor as a pauper when he gets out, though. Lawyers have been lining up to sue him and his publisher ever since."

"Whoa." Xander said, "anyway, I wonder who's gonna take over the catastrophe class this year?"

Daphne just smirked and said nothing as they turned back to the sorting.

Getting the firsties in line didn't take much longer, and before long (but after Dumbledore's requisite nonsensical words) they were digging into the opening feast with gusto. About halfway through, however, there was a loud BOOM, followed by a couple softer bangs, and the doors flew open.

The man who walked in, assuming it was a man because Xander was far from certain of that, was one of the most horribly scarred pictures anyone in the hall had ever seen. He was missing an eye and a leg, both replaced by prosthetics, and he thumped determinedly across the hall.

"Th..." Daphne stammered, whispering in near terror. "That's Mad Eye Moody."

"What?" Xander hissed back, eyes not coming off the man.

"He's a Master Auror." Blaise said, entering the conversation. "Retired of course. Killed more death eaters and, by extension, purebloods than anyone else in the last war."

Now, Xander hadn't asked 'who'. He'd asked 'what', he was fully aware of who Mad Eye Moody was from his studies on the wars. The former Auror had started his career in the Grindlewald War, earning a fearsome reputation akin to the likes of Audie Murphy on the non-magical side of the battles. Xander knew all about him, he was just surprised the man was still alive. By all references, he'd been left for dead in an ambush just before the war ended, with no further references to his existence after Harry'd supposedly iced Moldy.

Which was why he answered Blaise's statement with a correction, not even thinking about his statement. "Second most kills, most captures."

"Excuse me?" Blaise quietly glared at him.

"One thing all the histories of the war agree on," Xander said, "Moody ranks number two for kills."

"Who, pray tell, do they credit for number one?"

"The Dark Lord." Xander replied dryly. "Last going off he was supposedly offing his own people like a lunatic."

"Propaganda." Blaise snorted.

"Maybe, but even the pro pureblood stories hint at it," Xander shrugged. "None of them really have any idea why. But the list of names dead by his hand are confirmed by post war interrogations."

The two purebloods glanced at each other, uneasily falling silent as they watched Moody converse with Dumbledore and then, with growing horror, walked around the table and took a seat.

"I guess we have our catastrophe class professor," Xander said dryly.

"We're doomed." Daphne moaned softly.

The feast ended quickly, a somber tone having fallen over the hall, and the Headmaster rose up to give his announcements.

"To begin with," He said gravely, though the tone was belied by the twinkle in his eye, "The forbidden forest remains just that, forbidden. Mr. Filch wishes me to remind you all that magic is not permitted in the halls, and as with every year the list of contraband materials not allowed in Hogwarts may be found posted to his office door."

The old man smiled a little now, moving on.

"Our new Professor for Defense against the Dark Arts is Alastor Moody, an old friend of mine that I hope you will all welcome warmly..."

"Like hell that'll happen..." Draco hissed, glaring at the scarred professor.

Most of the Slytherin's murmured in agreement as polite applause echoed around the hall, including scattered clapping from their table. They glared darkly at those who dared, including Xander, who just rolled his eyes and hissed back at him.

"What? The guy's a legendary cop and soldier. I *want* to see what he can teach."

The minor drama at the Slytherin table was ignored as the Headmaster went on.

"Sadly, it is my duty to inform you all that this year, Quidditch has been canceled."

"WHAT!?" That single word was torn from several throats which included, amusingly to Xander, Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy.

They didn't seem to notice their union in their righteous cause, and went on to yell that they couldn't cancel Quidditch. The Headmaster, however, did notice if the amused gleam in his eye was any indication and he actually took a moment to suppress a chuckle before continuing.

"As I was saying," He went on, almost but not quite laughing, "This year, instead, Hogwarts has the honor of playing host to the Tri Wizard Tournament."

"You're JOKING!" The Weasley Twins blurted out in shock.

Now the headmaster did laugh, "I assure you that I am not. This ancient competition has existed between Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang for centuries, though we had until recently refrained from holding one due to... an unfortunate series of deaths that left the last such contest with no survivors."

The hall fell deathly quiet.

"Which is why this year we will be using an age line that I will personally administer to prevent anyone under the age of seventeen from entering."

Dumbledore smiled around at the school before continuing.

"Now, before I send you off to your beds, I want to wish you the warmest of welcomes to this new and exciting year at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry."