Chapter two- Tournament Prep
Dumbledore summoned the Trio to his office the first weekend in October. It had been an interesting week for all of them. The previous day, Albus summoned Snape to his office for a meeting.
"Severus, I have let you for some time get away with your favoritism, but with the upcoming Tournament, we need to show our guests we are competent teachers. So from now on you will be fair in your classes. You can be challenging as you wish, but the Slytherin students will no longer get special treatment. I spoke with Minerva earlier and she agreed to also tone down her favoritism. " Albus said. Snape merely sneered at his boss.
"So I need to make sure the dunderheads are pampered and shown that they are actually smart?" He growled. Albus glared at the man, making Snape shudder. "You can make your subject difficult, I only ask that you make it fair." Albus ordered.
Snape avoided Dumbledore after that, which was fine with him. Albus had many years going over things in the afterlife to realize he should not have trusted Snape as much as he did. He did notice he began taking his orders to heart and was fairly teaching the class now.
A knock on the door pulled Albus from his musings. "Enter." He called. Harry, Ron and Hermione walked in, all three looking exhausted. "Resting well?" Albus asked. Ron glared at Harry. "This one decided we needed to start working out again. At four in the bloody morning." Ron said. Harry merely smirked at him. "We need to be physically ready. Death Eaters train as well." Harry said.
"It's good you have begun your preparations. What else have you done?" Albus asked as he sat everyone around his desk. "We are trying to blend in. Luckily we are able to re study things, but Divination is kind of a pain for Harry and Ron." Hermione said. Dumbledore nodded. "I thought as much. And I think I have a solution. I have adjusted your schedules for training with me." Albus said handing them their new schedules.
"Harry, Ronald, you will be taken out of Divination and begin learning Ancient Runes from me. Miss Granger, I had to pull you from Care of Magical Creatures so I can teach you Legilimency. I believe you can help with identifying threats before they begin." Albus said. The three nodded. "By the end of the year, Harry and Ronald will be at O.W.L. Level for next year and I shall add them to the class. Until the selection on Halloween, I will not be able to let you use my more juicy spell books, but rest assured, I have a few defense books that will come in handy." Albus said.
"Professor, do you know where I might get some goblin silver?" Ronald asked. Dumbledore looked at him curiously. "In the other time, I made something. I lost it in Romania when we were hiding from that werewolf uprising. I want to reforge it." Ron said handing him his notes. Dumbledore looked it over. "You know the school won't allow you to carry a dangerous weapon around the school?" Dumbledore asked with a smirk.
"I know, but I would rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it." He explained. "It's better than you riding that adolescent dragon like a damn horse." Hermione said. Ron and Harry grinned, remembering using the dragons to put down the werewolf uprising.
"Yes, that would be fine. I have a ton of goblin silver that I never use. Gifts and trinkets that people keep sending me. If you want I think I have enough for goblin mail." Dumbledore said. Ron nodded. "If you have enough I can make some chainmail for all of us. Should keep us safe from most mid level spells." Ron said. Dumbledore nodded and decided he would need to go to his vault to get the silver. "Also, after Halloween. I shall take Mr. Potter to Gringotts. The Tournament is for of age students and this would legally emancipate him. So we won't have issues later when Delores decides to send dementors after Harry." Albus said. The trio nodded in agreement. "Will they tell me about my family vaults or am I still supposed to not know about them?" Harry asked.
Dumbledore winced. He forgot he kept Harry in the dark about his family vaults. "Yes, they shall also enable you to access your vaults. I am sorry for not telling you the first time around. I thought you would have a normal life, then your fifth year happened and I made that rather silly plan." Dumbledore said.
"I'm not mad. I had twenty years to get over it. I also wish things went correct for us." Harry said. Dumbledore nodded. "How else have things been for you all?" Dumbledore said. Ron smiled a bit. "Its been great seeing the Twins again. I forgot what a laugh they could be." Ron said, tears in his eyes. "And Ginny, well I kind of surprised her when I saw her. I hugged her the minute I saw her." Ron said.
Ron had been in the Great Hall, trying to center himself when he saw his sister enter the hall. She looked normal, and Ron was glad to see her. He was still haunted by the last time he saw her, bound on a pit and being cooked by McLaggen, a fact that will haunt him for years to come.
He walked up to her and without any warning he pulled her into a bone breaking hug. Ginny was confused by the sudden affection from her brother. "I love you too Ron but what brought this on?" Ginny asked. Ron just smiled. "Had a bad dream that I made you mad." Ron said. "You make me mad all the time. But someone needs to put up with you." Ginny said with a smirk. "Why don't you eat breakfast with us?" Ron asked. Ginny nodded and walked with her brother and surprised her by his new found table manners.
Ron smiled at the memory. Albus knew he was enjoying being back with his family. He looked to Hermione. "I already know you have a detention or three from Professor Flitwick." He said in an amused tone. Hermione snorted. "Well he should keep those bullies of his in line." Hermione said.
The previous day, Hermione had been heading to Runes when she saw several Ravenclaws surrounding a smaller girl. Hermione looked and recognized her. "Oh fuck, Luna." Hermione said. They were older Ravenclaws holding up her shoes. "Loony lost her shoes. Maybe she can fix that." One of them said and fired a curse at her socks, painfully tightening them. Luna collapsed in pain as one grabbed her bookbag and dumped the contents on her. Rage filled Hermione's eyes as she fired a stunner at one of the bullies. The others turned to face Hermione with a sneer. "Oh look, its Granger. No Potter to back you up." Marietta said. Hermione glared at them. "Leave her alone now." She said with a steel edge in her voice. A couple of them were frightened by the look in her eyes, but Marietta laughed.
Hermione growled and used her wand to levitate one then fired a gust of wind and threw him into his friends. Marietta was shocked. One of the girls tried to get behind her and found her self flipped onto the ground and Hermione kicked her in the face. The other Ravenclaws ran away in fright as Hermione made her way to Marietta with her wand in her face. "You tell the rest of the Ravenclaws to stop bullying others and I won't give you the worst case of acne in places that would make sitting right hurt!" Hermione growled. Marietta nodded and she fainted from fright.
Hermione softened her features as she looked down at Luna, sitting in stunned silence. Hermione summoned Luna's shoes and then performed the counter spell on Luna's socks, giving the smaller girl relief. "You okay?" Hermione asked. Luna nodded. "I had a infestation of wrackspurts." She said. Hermione smiled. "Well, if you get another infestation, come over to the Gryffindor table. I am sure I can help sort it out." Hermione said as she helped her put her things in her book bag. "I'm Hermione. Whats your name?" She asked. Luna smiled. "Luna Lovegood."
Later in Transfiguration, Flitwick entered looking positively furious. "Professor McGonagall, I need to speak with Ms. Granger. Now." He said in a cold voice. The class turned to look. Nobody had ever seen him so angry. Hermione got up and walked outside with the tiny professor.
"How dare you attack my students!" He shouted at her. Hermione tried to remain calm, but she knew he was just listening to those fools. "I attacked a bunch of bullies who were tormenting Luna Lovegood. They needed the lesson." She said. Flitwick was furious. "That's not what they told me. They said they were helping her get her shoes down when you came and attacked them." He snarled. "Look why don't you check Marietta's wand for a shrinking spell." She said but Flitwick would not hear it. "Detention for a week and 100 points from Gryffindor." Flitwick said and he stormed off.
Albus remembered Filius storming in his office later. "I dunno what is wrong with Ms. Granger but she attacked several of my Ravenclaws unprovoked!" He said. Albus looked up from his paperwork as the door slammed. "Hello to you to my friend." Albus said, trying to sound pleasant. Flitwick merely glared at the headmaster. "I was told Miss Granger attacked several students who were trying to help Miss Lovegood. This is completely out of character for her." Filius said.
Albus regarded his old friend. In the other timeline, he never knew about the bullying of Miss Lovegood. And it looks like the trend is continuing. "I think the truth will reveal itself. But rest assured Filius, changes are coming." Albus said.
Returning from their musings to the present, Albus regarded Hermione. "I will not cancel the detentions. Because tonight, I believe Filius will learn the truth." Dumbledore said. Hermione just nodded as Albus regarded Harry. "Care to tell me about your dinner time chat at the Slytherin table?" He asked.
Harry grimaced. "I was trying to see if I could get Draco on my side." Harry said. "In the future, he was a good man. He died protecting the Greengrass family from Umbridge." Harry said.
Harry was approaching the Slytherin table. He saw the others glaring at him as he approached Draco. Crabbe and Goyle were as usual flanking him. "Well, if it isn't famous Scarhead." Draco said in his drawling voice. "Hey Draco, mind if I sit a moment?" Harry asked. Taken aback, Malfoy merely nodded.
Harry took a seat in front of Draco and regarded the boy he was and compared him to the man he becomes. "Draco, are you tired of being my enemy?" Harry asked. Taken aback by Harry using his first name, Draco quickly recovered. But with a sneer he answered. "Of course I am Potter. Why? You come to tell me I am better than you?" Draco said while his friends sniggered. Harry shook his head. "I just want to see if we can call a truce. Just end our hostilities." Harry said. Draco looked at Harry and he thought for a moment that Draco might consider it. But instead Draco began laughing. "Really Potter? You think you can just end things? Your funny. Now get out of here and back to the mudblood and weasel." He said. Harry looked sad for a moment before he got up and walked away.
"I guess it was too much to ask for Draco to consider not being a prick." Harry said. Albus grimaced. "He hasn't learned the lesson yet. He hasn't seen the horrors Voldemort will unleash. But I do commend you for trying to reach out." Albus said.
"I won't be trying that hard with Snape. I had twenty years to think about it, and honestly you were wrong." Harry said. Albus regarded the young man and bade him to continue. "If he loved my mum as much as he claimed, why did he join the Death Eaters? Why did he go along with the torture and murder of people just like her? He wasn't some tragic hero. He never tried to prove anyone wrong about himself." Harry said. Dumbledore agreed with Harry.
"I asked the same questions. Had Tom not decided to attack your parents, would Severus have changed his mind about being a Death Eater? It is with this, I will not be using him as a spy since my time in the afterlife showed me a different side to Severus." Dumbledore said. "I will of course by observing the new class changes this year. And I will regard all complaints lodged against him. If he is merely difficult, I will see if we can modify the class." Albus said.
The trio all nodded. "Now, I hope you can also use that wonderful room to improve your muscle mass as well. I took the liberty to speak with Kingsley about a workout routine for you three." Albus said handing them parchments with how best to improve their strength.
"Thank you Professor. We will get right on it." Ron said. Dumbledore then dismissed the Trio from his chambers.
"I guess you two get started. I have my detention tonight." Hermione said. Harry nodded as he gave her a goodbye kiss and the two headed to the Room of Requirement.
Hermione was helping Flitwick with grading Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff essays for an hour when the tiny professor told her to stop. "You are going to help clean Ravenclaw tower next. Have you ever been?" Flitwick asked. Hermione shook her head, as Harry was the only one to go their. "Well, you shall see it, and you will have a better respect for your classmates." Flitwick said.
They walked in silence, Hermione feeling a bit angry at how Flitwick was treating her. Usually he would be understanding or helpful. But right now he was almost as bad as Snape gets.
Filius made it to the corridor before the tower to see several Ravenclaws acting as lookouts. He told Hermione to hold back. "That's unusual." He murmured to himself. "Miss Granger, I am going to disillusion us both and take them by surprise." Flitwick said. Hermione nodded as the pair were rendered nearly invisible.
Flitwick snuck up on the two boys and growled at them. "What is going on?" He said with his want to one of the boys legs. "Shit." One of them said. The other seemed to try and reach something but Hermione stopped him. "Let's see what's inside the tower shall we?" She whispered sweetly.
Filius used his Professor Authority to enter the tower silently. He silenced the two lookouts and as he entered, what he saw made both himself and Hermione furious. Luna was sitting on the floor of the common room, her trunk and contents all over the floor. Several Ravenclaws were throwing her clothes and books into the fire. "This is why we don't need some Loon in our house." Marietta said. Filius looked and saw Cho Chang trying to undo a ward on the stairs. It seemed some Ravenclaws tried to stop this.
"Now Loony. Get this through that fucked up skull of yours. You are not wanted here. You might as well jump from the Astronomy Tower. In fact I might drop you from it myself." Marietta said. Luna was in tears as Michael Corner grabbed several photos. "Hey look, its Loonys stupid mom. Well, time for those to go in the fire." Corner said. Before he could throw them, several things happened. First, the pictures were pulled from his hands, then Corner was kicked in the face by a now visible Hermione Granger. Marietta went for her wand, but Cho broke the ward and disarmed her former friend.
Filius then made himself visible and had the rest of the common room disarmed. "WHAT IN THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!" Filius demanded. Marietta was at a loss for words. Hermione looked to the younger girl who was in tears. "Come here Luna." Hermione said. She rushed to Hermione's open arms.
Filius was proud when the Prefects came down and reported to him that they were barred from escaping the dorms to stop Marietta. "She was being needlessly cruel." One prefect said. "Good, round these up and take them to my office. Miss Granger, help Miss Lovegood with her things and get them back to her dorm." Filius said.
Cho walked up and helped put things in her trunk. "I am so sorry Luna. I told Marietta to stop. I didn't think she would pull something like this." She said apologetically. Luna just nodded. "What all did they destroy?" Hermione asked.
"A lot of my school books. My robes…. I hid my wand because I know they would snap it." Luna said, revealing a hidden part of her trunk where her wand was kept. "And they said you didn't belong here." Cho said impressed.
Hermione and Cho levitated the trunk up the stairs and into the Third Year Dorm. Cho then put several wards around her things. "Tomorrow is Saturday. I'll see if we can get you a slight extension on your homework if you need to redo any of it." Cho said. Luna merely smiled. "I learned after my first year to hide my homework." Luna said, and a notice-me-not bag appeared hanging from above her pillow.
"Those aren't taught to you for three more years!" Cho said, surprised. "You my little moon are full of surprises." Luna smiled at the compliment.
Hermione waited in the Ravenclaw tower for Flitwick to return. He did not dismiss her and didn't want to anger the man. Flitwick returned with the six students, escorted by a very angry Roger Davies and two prefects. "Now, into your rooms. If I have to hire trolls, well I can go get some very easily." Flitwick said. Flitwick looked and saw Hermione still in the dorm and his face softened.
"Thank you for waiting Miss Granger. I must admit I thought you would leave and head for your own tower." Flitwick said. Hermione shook her head. "You still have to dismiss me." Hermione said. Filius nodded.
"They are no longer permitted wands until the end of term. They will serve detention for a month, and all of them will pay back Miss Lovegood for her destroyed school things. I will be holding a house meeting after dinner tomorrow." He said wearily.
"I owe you an apology Miss Granger. I sometimes let house bias cloud me. Your detentions are cancelled and the points loss is reversed." He said. Hermione nodded and as Flitwick gave her a pass to head to her dorm and not get in trouble with prefects or teachers, she headed back to her dorm.
Hermione made it back to the tower to discover Harry and Ron waiting for her. Both had ice packs on their shoulders. "Awww, my poor boys hurt themselves?" She said as she smiled at them. Harry laughed as Hermione sat next to him. "These young bodies need to get into better shape. And soon. I won't start the forging till my strength is at least halfway back." Ron said. Hermione nodded. "So how was detention?" Harry asked.
Hermione felt the emotions she suppressed at seeing Luna's things burning and tears came up. "They were burning Luna's things. Professor Flitwick and I stopped them but… oh god Harry, she didn't deserve that." She said
"If I have to, I'll escort her to her classes. It will be more interesting if I can carry my axe with me." Ron said. Harry and Hermione snorted at the idea of Ron walking the halls with his silver axe that he once forged many years in the future.
"Well, we have a tough morning. So I suggest we get some sleep." Hermione said and she hugged Ron but gave Harry a deep kiss.
Hermione entered her dorm and found her roommates asleep but her own curtains closed. Curious, Hermione opened them and found Ginny sitting on her bed.
"Hey Hermione. When were you going to tell me you and Harry got together?" She asked.
"Oh fuck." She said.
AN: Ok, so the first chapter was to see if anyone would be interested, and i see there is an interest. But i am in the middle of writing chapter 6, and once act 1 is done i will release it weekly. Give you guys a buffer while i write the next couple of acts.
