Disclaimer: You know what, I do own Harry Potter. And you know what else, I also own God and the whole immortal plane, Along with Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, and in addition, I own the world, along with everybody currently living on it, and you and any possible aliens who may walk amongst us. So Bow down to me. If you really think I own all of these things and people than you're a dimwit and you can send your life saving to me at 1004 Ocean Ave. Saint Marks, ILL. 45234 USA, Thank you.
Chapter 17:
Harry rolled out of bed at the sound of his alarm clock and felt a sudden chill. He looked down and frowned. Where were his pajamas? He rubbed his eyes in irritation and grabbed some things from his trunk padded barefoot across the wooden floor to the bathroom.
Harry brushed a comb threw his damp hair but it sprang back into its messy state. He sighed and threw the comb into his trunk. It was only a quarter to six as Harry made his way out of the dorm. Ron had informed Harry if he had ever dared to wake him up as early as Harry usually woke up, he would murder him before He-who-must-not-be-named got another chance to. Of course both of them knew Ron wouldn't have a chance in Hell in a duel with him, but Harry humored him nonetheless. Having taken this request, Harry decided to leave Ron in his deep slumber.
Reaching the Common Room, he flopped onto an armchair and let a leg hang lazily over the side. He had nothing to do until later in the morning and he had no intention of changing his sleep pattern whilst at school. Unable to use his time turner because it is possible somebody would notice, also since it had shattered during the attack at Privet Drive. So, since he was now lacking a time turner, he couldn't continue with his demanding study schedule which he had over the break. Meaning he would have to find less demanding study material to fill the free time.
With a light flick of his wand, Harry summoned his bag silently and opened it, pulling out a rather large text on Advance Defensive spells, figuring that he might as well do something productive and work on DA plans. Harry began to highlight different passages in the book he was reading that he thought would be useful for the DA to learn. (He had already known them all). Nearly an hour had passed when the Common Room began receiving the yawning bodies of the other Gryffindors.
"Morning Harry," Hermione greeted, sitting down in a chair opposite of him.
Hermione, Ron, and Ginny all knew he had intentions of continuing with the Association, as well as Dumbledore. He and Hermione worked out the first three months of meetings easily during the summer, he just need a few more lessons planned and he would be good till after Christmas break, allowing him to work on more time consuming things. Such as a few rituals that he still wanted to perform, including the Ritual of Enoch. But he still hadn't thought of anyway to convince Hermione to be his second. He knew she was capable of it for she had improved greatly over the summer with all of her private sessions with Harry and he was confident she could most likely learn the runes as easily as Harry. He was willing to put his life in her hands. The thing was, would she be willing take it?
"Morning," he said, highlighting another passage, the highlighter making a slight squeak as it passed along the thick paper.
Hermione's eyes widened in horror and disbelief, "W-what are you doing?" She demanded in a slightly raised voice.
Harry looked up at her with an expression of bewilderment, "Looking through this book for some DA plans?" He said with slow, questioning tone.
Her cheeks had paled in comparison to her usual tinted rose-colored ones, "You're highlighting a book," she said rather faintly.
Harry brought his brows together in wonder as he picked up his book to look at it and said in a sarcastic, surprised voice, "Oh look at that, I am!"
She blinked a few times, and added weakly, "A first addition too..." She trailed off looking longingly at the book as if she was going to snatch it out of Harry's grasp and run.
Harry rolled his eyes, "Hermione, it's a magic highlighter." He waved it around to show it to her, "It's harmless, and I will remove the marks when I have had proper time to write them down."
She looked unconvinced but nodded. "How did you sleep?" She asked nonchalantly, grabbing a book from his bag in the process.
Harry arched an eyebrow, "Fine." He frowned as looked at her, "How did you sleep?" He asked rather accusingly.
She looked up from the book, "I slept perfectly," She smiled at him, he took a turn to look unconvinced, "Don't give me that look, I actually slept like a baby," she went back to her book rolling her eyes in the process, "I would have been down sooner but I decided to sleep in a bit this morning."
Harry gave her a doubtful look but realized he was being silly and responded, "Yeah, we might as well continue on with your lessons," He said putting away his book, marking his page with a post-it note, tempted to dog-ear it, but didn't.
"Yeah?" she asked leaning back into her chair comfortably. "When?" she continued talking not looking up from the book
"Might have to wait till we get our schedules to make definite plans. I don't want to start in on Ron and Ginny's yet," He frowned. Sadly, he didn't think he would begin it at all. The more people who know about how he came to such power meant that there were more people that could possibly leak the information, even if it was just a slip of the tongue, to the wrong person. Who knew how many death eaters stalked the halls now a days. And it wasn't like Harry didn't trust Ron. It was the fact he sometimes spoke of things where the public could over hear, also when Harry and him fight, he doesn't care what he says, so in a sick way, Harry didn't truly trust his best mate. And how could Harry train his little sister and trust her with the secret when he couldn't trust his best mate? The answer was simple to Harry. He wouldn't. "Maybe we'll do it in the mornings. Unless you decide not to wake up early any longer with me, than we'll have to try and get away from Ron and Ginny or anybody else."
She nodded her head causing her hair to tumble in her face and Harry smirked. She looked up and tucked it behind her ears. "When's your meeting with Professor Dumbledore?" she asked shutting the book and handing it to Harry who in turn tucked it back into his bag.
"Not a clue, He'll find a way to tell me. Something involving a flock of colorful singing birds, something to draw attention..." He frowned in thought, "And cause embarrassment."
Hermione shook her head with a smile, "As long as he has a plan." Harry just shrugged in response.
Ginny came into the common room and joined Harry and Hermione moments later, flopping onto the couch. "The one thing about Hogwarts that I didn't miss during the summer was having waking up so early."
"Ginny, it's almost eight o'clock." Harry said, checking his watch.
She shrugged and started to pick at her nails. "Where's Ron? I'm hungry."
"Most likely still asleep," Harry said looking towards the dormitory stairs.
Hermione looked at Ginny, "What's up? You've never waited for Ron to eat before."
Ginny turned a chrisom red and stood up, "I'm not waiting for him, I just thought I'd eat Breakfast with my brother for once, seeing as I can't do that with out being interrogated I'll see you guys later." With that she walked out of the common room.
"Ginny-" Hermione called after her but the portrait shut before she could even begin to call Ginny back. "I just wanted to know why she was waiting," Hermione sighed, "She didn't need to get all defensive about it."
Harry just shrugged his shoulders.
"Shouldn't you go wake him up?" Hermione asked sort of annoyed, "I am getting hungry, too. But I don't have an alternative motive to wait for him, which I think, Ginny happens to have"
Harry looked up the stairs and was about to agree when Ron came tumbling down in toll by Neville, Seamus, and Dean who seemed to be laughing at the beat red Ron.
"Sod off," he said pushing them away from him and walking out of the Common Room ignoring Hermione and Harry.
"What was that all about?" Harry asked rising from his chair picking up his bag in the process. He offered Hermione a hand but she irritably swatted it away and got out of her chair unassisted. Harry rolled his eyes walking over to the guys.
"Neville went to wake Ron up," Dean started, smiling broadly, "And when Neville pulled the curtains back he was greeted with Ron fondling his pillow."
Seamus reenacted it, snogging with the air while his hands moving suggestively.
"As diverting as this is may be," Harry said, making Seamus stop his performance, "I do believe Hermione is hungry," Harry ushered towards the door. "Maybe we should head down to breakfast before Ron ingests all the food in spite."
Harry, Hermione, Seamus, Neville, and Dean entered the Great Hall with little difficulties beside Dean tumbling down a flight of stairs forgetting to jump the trick stair.
"Well, isn't this an amusing morning?" Hermione said while seating herself at the Gryffindor table next to Ginny who had waved them over. Harry sat across from them. Hermione gave Ginny a frown, which, Harry missed due to the fact that Luna was walking up to the table.
"Hello Luna," he said acknowledging her presence. She gave a misty smile and sat next to him.
"Morning, Harry, Neville." She glance to her left and noticed Ron. "Oh, Ronald!" She clapped her hands together, "It seems congratulations are in order."
Ron frowned, "What for?"
"Why, the LoveShire bug has chosen you for its bare it's eggs of course."
Ron's frowned turned into bewilderment, "Huh?"
"The LoveShire bug is one of the most unique insects on our planet. They are almost impossible to catch and here you have its eggs just inside your ear canal. How exciting. I hope to be here for the hatching." She smiled fondly at Ron.
"What in Merlins name are you on about? I haven't any eggs in my ear canal." Ron declared a bit too loudly making McGonagall glare reproachfully towards the group.
"Yes you have," she said not changing her demeanor, still odd and carefree. She dreamily pointed to his ears which were tinged with red. "You see, your ears. This is a common reaction when a carrier has been chosen. The LoveShire bug burrowers its way into the ear and lays her eggs just below the ear drum. After she lays her eggs she dies." She sighed dramatically tucking her hands into her lap, "Pity, they are beautiful insects. Anyway, after she gives birth to her eggs, the excess juices that were emitted due to the birthing process seep into the canal and out of the ear and causes an irritation above the lobe of the ear." Ron's face started to color in embarrassment as the others began to snicker.
Luna smiled what she seemed to think was reassurance, "Don't worry."
"What should I have to worry about?" he asked, puzzled
"About the rumors," she said as if she had just said it was time for tea
"What rumors?" he asked, regretting the question after it left his tongue.
"Like I said it is nothing to worry about. It's just a myth."
"What's the myth, Loo- Luna?" Ginny asked despite Ron shaking his head vigorously at her.
"Oh, that when the LoveShire spawns are born they crawl into your brain and begin to feast and then eventually kill you." She sighed happily, "I hope I am around, I've only experienced it once before..."
Ron quickly stuck a finger into his ear frantically and started to move it as if he could feel the eggs.
"Ronald, what are you doing?" Luna asked concerned.
He stopped and looked as if he was a dear caught by headlights, "N-nothing." He resumed eating but kept bringing a hand up to his ear.
"I'll take my leave. I have to collect my schedule and will possibly be able to catch a few Randlepicks before class." With that Luna rose from the table and walked away.
"Mad she is..." Ron commented
"Just a bit, Mate." Dean said nodding his head.
"Oh! Schedules," Hermione said indicating towards McGonagall who walked up to them.
"Mr. Longbottom." She said handing him his, "I am glad to see Potions on your schedule. I see your Grandmother convinced you to take it." She said
Neville turned as red as Ron's LoveShire infested ears. "Um, yes ma'am," he muttered.
She gave him a curt nod and handed everybody else their own schedules.
"D-double potions first thing," Neville stuttered, "Are they trying to murder me?"
"You passed the O.W.L., Neville?" Ron asked shocked
"Well, not at first..." He grimaced, "I got a low A. But I talked with McGonagall before we all left for the summer. You know how we had the carrier advice and all? Well, McGonagall knew I want to be a Herbolagist and in order to be one I need N.E.W.T Potions, and she was informed that I hadn't passed the requirement..." He picked at his food not looking at any of them.
"How did she find that out before school ended?" Hermione asked perplexed
Neville turned a shade darker, "I guess Snape was laughing in his office that I wouldn't be attending his course any longer."
"That bloody git," Ginny said, patting Neville's shoulder.
"The bat can laugh? I hadn't thought it was possible," Ron said scowling towards the staff table.
Neville gave a weak smile. "Well, she suggested I take privet lessons in order to retake my O.W.L. for the last testing of the summer in July. My Gran couldn't afford a privet tutor so McGonagall offered to tutor me herself. My Gran jumped at the chance and I took lessons 3 times a week until I took my O.W.L. on the 29th." He shrugged
"So you passed with an O?" Ron asked
"Yeah, I was ecstatic... until I ran into Snape at the Ministry after my testing was through. He glared at me and said that he would do every thing in his power to stop me from attending his class in September," Neville tapped his fork against his plate absently.
"Well, when my course selections came about in August I told my Gran I no longer wanted to take Potions. She flipped, that's what she was yelling at me and I fed the plant the wrong feed..." He trailed off, but looked up at his friends, "So when I woke up she was there holding the course selection and had it all filled out with a quill to sign it. I told her I wasn't going to do it, so she gave me an option. Either I take the Potion's course or I take privet lessons until N.E.W.Ts come around."
Ron looked around at the group and asked what everybody was thinking; "Why didn't you just take the privet lessons?"
Neville licked his dry lips, "Because, my tutor was Snape... After curfew... in his dungeons."
"Where nobody would hear your screams," Dean said solemnly
"Nobody would notice you missing until morning, giving him time to stash the body, erasing the evidence."
"Or he could claim you made a potion incorrectly and it blew up and you were caught in the crossfire of the flames or whatever and he couldn't do anything to save you," Ginny said offhandedly. "Everybody has heard of what a horrible Potion maker you are, they wouldn't have any suspicions that he was lying..."
"Because there weren't any witnesses," Dean finalized.
"That's why I chose to sign the bloody thing. I wasn't going to just go and give Snape my neck."
Harry glanced at his schedule, he too had Double Potions first and then a free period.
"Harry had lessons with Snape last year and he's still standing," Dean said after a moment of silence. "And he passed his O.W.L." He pointed at Harry's schedule, "See, he's in the N.E.W.T. class,"
"Bloody hell, Harry. You didn't tell me that," Ron said snatching Harry's schedule from his hands. "But you were horrid in potions, Snape didn't teach-"
Harry glared at him and took back his schedule, "I retook my O.W.L. Ron, just like Neville here." He lied. How could he tell his friends he threatened Snape in order to enroll into N.E.W.T.s Potion?
Hermione gave Harry a look unbelieving look and crossed her arms. Clearly stating she would be bringing it up to him later.
Harry pilled some food onto his plate and started to tuck in. "So, this year's quidditch team is going to rule now that Umbridge is gone, huh?" Dean said breaking the silence.
"Your ban is lifted, right?" he asked Harry.
"It's lifted, but I'm not playing this year," Harry answered sipping his goblet ignoring the shocked looks of his fellow Gryffindors.
"Why in Merlin's name not?" Dean asked.
"I haven't any time for such trivial things this year," Harry said unfazed
"Trivial?" Ginny asked, "You love Quidditch."
Harry looked at Ginny, she knew he wasn't going to play this year why was she acting as if she had never known. "I like living more, as I believe you do also. It's in all our best interest if I don't play this year and put myself into my studies and lessons."
"We could win this year, its not like you can study 24/7 now can you?" She said with determination.
Harry cocked an eyebrow, "No, your right," He dried his mouth with his napkin, "I intend to sleep periodically."
"But I wanted to be a chaser this year," she said.
Harry blinked at her. "And me being on the team or not affects you doing so, how?" he asked, putting he napkin down.
"Well, I'll have to be seeker again since your not coming back."
"Really? Why's that?" Harry asked, everybody was now looking at Ginny.
"Because, I was Seeker last year because you were banned, and if you come back I would be able to try out for chaser because the Seeker position would be filled."
"I am pretty sure that Katie will be able to fill the seeker position now a new term has began and new prospects are available, Ginny." Harry said unfazed.
"Katie?" Ron asked looking up.
"Yeah, she's the new captain."
"She's captain? B-but she's a-" Ron was cut of by an out raged Hermione.
"If I hear 'girl' come out of your mouth Ronald Weasley, I swear to Merlin…" She shook her head, unknown what she would do to him, but knowing it would be painful.
Ron glared, "I wasn't going to say that." Clearly though, he was. "I was going to say, uh, she's a 7th year. She would have to be replaced at the end of the year."
"Yes, and she's been on the team just as long as I have. She was a second year if I recall correctly, we joined the team at the same time. Well, I joined late, so in fact, she's been on the team the longest out of all of us. I turned down the captainship due to not returning back to the team. I can't imagine anybody else for the job besides her and excluding myself."
"What about me!" Ron asked slightly outraged.
"What about you?" Harry asked.
"I could have been captain," he said proudly jabbing a figure into his chest.
"And Malfoy could have been born a girl," Harry said waving a hand dismissively, "what's your point?"
"You said you couldn't see anybody else being captain material,"
"Well, not in those words, but yes." Harry said looking at Ron with a frown, "You can't possibly think you could be a good captain."
"WHY NOT?" Ron demanded loudly, clearly angry.
"You can barley pay attention to the Quaffle due to the crowd, let alone the whole game in order to call plays, Ron." Harry shook his head cutting Ron's comeback off, "You're great at strategies Ron. Don't get me wrong, you are brilliant at chess, but you need absolute quiet in order to concentrate. You can't do that while you're playing on the field. Last year you barley made it through the season."
Ron angrily stood up and stalked out of the hall, shooting a glare at Harry before completely leaving.
"That was completely uncalled for, Harry!" Ginny said defending her brother
"He asked and I told him the truth. It's not my fault he couldn't handle it," he said insouciantly. "I wasn't going to patronize him and tell him he would make a phenomenal caption. That, Ginny, would just inspire false hope and when McGonagall passed him over for another person for the captaincy next year he'd be angry thinking, he was a shoe-in for it and that person stole it from him. He would believe he could handle it better, causing him to be a complete git to the new caption and not being a good sport about it."
"But you didn't need to tell him that how you did," Ginny said acrimoniously
"Better he find out sooner then later," he said shrugging.
"You are acting really heartless, Harry," she said standing. "I thought we knew you better." She walked away.
"Twice," Harry said looking to Hermione, "I have been called, by two entirely different women, heartless,"
"Well, it was a bit cruel," she said disapprovingly. "Even if it was correct, you were unjustified in so bluntly and brutally pointing it out. Especially in front of all his friends and classmates."
"So are you going to be shirty with me also?" he questioned.
"Well..." She frowned.
"Your not seriously considering it are you?" he demanded. "So I told Ron he wasn't Captain material, It was the bleeding truth for Merlin's sake. He'll get over it."
"Potter?" Malfoy snarled as he approached Harry.
"WHAT?" Harry yelled at him, already at the edge of his temper for the morning.
"Well, aren't you a bit moody this morning," he sneered with an air of smugness.
"I am not moody, Malfoy." Harry glared reproachfully at the Slytherin, "Now what could you possibly want?" he asked, irritated.
Malfoy crossed his arms against he chest. "What's an anvil and why would it fall on your head?" he asked coolly.
Harry stared puzzled at Malfoy before realizing he was questioning what he said last night and then he smirked, "Are you serious?"
"What is he talking about, Harry?" Hermione asked frowning, confused.
"Just tell me Potter!" Malfoy demanded quite hysterically.
Hermione's frowned deepened and suddenly her eye's lit up in understanding and infuriation. "You confronted, Malfoy! AFTER you promised me you were going to speak with the headmaster!"
Harry merely shrugged. "I did speak with the Old Man, I never denied my intentions of confronting Malfoy. I in no way, lied, nor broke a promise."
"How Slytherin of you, Scar Head."
"Come up with some new insults, Malfoy. These are unimaginative and are becoming rather tiresome."
"I can not believe you would confront-"
"This is not the time or place to be discussing this Hermione," Harry said, cutting her off and clearly telling her to drop it. "Why are you over here bothering me, Malfoy?" Harry asked, annoyed.
"I just want to know what an Anvil is and why one would happen to fall on your head," the pompous boy said, exasperated.
Dean snorted into his goblet, clearly knowing what an Anvil was and why it would fall on somebody's head.
"Been bugging, you hasn't it?" Harry smiled knowingly rising from his chair, shooting Dean a grin. Malfoy unconsciously stepped back slightly, his arms still crossed.
"Not that it's any of your business, but yes," he leered.
Harry smirked. "If it's bugging you so much that you had to ask me I can't wait to see who you will attempt to ask next after coming from this conversation without your answer."
"What is it, damn it!" Malfoy demanded losing all composure and stomped his foot like a 3 year old.
Harry raised an eyebrow and continued to smirk, "Nah, I'd rather not. How bout you go and ask a Muggleborn? I'm sure they will be willing to inform you..." Harry grinned, "Good luck." With that, he picked up his bag and threw it over his shoulder, "I'd love to stick around and watch you ask some random students but I have a class to get to. Hermione?"
Hermione stood up and followed Harry out of the hall.
----
"Hermione?" Harry asked as they reached the dungeons. She had been giving him the silent treatment since they had left the Great hall nearly 15 minutes ago.
Hermione turned her head so she couldn't look at him.
Harry let out a growl, "So I confronted Malfoy-"
"You seem to be doing this a lot," Hermione spoke calmly, "saying one thing, doing another."
"How so?" he asked dropping his bag on the ground.
"It's not the point," she said wheeling around to face him. He had a good 6 inches on her so she had to look up to meet his eyes.
"I think it is," he said angrily.
"No, its not. I thought you and I would confront Malfoy. Along with Ron. You seem to be turning us against you."
Harry rolled his eyes, "not this again."
"Yes, this again. Before you were obvious about it, just clearly telling us we couldn't handle something and pushing us away, but now you're taking a new approach to it. Now you're making us angry and fighting with us about these trivial things so you can go off and do what ever you please on your own, without having to worry about us worrying where you're at or what you are doing and us wanting to come along."
Harry crossed his arms, she's a smart cookie. "Can I never please you, Hermione?" he asked as he leaned against the cold stone wall.
"I just want to be involved," she said wearily brushing her hair out of her eyes.
"You are involved," Harry said shrugging, "by understanding I need to do some things by myself. By striving to improve in our lessons and just being my friend and not my mother. I don't need one."
She smiled lightly, "maybe you do, a little."
Harry suppressed an urge to roll his eyes. "Nah, I'm good." He pushed himself off the wall and grabbed his bag noticing other students started to arrive. "I'll bring you along next time," he whispered unsure to why he even said it.
She glanced at him surprised. "Really?" she asked as students started to move around her to enter the class room.
"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it," he said in a low voice placing his hand on the small of her back and guiding her into the class room before the bell rang realizing it was indeed true.
Harry sat down in a chair that was towards the back of the room. Just because he was in the class and there was no possible way he could actually get kicked out didn't mean that Snape wouldn't take as many chances as he could to call on Harry and try to make an utter fool out of the-boy-who-made-his-life-hell.
Hermione sat in the seat next to him just as Snape entered the room, like the bat that he was. His black robes billowed around his feet with the gust of wind that flowed around him as he swiftly made his way to the front of the class room.
"Pitiful," he spat bitterly. "Only 12 students could pass a middling test in order to enter this class." Snape crossed his arms and looked around the class. "Pathetic, but you have showed that you could pass a simple test, you proved that you may be worth a knut when you leave Hogwarts the year after next. As you see, there are an even amount of students in this class, meaning you will be partnered for the rest of the term. Even if the amount of students here may be convenient, I will not hesitate to remove you from this course. I am in no manner obligated to teach you if you are not willing to put aside time in order to learn."
Snape uncrossed his arms as he walked behind his desk to the chalk board. "Now, this is N.E.W.T. level potion's. Only the talented may pass this class. You will not pass if you haven't any of the wit necessary when it comes to brewing a perfect potion. Some of you have experienced such a success…" He looked towards Harry and sneered, "And some of you will never enjoy the pleasure." A snicker was heard from the front of the class, obviously Malfoy found something highly amusing.
"This class will be one of the hardest courses you will ever take; I do not permit insolence and stupidity. In class you shall learn to brew a faultless Riashilds ferment, Wolfsbane, Veritaserum, and Poly juice potion, among others. I, under no circumstances, will tolerate any fooling around. These Potions shall never leave this room and if I hear any word that they have, you will be expelled immediately and your wand will be snapped in an instant. The Headmaster has given me his permission along with the Board of Governors that I may teach you these potions for your education. Before last year, all 4 of these potions where on the banned list, you will be the first class to be taught these potions in over 16 years, not since I myself was in school."
Hermione's hand spontaneously rose into the air the second he made this statement, her head not even glancing up from her notes to see Snape glaring at her hand in annoyance.
"What could you possibly have to say 5 minutes into my lesson, Ms. Granger?"
"I thought Wolfsbane was a recent development." She asked not looking up still writing down notes even though Snape hadn't told them to do so.
Snape glowered at her and gestured a hand dismissively, "It is, as I'm sure you could have figured out, that I meant the other three potions since your so observant, Ms. Granger. But I see that you feel it your responsibility to try and call me out during my class. That will be 5 points from Gryffindor for being impertinent and disrespectful."
Hermione whipped her head up in surprised, "W-what?"
"Now that you're done pointing out my lack of elaboration, I would like to continue my lesson." He glared, "If that is okay with you, Ms. Granger."
Hermione turned a bright shade of pink and looked down at her parchment. Harry wanted to punch him, not only did he take away points for a mere observation from Hermione, but he insulted her and embarrassed her in front of their classmates on the first day. Harry scooted his chair back loudly and was about to stand up with a glare to match Snape's.
"Harry! Sit down!" Hermione whispered fiercely holding onto his arm so he was only inches of his chair.
"Yes, Potter. Sit. Down." Snape said advancing towards Harry. "We wouldn't need the famous Harry Potter to be kick out of his first class on the first day."
"Surely be worth it, eh?" Harry said shrugging Hermione's hand off his arm and stood up defiantly
"There's that emotion problem you have." Snape mocked with an angrily glare, "You need to control it."
"I haven't noticed it as a problem, more like fuel and you seem to be lighting the match, and I warn you, when gasoline is ignited there no way to extinguish the flame without being wounded in the process. So I warn you now, as I have before, don't play with fire unless you're willing to get burned." Harry smirked, "And I think I have it in check, since I have controlled my self well enough for you to be still standing."
"You dare threaten me in my classroom, Potter?" Snape asked his hand itching towards his wand.
"Oh no no no, Merlin no. I would have to be a coward to do such a thing. That would a Sytherin thing to do. That would be low of me to threaten and provoke a Professor in front of students knowing that you, as the Professor, couldn't curse, jinx, or attack me," Harry smiled a menacing smile, "No, I merely suggested to not play with fire, safety procedure. After all, we are in a potion's class, aren't we Professor Snape?" He bit out Professor with impertinence
Snape stepped closer to Harry, "You'll learn Potter, nobody disrespects me or threatens me in my own classroom and gets away with it." He spat low enough for only Harry to hear him, even though every eye in the class was on the pair.
"Usually a threat is an empty one, Snape." Harry leaned just close enough to make his next statement more imperative, "That was a promise. And we all know I don't break promises." Harry took a step back, "Well, I suppose your right, Professor. Now that the safety procedures have been covered pretty well why don't I sit back down and you can get on with… teaching?" Harry pulled his seat under him and sat.
"Another 10 points from Gryffindor and a detention," Snape said turning on his heel.
Harry smirked at the thought that Snape had a difficult time controlling his own emotions.
It was a rather childish move to make, especially in front of the whole class, it would surely be around the whole school by third period, second by his luck. He would surley pay for this in his lesson with Snape on Monday. Harry knew if Snape didn't have a problem with the whole dying at the hand of Voldemort thing, Harry wouldn't be surprised if he kicked Harry out of the class and refused to teach him anything form that day forth. He could take that thought of Snape refusing to teach him as far as Snape refusing to teach his children's children's grandchildren if he lived that long.
So, Harry knew very well that since Snape couldn't kick him out of his class that he would be enduring pain when his lesson eventually arrived and with the detention he just received, no doubt with the greasy bat himself.
Harry sighed mentally and checked his watch and notice not 10 minutes had passed and he already lost Gryffindor points it probably didn't have to loose in the first place, and he had detention. This must be a record.
"Since you have no doubt forgotten everything I have ever taught you, I will be administrating a pre-test of sorts. I want to know everything you know before I waste my time trying to teach you something that you haven't the brain nor the intellect to process or understand." Snape flicked his wand over the board and the chalk rose into the air before beginning to write out questions. "Answer these fully and in complete sentences. Try to sound if you have a smidgen of intelligence in those skulls of yours and don't repeat your answers in some vain attempt to try and pretend you know what your talking about by filling the parchment, like so many of you have done in the previous five years. You may begin when you have your parchment and quill out."
Harry read the board and concealed the smile that was trying to surface. Not only had he read the Advance Potion Brewing book that was assigned as the class book for the year and understood what he had read, he had made each and every potion the questions involved. He never could have imagined that those rituals would save his hide in more ways the one.
Harry dipped his quill into the ink and began his test, explaining in detail the answer to each and every question correctly.
.--
"He was red, Harry. Like a rotten tomato!" Neville exclaimed excitedly
"Who was?" Ron asked coming up to his friends, just having walked into the corridor that lead to the Gryffindor common room. They had a free period, lunch, and then charms. After that, Harry and Ron where both done with classes where as Hermione had Ancient Ruins.
"Snape was, when he read Harry's test to the entire class before the bell. He stopped 2 sentences in, realizing Harry knew what he was talking about. He couldn't find anything wrong with it." Neville laughed, "I knew a few answers and all but Harry was brilliant."
Ron smiled and thumped Harry on the back. "The stupid git," he said with disgust. Apparently Ron had forgotten all about the commotion before and during breakfast and Harry's comment of the captain issue. "Now, a nice long nap before lunch sounds mighty tempting if I do say so myself. Though I seemed to be able to catch wink in Divinations. I have that old Hag every Thursday and I have the horse bloke on Monday's. Guess Dumbledore didn't have the heart to sack one of them, let alone both. Just get rid of the bloody subject if you ask me. As it is, they're splitting the N.E.W.T. classes between the two of 'em and altering between the two for the years before that, I guess."
"He's a Centaur, Ron! Not a horse and his name is Firenze," Hermione replied, annoyed with Ron even though he had only been around her for a moment.
"If I remember correctly, Hermione you called him a horse last year. I believe your exact words were 'I don't like horses'." Ron said waving his hands around madly
"No, she said, 'I've never really liked horses'," Harry chimed in, rolling his eyes as he smacked Ron upside the head
"What's the difference? How was I supposed to remember exactly what she said over lunch last year?" Ron stopped in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady and said the password.
"Breakfast, Ron." Harry corrected him, "and the point is that if you quote Hermione exactly and you happen to incorrectly quote her, it proves that you're even more brainless then you let on to be." Harry smirked lightly in humor as the portrait of the Fat Lady swung open to let the group of Gryffindors into their common room.
Neville roared with laughter and stumbled on the large step to the common room causing him to fall through the portrait hole, followed by Ron, who hadn't noticed the sudden disappearance of his dorm mate. Harry stepped over them and rolled his eyes before sitting lazily in an arm chair. The others soon followed.
Harry looked to Hermione who hadn't spoken since the beginning of double Potions nearly 2 hours ago. "Hey, you okay?" Harry asked after Ron and Neville struck up a conversation on which Weird Sister was hotter.
She strained a smile, "Yeah."
"Oh, well, that means 'Harry, you're an arse' in girl," he said smirking, not really knowing if that's what that meant. He may be smart, but he's not psychic.
She shook her head and looked at the fire solemnly. "No, you've done nothing wrong..." She sighed again.
"Is it what Snape said?" he asked uncertainly.
Hermione played with the hem of her skirt for a few moments. "Am I really that bad?" she finally asked. "Am I really a know it all?"
"Your smart, if that's what you mean." The look she gave Harry clearly stated that's not what she meant in the least. "You're the smartest witch of our age, Hermione. How can you be ashamed of that? Snape, well, he just has Dumbledore's wand shoved so far up his arse like a puppet, that he's taking it out on every body else."
Hermione looked back at her hands, "I lost points on the first day-"
"So did I," Harry shrugged.
"Only because you defended me, which, by the way, was stupid," she said twisting her fingers together and then untwining them and then repeating it again.
"I never claimed to be smart."
"Your lucky he didn't kick you out."
"Luck's got nothing to do with it," Harry muttered inaudibly but shrugged as Hermione let her gaze find him. "Well, I guess Lady Luck is on my side today."
Hermione opened her mouth to say something, which by her expression was a question, but shut her mouth as quickly as she opened it.
"What?" he asked, almost fearing the question.
"Well..." She glance at Ron and Neville, who where playing a loud game of Wizarding chess, and then back to Harry. "How'd you get in Potions, Harry? I mean, you didn't take lessons, did you? Because you never told me you did, and you said you told me everything. You said you were by yourself the whole summer before the attack. I mean I guess you could have taught yourself like you did everything else, but that doesn't explain how you took the retakes. I was with you when the last testing was scheduled and there were only two. One was at the very beginning of the summer and the other one was the one Neville took so-" She leaned forward in the Hermione-ever-so-expression.
"Snape decided to let me in, something changed his mind, and who am I to complain?" Harry said. Suddenly, he wanted out of this conversation. It seemed Hermione not only knew the right answers but also knew the right questions to ask too. She was way too smart for her own good, or at least, Harry's own good.
She rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, I just want to know." She said in an excited voice, her I-wanna-learn-something-new voice Harry unconsciously registered. Harry mentally shook his head, wondering what the hell is he thinking, how would he know which voice or expression she used?
"Really, I don't know. He told me after my birthday party, when we talked, and that's when he decided that he would continue my lessons and allow me into the course. I think Dumbledore had something to do with it," Harry said, his voice not disclosing if he was lying or not. Hermione seemed to believe him.
'Why shouldn't she believe you?' Harry heard a voice asked in his head, a scolding tone evident while the voice spoke to him. 'You've never strait out lied to her before.' Harry shrugged the voice off with annoyance and focused back on Hermione who flopped back comfortably against her armchair
"Well, it is very curious," she said with a thoughtful expression but a smile quickly spread across her features. "But, no need to worry about such a good thing, hmm? Because you seem to deserve to be in the class, no doubt about it. You certainly knew what you were talking about." Her smile faltered slightly, "Even I didn't know all that you did."
Harry smile reassuringly at her, "I only knew because I've made them all. I'm sure you did fantastic on the Poly Juice potion."
She nodded and the smile never left her face, "now that your all smart and everything. You do still need me around don't you?" She asked rather nonchalantly, but Harry noticed a bit of defensive edge to it.
"Of course, I couldn't do it with out you," he replied. Hermione blushed a bit and Harry frowned, "I mean, who else will tell me to do my home work?" He added quickly with an airy tone making Hermione laugh and roll her eyes in a very feminine manner.
"Oh, is that the only reason I'm around?"
"Nah, there's the whole best friend gig," Harry quipped, tossing her the book she had been reading earlier and opening the one he had been highlighting. "Best get this done before Lunch. I don't feel like wasting anymore time procrastinating about it. I just want to get it done so we can work on something else."
"We?" Hermione asked smiling.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, don't make me regret it now."
"Regret what?" Ron asked plopping down in the armchair next to Hermione's, causing Harry to notice her tense slightly.
"Regret letting her help with the D.A. plans," Harry said easily, "You wanna grab a book and help?"
Ron's eyes widened slightly and looked quickly to Hermione and then back to Harry, "Uh, um, no thanks. I forgot Neville asked me to, er, do something-" With that Harry watched Ron bolt from his seat and take the stairs to the boys dorm two at a time.
"Are you angry with Ron? He doesn't seem to notice but you seem a bit... odd every time he's around." Harry asked taking his eyes away from the stairs started to copying down the highlighted sections from the book.
"Um, no, I'm not." She said reading the book with out even glancing at him.
"Alright," Harry said picking up his bag to look for a book which he noticed was absent. "Well, crap. I'll be right back; I've seemed to have forgotten a book in my dorm." With that Harry stood and left Hermione to slump in her chair and put her head in her hands.
--R-OT-GL--
"Hey, have you seen my book. It's about 2 inches thick, looks like an old journal... well, it is an old journal." Harry asked looking through the first compartment of his trunk. "Oh, never mind. Found it." Harry straitened his back and looked at Ron who was lying on his bed face down. "Are you alright, Mate?"
"Ishaked myknee too beshmah grillend." Ron said, his voice obviously muffled by the fact that his face was buried deep within his pillow.
"Uh, I didn't really catch that unless it had to have something to do with your grilled end," Harry said perplexed.
Ron sat up and heaved a great sigh. "Last night, me and Hermione were sitting in the common waiting for you to get back and everybody had gone to bed already and well, I thought it would be a perfect time for us to talk..." Ron trailed off looking rather put out.
"Talk about what?" Harry asked sitting on his closed trunk and leaned his elbows against his legs.
"About us-I mean, me and her." Ron said turning a bright color of red.
"...What about you and her?" Harry asked still utterly confused.
"Well, you know how I've fancied her for a while now-" Ron shrugged but was still a bright shade of red
Harry nodded slightly. Of course Harry knew Ron sort of fancied Hermione, but this had defiantly taken Harry by surprised. Harry knew Ron held some sort of torch for Hermione since the Yull ball, but he hadn't heard anything of them dating, nothing of Hermione sharing those feelings that Ron felt for her.
"Well, she has to fancy me too."
"Really? She has to?" Harry asked getting rather defensive towards the thought of Hermione fancying Ron.
"Well, after everything from last year, I think she's realized it finally. I think that sort of influenced it now I'm on the Quidditch team and all."
Clearly Ron didn't know Hermione if he thought she'd care about a stupid game. How could somebody like somebody else with out knowing who they really are? "Oh?" Harry said still trying to process possibility that Hermione could like him back.
"Yeah, so since we where alone last night I thought I'd bring it up."
Harry nodded slightly numb, why though, he didn't know.
"Well, I told her that I thought we should go out, you know? Like to the next Hogsmeade trip together, nothing official until then."
Harry just stared at Ron who seemed to take that as a sign of encouragement to continue on with his little anecdote, "And she told me that she's give it some thought. I keep trying to get up the courage before class to ask her about her decision today but I keep chickening out and the time just seems to never be right." Ron gave another sigh. "I think she's going to say no because what it would do to the trio," he spat out trio with anger, "and you." He added as an after thought with out any emotion.
Harry nodded and stood up and walked from the dorm room without a word to Ron and down the stairs in an auto trance forgetting the reason he had first went to his dorm. Harry walked over to his seat and sat and looked at Hermione and then picked up the book thinking if he should say what he needed to say. "Hermione?" Hermione who was reading the book he had handed her looked up at him curiously.
"Uh-" Harry took a staggered breath and continued on, "I think you and Ron should go to Hogsmeade together. I think it's a good idea. You don't have to worry about me if that's why you haven't given him an answer yet..." Not knowing why but Harry felt like taking the sentences he just said and swallowing them whole.
"Y-you do?" She asked with forward brows.
"Yeah, I mean if you two fancy one another then you should do it. Life is short, live it while you can." He said not looking up from his book but flipping the pages. An uncomfortable silence grew between them.
Hermione was watching Harry read his book with determination. Maybe if I... She thought as she bit her lip. After Harry had read the same sentence eight times and about a minute had passed Hermione finally broke the silence deciding something in her mind.
"Well, if you want me to go..." She asked cocking her head to the side watching his reaction
"I do." He said nodding quickly cutting her off, "If you're worried about how I feel, I'm okay with it."
She seemed slightly disappointed for some reason, "O-okay. I'll say yes to him then, next Hogsmeade trip I'll go with Ron... on a date." She said biting her lip still watching him
Harry gave a strained smile. "Yeah, sounds cool." Harry checked his watch, "Well, I'm going to go to the kitchens to see Dobby, since I haven't anything to do."
Hermione held back a satisfied smile and looked around her at the D.A. plans, clearly wondering what he meant as they had loads left to do. She knew of course he was trying to escape and that gave her a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe he would say something or anything about them. She mentally sighed, "Oh, is Dobby here?" She asked instead.
"Yeah, Dobby wanted to see Winky because he missed her, so I told him he could come and work here for me if he wanted..." Harry trailed off and stood, "So I'll see you in Charms." In his haste to escape the common room he left his book bag behind along with all of his things with Hermione smiling softly to her book.
-
"Well, it makes perfect sense why Hermione didn't sleep very well last night," Harry thought to himself as he walked along the corridor to the kitchens. "She was up thinking about Ron." The very thought made Harry's stomach turn, "And since she stayed up so late thinking of him, she over slept." Harry sighed, "As long as they are happy, I'm happy for them." He nodded vigorously trying to convince the feeling in the lower part of his stomach that it was indeed true. But no matter what he said to himself, he could stop thinking about how much he hated his best mate at that very moment.
-
"H-harry Potter?" A small first year boy asked as he approached Harry who was sitting in a windowsill along one of the outside corridors. Charms had only ended less then an hour before.
"What do you want?" Harry asked annoyed, not even glancing at the young boy. Since free period he had been in a right state and people seemed to realize they needed to stay clear of the boy-who-lived. Even the teachers followed the non-verbalized advice. Well, Flitwick may have perhaps told the other teachers to stay clear since Harry had been rather... snippy in his class after lunch.
"O-o-h, Well, I, um, well you see-" the boy stuttered.
"If you have something to say spit it out or go away," Harry snapped, "I'd rather the latter."
"H-headmaster Dumbledore sent me to deliver you a message," The boy squeaked rather hurriedly and had a scroll in his hand in which Harry snatched before nodded at him in dismissal. The boy took a hesitant step away from Harry and then fled as fast as his little legs could carry him.
Harry unrolled the scroll and then burned it as he made his way to the Headmaster office. With out a password, the statue move aside and Harry descended the marble stair case to the large oak doors which where slightly ajar. Harry, taking this sign as an invitation, pushed open the door to be greeted by a sight of Dumbledore bent over a cauldron and the smell of… "Burnt chocolate?" Harry asked, sniffing the air hesitantly.
Dumbledore straitened his back and turned towards the door. "Ah! Harry, how nice to see you. Come in, come in. Please, have a seat," he gestured to a chair which Harry took silently. Harry eyed the cauldron and looked at Dumbledore questionably.
Dumbledore nodded sadly and walked behind his desk and sat in his chair. "Well, when I was strolling through a muggle town this morning after a meeting I had with an old friend. He is a rather pleasant fellow, I think you'll like him. I invited him to one of our sessions next week so you could- Oh right," Dumbledore smiled at Harry who was glaring at him in return, "You know, you could rival Severus's glare... oh, um, right. Anyway, back to the point. I was walking along the road when I came across this quaint little shop that had these pots in the window. Being me, the curious fellow before you, I decided to enter this shop. Along the walls where all these different types of muggle pans and cups of sorts. I was, to say the least, completely fascinated when I came across a cauldron looking pot.Imagine my surprise when I discovered that you could melt chocolate in it and eat it in a sort of liquid form or you could dip a piece of fruit in it so it would be chocolate covered. You could also melt all sorts of things in it such as cheese. I haven't a clue as to why you would dunk fruit into cheese... Anyway, I felt it would be nice to have at certain meetings, a welcoming item you could call it. Sadly, I had seemed to have had left my muggle money in my other robes so I couldn't purchase the wonderful pot. I didn't think it would be that difficult to melt the chocolate in my own cauldron, and so here I am..."
"With burnt chocolate." Harry finished.
Dumbledore sighed, "Yes, well, I guess it isn't the same..."
"Its called a Fondu pot, sir," Harry informed the old man. "It slowly cooks the item evenly in order to keep it from boiling or burning."
"Oh well, it was worth a try." Dumbledore said unconcerned, swishing his wand clearing the cauldron of the chocolate.
"It still smells like brunt chocolate," Harry said with a smirk.
Dumbledore nodded. "I haven't the skill to freshen the air; that was always my brother's expertise." Dumbledore was the most powerful wizard that Harry knew of, knowing he wasn't skilled at something seemed impossible but households spells aren't really Harry's criteria either.
"Oh," Harry said surprise. He never really heard Dumbledore speak of his Brother, really he hadn't known Dumbledore had one until Mad-eye Moody told him so last year.
"I never got it down. Every time I have tried to freshen the air it smells worse then it did before. So I must say we are stuck with the smell of my failure. Unless of course you wish for the room to smell of rotten fruit," Dumbledore smiled as if he was joking but Harry highly doubted that he was. "I'm glad my letter got to you," he continued, quickly changing the subject. "I was rather skeptical that the boy would make it to you with out soiling himself in excitement."
"Yes, and the reason you couldn't just deliver it like normal person is what, exactly?"
"Well, he seemed so excited at the prospect of delivering a message to the great Harry Potter."
"What did you do?" Harry asked, "Go up to him and ask him to deliver a message to me?"
"No, of course not. I am more subtle than that," he deadpanned, "I was talking to Minerva out side the boy's lavatory telling her how busy I was today and I had to get a very important message to you, the boy-who-lived, before the school day was through. I just so happened to mention that and my poor owl was sick-"
"You don't have an owl," Harry glared.
"Yes, well, I'm sure if I had an owl it would be sick."
"Why do I have a feeling you would go and purchase an owl and poison it just to prove yourself right?" Harry asked.
"That would just be cruel, besides I neglect to feed Fawks more times then I remember so the owl would die of starvation instead of a poisoning. And further more, I don't give Fawks enough attention as it is, it would be unfair to him for me to get another pet."
"The why not use Fawks?"
"Fawks isn't an owl; I couldn't possibly treat him as one," Dumbledore waved his hand towards the bird that flapped his wings in agreement.
"So you used a student as an owl?"
"Well, not precisely. I was informing Minerva that I wasn't capable of getting you this important letter, due to a meeting I needed to attend, when this little boy came out of the lavatory happening to over hear our conversation and was jumping with excitement of helping me out. I couldn't possibly say no and disappoint him; why crush ones dreams?
Well, lets carry on shall we?" Dumbledore asked folding his hands on top of his desk cutting of Harry's impending remark.
Harry just nodded and silently waited for Dumbledore to begin.
"Harry, are you familiar with Z. C. Grindelwald?" Dumbledore asked.
"I've read about him, yes. I know he was a Dark Wizard a bit before my time and that you where the one to defeat him," Harry relayed for him.
Dumbledore nodded in acceptance, "Nothing else?"
"Should I? I really hadn't paid attention in our History of Magic's class."
"Rather an interesting subject if you get into it," Dumbledore said. "But I digress. I knew Zalika Grindelwald as a young boy. We both attended Hogwarts at the same time. We weren't the best of friends but we would talk from time to time. This was when there wasn't such discord between Gryffindors and Slytherins."
"When Zalika entered his final year, he was in a right state when he discovered he wouldn't be a head. He strived for power; everybody else knew it and stayed clear when he was determined to have something. Everybody knew that he would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. I happened to be the one standing in his way." Dumbledore pulled his glasses from his face and wiped them with a green handkerchief, "We had always been on good terms before that. We both where the top of each of our classes, in certain subjects him above me and in others vise versa. It was a friendly competition of sorts. Like I said, was. When he found out I had been made Head Boy over him he became livid with anybody that seemed to agree with our Headmistress's decision. From then on he began to lock himself away in his dorm and was always found in the Library." Dumbledore paused to place his glasses back on his face.
"What was he doing then?" Harry asked, slightly curious yet still not sure of what the conversation was about.
Dumbledore gave a small stressed smile. "He was teaching himself, just as you had. He was absorbing everything he could get his hands on to prove he was better then me and to prove that everybody underestimated him. What he wasn't willing to acknowledge was that nobody underestimated him, but rather looked up to him because of his power. What ever he had, he wanted more. This is where I start to compare him to Tom Riddle, the whole reason I brought up my old foe. Both feel they had something to prove through knowledge and power. Neither could be satisfied with what they gained, they both needed to gain more and more at any cost." Dumbledore gave a light shrug.
"By the end of our Hogwarts careers, he had truly become obsessed with beating me. Before we left school he challenged me to a duel, in which he lost. I have wondered that, if I had thrown the duel, that he would have turned out differently. But alas, I hadn't known what would have come of being the victor of the duel.
"Zalika disappeared after school, nobody knew where he went, not even I did. I was too caught up in living my own life to worry about the likes of Zalika. Over 60 years passed with out any word of him."
"Where did he go?" Harry asked
"Only Zalika knew and, perhaps, some history books have him mentioned in them before his rise to power in the 30s. Now tell me this Harry, do you have any knowledge concerning World War II?"
"Yes, I studied it a bit in primary school. Hitler wanted dominate power for Germany and took it by force. He despised those who studied and prayed under the religion of Judaism.Well, and anyone who looked Jewish."
Dumbledore nodded gravely, "Did you know that Mr. Hitler was not a German, but was born in a small town in Austria?"
Harry shook his head. Clearly confused why the sudden change of topic.
"It was a wonder to me why Adolf Hitler would come to be such a hateful person. Historians have found that he had dreams of becoming a Priest when he was younger and was much loved and very well liked amongst his school friends. In the early 1900's he dropped out of school at the age of 16 due to illness, a rare sort at that. Not that I was aware this back then. I just knew that he was a threat to the Muggle world. But this struck me as curious when I discovered his past in the 20s. When his mother died it was rumored he wandered Vienna as a transient, sleeping in bars, flophouses, and shelters for the homeless, including, ironically, those financed by Jewish philanthropists. It was during this period that he developed his prejudices about Jews, his interest in politics, and debating skills. I discovered, by an author of a biography, that the doctor that treated Adolf's mother was Jewish. Maybe it is possible that he could have created the hatred of the Jewish people because of this, but a simple enhancing potion, that would cause somebody to over react, cause building hatred perhaps, and that potion would surly help the matters along if somebody needed the hatred for their own gain. I discovered on my research that before Zalika came out publicly, he was spotted in a small flophouse in Vienna talking to Adolf. I'm as positive as one can get that Adolf was indeed drugged that night. I wondered why Zalika would do such a thing, what need did he have of a muggle, let alone an orphan who had little to no money and had no power whatsoever. But then, Zalika was a wizard and a great one at that, all he had to do was charm a few members of parliament and got Adolf in as easy as that."
"Why would he want Hitler, out of all the muggles he could have had, out there instead?" Harry asked perplexed
"He had a weak mind structure at that time; he was gullible from the loss of his parents. He also had potential, which Zalika informed me of the night of his death. He had the strength to carry on with the plan with out the need of Zalika's wand. He had the need for vengeance. And that in its self attracted him to Adolf. And upon the sudden death of Hindenburg in late 1934, Hitler was the consensus successor and with an improving economy, Hitler claimed credit and consolidated his position as a dictator, having succeeded in eliminating challenges from other political parties and government institutions that Zalika would have had to face sooner or later. The German industrial machine was built up in preparation for war. By 1937, Zalika was comfortable enough to put his master plan into effect. Giving Adolf permission to call his top military aides together to a conference in November 1937, Zalika began to outline his plans for world domination. Those who objected to the plan were dismissed. It all seemed so easy for Zalika. Adolf seemed to be the perfect choice to help him along accomplish his goals."
"So he partnered with Hitler to gain power over Europe?" Harry summed up.
"Well, partnered isn't really what he did. He more or less tricked Adolf. Making him think that he would gain power as an equal, when in truth Zalika didn't care about anybody or anything but self gain and power." Dumbledore stood from his chair and walked to the book case. "When Zalika came out in the late 20s he started his pursuit to dominate the world. Starting with Czehelslavackia and slowly concurring the surrounding nations. Soon enough, Japan joined Adolf. Zalika didn't like that; he saw it as him becoming defiant." Dumbledore pulled out a book after studying the shelf for a second.
"Adolf ordered the annexation of Austria and the Sudetenlands in 1938 with out Zalika's permission. His army invaded Poland on September 1 the next year, sparking France and England to declare war on Germany. A Blitzkrieg, known as a lightning war, of German tanks and infantry swept through most of Western Europe as nation after nation fell to the German war machine. Zalika was angry, Adolf was gaining power without asking for his approval or consent. Zalika wanted to slowly conquer Europe and then the rest of the world. The fact that Japan was in on it upset him even more. He knew it would cause a problem in his master plan. And in 1941, Hitler ignored a non-aggression pact he had signed with the Soviet Union in August 1939 that Zalika had orchestrated. Several early victories after the invasion of the Soviet Union were reversed with crushing defeats at Moscow and Stalingrad. The United States entered the war in1941 because, as Zalika predicted, Japan attacked the one country that Zalika wasn't able to beat... well not until he concurred all of the European Wizarding world and European Muggle world where he could then spare the troops to fight. By 1944, the Allies and the Wizarding world invaded the occupied Europe at Normandy Beach on the French coast. German cities were being destroyed by bombing, and Italy, Germany's major ally under the leadership of Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, had fallen. For the first time in centuries did Muggles united with Wizards, for the first time was the secrecy of the Wizarding world was compromised, and it hadn't mattered. The Axis powers, along with Zalika, were losing the war at a quickening pace so Zalika cut his loses. He killed Adolf and his wife and framed it as a suicide. It was believable and nobody asked any questions because the war appeared to be inevitably lost and the events seemed logical: his hand-picked lieutenants seeing the futility, defied his orders, he killed himself, it seemed logical." Dumbledore walked to Harry and sat down in a chair across from him. A desk no longer separated a student and his headmaster. Now what occupied the office were two Wizarding equals speaking of a war.
"Why tell me this, sir?"
"Albus, Harry." Dumbledore corrected, "I'm telling you this so you can understand something."
"And what would that be, Albus?" Harry asked
"That even the most promising people can become your worst enemy. But in that fact, perhaps your enemy could be come your greatest ally, it is in the choices we all make determines the out come."
Harry frowned. All of that when he could have just told him that in the first place?
"I know what you're thinking Harry, but I also told you this in order for you to understand Tom a little more." Dumbledore handed Harry the book in which he had pulled from his shelf, "Tom was an orphan just like Adolf but he strived for power just like Zalika. He wanted to prove that an accident of birth didn't mean he wasn't worthy of high power and world domination. He held a fury with every Muggle because of how his father abandoned him, and because of how he was treated while he grew up. Adolf developed this hatred when his mother died, when the Jewish Doctor couldn't save her. Even when Tom didn't know about his past and his heritage and Magic, he still hated muggles, he hated anybody that wasn't like him. And the way he saw it, that meant everybody, because he felt he was one of a kind, a gift from the heavens sent to do Gods work. To rid the world of people like his father."
"Why do I need to understand him?" Harry scowled, "I don't want to become his friend, I-"
"He already thinks he knows you, Harry. He thinks you may feel like he does because of how you grew up, an orphan whom nobody wanted. Tell me Harry, is that not how you felt?" Dumbledore frowned sadly as Harry abruptly stood up
"What are you on about, old man?" Harry demanded
"I want to know, Harry. How did you feel when you were younger?"
"How would you feel?" Harry asked scathingly, "If you where locked in a cupboard for days at a time? Being a punching bag and a slave for 10 years of you life? What do you want me to say? That no matter what my Aunt did I wanted to believe deep down she loved me?"
"Yes that is what I wanted you to say, that is what you need to understand."
Harry crossed his arms confused but still peeved at Dumbledore; this wasn't turning out to be his day. First Snape, then Hermione and Ron, now he had to listen to Dumbledore sprout out nonsense.
"Tom hated the way he grew up and never once thought about love, never wished for it like you had. He doesn't know that you did for that matter. He thinks you resented them as much as he resented his father for abandoning him. He chose you because he felt that both of you where two peas in a pod. Both of you were born half-bloods, both were orphans and both of you grew up not knowing about the world you belonged to before you where shipped off to live with unloving Muggles. He thinks that he can bring you to his side because of these facts. He feels he can show you the light of darkness. Just because he cannot truly understand you, that does not mean you cannot understand him. It just may be the way that you defeat him in the end." Dumbledore picked up the book which Harry tossed aside when he had stood, "This book was written by Adolf Hitler in his confinement, all about his life and prejudices." He handed it back to Harry. "Just look through it. You don't need to read it."
Harry nodded, "Okay."
"I heard from Professor Flitwick you were in a right state this afternoon," Dumbledore commented watching Harry closely.
Harry shrugged and walked to the window, "I don't want talk about it." He muttered
Dumbledore frowned, "It's not good to keep it all bottled up, Harry."
"I'm not bottling anything up, I don't even know why I'm upset, maybe Malfoy's right and I am moody."
"Mr. Malfoy being right?" Dumbledore asked, "Now I'm positive something is bothering you."
"Hermione and Ron are dating." Harry shrugged, "Its not like I'm jealous or anything its just… It changes everything."
Dumbledore walked up to Harry and placed his hand on Harry's shoulder, "or maybe, it won't change anything."
Harry shook his head stubbornly, "No, it will. Everything between us will change."
"You mean between all of you right? Not just between you and Miss Granger?"
"Of course that's what I meant!" Harry growled angrily
"But I don't think it is, I think you may have feelings for her. Maybe you are, perhaps, Jealous? After all, you seem rather defensive about her and Mr. Weasley seeing one another besides as friends."
Harry shrugged of Dumbledore's shoulder, "You're wrong." He said coldly
Dumbledore sighed and walked to his desk and picked up a bag and handed it to Harry dropping the subject, "Here. These are for you."
Harry raised an eyebrow and pulled a pair of sweat pants from the bag that were black and had Hogwarts written downward on the sides of the legs in red. "What the hell are these?" he demanded.
"These are your clothes you are required to wear during our meetings." Harry pulled out a t-shirt that displayed Hogwarts name also and then a sweatshirt.
"Why?" he asked, eyeing the clothing distastefully.
"Because, we will be covering everything from martial arts to dueling in our lessons, starting Monday. I can't have you training in robes, now can I?" the old headmaster responded simply, "Also, every morning you will join me along the lake to run."
"Excuse me? Why on earth will we be running?"
"You Harry, not me. And because, you may be good in dueling and sorts but incase of you coming up short, you will need the physical strength to run away. Don't give me that look," Dumbledore said seriously to Harry who looked like he just eaten a lemon, "I know how you feel about running way, but you need to learn that some times it is necessary. Also, you need to have physical strength along with mental strength. If some how your magic fails you, you may need to fight physically and you may have the upper hand. You can't always rely on Magic, as you very well know, with learning how to use your sword."
Harry looked reproachfully at his uniform. "So I have to start running on Monday? What time?"
"5 a.m. sharp. And you start tomorrow, not Monday."
Harry nodded still looking at his clothes. "Is this why you where in a Muggle town?"
"Yes, my friend runs an athletic store. Like I said, he'll be attending some meetings as well as teaching you martial arts." Harry looked out the window once more and noticed the sky had darkened.
"Well, we should get to dinner. I'll let you leave so you can put away the things I gave you. I'll see you tomorrow at 5, make sure to get a good nights sleep. Don't be late."
Harry gave a curt nod and walked out of the office. He made it half way down the hall before deciding not to attend dinner.
Harry dropped his things off in his room, grabbed his sword and made his way to the room of the requirement.
Harry looked around the room, nothing but a dummy with a sword. Harry nodded and swung his sword with frustration as the dummy jumped to life and started to battle with Harry. After 20 minutes Harry gave a frustrated yell and decapitated the dummy, letting the head dropped and rolled across the floor and the body dropped heavily along with it.
Harry sighed and sank to the floor, "I'm not jealous," he said determinedly to the empty room and the decapitated dummy, "I'm not."
-ROTGL-
29 Pages people. It was 30 but I cut some stuff out of it so I hope you like it. Please tell me what you think, anything at all that was bad, OR GOOD I rather like hearing what you all think. Are you okay with the way H/HR is coming along? Are you not? I'm thinking of having a chat room talk to anser anything you want to know. Maybe a few spoilers. Tell me if you'd be interested. Also, some of these words are REALLY big. I'm so proud of myself. Most of them are vocabulary words from my Advance English Class. :-D SO yeah, hope you like it and sorry for the LOOOOOONG Wait, won't happen again I hope. Already working on chapter 18