Disclaimer: I own none of the things you already know of.
Harry Potter and the Smallest Change.
Chapter 06. First Year Part 3. 1992.
The trip on the express had been uneventful with Susan, Hannah and Daphne joining him in the cabin. The four discussed their holidays in peace and arrived at the castle with the rest of the students.
During the welcoming Feast, Harry noticed Neville clutch the scar on his forehead as he stared up at the staff table. But otherwise, the day passed without issue.
After the Feast, Harry lay in his bed in the Hufflepuff dorms. Held above him was a letter from Fleur that he'd read a few times already. It had been waiting on his desk when he arrived. He assumed a House-Elf took it from Hedwig when she returned from her trip to France, while he was still on the train.
Dear Harry,
I enjoyed the ball a great deal. You never told me you could dance that well; I was expecting to have sore feet or have to cover up your missteps.
Thank you for introducing me to your friends and for standing up for me. I am sorry you had to do that; their initial rejection reminded me of how my old friends abandoned me.
Why did you never tell me you want to pursue enchanting like me? I think you will be great. I adore the necklace you gave me. Did you have help with it from your mother? My parents think it is wonderful work.
Your sister Holly reminds me of my sister, Gabrielle. Though, much to my disgust, Gabrielle is obsessed with your Boy-Who-Lived.
You are a true friend Harry, one that I am proud and honoured to have.
Fleur.
Harry smiled as he tucked the letter away inside the book on Veela she'd given him. He'd already replied to her letter, and he would read the book on the weekend. But until then, he needed to get some sleep.
The next few months passed quickly for Harry and before he knew it, it was time for finals. Harry was one of the few Hufflepuffs to be confident. Though his confidence largely came from having close to nine months of extra time to study and train thanks to the Room of Requirement. He was mostly done with second year material in his self-study in addition to his training.
He sat in the library with Susan and Hannah. It was a Wednesday night, and the three were revising for their Charms' final the next day.
Harry noticed Hermione enter the library. He had seen little of her since the Troll incident, she'd been book ended by Neville and Ron since then and neither boy was fond of Harry.
Hermione pushed Neville in front of her while Ron trailed behind her, the three of them under the watchful gaze of Madame Pince.
After what looked like a torturous journey through the library, Neville stopped in front of Harry, not meeting his gaze.
'Potter-' he flinched as Hermione's elbow shot into his ribs.
'Harry. Can I speak to you in private?' Neville asked, he sounded like it was the last thing he wanted to do.
Harry quirked an eyebrow and looked at Hermione, who was biting her lip, a sure sign she was nervous.
Harry shrugged and turned back to Susan and Hannah, who watched in silence.
'I'll be back soon.' He said and stood, following the three Gryffindors out of the library.
Once out in the corridor, Harry leant against the wall and watched the three with care. He raised his eyebrows at Neville, waiting for the Boy-Who-Lived to begin.
Hermione nudged Neville again with her elbow and he sighed.
'You're beyond me in classes and magic in general. It's clear to everybody.' Neville admitted.
Harry frowned, waiting for Neville to continue, which he did after another elbow from Hermione.
'Damn it, Hermione, stop that.' He hissed before looking into Harry's eyes.
'We need your help.' Neville admitted.
'What do you need my help with?' Harry asked, but his eyes were on Hermione. The question was clear to the boys, 'Why does Hermione need my help?'.
Neville scowled before being elbowed again.
'We need your help to protect the Philosopher's Stone. Snape is going after it as we speak.' Neville hissed, glancing around to make sure they weren't overheard.
'Hermione demanded we bring you along because you're brilliant. You're the best in our year and the only one who's not a Professor who could beat a Troll.' Neville growled.
'Why don't you talk to a Professor, or the Aurors about this?' Harry asked and Neville scowled.
'We already went to old McGonagall, she ignored us. We can't find the Aurors, apparently they left with the Headmaster.' Said Ron.
'But we know its Snape and he is going there now. Choose right now, come with us or not. Either way we're going.' Neville hissed.
Harry sighed and looked at Hermione's worried gaze.
'I'll go with you.' Harry said, looking at Hermione, again making it clear who he was going for.
'But I need to go tell Susan to take my stuff back to the dorms, I'll be just a moment.' Harry said, leaving the three Gryffindors in the corridor.
He walked through the library and leaned over his chair, he met the gaze of both girls.
'Those three are about to do something really dumb, and I'm trying to keep them alive. I need you two to go to Sprout and Flitwick. Tell them that those three are going to protect the Philosopher's Stone from Professor Snape.' Harry declared, and the girls stared at him.
'Yes, I know it sounds dumb. But please, get the Professors there as soon as possible. I'll slow them down as much as I can.' Harry said, and both girls nodded.
'Oh, and take my stuff back with you?' Harry asked, and Hannah scoffed.
'Just go before they leave you behind.' Hannah said and shooed him away.
He joined the three Gryffindors in the corridor outside the library and followed them to the third floor where Neville led them to a perfectly normal looking door. Except Harry heard music drifting through the door, and the sound of heavy breathing.
'We're here.' Neville said.
Harry looked at Hermione, who was chewing on her lip.
'What do you know of what is on the other side of that door?' Harry asked.
'A giant bloody dog is what's on the other side.' Ron hissed.
Harry blinked and turned toward Neville, quirking an eyebrow.
'It's Hagrid's pet Cerberus, named Fluffy.' Neville supplied.
Harry let out a deep breath.
'A Cerberus?' Harry asked. They nodded.
'Named Fluffy?' Harry continued.
More nods.
Harry sighed.
'Did Hagrid tell you anything about his demon dog?' He asked.
Hermione gasped, drawing looks from her two friends.
'Hagrid said that music will put it to sleep.' Hermione breathed.
'Who else knew?' Harry asked, and they shook their heads.
He raised his eyebrows at them.
'I can hear something.' He said.
The three Gryffindors glanced at each other before Hermione groaned.
'I've been far too distracted lately. I'm an idiot.' She sighed. Neville stared at her.
Harry rolled his eyes.
'You two boys are slowing her down.' Harry sighed. The two boys scowled at him.
Harry pointed at the door they could hear the music playing through. Neville gasped, followed a few moments later by Ron.
Harry patted Hermione's shoulder.
'Fluffy should be asleep if you can trust Hagrid.' Harry said, and Neville moved to open the door.
Behind the door, a massive three-headed dog slept, a Cerberus.
The four entered the rather small room and Harry pointed at a trap door near the Cerberus' front paws. Hermione smiled at him.
As the two other boys opened the trap door, Harry turned a sad look at the three-headed giant dog. They had trapped it in this room, barely big enough for it to stand for who knows how long.
'Harry.' whispered Hermione and Harry turned to see the two boys had already gone down the trap door.
Harry nodded and followed.
Neville got them through the Devils' Snare without issue, apart from Ron freaking out a little.
The next room saw Ron running toward the broom.
'Stop.' Harry hissed, and Ron froze.
'Hermione, which key do you think we need?' Harry said as his emerald eyes narrowed up at the keys fluttering above them.
'Um, there, that one. It has got a damaged wing.' She pointed up at a rather ornate looking key with a bent wing.
Harry sighed and used his wandless magic to pull the damaged key to him, something he'd been able to do since he was a little kid. Key in hand, he gave it to Hermione, who opened the door to the next room.
Once they walked into the next room, Harry remembered he was trying to slow them down.
He sighed, and admitted to himself that he was having too much fun. This room was dedicated to a massive chess board and Harry watched Ron play a remarkable game of chess.
The red head struggled to win the match without risking any of the four pieces that they were standing in for, but ultimately sacrificed himself to win the game.
Hermione rushed to Ron's side, along with Neville as the boy lay unconscious.
'Does anyone know any healing magic?' Harry asked, and the two shook their heads.
Harry sighed and made a mental note to add healing magic into his weekend training regime.
'Okay, well, we can't help him then. We'll have to move on to the next room, unless you want to give up? We can get him to the Hospital Wing if we turn back?' Harry asked, and Neville glared at him.
'Coward. You just want to run away.' Neville snarled.
Harry sighed.
'I'm giving you the facts Brother. We can leave and take him to the Hospital Wing, or we can move ahead and leave him here.' Harry said, eyebrows raised.
Neville growled.
'Enough.' Hermione hissed.
'He has a pulse, so I think he's just knocked out, he'll be fine for us to leave him here.' She continued, and Neville's jaw clenched before he stood and stomped toward the next room.
Harry put a hand on Hermione's shoulder.
'You, okay?' he asked, and she sighed.
'How did we get ourselves into this mess?' She muttered before moving along behind Neville.
Harry shrugged and moved behind her. He froze as he stepped into the next room to see a dead Mountain Troll in the centre of the room. Blood covered the far wall of the room and a football sized hole oozed blood onto the stone floor from the creature.
Harry stared at the corpse of the Mountain Troll, but unlike the one he killed, someone had killed this one through its magic resistant skin. A feat far beyond anything he could yet do. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and felt a cold sweat form as he considered the power required to murder a Troll with such obvious power.
Neville moved through to the next room, followed by Hermione and a thoughtful Harry.
The room had a desk with a riddle and a selection of potions in vials lined up nearby. Behind the desk burned a wall of fire. Hermione stepped forward, and after reading the riddle, pointed at one potion.
'This one will get us through the fire.' She said. Then Neville moved forward and drank the whole thing.
Harry rolled his eyes.
'Go back and care for Ronald. I'll try to keep Neville from doing anything too stupid.' Harry murmured and Hermione gave him a long look before nodding.
Harry cast a Flame Freezing Charm on the wall of fire and walked through it.
Neville stared at him in disbelief.
'This is my destiny, Potter. I am supposed to be the hero. I am the Boy-Who-Lived.' Neville snarled.
'You are just a lesser son of a fallen House. You have no business being here.' Neville ranted while Harry just sighed.
Four figures rushed through the still frozen flames, and Neville stared at them in shock. Professors Snape, McGonagall, Sprout and Flitwick all moved to stand in front of the two first-year students.
'Thank you for coming so quickly, Professors. Somebody is in the next room where they shouldn't be.' Harry said and Sprout moved to place a hand on his shoulder.
'You two stay put. We'll take care of it from here.' Professor Sprout said with a small smile.
She turned and together, the four Professors entered the next room.
Neville glared daggers at Harry.
'You betrayed us, traitor.' Neville snarled and Harry laughed.
'I just saved your life. Whoever is in the next room isn't Snape, and they killed a Troll through its thick hide. We wouldn't stand a chance against them.' Harry explained.
The castle shook as loud crashes and bangs came from the next room. A scream of pain echoed through the closed door, and Neville paled.
Harry quirked an eyebrow at the other boy as the castle shook again. A crack appeared in the stone wall between their room and the next one.
Neville gulped; his face white.
The shaking settled.
'Neville, go flip that table over and get behind it in case they lost.' Harry ordered, and Neville turned wide eyes on him.
'Go.' Harry hissed, and Neville scurried over to the table, pushed it over and hid behind it.
Harry moved beside the door, ready to ambush anyone who came through.
A few tense, silent minutes passed until the door opened and Flitwick limped through the door. Harry let out a sigh of relief.
Behind Flitwick came Sprout, who clutched her right arm to her side.
After Sprout came a levitated Quirrell, the man was stunned and bound in tight ropes.
Before Harry knew what was going on, a black mist tore free of the Defence Professor and circled him for a moment. The mist released a constant soul tearing scream as it floated in the air until it flew toward the exit, passing through Neville as he stood from his hiding spot and pointed his wand at the screaming mist.
Neville dropped to the floor, unconscious, as the black mist escaped.
After the incident regarding the Philosopher's Stone, Harry went back to the Hufflepuff dorms and filled Susan and Hannah in on the adventure.
A week passed by until Hermione cornered him in the library on the final night before they returned home for the summer.
She was pale and looked like she hadn't slept in a week. The bags under her eyes and her more-wild-than-normal hair spoke volumes about the stress she was under.
'Harry, can you please visit Neville in the Hospital Wing?' she said, her voice soft. Harry looked up from his book and met her gaze.
'Why would that be a good idea? You know he hates me for whatever reason.' Harry asked, and Hermione's gaze fell to her shoes.
'Something is wrong with him. His confidence and easy-going attitude are gone. I'm worried about him.' She whispered, and Harry sighed.
'Okay, I'll try to help him. But remember, whatever happens, it was your idea.' Harry muttered and closed his book.
He stood and returned the book to its shelf before moving to Hermione's side.
'Shall we go?' He asked, offering her his arm.
She smiled and looped her arm through his.
Ten minutes later, Harry entered the Hospital Wing. Hermione waited outside for him to give the two boys some privacy.
Harry moved to the end of Neville's bed and watched the Boy-Who-Lived shovel the mountains of sweets left for him in his mouth.
Neville paused and looked at Harry as he watched him. Harry wore a small smile as Neville lowered his gaze down to his crisp white blanket. He had to admit that he enjoyed how awkward Neville clearly felt.
Then Neville sighed.
'You're the better Wizard Potter. My Gran has had experts train me for the past few years in combat tactics and spells, even muggle exercise.' Neville growled, bitterness filling his voice.
'But even then, with all of that, I can't keep up with you. I can't even keep up with Hermione.' Neville admitted and slumped.
Harry sighed and took a seat at the end of the bed. Any amusement he'd felt from Neville's situation had shrivelled away to nothing.
'Don't worry about that. I have my reasons for working so hard. All you need to do is your best. No one can ask for more.' Harry said, and Neville gave a bitter sigh.
'Dumbledore told me earlier, he said that Voldemort isn't dead. He said that he would come back some day.' Neville said and Harry stared at him.
'I need to prepare for when that happens.' Neville continued, he straightened once more and met Harry's gaze.
Harry stood and nodded at the other boy.
'I will help you if that monster returns. House Potter will do what we can to stop him.' Harry said, and with a final nod, left the Hospital Wing.
He returned to the Hufflepuff common room to spend time with Susan and Hannah before they would return home the next day.
A/N: Thanks to Griffinhawk who asked why Hermione didn't get Neville to tell the Aurors. I just added a little bit saying the Aurors weren't at the school, like Dumbledore.