Disclaimer: I own none of the things you already know of.
Harry Potter and the Smallest Change.
Chapter 52. Fifth Year, Part 9. 1996.
Harry woke up as a House-Elf shook him in his bed.
He groaned and rolled over, he'd had a long day and it had only been an hour or so since he'd bid Fleur goodnight on their mirrors.
The House-Elf continued to shake him, and Harry groaned as sleep faded from his mind. He met the little creature's big eyes.
'What is it?' Harry asked, his voice barely more than a grunt.
'Young Master Potter sir, your friend Miss Granger needs your helps, sir.' The House-Elf said in a low, yet still squeaky, voice.
Harry blinked and frowned as hid mind struggled to catch up to its usual speed.
'Hermione? What's wrong?' he asked as he rubbed sleep from his eyes with one hand.
'She is outside the Hufflepuff dorm room. She has been cryings, sir.' The little creature explained, and Harry nodded.
'Thank you, what was your name again?' Harry asked and the House-Elf's eyed grew wide.
'Oh no, me's be Plomb, sir.' It said.
Harry frowned.
'Plomb?' he asked, and the House-Elf nodded with a wide smile.
Harry shrugged; he'd never met a House-Elf whose name didn't end with a 'Y'.
'Thank you for the message then, Plomb.' Harry said and the little creature popped away.
Harry groaned and ran his hands through his hair. He wondered what Hermione wanted at this hour. It must be important.
Harry stood and moved to his trunk. He rooted around for a few seconds until he found his Basilisk hide armour that he'd had made for himself and Fleur after their previous year at Hogwarts. He'd used Fleur's contacts with the Goblins to have the Basilisk corpse from his second year rendered. The proceeds from the Basilisk had gone into Crocus Incorporated.
He pulled the Basilisk armour out of the trunk and hurried to remove his pyjamas. Harry struggled to wriggle into the chest piece, which once it was on, shrunk until it formed what was almost a second skin covering his torso. Over the top of the skin-tight torso armour, he wore his training gear, a muggle style black tracksuit. Then he tossed on a thick Basilisk hide long-jacket over the top.
The jacket looked like a warm woollen jacket, common to muggles across the world, but the inner lining was Basilisk hide and would protect him from physical and magical harm.
Finally, he put on a heavy pair of boots that Fleur had picked for him, she'd said they made him look dangerous.
Harry looked down at himself and only saw a young man who could blend in with muggles on the streets of London, or Paris.
He shrugged.
Harry hoped he was overreacting, and that Hermione simply had a purely academic issue she wanted to talk over.
But he doubted it.
Harry left his trunk on his bed and warded everything before he left his dorm room and hurried through the Hufflepuff common room.
He climbed out into the corridor and saw Hermione pacing back and forth beside the wall, muttering to herself.
Harry moved to her and took her shoulders.
'Hermione, what's wrong?' he asked, his voice a whisper.
She jerked back, away from him for a moment, before she sighed in relief.
'Neville had a dream.' She blurted, and Harry frowned.
'Okay…' Harry quirked an eyebrow, and she looked down at her feet.
She looked up and met his curious gaze.
'This dream was about V-Voldemort. That He has Neville's Gran in the Department of Mysteries and is torturing her.' Hermione said.
Harry groaned.
'Okay, this is obviously a trap. Tell me everything.' He said, and she nodded.
'Neville has already left, along with Ron and Ginny.' She said.
Her breaths came fast, too fast.
She was hyperventilating, panicking.
'Hermione, look at me.' Harry said and her breathing increased as she stared at his chest, or rather through it.
'Hermione, I need you to look at me.' He ordered to no response.
Harry growled and looked around the corridor.
'Damn it Hermione.' He muttered and looked into her eyes.
Harry gave her a soft shake, nothing.
He shook her harder.
Nothing.
'Oh my god the libraries on fire.' He hissed in her ear, pointing down the corridor.
She blinked and followed his pointed finger, then turned back and glared at him.
Her breathing slowly returned to normal.
'That was not funny.' She said, and he shrugged.
'It was that or slap you and I'd rather not do that.' He said, and her glare grew more intense.
Harry rolled his eyes.
'You were telling me about Neville leaving with the others. Why did they leave you?' he asked.
Hermione's glare disappeared, and she looked lost.
'I told them not to go.' She whispered, and Harry nodded.
'Which they should have listened to. But what happened next?' he asked, and she blinked away a tear.
'Neville shouted at me in the common room, he told me I didn't understand, that Voldemort was going to kill his Gran. He screamed that he was going and that I couldn't stop him. Then he stormed out of the common room and the others followed him.' She whispered.
'A minute later, I tried to find them, but they were gone. They're on their way to the Department of Mysteries, that place Neville dreamt of the snake that bit Mister Weasley at Christmas.' She said.
Harry nodded.
'Okay. I'll handle it. Thank you for telling me.' He said and ran a hand down his face.
'I'm coming with you.' She declared.
Harry shook his head.
'Please stay here.' He said, and she shook her head.
'No. I will never forgive myself if something happens and I'm not there to protect those two idiots.' She said and Harry sighed.
'Fine. But we need to hurry.' Harry said and strode away from the Hufflepuff common room, headed toward the entrance hall.
Harry pulled out his Potter family mirror.
'James Potter.' He said, and a few seconds later, a bleary-eyed James Potter peered at him in the mirror.
'Harry? What's wrong?' he asked.
'Dad, Neville Longbottom is on his way to the Department of Mysteries and is walking into a trap. He believes Voldemort has Augusta Longbottom and is torturing her.' Harry said as he strode down the corridor.
'What?' James asked.
'Neville has Ronald and Ginny Weasley with him. I believe they are mounting a misguided rescue attempt. Remember what I told you about Neville's connection to Voldemort through his scar?' Harry asked and James blinked.
'Yes, we do dear.' Said Lily as she pushed her head into view of the mirror.
'Good, I believe that Voldemort has used that connection somehow to draw Neville there for some reason that I haven't figured out yet.' Harry said.
James coughed.
'Thanks kiddo, we'll call the cavalry and take it from here.' James said and Harry shook his head.
'I'm already on my way. I hope Aunt Amy is going to be ready for a fight if this doesn't go well.' Harry said and James sighed.
'Yeah, me too, kiddo. See you soon.' James said, and the mirror faded to black.
Harry hurried to tuck away the mirror in his jacket and pulled out his mirror linked to Fleur.
'Fleur Delacour.' He said, and a few seconds later, Fleur's angelic face appeared in the mirror.
''Arry? What is wrong?' she said, her voice showing the only sign of how tired she must have been.
'Neville Longbottom is walking into a trap in the Department of Mysteries. I'm on my way to stop him, and both Mum and Dad are on their way. Are you able to join me?' he asked.
Harry strode through the entrance hall and out into the frigid Scottish night air.
'Of course, I'll meet you at the Ministry apparition point my love.' She said, and the mirror went dark.
Harry picked up his pace toward the ward line surrounding the school.
'Are you sure you want to come? This will be dangerous. No-one will think less of you if you stay.' He said, not slowing his pace or looking at Hermione.
She glared at him.
'I have to go.' She said, and Harry nodded.
They weren't far from the ward line.
A few metres away, Harry paused and turned back to the school. He fired a messenger Patronus, toward where he knew the Headmaster's office was, earning a confused frown from Hermione.
'Just in case he wants to help us out at the Ministry.' Harry said, and her look morphed into a frown.
'But what was that?' she asked.
Harry blinked.
'Oh, it's a form of the Patronus charm used to send verbal messages to another person.' He said, and she cocked her head.
'My dad taught me over the summer. I'll explain it later, we've got to go.' He said, and she nodded.
'How are we getting there?' Hermione asked and Harry strode over the ward line and once they were through it, he smiled at her and took her hands in his.
'Like this.' He said.
They both disappeared with a deafening crack.
Harry appeared at the Ministry apparition point with Hermione, who immediately fell to her knees and dry retched.
'Sorry about that, I forgot how first time Apparition is hard on the stomach.' Harry said and helped her up.
She glared at him, then froze as she noticed the others around them.
Harry turned as Fleur wrapped him in a tight embrace.
'I missed you.' He whispered, and she squeezed him tighter.
Fleur wore the same outfit as Harry, right down to the heavy boots.
A cough distracted Harry, and he turned to see his parents, along with Sirius and Remus, stood nearby.
'Don't we have pressing business here?' James asked, and Harry nodded.
'Amy is summoning the Aurors, and they'll be the cavalry to come save us if something goes wrong.' Sirius said.
'The Order of the Phoenix will arrive soon as well. So, we should hurry to save your friends from this trap.' Remus added.
Harry nodded and took Fleur's hand.
'Thank you all for coming on short notice.' Harry said and Lily smiled at him.
'We're just lucky that Hermione here thought to warn you instead of just going along with her friends.' Lily said.
Hermione blushed and Fleur rubbed her back.
Harry turned to his mother.
'Mum, where is the Department of Mysteries?' he asked, and she sighed.
'Who else knew that I used to work there? I thought it was supposed to be a secret?' she groaned and everyone but Hermione raised their hands.
Lily turned to Fleur.
'You too?' she asked, and Fleur pointed at Sirius.
'Your dog is not good with secrets.' She said and Sirius huffed.
'Last time I tell you the juicy gossip about the family, traitor.' Sirius muttered.
Lily glared at him.
Harry strode into the Atrium, Fleur on one side while his mother took the other. He frowned as he looked around the empty area. There weren't even guards or janitors in the Atrium, it was empty, and silent.
He whispered close to Fleur's ear.
'Could Neville really be so stupid as to not realise this is a trap?' said Harry.
Fleur rolled her eyes and smiled at him.
'Not everybody can be 'Arry Potter.' She whispered and kissed his nose.
A cough came from behind and Harry turned to see James wore a tiny smirk on his otherwise grim face.
Lily and James took the lead of their group and moved toward the lifts. Behind them, Harry and Fleur shifted to box Hermione in between them while Sirius and Remus walked in the back of the group.
The seven entered the lift.
'Level nine.' Lily said, and the elevator gave a soft ping.
Sirius shifted in place at the front of the lift.
'Is this a bad time to mention-' he started.
'Padfoot, no elevator jokes. Just no.' James groaned, and Remus chuckled beside Sirius.
Sirius pouted.
'Come on, one of these days you'll let me make the joke.' He whined.
'Sure, next time. We're busy right now.' James said and Sirius huffed.
'You guys are no fun.' Sirius said.
Lily laughed.
'Sirius, you're facing the other way, we can't see you pouting.' she said.
Sirius turned and beamed at her.
'But you knew I was doing it.' He said.
'Padfoot, focus.' Muttered Remus.
Sirius sighed.
'Fine, keep your eyes peeled, people. Let's lock and load and stay frosty and all that.' Sirius said as he drew his wand.
James groaned and facepalmed.
'We are never letting you watch movies with us again.'
The lift gave a soft ding.
'Department of Mysteries.' Declared the voice of the elevator.
Immediately, the banter of the adults died, and the group filed out of the elevator, their wands drawn.
Harry stepped out of the lift and noted the black tiled walls that, unlike the rest of the Ministry, didn't have windows. It seemed the Department of Mysteries was content to let you know you were deep underground.
In front of them lay a long corridor, lit by torches which glowed with blue-white flames. At the end of the corridor stood a single door. On his right, some stairs led to courtroom ten.
Harry blinked as he realised the emergency hearing had only been the day before.
It felt like it had been longer.
Lily moved to the front of the group and turned to meet each of their eyes.
'No-one should speak. Just follow my lead.' She whispered.
Harry nodded, along with the others.
Lily led the group toward the door at the end of the corridor and pulled it open. She entered the next room, and the others followed her.
As Harry entered, he held in a gasp. It was an entrance chamber, with a dark marble floor, it looked almost like standing water. The room was large and circular, lit by candles on the walls, which bathed the room in a cool blue light.
Harry shivered; the room was eery.
Evenly spaced around the circular room were twelve handleless doors, like hours on a clock.
Once Remus shut the door behind them, Lily turned to Hermione.
'Is there anything else that Neville told you about what was happening in his vision?' she asked in a whisper.
Hermione blinked and frowned.
'Neville said the vision took place in a room filled with silver spheres. Is that helpful?' Hermione asked.
Lily sighed and nodded. She took a deep breath.
'Hall of Prophecies.' She said, a clear note of command in her voice.
The door in the three o'clock position to them opened and Lily led the group through and into a room like Hermione described.
It was dark, silent, and filled with shelves. It was almost like a library, but instead of books, each shelf held dozens of glowing silver spheres.
As Harry walked through the doorway, a chill ran down his body.
Opposite him, he saw another door and the Hall of Prophecies went off to the right.
Once inside, Harry heard a voice he knew well. He'd heard the voice many times through his childhood at Ministry sponsored events he'd had to attend as Heir Potter. Most recently he'd heard the voice speak in a monotone as it had been questioned under Veritaserum.
Lucius Malfoy.
Harry frowned and shared a glance with Fleur. Lucius Malfoy was supposed to be in Azkaban after the emergency hearing the day before.
Harry met James' eye and his father nodded.
Harry put a hand on Hermione's shoulder. She looked at him with wide eyes and he gestured to stay behind him. She nodded.
Fleur took her place on Hermione's other side, in the centre of the adults. James and Lily stood in front of the group while Sirius and Remus monitored the door they'd entered through.
Lucius Malfoy towered over Neville, who held a silver sphere in his hand.
'Give me the sphere, Longbottom. If you don't, your pet Weasley's will die, and the world will be better off.' Lucius snarled. He pointed his wand to Neville's right, where Ginny stood.
Neville glared at the Malfoy Lord.
'I'll never hand it over to you.' Neville snapped and as one, three stunners flashed toward Lucius.
Harry quashed the groan that wanted to escape. He'd taught them to never use Stunners in deadly situations.
James and Lily both fired spells at Lucius in that instant.
Lucius deflected the Stunners and leapt out of the way of the spells fired by James and Lily with centimetres to spare.
A moment later, the Hall of Prophecies exploded into action.
Death Eaters, who had until then been hiding behind the shelves of Prophecies, burst out and fired a volley of spells at Harry's group.
Harry wandlessly summoned Neville, and used his wand to summon Ronald, while Fleur summoned Ginny beside him.
The three teens flew through the air, avoiding spells sent by the Death Eaters which passed through where they had been standing a moment before.
Hermione leapt at Ronald, catching him, and his momentum sent them both to the marble floor. Harry stopped Neville in the air and let him down on his feet with his wandless magic.
'Stay behind us, Brother.' Harry growled as he pushed Neville behind him and shielded what looked like an Entrail Explosion Curse as Fleur caught Ginny.
'Fall back.' James called from the front of the group.
Harry pushed Neville backward, toward the door they'd entered through. He deflected a sloppy Piercing Hex and felt his lip curl.
He still had nightmares sometimes about that hex. They always showed what his hex had done the night of the Third Task.
Harry growled, deep in his throat at his distraction, and fired a Bone Breaker at one of many masked Death Eaters in front of him. The figure dropped to the floor a moment later with a shattered leg.
The door behind them exploded.
Seconds later, Death Eaters streamed in through the door like a nest of enraged ants. One figure stood in the front of the group, a hulking man who wore tattered robes that clung tight to his body. The hulking, brutish man snarled, and sounded more like a beast than a man.
Fenrir Greyback.
Harry felt a thrill of fear from his childhood clutch at his heart for a moment, before it was overwhelmed with anger at seeing the monster again.
Surrounded on both sides, the ten formed a circle with Neville, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione in the middle.
Harry conjured animals to intercept a flurry of Killing and Crucio Curses and shielded the others. His actions were replicated by the others in the group.
From the opposite side of the Hall of Prophecies, a door burst open, and the Order of the Phoenix filed in, led by Mad-Eye Moody. The Order set to work attacking the Death Eaters led by Lucius.
James batted away an orange spell and leant in close to Harry.
'You and Fleur have to get the kids to safety, get them to the Atrium. We'll provide cover.' James hissed, and Harry nodded.
He turned to Fleur, and she nodded to show she understood James' instructions.
Harry turned around to face Neville, whose face was pale and covered in sweat.
'Okay guys, follow Fleur and me. We'll get you to safety.' Harry said.
Hermione nodded, echoed by Ginny. Hermione elbowed Neville, who nodded, followed finally by Ronald.
James blocked a Killing Curse with a flock of birds.
'Now.' He shouted and as one, the three Marauders, and Lily, fired a barrage of spells at the Death Eaters who stood in the doorway to the spinning entrance hall.
Harry leapt up and ran toward the door he'd seen when he entered and opened it. Another room lay beyond and, not seeing any Death Eaters inside with a cursory glance, Harry turned back to Fleur.
'Fleur, this way.' Harry called.
Fleur spun and saw the open door; she took hold of Ronald's collar as he stared at her with a blank look.
'Go through the door, hurry.' She hissed.
Ginny and Hermione both took hold of Ronald and dragged him away.
Neville followed behind and Fleur was the last one through the door.
As Harry stepped through the doorway, a strange chilling sensation passed through him again, like when he'd entered the Hall of Prophecies the first time. It was like walking through an arctic breeze, but once he was into the new room, it faded.
All sound from the other side of the door disappeared. It didn't fade, or just get quieter, it just wasn't there anymore.
Harry looked around. The room was huge. In the centre of the room stood a great black arch. Blackness, was the only thing on the other side. As Harry looked at it, the blackness in the archway rippled like water disturbed by a fish beneath its surface.
Harry shook himself and noted that the rest of the room looked like an ancient stadium, with raised seats surrounding the arch on all sides. It was lit with a weak white light from an unknown source.
The seats consisted of eight levels and Harry wondered for a moment what the room was for. He also wondered how the doors worked. Normal doors didn't make you cold as you moved through them.
Neville stared at the black archway, drawing confused looks from Hermione and Ronald, who stopped with him.
'Can you guys hear that?' Neville whispered.
'Hear what?' Hermione asked.
'There's people inside that thing.' Neville whispered as he took a step toward the archway.
'What are you talking about? There's nothing in there, there can't be anything, it's just an archway. Neville, let's get out of here.' Hermione said and took hold of Neville's wrist.
Neville shook himself. He turned to Hermione and nodded.
Harry led the four other students through the room, toward another doorway, the only other exit he could see in the room. Fleur moved at the rear of the group and kept a close eye on their surroundings.
Harry froze five metres from the door as it opened.
Bellatrix Lestrange stepped through it into the chamber with a crazed grin. Her wild eyes flitted over the others in the group before they rested on Fleur in the rear.
'Oh, pretty little bird. I know about you; how would you enjoy the attentions of my husband and his brother? I can't stand them, but who am I to judge the preferences of deviant little birdies? I know what your people do out of the public eye.' The black-haired woman said.
Her violet eyes shone with madness.
Fleur's gaze hardened.
''Arry, lead the others out. This one is mine.' Fleur said.
Harry quirked an eyebrow.
'You sure?' he asked, and Fleur nodded.
Harry turned to Bellatrix, ignoring the incredulous expressions of the others in the room.
'Fleur will take care of you. I have bigger fish to deal with.' Harry said.
Bellatrix cackled with glee. Then fired a Crucio at Harry.
Harry conjured a flock of birds. One of them fell to the ground, twitching.
'Run.' Harry called and moved toward the door.
Bellatrix leapt aside to dodge a Piercing Hex from Fleur.
'I am your opponent. I will allow no harm to my beloved and no-one insults my family.' Fleur snarled.
Bellatrix cackled with delight and a moment later, fired a stream of spells at Fleur, who matched the crazed witch spell for spell.
Harry ran to the door and opened it, waving for the others to go through. Once Neville and the others were through, Harry fired an Explosion Hex at Bellatrix and moved through the door. He ignored the icy chill that passed through him.
He closed the door behind him.
As soon as the door closed, silence filled the room he found himself in, the entrance hall with a dozen doors.