POTTER RESURGENCE

Chapter 9

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters beling to J. K. Rowling.

-PRPRPRPRPR-

July 31st 1993

Potter Manor

Harry slumped into the couch next to Hardwin feeling like he had been awake for a full week. He had just finished talking with the last of the guests and finally they had some family time.

"Was that the last of them, sweetie?" Lily asked as she brought them a small treacle tart cake. "How does one make so many friends in one year?"

"I wouldn't exactly call them friends." Harry said, taking a spoon and starting to enjoy his favorite dessert.

"Yeah, Harry doesn't do those." Hardwin hadn't bothered with a spoon. "Except for Luna, probably."

"Pandora's girl?" Lily asked from she was seated across the two as she watched them with a smile. "I didn't see her at the party."

"She off in Uganda with her father." Harry replied. "Apparently there were sightings of a crumple-horned snorkacks couple in some magical forest."

"I thought they're supposed to be found in Sweden." Lily asked.

"That's what they want you to believe."

"The publishers?" Hardwin asked and Lily shook he head.

"No, silly. The snorkhaks themselves."

"Oh. Right." Hardwin looked at the tow of them before he sighed. "You two are completely barmy."

"Well, if you consider me barmy then I should probably hold onto my present." Harry replied waving a small box in Hardwin's face.

"That's your potions box."

"You don't say." Harry drawled.

"I didn't know there were other gifts." Lily said, intrigued.

"Well, this one is kind of a joint gift for the three of us."

"Three?"

"Uh-huh." Harry said. He tapped the box and it enlarged to its normal size. He placed it on the table between the couches and opened it before he retrieved two vials containing brown potions. "How woud the two of you like to become Animagi?"

"No way." Hardwin breathed, looking at the vials like they contained the secrets of the universe.

"Yes way." Harry said handing one of the vials to Lily. "Why don't you go first, mom."

"Wait, there are only two vials." Lilly observed.

"They're for the both of you, me I already finished with my transformation." Harry replied and Lily just shook her head fondly at him while Hardwin gaped. "Alright then, go ahead and take the potion."

"This is probably not a good idea." Lily sighed. "I feel like I'm supposed to be the responsible adult and put a stop to this."

"Just take the potion, mom." Hardwin said impatiently. "There will be time for that later."

"Fine." She said before she looked at Harry. "What should I expect?"

"The potion will put you in a very deep trance. And as clique as it sounds, you will bond with your spirit animal." Harry explained. "If, not when but if you manage to bond with the spirit, it will trigger your first transformation. From there every time you want to transform, you simply can't upon your spirit."

"And what happens if I don't bond with my spirit?"

"You'll have to go through the normal method of Animagus training." Harry said. "After you recognize your form, you'll need to understand all there is about it and then learn to transform your body bit by bit until you can do a full transformation."

"And how long does that take exactly?" Hardwin asked.

"Years." Harry said sagely. "That's why most people don't even bother trying. Some don't even recognize their spirit animal when they're in trance."

"Wow." Hardwin said, no longer looking so sure. "That sounds disappointing."

"It is." Harry nodded. "But I'm very confident in the both of you."

"Alright, let's get this over with before I chicken out." Lilly took a deep breath and downed the potion. "I feel like I should have asked for side effects before taking the potion."

"Side effects for the potion or the transformation?" Harry asked even as Lily started nodding off.

"Transformation."

"Well, you're likely to periodically sink into your animal's base instincts even when you're in your human form." Harry explained. "But it will pass in a month or so. Enough time before we go to Hogwarts and you're called back to the Department of Mysteries."

"How...how do you know..about... department?" Lily mumbled sleepily.

"Are you really surprised mom?" Hardwin chuckled and Lily chuckled with him.

"No. Not really." And with that, she closed her eyes. Hardwin levitated her while Harry transfigured the table into a large yoga mat where Hardwin lowered her carefully.

"How long are we going to wait?"

"The time varies." Harry replied sinking into the couch next to Hardwin. "How long she takes to wake up will be determined by how long her confrontation with her animal spirit takes."

"So how exactly did you find out what mom did at the Ministry?"

"Well, it was simple deduction really. There aren't many jobs there that need someone as smart as her." Harry shrugged leaning back into the couch. "Not to mention dad is being kept in the Department of Mysteries. I imagined it was only natural that she would want to be as near to him as possible."

"That makes sense I guess." Hardwin nodded. "I doubt she is a full fledged Unspeakable though or she wouldn't be getting time off every summer and the holidays to be with us."

Harry just nodded.

"Anyway when did you even get time to make the potion?" Hardwin asked. "With you working with mom to get the TV to work on magic and then those muggle classes you've been taking, not to mention your muggle company."

"Well, Moony and Padfoot are the ones who got the majority of ingredients, all I had to do was make the potion and add a few modifications of my own to cater for your potion problems." Harry answered. "As for the company, Hermione's dad is running it with some board. All I do is make suggestions and wait for my money."

"So he gave up being a dentist?"

"Pretty much, yeah." He nodded. "He is quite the business man really. I wonder why he became a dentist in the first place."

"Maybe you should ask Hermione?"

"Oh really, and how I go about that?" Harry asked. "Hey Granger, why did your father become a dentist?' She would think I have some evil thing I'm planning."

Hardwin laughed imagining Hermione's face as she stared suspiciously at Harry. "Yeah, you're probably right."

"What are going to be doing for the next month before we go back to Hogwarts?" Hardwin asked and Harry hummed as he considered his answer.

"Well, I'll be training the two of you in your transformation and making sure you learn to separate yourselves from your base instincts." Harry said. "Can't have you mauling some of your most enthusiastic fans by accident in your human form."

"Mauling?" Hardwin asked with a smile, imagining how hilarious that would be."

"Well, you're the epitome of Gryffindor, I wouldn't be surprised if you turned out to be a lion or something close."

"Nah." Hardwin shook his head. "That's more your thing actually."

"How so?"

"Well felines are territorial, bloody scary when pissed off and very sneaky when they want to be." Hardwin said. "Generally smug little buggers really, and adorable lumps of fur around those they're comfortable with. That literally describes you, Harry."

"That's...pretty accurate, actually."

"Oh, I know." Hardwin grinned smugly before he glanced at Lily. "Hey look, she is stirring."

And sure enough, Lily or rather her body was stirring. She turned from where she had been lying on her side to her hands and knees.

Her hair seemed to merge with her neck which became longer, her clothes clung to her as her body lengthened while at the same time becoming more muscular. Her arms became thicker and her hands transformed into paws.

Two seconds later, her transformation was complete and she opened her eyes. Familiar emeralds with black pupils peered at them in confusion before she shook her head and the confusion was replaced by the love they were used to.

"Patience, self – esteem, flexibility, focus, selectivity, intensity, procrastination, activity, sight, progress, curiosity, intelligence, perception, adaptability and unconventional love." Harry listed as he knelt next to the majestic animal. "That pretty much describes you, Lily Potter."

"A cheeteh?" Hardwin asked, rubbing her behind her ears.

"Yes." Harry nodded. "And one of the top most protective animals of their children."

"Great, now it's my turn." Hardwin said as he made to down his potion but was stopped by Harry who snatched the vial from him. "Hey!"

"We need to get her to revert to her human form."

"Oh, right." Hardwin scratched his head sheepishly. "You wouldn't be knowing the Animagus-reversal spell?"

"I do but that's extremely uncomfortable and in some cases even painful." Harry replied. "We need to coax her back slowly, being in your form for the first time can be pretty...addictive. We are going to have to coax her, remind her of..."

Harry trailed off as the cheetah slowly started shifting and changing untill it was back to Lily. Lily turned to them and engulfed him in a bone-crushing hug. "Oh my God! That was so amazing! Thank you very much Harry."

"Right." Harry deadpanned as she showered him with kisses. "I guess normal rules don't apply to us Potters."

Without even acknowledging him, she leapt away from him and went back to the mat before transforming again. The cheetah pranced around for a few seconds before she stared at the door that led to the entrance hall. Harry immediately knew what she was planning and barely managed to tag her with a tracking charm before she disappeared through the door in a blur.

"Wow, she is fast." Hardwin commented and Harry nodded in agreement.

"Cheetahs are the fastest land animals. Now your turn."

Hardwin glanced at the door. "Shouldn't we wait for her?"

"No, she will be fine. She may not look much but cheetahs are very deadly when they want to be, not to mention mom is smart enough to know if she is in danger so she can transform back and fight or outrun whatever is after her." Harry assured him but when Hardwin still looked reluctant, Harry narrowed his eyes.

"This is not about mom, is it?" Harry asked bit before he could answer, Harry grinned. "You're scared."

"Well, I am alright!" Hardwin said, running a hand through his hair. "What I'm a flobberworm or ferret or a bloody dolphin!"

"Our Animagus forms reflect who we are on a fundamental level. Our core person if you will." Harry told him. "You Hardwin, your core characteristics even though you may not know it are inspiration, independence, victory, longevity, speed, pride, family and well royalty."

"Merlin, Harry. You speak as if you know what my form is going to be already."

"Well, I wouldn't be me if I didn't, now would I?" Harry shrugged and Hardwin just laughed.

"Well, here goes..." He downed the potion and half a second later he fell forward face first. The vial held loosely in his hand.

"I probably shouldn't have made it that strong." Harry muttered to himself in the ensuing silence. "Meh, I'm sure he'll be fine."

-PRPRPRPRPR-

September 1st 1993

Hogwarts Express

The two brothers sat by themselves as they waited for the train to set off. The last month of summer had been very fun for the three Potters who were occasionally joined by their two honary uncles.

Sirius and Remus had already known that the others had gone through their transformation and the very next day, the two Marauders had come to name Lily and Hardwin's form. Lily was cristened 'Tiger' by Sirius.

He refused to give his reasoning and wouldn't budge in any way. Apparently without James, he was the self appointed leader of the Marauders. Hardwin argued that Remus was the more responsible of the two remaining members and was promptly named 'Lockjaw' for his cheek.

Hardwin argued that he wasn't a goblin as the name sounded like for one but Padfoot threatened to name him 'Bessie' which silenced him. Harry comforted him saying a golden eagle named 'Lockjaw' sounded pretty intimidating.

Hardwin was not completely happy but he managed to get Lily to support him and they took away the naming rights from Sirius as he wanted to be the one to name Harry's form. Sirius gracefully stepped down like the responsible adult that he was.

Which turned out to be for nothing as Sirius had already named Harry the day he had finished his own transformation, two weeks before Lily and Hardwin. Disgruntled, Hardwin sulked and pouted for a full minute before he turned around and demanded to see Harry's form.

Being the loving and indulging brother, Harry immediately transformed and jumped at Hardwin who shrieked like a little girl at the sight of a two-hundred-pound black jaguar staring at him right in the eyes.

Suffice to say, he agreed that the name 'Omega' that Sirius had given him was very fitting. However not to be one upped, he shortened it to 'Meg', completely ignoring Harry's protests that it sounded like it belonged to a chimpanzee.

All in all, the rest of the summer was altogether very fun for them all which involved mock fights and races as they got used to their Animagus forms. Not even news that Pettigrew had somehow escaped from Azkaban put a damper on it.

A man-hunt was declared for the traitor and the minister in his infinite wisdom had decided to station Dementors around Hogwarts to protect the boy-who-lived incase Wormtail tried to get revenge for his master.

He seemed to forget that Pettigrew had managed to sneak past these very Dementors during his escape and could very well do it to get into Hogwarts.

Harry wasn't worried as Luna had assured him that Wormtail will be too busy taking care of a hideous baby to even consider coming to Hogwarts.

"Great Scott, Hermione!" Hardwin suddenly exclaimed pulling Harry out of his recollections. "You have boobs!"

The girl in question looked like she didn't know wether to be exasperated or embarrassed. There was a dust of pink on her tanned cheeks though as she stared hard at her friend.

"You watched Back to the Future?"

"Yeah, mom and Harry managed to get a TV to work on magic." Hardwin said. "But that's not important right now, you have boobs!"

Hermione didn't look impressed. "Yes Hardwin, that's what happens when a girl reaches puberty."

Probably not catching onto Hermione's dangerous undertone, Hardwin opened his mouth to say something but Harry decided to beat him to it.

"Hello Hermione, the tan looks good on you."

"Thanks Harry." The girl blushed before her eyes narrowed slightly. "Did you just call me Hermione?"

"Yeah, it is your name, right?"

"Yes but I didn't think you knew it."

"Well, I just had no reason to call you by your first name before."

Now she was looking more suspicious. "And you have one now?"

"Uh-huh." Harry nodded. "It would be a crime to call someone looking this pretty by their surname."

"Oh...I err, thanks I guess." She was blushing furiously now even as she struggled to pull in her trunk. Increasing her mortification, Harry stood up and took it from her.

"Please, no need to trouble yourself." Harry said. "Allow me."

Thanks to his newly increased strength from his animagus form, Harry easily lifted the heavy trunk and put it in the rack overhead. He took back his seat opposite her and kept smiling at her.

Hardwin watched in amusement while Hermione fidgeted. She tried to busy herself with the book she was reading but every few seconds she would glance up at Harry's smiling face, blush harder and sink lower into her seat.

"Hey guys." Neville greeted as he entered the compartment. "Uh, what's wrong with Hermione?"

"I think she's smitten with Harry."

"I'm not!"

"Then why can't you look him in the eye?" Hardwin challenged and Hermione just groaned in her book before fleeing the compartment leaving the two Gryffindors laughing.

A few minutes later, the three were joined by Luna who brought along a shy Ginny. The two were followed closely by Daphne and Tracey who brought along Blaise. All in all it was a pretty tight fit which became even tighter when Hermione came back with Susan Bones and her friend Hannah Habbot.

When everyone was seated, there was a moment of silence as they all regarded each other. Four Gryffindors, three Slytherins, two Hufflepuffs and one Ravenclaw.

Luna looked unbothered by everything while Tracey, Hardwin and Neville looked like they were waiting for something interesting to happen. Blaise and Daphne looked nonplussed, Ginny looked like she wanted to be anywhere but here. The two Hufflepuffs and Hermione looked ready for anything.

"This is quite the get together." Harry said as he he rubbed his hands together. "So, how many of you have ever heard of the game Monopoly?"

As it turned out, only Hermione and Tracey had. Luna also had never heard of the game but knew the rules. Harry summoned his wand and conjured one based on Diagon Alley with a few changes to cater for all the eleven people present.

Once Luna had finished explaining the rules and how it was played, the game started. There were a few repeats as the people got the hang of it but forty minutes into the journey, the game was in full swing.

-PRPRPRPRPR-

When the train slowed down, nobody noticed. Neither did they when it stopped completely. No one in the compartment noticed as the dark shapes boarded the train. They did notice though when the lights flickered in their compartment before going off completely.

"What's going on?"

"No idea, the train isn't moving."

"But we can't be there yet, why have we stopped."

"And why the bloody hell is it so cold." That was Hardwin. "I thought the compartments are insulated from it."

"Quiet everyone." Harry cut through the murmurings. "Luna, what's going on?"

"Why are you asking Luna, Harry?"

"How would she know anyway, I thought we were all_"

"I said quiet!" Harry barked and the compartment went deadly silent. "Luna?"

"I think there are dementors on the train." Luna's voice was completely serious for once.

That started another round of exclamations and worried muttering. "Silence!"

Harry stood up and surveyed the others who were trying to speak with his improved eye sight. His magical voice had worked and not even the heavy rain outside could be heard.

"What are you going to do, Harry?"

Except for Luna, of course it hadn't worked on Luna.

"I'm not sure really, I just feel like it would be a bad idea if one came to this compartment." Harry replied as he locked the door and put up his strongest repelling ward on it.

"They'll be attracted to what is in Hardwin's scar." Luna whispered, suddenly behind him. "And with all the trauma in here, it would be a disaster if one entered, let alone the whole horde."

Before he could reply, a piercing cold suddenly seeped into him. He staggered slightly, his occulmecy shields straining under the pressure. The wards were failing and it seemed like there were over a dozen dementors outside their compartment.

Harry watched the life drain out of Hardwin's eyes in his lap. His usually bright emeralds slowly dimming as the basilisk venom over powered the potions. He could feel his heart breaking, the despiar of losing his brother, but most of all, the guilt of failing to protect him.

Harry felt his knees hit the floor as he fought to push away the memory. He could feel the wards falling and looked up to see the compartment door being opened. The dementor in the front took a deep rattling breath and...

"...you consider yourself a wizard, Potter?" Voldemort laughed staring down the wizard before him. "You're barely standing up, only because of your pure blood did I let you live the first time."

James didn't answer immediately, he gripped his wand tighter as he clutched his bleeding stomach. His whole body was battered and he looked like one gust of wind will blow him into space. But there was a defiance in his hazel eyes which gave even Voldemort pause.

"And that was your mistake." James replied. "As long as I'm alive, I will not let you harm my bloody family!"

Family.

Harry's eyes suddenly snapped open, he looked up from where he found himself kneeling in front of the dementor that was standing in the recently opened door. Behind the dementor were others all assembled together as if waiting for their turn.

Harry growled dangerously, his mouth opening to reveal sharp deadly fangs. His slitted eyes stared at the horde of dementors outside in fury as lightning gathered in his hands.

"You will not hurt my family!" Harry shouted before he leaped at the dementor in the door in an explosion of white light. He slammed into the dementor, his clawed hands covered in lightning as he slashed at it with all his might.

The dementor screeched in obvious pain while the others were fleeing away from him. Harry was snarling like Meg as he inflicted as much pain as possible on the creature that dared to try to harm his family.

The lights flickered in the hallway and Harry suddenly looked up while the dementor took the opportunity to slip form under him and take flight. Harry considered taking chase but the lights flickered once again and he remembered the state he was in.

He reverted back to normal and waved a hand over his robes to get rid of the dementor parts that had fallen off his victim. Only in time too as the lights came back just Remus arrived at their car.

"Harry!" The older man exclaimed looking him over. "Are you guys alright?"

"Yeah." Harry said before he glanced at the group back in his compartment. "But me and my friends could use some chocolate."

Looking at all the ten students who were still shivering from the lingering effects of the dementors, and thinking of their history, Harry couldn't help but agree with Luna. There was quite a handful of trauma in there.

-PRPRPRPRPR-

As it turned out, Dumbledore was pretty pissed when he heard that Dementors had attacked the Hogwarts Express and when a wizard as powerful as Albus Dumbledore gets pissed, things tend to happen.

What happened this time was the headmaster bullying Fudge into removing the Dementors from the school grounds as had been planned. Dumbledore had told the minister that if the Dementors can attack a moving train, what guarantee did he have that they wouldn't attack the castle.

Harry got all this in a letter that morning, from a client of his called Jennifer Walters three days after reporting for the new year. A pure blood Slytherin who had finished her NEWTs last year and had managed to get a job in the Ministry. She had approached him for a favor at the end of last year.

Harry was to look out for her sister who will be reporting the next year and in exchange, she would provide him with any useful information on what happens in the Ministry so long as it didn't affect her job. And thus at thirteen, Harry got his first spy- uhm information source in the Ministry.

Finishing his lunch, Harry stood up and excused himself from the other third-year Slytherins.

"Where are you going?" Tracey asked between mouthfuls.

Harry smiled at her, his eyes glinting mischievously. "To the chamber of secrets."

Tracey chocked on her food while the rest laughed at her. Harry simply shook his head and continued walking out of the great Hall. He hadn't been lying even as he wanted to check on his dagger that he had yet to retrieve from the basilisk carcass.

He couldn't help but overhear the conversation he had left behind.

"That will teach you to keep your nose out of other people's business." Daphne said to Tracey while patting her back.

"But he is so secretive!" Tracey protested.

"Aren't we all." Blaise said. "We are Slytherins after all. And Potter is actually the freaking Devil of Slytherin himself."

"Who even came up with such a ridiculous moniker?" Draco asked.

"I thought that was you." Nott commented in amusement.

"I was most certainly not!"

Shaking his head Harry continued walking and he had just entered the corridor when he was interrupted by someone calling for him.

"Excuse me." The girl wearing Slytherin robes and clearly a first-year came to a stop infront of him. "Uhm, are you Harry Potter?"

"Yes." Harry replied and she sighed in relief. "And you must be Elizabeth Walters."

"Oh, you know who I am?"

"Not exactly, I would if I had been there for the sorting but I can see the beauty you share with your big sister." Harry told her and she blushed. "Why don't you come and I introduce you to a friend of mine."

"You missed the sorting?" The girl asked and Harry hummed in confirmation. "Why?"

Chuckling at her bluntness, Harry answered. "Well, our dear head of house was concerned about us after he heard of what happened on the train and by the time we came for the feast, the sorting was finished."

"I heard you wrestled with a dementor."

"You shouldn't believe everything you hear, Liz dear." Harry paused and turned to her. "I can call you Liz, right?"

"Yeah, all my friends at home call me Liz."

"What about here, you haven't yet made any?" Harry asked and she shook her head. "Well fear not, you'll be making at least one in a minute."

By this point they had reached the Slytherin table near where the firsties were seated. Harry walked to a girl with brunette hair. "Hey, Greengrass."

"Oh hi, Harry." Astoria Greengrass smiled at him. She was as great a fan of his as Tracey, something Harry was sure the bubbly girl was responsible for, though thankfully without the crush part. At least Harry hoped so.

"I would like to ask you for a favor."

"I thought that was kind of your thing." Astoria giggled.

"Yes, well I thought I should try something new for my friend here." Harry said, laying a hand on Liz's shoulder. "This is my friend Liz and I would like for you to look out for her and in exchange I'll owe a favor of my own."

"Oh, the favor won't be necessary." Astoria protested. "I'm always happy to make more friends."

"Thanks Greengrass." Harry said as Liz joined her new friend. "But I must insist on that favor, it is kind of my thing, you know?"

"Fine." She conceeded, biting her lip in thought. "Then I'm calling in my favor right now."

"Oh?" Harry raised an eyebrow. "Then tell me, what is it you desire?" (*AN*)

"You will start calling me by first name from this day." Astoria ordered, lifting her nose into the air while trying to look regal.

Harry gave her a mocking bow. "Very well, as my lady wishes. I'll see you around, Astoria, Liz."

When Harry arrived in the corridor, Hermione was waiting for him.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Granger." Harry greeted, passing by her and she was forced to walk with him.

"At least you're back to normal." Hermione muttered. "Playing matchmaker with the first years?"

"One of my less known talents." Harry replied. "That and my observation and deduction skills. The last two were how I got to realize that you have a Time Turner."

Hermione stumbled. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I'm sure you don't." Harry nodded. "How did you even manage to convince McGonagall to get you one?"

"Again, Harry, I don't have a single idea what you're talking about." She said with a finality in her voice indicating that the conversation was at an end. "Hardwin told me that you guys got the TV to not only work in Potter Manor, an ancient magical home but to work run on magic."

"Well, it was mom who did the most work, I was more of her assistant, really." Harry shrugged.

"I was hoping that you could help me to find a way of getting a phone to work here at Hogwarts while running on magic."

Harry stopped suddenly and she almost ran into him.

"That's not a bad idea actually. I had been looking for a suitable magical way of staying in contact with your father that wouldn't look out of place on his end." He grinned at her. "I'm in."

"Great!" Hermione exclaimed in excitement. "Well, we won't be starting from scratch. I wrote Mrs. Potter and she sent me her notes though I couldn't make heads or tails on them but since you already worked with them, it should be easier for you. All we have to do is adjust_"

"Ms. Granger, can we not discuss potentially revolutionary magic in the hallway?" Harry interrupted her and she blushed, mumbling an apology. "I have to ask though, where will you get the time for all this. Aren't you taking extra classes already?"

Hermione sighed, figuring that denying it wasn't going to be much use with Harry. "I'm sure we can create time for something this important."

"I thought you would say that." He grinned as he opened the door to Myrtle's bathroom. "Hello, Myrtle."

"Hi, Harry." The ghost giggled. "Are you here to see me?"

"Not exactly but I was sure hoping to run into you in my way to the Chamber." Harry replied smoothly while Hermione's widened.

"We are going to the Chamber?"

"I was going to the chamber and you decided to tag along." Harry replied as walked over to the sink. "I take it Hardwin filled you in about what happened while you were napping last term?"

"Yeah, like the fact the both of you are apparently perselmouths and Hardwin didn't think it important to tell his best friend about it."

"Neville knew."

"I was talking about me, Harry!"

"I know." Harry replied simply and slid down the pipe on roller skates.

"Hey, how do I conjure roller skates?" Hermione demanded but got no answer. She peered down the pipe and scrunched up her nose in disgust. "Great, now I'm going to get my robes dirty."

With one last deep breath, she jumped down the pipe and slid down, all the time screaming her head off untill she landed roughly.

"Jesus, Harry." Hermione muttered as she picked herself up.

"You said 'Jesus'." Harry said, staring at her with his hand in his pockets. "Only mom says Jesus."

"So Hardwin keeps telling me." Hermione replied. "And like I've told him, muggles think Merlin is just a myth and mostly swear by Jesus or something like that."

"And this Jesus bloke apparently performed miracles, died and rose again before ascending back to the heavens where he had been living before coming to earth.?"

"Yeah, that's pretty much it."

"Sounds interesting." Harry mused, leading her through the second set of doors and into the chamber.

"What, you're not planning on becoming a christian, are you?"

"I'm just fascinated by these 'devine' beings." Harry said. "You see, muggles have this uncanny ability of knowing things they have no right to. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a some truth in all that. Can you imagine_"

"OH, MY GOD!" Harry was rudely interrupted by Hermione's scream.

"Hey! I was in the middle of a rant!"

"That's the thing you guys fought?!"

Harry turned back to the basilisk that was still hanging on the wall by Harry's conjured swords. He had to admit that the thing looked even bigger than he remembered and that was saying something given that he had a near-perfect memory.

"This thing is huge! How are you guys still alive?"

"Well, it was a close call." Harry said softly, looking at the place Hardwin had almost died.

"Hardwin said you conjured these, how are they still here?" Hermione asked, raising a trembling hand to touch one of the swords' pommel, the one closest to the tail. "Ahhhhhhh!"

The swords seemed to have been waiting for her as they all disintegrated at the same time dumping the carcass at Hermione's feet who shrieked and jumped away clutching at her chest. Harry found the whole thing entirely funny.

"Hey, it's not funny." Hermione huffed but Harry just continued laughing his ass off. Hermione stared at Harry as he laughed and he could see that the two brothers were not so different after all.

"You're laughing." Hermione commented with a smile. "This is the first time I've seen you laugh."

"What are laughing about, I laugh all the time."

"Not this genuinely." She shook her head. "Seeing you now, I can see what has been missing in your smiles, grins and laughter."

"Oh, you got me all figured out, have you?"

"No." Hermione shook her head. "But I'm glad I got to see the real you for once."

-PRPRPRPRPR-

*AN*: First, I would like to address this, I most certainly got this from Lucifer the TV show. For that reason, I'll have to make sure Harry gets to meet our favourite Devil in LA just to see how that meeting goes.

Not much happens in this chapter but it laid a great deal of ground work for the future of this story. Not much will be happening in third year anyway.