So we're goin' way into the unknown and I know it's going to get a little confusing between what is happening in their current timeline and what happened in the 'past timeline.' Some stuff in stories/movies happened in the past but isn't going to happen in their current time and vice versa. I'll do my best to point out these points in the story.
The biggest changes in ch27/28 was that Fleur is not working at Gringotts this time around and Harry was attacked by Dementors this time but not the first time. It tied in too nicely with all the Dementor activity during the earlier chapters. If you have any questions or are confused, please feel free to let me know. I will either clarify it in a response or will address it in a future chapter.
Anyway, back to the story… going to dive in a little to Harry's perspective for what's going on at Hogwarts.
Harry couldn't believe his luck. Not only had he managed to win his defense case and had been cleared of all the charges against him, but he also got to spend the rest of his summer at Grimmauld Place and didn't have to go back to the Dursleys!
Living with Sirius for a month had been great. The house was old and a little creepy, but after several long days of Molly Weasley led cleaning duty, it was starting to come around and look at least livable. He enjoyed getting to reconnect with his godfather, who told him all sorts of stories of his parents when they were in school together and after they graduated. It definitely explained where he got his rebellious streak. It seemed that there wasn't a Hogwarts rule in existence that James Potter hadn't managed to break or at least bend very far. He was looking forward to spending the next summer here instead of 4 Privet Drive. Sirius told him that he would have a proper room set up for him by then.
He, Ron, Ginny and the Twins had bonded over trying to spy on the secret meetings that took place nearly each week. He was really confused as to why Hermione and Fleur were allowed to be there, though. Especially when Mrs. Weasley had said the five of them weren't allowed because they were still kids. Maybe it was because Hermione graduated. The Golden Girl had received her test results mid-August. All Outstandings and a few Exceeds Expectations, which somehow she seemed disappointed about. Then again, this was Hermione. Anything less than perfect wasn't enough. He would really miss her this year but was excited for her opportunity.
Before he knew it, September first had come and he was being escorted to Kings Cross Station by a team of Aurors (all Order Members of course) and straight onto the Hogwarts Express to head back to school for the new term. He had chosen a quiet, empty compartment, settling in and watching the hustle and bustle as other students ran through the corridors trying to find their friends.
"Hiya Harry!"
"Hey, Neville!" He replied cheerfully, gesturing to the open spot across from him. "Please come in! I think that Ron and Ginny are just putting away their trunks and saying goodbye to their parents."
The awkward boy shuffled in with a potted plant in the crook of his elbow. "Did you have a good holiday?"
"It was fine, rather uneventful. What about you?" Harry lied. He didn't want to mention the Dementor attack or his trial. He couldn't tell anyone about seeing Sirius, who was still a wanted man. Nor could he talk about the Order of the Phoenix, or at least what little bits he and the four youngest Weasleys had picked up through the Extendable Ears before Crookshanks started eating them.
Then there was the whole matter of worrying about Voldemort returning. Everyone who came and went from Grimmauld Place seemed to be worried, or at least seemed to be taking the threat seriously. If people like Remus, Mad-Eye Moody and Kingsley were concerned, he'd be a fool to disregard it.
He really wished Hermione was around so he could talk to her. She would know what to do or at least have some clever theory. They had talked a bit at Grimmauld Place, but she and Fleur spent most of their time tucked away in their room with heavy wards over the door. He valued his life and his limbs being where they were and knew better than to interrupt… that. But she had left for her internship a week before he headed back to Hogwarts. Fleur had departed for France or wherever she was heading to shortly after the bushy-haired witch left.
He was glad that he got to spend what time he did manage with Hermione and Fleur and was truly happy that they were working out. He wondered how they would handle their relationship being so far apart. But if anyone could figure a way to manage it, it would be a Triwizard Champion and the Brightest Witch of Her Age.
"It was alright. Gran got me this here creeping pricklethorn. I guess she finally just accepted that I like plants and am not going to be a great duelist like my father nor a healer like my mother."
Harry looked at the plant in question, it had long viney tendrils that curled on the end and tiny purple thorns.
"When this matures, the sap should be good for various potions!" Neville continued and started rattling off various facts about his plant.
Harry just chuckled to himself. He had discovered that he and Neville actually had a lot in common. Both their parents had been in the original Order of the Phoenix, Sirius showed him an old picture. Both had lost their parents at an early age, though in different ways. Sirius wouldn't tell him what happened to Frank and Alice Longbottom, just saying that it was a fate worse than death and he had the good sense not to pry. They had been raised by relatives who didn't really like them. Neville had said that his Gran was trying to make him into his father and he felt ashamed that he would never meet her expectations. For him, the Dursleys just hated him and everything he represented, ruining their perfect image of 'normalcy.'
After being roommates for four years, he knew that Neville was kind-hearted and loyal, shy and awkward. When Ron could be a bullheaded fool with the emotional range of a teaspoon, Neville was surprisingly thoughtful and empathetic. He wasn't the typical Gryffindor, but he had courage and strength when he needed it. He remembered him standing up to him, Ron, and Hermione the night they tried to sneak out to get the Sorcerer's Stone from Quirrell their first year. And he had been doing better at standing up to Malfoy's incessant bullying. Maybe he was just a late bloomer.
"Harry?"
"What? Sorry, I spaced out there…"
"I asked if you had any idea who the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor will be this year." Neville repeated himself, not sounding annoyed though.
"Dunno. But whoever it is can't be worse than a Death Eater, right?"
Neville snorted "Right you are. I can't believe it, and what's weird is that there was no follow up at all. Like you'd think there would be some sort of investigation, right?"
Harry shrugged, he really had no clue about any of it. "Yeah… I reckon that's a little strange."
"Quibbler! Quibbler!" Luna's airy voice drifted down the corridor of the train as she passed out her father's newspapers. "Oh, hello Harry. Hello Neville. Would either of you care for a Quibbler?"
"Err, sure, Luna." Harry fished out a few coins from his pocket and paid, even though Luna had tried to refuse his money at first. Something about being worried about a feather mite infestation in his pocket. With a smile, the dreamy Ravenclaw 4th year waved her wand to rid him of whatever invisible creatures were swarming him and continued along.
"Well, that was nice of her, I guess." He scratched his forehead absentmindedly and opened the paper.
Neville was cooing softly to the plant, tickling its tendrils with the tip of his wand to encourage it to grow.
Ron and Ginny joined them a few minutes later, and Luna came back once she had finished making her rounds. The five of them all chatted, ate snacks from the trolley and the 5th years lamented studying for the O.W.L.s without the aid of their favorite bookworm.
The Great Hall seemed smaller than he remembered, though probably because there was a distinct lack of foreign students wearing blue and red uniforms. He wondered if he would finally have a 'normal' year in which someone or something wasn't trying to kill him. There was a soft chiming sound from the front of the Hall and everyone turned as Dumbledore stepped up to the podium.
"Welcome back to another year at Hogwarts!" He turned a kind eye to the line of young students standing in front of him, his bright blue eyes twinkling merrily "To our newest students, we welcome you to your home away from home. In a few minutes, Professor McGonagall will begin the Sorting Ceremony and you will take your seats with your classmates. But first, there are some new staffing introductions."
Harry sat up, he had noticed two new faces at the staff table. And no Hagrid. That was strange.
"First, Professor Hagrid has had to take a temporary leave of absence to attend to some personal matters. His position will be filled by Miss Colette Bouchard until he returns from his business."
The brunette witch at the end of the staff table stood and nodded, offering a small smile before sitting down again. She looked relatively young, maybe in her late 30's, possibly early 40's. She had soft warm brown eyes, a pleasant smile, and dainty facial features. Her gentle brown waves framed her face and contrasted nicely with her blue robes.
"She comes highly recommended from Beauxbatons and I am grateful that she has agreed to join our teaching staff here at Hogwarts. Please give her a warm welcome." Dumbledore clapped softly and the rest of the Hall echoed the gesture, giving her a polite welcome.
Harry furrowed his brow. She looked more like a librarian, like a young Madam Pince, not someone who would be teaching them about Blast-Ended Skrewts or Hippogriffs, which had been his experience with Care of Magical Creatures so far. Then again, he knew better than to judge people purely on looks. Appearances could be deceiving, after all. He could almost hear Hermione admonishing him for his thinking and he immediately felt remorseful, even if no one else was aware of the thoughts in his head.
Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued. "This year, the Defense Against the Dark Arts post will be filled by Professor Sage Westminster. Up until recently, Miss Westminster worked for the Ministry of Magic in an undisclosed department, and we are honored to have her joining our staff, bringing years of experience..."
"Blimey! She's an Unspeakable! My dad mentioned them once." Ron hissed across the table, pulling Harry's attention from Dumbledore's speech. Based on the hushed murmur spreading through the tables, he wasn't the only one to have reached this conclusion.
"Unspeakable?" Harry furrowed his brow, a little annoyed, he was curious about the new professor.
"Yeah, they work in the Department of Mysteries… they're completely bound to secrecy. They even can overrule the Minister! Dad says that no one knows really what they do or how they do it or anything! It's like… their jobs are complete mysteries and they can't talk about it."
"I gathered that much from the name, thanks, Ron." Harry rolled his eyes then turned to look at the witch who had stood up after Dumbledore introduced her.
She looked slightly older than the other new professor. She had smooth jet black hair, though several streaks of silvery-grays stuck out, and had it pulled back in a tight bun. Her eyes were pale blue, almost silver, and were sharp and piercing, as if she was analyzing everything around her. She had a strong jawline and prominent cheekbones. Everything about her seemed hard, stern. He had the feeling she was going to be a very no nonsense professor. Despite her cool and frankly intimidating demeanor, he was looking forward to her lessons. She looked like someone who had some real experience and he thought he could learn a lot from her.
"Wonderful, I believe that is all I have in terms of announcements, Professor McGonagall, if you would, please!" The Headmaster returned to his seat as McGonagall stepped forward and placed the Sorting Hat on its stool to start the Sorting Ceremony.
Once the new students were sorted and seated, the feast started and it was business as normal. Ron ate like he had never seen food in his life, which was completely untrue, but without Hermione's constant reminders, his table manners were worse than usual. Harry had learned to ignore it, but even he had to admit it was a little unsettling.
He carefully cut up his piece of steak when he felt the hairs on the back of his head stand on end. He looked over and saw that Westminster was staring at him intently. He ducked his head and tried to ignore it, feeling the piercing gaze move on after a few seconds.
After they were excused, he headed up to his dorm room and settled in before pulling out his DADA textbook. Without Hermione to keep an eye on him, he knew that he would have to do better at studying and was determined to exercise some discipline in the matter and would try to get a head start.
Sage Westminster walked silently through the quiet halls after everyone was asleep, her sharp eyes alert and her wand in her sleeve, ready to drop down into her hand at a moment's notice. She walked with long, purposeful strides up to the seventh floor, pausing for a moment to stare at the tapestry hanging on the wall. It depicted a scene of Barnabas the Barmy trying to teach a group of trolls how to dance. She shook her head slightly and turned to face the opposite wall, pulling a small box out of her pocket, then she started to pace back and forth.