Alright, second attempt at uploading this chapter...I don't know what the problem is. Anyway, obligatory 'not my work, blah blah blah'.

Also, in light of Ms Rowling's recent transphobic comments on social media, I just wanted to say that I in no way agree with what she has been saying. I believe everyone should be able to be who they wish to be, it's no one's business but their own. I hope that everyone out there is happy, and if you're not quite happy just yet, I hope that you're on the way to being there.

To quote one of my favourite authors, Sarah J. Maas: DON'T LET THE HARD DAYS WIN 3

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Chapter Six: Back at Hogwarts

As they entered the Great Hall, Severus approached Harry and Draco, who excused themselves from the girls and Neville.

'I trust you both enjoyed your holidays,' Severus said in greeting, and before they could reply he continued. 'Harry, I'm sorry to have to inform you that the Headmaster has decreed that you cannot take up the role of Gryffindor Quidditch Captain, nor reside in the Gryffindor dorms while you are emancipated. He said that if you decide to rescind your emancipation, you will be welcome again in the student dorms and be reinstated as Quidditch Captain.'

'He can't do that!' exclaimed Draco angrily. 'That's not fair at all!'

'No, it is not,' agreed Severus, 'however, he is the headmaster, and therefore he can do this, apparently.'

Harry just stood there. He was angry, and confused. First the mess with Ron on the train, and now Dumbledore had turned on him too. Before he could even think of a reply, Professor McGonnagal came up to the three of them.

'Mr Potter, the headmaster has just informed me of this past summer's events. Despite my objections, he has overruled me as Gryffindor Head of House, and is refusing to see reason. I trust that as Professor Snape is vouching for you, that he has already told you this?'

'Yes, professor,' said Harry numbly, 'Severus has just informed us.'

'Professor Snape while at Hogwarts, Harry,' admonished Professor McGonnagal. 'However, Professor Dumbledore has just informed me of even later developments that even you, Severus, did not know until now.'

'And what are those?' drawled Severus.

McGonnagal turned to Harry and Draco with a sigh. 'Mr Potter and Mr Malfoy, I'm afraid that Professor Dumbledore has decreed that from now on, all emancipated students are no longer part of any sorted House, and thus can no longer be on House teams, earn House points, participate in House events, eat with Sorted students or enter House dorms even if invited by fellow students. The two of you will be residing together in a student apartment, and will take all meals there. You are of course free to invite friends to visit, study with, and even join you for meals, but unless you have permission from a Professor, your friends cannot stay in your apartment past curfew. As we speak, the Hogwarts house elves are, ahem, altering your school uniforms so that they no longer display your previous House crests. Instead, you will have the Hogwarts crest. He said to tell you, Mr Potter, that if you rescind your emancipation, you will be welcomed back to Gryffindor with open arms. I'm truly very sorry about this.'

Harry stared at her. Dumbledore was doing all of this in an attempt to get him back under his thumb. Well, he wasn't going back to the Dursleys', no way.

'Thank you for telling me this Professor,' he said, 'but please inform Professor Dumbledore that I will not be rescinding my emancipation so he can send me back to the Dursleys. I will never go back to them again, and I will not be abused by them or him or anyone else again. I'm sorry that I can't help Gryffindor win the Quidditch cup this year, and I hope that you will still allow me to fly in my free time.'

'Of course Harry,' said McGonnagal, making a note to speak to Severus in private about what exactly had happened that summer. 'You may fly whenever you wish, so long as the pitch is not being used for practice by teams or during matches of course. Mr Malfoy, you are also free to use the pitch with Mr Potter if you so wish.'

'Thank you, Professor,' said Draco. 'I know Professor Dumbledore said we have to eat in our apartment, but this is the welcome feast, and I would like to stay at least as long as the announcements, if I may?'

'Of course you may,' said McGonnagal, making a decision. 'In fact, for tonight, I give you both permission to eat at the Gryffindor and SLytherin tables, so you may witness the Sorting and hear the announcements, as well as inform your friends as to the situation.'

'Thank you, Professor,' said both boys, heading into the Great Hall where Hermione, Neville, Ginny and Luna were waiting for them. The four of them had managed to stake out the end of the Gryffindor table, though whispers began when Luna had sat, and started up again when Draco also sat down, but these were quickly quashed when the first years paraded in behind Hagrid.

During the Sorting, Harry and Draco quickly and quietly informed the girls of what McGonnagal and Snape had told them, before sitting up and listening as Dumbledore stood to begin the announcements.

'Welcome all, new and old, to another year at Hogwarts. This year, we have quite a few changes, both in staff and students.' He glared at the end of Gryffindor table, drawing everyone's attention to Harry and Draco. 'Firstly, Mr Potter and Mr Malfoy are no longer part of Gryffindor and Slytherin respectably, as they have emancipated themselves from their families. From now on they will share a student apartment and will no longer take part in House activities, including Quidditch. Which means that Gryffindor requires a new Quidditch Captain. Please see me later if you have any interest in the role. Now, as for staff changes, we again have a new member. Professor Horace Slughorn has graciously agreed to once again take up his old post as Potions teacher, and Professor Snape will now be heading up Defence Against the Dark Arts. Thank you all for your time and patience, now please, enjoy the feast!' Dumbledore clapped his hands together and the tables began to fill with food, the new first years exclaims mingling with the older students voices as they began to discuss their summers and the announcements.

Harry and Draco noticed a lot of looks coming their way, ranging from curiosity and awe to outright anger and distrust. They pretended not to notice and joined in with their friends' conversation, which was currently being led by Luna and Neville trying to convince Ginny to try for Quidditch Captain.

'I couldn't,' she said for the third time. 'It wouldn't feel right to take it away from Harry.'

'But Gin,' said Harry, leaning forwards so she could hear him more clearly. 'You won't be taking it away from me, Dumbledore already did that. And who else could lead Gryffindor to victory this year? You've got to at least try.'

'I'll think about it,' she said.

'Thanks Gin,' replied Harry, smiling as he sat back and dug into his roast potatoes. 'I wonder what else will be different this year. I mean, we can't earn or lose house points, so apart from detention how will the teachers punish or reward us for one thing? And where is our student apartment do you think?' This last question was directed to Draco, who shrugged.

'I don't know,' he said, taking a drink of pumpkin juice. 'I would assume it'll be somewhere out of the way, not near any of the other houses. Otherwise it would defeat the purpose.'

Their chatter turned to what they had been up to on the summer holidays. Hermione had been to Italy, and she and Draco began to discuss their favourite parts of the country together in earnest. Neville was telling Harry, Ginny, and Luna about how his toad Trevor had finally died, and his uncle had offered to get him another but he had declined.

'I really don't want another toad,' he said in earnest. 'Trevor was fine I guess, but not really useful like an owl, or affectionate like a cat. I didn't have time to return to Diagon Alley before school started up again, so I've got time to think about what I'd like I guess.'

'Harry got me an owl for my birthday,' said Ginny. 'She's a barn owl, and I named her Pandora. Do you have a pet Luna?'

'Not yet,' replied Luna dreamily. 'I haven't found anything that wants to be my familiar. Father says that I will one day, but I can't search for it, it has to come to me.'

Harry and Neville exchanged raised eyebrows at that, but Ginny agreed with her, telling her Pandora had seemed to choose her at the time.

Dinner changed to dessert, and when that had finally faded away, prefects began to lead their Houses away for the night. Harry and Draco waved goodbye to the others and looked at each other, unsure of where to go.

'Potter, Malfoy,' drawled Severus as he came up to them, followed by a surly looking house elf. 'I have been informed by our headmaster that your student apartment is ready for you. This is Quimby, he will be looking after you until other arrangements can be made. Please follow him to your new quarters. I will see you in class soon.' And with that he swept out of the Great Hall.

'Misters Malfoy and Potter will be following Quimby now,' said the house elf grumpily.

'It's nice to meet you Quimby,' said Harry as they left the Hall.

'Mister Potter is not talking to Quimby if he pleases.'

Harry stopped and stared at Quimby's back.

'And why can Mister Potter not talk to you?' drawled Draco, lightly tapping his wand on his arm.

'Because Quimby is not liking the Potter boy,' replied Quimby, turning when he realized the two boys were not following him. 'The Potter boy and the Granger witch are putting ideas and thoughts in house elf heads that they not be thinking of, getting paid and having holidays. As soon as a replacement can be found Quimby will go back to his job in the kitchens and not have to be seeing the Potter boy anymore. Now please be following Quimby to the student apartment so Quimby can get back to work where he belongs.'

Harry and Draco exchanged glances, and dutifully followed Quimby who led them to a portrait of a Victorian era witch and wizard roughly halfway between the library and the staircase that led to the owlery.

'The password is being 'black dog',' said Quimby, before bowing in a somewhat sarcastic matter and disappearing back to the kitchens.

'Well then,' said Draco, 'shall we go in? Black dog.' He said to the portrait, which opened and revealed a small antechamber with a flight of stairs at the opposite end. He turned to Harry with a grin that quickly faded to concern. 'What's wrong?'

Harry's face had gone white, and he was breathing very heavy.

'Who set the password?' He asked the portrait quietly. The witch and wizard exchanged glances.

'The headmaster set the first password, but you can change it if you like,' replied the witch. 'Would you like to change it?'

'Yes please,' breathed Harry, 'please, anything but that.'

Draco thought quickly, not understanding what was wrong with the phrase black dog. 'Make it 'Trelawny's teacups' please,' he said, and when the portrait agreed he ushered Harry inside and the door swung closed behind them.

'What was that about Harry?' asked Draco, looking around the small antechamber. It seemed to be a place to leave their shoes and hang their cloaks before entering the actual apartment.

'I'm sorry, it's, I can't,' Harry was hyperventilating. Draco barely thought about it before enveloping the slightly shorter brunette in a hug. When Harry had some control over his breathing, he pulled away and Draco was shocked to see tears in his eyes.

'I'm sorry,' Harry said again. 'Its just, Sirius, my godfather, he was an unregistered animagus. He was a big black dog. He was transformed the first time I saw him actually.'

'And let me guess,' said Draco darkly. 'The headmaster knew this.'

'He does,' whispered Harry. 'He knew about Sirius, and my Dad too. He was stag,' he said in reply to Draco's unasked question. 'They learnt, along with that traitorous rat Peter, to be animagus so they could be with Remus during the full moon.'

'I see,' frowned Draco. 'The headmaster did this on purpose to make you feel insecure here. Another attempt to get you back under his thumb. The git.'

'I'm okay now,' said Harry. 'Come on, let's go see our new place.'

They left their shoes at the bottom of the stairs and headed upstairs.

The student apartment was lit by torches on the walls, and the fireplace was burning merrily. Instead of Slytherin green and silver or Gryffindor red and gold, the room was coloured with tasteful cream coloured walls and dark wood accents, there was a large three-seat couch and two cushy looking armchairs in front of the fireplace that, while obviously not new, looked very comfortable. There was also a coffee table and a large rug that covered the wooden floors in front of the fireplace. The walls were lined with bookshelves, and a window through which they could see the night sky (but that was all at the moment). A small kitchenette took up one part of one wall, and there were two doors on the opposite wall.

'I guess those are the bedrooms?' asked Harry, opening one and peering in. It was indeed a bedroom, with a large fourposter bed in the middle, his battered trunk at the foot, a wardrobe and a desk on on wall and another door on the opposite wall. Harry was reaching for said door when it opened outwards, almost hitting him in the head.

'Thought so,' said Draco, looking into the room from what Harry now knew was an adjoining bathroom, the door on the other side opened so he could see into Draco's room. 'Interesting set up, no locks on the doors. Probably another attempt by Dumbledore to get you to reconsider. We'll work out a bathroom schedule tomorrow. So, what do you want to do now?' He leaned on the door frame as Harry shrugged.

'I usually unpack and catch up with my dorm mates at this time,' he replied, heading towards his trunk. 'What about you?'

Draco came into Harry's room and sat on his bed as Harry began to unpack his trunk.

'Pretty much the same,' he said, 'except that we don't need to catch up. So what do you want to do?'

'Well, after I unpack, how about I watch you unpack since that's what you're doing to me?' said Harry, blushing slightly as he put away his underwear, including the green ones Draco had insisted he buy in that muggle shop.

'Sure,' Draco replied, crossing his arms and lying back on Harry's bed, his shirt lifting slightly and exposing a sliver of pale skin that sent Harry's mouth dry. He swallowed as Draco continued speaking. 'You can get a look at my underwear.'

'What?' said Harry, tearing his eyes away from Draco before the blonde could see him staring. 'I don't need to see your underwear.'

'I know you don't need to,' drawled Draco, who didn't let on that he had seen Harry staring at him, 'just thought you might want to, Potter.'

'Don't call me Potter,' said Harry absently as he finished with his clothes and began to place his books, quills and ink, parchment, telescope, and other school supplies on his desk. His cauldron went on the floor next to his desk, not that he'd be needing it this year. He hadn't gotten the necessary OWLs required for sixth year classes. He closed his trunk as Draco stood and stretched, then followed the blonde into his room and took up Draco's previous position on his bed to watch as Draco unpacked.

'That's cheating,' he said accusingly as Draco waved his wand and everything began to fly out of his trunk and where he wanted it all to go.

'Is not,' replied Draco with a grin. 'Just because you keep forgetting you can do magic for things like this now, doesn't mean that I can't.'

'Still think it's cheating,' mumbled Harry as he watched Draco's potions equipment settle into place. 'Hey,' he said as he remembered something. 'Didn't Blaise say he and Pansy would be coming by tonight? How will they know where to find us?'

'I'll tell them now,' said Draco as he pulled out a battered notebook and a quill. 'Remember those coins you lot had last year?' he said in answer to Harry's silent question. 'We got this idea from them. Each of us has a notebook, and they're charmed so that what is written in one shows up in the others. You don't mind if they come round tonight, do you?'

'Not at all,' said Harry, intrigued by the notebook. It was a bit more advanced than what Hermione had done with the coins last year, and he knew she'd want to know about it.

'I'd be happy to show her,' said Draco when Harry mentioned it to him. 'Remind me next time we're all together. Blaise says he and Pansy will be here in about twenty minutes. Just enough time to freshen up.'