I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER
The next day Harry had called in Gringotts curse breakers to help with all the dark items from the castle while Neville and Luna managed to secure a few teachers for their new classes. They had changed up the common rooms to be less house pride crazy and made into a more sensible living area. Harry set Snape onto finding a cure for lycanthropy, along with a cure for Neville's parents. The next few days were filled with work as they realized just big Hogwarts was, and resolved to find a better way to navigate around the castle instead of getting lost every time the wanted to find things. That brought up the issue of the first years, who were bound to get lost at some point.
"What if we make a variation of the Marauders Map?" Ron suggested, and Harry stared at him incredulously. "Like, without the special features of knowing where everyone is, and showing only where you are, and where the classrooms are."
"And then we can also add in a feature that will show the quickest way to their next class...without the use of secret passageways of course." Harry added, his eyes widening in realization. "Ron, that's an amazing idea. Now, time to contact Remus and Snuffles to ask them for help." With that, Harry ran off towards the Headmaster's office to use the floo.
"So...mind telling the rest of us what this map thing is?" Draco drawled, causing Ron to curse Harry under his breath for leaving it to him to explain everything.
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It was late at night, and Harry stood on the Astronomy tower again to organize his thoughts. "Harry?" He turned around and smiled softly when his eyes landed onto Daphne's.
"Hey Daph," he said, turning back around.
"Daph? That's a new one." she raised an eyebrow, and he grinned sheepishly. "So...what brings you out here this late?" she asked, glancing at him.
"I was going to ask you that, but since you asked first...I couldn't sleep, and the night is perfect tonight. Not too cold, but not too warm either. A nice breeze as well, along with clear skies." he said, looking up towards the stars that seemed to wink back at him. "And you?"
"Hm...just felt like going for a wander, and it brought me here." she smiled. Harry looked at her and the sight almost took his breath away. Daphne's blond hair seemed to glow silver in the moonlight, and her crystal blue eyes looked so peaceful compared to their usual ice-cold daggers look. Feeling him staring at her, she smirked. "See something you like Potter?" Flushing pink for a brief moment at the comment, he grinned.
"Naturally. Honestly, do you even know just how beautiful you are?" he teased. Daphne blushed and looked away. They didn't say anything else that night, content to stand there in silence watching the sparkling stars above them.
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"So, reports. How are things going?" Harry asked the next morning, sitting down and grabbing a slice of toast, a spoonful of scrambled eggs, and one sausage. Ron glanced at his plate and frowned at how small the portion was, filing the information away for later.
"Well, Luna and I have managed to find teachers for all of the things we're looking for! That means teachers for the first through fourth years, teachers for the new classes, everything!" Neville stated proudly, beaming brightly.
"Yes. I'm pleased to say that they all had few to no nargles each." Luna said dreamily, and they all stared at her before smiling.
"Right, I went on that shopping spree you suggested and found textbooks for everything except for the new classes because I haven't got a list from the new teachers yet. I also have a large stock of quills, inkwells of multiple colors, pens, notebooks, lined paper, and graphing paper!" said Justin, and they all grinned.
"Draco and I changed the wards around the boys' staircases so that the girls couldn't get in there either, and also managed to stop the moving staircases with Hogwarts' help. I never understood why we couldn't get in their dorms when they could just skip on over into ours. Moving on though, Hogwarts stopped the moving staircases, and we made each dorm room practically empty so that the students could style it themselves." Terry reported, and they all nodded.
"Well, Ron and I both joined the team cleaning out the Forbidden Forest. We decimated off spiders so that their numbers are much smaller, and moved them all to a sanctuary. Next, we conversed with the centaurs and moved them to a separate, a more private, forest where they could live in peace. We left the unicorns alone, and basically, the rest was exploring the forest to see if we could find anything else dangerous. Now, the forest is safe for students, but it's best if they don't enter so they don't get lost." Susan concluded with Ron beaming proudly, although he still looked shaken from the spider encounter.
"Daphne and I cleaned the castle of all dark items and managed to set up a mini garage sale for students when they return. Gringotts already cleaned out the dark items, and one of them was a horcrux, which is basically a piece of someone's soul that's stored someplace to prevent that person from dying. Once finding the foul thing, they searched out all the death eater vaults because it was Voldemort's horcrux, and found another. They cleaned them both and gave them back. So we now have both Ravenclaw's infamous diadem, and Hufflepuff's cup. On a side note, once discovering the horcruxes, we suspected something about my scar, and they found out it was also another horcrux. I'm fine now because I was put in a ritual which destroyed it." Harry said, and they all snarled.
"Wait, if they all were Voldemort's, then the diary from the second year was also one, wasn't it?" Ron croaked, paling rapidly. Harry nodded solemnly.
"Yep. The goblins are raving about this, and they are all out on a hunt for the others. Our little Dark Lord had created six horcruxes, with me being the unintentional seventh. Moving on, I want to set up the school store, and help the new teachers move in. Luna and Susan, you both send out those letters I promised the students. The rest of you are with me setting up shop."
"Alright! See ya, Harry!" Susan waved goodbye, heading to the Dragon Council's common room with Luna walking behind her.
"Ok, so where do we want the shop to be?" Harry asked, and they all paused.
"I think we should put it in that empty classroom right next to the doors leading into the Great Hall." Ron suggested. Harry looked around for any other ideas, and seeing none, he grinned.
"Let's go then!" Upon entering the room, they saw that it was completely empty. "Perfect," Harry smirked. "Wands out peoples! I want glass shelves, dark wood floors, a magical cash register, a counter to put the cash register on, along with runes on the door preventing students from leaving without paying."
Whipping out their wands, they began to tear up the floorboards and conjuring thick glass shelves. Harry pointed his hands at the glass and levitated them onto the walls while his other hand applied permanent sticking charms to keep them there. Daphne conjured dark wood floorboard planks and laid them down. Terry began to renew the paint on the wall, and Draco conjured the counter as Justin levitated in the magical cash register. "Justin, Ron, and Terry, can you go pick up the supplies?"
The trio gave him a mock salute and ran out of the room. At that moment, multiples owls could be seen flying away from the castle to deliver the letters containing the news on changes. Harry put down a white fur rug that had a self-cleaning charm on it and straightened his back to view the results. "Whaddya think guys? I think it looks awesome!" he grinned, gesturing around the room. Draco smirked, pleased.
"It looks nice and new. Along with the bright and spacious feeling, it makes the store look great," Neville said as he glanced around nervously for someone to berate him for speaking. Harry and Ron gave him a mix of a concerned and proud look. Daphne gave a rare grin, choosing to not include herself in what seemed to be a running problem between the Gryffindors.
"It looks perfect," she said, surprising herself with how open she was becoming. Harry smiled back.
"I think I know just who to man this place." he grinned mischievously.
"Should I be worried?" Daphne raised an eyebrow.
"Not for us. The students however…." he trailed off, grinning like a loon. "I've got to make a floo call now. Be right back!" he said, running away while clapping his hands together excitedly. Draco rolled his eyes, opening up a closet that was in the corner of the room, and enlarging it for the supplies. Justin, Terry, and Ron all walked back in, their arms full of supplies, and more levitating behind them.
"Where do we put this?" Ron grunted.
"Put a bit of everything on the shelves, and the rest goes in the closet Draco has open," Daphne said, and they dumped the things down with a groan.
Terry started to levitate out all the inkwells and put one of each color on the shelf before putting the rest in the closet. Ron took out the quills and pens, putting a few of each on the shelves and putting the rest in the closet. Justin levitated out all the notebooks, lined paper, and graph paper and put a few of each on the shelves before sending the rest into the closet. Draco shuffled through the mostly empty bags before pulling out the calculators and setting them all up. "Alright, all set!" Harry smirked, walking back into the room with several glass balls floating behind him.
"What are those for?" Neville asked worriedly. Harry grinned reassuringly.
"Don't worry. I stole them from Trelawney's old stuff that she left behind when we fired her. They're normal glass spheres. Well, normal until now." Harry said, tapping each with his finger, and they started to glow brightly with light. "Just so it won't be too dark in here during the night," he explained, looking rather proud of himself for thinking it up. "The people who will be managing this place will be here by tomorrow," he said, putting permanent levitating charms on the glass orbs so they would hang in the air forever.
Daphne raised an eyebrow but started to walk out. "I think I want to meet those new teachers who will be teaching here this coming year. Join me Potter?" she asked just as Susan and Luna walked in. Harry smiled.
"Naturally. The rest of you, do whatever you want. We all deserve the break." he said, taking Daphne's hand as they walked out. "And call me Harry, Daphne."
"Well, I'm heading to the greenhouses!" Neville waved them goodbye as he walked out as well.
"I think I'm going to search the castle for wrackspurts," Luna said dreamily, following Neville out the door.
Draco paused. "I'm going to Hogsmeade for some butterbeer. Anyone want to join?" he asked, glancing around.
"I'll go." Ron and Terry said simultaneously.
Justin and Susan exchanged a look and said, "We'll be in the library researching up the Hogwarts rules. I think we should change a few of those. For example, the uniforms. They are a bit ridiculous." With that, the new store was devoid of any human beings.
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As they walked toward the classroom of one of the new Defense teachers, Harry glanced at Daphne and asked,
"So, whatcha think of the store?"
"I love it, and don't use such informal words. It's not becoming of one in your position." she replied, walking closer to him without noticing. Harry gave a hum in response, threw his arm over her shoulder, and ran his fingers through her blond hair absently. "Come on, we have teachers to meet," he said as they quickened the pace.
The next day, a letter arrived. Harry frowned, not recognizing the owl, he ran a few scans on the letter. He found it was just a regular, everyday, letter.
Dear Potter,
You probably don't know me, but Daphne certainly does. My name is Tracy Davis, Daphne's best friend. I would like to join the Dragon Council, my reasons for this are simple. One, to protect and help my friend wherever I can. Two, to help Hogwarts get back to where it once stood. And three, to hopefully have protection from my family. That's all really, so if you are still reading this, thank you.
Sincerely, Tracy Davis
Harry raised an eyebrow and showed the letter to Daphne. "It's from one Tracy Davis asking to join the Dragon Council. Your thoughts?" Daphne looked surprised and read through the letter. Taking a sip from her pumpkin juice, she said,
"She's my best friend, and I honestly think she would benefit not only herself but for us if she joins us."
"I think so too," Draco said, surprising the group. "What?" he asked, glancing around, "Davis has a good track record when it comes to grades, and she also has a wicked sharp mid when it comes to politics, as well as being able to easily read the people around her. That's a good talent to have when dealing with those meddlesome politicians we're bound to run into at some point." The group couldn't argue with that logic.
"Wait, but what if she just ends up manipulating us?" Justin asked suspiciously.
"I've met her once, she helped me get my shoes back from the nargles. I don't think anyone manipulative like that would have done that," Luna said in response to Justin's suspicions. The group frowned when they heard further proof that Luna was bullied.
"Alright, I'll tell her to meet us in the Three Broomsticks for lunch," Harry said, looking around for objections. Receiving no objections, he quickly wrote the letter and sent it. "Alright, what's left?"
Justin's eyes lit up. "Sports!" Harry was about to respond when the doors burst open, and a familiar pair of redheads stood in the doorway dramatically.
"Behold! The great Weasley twins!" they exclaimed in synch, fireworks exploding in the background. Harry grinned.
"Hey! Glad you could make it! Let me take you to the store I was telling you guys about." the twins and Harry continued out of the doors of the Great Hall, chatting amicably.
"So….was I the only one who saw that coming?" Susan asked in the silence.
"Nope." the others shook their heads.