A/N: Readers, before you proceed with this chapter please note that significant content was added to Chapter 7 after it was originally published. If you have not read the updated chapter yet please do so.

Chapter 8: Turban or Time Turner

Harry had changed into his Gryffindor robes, and with Woody's help managed to return to his dormitory in Gryffindor tower, finding it mercifully empty. His stomach gurgled and he thought, hopefully my breakfast as Harry doesn't end up with feathers in it. Then changed back into his pajamas before climbing back into his fourposter bed and closing the red velvet hangings. Harry stowed his hawthorn wand in the mokeskin pouch and reached for the holly wand beneath his pillow, the wood warmed at his touch as if acknowledging his presence. He lifted it and tapped the glasses and watch, willing both to change their appearance. His glasses returned to their familiar round frames, and his watch took on the lighter appearance he had envisioned when he opened it that morning.

Reaching into the mokeskin pouch once more, he retrieved the time turner and placed it around his neck. Glancing at the watch he noticed it was 1:15pm and noted he would have to turn back at least seven hours if not eight to ensure he did not surprise everyone by suddenly appearing in his bed. So, he lifted the fine gold chain, and turned the miniscule hourglass over the required number of times. A faint ticking filled the sleepy silence and Harry glanced down to see his watch ticking rapidly to the appropriate time. I will have to write Aunt Cissy soon to thank her for this watch it is brilliant. When the watch resumed its normal rhythm, it read 5:15am and Harry settled in to get some more sleep before it was time to go to breakfast.

Harry was shaken awake a few hours later by Neville who had already dressed in his newly embroidered robes, "We tried to let you wake up on your own, but if you're not up soon we'll be late for breakfast."

"Ug, what time is it?" Harry lifted his left wrist to his bleary eyes and the watch now read 7:43am. "I'm going to have to set an alarm next time."

He climbed out of bed and dressed hurriedly in the robes he had already worn. He futilely tried to flatten his hair as he checked his appearance in the mirror by the door, and was unsurprised when it said, "You're fighting a losing battle there, dear." But knowing that he would have never seen a wizarding mirror before, he jumped as if startled, "What was that?'

Across the room Dean laughed, "Yeah scared the pants off me when I was trying to fix my tie."

Neville smiled apologetically, "I'm sorry I didn't warn you. I keep forgetting that you didn't grow up in a magical family."

Seamus finger combed his sandy blond hair as he asked, "So it's true then, that you went to live with muggles?"

"Yep," Harry sighed, "I lived with my mother's sister and her family." He retrieved the holly wand from beneath his pillow and stowed it in a pocket of his robes.

Neville glanced around at the other boys and asked, "Is everyone ready? I figured no one would want to go down alone."

"Not true," Dean nodded to the empty bed across from Harry's, "Nott left earlier when I was just getting out of bed."

"Uh, you're a morning person…" Seamus groaned.

Dean smiled, "When you have five younger sisters there is no peace in the morning, and if you don't use the loo before they get in there, you can kiss the hot water goodbye."

The four boys made their way down the spiraling staircase together. Harry hung back slightly, letting Dean and Seamus go ahead of him, and Neville slowed to keep pace with him. The kind-faced boy said, "You didn't want to be first down there because you don't want a repeat of what happened on the train."

Harry sighed, "I don't want any of it, but I don't have much of a choice, do I?"

Neville placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, "You're not the only one whose family You-Know-Who wrecked, but the difference is you stopped him from hurting many more families. You gave everyone hope that the dark days were at an end. You're like our savior…"

Seamus looked over his shoulder and said, "You're like wizard Jesus." He winked at Harry and crossed himself. "Oh, if me Mama heard me saying something like that, she'd make me go to confession."

"So, you're religious?" Dean asked, "How does that work considering the fact we're all at a school to learn magic?"

The Irish boy shrugged, "It's complicated."

They entered the common room at that point, and the color pallet and crackling fire gave the room a cozy atmosphere. Harry scanned the nearly empty room and spotted Theo sitting by himself. He went over and sat in a chair near the solitary boy. Seamus and Dean took seats on a sofa near the fire, and Neville came over to join Harry.

"Hey mate, how did you sleep?" Harry asked the reedy boy.

Theo shrugged, picking at a hole in the chair's upholstery "Fine I guess… the bed was comfortable and warm, so there was nothing to complain about."

"Sometimes our minds won't let us sleep, no matter how comfortable we feel." Neville said gently, "I couldn't sleep the night before worrying about coming here and where I'd be sorted, about being laughed at because I'm so clumsy and because I brought a toad to school. Trust me, I know my family is out of step with even other pure blood families."

Theo winced at the mention of sorting but continued to listen to the rest of Neville's words. He nodded before shrugging, "I know what you mean. My father is probably your grandmother's age, and he's been my only parent for a long time…" He trailed off as if he had said too much.

Harry caught Theo's eye and said, "He can't hurt you here, just like my relatives can't lock me up when I showed signs of magic or use me as a punching bag." He had not meant for all of that to come out, but Theo had to understand that he was not alone. Neville remained quiet sensing that this was something he could not share in and kept his own outrage in check. The silence stretched for a moment and then Theo wet his lips before speaking.

"I thought it was something like that."

The door on the opposite side of the fireplace opened, and Fatima came into the room followed by two sleepy girls; one was the Indian sister and the other was a blond girl with blue eyes. A girl with black curls and dark eyes bounced into view next, followed by Isobel MacDougal who had told Horatio and Draco off for talking at the sorting, and Hermione who spotted him and Neville making a beeline for their corner. Neville stood up as she approached to offer her his chair.

"Morning you three," she smiled as she reached them. "Why so far from the fire?"

Theo raised a half-hearted hand and explained, "It was my fault, I was lurking here in the corner and they came to join me."

Hermione furrowed her brows, "Would you prefer if we gave you space?"

He shrugged one shoulder, "Its fine."

"Hermione," Neville gestured to his vacant seat, "here have this chair, and I'll go grab another one."

"Oh, that's not necessary," Her cheeks flushed, "I can just stand."

Theo shook his head, "There is no point telling a properly raised young wizard to not offer you a seat. It is practically bread into us."

She huffed good naturedly, sitting in the chair before looking up at Neville, "Thanks."

"It was my pleasure," Neville moved away to go find another chair, but before he could claim one all their attention was drawn elsewhere.

Fatima clapped her hands together, "Alright first years, I know we were all half asleep when we came up here last night, so Craig and I are going to lead you all down to breakfast."

Beside her Craig was doing a head count and nodded as he reached ten, "Everyone is here, lets head out because we have a lot of staircases to climb down to reach the Great Hall."

There was a general murmur of ascent and the group headed toward the portrait hole. As the students passed some of the portraits flitted from one frame to another, bending their heads close to whisper to their neighbors. He spotted more than one painted face peering out at him in varying degrees of curiosity. The two prefects lead the first years down staircases, through doorways concealed by tapestries, and on one occasion Fatima and Craig counted steps to show them where to jump over a trick step, that would hold your leg in place until someone came along to free you.

Neville sighed heavily, "I will never remember where that is…"

"Then ask someone to come along with you and we'll help you avoid it." The dark-haired girl hopped over the step and smiled up at Neville, "I'm Esmerelda Vane by the way, call me Esme."

"Neville Longbottom," he offered his hand and they shook briefly. He gestured to the others around him, "This is Theo Nott and Harry Potter, and I dare say you've met Hermione?"

Hermione nodded in agreement, "Esme's bed is beside mine in our dorm."

"Yep," Esme continued down the stairs as she talked, "I'm afraid we kept the others awake talking until Izzy told us to be quiet, or she'd look up a spell to make us." The idea of her classmate resorting to those measures seemed to amuse the girl, "It's the same for me at home, my sister Romilda and I can't say one word to each other without starting in on a whole conversation."

Hermione bit her lip before admitting, "It was kind of fun to have someone to talk to; I'm a muggle born and Esme is a pure blood, so we were asking each other about growing up in the other world."

"That does sound like fun," Harry smiled, "but maybe you two should do that when everyone is awake next time."

"Probably," the two girls admitted almost simultaneously.

When they reach the Great Hall, it was filled with sleepy chatter, and Harry resisted the urge to check if he had arrived as Horatio yet. He followed Neville to the Gryffindor table and sat down across from the Weasley twins. They were deep in conversation with a boy who had been showing off his spider on the platform the day before, "So, McGonagall told me I could be the full-time commentator, as long as I do my best to be impartial."

"Oh, like she's one to talk," said Fred. "She was in a right state when we lost every, single, game, last year."

"Well, it's not Wood's fault, it was his first year as captain." George shrugged, spreading marmalade on his toast, "and the Seeker tryouts were bedlam. After Charlie left kids wanted some of the glory."

"Speaking of glory," Fred lowered his voice, "why couldn't the hat have put Percy in Slytherin, eh?"

George sighed, "Speak of the hippogriff in the room. I really am worried how Mum is going to take this." He looked up noticing Harry for the first time, "Morning Harry."

"Morning George," Harry leant closer to the pair, "I'm worried about it too. I have heard that some people will disown their children if they're sorted into an unwanted house. Do you think your parents will do that to Ron?"

"No way," they said together.

Fred took a bite of cereal and chewed before saying, "Mum will be really cross though."

"But good old Dad will reign her in as usual," George took a swig of tea, "I hope so anyway."

There was a rushing sound overhead, and a couple hundred owls streamed into the hall. Harry looked up watching them circling the tables and smiled as he spotted Hedwig. She fluttered down beside the sugar bowl and blinked her amber eyes at him. "It's good to see you sweet girl." Harry grinned, stroking her feathers, and offering her a piece of bacon, before he remembered he had not even started on his own breakfast. He liberally added treacle to a fresh bowl of porridge and began to eat ravenously. It felt like ages since he had eaten a proper meal.

"Save some for the rest of us," Craig joked as he came over with a stack of parchment. "Here are the first-year schedules." He handed them out to Harry, Neville, Theo, and Hermione before moving on down the table.

Fred and George were watching something behind Harry.

George smirked, "I don't know what Snape said, but Percy looks ready to explode."

"We should send him a Christmas gift if he manages to make him snap." Fred's smile morphed into a frown, "oy, I wonder where Ron's going?"

"Maybe the Hospital Wing?" their friend suggested, "he looks rather green, and I don't mean his uniform."

"It's time to get to the bottom of this," George said, taking a final bite of his breakfast.

"Indeed," Fred drained the milk from his bowl in a few swallows and added, "Lee, when someone comes round get our timetables will you?"

"Sure," Lee watched them go shaking his head, "Sometimes you want to kill your family, but Fred and George would kill for theirs if they had to." He focused on the young students, "I'm Lee Jordan by the way, I'm in third year with the twins. If you're having trouble getting around let one of us know. No one knows this castle better than those two, except maybe Filch and his accursed cat."

Hermione pouted, "I like cats."

"You won't like this one, trust me." Lee cringed, "if you even think of breaking a rule in front of her, she'll scamper off to find her master and he'll show up wheezing two seconds later."

Hermione furrowed her brows, "She can probably smell the stress coming off you."

"What?" Lee asked incredulously, "I smell different because of what I'm thinking?"

"If you're stressed you do," Hermione asserted.

Harry backed her up, "She's right, our bodies send some kind of signals through sweat or something like that."

"Weird…" Lee wrinkled his nose as if the idea did not sit right with him.

Fatima came by with the third-year schedules and Lee became engrossed in his own, "Ah outside all morning. First double Care of Magical Creatures with Hufflepuff, and then double Herbology with Slytherin." He ran a finger down the first column and said, "Ah, and our first Divination this afternoon."

"When do you start those subjects?" asked Hermione eagerly.

"Third year," Lee explained, "you pick two or three extra classes at the end of your second year." He counted on his fingers, "You choose from Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, and Muggle Studies."

Hermione frowned, "All of those sound so interesting, I don't know how I could choose."

Lee laughed, "Well you have a couple years to decide."

Fred and George returned with identical scowls on their faces. George shifted his glare over Harry's head toward the other tables, "Perfect Percy snitch to Mum about Ron's sorting."

Lee winced, "Oh blimey, how do you know?"

"We caught Dad before he left the Entrance Hall. She actually sent him to ask Dumbledore to have him resorted."

Not that Harry was not grateful for their support of Ron, but he was somewhat confused, "I thought you two were upset last night after he went to Slytherin?"

"Well, we were." George shrugged, "but we talked about it last night."

"They did," Lee grinned, "kept me up half the night."

Fred rolled his eyes, "We did not, we heard the dulcet tones of you talking in your sleep as usual."

"Anyway," George continued, "We were talking it over and decided it might be a good thing. Ron is always sort of overlooked, and some of that is kind of our fault."

Hermione furrowed her brows in confusion, "I don't fully understand."

"Only child?" Lee guessed and Hermione nodded.

Fred explained, "You might have noticed that we like to cause mischief, and so we take up a lot of Mum and Dad's attention."

"We have to," George grabbed another slice of toast and smeared it with marmalade, "to compete with Bill the golden boy, Charlie the sporty outdoors man, and pretentious stick in the mud Percy."

Fred nodded, "So we became double trouble, we walk the line between chaos and humor and found our niche."

George swallowed his bite of toast, "And we figured that if Ron wanted to find his own, he would have to be out of our limelight."

"And out from under Perfect Percy's thumb," Fred concluded with a fresh glare toward the Ravenclaw table.

Craig returned at that moment and told the first years about Forms Time and gathered them to return to Gryffindor tower. They took the long journey through the castle, trying to memorize the route. Harry and the other Gryffindor boys went up to their dormitory together to collect their books. He glanced down his schedule and found that his classes were like Horatio's throughout the week; some were with Slytherin and others were shared with Hufflepuff. He did have one class after lunch today which was Defense Against the Dark Arts, the class also met on Wednesday and was shared with the Hufflepuffs. He recalled that Horatio had DADA on Tuesday and Thursday with Ravenclaw.

If Harry thought listening to Professor Benes was dull the first time, it was soporific the second time. Hermione had to shake him awake when the class was over. The two houses decided to travel together to Herbology, and he met Hannah and Susan officially as himself. Poor Hannah turned pink and lost the ability to speak. Susan shook his hand and said it was an honor to meet him. Professor Sprout went over the same lesson she did before and set them to watering the plants in Greenhouse One. Then it was time for break and a quick wash before heading to Charms, which was just as funny as the first time, even if Flitwick's reaction to his name was embarrassing. Though Trevor escaping from Neville's bag was worse. Harry gave him a sympathetic look as he plucked his toad out of the air. Face flushed with embarrassment Neville turned to him and said, "I didn't even know he was in there."

At lunch they discussed Defense Against the Dark Arts over their steak and kidney pudding but were sorely disappointed when they arrived in the classroom. Professor Quirrell's classroom was filled with a pungent smell that Harry could not place. When Seamus asked him about his turban, he claimed it had been given to him by an African prince in thanks for helping him with a troublesome zombie. Harry doubted any of them believed the story; because Quirrell became evasive when asked how he had fought off the zombie and started talking about the weather. The rest of the lesson was spent with Quirrell stammering through a lecture and then assigning reading for them. Harry did not know if it was the smell, or the fact that he had done so much time travel that day, but by the time the lesson was over his head was throbbing.

"Harry, are you alright? "Hermione asked at dinner, "You're rubbing your scar."

"I am?" he blinked tiredly, "it's just a headache. I don't think I agreed with that smell in Quirrell's classroom."

She nodded, "I didn't care for it myself. Maybe you should turn in early tonight, or we could ask Craig or Fatima to take you to the Hospital Wing before curfew?"

Harry shook his head, "No, I think I'll just lie down. If it's not better in the morning, I'll ask them to take me there."

He turned back one more time that day to go to dinner with the Slytherins. It was simple to ask Woody to take him from the Gryffindor to Slytherin dormitory since both sets of classmates were letting him rest. He felt bad that he missed out on the games with the other Slytherin boys, and on whatever his Gryffindor classmates were doing their first evening after classes. As Harry lay awake listening to Neville's snores, he decided he would try to find the right time to turn back so he was not tired all the time. He drifted off to sleep where he dreamed he was wearing Quirrell's turban. It kept tightening around his head and telling him he was a fool to be attending Hogwarts twice. It said he should drop out as Harry and focus on Horatio in Slytherin, that it was his destiny. When his watch warmed against his kin to wake him, Harry did not remember the dream at all.

Tuesday went similarly to Monday, though he was not so tired. During Forms the Slytherins played several hands of exploding snap which was a lot like the card game war, with the added complication of the cards exploding if you took too long play your hand. They also played gobstones which was like marbles, and Horatio found himself agreeing with Selwyn, it was not fun to be squirted in the face when you lost a point. Morning classes were the same; Herbology and History of Magic with the Ravenclaws for Horatio, and the same classes reversed for Harry with the Hufflepuffs

By the end of breakfast, word had passed through the other houses that the Slytherins had a system for helping their first years get around the castle and stay out of trouble. The Hufflepuffs were the first to adopt a similar one, and so it was that a Hufflepuff third year named Cedric Diggory, was waiting outside the History of Magic classroom to escort the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor first years to Herbology. He was standing in almost the same spot Flint had stood the day before, and Harry had to check himself to not greet the unfamiliar boy. He had caught Cedric's eye though and the older boy smiled politely.

"Hey cubs, my name's Cedric Diggory and I'm here to take you lot to Herbology, if you still need the help?" He glanced around at the assembled students.

Parvati asked, "When you say cubs, do you mean the Hufflepuffs or Gryffindors? Because we are all going to the same place."

Cedric smiled, "Both actually if you're going to the same place. I don't think the Gryffindors have worked out who is going to guide you all yet."

"Well, we kind of figured out where the Greenhouses were yesterday." Seamus quipped, which received titters and giggles from some of the other students.

"Well, I'll tag along then, if you all will have me."

"Why not?" Dean shrugged.

So, they set off together through the crowded corridors. It seemed that Cedric himself was popular, several people said hello to him as they passed. As they crossed the Entrance Hall, he drew level with Harry, grey eyes flicking up to his forehead for a brief glimpse of the fabled scar. The older boy smiled apologetically and said, "It must be hard when everyone already knows your name. I wanted to introduce myself properly, but I couldn't think of a way that didn't sound stuffy, rehearsed, or trite." Harry was touched by Cedric's honesty and thoughtfulness.

"Yeah, it is off putting when random strangers come up and already know who I am." Harry extended his right hand to shake, "So we will do the thing properly. I'm Harry Potter, nice to meet you."

Cedric laughed, shaking Harry's hand firmly, "Nice to meet you too, I'm Cedric Diggory."

Flint took the Slytherins back to the common room for break after the second period History of Magic lesson. The games ensued again; even Daphne and Tracy watched this time. Horatio was not able to talk to Pansy as she had gone down to the girls' dormitories where he could not follow. The Gryffindors spent their break in the courtyard with much of the rest of the school. Fred and George entertained everyone with a display of Filibuster's Fireworks, which was put to an abrupt end with the appearance of the caretaker Argus Filch.

After break Gryffindor and Slytherin had their first Transfiguration lesson. Professor McGonagall gave them a stern talking to first thing, "Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned" She concluded by turning an empty desk into a pig and back again. Everyone was excited none more so than Hermione, who had already expressed interest in this branch of magic. For the first half hour they took notes, and Professor McGonagall had Lavender pass out matches to each student, and they all set out to turn them into needles. By the end of the lesson a few had managed to alter their matches somewhat; Harry was among them, so he decided not to try so hard as Horatio, but his hawthorn wand had other ideas. Professor McGonagall held up his match and showed the class how it had turned silver and pointy. She awarded Slytherin ten points and gave him a rare smile.

In the desk beside him Harry saw Hermione deflate and said, "You know your match looks really sharp, Hermione."

"Thanks Harry," she smiled ruefully, "I really shouldn't be upset that someone else did well. School has just always been the place I distinguish myself, and I don't want to disappoint my parents. They sent me here to Hogwarts knowing they could not follow me into this world. I feel like the least I can do is make them proud."

Harry sighed to himself, if he had tried that it would have been seen as showing off or trying to upstage Dudley. Hermione's parents were different, they must have encouraged their daughter to do well in school, maybe even taken her out for ice cream if she made good marks—or maybe not—since they were dentists. Turning back to his friend he said, "I met your parents at Kings Cross, and you don't need to prove anything to them. I could see that they were proud of you, even though you're going away. There are plenty of muggle kids who go to boarding schools; my cousin Dudley went to his father's school Smelting's."

Her face brightened, "That is true."

The day ended with another Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, this time for Horatio. He suffered through another hour of that smelly classroom; trying to focus through the pain in his head. Draco took notice of this at once and told him in a hushed tone that he would share his notes. Horatio stared out the window trying not to be sick from the smell, or maybe it really was all the time travel. He knew by the look on Draco's face that he would have words for him when the class was over, and he also knew exactly what his friend was going to say. So, he was not surprised when Draco spoke to their guide after class and asked if he could take Horatio to the loo; that something at lunch had not set right with him.

The girl made a face as if the thought of dragging a sickly first year somewhere was not what she had signed up for, "Do you know the way?"

"Yes," Draco bit back the disdain in his tone, "and we can find the common room ourselves too."

"Good, then the rest of you follow me."

Ron glanced from the departing Slytherins to Horatio and Draco, "Do you two want some help?"

"I have him but thank you for the offer to help." Draco's formality surfaced as he fought not to be short with Ron. It was not his fault that Horatio was ill.

"Alright," Ron shrugged, "but if you need anything you know where to find me." He gave Horatio one more concerned glance and ran off to catch up to the others.

Draco drug Horatio into the nearest unoccupied room he could find, which turned out to be the Trophy Room. He did not spare a glance for the burnished shields and cups that would have normally captured his interest. Horatio lent back against the stone wall, shielding his eyes from what he perceived as the garish brilliance of the shiny metal. Horatio waited for the questioning, but it did not come immediately. He cracked his eyes open slightly to find Draco studying him and tried to offer a reassuring smile.

"You were quiet at dinner last night too." Draco observed, "Did you feel as wretched yesterday as you look right now?"

Horatio furrowed his brow, thinking hurt, "Maybe…"

Draco's face paled, "Why do you think that is?"

"I don't know," Horatio shut his eyes again, "It could be the time travel or maybe the concealment magic, or even me changing the appearance of my glasses and watch all the time, but it could also be whatever Quirrell has in his classroom…"

"Should we write and ask Mum to get you another watch, she could probably get you a second pair of glasses too if you needed—"

"No," He cut Draco off, "I don't want her to worry, and she would tell Uncle Sev. He might just have me stop being Horatio."

"So, you're not even going to go to him for a headache potion?" Draco's voice had sharpened in his worry. "All of this could be making you sick. It might even be damaging you magically. You look like you're having a… a migraine or something."

Horatio's grey eyes flew open, "That's it, I'll just tell people I have migraines."

"Then they will send you to Madame Pomphrey, and she will tell Uncle Severus. He is your only family Horatio."

He sighed, rubbing his forehead, "Look, I might just be new to this. Can I see how I feel at the end of the week before I say something?"

Draco folded his arms across his chest, "Fine, but if you don't, I will go to Uncle Sev myself."

"Fine," Horatio said, and the two of them left the room.

Horatio felt the brush of a small body at his ankles and looked down to see the mottled tabby fur of Mrs. Norris. She gave a high-pitched mew and stared at them with her luminous eyes for a moment. They held their breath in and stared back. Footsteps echoed down the corridor and they turned to see Ron approaching. Catching sight of him the cat hissed and scampered away on silent paws.

"There you two are," Ron watched the cat's reaction, "What's with her?"

"I thought you went to the common room with everyone else?" Horatio asked, still rubbing his head.

"Well I did, but Gemma was there, and she wanted to know why you two weren't. She was telling that Charlotte Wilks girl off when I left. Gemma was afraid you got lost and I offered to come check on you."

Draco had been watching the spot where the cat had disappeared, "I don't think Mrs. Norris likes Weasleys," Draco snorted despite his worry, "she either caught your scent or saw your red hair, and decided you'd be trouble like your brothers."

"Bloody hell," Ron groaned, "she's probably gone for Filch."

They heard the shuffling footsteps in seconds, although they had not done anything wrong, the boys panicked. They exchanged quick glances and headed off as fast as they could in the opposite direction. The three of them ran past doors where the final lessons of the day were taking place and came to a stop outside the first unoccupied room they could find. Horatio tried the door, but it was locked. Ron took a turn yanking on it and trying to shoulder it open, but it did not budge. Filch rounded the last corner as Draco plunged his hand into his robes reaching for his wand.

"What are you three brats doing? Get away from that door!" He spotted the Slytherin emblem on their robes. "Shouldn't you be off with your buddy system in the dungeons? Dumbledore warned all of you to keep out of this corridor to save your own skins, but you lot couldn't wait to come poking your noses where they don't belong."

"Wait," Horatio took a couple steps away from the door in question, "this leads to the forbidden corridor?"

Filch sneered, "As if you didn't already know."

"We were lost," Ron objected.

"A likely story," Filch rounded on Ron, "Looking to outdo your twin brothers and get expelled your first week, Weasley?"

"I sa-say wha-what's the ma-matter, Mi-Mister Filch?" Quirrell had appeared, "I waz wo-working on my le-lesson pa-plan and heard shu-shouting."

Filch adopted an oily manner, "I'm sorry to have disturbed you Professor Quirrell, but I've caught these boys trying to break into the forbidden corridor."

Draco glared at Filch, "As we tried to explain, we were lost."

The smell seemed to cling to Quirrell's turban, maybe whatever was in his classroom was stuffed inside it. Horatio was focused on breathing as little as possible in case the smell was triggering his headaches. He heard the man stammer, "Mu-must have been a mi-mistake. Thi-this is the-their fi-first week, Fi-Filch."

"Oh, alright Professor," Filch conceded, possibly to get Quirrell to stop talking. He turned to the three boys, "Go back to your common room, and don't let me catch you around here again."

Quirrell checked his watch, "Mi-might be be-better to go di-directly to di-dinner."

"Fine," Filch fixed his pale eyes on them again, "Go down to the ground floor, the double doors to the left of the staircase is the Great Hall you can't miss it."

The three boys headed off to dinner; Draco and Ron were complaining about Filch in hushed tones, and Horatio knew they were doing so for his benefit. When he entered the Great Hall the wave of chatter disoriented him for a moment. The other two boys stepped up to help him to their table. At the top of the hall Severus Snape looked over the rim of his goblet in time to watch the trio's progress. The staff entrance door opened behind the Potion's Master and Filch's wheezy breathing set his nerves on edge.

"Professor Snape, can I talk to you after dinner?"

"About what, Filch?"

"Three of your first years went wandering off and tried to break into that corridor."

The contents of his goblet sloshed as he sat it down abruptly, "What happened?"

"Nothing," Filch hunched his shoulders, "I caught them at it, and then Professor Quirrell arrived."

"What was he doing there?" Severus asked.

"He heard me, uh shouting, at the boys to get away from the door. He said I interrupted his lesson planning."

Three first year Slytherin boys, Severus mind flashed to the way Weasley and Draco had been supporting Horatio. "Are you sure the boys didn't get through that door?"

"No professor, it was still locked after they left, I checked."

Severus breathed an inward sigh of relief, and per Dumbledore's instructions returned to questioning about Quirrell's involvement. He would have to talk to his snakes later to find out how three first years wound up on their own, outside the forbidden corridor no less. He reasoned that he would talk to Harry soon, but he was safe for the moment, and all of this needed to be sorted out first.

Wednesday and Thursday started later because there were no Herbology or History of Magic lessons for the first years, and they were excused from Form Time on those days as well. This made things easier for Harry because he could relax in the morning and did not have to make as many appearances. Most of his classmates took advantage of the extra time to sleep. After break, the Gryffindors and Slytherins had Charms and Transfiguration back to back. Then it was time for lunch and the dreaded DADA lesson. Wednesday had its own unique challenge because Harry was awake longer with his Gryffindor and Slytherin classmates until time for Astronomy.

Professor Sinistra taught the entire first year at Midnight on Wednesday. They spent two hours at the top of the tallest tower, learning to identify the stars and planets through their telescopes. It was easy to ignore his own presence in the darkness surrounding them, except for the small silver lights which their teacher conjured. Harry was just grateful that his headache from earlier in the day had eased so he could focus on his work. After the lesson was over Horatio finished packing away his telescope and checked his watch. Their professor had caught sight of it by the silver light of her orbs and came over.

"A beautiful timepiece Mr. Prince. Is that a ChronoMagic product?"

"Yes Professor, it is a Sidus Veritas model." He caught the surprised hitch of her breath and saw her blue eyes widen. Reaching with his left hand Horatio unclasped the leather strap around his right wrist and held the watch out to her. "You can examine it more closely if you wish, professor."

She took the watch in careful hands and examined it for a moment, "They are designed to calibrate themselves to time zones by the position of the stars. Do you travel often?"

Horatio shook his head, "Not as of yet, but I might travel during the summer holiday."

"I wish you safe passage on your travels Mr. Prince." She handed the watch back and stepped away to assist one of the Hufflepuff girls, who appeared to be struggling with her telescope.

"Incidentally, my family is planning to travel to France this summer," Draco smirked, "I bet my parents could be convinced to bring you along."

Horatio smiled, "That would be brilliant." Then the first years descended the astronomy tower stairs and headed to their beds.

Thursday at lunch, Horatio had a visitor to the Slytherin table. Terrence Boot of Ravenclaw—or Terry as he preferred to be called—had noticed Horatio's headaches as well and told him they could be triggered by something in his environment or even by stress or his diet. Terry advised Horatio to take the weekend to relax as much as he could, and to vary his diet in case some food was making him ill. There was no Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson on Friday, so he would be free of that smelly classroom for three whole days; in which time he would need to continue to use concealment magic and time turning to keep up appearances. Harry told himself that if it was whatever Quirrell had stuffed in that turban he would go to someone for a headache cure, but he wanted to prove that it wasn't his dual identity that was causing the problem.

A/N: This chapter was a lot of fun to write. Please assume if I did not specify, that Harry/Horatio are turning back time to attend classes throughout the first week. Next chapter will have the events of Friday; including Gryffindor/Slytherin potions, and tea with Hagrid among other things. Severus will also want to spend some time with his godsons. Will Horatio manage to reach Pansy? Will Theo find his place among the Gryffindors?