Changing Sides

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Chapter 10: A Summer's Recollection

Harry couldn't have been more anxious for the start of school again. He would get to see everyone at school and he didn't have to be with Malfoy anymore. But one thing was troubling him. It was the dream he had had last night. He never had any dreams like this before where it felt as if he was watching it but had a part in it.

"Hermione, it's really nothing. It was just a dream about Voldemort," Harry said.

"You never know Harry. We're still not sure why you couldn't talk to us last night anytime you tried to say something," Hermione answered. "You really should tell me about the dream. Does it involve... one of us?"

Harry looked at Hermione.

"It does, doesn't it?" Hermione asked.

"No!" Harry answered. "Well, part of it."

"Please tell me?" Hermione asked again.

"Tell you what?" Ron asked walking in the room.

"Harry had a strange dream last night and he's going to tell us," Hermione said.

"Alright," Ron remarked and sat down next to Hermione.

"So, in the dream. I was in a room, but I couldn't see myself physically so it's possible that I wasn't even there and I was just watching something. Draco Malfoy was there and he was telling... well... he was telling me about how he got me to trust him and then he shared information with... with me about how you two are going out. Does that make sense?" Harry said.

Ron was sitting with an extremely confused look on his face, clearly confused.

Hermione looked as if she was contemplating what Harry had just said. "So Malfoy wouldn't report to you about you. So you were obviously seeing this dream from someone else's point of view, like you were this person. So, who were you?" Hermione asked.

"Voldemort," Harry answered like a lightbulb lit up in his head.

"How do you know?" Ron asked out of his daze and listening alertly.

"Malfoy had said, 'My Lord' and I think I know who that refers to," Harry said. "And Malfoy said that he trusted me and he completed his task of giving this to me." Harry pulled the talisman that Malfoy gave him out from under his shirt.

"Malfoy is playing you, Harry. Don't trust that git," Ron advised.

"Thanks Ron. I don't trust him," Harry answered.

"He thinks you do. Oh, clever plan, Harry. Good one," Ron remarked when realization hit him.

"I don't know if I would wear that Harry. It could be dangerous," Hermione said. "I think you should take it off."

"Okay," Harry said. "Can you untie it?" He spun around so his back faced Hermione and Ron.

"Sure," Hermione answered. "Ow."

"What?" Ron asked.

"Nothing, I just a little shock. Ow!" Hermione said. "Um, I think it's shocking me."

Ron hesitantly touched the string and he too received a shock. "Ow!" he said. "Harry, that's not good."

"Ron's right," Hermione said. "Let's try a different approach." Hermione pulled out her wand.

"Hermione, you're not allowed to use magic outside of school," Harry reminded her. "I'm still wondering how I was allowed to in Malfoy's Manor."

"Malfoy Manor has a lot of wards up that don't detect underage magic. Dumbledore was telling us and he also put up a ward here that doesn't detect underage magic, I had to convince him, of course. Hold still," Hermione said.

"Please don't kill me," Harry said nervously.

"I won't. Diffindo!" Hermione cried. She was forcefully thrown backwards away from Harry and she slid into the wall knocking Ron down as well.

Harry was now no longer happy. He was now worried and angry. He was worried because he was wearing something that would not come off and he was angry because Malfoy gave it to him and told him that it brought him luck. Surely if Malfoy knew what this necklace did and what if Harry confronted him about it. What would he say then? He could not just say, "I don't know." Harry would not take that for an answer.

Ron was helping Hermione to her feet.

"I'm sorry," was all Harry could say.

"It's fine," Hermione answered picking up her wand. "I'll just not do that again. It's most likely charmed to do that. It doesn't seem like it would hurt you, it actually seems like it would protect you."

"Ron!" Mrs. Weasley called up the stairs. "Ron! It's time to go!"

"Coming!" Ron called back. He turned back to Harry. "It's time to go."

"Telling me in case I didn't hear?" Harry asked sarcastically. "Hermione, could you shrink my trunk?"

"Of course," Hermione replied. She waved her wand and Harry's trunk shrunk on the floor.

"Non-verbal spells, Hermione?" Harry asked.

"I've been practicing," Hermione remarked.

"So have I," Harry answered and extended his hand and his tiny trunk came to him. "Non-verbal."

"And wandless. Bloody hell, Harry. You have to teach me that," Ron said.

"At school?" Harry asked.

"No, now," Ron said.

"Ronald, you heard your mother, we have to go," Hermione reminded him.

"How about on the train?" Harry asked.

"Deal," Ron said and they shook hands on their deal.

"Ron, we have prefects duty," Hermione said. "I'm sorry Harry but Dumbledore wasn't sure if you... well..."

"If I was coming back and coming back alive? I understand, I wondered that too sometimes. But after your rounds, you can come and sit with me, right?" Harry asked.

"Definitely," Ron answered and taking his trunk, he left the room.

"Coming, Harry?" Hermione asked when Harry didn't follow.

"Yeah," Harry replied still facing away from Hermione.

Hermione came and put her hand on Harry's shoulder. "What's wrong? Does it bother you that Ron and I are... you know?" she asked.

"No, not at all," Harry answered. "It's just that I missed so much. What if people ask me how my summer was? It doesn't feel right to tell people 'nothing.'"

"Don't tell me you're getting soft and don't think that you can lie to people. We have lied to get out of trouble, well, me, not so much but you and Ron, please, if I had a sickle for every lie," Hermione said. She put her arm around Harry's shoulder and turned him around with her. "Come on, we have to go." Her and Harry left the room and followed the way Ron went down the stairs.

As soon as the Golden Trio, at last reunited got on the train, Ron and Hermione had to go to a prefect's compartment to attend a meeting. Harry was left alone with the exception of Ginny and Neville who they ran into. The three of them walked down the train, people staring at Harry more than usual and whispering and pointing. They joined a blonde-haired girl in her compartment since she was sitting all alone. She was read a magazine upside down and it covered her face.

Harry sat down opposite her with Neville and Ginny sat next to her. Without warning the girl spoke and without looking up and out over her magazine.

"Hello Harry Potter," she said.

"Er, hello..." Harry answered.

"Oh, I'm Luna," the girl replied. She put the magazine on her lap. "Luna Lovegood, Ravenclaw."

"Hi, I'm Neville," Neville said. "Neville Longbottom, Gryffindor." He held out his hand and Luna shook it. "I don't think I've ever seen you around."

"I have been around. I am in your year," she said.

Harry wondered how she knew so much about them. It was a little strange but the thought that Luna Lovegood, Ravenclaw, could be dangerous passed through his mind easily.

"Luna, this is Ginny Weasley. She's a fourth year but she's probably smarter than me," Harry said.

Ginny blushed. "Gryffindor," she added.

"Three Gryffindor's and a Ravenclaw, how lovely," Luna said, she picked up her magazine and began reading again. There was a silence.

Harry broke the silence. "Has anything happened over the summer?" he asked Ginny.

Ginny, of course, knew he was unwillingly taken to the Malfoy's and was forced to stay there over the summer and he was clearly asking her about big news that maybe he didn't hear about. Neville, however did not know, and Harry kind of wanted to keep his summer vacation a secret.

"There was a lot of stuff in the Daily Prophet," Ginny said. "About you."

"Me? Like what?" Harry asked.

Ginny pulled out a copy of the Daily Prophet from her bag and handed it to Harry. On the cover was a picture of Harry on one side of the page and on the other side was a picture of hooded person which Harry found out by reading the subtitle under it was apparently Voldemort. But Harry knew Voldemort did not run around with a hood on, this was clearly a fake picture. And the picture of Harry...

"That picture of you is from last year," Ginny finished his thoughts for him. "During the Triwizard Tournament."

"Why?" Harry asked.

"The whole article is about rumors about the return of You-Know-Who but many people and the Minister of Magic refuse to believe it and about how no one has seen you all summer or any sign of You-Know-Who," Ginny explained.

"Are the implying..." Harry started.

"That you and You-Know-Who are conspiring to take down the Minister and the Ministry," Ginny finished again.

"That's ridiculous," Neville remarked. He was now sitting next to Luna attempting to read her magazine which was upside down.

"Well, I'm not. Just because I was..." Harry was saying. He had to choose his words carefully. He could not just blurt out that he had been at Malfoy's all summer long. "I was away," he chose.

"Really? Where did you go?" Luna asked.

"I... To..." Harry struggled for an idea.

"He went away with his godfather for a while and then he stayed with me, us, at my house," Ginny said nervously. She glanced sideways at Harry but he didn't seem to notice anything.

"This Daily Prophet article is ridiculous. Rita Skeeter, I should have known. She always publishes this rubbish. She thinks I'm working with Voldemort. Yes, I am working with Voldemort to take down the Ministry of Magic. It's absurd," Harry said.

"Remember last year with the badges, Harry?" Ginny asked. "Well, we can get through this. You and me, together." She mentally slapped herself for she had done it again.

"Thanks, Gin," Harry said. "Remember last year when she published that article that me and Hermione were going out? That was chaotic. Oh... look at this Ginny."

Ginny leaned over and looked at the paper where Harry was pointing to.

There was a picture of Harry, the same one from last year but he was next to Ginny. The pictures looked like they were placed in the same frame to have the effect that it was taken with them in the photo together. "Listen to this," Harry said. He began reading from the paper:

"Harry Potter, conspiring with You-Know-Who needs an assistant. He chooses Ginny Weasley, a year younger than himself at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The couple appear to be in an intimate relationship, spending lengthy amounts of time together in seclusion. Their relationship is to be kept a secret until Harry's right handed man Neville Longbottom, same year as Harry found out about this relationship. Research has shown that Longbottom took Ginny Weasley to the Yule Ball last year and Harry Potter, out of jealousy has chosen Ginny Weasley as his assistant. No word yet on how Neville Longbottom is handling the situation."

"Now that is ridiculous," Neville remarked.

The compartment door opened and Ron and Hermione came inside.

"Hey guys," Ron said and he sat down next to Harry and Hermione sat down in between the window and Luna Lovegood.

"So how was the prefects meeting?" Harry asked.

Ron and Hermione answered at the same time. "Boring" was the word that came from Ron and "Interesting" was the word that came from Hermione.

Harry looked at each of them. "Okay? That doesn't help," he said.

"We have a lot of responsibilities. I can take points away but not from other prefects and unfortunately Malfoy is a prefect. Merlin knows how he got that position. Him and that Slytherin girl Pansy Parkinson," Hermione explained.

"I wonder why you weren't chosen as a prefect, Harry," Neville said.

Hermione, Ron, Harry and Ginny from eavesdropping all knew why Harry wasn't a prefect. It was because Dumbledore wasn't sure if Harry was coming back and if he was even alive. Ginny didn't know as much about the situation as Hermione and Ron did but if you knew Ginny, she would sure find a way to figure it out.

The compartment door opened again.

A girl was standing in the doorway and there were a bunch of girls behind her but standing far enough back but all trying to get a look at Harry one way or another.

"Hi," she said. She stood there.

Ginny gave Harry a nudge.

"Oh, um hi," he answered in a questioning tone. The girl didn't say anything but she stared at Harry and didn't seem to be looking at him but something above him or above his eye level at least. His scar.

"Do you need something?" Ginny finally asked.

"Um, I wanted to know if Harry wanted to come and sit with us," the girl said.

"Oh, I'm alright here, thanks though," Harry said politely. The girl looked younger than him and he didn't want to send her off crying.

"Alright. We're only down the train. And I'm Romilda, by the way. Romilda Vane," she said. She stepped back and let the compartment door slam shut and walked away with her giggling friends.

As soon as they were gone, Harry's compartment was filled with laughter.

"That was so funny," Ron said. "I thought she was just going to invite herself in here and sit down like on you or something, mate."

"That's Romilda Vane," Hermione said.

"In case we didn't know?" Ron asked still laughing.

"No, I wasn't finished and you interrupted me. I was going to say that she's two years younger than us," Hermione explained.

"Even better!" Ron exclaimed. "A third year has a crush on Harry!"

Ginny looked down. She was a fourth year, not too far off.

"Would you ever go out with a third year?" Neville asked Harry.

"Neville!" Luna remarked. She looked up for a moment and everyone caught a flash of her truly blue eyes and her radish earrings. Then she turned a page in her magazine, set it down on the seat and stood up. "I'll be back, I feel the presence of Nargles."

"Probably not," Harry said to Neville once Luna left.

"How about a fourth year?" Neville asked. He shot a quick glance at Ginny which only she seemed to notice and she shot him back a look that said what the heck are you doing.

"Maybe. Why? Are you thinking about asking out a fourth year?" Harry asked.

"Maybe," Neville answered.

"Neville," Ginny said. "Care to come with me to find the candy cart?"

"Sure, my gran gave me two sickels to buy something," Neville answered and left the compartment with Ginny.

"What are you doing?" Ginny asked him.

"Nothing," Neville answered.

"Don't give me that! You just asked him if he would go out with a fourth year and then you deliberately looked straight at me," Ginny stated.

"Well, I know you like him," Neville said.

"What? No, I don't like him," Ginny said.

"The only person you're lying to is yourself."

"When did you start talking like a fortune cookie?"

"A what?"

"Muggle thing, never mind."

Ginny heaved a sigh. "Fine, Neville. I like him. A little bit. And it would be great if we were going out, then we could talk all the time. But I don't want Harry to know. So don't tell him," she said.

"Alright, can we go back in now?" Neville asked.

"No," Ginny replied. "I asked you to come with me to find the candy cart."

"Fair enough," Neville replied and him and Ginny went down the train looking for the cart.

Back in Harry's compartment, Harry was quietly sharing more information about what happened when he was at Malfoy's.

"It was really scary at first. I thought I was going to die," Harry said. He was now sitting on one side of the compartment by himself while Ron and Hermione sat on the other side next to each other and holding hands. Harry was very glad that it was not bothering him.

"But when did he teach you the stuff?" Ron asked.

"A little while in. I did it on my own at first when we were in the graveyard. I really wanted to get out of there and I was just like calling to the cup but not saying anything and then it came towards me but Voldemort pushed it to the side and it landed on Cedric and he was port keyed back and then they apparated me to the manor," Harry explained.

"Side along apparition?" Hermione asked.

"More like forcefully dragging apparition," Harry replied. "Then it went black. Voldemort told me that wandless magic drains me since I didn't really know what I was doing but now I'm really good and it doesn't drain me at all."

"Harry, you know, could we see a bit of something?" Ron asked.

Harry laughed a little. He got up to make sure the door was closed and he pulled the shades down on the door and window. "Give me something to levitate," Harry said.

"Here," Ron said pulling a bag of Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans out of his pocket. "These were for you. We passed the candy cart on the way down here."

"Thanks," Harry said. "So, I really don't know what I'm doing. And the best way to start is by speaking it, I can almost do it non-verbally. So I'm thinking of floating the bag and then you have to concentrate a lot. See it floating in your mind. Feel the magic inside of you..."

"You sound like a teacher," Ron said laughing.

"Sorry, but that is how you do it. It feels like it's in your fingers. Watch," Harry said. He picked up his hand and just held it out. "Wingardium Leviosa."

The bag floated up in the air and just floated there and no one had a wand out.

The compartment door suddenly opened and Draco Malfoy was standing there.

Harry immediately put his hand down and the bag dropped to the seat.

"Don't stop on my account, Potter. I was just looking for my friends," Malfoy said.

"Friends? That's a good one," Ron said.

"Watch it Weaselface," Malfoy said.

"Malfoy, do you need something?" Hermione asked.

"No, can't I stop and visit?" Malfoy asked.

"No," Hermione and Ron said simultaneously.

"Fine, I can see when I'm not wanted. Nice tricks, Potter, maybe you could teach me?" Malfoy asked and left the compartment.

Harry stood up and followed him out.

"Malfoy," he said as he opened his compartment door.

"Potter," Malfoy said. He was leaning against the wall as if he knew Harry was going to come out. "You have to remember to keep your mind closed."

"Yeah, yeah. This talisman you gave me. What does it do?" Harry asked showing Malfoy the talisman.

"Nothing, it's supposed to be lucky. And you need all the luck you can get if you're going to get that sword," Malfoy whispered.

"Wait... How?"

"See you later Potter," Malfoy said and turned and walked away.

Harry went back into the compartment with Ron and Hermione.

"Did you ask him about the thing?" Ron asked.

"It's called a talisman Ronald," Hermione said.

"Yeah. He said that it's supposed to be lucky. And I'll need all the luck I can get if I'm going to get the—," Harry explained but stopped before finishing the sentence.

"Go on," Ron said.

"I can't," Harry said.

"Harry, we're not going to tell anyone," Ron reassured.

"No, I would tell you but I can't seem to say it. Anytime I talk about the tttt—tttt—, I don't know, I can't say certain words," Harry explained.

"Try writing it down," Ron said and handed Harry a quill.

Harry tried to write on some parchment what he wanted to say but he simply could not write it down. The quill would go every opposite way he wanted it to go. "I'm sorry, I just can't do it," Harry said.

"Harry," Hermione said. "Have you ever heard of a Fidelius Charm?"

A/N: I know it has been a while. My free time is shrinking to a minimal amount. So I am updating but not as soon as most likely you or I hoped. Enjoy, read, review. The usual.

Total Word Count: Too many (:

–Elizabeth