The Prince-Who-Lived

Chapter Twenty-nine

The week followed with no more excitement than Alan's wide smile when Harry found a moment to inform him of his promise to his mother: that he would tell his father, eventually, of what should have been his house. It seemed to lift Alan's mood quite a bit, which almost made the whole house seem brighter. It certainly brought a skip to Regulus' step, and the good mood culminated in a mass prank during a group dinner that no one was really sure who'd instigated it: absolutely everyone at the table ended up with silver hair, and the tablecloth was turned bright yellow. The confusion stemmed mainly from more than half those present not really caring that it had happened. James was completely confused, as he was blind to the concept that Fred and George would have hexed his hair silver, and Severus, while being disinclined to prank, had immediately glared at a very innocent looking Regulus who in turn blamed the twins. The confusion lasted for nearly a half-hour, with Lily laughing at her husband's plight, the twins getting yelled at by their mother, and Alan and Regulus disappearing upstairs.

However, it was soon September first, and the day was started with Harry and Neville stepping out of their bedroom and immediately having to dodge the twins' flying trunks. Harry pulled Neville down as the trunks flew past, and Harry hollered "Incoming trunks!" down the stairs. He heard several gasps and a loud shriek; one of the trunks thumped against the wall, and the twins ran past with pale faces. Neville cussed them out as they went by, not lapsing in his fervour until Alan scoffed above him.

"The language in question there isn't really welcome, Longbottom. Perhaps you should finish your washing up a little better before you continue downstairs."

Neville straightened his robes and smiled grimly. "I'm clean enough, Prince. But by all means, lead the way. Expendables first, I believe."

Alan allowed him a wryly amused look before he continued down, and Harry gave him a small smile before Ron opened the bathroom door. The look vanished as Ron's face twisted into an irritated glower, and Prince swept down the stairs with ease. Regulus quickly strode past Ron, making him stop as he continued down. Ron grumbled angrily under his breath, but went into the room to double-check that he was finished packing. Harry and Neville had forced him to do so the day before as they checked that all of their stuff was together. Mostly it worked because they'd piled all his things on his bed and refused to allow him to clutter the floor again: the trunk was the only option left for stowing it all. Neville, however, had insisted upon breakfast before his own double-check, to which Harry joined him for the mass confusion in trying to get out the doors. The only thing really going for them was that they weren't very far from King's Cross.

Getting down the second time, however, was preceded by an angry inarticulate scream Harry was fairly sure was his mother's. He exchanged a quick worried look with Neville, and they both ran out and down the stairs. They passed their sisters on the way down, and then Regulus stopped them in the entrance hall, Alan glowering at the kitchen stairwell beside his father.

"Don't go in quite yet. Your father came back from pouting at the ministry in a worse mood and delivered some bad news about the Minister's newest headache. I didn't go down to listen, so I'm not sure what it was, but …" He grimaced. "As you heard, apparently your mother didn't take it well."

"Didn't take it well?" Alan drawled. The expressions Harry and Neville wore commiserated. "I'd rank that a little differently."

His words were followed by him wincing, an action all in the entrance hall copied as the door below was slammed open, and Lily stepped out with her eyes blazing. Severus immediately stepped forward, expressionless, but speaking calmly.

"Lily, I can see you're mad. What news did the minister drop this time?"

"Other than requesting once again to be able to not have you defy him in his desire to question your son? He's called in that the aurors who normally have the day off to see their children to the Hogwarts Express are to treat this as a regular day and attend to their schedules, save for the women with school-age children. That means that we have only myself, Molly, and Alice to see the children to King's Cross rather than all of us. That fucking tightwad. Fourteen years he allows it, condones it even! But as soon as the danger becomes a possibility, he calls it off. I can't believe we have such a moron as Minister."

"Lily …" Severus sighed, and watched her with a calm expression as she slowly managed to calm herself down as well. "There's not a chance of talking him out of it?"

"It will take time for James and Frank to lay on him and force him to wake up. It won't help us right now, and I really didn't want to have to take all of them myself. Me and Alice and Molly …"

"Regulus can go with you, Lily." Severus decided. "My son can deal with it. Regulus, kindly do so?"

Alan had stiffened when Severus decided that, but determinedly shrugged himself back into calmness. Regulus had reacted similarly when addressed, but he just ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "Severus, I really don't want to show my face where Lucius might be …"

"Wear a hood." Severus ordered.

Regulus frowned. "And what kind of suspicion do you think that would draw?"

"Then put on a headband and act like you're working. I have to get back to Hogwarts shortly."

Alan snorted and Regulus simply gaped at Severus for several moments. Finally, he picked up his jaw and shook his head. "Geoffrey needs to be fucking shot for telling you that. I hope he gets raked over the coals by Ginger back in America. I can't believe he told you that!"

"Regulus, will you go or not? I have to leave in a few minutes; will you leave Alan to go alone with these Gryffindors?"

Regulus glared a moment longer at Severus, and then eyed Lily's curious stare with resignation. "Neither option will get her to calm down, so I might as well come along to answer the numerous questions you will have brought up since you'll tell her everything you know anyways." He turned to ascend the stairs, and Lily finally found her breath enough to speak.

"Wait! What is your work?"

Regulus turned to shoot a glare back at Severus, and answered with dignity, "A stripper in a muggle club."

He went back to ascending the stairs without reacting to Lily's gaping mouth. Harry himself was startled. Alan hadn't told him that.

However, no one was really willing to elaborate until Regulus returned, so Harry and Neville were sent to fetch their trunks and return, Harry with Hedwig in her cage, and Ron in tow, well before Regulus came back down. In fact, Regulus managed to wait until everyone was gathered below and waiting for him before he came down. Harry and Neville, noting that Alan wasn't offended and feeling like Gryffindors and highly amused, had made sure to spread the news that Regulus worked as a stripper to everyone, so all eyes were on the stairs as he strolled down. Harry immediately saw why Severus had suggested what he had, though. He almost didn't recognize Regulus, although interestingly enough he resembled Sirius more now than he had before. It was just a change in the way he held himself; he looked ready to act like the Marauder Harry knew in a moment, rather than the pureblood heir he'd appeared as before.

Harry noticed him pause upon seeing the gathering, and his bearing changed subtly as he gave a rolling stride down the steps, brushing his hair back into the controlled mess behind the rolled bandanna he'd tied on. His clothes were now aggressively muggle as well: very tight jeans and shirt. Harry wondered how on earth he'd gotten into them; they had to be too tight to be comfortable. How could he even walk? A stifled giggle came from behind him, and he glared shortly at Melanie, who shrugged unrepentantly and whispered to Ginny not quite quietly enough,

"I can see him stripping now; that makes him look really hot."

Both girls dissolved into giggles and Harry rolled his eyes to look at Neville before he sighed and gave his mother a beseeching look. He stifled his annoyance when she had to tear her own eyes from Regulus with a wry smile and then gave Harry her full attention, only blushing mildly at his reproachful look.

"Mum, do we get shrinking charms again this year?"

Lily smiled brightly. "Oh, definitely. I want you all to have your wands free in case something goes wrong, and you all need to have a pocket for your trunk so you can keep it with you. Everyone, come along. Alice, can you get some of them? Regulus, can you …"

"No, I can't, Lily. I'm no good at shrinking charms." Regulus admonished stiffly. Apparently no matter how comfortable he appeared, he simply wasn't. But it was really good acting.

Harry stifled a smile at the exchange, and waited his turn. Molly made another hustling sigh, and shortly thereafter, they all stepped outside into the sunlight, Harry smiling brightly at Neville. He couldn't wait to get back to Hogwarts.

IIII

Getting onto the train went fine. They arrived relatively late, and their trunks were quickly resized. Regulus had followed with a sullen step, probably aided along by Lily's peppering him with questions about his work. Once at King's Cross, he'd immediately drawn Alan to find a compartment so he could get out of the area; being surrounded by the hustle and bustle apparently unnerved him. That, or it was the stares he was drawing in bucket loads, despite the long leather jacket he'd donned. However, Lily had also been nervous, and she had wasted no time in working with Alice and Molly to shunt them all onto the train with abbreivated goodbyes, shortly waving them off. While Harry knew he would miss her again this year, he wasn't too upset about leaving; he was feeling stir-crazy with not being able to fly, and was looking forward to immediately being able to get on the Quidditch pitch once at Hogwarts.

The train left in short order, and Harry sighed easily in the aisle, sending a wry smile to Neville. "See you after the prefect's meeting, then?"

Neville grinned. "Course. Save me and Hermione a seat, right?"

"Course, Neville, course."

Neville quickly stepped off, and Harry smiled at Ron. "Where to now?"

Ron shrugged. "No clue. All sorts of places could be full. We're really late."

Harry huffed. "Well, let's start looking, then."

Looking didn't gain them much, however. Most compartments were full. Melanie, Ginny, and Nanna were willing to let them join them in their compartment with Luna Lovegood, but Harry didn't want to bump out Neville and Hermione, who wouldn't be able to join them. Ron nearly picked a fight when they glanced in on Alan and his friends, but finally, after having to backtrack towards to front again, they found a nearly unoccupied compartment where Susan Bones was sitting alone. Harry felt a slight blush touch his cheeks, and Ron finally just rolled his eyes and elbowed Harry aside to speak up.

"Susan, are you expecting anybody to join you, or can we come and sit?"

Susan looked up with surprise, and Harry felt mildly relieved when she seemed to colour slightly as well. It wasn't his fault fifth year agreed with her.

"No … well, Hannah might come in and join me once her prefect's meeting is done. Otherwise, there probably won't be too much. Sally-Anne and Quinn usually sit with Lisa Turpin on the way back, and I'm usually with Hannah, so …" She blushed even brighter. "Sorry, babbling. Please, come in. Where's Neville, Harry? And Hermione."

"Prefects." Harry smiled. "They'll be up there chatting with Hannah, most like. Do you know who the male Hufflepuff prefect was?"

"No … probably either Ernie or Justin, though. Casimir Matthews spends more time in the library than a Ravenclaw but never gets really good grades, and Hopkins is too busy trying to figure out how Ron's brothers manage to get into all that trouble and not get caught."

Harry grinned. "I can't figure out how they do it either. Hey, Susan? What does your aunt know about Fudge calling all the aurors into work today?" Susan's aunt was his father's superior; he wasn't just making conversation, it was valid.

Susan's face coloured slightly, but this time it was with anger. "Oh, it's just awful, really. Fudge doesn't want people to think something's wrong, even with what happened to Prince last year. He's convinced Dumbledore came up with the whole mess himself, or that Prince's lying."

Harry stifled his fury, and merely frowned. "That's stupid. He's been allowing them the day off to watch the train since the end of the war was announced. Why would he cut back the moment danger might return?"

"My aunt thinks he's probably scared of Dumbledore, really. He thinks Dumbledore is trying to upset the status quo and take over the ministry."

"How could he suspect that Dumbledore would fake what happened with Prince?" Ron growled. "Slytherin or not, I saw him get carried out of the maze. He was covered in blood! Dumbledore wouldn't do that; it wasn't faked."

Susan leaned forward with a serious expression. "He thinks Dumbledore might not have faked it, but –supposedly- he might have set it up. After all," Susan leaned back and put on a sardonic superior expression, "Prince is just a Slytherin after all."

Harry felt his eyes grow cold. "That's a stupid stance to have, discriminating based on a house." He growled.

Susan tossed her head angrily and sighed. "My aunt is furious with him. She came to visit and mother let her just rant and rave for hours after Fudge had expressed that thought. Dumbledore would never let one of his students come to harm. Fudge even went so far as to bring up that …" Susan gave them both careful looks before continuing, "Snape had been a spy in the war, so if the father was expendable to Dumbledore, why not the son. Simply awful accusations. I certainly won't miss Fudge once he's out of office. With how my aunt is reacting, I don't think it will take long."

"If she's taking him out of office," Harry offered, "She'll have my father, godfather, and Neville's parents behind her."

Susan smiled. "Good to know. My aunt also added that Fudge was trying to pull Hogwarts under his thumb with some strange legislation. Dumbledore just barely avoided it."

"What was that going to be?" Harry asked.

"Something to do with the Defence position, I believe. I don't really know, she didn't go into it, but she wasn't pleased with it at all, and warned me to not complain about the teacher he did get. She seemed amused by it, though, so I'm not too concerned."

Harry frowned, and remembered that Dumbledore had tried asking Regulus to take on the Defence post. Who might he have found after that? Remembering the books, Harry had to cut back a wry smile. If it was whom he thought it was …

"Politics suck." Ron offered. "Do either of you want a game of Exploding Snape, or something?"

Susan brightened, and leaned forward eagerly. Harry rolled his eyes and joined them. They'd get to Hogwarts soon enough.

IIII

The food trolley had passed by, along with most of the first hour, before Hermione and Neville found their way into the compartment, following a bemused Hannah. It was most entertaining to see her blush upon noticing that Ron was in the compartment. Ron, for his part, turned the famous Weasley red and stood. Hannah laughed nervously into her hand, and went to sit next to Susan, who blushed herself as Hannah raised an eyebrow. Hermione and Neville smiled and Neville flopped into the seat beside Harry as Hermione sat beside Hannah.

"Prefect meetings are dull. And I can't believe the Slytherin prefect. Harry, take a guess." Neville gave him an exasperated look, and Harry thought for a moment on how he was acting before he stifled an amused smile and said gravely,

"Zabini?"

"Yes!" Neville rounded. "With Greengrass too."

Harry was certain Neville said that just to make him choke; he certainly succeeded at it, at least. Susan chose to look to Hannah, then, and ask,

"Who's the other Hufflepuff prefect, Hannah?"

"Ernie Macmillan." She answered. "Ravenclaw have Padma Patil and Anthony Goldstein. I don't know much about the two Slytherin prefects, but I don't think they'll be as nasty as Malfoy might have been. Zabini seems mostly disinterested in everyone else, although Neville and him seemed to have some sort of male bravado issue." Her voice went up on the last, and Susan and Hannah ended up giggling as Hermione rolled her eyes. Harry broke in to ask for elaboration,

"What happened there?"

Neville coloured slightly. "Well, it wasn't anything really. Nothing much, at least." He refused to elaborate, and Hermione had nothing to say herself. Harry just sighed, staring out the window once more, and then finally the drinks got to him, and he stepped out to stretch his legs and find the loo. On the way back, he passed Alan's compartment again, and found Draco standing outside with a malicious smile.

"You feeling clever bringing your godfather back here to Britain, Alan? He wouldn't be stepping so lightly if it wasn't for that ruddy American who always manages to step in for you."

"Draco, if you're so thick you can't see anything in front of your own nose, get out." Alan drawled.

"You certainly don't look like you're that safe here now. I see you didn't make prefect; daddy doesn't care enough about you to give you the status?"

"No, my father wasn't stupid enough to set me up to fighting with Potter if he made prefect. I notice you didn't make prefect either. Did one of your bookends manage it? No? What a pity."

Draco stiffened, and finally growled. "You're not so great when you're screaming on the ground are you? Wonder if your father spares you the cane."

Harry stiffened as a long moment of silence befell the compartment within. He knew exactly what Draco was talking about, and was debating whether he should wait for Alan to hex him, or whether to hex him himself; he stopped, however, when Blaise strode past him, Daphne on his heels. Blaise immediately grabbed Draco's shoulder and slammed into the wall with a growl.

"I'll recommend you for detention once we're at Hogwarts, Draco. Now get your scrawny arse back to your own compartment before you get your beloved daddy in trouble as well and he sends his own regards. Scram, or I'll make it two fucking weeks!"

"You can't –" Draco began, and then fell silent when Blaise shoved his prefect badge in his face.

"Prefect, Draco, I made prefect so watch your fucking step and get lost. Maybe you should think before you open your goddamn mouth."

Draco fled, and Blaise turned to glare over the people staring at them. "Get back in your own compartments, this isn't a bloody show."

Harry gave Blaise a minute nod and received a gentle acknowledgement in return. He strode quickly past, and then tripped over something he couldn't see just beyond. Harry spun and glowered darkly at Draco when he saw him there. Draco hissed, "No daddy watching you off on the train today, is there?"

Harry growled, and dusted himself off as he stared up at Draco's laughing eyes. "Maybe you should be a little more careful while you've got the bloated buffer Fudge gives you. Once he's gone, your dad is getting a one-way ticket to Azkaban."

Draco's face darkened, but he silenced as Daphne called out, "Draco, aren't you in enough trouble? Just go hide in your compartment till we get to Hogwarts. I think you've given yourself enough of a bad start already; don't worsen it."

Harry smiled back, but Draco wasn't done yet, and Harry didn't have time to react as he was slammed into the wall; someone had grabbed him from behind! Stars burst behind his eyes, and everyone started shouting as he pulled his wand out quickly and shook his vision clear. When he could see, however, Draco was tied in ropes, and Daphne was screaming obscenities at the two trolls that followed Draco around. From one of the compartments nearby, Ginny had run over and was gently bracing his shoulder as Blaise eyed him with disdain overlaying true concern.

"Harry, are you alright? Those ridiculous buffoons! Ohh, I hope they all enjoy detention with Filch once we get there."

Harry brushed her off and sighed, rubbing his sore head. "I'm fine, Ginny. Just a little stunned, is all. I'll be fine."

Ginny allowed him to brush her off but scowled still. "Well, fine. Just be careful and I'm telling Ron and Neville to keep an eye on you. You won't be getting concussed on my watch."

Blaise apparently couldn't keep a straight face and snorted before he walked over and put his hand on Ginny's shoulder with a coldly amused look at Harry. "Enough, Ginny." He allowed. "Just let him take care of himself. He's a Potter, he'll be fine." The tone was disdainful, and Ginny gave Blaise a hard look but Harry just nodded slightly and bid Ginny goodbye, thanking Blaise coldly for intervening. Ginny finally let him go, and he found his way back to his compartment, where a concerned Hermione was being held back from storming out by Neville.

"I'm back, and I'm fine. No matter what Ginny says." Harry announced, coming in and breaking Neville off from Hermione before flopping into his seat between Neville and Ron. Both turned curious looks to him, as did the girls on the other side. "I just got in a bit of a fight with Dr-Malfoy. Sorry, habit. Little twit that he is. Anyways," Harry rode over the odd looks; it wasn't his fault he'd hung around with Alan too much and picked up his habits! "Malfoy set one of his bookends to beat me around the head after we got into an argument comparing our estimable fathers. Which was also after he'd gotten himself scolded by his own house prefects."

"What did he do to earn that?" Ron asked.

"Poked at Prince's sore spots, from what I overheard." Harry returned, unable to stop a frown. Knowing that, he decided to elaborate on a why. "Honestly, the boy got himself really beat up, and Draco was mocking his injuries, I think. Probably because his dad gossiped to him about it."

Neville, knowing that Harry likely wasn't speculating, turned angry as well. Susan had her hands to her mouth, and Hannah and Hermione were both pale. Ron was turning slightly red, his hands clenched angrily.

"That –" Hannah yelped, and Hermione slapped Ron's knee for his language. Ron glared at them. "It's true! Slytherin or not, Prince got hurt and he had nothing to do with it! Malfoy's dad was a Death Eater; everyone knows it! So he probably did have something to do with hurting Prince, and that little scumbag decides to throw it in his face? It's stupid and cruel!"

"Yes, but there's no proof, and I doubt Prince will be speaking up about it anytime soon anyways." Harry threw in. "So it's still all speculation. No matter how thick the evidence seems."

Susan nodded sharply, in contrast to her white face. "Yes, there isn't any solid evidence. My aunt would really like to talk to Prince herself, but Snape didn't respond to any requests for it. I don't think she's given up on asking, though. His words could really benefit pushing Fudge further out of office if he can better collaborate Dumbledore's words. Dumbledore was really the only one who got to ask him about what happened, you know. Having him there when the questions were asked is giving Fudge leverage in saying it's all a trick by Dumbledore. His American guardians didn't help matters any either; everyone's calling them bloodthirsty warmongers. My aunt said someone tried offering the thought that Dumbledore and the Americans are in it together. We got a lot of suggestions of who might have been willing to perform t-torture." Her voice wavered on the end, and Harry scowled.

"Well, I believe Prince." Susan and Hannah looked at him in surprise; Hermione, Neville, and Ron were startled as well, albeit for different things each. "I don't think he made it up for attention; he's not the type. And I know Prince hates Dumbledore; if it had been Dumbledore behind it, he'd have brought it up immediately and torn him down."

"But …" Susan bit her lip a moment, and then continued, "I'm not saying I believe this stance, but say that someone said Prince's guardians were in on the trick as well and Prince's father was being held hostage."

"My father worked with Prince's guardian a lot after second year and again at the World Cup." Harry returned calmly. He knew where she was coming from. "His uncle likes Dumbledore even less than Prince does. And Dumbledore wouldn't risk angering them by holding Snape alone; Prince's guardians are the Alfaerus."

Susan looked thoughtful for a long moment, and sat back in her seat. "My aunt did have a bit to say about them after that. I can certainly see a war-hungry complaint with how violent they were, but I gathered they were really protective of their own as well; they had a lot of their children at the World Cup, my aunt remembers. They wouldn't let Dumbledore torture Prince without retaliating and retaliating hard. My aunt suspects they were in on Rita Skeeter's death as well. I guess your stance makes sense …" Susan didn't exactly look happy with that discovery, and gave a worried frown. Harry leaned forward and touched her knee, gentle but earnest. Needing her to believe for Alan and the future.

"It's scary to think that Dumbledore's right about Voldemort coming back, but wouldn't you rather have as much warning as possible? Fudge is making the atmosphere perfect for him to gain power and stability before making any stance. Dumbledore and my parents are working to destabilize him as much as possible right now, but fighting two fronts isn't making things easier on them."

"I understand." Hannah added.

Harry felt his cheeks flush and he quickly pulled his hand off Susan's knee, only noting for a second that her face was as red as his was as he looked anywhere but at her. A soft chuckle went through the compartment, and Hannah coughed lightly before continuing, her tone almost hiding her amused state. "I'll be sure to talk to my friends about believing in Dumbledore rather than Fudge. Most everyone is scared, though, of what believing Dumbledore would mean, and they much prefer Fudge's state of denial. It would help if Alan would say something in a space other than tucked behind Dumbledore's wing."

"And who's going to suggest that to him?" Ron scoffed. "Oh, wait! Let's have it be a Gryffindor or Hufflepuff trying to talk politics to a bunch of Slytherins. We'd have better luck going through a Ravenclaw."

Hannah and Susan exchanged looks. Susan chewed her lip a moment. "Virgil Spinks might listen, but no one outside his house likes him all that much. But he is planning on going into Wizarding law."

"Wouldn't Kevin be better?" Hannah returned. "He's thinking about reporting, and I think he usually partnered Theodore Nott in Charms before Nott broke from being neutral to side with Prince. Now Tracey Davis usually bumps him out."

"Either or." Hannah offered. "But that's about all that I know in Ravenclaw. Lisa mostly runs all the girls there, and I've never been 'cool' enough get in with that group. Neville, you took Padma to the ball …"

Neville immediately raised his hands in defence, and Susan brushed the idea off without him speaking. "Neither Harry nor Neville get along with the Patil twins. Don't you remember? Sally-Anne spent nearly two hours going on in our dorm about how ridiculous it was that Neville ditched Padma at the dance."

Hannah touched her chin and stifled a smile. "Susan … I don't listen to pointless gossip."

Susan coloured slightly. "Lucky you; I've got a bed right next to her, so not listening is nigh impossible. Besides which, I don't think any Slytherins would listen to a bunch of gossip-mongers anyways."

Harry stifled a desire to laugh; Susan would not appreciate it at the moment, and looked out the window at the dimming light. "It's probably about time to get dressed; we should be arriving soon." He offered.

Susan quickly took him up on that and stood to work on fetching the robes and getting them on. Hannah, Hermione and Neville all pinned on their prefect badges and Neville gave a short salute before abandoning the others to keep a hold of the few pets between them. Susan was perfectly willing to hold onto Crookshanks for Hermione for the time being.

The prefects left to supervise the rest of the students disembarking, and Harry himself kept with Susan and Ron as they made their way out and towards the carriages. Harry smiled at the sight, and then frowned when, instead of Hagrid's great voice, he heard another person, brisk and female, calling the first years. A look that way showed him professor Grubbly-Plank, who had shown up the year before to cover Hagrid's classes while he'd hidden himself away due to Rita's articles. Harry didn't dwell on it; he was probably still doing stuff for Dumbledore, no doubt. His parents would have told him otherwise. Besides which, he'd almost lost Ron and Susan in his distraction, so he quickly pushed his way through the crowd to find the carriages, and the very tall Ron, who was on the lookout himself for the rest of their group. Hannah came upon them at about the some moment Harry did, both smiling and turning to the others. Ron frowned at Harry.

"What's with Professor Grubbly-Plank being here? Where do you think Hagrid is?"

Harry gave Ron a severe look and then distinctly shrugged. "No idea. Dumbledore probably knows, though. We'd have gotten news if something had happened to him." The less than subtle hints shut him up, and Susan and Hannah nodded as though they too understood. Harry had made it an easy excuse: everyone knew that Dumbledore knew everything, after all. What's the little matter of one teacher at his school?

Fortunately for Harry's attitude, Hermione soon found her way over, but Neville was apparently waylaid by something Harry couldn't see. He just abruptly stopped by the carriage shafts, staring with apparent dislike at something Harry couldn't see, and then he stepped sideways and around, glaring back at the carriage. When he arrived at the others, he ducked his head slightly, and immediately cut off any questions,

"Which carriage you want to get in? They're filling up, you know."

Harry frowned, and then pointed to one farther ahead; the Hufflepuffs went first, and Harry fell into step with Neville as Ron and Hermione fell behind them. Neville pointedly did not look at Harry for a moment, until they came alongside the carriage shafts once more; then, he quickly looked back across at Harry. Harry finally began his question, when Neville abruptly yelped, and swatted over his right shoulder. Harry would have commented, had Neville's hand not abruptly stopped as though pressed against something, and Neville growled.

"Look here, buddy, just stop nipping at me. I don't care how interesting I smell or whatever; go back to work. And stop- making- people- stare!"

Harry blinked for half a moment, and then abruptly made the connection: Neville could see whatever was pulling the carriages. What it was, however, evaded him. However, apparently the carriages weren't quite so horseless after all …

"Okay then, would you like to skirt them a little wider?" Harry offered. Neville winced, but nodded and went to Harry's other side, Harry leading him over to the next carriage and again putting himself between the shafts and Neville. Neville gave him a small smile, and climbed in behind Susan and Hannah, Harry following and Hermione and Ron after him. Once they were all in, the carriage started moving, and Harry looked his question at Neville. There was only one question Harry would have at this moment, and Neville knew very well what that question was. He sighed, amused.

"Thestrals." He offered.

Harry blinked, and then tilted his head. Neville stifled a laugh in the silence, and shook his head.

"My grandfather, remember?"

"Oh." Harry understood; Neville had been playing in the sitting room when he was six or seven, and he'd been trying to get his grandfather to play chess with him. His grandfather had suddenly stopped reacting, and Neville had tried for a few minutes more before he'd started crying quietly. Augusta had been horrified, but Neville had easily understood what had happened after that. He must have seen the thestrals every year he'd been at Hogwarts. The others, however, didn't quite catch on. Hermione was the one to ask,

"What are thestrals, Harry?"

"Thestrals are rather frightening looking winged horses that can only been seen by people who have witnessed and understood death. Neville can see them because he witnessed his grandfather pass away; I can't see them at all, and apparently none of the rest of you can either. Most of the students wouldn't, after all."

"Oh." Hermione quietly answered. "There is that, isn't there?"

Quiet laughter spread through the carriage, and Harry looked out at the carriages passing by, wondering what Neville saw when he looked at them. He wondered if he would ever be able to see them himself. A shiver ran down his back; to understand death like that … it wasn't wholly a scared shiver, either.

The carriage arrived soon enough at Hogwarts, and Ron and Hermione both made the effort to look out the window towards Hagrid's cabin. There was no light, not even after they were out and heading inside. However, the brilliance of the Great Hall eased their concerns, and Harry and the rest bid Susan and Hannah goodbye and went to sit together at their table, by Fred and George, who immediately turned to them and asked,

"Who do you think the new Defence teacher is? There are two empty seats up there, and one extra. You see the pink woman sitting by Dumbledore?"

Harry looked and indeed there was a woman wearing the most prominent fluffy pink cardigan sitting and talking with Dumbledore. She had curly light brown hair with a horrible pink Alice band that unfortunately matched the cardigan. Harry felt an instant dislike that appeared to be mirrored in Neville and Ron's faces as well.

"I hope to Merlin that she is not our Defence teacher." Neville spat. "Especially if she's who I think she is. Mother mentioned a woman that horrible once. A ministry sycophant." Harry gave him a look, and Neville shrugged. "She might be Fudge's undersecretary. I desperately hope there aren't two squat pink undersecretaries in the ministry."

Harry nodded slowly. "I've got my fingers crossed, no worries."

Neville mimed wiping sweat off his brow, and Fred and George laughed quietly, waving them off before they returned to plotting with Lee. Harry leaned back in his chair and glanced across the Hall to the other tables. He caught a glimpse of Luna Lovegood's pale looks watching the Head table from her own seat, and then, past her, Alan was staring there as well and Harry mildly hoped that the ugly look he was wearing wasn't a portent of what kind of person the horrible pink cardigan would be.

His worries disappeared, however, when the staff door opened and Harry saw a familiar brown-haired American walk out, pause upon seeing the pink cardigan, and then smile like he was about to face torture and walk to sit in the empty seat next to her. The woman turned around to smile saccharinely at him; it appeared to be a competition as to who could look the most pained at this meeting. Finally, Geoffrey Alfaerus broke it off with an exasperated air and picked up his cup that was apparently unfortunately empty. He tapped it with his wand, and then set it back down with a huff when it seemed to not work, pulling out a small flask to drink from and get scolded for by the pink cardigan. Harry desperately wished he could hear the byplay. Neville, across from him, sighed happily.

"Okay, I think I can handle the undersecretary if the Defence teacher is him."

Hermione and Ron both glanced up, as did the twins, and the mood in their section lifted definitively. All of them remembered Geoffrey.

The staff door opened once more, and professor Grubbly-Plank came out and walked to Hagrid's traditional seat. Harry felt a short pang of missing the large half-giant, but distracted himself by looking forward to the sorting song. It came soon enough; the doors were opened to lead in the first years, and the line up waited with mild fear for their time to come. But first …

"In times of old, when I was new,

And Hogwarts barely started,

The founders of our noble school

Thought never to be parted.

United by a common goal,

They had the self-same yearning

To make the world's best magic school

And pass along their learning.

"Together we will build and teach"

The four good friends decided.

And never did they dream that they

Might some day be divided.

For were there such friends anywhere

As Slytherin and Gryffindor?

Or was it the second pair

Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw,

So how could it have gone so wrong?

How could such good friendships fail?

Why I was there, and I can tell,

The whole sad, sorry tale.

Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just those

Whose ancestry's purest."

Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose

Intelligence is surest."

Said Gryffindor, "We'll teach all those

With brave deeds to their name."

Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lot

And treat them just the same."

These differences caused little strife

When first they came to light.

For each of the four founders

Had a house in which they might

Take only those they wanted, so,

For instance, Slytherin

Took only pure-blood wizards

Of great cunning, just like him.

And only those of sharpest mind

Were taught by Ravenclaw

While the bravest and the boldest

Went to daring Gryffindor.

Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest,

And taught them all she knew,

Thus, the houses and the founders

Maintained friendships firm and true.

So Hogwarts worked in harmony

For several happy years,

But then discord crept among us

Feeding on our faults and fears.

The Houses that, like pillars four

Had once held up the school

Now turned upon each other and

Divided, sought to rule.

And for a while it seemed the school

Must meet an early end.

What with duelling and with fighting

And the clash of friend on friend.

And at last there came a morning

When old Slytherin departed

And though the fighting then died out

He left us quite downhearted.

And never since the founders four

Were whittled down to three

Have the Houses been united

As they once were meant to be.

And now the Sorting Hat is here

And you all know the score:

I sort you into Houses

Because that is what I'm for.

But this year I'll go further,

Listen closely to my song:

Though condemned I am to split you

Still I worry that it's wrong,

Though I must fulfill my duty

And must quarter every year

Still I wonder whether sorting

May not bring the end I fear.

Oh, know the perils, read the signs,

The warning history shows,

For our Hogwarts is in danger

From external, deadly foes

And we must unite inside her

Or we'll crumble from within

I have told you, I have warned you …

Let the sorting now begin.

Harry sat still on his bench as the Sorting Hat subsided, his words ringing in his ears as he remembered back to his own nervous sorting so many years before when the hat had given him the option to go into Slytherin. His first regard was that Slytherin was more than a little barmy, but now as he listened, he realized the Hat didn't like the aggression between the houses; it hadn't fought him on going into Gryffindor after it had placed the seeds of a friendship between them. Now … Harry thought with amusement of their dance competition last year, of Susan as his girlfriend there, and Luna as Alan's. That had been completely unintentional. All four houses, whether they were unfortunately tripping each other or not; it had all been in good fun anyways. But …

"What a barmy excuse for a hat!" Ron whispered furiously. "Has it ever given a speech like that before?"

"Yes, it has." Sir Nicholas, the Gryffindor ghost drifted between them and smiled. "The hat feels honour-bound to give the school due warning when it feels –" Nicholas cut off, and Harry glanced up to see McGonagall giving the school a widespread stern look, cutting off the many other murmurs and discussion going around. The sorting had yet to happen, so Harry sat back to listen and ponder what this all meant – and where the Hat had placed himself and Alan to begin with. It must have been anticipating this to put them together like that. It had mentioned that the houses shouldn't be divided then as well, and, hearing this, Harry felt mildly proud to have done as the hat required. It was most certainly somewhere his father had never gone before …

Harry watched the sorting with disinterest, finally sneaking a look at the Slytherin table during it to look at Alan. He watched only for a moment before their eyes met. Even across the hall, Harry felt Alan slip Legilimency into his mind, and then back out again after glimpsing the very large three-headed dog glowering at him. Alan sneered and scanned back to the stool. Harry knew just how amusing Alan found his choice of shield for the thoughts he protected; Harry didn't even mind him calling him 'Fluffy' on occasion. It had been enough contact for that evening, though, acknowledging they were both there and in one piece. Harry wondered if he'd caught the moment he'd been thinking of, of his sorting and their friendship. Knowing it was Alan looking, he hadn't hidden it; Alan had just done a scan and been scared off by Fluffy again because he looked too far. He just didn't like getting snapped at.

The sorting finished, and Dumbledore appeared completely undisturbed by the horrible pink thing seated next to him, looking past her to engage Geoffrey in light conversation before apparently giving up at his curt words and returning to discussing something that had to be several times less pleasant than Dumbledore made it appear. Harry shook his head in admiration, and turned back to Nick.

"So, what makes the Hat branch out like that?"

Nick straightened his head on his shoulders and sat back from watching Ron eat. "Whenever an outside danger has threatened the school, the hat will give warning like that, advising that the school unite from within in defence. It has done so several times that I know of."

Ron looked ready to speak up, but Neville elbowed him making him choke on his mouthful of food. A bit red, he swallowed and then asked, "How does it know the school's in danger?"

"I wouldn't know." Nick answered solemnly. "But the hat tends to remain in the Headmaster's office, so it probably hears much up there."

"Probably." Harry agreed. "So it always insists upon improved interhouse relations?"

"That I know of." Nick answered. Neville and Ron snickered, Ron looking a little pink as well. Neville cleared his throat before speaking solemnly,

"Now you have to ask her out, Ron. The Sorting Hat insists."

Ron looked at Neville aghast, and Neville lost his composure under the scrutiny of his friends, laughing quietly before turning back to his food. Ron picked at it for a time; Harry was amazed a girl could put him off his food. Nothing else could.

"So it wants the houses to be friends, …" Harry murmured. His mind continued with the line, I already knew that. "I'm certainly not buddying up with Draco."

Neville snorted. "Well, you seem close enough to it always calling him by his first name."

Harry flushed slightly; dammit, Alan was rubbing off on him too much. Ruddy American. "It's not like he's good enough to be called something so respectable anyways. Between Lucius and Draco, they've dragged down the Malfoy name; they used to be respectable purebloods, rather than money-grubbing butt-kissers."

Neville's eyebrows went up, and Hermione gave a small, shocked gasp. "You really do have an opinion, don't you Harry?" Neville offered slightly quietly. He then smiled warmly, and nodded to him. "And you're also quite right." He turned back to his meal, leaving Harry to feel a little nervous with the shocked looks of everyone who heard him. He had not meant to make that big of a statement.

His embarrassment carried him through the rest of the meal, and dessert, until Dumbledore stood up once more – to Geoffrey's apparent relief – and caught everyone's attention.

"Now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start-of-term notices. First years ought to know that the forest on the school grounds it out of bounds to students – A few of our older students ought to know that by now, too." Harry stifled a smile; Ron didn't bother and Neville ducked over his plate at Dumbledore's admonishment. Really, they'd only gone once during third year, he swore.

"Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me for what he tells me is the four hundred and sixty-second time, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor are a number of other things, all of which can be checked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr. Filch's office door.

"We have two changes in staffing this year. We are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures lessons; We are also delighted to introduce Professor Alfaerus, our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."

There was a round of applause, which was surprisingly enthusiastic from both the Slytherin and Gryffindor tables; specifically Harry and Alan's groups. Harry knew Geoffrey would do very well, and Geoffrey was Alan's uncle; he knew exactly how well Geoffrey would do. Ron gave Harry a nervous glance, and Harry could guess why: Dumbledore had not given a time period of how long Professor Grubbly-Plank would be remaining. Harry felt a fine twinge of concern, but brushed it off. He had more important things to worry about, such as the pink-clad monstrosity still making Geoffrey appear to be trying to ignore something noisome.

"We are also pleased to announce a new position for Hogwarts from the ministry's behest. I believe the papers will hold the headline tomorrow, but beside me is Hogwart's first High Inquisitor, Professor Umbridge. Please treat her with the same respect as you would a teacher. I believe the article will clear up most other questions you may have."

He opened his mouth to continue, but a short, 'Hem hem' interrupted him. He glanced down at the small woman and Harry didn't see why for a moment until he took another look at Geoffrey who appeared to be mourning something. Harry then noticed she must have stood, as she gave Dumbledore a saccharine smile and stepped forward to begin speaking. Behind her, Geoffrey rolled his eyes and looked like he wished to repeat his behaviour when Regulus and Sirius had taken after each other their first day together at Grimmauld Place, but didn't wish to beat his head on the very nice plate. Others looked offended as well; Sprout's eyebrows were in her hair, and McGonagall and Snape looked almost related with their sour, thin-lipped expressions. Looking at Snape sent Harry's gaze to Alan, just as Umbridge thanked Dumbledore for his lovely introduction. Alan's face was almost priceless if foreboding had not settled into Harry's shoes. He looked almost mortally offended and a little sick. Harry almost wondered why but Umbridge addressed the room and he looked up, startled at the simpering tone. He wasn't the only one; Neville was giving her an incredulous look. Hermione's was calculating. It was almost as frightening as when they'd worked to pick Lockhart apart second year; he never wanted that gaze aimed at him.

"I'm very much looking forward to getting to know you all, and I'm sure we'll be very good friends."

Harry looked around to see a wave of murmurs and mutters flow around, and Neville looked mildly ill. Geoffrey, secure in sitting out of Umbridge's sight, made a gagging motion, and looked aside to cough quietly, swallowing hard shortly thereafter as though to defeat the urge to vomit. Harry couldn't help laughing quietly, a sentiment echoed by the twins. She coughed her disgusting little cough again, and then droned into a dull speech that immediate made Harry's hands curl into frustrated fists. He was so glad this woman wasn't a standard teacher. When she finished harping on the glories of the magical gift, she bowed to the rest of the teachers, and Geoffrey was the only one to give a sickly little twitch back. Harry wasn't sure if it was purposeful, or a convulsive reaction to his own disgust. His next reaction was when Umbridge said, "For our tried and tested traditions often require no tinkering." The line made him give up on respecting the plate, and he sank onto his hands to rub his forehead before just laying his forehead on the plate. In front of Harry, Neville snickered, mildly strained.

The droning continued, losing the attention of most of the school beyond the teachers, -Geoffrey was the only one beating his plate there - and Hermione and possibly Neville. While Neville wasn't watching her anymore, he was playing with his goblet with a speculative frown and a disturbed expression. Finally, however, Neville looked up and started clapping. Harry blinked, and then realized that Umbridge had sat down, and Dumbledore was clapping before standing once more to finish his announcements. Ron hissed at Neville.

"Why the Hell were you clapping, Neville?"

"It ended." Neville answered distractedly, watching Dumbledore with a mildly confused expression. Hermione huffed from her spot.

"It was also quite illuminating."

"Illuminating?" Harry asked.

"Yes, she made a lot of accusations in that speech. Surprisingly, quite a few were about his ability to keep us safe, as well as teaching improperly."

Harry frowned and shook his head. "I'm not surprised at all."

Ron and Hermione looked a little lost, but Neville looked back at him with a shrewd expression. He knew what Harry meant. And he didn't like it either.

A/N: Yo. Thank you for the reviews I got. Back into the school year, and how they all deal with Umbridge ... and a few other difficulties, of course ...

Fire & Napalm