Chapter 8

More classes, same problems

Harry woke slowly. He couldn't remember the last time he had slept so well. Probably not since before his name had spit out of the Goblet of Fire. No nightmares. No pain. He moved to stretch and realized his movement was constricted by the body laying next to him.

Luna was still sleeping. He hardly remembered their night of vandalism. He did remember that when he finally yelled out his frustrations he had felt much lighter. He had felt a little weird when Luna had pulled him in the bed and laid down next to him. He really wasn't used to such intimate touching. He stared at her for a second before shrugging his shoulder and spooning up behind her again. Her hair smelled kind of sweet but also spicy. Like radishes. He had never woken up with another person before and couldn't believe how nice it was. Luna was soft and warm and fit perfectly next to him. Good thing she was so petite.

He glanced up to the picture of the Slytherin common room. One of the fifth year girls was sitting a table in the corner working. She must be the house Hermione. No one else was about. Harry figured it was way too early to care so closed his eyes to go back to sleep.

It seemed no time had passed at all when someone was shaking him awake. Ron and Neville stood next to the bed, both were wearing t-shirts and shorts, sweaty, and red faced.

"Come on, Mate. You need to come down to breakfast. We are getting our defense group assignments this morning."

"How did you know we were here?"

"Luna didn't come back to Hufflepuff last night. We all figured we would give you some time to calm down." Ron said moving over to allow Luna room to sit up at the edge of the bed.

"Why are you dressed like that?"

"We went to work out with the Professors." Neville said. "You alright?"

"I will be."

Luna gave him a serene smile, "I'm going to go take a shower."

"Do you want us to wait for you?"

"No, I'm going to go back to Hufflepuff."

"I'll come with you, Luna. I don't have any clean stuff here. It'd probably be smart if we left a change of clothes up here."

"I'm going to go back to my dorm, too. Do you want me to come back to walk to breakfast with you?" Neville asked

"No, thanks. I'll see you at breakfast. Thanks for coming to wake us up." Harry stretched, freely this time. It only took him a few minutes to shower and change. Knowing Hermione she was probably already at breakfast. He would let her fix his eyes.

The great hall was still almost empty for the most part. He looked over the Ravenclaw table but didn't see any bushy headed girls. Regulus was sitting at the Slytherin table and Harry sat down next to him.

"You weren't in dorm again."

"How do you know? Do you spy on the seventh years?"

"No, I heard MacNair and Avery talking about it. If you don't show your face there soon, you're going to loose what advantage you gained on initiation night."

"Would it surprise you if I said I didn't really give a damn about any advantage."

"Yes, that's what Slytherins do after all."

Snape sat down across from Harry and Regi. He looked like he was going to say something but then changed his mind. He must have changed his mind again because he looked around the table for listeners before casting a Muffliato. "What was that scene in class last night about?"

"Why?"

"I'm just interested in knowing more about that blocking technique you were talking about."

"You've never heard of Occlumency?"

"I have." Regulus offered. "My father is a firm believer in keeping your mind organized. I'm surprised you've never heard of it Snape. Isn't your mother pureblood?"

Snape looked like he wanted to strangle Regulus. Harry had seen that look enough to know what it meant. "I don't see what my mother's blood status has to do with anything."

"Purebloods always teach their kids discipline including keeping your mind and emotions under control."

"That's not true. My friend Ron is a pureblood and his family doesn't practice anything like that. Neither do any of my other friends' families."

"Malfoy said he knew Occlumency." Snape said

"He's not my friend. Regulus, can you teach us Occlumency?"

"Sure. I mean honestly, I'm not very good at it. I'm way better than Sirius but I still have a lot to learn. I can tell you how to make shields but I can't test them, I tried Legilimency on my mom's house elf and I think I broke it."

"I think I'd like to get shields put up then we will worry about finding someone to test them for us."

"Ok, first you have to organize your mind."

At that moment, Hermione plopped down at the Slytherin table next to Harry. "Just what I wanted to talk to you about. You and Luna left before Professor Dumbledore could explain the exercises."

"Why are you sitting here? I thought you said we should follow the rules and only sit with our own houses."

"Stuff the rules. Are you ok?"

"Yeah, but I'd love for you to renew the charm on my eyes."

She shook her head with a sort of fond indulgence but did as he asked. She started fixing her a plate. When the owls arrived with the mail she eagerly took hers before sending it on.

Luna arrived at the Slytherin table with a small scroll in her hand. "I'm with you Harry. I'm glad. I like the way you teach."

Harry removed the little scroll with his name on it from the owl so it could go on to it's next delivery. It hopped straight across the table to Snape. "So you are. Snape, too. As are Alice, Celeste, and Remus. First meeting tonight straight after dinner."

"Uhh. Lupin." Snape sounded thoroughly disgusted.

Harry decided to ignore him. "Luna, Hermione, how are your schedules this afternoon?"

"I'm free from lunch to dinner. Then defense with you." Luna said.

"It looks like my group is to meet the two hours before dinner."

"Who's in your group?" Luna asked Hermione

"James, Lily, Narcissa, Avery, and Draco. Merlin, what am I going to do with all those stuck up people?"

"Lily isn't stuck up. She is smart and nice." Snape blushed and Harry wanted to laugh. Snape really did have a thing about his mom. That was almost nauseating.

"So Hermione, can you meet with me and Luna after lunch to go over the stuff Dumbledore was talking about?"

"What about learning Occlumency?" Regulus asked.

"Definitely, but I got to get those exercises down first right?"

"Right." Regulus sounded bummed and Harry wondered why. He didn't think on it too long as another school owl landed before him. Talk about nauseating. The scroll had very familiar handwriting. "Hermione, I have to meet with Dumbledore today after lunch so I'll meet you in the suite after that."

"You shouldn't have walked out of class last night. Come on. We have to get to Transfiguration."

Transfiguration went much like every other class he had ever taken with McGonagall. She started with a speech about the importance of NEWTs and then started a review of everything they did in their sixth year. She also assigned them an essay and reminded the seven time travelers they had to make up the summer homework. Harry was really feeling lost. At least he didn't look as shell shocked as Neville.

They were currently milling around the Charms corridor waiting for their next class to start. Hermione, never one to let time idle away, was discussing finding time to start figuring out plans for changing the future.

Hannah didn't like the idea of actually intervening themselves. "Why can't we just go to Dumbledore and tell him what happens so he can avoid it?"

"He knows we are from the future but has he asked? No. He has actually avoided talking about it as much as he can," Harry pointed out.

"Plus, messing with time is illegal. If they actually believed us..." Harry looked back to where Hermione was staring at a Hufflepuff boy who was obviously listening to their conversations. "This is not the time for this discussion, let's all meet this Saturday to discuss it."

Flitwick opened the classroom so the younger kids could leave and ushered the older kids inside. He started in on the importance of the NEWT year and Harry tuned him out.

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The gargoyle guarding Dumbledore's office was still ugly. Thankfully, his note had included a password. Harry knocked on the door at the top of the revolving staircase and was bid to enter. He turned down offers of both tea and lemon drops before the headmaster got to the reason for this visit.

"Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, sir."

"I ask because you looked very upset when you left my class last night."

"I was upset. Luna helped."

"Is there something you wish to tell me?"

"No sir." Harry replied being careful to look at Dumbledore's shoulder and not into his eyes. Maybe he was being paranoid but he did suck at Occlumency. Assuming of course that he actually knew anything about occlumency.

"If that's it then, I'm worried about the information you missed in class, the exercises we discussed are the foundation for what we will be doing for the next term. If you and Ms. Lovegood intend to continue in the class..."

"Hermione is going to go over the exercises with us. Actually, they are waiting for me right now."

"Good, Good. Now, Professor Slughorn has alerted me to the fact that you have not stayed in the dorm the last two nights."

Harry was astounded. Over his six years at Hogwarts, he was out of bed past curfew more times than he could ever recount. No one had ever called him on it unless they actually caught him out.

"I don't know what the rules at your last school were like, but here, you must sleep in your assigned room."

"Professor, Hogwarts was my last school, you know that."

"Pardon me?"

"I attended Hogwarts. In the future." Harry couldn't believe the look of absolute astonishment on Dumbledore's face. "We told you all about it when we landed ourselves here."

Harry couldn't remember ever seeing Dumbledore at such a loss, "Be that as it may. You must sleep in the Slytherin room you were assigned."

"I am sleeping in Slytherin's Room. In the founder's suite."

"The what?"

"I'm sorry Professor but either you have overdosed on the lemon drops or you need to go see Madam Pomfrey. I have a place to stay."

"You still have not given me a reason you can not stay in the dorm."

"Professor, I'm not safe in the dorm."

"I don't understand. From what the Professor Prewits told me, you are more than capable of taking care of yourself. They were really impressed with your abilities."

"Yes, I'm capable when I'm awake. Which means I could never sleep in the Slytherin dorm. I'm safe where I am, Professor. Remember? Just ask Tippy."

Dumbledore didn't look convinced but called the elf. "Tippy, Mr. Potter assures me that he has a safe place to sleep and is not out causing problem."

"Yes Professor sir. He staying in the Founder's Suite."

"And where is this suite."

"It's everywhere."

"Tippy, last night was I in my room and asleep by curfew."

"Yes."

The Headmaster didn't look convinced but didn't call Harry an all out liar to his face. Harry was left wondering why the Headmaster seemed to have no memory of something they had already discussed. Unless he was just pretending for some odd reason. Who knew why Dumbledore did half the things he did.

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Author's Note Time. I love hearing your thoughts on the story. Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming.