This year they didn't send him to the train station at five am, which at least meant that he didn't have to wake up at three in the morning. Instead, worried for his safety they had him leave there at eight in the morning meaning he'd get there around ten.
This time they sent him with an escort even though they didn't want anyone to find out who exactly had him. So this time he went with Natasha and he waited around in the train compartment with her until the last possible moment, making Hermione and Ron feel awkward.
As Natasha left he saw Alastor follow her and he knew Natasha was going to have a hell of a time shaking his tail. Oh well, she's good enough that he was confident that she'll manage.
"Was that your adopted mum?" Ron asked after she left.
Harry shook his head, "She's a guard they hired for me to protect me from Sirius Black."
Ron paled a little and then Harry distracted him with questions about his vacation which Harry had read about in the papers.
Happy for the distraction Ron told them all about his trip to Egypt, then Hermione told them about her trip to France. Harry, as usual, only told them that he'd had a good time with his family at home.
After they'd expended all topics of the summer they began speaking in Mandarin to pass the time; Harry because it was good practice, Hermione because she was still learning and Ron because he'd finally given in some time at the end of the prior year and decided if his friends were learning it he might as well do so too.
They were both shocked to learn that Harry was now also learning Spanish.
"Why? First Mandarin and now Spanish? Why?" demanded Ron.
"First off the first language I learned was French, not Mandarin, and secondly because I want to know the top languages of the world by the time I graduate. So that's English, Mandarin, Hindi, Spanish, and French."
Before they could say anything else the lights went out and the compartment grew unnaturally cold. As the compartment door slid open Harry was suddenly inundated with screams and felt as if a great gaping jaw was about to snap closed around him, swallowing him whole as the world flashed green.
Then the world went black.
Harry woke up to a pounding migraine. The world was blurry when he opened his eyes and all he could manage was an unarticulated groan. After a moment his glasses were shoved onto his face and things came into sharp focus.
"Come on, up you go," said a gentle-looking man as he helped him sit up, then helped him move into a seat. He pulled out his wand and gently lit the end, then moved it back and forth in front of his eyes, "Follow the light with my wand, please. Very good, keep going. How are you feeling?"
"My head hurts," he answered hoarsely.
"Well that's to be expected," the man agreed as he stuffed his wand away and pulled out some chocolate. "Eat this, it will help."
"With a concussion?" Harry asked, perplexed.
The man laughed lightly, "No, mercifully I don't believe you have one, though you will want to get checked up on by Madam Pomfrey when we arrive, which should be shortly. The chocolate will help with the dementor exposure."
After that, he pulled out more chocolate and passed it to Hermione and Ron. "Eat up then."
Harry took a bite and warmth spread through him and with it embarrassment at passing out, "Uh, can I ask who you are?"
The man laughed another self-deprecating laugh, "Of course, my apologies. I am Remus Lupin, I'll soon be your Defense Professor."
"Oh, well thank you Professor Lupin."
The man nodded genially, "Well, eat up you two. If you'll excuse me I need to have a word with the conductor."
They murmured their agreement and Hermione and Ron began to eat, both murmuring in appreciation when it helped them.
After getting checked on by Madam Pomfrey, and confirming that he didn't have a concussion, Harry was allowed to join the feast.
The next day, as he received his schedule, which was distressingly nearly completely full, he also received the expected call to meet with the Headmaster, though at least this time it was for that evening after classes.
Classes that day were double History of Magic and double Herbology with a free period at the start of the day meant to allow for extra sleep after the Astronomy class that took place on Tuesdays. While he could handle Herbology just fine he soon found himself reading a Mind Magic book with the sleeve of a Mandarin Chapter book that he'd already read instead of the History text. He'd already read ahead for the class over the summer so he didn't feel like he was missing out on much. He easily ignored Hermione's glares with long practice. At least he wasn't sleeping.
The meeting with the Headmaster came far too soon and as Harry climbed the stairs to his office he found himself dreading the whole song and dance that was to come. Dumbledore would look sadly at him, Alastor would glare, maybe try to cast another spell (he now recognized the spell Alastor had thrown at him as a way of gaining access to his mind), Harry would tell them to mind their own business and do what he wanted anyways. Honestly, he just wanted to skip the whole thing.
That was why he was rather shocked when he saw the Alastor wasn't there, instead only the Headmaster was there.
"Yes, Alastor won't be joining us today," the old man said softly. "Please have a seat."
Harry glanced around suspiciously, well aware that invisibility was easily achieved in the magical world. Just because he hadn't used his cloak much since that first year he'd gotten it didn't mean he'd forgotten about it.
After he'd sat down the Headmaster said, "I wanted to apologize. I feel I've made a grave mistake in trying to take you from your family. I thought I was doing what was best but clearly, I was wrong. I underestimated how much you loved them and I shouldn't have done that. I am truly sorry."
Harry stared at the Headmaster in shock then suspicion. What was the old man playing at?
"I can see you don't believe me and I believe it will simply take time for you to do so."
Harry frowned, "All right then, if that's all…"
The Headmaster smiled a little, "I actually have a proposition for you. You see it has been many years since I have taken a student and I thought it might be a good way of making things up to you. You could go very far in the world with just my recommendation."
Harry studied the man wondering what this was all about. It seemed like a wild departure from his normal means of handling Harry.
"I already have so many clubs…" Harry said, trying to stall for time as he thought about it.
The Headmaster smiled wider, his eyes sparkling as if he knew what Harry was doing, "I could easily cover anything and everything the clubs teach, and more."
Harry frowned, "How often would we meet?"
"Well, let's see," the Headmaster said softly. "You have Charms club on Monday, Potions on Tuesday, Transfiguration on Wednesday, and Defense on Friday. Let's say you stop going to two of your clubs we could meet on those two days and Saturdays that aren't Hogsmeade days. How does that sound?"
Harry hesitated then asked, "Could you teach me Alchemy?" All attempts to use the Philosopher's Stone had stalled completely and Harry knew that the Headmaster taught the class when there was enough interest.
"Oh certainly," the Headmaster agreed, "Unfortunately you don't have the knowledge background necessary to start working now but if the time comes and there's not enough interest I would be happy to add it on."
Harry nodded slowly, "What clubs would you recommend skipping out on then?"
"Well, I taught Transfiguration when I was a full-time Professor and I've had plenty of reason to use Defense, though in truth I could help with any class other than Divination."
Harry considered it, really considered it. The Headmaster was obviously trying to gain something out of the whole thing, but what exactly that was he could not see. But this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; the Headmaster was considered one of the most brilliant wizards of his time, on par with Merlin himself. He would be remembered for generations. This was Harry's opportunity to pick his brain about nearly anything.
"I'll do it," Harry agreed. "Transfiguration and Defense."
The man seemed genuinely pleased. "Let's say after classes on Wednesdays and Fridays and after breakfast on Saturdays?"
"Yes, that sounds good."
He wondered what his bosses would think of all this.
Recommendation: Gold Coin by AlexFlex on AO3