CHAPTER 14: HOGWARTS

14.1

The few times that Severus Snape had traveled to Hogwarts by train, he had always shut himself in a compartment, preferring to be solitary rather than chatting with colleagues or students. Today, however it seemed as though it was going to be a noisy ride to Hogwarts. First there was Draco who seemed to have attached himself to Severus. The boy looked pale and distraught. For an entire year perhaps he was to have no contact with his parents. Severus' parents had hardly ever sent him an owl but he well knew how Narcissa had indulged Draco by sending him sweets and other treats regularly. Even in the previous years with Lucius in Azkaban and the Malfoy Manor becoming a playground for the Death Eaters, Narcissa had continued to send owls: letters and treats for Draco. This year, with his parents enrolling themselves in Dumbledore's programme, it was almost certain Draco will feel abandoned. Severus sighed inwardly. He knew the feeling well. When his friends and classmates had received owls from their parents and had read the letters or shared their treats, he had always felt inadequate as though something was wrong with him and that's why his parents never even sent him a small scrap of parchment.

Secondly, the problem was not of Draco alone. There must be many Slytherins whose parents, as followers of the Dark Lord, would now have joined Dumbledore's programme. All these children would need him this time. A jolt passed thru Severus' body. Yes, all these children would need him this time. But would he be able to give what they needed? He had written a negative reply to McGonagall but while attaching the letter to the owl had stopped suddenly. The scene when he had joined the Death Eaters had flashed before his eyes. Now standing in his compartment, the scene flashed before his eyes again, accompanied as always by that rage and desolation that he had felt at that time. He shut his eyes and took a deep breath. Now was not the time to think about that. What was past was past. He had committed a grievous mistake and yet life had given him a chance to rectify it. He had to make sure that his wards got a second chance too. He squared his shoulders resolutely and turned to look at Draco, who stood undecided and miserable.

Moving forward, Snape put a hand on the boy's shoulder. The boy looked at him in confusion and then hastily dropped his eyes.

"Draco," Snape said gently, "I want you to do something."

The grey eyes – so much like Lucius' – still mirroring confusion, looked up at him.

"Go and collect all the Slytherins and bring them over here."

Draco's jaw hung open. A few students peered inside the compartment but looking at the occupants hastily scuttled away.

"Don't forget, you are a Prefect still and as such have to do your duties accordingly."

"But..but…Professor, I…."

"Draco listen, I know it's going to be tough. I know that the moment you step out of this compartment, you might be ridiculed, perhaps even hexed, but realise this," – he paused and waited for the boy to look at him – "I won't have you hiding here. You have grown up, you know how to defend yourself. However, there are young children in this train who might not be able to. You have to look after them."

Draco shook his head in the negative. "I cannot do it. You didn't see how they fell on us at the platform ready to tear us apart."

"And were they so wrong?"

Draco looked at him haplessly. "Professor…," he whispered.

"Admitting that one has committed a mistake is the first step towards rectifying it." He said softly, squeezing the boy's shoulder.

"I am not that brave." The boy said, his voice wet.

Snape felt his irritation burst within him. A part of him wanted to snap at the boy. Why had he chosen to come to Hogwarts if he wanted to cower? Did he expect his professor to shield him? Despicable! The lashing was on his tongue when he stopped himself. Wasn't this a test for him too? Such situations were bound to arise. The students will look at him for protection. He will have to make them men enough to face their own challenges. Hadn't he accepted McGonagall's offer only because of this? And how was he behaving? Like his older vicious self. He had himself stumbled at the first hurdle. He shut his eyes once again. There were so many things he had to learn too.

Taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes and placed his other hand on the boy's other shoulder. The boy stiffened even more.

"Look at me Draco."

The boy peered at him, his eyes glistening.

Severus removed his hand from one of the shoulders and tilted his chin.

"Now you listen to me Draco. You are brave, otherwise you wouldn't have agreed to come to Hogwarts."

Draco tried to free his face from Severus' grasp but the man tightened his hold.

"It was different when it was just thinking about it. But at the platform….," Draco gulped, his eyes darting all over his face trying desperately to escape.

"I don't know what happened at the platform, Draco but I can guess. This is something you have to be prepared for. There would be insults and humiliation. You cannot control people from speaking but how you respond is up to yourself. This is a challenge you have to face."

"I wish I had gone to Durmstrang." Draco cried out wretchedly.

"But you didn't. You decided for yourself. And now you'll act accordingly."

"But Sir, I…"

"You can do it Draco. Take this step." He shook the boy a little. "Go and collect the children. There would be quite a few not only in Slytherin but in the other houses too who might be being persecuted because of their parents affiliations. Bring them over here. Do it unobtrusively and only if you feel that they are being harassed. There is no use creating panic otherwise."

"You have to do it Draco." He said, after a pause.

There was a silence for a few minutes and then Draco sniffed and screwed up his face. Severus stepped back, freeing the boy. Draco wiped his face and looked at him.

"Yes Sir," he said softly and moved out, sliding the door shut after him.

14.2

Severus sat down and leaned against the back of the seat. He wanted to be alone. Thoughts were churning within him, images flashing thru his mind. He had known facing Lily would be tough. How was one to act when one finds that the person dearest to one whom one had thought lost forever had returned? But not for him, not for him….He could feel misery twisting his insides. Since the time when Potter – oh so casually – had thrown his arm around Lily's shoulders, cuddling her, drawing her close to himself, he had felt something breaking within him, little by little. That gesture had screamed belonging. Lily wasn't his….Perhaps had never been. Icy hands twisting…. How he wished he could be alone with his thoughts. He had to find courage…that inner reserve of strength that had made him face the Dark Lord repeatedly, lie convincingly, suffer all the dark curses…and had even held him in one piece when he had uttered the killing curse against Albus….

The cough racked his body and he took out the vial from his pocket. His hands shook and a few drops spilled out as he uncorked the vial. He stared, horrified, at the vial in his hand as it shook. How will he be able to teach the students if he could not even hold a vial properly? Was this to be taken away from him too? His love of potions – the one thing that had always sustained him? NO– he did not know whether he had cried out loud or not but glass shards were cutting in his skin and the vial lay crushed in his hand as it slowly turned red. He slowly opened his fist and the shards fell and scattered on the floor, each minuscule particle mocking him.

It was ironically the mockery that saved him from losing it altogether. He was used to it. Had lived his life facing it. His father, his mother, the other children at Spinner's End, the Marauders, the Professors, Potter's son…all had mocked him one way or the other. It was such a constant in his life. And he had faced that mockery. He'll face this too. He could not let them win: the ghosts who never left him. A quick charm had the floor clean, another had his hand healed. He took out another vial from his pocket and drowned the potion at one go. Not a moment soon because the moment he put the now empty vial back in his pocket, there was a tremulous knock on the door and then he was sliding it open to allow entry to the first of his wards who had been sent by Draco…

Some time later he looked horrified at the scattering of students in front of him. Only a handful, he could count them on his fingers. A few of them had arrived crying, having been hexed. Draco himself, who was now in the adjoining compartment along with Theodore Nott and a few senior Slytherins, had received a stinging hex. There were a few students from other houses too. (Some had refused to accompany Draco to the den of the Slytherins but a few had followed him to this compartment). Slytherins were not the only one whose parents had been Death Eaters. In fact there were a few students in Slytherin, Millicent Bulstrode and Daphne Greengrass, for instance, whose parents had not joined the Dark Lord (Voldemort he admonished himself. He should call the man Voldemort now). In the last war, Daphne's grandmother, Astoria Greengrass, had even won an order of Merlin. He wondered how things will play out now. It wouldn't do to have his own house divided but the way Millicent and Daphne held themselves apart from the other Slytherins it was going to take some serious effort. His eyes passed over a boy in Ravenclaw uniform who was sniffing in one corner. Marcus Jones, he remembered him. His father, Cassius, had been a Dar…Voldemort supporter, one of his informers in the Ministry. How will this boy- so small and fragile he looked- fit in with his house-mates. Will Flitwick look after his students? He hadn't done anything when Marietta Edgecombe had been scarred? Not even tried to remove those hateful words from her forehead. A young girl barely fifteen who had been threatened with her mother's welfare had been scarred for life and nobody had minded it?

Well, come to think of it, he hadn't done anything to help the young girl either. Shouldn't he have devised a potion? But he had been too put off by Umbridge and the way things were being played out that year to do anything constructive. All he could think of the job that Dumbledore had dumped on him – teach Occlumency to Potter's son while all the time the boy had been uncooperative and downright snooping. A hot flush of shame enveloped his body. The boy had accessed his most shameful memory. Why, oh why had he called Lily that hateful word? Why had Lily not forgiven him? Why had she gone to James Potter? Something raw oozed in his mind….

He shook his head. All that was past: the mistakes, the errors, the grievances. It was time to start anew. "Jones," he called, turning to the boy.

Red eyes looked up at him in fear and trepidation. At one point Severus Snape would have snarled. Now he simply put his hand in his pocket and took out a vial.

"Do you know what this is?" He asked, extending the vial. The other students fell silent and looked on.

The boy cowered and shrunk back, his eyes fearful.

"See, I put this" – he took out a small seed from his pocket – "in the vial." Immediately, a plant sprouted out. The boy's eyes darted from his face to the plant he held in his hand. He looked frightened to death still. "See this plant. It is basil and one of the most useful in healing potions.

"Here Marcus, have a frog." Malcolm Baddock said, breaking the uncomfortable silence in the compartment.

Jones took the chocolate and started nibbling at it, his eyes still round and fearful. Snape looked around, the students hastily turned away their eyes. He leaned back, feeling foolish. Sometimes the muggle half of his personality manifested itself. How had he thought that a plant sprouting out of a vial would impress a wizard child? Wizard children grew up with such things. But his childhood had been largely muggle and these small demonstrations of magic had always seemed so wonderous. But no, he'll have to think of other things. He sighed inwardly. There was a lot to learn.

14.3

The door sliding open made him look up. A witch stood framed in the doorway.

"Snape!" She spat out.

"Professor Burbage," he said getting out of his seat with alacrity and bowing to her. Unbidden her torturous 'last minutes' rose in his mind and he felt the bile rise in his throat.

"You have some nerve coming back to Hogwarts," she said, pure venom in her voice, "you murd…"

"Headmistress McGonagall specifically asked me to…" He said, cutting her short. He glanced at the children. They all looked terrified, their eyes darting between their two professors.

She moved forward. "What story did you spin to her? That you regretted what you had done so that you could be allowed to crawl back into Hogwarts the way Dumbledore allowed you to."

"I think we can have this discussion outside," he said, moving decisively towards the door.

"Why? Afraid of what your students will think of you?" Her eyes moved over the students who were all in a huddle. "Wait a minute, these are just the spawns of Death Eaters. Ev…" The next moment, she was clutching at her throat, her eyes big and large and mouth opening and closing. She looked ridiculous.

"Now listen," he said putting his face forward and she stepped back. "Whatever you say against me is fine with me but I'll not have anyone insulting my students. They are mine. Bear this in mind."

He waved his hand and she coughed and glared at him. She nodded at him once then made a u-turn and exited the compartment.

He sat down once again, trying to control himself. He took one breath, another, another…Feeling calm, he looked at the others. The students were looking at him. Some of them smiled tentatively. He smiled back. A few of them scooted close to him.

When the trolley witch came, he brought beans, pastries, cakes, wands, gums, and frogs for everyone. The students, shy and startled, finally overcame their hesitation to take the sweets and thank him. Clearly, children whether muggle or wizard enjoyed sweets. The mood in the compartment lightened and soon they were giggling about the flavoured beans and exchanging cards.

"Look, I've got Harry Potter," he heard one of them exclaim. He looked at the smiling picture of Potter amidst a chocolate frog. Lily's eyes in Potter's face. He turned around to peer out of the window. An age of new heroes had dawned and it was up to him to see that his Slytherins managed to hold their heads high.

"Er…Sir would you like to have one?" Baddock held out a chocolate frog. "Sorry, I just thought…" he mumbled awkwardly as Snape looked at him gravely.

"Thank you Mr. Baddock," he said, accepting the offering and smiling at him. "So how do we pass the time?"

"Exploding Snap." A child volunteered, looking at the others.

"Reading books."

"Telling each other stories."

"Playing chess."

"So let's do all this." Snape said, clapping his hands.

The train rumbled on towards Hogwarts.

14.4

Harry shivered in excitement as he sat in the Great Hall, flanked by Ron and Hermione. He looked at where his mother sat at the staff table, talking with Professor Vector. The teachers were present in full strength. Remus – Professor Lupin – Harry admonished himself, was listening to Professor Trelawney. Harry suppressed a giggle at the earnest expression on Remus' face. Hagrid was there too, looking enormous sitting next to the petite Professor Sinistra. He met Harry's glance and waved at him. Harry waved back. At the end of the table, Snape sat. Perhaps it was Harry's imagination but it looked as though there was some sort of distance between Snape and the other professors. It was ridiculous of course, the teachers were sitting next to one another.

Harry gave an inward shrug and turned towards the visitor's gallery. For the first time since he had joined Hogwarts, he saw visitors present during the sorting. His dad was there of course along with Sirius and a Hufflepuff-yellow haired Tonks who held little Teddy in her arms. Alice and Frank Longbottom sat next to Tonks. There were parents of a few other students too. Harry's eyes widened as they fell on Hagrid's brother Grawp as he entered the gallery and then seemed to fill the entire left portion of it. He saw a few couples look at the giant fearfully.

Suppressing a grin, his eyes wandered over to the hall. The Hufflepuffs were crowded round Cedric. At the Ravenclaw table, Cho was looking longingly at the Hufflepuff table. It was very clear where she wanted to be. Next to her sat Marietta, wearing the same determined expression that she had at the platform. Harry almost gasped when his glance finally moved on to the Slytherins. They were so few. He could count them on his fingers. They seemed to be huddled together, their faces downcast, their shoulders hunched.

"What is he doing over here?" Somebody at the table exclaimed.

"Yes what exactly? Wasn't he a Death Eater?"

"Didn't you hear Prime Dominie Dumbledore?" Hermione spoke, just the twitch of irritation in her voice, "he was on the side of Light all along."

Harry turned towards Hermione about to add to the conversation when the massive doors opened and Deputy Head Master, Professor Flitwick lead in the first-years. The Hall slowly hushed as everybody waited for the hat to sing and the sorting to begin.

"Put me on your Head

And I'll tell you to which House table you'll be led

Nothing more, nothing less."

There was a queer silence in the Hall. It was the first time that Harry had heard the hat sing so little. Its tone had sounded surly too.

"Wonder what's wrong?" Hermione murmured at his side.

"Well, I am glad," Ron said, from the other side. "My stomach is growling."

"Abrahams, Jacob," Flitwick announced and a dark-haired boy stepped nervously forward.

"Ravenclaw," the hat announced and the boy rushed towards the Ravenclaw table which was cheering enthusiastically.

"Ali, Ayesha," Flitwick announced and the Ravenclaw table cheered for the second time as the Hat called it out again. The girl ran towards her house mates, her two long braids jiggling

"Burns, Michael."

"Gryffindor," said the hat and Harry joined his housemates in welcoming a sandy-haired boy, who looked completely overwhelmed as he stumbled towards them.

"Collins, Muriel," became the first Hufflepuff. From the corner of his eyes, Harry saw Tonks rooting along with the other Hufflepuffs.

"Crawford, Dave," Flitwick called out the next name. A ginger-haired boy with impish features stepped forward.

"Slytherin," the Hat announced.

There was a silence for a few seconds and then the Hall was full of hisses and hoots.

"Traitors."

"Cowards."

"Detestables."

"Despicables."

"Devil's Disciples."

At Harry's side Ron cackled with glee while Hermione made an annoyed sound. Harry looked at the boy who stood over there, looking fearful and ready to cry. Then a boy got up from the Slytherin table and guided the terrified boy to the table. It took Harry a moment to realise that it was Theodore Nott. He looked even more weedy than he had when Hermione had pointed him out in their fifth year.

"SILENCO!" A voice barked out and the Hall became silent as the spell washed over them.

Head Mistress McGonagall was standing at her table. "This kind of behaviour is not permissible," she thundered, her eyes flashing behind her spectacles. "Hogwarts is a prestigious institution and I'll not have any unruly behaviour marring its reputation." Her glance fell on them all. "You are all students of the finest Wizarding School and this kind of behaviour doesn't behoove you."

Beside Harry, Hermione nodded her head in agreement. It seemed to Harry as though she was bursting out to say something but was being restrained by McGonagall's spell. For a moment, he almost expected her to raise her hand.

"Is it clear?" McGonagall asked severely, with a flick of her hand removing the silencing spell.

There were murmurs of sullen and grudging acceptance.

"Good," she said. "Professor Flitwick, please continue," she added, taking her seat.

"Bah," Ron grumbled, "she spoiled the fun."

"Ronald!" Hermione exclaimed, "Slytherins are a part of this school."

"And a fat lot of good they are." Ron whispered. "In my opinion, there shouldn't be that house any longer. We will be better off without them."

"Well, nobody is asking for your opinion," Hermione said cuttingly and Ron subsided into a moody silence. Harry turned his attention back to the sorting. Hufflepuffs had already received two more students. A small blonde girl was now placing the hat on her head.

"Slytherin," the hat exclaimed.

"NO!" The girl cried out wretchedly, her head shaking in agitation, making her two ponytails bob. "No, please no," she continued, her lower lip trembling. "Not Slytherin, not Slytherin please."

Professor Flitwick removed the hat from her head. "Miss Ivanovna," he said gently but firmly, "please take your seat at the Slytherin table."

The girl shook her head, tears now running freely down her face. "No, everybody will hate me," she sobbed.

"Come child." Nobody had noticed Severus Snape getting up from his seat at the staff-table, but now he stood beside the sobbing girl. "Come child," he repeated, extending his hand, "Slytherin House will be proud to have you."

"You will scare her all the more Snape."

Harry looked with shock at the Visitors Gallery. Sirius and his father were doubled up with laughter.

"ENOUGH!" McGonagall was standing up again. She rapped on the table. "This kind of behaviour is unpardonable. The visitors are requested to maintain decorum otherwise I'll be forced to ask them to vacate the room."

"Why are you defending him Minerva?" A tall, distinguished looking wizard who had been seated at the right corner of the gallery stood up to address the principal. "He is a killer, the murderer of Dumbledore."

"Hear! Hear!" Many voices cried out in unison.

Harry looked at Snape. The man was standing absolutely still, his face carved out of granite.

"Prime Dominie Albus Dumbledore has made it clear that Professor Snape had killed him only on his orders." McGonagall had magically altered her voice so that it rose above all the other voices in the hall, effectively silencing them. "It was all a part of strategy to win against Voldemort. Did you all not hear his proclamations? Severus Snape served the cause of Light."

"Principal McGonagall," a new voice spoke up as the Headmistress took a breath. "Professor Dumbledore was not the only man this person killed." One of the teachers at the staff-table had risen up.

"Professor Charity Burbage," Hermione informed voluntarily. "She is the teacher of Muggle Studies."

"Professor Burbage," McGonagall's voice was severe. "Whatever Professor Snape did was part of a strategy. This was explained to all of you." Her eyes swept first over all the staff-members and then over to the hall.

"Never have I seen such a sorting." A voice spoke near Harry's ear making him jump up violently. However it was only Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost. "I must go discuss this with the Friar," the ghost continued, shaking his head so that it wobbled in an eerie manner. The next moment he zoomed off towards the Hufflepuff table. Harry looked up and saw more ghosts flitting towards the same.

"If anybody has any problem, he or she is free to leave but I'll not tolerate anymore breach in etiquette." McGonagall concluded her speech. The little girl, meanwhile had been cajoled by Snape to the Slytherin table. The man himself sat down with his students while they drew their chairs close to him.

The rest of the sorting passes in the sullen mood that now pervaded the hall. The children who were sorted into Slytherin were not booed. However they were all teary eyed and trembled as they made their way to the Slytherin table.

"And now before we have our dinner" Professor McGonagall stood up again once the last student had been sorted and the Hat placed in its place, "a few introductions and announcements."

"Some of you might remember Professor Remus Lupin who was with us a few years ago. He rejoins us this year as the Professor of Transfigurations."

The sullen mood disappeared and applause broke out in the Hall as Remus stood up and bowed. The visitor's gallery was especially enthusiastic with Sirius, James, the Longbottoms, and Tonks clapping heartily. Harry saw Tonks put the hands of Teddy together to clap. Her hair turned a shade of red with golden streaks before reassuming their yellow shade.

Professor McGonagall smiled broadly after the applause had died down somewhat.

"By a miracle, we are unable to fully comprehend, Professor Charity Burbage joins us again as the Professor of Muggle Studies."

The witch stood and bowed gravely to them as people applauded politely. "What had happened to her?" Ron asked. Ginny clapped loudly along with the other students who had suffered Alecto Carrow in the previous year.

"Rubeus Hagrid again assumes his position as the Professor of Magical Studies."

Applause broke out once again as Hagrid got awkwardly on his feet and made a clumsy bow. The most enthusiastic cheering came form Grawp who leaped on his feet and jumped about in joy. The gallery seemed to shake.

"Professor Snape," McGonagall continued after Grawp had been forced back to his seat, "has been reappointed as the Professor of Potions."

The Slytherins clapped. Remus and his mother too clapped along with a few other teachers. Snape himself maintained that complete expressionless look.

"And last but not the least," McGonagall rushed in (to cover the awkwardness, Harry thought grimly) "it is our proud privilege for Hogwarts to have as a teacher on the staff who is renowned through out the world for her courage and bravery." She turned towards Lily. "Professor Lily Potter, our new Defence against the Dark Arts teacher."

There was no stopping the applause that broke out. Students, visitors, the other staff members, all were on their feet, clapping loudly. Harry felt his chest would burst with pride as his mother bowed to them all even as his father cheered lustily. Thank God, their disagreement was a thing of the past. Involuntarily, his eyes moved towards the Slytherin table. Much to his surprise, the Slytherins too were on their feet. In their midst, Harry could make out the tall figure of Severus Snape who was clapping gravely.

What would Snape's reaction have been had it been him whom Lily told about McGonagall's proposal to make her the DADA teacher? Would he have behaved like James or would he have been happy, encouraging her and feeling proud of her? Harry gave himself a mental shake, horrified at what he was thinking. From where had this treacherous thought entered his mind? Why was he even comparing his dad with Snape as regards to his mother?

"She'll also be the Head of Gryffindor." McGonagall concluded even as she joined in the applause and the Gryffindor table whooped in joy.

"And now, I'd like to announce a few changes in the curriculum," McGonagall resumed speaking after the tumult had died down.

Ron groaned, "I wish she'd hurry up, my stomach is grumbling."

"What ever has happened in our world in the last two decades has been due to prejudice and a lack of understanding between the wizard and the muggle world." McGonagall glanced significantly at the Slytherin table before continuing, "to have a better understanding of muggle culture, the Hogwarts governors have decided to make muggle studies compulsory from this session. Students of all years will have to take this up as one of their subjects."

"That's wonderful," Hermione exclaimed loudly as soon as the Headmistress had stopped speaking. However, not all the students seemed as enthused about the decision as her. Ron murmured pathetically about another bloody subject to study.

"Final year students will now have to submit two research projects. Besides the one in wizarding subjects, they will also have to work on any one area of Muggle studies."

"Excellent," Dean Thomas, sitting a few seats afar from Harry exclaimed joyfully. "I have always wanted to study the techniques of the Impressionist painters. Now I can do so as part of the curriculum." He beamed happily at everybody.

Ron tugged at Harry's sleeve. "What'll I do Harry?" He asked in panic.

"You can do a project on the automobile industry." Hermione spoke up before Harry could even open his mouth. "Your father is interested in the mechanics of muggle forms of transportation. He'd be happy."

"That's quite an idea." Ron said, admiringly. Harry smothered a grin.

All over the hall, students were busy discussing the new addition to their curriculum. At the staff table, Professor Burbage seemed to glow with happiness. Harry glanced over at the Slytherin table where dismay was most palpable. Mostly Purebloods, the students were looking bewildered and confused.

"The Forbidden Forest, as always, remains out of bounds for the students. Do not be foolhardy to venture into it." McGonagall was repeating what every principal of Hogwarts had done. And as always, it was bound to fall on deaf years. The very name of the forest attracted students like a magnet. "Also as Mr. Filch informs me, the products of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes are banned in the school."

Quite a few students shuffled hastily and looked guilty.

"And now for the final declaration before we have our dinner."

"About time," Ron said sourly.

"This year, as some of you must have noticed the new prefects were not announced beforehand. It happened," – and here the Headmistress looked at the Hufflepuff table – "as some of our former students miraculously rejoined us this year." There was a great deal of joyful whooping. Such a bland statement for such a great wonder, Harry thought. His eyes met those of Neville's and they beamed at each other, both reading the same thought in the other's eyes.

"First Gryffindors. Though the tradition has been that we select a girl and a boy from the fifth to the seventh years, this session we have changed the rules a little. So from the seventh formers, Ron Weasley and Neville Longbottom."

There was a loud gasp from Ron. "What about Hermione?" He asked aghast. However, Harry had no answer to it. He saw Neville's parents on their feet, clapping loudly. He felt the same envy run through him as in the fifth year when Ron had received the prefect badge. How nice it would have been to have dad and mom feeling proud of him having been made a prefect. He clapped Ron on the back and stretched forward to shake Neville's hand but that feeling would not leave him. It was absurd, he gave himself a mental shake, he had won the Order of Merlin, First Class, and was yet bothered about being a mere prefect.

He gave himself another mental shake and concentrated on the other names being announced. McGonagall had already finished with Hufflepuffs while he was busy with his thoughts and smiling though it hurt him painfully. From the Ravenclaws, Cho and Terry Boot were selected from the seventh year and feeling genuinely happy, he clapped as McGonagall moved on to the next names. Finally, it was the turn of Slytherins and Harry's envy reached a crescendo as Draco Malfoy's name was announced. Even the ferret had been considered good enough to be a prefect. But not he! He had defeated the most evil wizard of his time but had not been deemed worthy to be a prefect. Dumbledore had said that he did not want to burden Harry with more responsibilities and thus had not made him the prefect. But now those responsibilities were over, weren't they? So why had McGonagall not made him a prefect. Neville had only killed Nagini and well Ron had done nothing earth-shaking. With an effort, Harry put a stop to such thoughts, feeling both mean and small. How could he even think about his friends in such a manner?

"And now for the Head Girl," McGonagall's voice broke his reverie. "Any guesses?"

The Ravenclaw table was the most enthusiastic.

"Cho," shouted somebody.

"Padma," another voice shouted.

"Lisa," yet another.

"Susan." This was from the Hufflepuffs.

"Hermione," the Gryffindors shouted, en masse.

"Miss Granger it is." McGonagall announced proudly and the Gryffindor table went wild even as Hermione turned scarlet as she stood up to greet their applause, one hand in her hair as she tried to smooth them down. Harry threw his arms round her and Ron almost reached from Harry's side to kiss her before he realised what he was doing and sank back in his chair, his face the same shade as his hair.

"And who do you think is our Head Boy?"

"Terry," the Ravenclaws supplied but it was the Hufflepuffs who screamed "CEDRIC" at the top of their voice.

"Harry Potter." McGonagall announced, and Harry's world exploded.

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Thanks to duj, A. Person, Kelana Fluteflower, Cassandra 30, excessivelyperky, Mottsnave, and ginervaweasleyrocks for their reviews.

Awaiting your reactions to this chapter.

To my Anonymous Reviewers:

A Person: Thanks for enjoying the chapter and being so engrossed with the story. Hope to hear from you regarding this chapter too.

Kelana Fluteflower: Thanks for the answers. Hope you like the story.

Edited: 25/7/09