A/N) 13 chapters after Harry left his fourth year, he finally returns to Hogwarts for his fifth year! It's been a long old road getting here! Still, made it now! You'll also be pleased to know that I have planned out to Chapter 50 now. The next chapter has also been written, and I have more of an idea of where this fic is going then I did. You may also recognise elements from Order of the Phoenix and Half-Blood Prince starting to appear in the next few chapters. Yes, events have accelerated by about a year in this fic due to Voldemort being out in the open more then he ever was in the original time-line.

Thank you for all the support so far.

Chapter Forty-Two: Return to Hogwarts

Wednesday 1st September 1995

Before he knew it Harry was waking up on the morning of 1st September. The last few weeks had flown by. As promised, Sirius had stayed at Grimmauld Place spending as much time as possible with Harry. He didn't even attend any Order of the Phoenix meetings that took place during those weeks, instead choosing to receive any information from Remus after Harry had returned to Hogwarts.

Gingerly Harry crawled out of bed, wishing that he wasn't returning to Hogwarts without Sirius. He had become used to his godfather being at the school during the year before and it seemed strange to be returning without him, however Harry had realised weeks ago that Sirius's duty as an Auror was important to him. He wanted to protect the public – he wanted to fight, and teaching at Hogwarts permanently would not suit Sirius Black.

Harry checked his trunk one last time before getting dressed and walking into the kitchen to find chaos everywhere. Mrs Weasley was yelling at Fred and George, while simultaneously pointing her wand at various kitchen utensils to make lunch for her children. Sirius was sitting at the table, arms folded across his chest, watching as the drama unfolded. Harry slid into a sit next to his godfather.

"We've got transport to King's Cross Station. The Minister has ordered us to escort you across town, although the house isn't that far from the station about a twenty-minute walk but Rufus is concerned that Voldemort will decide to attack you," explained Sirius. "There will also be Aurors on the train to protect any students if the Death Eaters decide to attack."

Harry perked up at this. "Will you be on there?"

Sirius shook his head. "No... Voldemort has spies within the Ministry and these arrangements will surely have got out. If he knew I was onboard the Hogwarts Express it would become an irresistible target for him. Kill two birds with one stone, so to speak."

"You and I," replied Harry, not even feeling an inch afraid for his own life. "I guess that makes sense. Can you be sure that he won't attack anyway? Wouldn't it be safer to just Floo there?"

"We have considered that. However the Hogwarts Express has been reinforced with extra protection too. There are ways for Voldemort to intercept you using Floo Powder too... he does have some control within the Ministry... so we can't risk him hijacking your route that way and you'd be on your own. Apparition is out of the question. Dumbledore informed us this morning that a group of Death Eaters have been hiding in the area so using side-along Apparition would not be a good idea. He can't do anything about removing the Death Eaters from outside the gates as they are not doing anything wrong. He did think of lowering the shields into the Great Hall, but it is a possibility that Voldemort could have considered that..."

Harry sighed. "Basically the Hogwarts Express is the safer option for everyone."

"Exactly," smiled Sirius.

They arrived at King's Cross station with fifteen minutes to spare. They made an odd bunch of people walking through the station. Muggles were casting them weary glances as they passed. Sirius kept his hand thrust in his pocket, his hand clenched tightly around his wand, his eyes darting everywhere, looking for any sign that an attack was about to happen.

He followed Harry first through the barrier to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters where he quickly set about scanning the crowd of witches and wizards while guiding Harry towards an empty compartment. He deposited his godson's trunk in the compartment and went and joined the Weasley family that were now gathered on the platform.

"Sirius," said Hermione, stepping up to him. "I forget to say thank you for that book... That Ancient Runes one you got me..."

"It doesn't matter," he replied, waving away her thanks. "I did it because I wanted to, not because I was obliged to. I assume you've read the book?"

"Half of it. I've been translating it as I go along... takes a while to do so when I'm trying to take in the stories. It's a fascinating book."

"I thought you might like it," smiled Sirius. "There is an older copy of the book in the Black Family Library, however I thought an updated version would be more suitable for you."

"Sirius," whispered Alastor Moody. The old-timer was one of the Aurors that had been chosen to accompany Harry to the station. Like Sirius had been doing, Moody had also been ensuring the safety of everyone on the platform. "Lucius Malfoy is just over there..."

Sirius flickered his eyes over the crowd and saw the bright white hair that was the dominant gene in the Malfoy family. He growled low in his throat as he saw his cousin, Narcissa, standing proudly beside her husband. Their son, Draco, stood between them, talking in low tones to his father. "We can't take him in, you know that Alastor. He may be known as a Death Eater but he's a slippery fellow. If we try to take him here, it could cause untold problems for us and for all the innocents on this platform."

"There is one thing I hate, Black, and that is allowing a known Death Eater to walk free," growled Moody.

"Unfortunately we have no choice," replied Sirius wearily. However, for the rest of the time while he was on the platform, Sirius did not stray his eyes from Lucius Malfoy. Finally eleven o clock rolled around and the Hogwarts Express began to move away from the station. Parents waved from the platform yelling their goodbyes to their sons and daughters.

As the train moved slowly out, Sirius caught Harry watching him through the window. He raised a hand in farewell, watching until the train had rounded a corner and was out of sight. With a heavy heart Sirius Apparated straight to the Ministry of Magic to begin his first day back at work since his accident in Diagon Alley.

Harry sat with Neville, Fred, George and Ginny while Ron and Hermione went to visit the Prefect's carriage to get their instructions. Harry had already recognised Tonks onboard the train, along with Hestia Jones and – rather surprisingly – Sirius's boss, Kinglsey Shacklebolt.

They spent the time playing cards until Ron and Hermione returned to their compartment: Ron clearly in a furious mood.

"You will not believe who is a Prefect!" shouted Ron angrily as he slammed the compartment door behind him.

"Malfoy?" guessed Harry.

"No, Crabbe! How could he get to be a Prefect?" raged Ron.

"You have to be joking," said Harry, eyes widening in surprise. "How can it not be Malfoy?"

Hermione shrugged. "I don't know. But that's not the only thing. The other prefect for Slytherin is Pansy Parkinson. How she got to be one I don't know! She's thicker than a concussed troll!"

"Hold on," whispered Harry. He hadn't even heard Hermione's rant instead he had been running over facts in his head. They had learnt that over the summer that there was a plot afoot that would lead to Dumbledore's death and that a student was involved... Could it possibly be Malfoy?

"What is it, Harry?" asked Neville.

Harry shook his head, catching Ron and Hermione's eyes, silently communicating to them that he did know something but couldn't say in present company. Instead, he turned to face Neville, plastering a fake grin on his face and said: "It's nothing."

To further his suspicions regarding Draco Malfoy, Harry was surprised that his enemy did not make one appearance during the whole journey to Hogwarts. Malfoy had always taken the time out to taunt Harry and it only furthered his belief that the student who had been given a task to do was none other than the slippery Slytherin himself.

After all, it was common knowledge that Malfoy's father was knee-deep in with Voldemort however his powerful influence kept him from being arrested or sent to prison, no matter how much evidence the Aurors gathered against him. Harry assumed it would be considered an honour for Malfoy to be given a task by the Dark Lord... but why would he choose a child – a student – to kill Dumbledore who would have no chance of succeeding?

But he was just guessing... everything pointed to Draco Malfoy being involved somehow and Harry intended on finding out what, even if Ron and Hermione chose not to believe his guesses.

Later that evening as the students settled down after the Sorting of the new First Years, Albus Dumbledore rose from the table. Harry's eyes widened as he saw the Headmaster's blackened and bruised hand. What had happened?

"What's happened to his hand?" asked Ron, stating the obvious.

Harry shrugged. "I dunno..."

"It looks dead..." whispered Hermione. "I think he's been cursed..." Her voice trailed off as Albus Dumbledore introduced the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher: Avril Leverg, a Auror who had been loyal to both Dumbledore and Cornelius Fudge when he had been in power.

"Can the Ministry spare one Auror?" asked Ron. "I heard Dad telling Bill that they are overstretched as it is..."

"And they have Aurors on guard here too," said Harry softly. "I don't think they can spare them... but they're going to have to." Was it because of him that the school needed this amount of protection? He laid his fork back on his plate – the sudden thought having caused him to not want to finish his meal. If the protectors of the Wizarding World were being stretched just for his safety, Harry didn't want the general public to suffer for him. Hogwarts was protected... Dumbledore wouldn't let the school fall, he was sure of that by far.

As Harry moved away from the Gryffindor table, Professor McGonagall approached him and beckoned him aside. She led him through a side door out of the Great Hall into a small room that he had never been in before.

Harry's face broke into a smile as he saw the man sitting in a plush, comfy chair that he had obviously conjured himself. "SIRIUS! What are you doing here?" He didn't even notice his Transfiguration Professor leave the room.

"I should have told you this before you left, but I didn't... plus forgetting gave me an excuse to come here tonight," his godfather smiled. "Hectic day at the Ministry, but I won't go into it, no matter how much you ask."

Harry scowled, hating to be left out of the circle, but he could understand why Sirius wanted to protect him. He didn't pursue the subject either, instead waited to hear what news his godfather had to impart.

"Considering I know for a fact that you were listening in on some of the meetings over the summer, I assume you are already aware about you having Occlumency lessons?" said Sirius.

Harry's face went red. "Yes..."

"Your father and I would have done the same if some secret meeting was going on in the place where we lived anyway, so I don't blame you," grinned Sirius, his eyes shining in delight. "But there is a snag to it... You'll be taught by Professor Snape."

"What?" Harry couldn't stop his explanation fall from his mouth. "Why?"

"Because Professor Dumbledore doesn't think it is wise for you to have that much contact... and Snape is a skilled Occlumens, so he knows what he is doing. I don't like it either, but I know why it has to be him rather than Dumbledore. On the other hand, you will also be having private lessons with the Headmaster but they will only begin after Snape feels you have mastered Occlumency enough so that Voldemort doesn't have a way into your mind. Your connection with him through your scar could allow him to do so." He patted Harry on the shoulder. "I'm sorry that you have to do this, but it is for your own safety. Try and master Occlumency as quickly as possible and then you won't have to see Snape often."

Harry nodded reluctantly. "If it is for the best..." Still, at least he had consolation with the fact that his godfather wasn't happy that Snape would be responsible for teaching Harry potions and Occlumency.

They talked for a further fifteen minutes before they bid their farewells. Harry took one glance back at his godfather as he stepped outside of the room and back into the Great Hall. With a heavy heart, Harry trooped out of the hall and up the staircase towards Gryffindor Tower.

To be continued...

Please let me know what you think!

Next chapter: Occlumency - in which Harry begins his extra lessons with Snape... Coming soon.

Until next time,

the-writer1988