Chapter two

Pomona Sprout stepped into the Hufflepuff common room with Harry beside her. The few students in there fell silent. Sprout called for all students to gather in the common room.

'I am here to tell you that Mr Harry Potter is now a member of this house.'

There was a lot of shouting until Cedric Diggory stepped forward, 'Why Harry?'

'My former head of house, Professor McGonagall has never once helped when I have gone to her. There are a lot of reasons why I wanted out of Gryffindor, but the main one was I never entered the triwizard tournament. They believed I did and I don't feel safe there anymore. I knew that my head of house could help get me out of it if it was proven I did not enter, she never did. I went to Professor Sprout and explained a few things, she agreed to help. So as my new head of house she used her legal rights to have me disqualified since I am underage, which is in the rules.'

'So you really didn't enter?'

'No, Justin, I didn't, I wanted to sit back and cheer on the Hogwarts champion, Cedric. Almost all of Gryffindor house believe I entered, but they have often turned against me. I never felt like I was really part of that house, but I always thought the puffs were what I always thought a house should be like, a family, in a way.'

'Now I hope you all help Harry settle in. I will bring you your new time table to you at breakfast. Ernie, why don't you show Harry to the dorm room, there is now a bed ready for him. Congratulations again Cedric, you will do your house and this school proud.'

'Thanks Professor.'

When Sprout left Harry turned to Cedric, 'I'm not sure which task but I know one is dragons. I spoke with Charlie Weasley after the quidditch world cup. He had a few drinks and let it slip that he was one of the handlers that brought the dragons for the champions to face.'

'Dragons, do we have to fight them?' Cedric paled.

'No, you have to get past one to get something, but I'm not sure what. You're a terrific flyer Cedric, you could use those skills to get past the dragon, unless you find another good way to get past a dragon. Anyway, I'm really knackered, I would like to get to know all of you but I don't think I can stay awake any longer.'

'Come on Harry,' Ernie said then grabbed his arm and showed him to the fourth year boys dorm room, 'Where's your trunk?'

Harry pulled it from his pocket, resized it then placed it at the end of the empty bed. He took his broom out and stuck that in his wardrobe before he pulled out his pyjamas. He said goodnight to his dorm mates then crawled into bed. He cast a silencing charm around his bed but he could see the boys looked curious. He cancelled the charm.

'I suffer from some bad nightmares, I don't want to wake you up, so I usually keep a silencing charm around my bed. Anyway, night.'

'Night,' the other boys said and even though they were curious about Harry Potter's nightmares they all decided to leave it for now and get some sleep.

Minerva and Albus had been arguing for over an hour, 'There is nothing we can do Minerva, Pomona threatened to go to the board of governors. Since we did not intervene on Harry's behalf then they would have taken her at her word and we may have ended up being forced to leave Hogwarts.'

'I asked if I should disqualify Potter, you said to leave it. It was the only way to find out who put his name in the cup.'

'Yes, I did not know Harry knew about changing house's. It's too late now, but that doesn't mean we can get his Gryffindor friends to speak with him. They may get him to change his mind. I plan on speaking with Sirius, he will get through to Harry.'

'Sirius might but as for his friends, did you not see Weasley's face when Potter's name came out. He looked furious, I would say he said something to Potter before he had time to think. They have had many fights over the years Albus, all caused by Weasley. Sooner or later Potter was not going to forgive him. As for Miss Granger, she has some strange infatuation with Mr Weasley, so she will side with him. There are only a few inside Gryffindor house that Harry has never had any problems with. I will speak with Longbottom, and the Weasley twins, maybe between all of us we can convince Harry he is a true Gryffindor.'

'Not you Minerva, if you remember, you refused to believe Harry when he explained about the philosophers stone. He will see you as failing in your duties, then again tonight. Speak with the boys, get them to talk to Harry.'

'Very well, but we are lucky that he did not choose Slytherin.'

'Yes, after the hat informed me Harry should have been in Slytherin then we are fortunate that there are a few that has made that house unattractive to the boy. We can still count on the holidays if it takes too long. Harry will end up at the Burrow so he will be surrounded in Gryffindor's. Now it's late and I still have a meeting with Cornelius. You best get Harry's reports ready for Pomona, she will need them.'

Albus sighed as his old friend left. He did not believe Harry would take this so badly, but he needed to find out who put his name in the cup and why. He grabbed a quill and decided to write to Sirius before heading out to meet with Cornelius. He was tired of these endless meetings with the minister, they were useless just as Cornelius Fudge was useless.

The following morning Harry found Hedwig sitting on his bed head, after giving her a pat and a treat he stretched. He had the best night sleep since he arrived at the castle four years ago. Justin showed Harry where the boy's bathroom was. He showered, changed into his school clothes and noticed all his school stuff now had the badger attached to them.

'Let's go Harry. You're going to cause quite a stir when everyone sees you,' Ernie smirked.

'Don't I know it, at least I know most puffs aren't backstabbing idiots.'

'Why do you have so much trouble with the lions?' Justin asked.

'Lot's of reasons, but many wouldn't even talk to me during my first year. I was helping Hagrid out and got caught, Hermione and I lost a lot of points so they turned on us, more me than her. Even the quidditch team did. Then when everyone found out I was a parselmouth they all thought I was going to be the next dark lord. I know a lot of the students thought the same, even some puffs, I overheard a few talking about Justin hiding in his room. I get that as you were worried about one of your own. Do you know I told the snake to leave you alone that day, Justin?'

'No, I didn't know, but it sounded creepy.'

'I didn't even know I did that, I never knew. But the moment I saw it head towards you I just had to tell it to leave you alone. Anyway, there were only a few in this house that never thought I was becoming dark, not like the rest of the school. How anyone could believe I would turn dark when Voldemort killed my parent's and tried to kill me. I hate the dark arts and all that's involved in it. But Sprout told me she takes all detention that Snape gives you. I couldn't believe it, McGonagall has never helped me, not once and I've gone to her a few times. She is either hopeless or can't be bothered to help her students.'

'Hey Harry,' Cedric ran up to him, 'Thanks for…what you told me. I spent a few hours last night reading through some books. It's going to be hard but I think I'll be okay. If you didn't tell me I would not have bothered learning stuff about them.'

The group walked into the great hall, most stared as Harry Potter sat with the Hufflepuff's.

'I'm glad to help Cedric, if I hear anything else I can let you know. But Charlie just didn't think because he was drinking. It is supposed to be a secret. I don't get that Cedric, why not allow you to study up on the spells which would be needed?'

'It's so we can think on our feet, it's the only reason I can come up with. Anyway, welcome to the puffs, we do look after our own,' Cedric grinned as he slapped Harry on the shoulder before joining his friends.

'Did McGonagall really not help any of you out when you got detention with Snape?'

Harry turned his head, 'Hi Susan, no, she didn't. I had so many with him, most of them he caused the problems or the Slytherin's did, I didn't deserve them.'

'None of the detention he gives out are deserves. Well, he will find out its no use putting you in detention any more. None of us get detention now, we do lose a lot of points from him though, which Professor Sprout returns once she hears why Snape took points in the first place' Hannah said, 'What about quidditch Harry? Cedric is our seeker but you're good as well.'

'No, that's Cedric's position, I can wait until he leaves, then try out then. Susan, I was hoping we could talk in private later, there's something you might be able to help with.'

'If I can Harry, so after breakfast we can go back to the common room.'

'Thanks,' Harry gave the blond a smile then began eating. He made sure to keep his back to the Gryffindor table, but he could hear the odd comment. It didn't seem like they knew he was no longer a Gryffindor as they couldn't see the badge on his robes. Harry knew they would find out soon enough, he just wasn't sure what they might say, or do.