A/N: Chap 15 review responses are available in my forums. Thank you all for reading. Now for a question. What do you do for a school year in which nothing out of the ordinary happens? There is no diary horcrux and the basilisk is dead. So what is there to write about? Nothing, really. This next chapter is the entirety of Harry's second year. Next chapter will start with third year, where Harry is older and more things start to happen.
Thank you all for reading.
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Chapter Sixteen: A Year and a Day
15th August, 1992
First Hogwarts Staff Meeting
"My friends please have a seat, thank you, thank you. Before we begin, I would like to welcome two new faces this year. First, I would like to welcome Auror Emmeline Vance, on loan to us from the Ministry of Magic to fill the vacant post of Defence Against the Dark Arts."
The rest of the staff politely welcomed the lithe, younger witch.
"Second, please welcome our new Muggle Studies professor, Geneva Pax. Miss Pax comes to us from Wetherby High School, in West Yorkshire, where she taught for five years. She holds the necessary certifications for all ICW-mandated Muggle subjects and comes highly recommended. She will be taking the secondary teaching position while our own Dulcette Orkin resumes the primary teacher position."
More polite applause for the Squib teacher, who was in her late thirties but looked like she was in her twenties.
"Now, Professor McGonagall has already conducted the Muggleborn orientation. Anything of note to report?"
"Fortunately not, Albus," McGonagall said. "No incidents of violent accidental magic, thank Morgana, nor any signs of unrest from the parents. I was interested to note, however, that the parents of the Creevey girl have already taken up correspondence with last year's batch of Muggle parents."
"Interesting," Dumbledore said neutrally. "Muggle parents find the transition of their children often to be one of great difficulty, so perhaps having a network of support will aid them all. Rolanda, I understand you conducted the orientation for incoming magically-raised students, anything of note?"
"Yes," she said in her normal curt tone. She sat to Snape's right, while Sinistra sat to his left. "Why are we letting Lovegood enroll? Totally aside from the risk she poses to Potter, the Lovegood family is proscribed. They have no place in magical society. On top of that, she kept talking about imaginary creatures—bargles and snotracks and other such! It was nigh impossible to conduct the orientation. I came close to hexing her."
"Ahh, yes. Nargles—magical mites that infect the brain, and crumple horned Snorkacks—a creature that somewhat resembles a cross between a rhinoceros and a jack rabbit."
The whole room stared at him and he smiled right back. "We must remember, my friends, that like Mr Potter, Ms Lovegood is a visual Aether. No tactile sense, I understand, but she sees things we cannot. Given the tragedies that have befallen her family, if she chooses to frame what she sees in allegories, who are we to dissuade her? As to her family's misfortunes… I think you of all people, Professor Hooch, would appreciate giving someone a second chance."
Hooch's eyes darted to Snape almost of their own accord. "Our circumstances are completely different. None in this room are proscribed."
"The child was nine years old when her family was proscribed, and shortly thereafter her mother was killed and she herself cruelly rendered infertile," Dumbledore said, no longer smiling. "She is not guilty of the things her mother did, and for the Covens to hold a child responsible for the actions of the adults around her is reprehensible."
Hooch's nostril's flared. "You are calling a decision of the Sabbat reprehensible?"
"Oh yes, Professor," McGonagall said. "I was leading the Sabbat when he did so. And he won his case quite convincingly, which is why Miss Lovegood will be enrolled, and should she pass all required examinations, will be exonerated from her mother's misfortunate actions upon graduation."
"Thank you, Dame Minerva," Dumbledore said with a wink, reminding all at the table that McGonagall was the proxy leader of his own coven, since all his wives were dead and the McGonagall clan was a part of the Dumbledore Coven.
"Still," the headmaster continued, "there is a reasonable note of caution to be taken away from your orientation, Professor Hooch. Given Mr Potter's experiences last year, I believe it would be wise to perhaps pull Mr Potter aside until after the sorting, just to make sure."
"I'll take the opportunity to ensure the boy has been practicing his Occlumency over the summer," Snape volunteered.
"Excellent. Excellent. Anything else of note? Very good. Then let us discuss the classroom budgets for this year…"
~~Firebird~~
~~Firebird~~
Calliope Granger smiled a fond greeting as she saw Leah Thomas guiding her daughter Deanna into King's Cross station. The twelve-year old had certainly grown over the last year, but then again so had Hermione.
New to their intimate circle of parents, which Hermione laughingly called the League of Extraordinary Muggles, were Jason and Allie Creevey, with their daughter Colleen. They had a younger daughter named Denise who already had the brilliance in her brown eyes that confirmed her own magical blood. The couple were perhaps ten years younger than the Grangers, having their first child when both parents were 17.
They greeted each other with handshakes and kind words while their daughters grouped around each other to exchange notes on how their summers went. In addition to the Creeveys and Leah, Daniel and Shirley Boot had gradually drifted into the group over the summer, as had Sir Marcus Fletchley and his wife Allison Finch-Fletchley, whose daughter Justine was in Hufflepuff, as well as being one of Hermione's friends at school.
Calliope could never have imagined what good friends these people would become. In truth, Calliope had difficulty making new friends. In a professional setting with defined roles, she did quite nicely. But in personal, intimate settings she found it very, very difficult to make friends. It still astounded her that Edwin continued to pursue her despite the fact that on their first date she said no more than ten words the entire evening.
However, Hogwarts gave these other couples a common…well, not enemy, per se, but definitely a common point of interest that brought them together from all walks of life. For instance, Leah and her daughter had lived on the dole for years after her husband abandoned her, while the Fletchleys were members of the peerage, with astounding contacts both in government and business.
However, watching their daughters clumped together talking, it was possible to momentarily forget the various socio-economic strata they all came from.
Then he arrived. Hermione saw him first and pointed, whispering. The other girls all looked up as well, and their attention is what drew the parents' eyes to the boy with the shaggy black hair and second-hand clothes who walked dejectedly into the station dragging his trunk. She noticed he didn't have his familiar this year and wondered why.
"He looks like someone just shot his dog," Edwin muttered, also noticing the boy.
Indeed, the bright, inquisitive eyes they remembered last year were dull and directed at his feet, and he moved with hunched shoulders as if carrying the weight of the world. They knew something terrible had happened the previous year just from Hermione, but looking at this boy, she could see for the first time who had paid the price for whatever it was that happened.
He trudged past the girls without even saying hello and disappeared into the hidden passage. In his wake, Hermione sighed. "Poor boy."
"He needs a hug," Justine agreed.
"Was that really Harry Potter?" Colleen Creevey asked brightly. "Why's he so sad?"
"His favourite professor died last year," Hermione said. "Actually, not just his. Professor Burbage was the best professor in the school, and we'll all miss her. But it seemed to hit Harry worst of all."
They were all startled when a moment later Harry re-emerged from the platform followed a moment later by Professor McGonagall herself. His trunk was gone, and he looked confused and even a little upset. Calliope strained to hear what she was saying, but could not.
"Ahhh," Sir Marcus Fletchley said. "That explains it. Sorry, Justine, girls, but it looks like Mr. Potter won't be joining you on the train today."
"But why?" Justine asked with just the hint of a petulant whine.
"None of that, dear," her mother said.
"It appears they are worried about another Aether on board," Sir Marcus said. "Sorry, my lip-reading is a bit rusty from my days in the service, but evidently they are determined to keep him and this other Aether separated. Sorry, loves, didn't get her name."
The girls stared at the man with shocked expressions.
"Well, interesting as that is," Edwin said, "it's almost time. Shall we go to the platform?"
Ahead, McGonagall and Potter stepped back into the hidden entrance. However, when the Muggleborns arrived, the two were gone. Instead, they saw a different head girl this year wearing Ravenclaw robes calling for all first years to gather around. Calliope watched with interest as she separated the genders just like she did last year. This time, however, there were thirty four girls and only eight boys.
She heard a voice beside him and saw the woman with the monocle from last year also observing the ratio with narrowed eyes. She met his expression and raised one elegant brow. "Dr Granger, I presume?"
Calliope stifled her surprise. "Yes?"
The woman stepped forward and offered a hand. Calliope was pleased not to feel any electric shock, but supposed it was because the witch was wearing her Veil, and no other magicals ever offered to shake hands. "My name is Amelia Bones. My daughter Susan is in Hufflepuff, and has spoken highly of your daughter."
Calliope racked her brain until Edwin beside her said, "She's the adorable red-head, right?"
"She is at that," Amelia said, her icy exterior softening. Edwin always did know just what to say to make a woman relax. She removed her wand and twirled it about in a complex fashion before returning her attention to the Grangers. "I wish to bring you a word of…advice, if you will. The Ministry of Magic is somewhat leery when it comes to the parents of Muggleborn children. Traditionally, the Ministry has enforced the Statutes of Secrecy to the point of paranoia, and are rather free with their Obliviations. When the Ministry sees a group of Muggle parents congregating together, it becomes nervous. When it is reported that an incoming Muggleborn is already aware of magical society because of those congregating Muggle parents, it becomes upset. And when centuries-old wizards and witches, some of whom remember Waterloo, become nervous, well…rarely do good things happen."
Calliope was fighting to keep her voice even. "What…what would you suggest we do to lessen this nervousness?"
"Be discreet," Bones said. "And understand the limitations of those whose job it is to monitor you—for rest assured you are being watched, as all Muggle parents are. There are elements within the Ministry that would gladly take your children away entirely, including your memories of them. Do not give them reason."
Beside her, Edwin clenched her hand. "Are you one of those elements?"
Amelia smiled bitterly. "If I were, I might still have my brother and his wives, my husband and sister wife, not to mention our three children. Instead, I have a single niece. The war was a terrible thing, and that group of children you see over there is proof. Just remember, Doctors Granger, that the men on the Wizengamot and the women in the Sabbat are, with few exceptions, a century old or more. Most would not know a toaster from a computer, and they most certainly have no comprehension of the Internet."
"But you do?"
"I am the Director of Magical Law Enforcement. I have a professional interest in learning about Muggle technology, at least within certain branches." She turned and looked back at the first year boys as they were herded like sheep onto the last car of the seven-car train, glaring. "There is a good probability that my family name will end with Susan—a family that can trace itself back a thousand years." She turned her attention back to the Grangers. "Be discreet, and do not trust witches or wizards more than absolutely necessary. For every genuinely good witch like McGonagall, there are a dozen more than would see your daughter removed from the competition for wizards. So, be discreet."
She flicked her wand again before turning to leave.
"That was interesting," Marcus Fletchley said as he joined them. "I was no more than two arm's lengths away, and yet I could not hear a word said, nor could I read her lips. Magic is a mysterious thing, is it not?"
"And frankly frightening as well," Edwin said. "Sir Marcus, before we leave we need to exchange email addresses. I'll tell you more later."
"Very well," the former military officer said.
~~Firebird~~
~~Firebird~~
"Happy Yule, my friends," Albus Dumbledore said, raising his glass to the staff members who remained in the castle over the hols. It was late, well after the feast, and all the students were tucked safely in their beds.
Snape and his lovely wives, McGonagall, Flitwick and Sprout raised their glasses in response. The other staff had returned to their homes for the hols, but the Heads of House always remained in the castle for their students who remained.
"Well, as has become tradition, tell me how has the year gone so far," the headmaster said after his toast.
"Minerva, I'm afraid I may have to kill those blasted Weasley twins," Snape said without preamble. "They very intentionally caused a wart-removal potion to turn into powerful acid that dissolved not only their cauldron, but their desk, the tiles under the desk, and three feet of the stone beneath that."
"How do you know it was intentional?" McGonagall said.
"I confiscated their notes," Snape said. "They were experimenting." He shuddered.
"Was anyone injured?"
"No," Snape said. "The acid immediately became inert in contact with human skin. Instead, we had three students rendered nude in seconds."
Flitwick sat up with interest. "An acid that destroys everything but people? Severus, that's brilliant!"
"Tell that to Ms Chang, Filius. If you'll remember she was one of the victims."
"Yes, yes," Filius said. "Given it was an all-girl's class, I'm not too concerned about that."
"So this was only Georgina?" McGonagall said.
"Georgina, yes. However, half of the notes were in Frederick's handwriting."
McGonagall sighed. "I can't say I'm surprised. Just be thankful you didn't have them earlier."
"On the other hand," Hooch said with sparkling eyes as she stared pointedly at Severus, "they are quite effective Beaters. That first game was quite exciting."
McGonagall did not bother to hide her smirk, nor Snape his grimace. "Aye, the Gryffindor team has come together quite well."
They fell silent for a time, before Dumbledore finally said, "And how has Mr Potter done?"
The heads of house shared a long look before McGonagall sighed. "He's become quite driven this year in his studies."
"I've noticed that as well," Flitwick said. "I'm rather proud of him, in truth. He's faced adversity and it has made him stronger, I believe. Perhaps not happier, but definitely stronger."
"Has he…opened up to any of the staff?" Dumbledore asked.
The silence that followed was disheartening. "He has…become quite somber," McGonagall finally said. "He does still interact well with his roommates, and has in fact become their leader. Not surprising, considering what happened last year. The boy is, if nothing else, magically quite strong. But he has not had any breakthroughs with staff like he did with Charity. She was special, Albus, for many reasons."
"She was indeed," Dumbledore said sadly.
"The boy has mastered Occlumency," Snape said suddenly.
Those at the table, even Dumbledore, turned and stared at the Potions Master. "When I tested his shields at the start of term, while the Lovegood girl was being sorted, he held me out successfully despite my best efforts. I believe he is trying to emulate some of the other abilities Lily pioneered."
"A twelve-year-old Occlumens," Dumbledore said. "Remarkable."
"Broken," Snape said. "The boy is broken, Albus. Having him with Petunia is not helping. I understand very well why, but I would recommend that next summer he be given time away from the Muggles. Perhaps time with Weasley or Longbottom. But right now, he is convinced no one on this Earth loves him, and in his mind has been given ample proof of that."
"How can you say that, Severus?" McGonagall said.
"Because I remember what it was like," he admitted.
~~Firebird~~
~~Firebird~~
Harry walked back to the castle tiredly, while behind him the rest of the team ducked into the training room to change. He was still not allowed, despite the fact that none of the girls tried to touch him at all.
His breath steamed with vapour as the sun set. A thin coating of snow remained from a late season fall, but he could feel spring coming. As he walked, he saw the pond in the distance with a thin layer of ice over it, and beside it, the tall stone and thatch hut where the game keeper lived. He heard the thin sound of a flute or reed from inside a lit window, and with it the smell of hot chocolate.
He didn't even realize what he was doing until he stood in front of the large door. He reached up a hand and knocked. The door opened a moment later, blinding Harry with the interior light until it was blocked out by the huge, bulking form of Hagrid. He looked down with his dark, beady eyes before saying, "'Arry Potter, that you?"
"Yes, sir."
"'Sir'?" Hagrid's laughter sounded like artillery. "Tain't no sir here, lad! Just Hagrid. Yer look cold, m'lad. Some hot chocolate for you?"
Harry smiled weakly and nodded while Hagrid stepped side. In his place came a horse-sized dog. "Never mind Fang, he won't hurt you none. Sit down, yer great pansy!" Fang whined and wagged his tail before flopping down on the floor at Hagrid's feet with a heavy thud. Harry sat on the edge of a bed that looked more like a plateau, and moments later found a litre-sized mug of piping hot chocolate in his hands.
"Like a touch o' cinnamon in mine, hope yer don't mind none."
Harry sipped it and grinned. "That's really good, Hagrid. Thank you."
"No problem, lad, glad for a bit 'o company, to be sure."
"Are you out here all alone, then?"
"And why wouldn't I be?" Hagrid said. "Half giant, you see. Me magic don't work well with a wand, and what witch in her right mind would want a thirty pound babe? Professor Dumbledore, though, he gave me a job when none others would, Merlin bless his soul. Great man, Dumbledore. Great man. So, lad, yer team took first round, but those 'Claws sure did put a beaten on yer."
"Yeah, they're really good," Harry confessed. "It was a fun game, though."
"Righto. So, seein' as ye'r here and I t'ain't had no company in years, why don't yer tell me 'bout your world. What's been happenin' to yer?"
Harry couldn't say why, but there was something about the simple honesty of the half-giant that made him open up in a way he had not been able to before. Moreover, Hagrid was an attentive listener, hanging on his words as if they were the most important thing he'd ever heard. Given his lonely life, Harry reasoned they were at the least the most entertaining.
Outside the hut, hidden in an invisibility cloak held in trust for Harry, Dumbledore smiled before wiping one lone tear from his cheek.
~~Firebird~~
~~Firebird~~
"That new Ravenclaw seeker is something else," a boy two rows up said.
Hermione frowned to herself as she watched Harry Potter and Cho Chang vying for the snitch. With the scores neck-and-neck, the Snitch would decide the winner not just of the game, but of the Quidditch Cup for the whole year.
"I think I might even consider bonding with that one," the other boy said. "She's got it all—looks, skills, and she's part of the Patil Coven, so they're as pureblooded as you please with enough money to buy Merlin himself."
Beside Hermione, Parvati giggled. "That's Cedric Diggory," she whispered. "Fourth year. I heard he was a poofter, but it doesn't sound like it, does it?"
Hermione managed to sneak a glance at the handsome teen who was sitting next to another Hufflepuff fourth year, watching the Seeker in discussion with admiring eyes. She turned her attention back to the game.
"I wouldn't mind bonding with Harry," Parvati said herself. "He's quite handsome, isn't he? Cho can have Cedric."
"He's a little short," Hermione said, hesitant to commit herself to any discussion about bonding. For Morgana's sake, she was only thirteen!
In front of them, a fourth year turned and said in all seriousness, "He's a powerhouse, Granger. But you don't have to worry about that. Nor you, Patil. That boy's going to be bonded before he even takes his OWLs, I bet money on it."
"By whom?" Hermione demanded, incensed at the idea of a fourteen year old boy engaging in such…activities.
"By someone older, prettier, smarter, and with better lineage than either you," the Fourth Year said with a sneer.
"Won't be you then, you ugly old slag," Parvati said, defending her year mate just on principle. "And I'll have you know my father is an Elder, and my Mama Aahuti is a Dame. If I wanted, Harry would be honoured to have me as a wife!"
The fourth year glared before turning her attention back to the game, just in time to see the Snitch drop and Harry do his trademark, almost impossible to copy flip and drop. Poor Chang did her best to follow, but he was so fast he never gave her a chance to get into position, and snatched the Snitch right out of the air.
The Gryffindor's roared their approval—two years running now for the cup! As they started shuffling from the pitch, a first year with bright red hair sidled up beside them. "So, do you two know Harry?"
Hermione stared down at the girl, whose face was covered with freckles and whose brown eyes gleamed with more than just magic. "Yes, I suppose. Harry and I were in orientation together."
"I heard that he touched you," the girl said brightly. "That he touched you on your chest. Did he?"
Hermione looked down at her quickly developing chest before nodding. "Yes, I suppose he did."
The other girl seemed almost to melt at the thought. "So what did it feel like? Was it warm? The book said it was like a warm snuggly blanket wrapped around your heart."
Hermione snorted, while beside her Parvati said, "Oh, you mean the book Elfaba Damples wrote? Wasn't that great? He was so funny at sorting, but not as bad as that Looney girl this year."
"You mean Luna?" the red-head said, puffing a strand of hair from her eyes. "Yeah, she's always been strange, but wandering out of the hall staring at the floor like that, right during the sorting? Poor girl's a bit daft. We grew up in the same town, but of course the Lovegoods are proscribed, so we never played together after."
Hermione remembered thinking that herself when Luna Lovegood, with the same distracted air Harry had his first year, stumbled from the gentle push of the girl behind her, and started walking toward the stool. She looked down half way there, though, and exclaimed, "Snorkacks!" and started running in strange patterns around the floor while a stunned, bemused staff watched, until she ran clear out of the hall. Amidst the laughter, McGonagall had to personally fetch the girl back to the hall to be sorted.
At the time she laughed with the rest, until the next morning she saw Ron telling Harry about it. Harry shrugged and said, "She saw the elves under the floor, probably. It scared the wits out of me, to be honest. When I fell off the stool I could feel them too, but McGonagall told me it was okay. Wasn't her fault, really, you know?"
After that, Hermione felt less inclined to laugh at the odd girl, though she rarely saw her.
She came back to herself as Ginny was telling Parvati how she planned to bond Harry as soon as she was old enough. "Mum said it was okay, too, as long as I was at least thirteen and had my menses," she said.
"Thirteen?" Hermione said, staring.
"Well, if I'm going to get him I have to do it young, before some older slag like that fourth year back there poaches him. He's going to be mine, you'll see. Bye!" She skipped ahead to join the other first year girls.
"Thirteen," Hermione muttered. "I'm thirteen, and I'm not even thinking about…that."
"I am," Parvati said bluntly. "Hermione, there are only four Gryffindor boys in our year, and six of us girls. And there are a lot of older girls looking too. I don't want to be a spinster, Hermione. And Padma doesn't either."
"So I suppose you and your twin want to both have Harry, then?"
Parvati shook her head. "Siblings can't bond with the same man, it's the law," she said sadly. "And it'd be kind of gross anyway. Like I want to share a man with my sister. Gross. And besides, my mum has sort of hinted that Padma and I won't actually have much of a choice. Papa and Mama Aahuti and traditionalists. I'll probably be bound to a Hindi wizard."
Hermione did not know what to say to that. "Come on, let's go before all the butterbeer is gone."
~~Firebird~~
~~Firebird~~
The League of Extraordinary Muggles had its own chat room now. The evening Hermione and the others returned home for the Summer Holidays, Edwin and Calliope logged on to the chat room. Over the course of the year the Creeveys introduced the league to Tim and Marian Robbins, whose daughter Demelza was Denise's roommate. Greetings were had by all, until Sir Marcus Fletchley wrote:
Interesting News on the Home Front. PM knows about the Tricksters. It was the term they agreed on, since they did not want to give the magical ministry any excuse to act.
Makes sense, I suppose, Tim Robbins wrote. Be hard to hide from the Crown completely.
Knowing isn't all. PM is NOT happy with the Tricksters. Found more about this war of theirs. 214 of our people killed by Tricksters in late 70s. Most were blamed on IRA, Marcus continued.
Did Crown respond? Edwin wrote.
It tried. Every many sent down in the sortie went missing, still not recovered 15 years later. Nasty buggers they are.
Edwin looked at his wife, who crowded next to him to see the monitor. "I don't like this world our daughter's in," she said. "I don't like it one bit."
"Neither do I," Edwin admitted. "Come on, love, nothing more we can do tonight. Let's go to sleep."
They thanked Sir Marcus for the information and logged off after setting up a time for their next chat.
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Author's Note: Very special thanks as always to Teufel1987, JR and Miles for beta reading.