Chapter 2 – Memories

"Ron, she's Blaise's mother" Hermione repeated for the thousandth time.

"Yah, but she's so HOT" Ron replied "Isn't she Harry?"

"Yah, she's hot" Harry agreed half-heartedly "But well, she is Blaise Zabini's mother." This conversation and come up hundreds of times since dinner last night, and as Harry ate his breakfast he tried to tune it out. Sure, Professor Zabini was hot, but she was a teacher, and Blaise's mother. Not quite the type of woman he would ever find himself romantically interested in.

"Look Harry," Ron said "It's Professor Zabini!"

"WHERE?"

"She just sat down at the teachers table."

"Wow she looks nice today, I wonder what she's done with her hair?"

"Oh Harry she's just tied it up in a loose bun" Hermione said.

"Do you really like her too Harry?" Ginny asked him.

"No of course not! Well umm… actually I guess she is really beautiful."

"And just because she's beautiful, that doesn't mean she's the only nice looking girl in the school" Dean said "I mean, it's alright to just look at her, and still have eyes for another girl, right Harry?"

"No Dean, it's not" Ginny said before Harry could answer "plus she's at least fifty. I don't know what half the male population sees in her."

"It's more like the entire male population Ginny" Hermione said "every boy in the school except Blaise and Theo."

"Why would Nott be immune to it?" Ron said "Oh my god, he spends his holidays with her!"

"Ron Mrs. Zabini is like a mother to Theo" Hermione explained. "I mean, Harry, would you ever consider going on a date with Mrs. Weasley?"

"No!"

"Exactly."

"Yah but well… Ron's mum doesn't look anything like Zabini's mum."

"What's that meant to mean?" Ron said.

Fortunately, Harry was saved by the bell. Hermione got up immediately, muttering about not being able to wait to see the new timetable, which caused Harry to groan. He had only gotten an E in potions; meaning his dream of being an auror was now over.

"Cheer up Harry" Ron said "you may not be able to become an auror now, but these still plenty of options. Especially since your Defence marks are so high. Maybe we could go into the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, or become personal bodyguards for famous Quidditch players. Who needs potions? I hope I never see another cauldron again in my life."

They approached the front of the line just as Professor McGonagall convinced Neville to take Charms instead of Transfigurations. When Harry and Ron gave her their lists of subjects, she gave them a disapproving look.

"I noticed that you aren't continuing on with Potions this year Mr. Potter" She said "does this mean you have given up on becoming an Auror?"

"I don't really have that much of a choice Professor" Harry said "I didn't get an O in potions."

"Hmm… no but you do have an E" She said "there is a way around it. This year we are trialling a study group tutoring session for any NEWT student who is one grade short of their desired course."

"That sounds like a lot of hassle" Ron said.

"That is one way to put it Mr. Weasley. However Professor Zabini is a highly qualified tutor who can help students with any subject."

"Professor Zabini?"

"Yes Mr. Weasley, Professor Zabini. You know Mr. Potter, when Professor Zabini was at Hogwarts the same thing happened to her. She wanted to be an auror, but her Potions grade was too low."

"She wanted to be an Auror?"

"Yes… in the end she managed to get there even without potions, but it took her so much longer. And then she ended up going back to tutoring when she started her family."

"She was an Auror?"

"Yes Mr. Potter. And she also understands the importance of getting into the right courses at school. Which is why she's setting up this study group. I'd suggest you join."

"And if I do, then I'll be able to take potions?"

"Yes Mr. Potter. Though if you get three failing grades at all during the next two years, or if your average grade falls below an E, you will be dismissed from the class."

"I understand Professor. I'll do it. I'll do it and I'll finish up at the top of the class for my Godfather."

"That's… very touching Potter" Professor McGonagall said as she pointed her wand at his timetable, filling it up with classes.

"Professor" Ron said "I'd really like to take potions and the study group as well."

"You too Mr. Weasley?"

"Yes, I really want to be an Auror. I've been really devastated over missing out on Potions, and I'd be glad to have this second chance."

"Weasley, Professor Snape and Professor Zabini both have very high standards. And Professor Zabini will have her hands full with the serious students in this group."

"I'm serious! This is something I really want to do. I'm desperate to keep going with Potions. Don't you dare tell me I'm not good enough!"

"Mr. Weasley, I don't doubt your abilities… what I doubt are you motives."

"Please Professor."

"No"

"Pretty please?"

"Why don't you talk about it with Professor Snape. If he agrees then I'll add the study classes to your timetable. However even if you get in, Professor Zabini can expel you from both study group and potions at any time."

"Don't worry Professor, I won't let her down."

"Actually Mr. Weasley, what you need to concentrate on is not letting down Professor Snape."

"Urmm… I'll, I guess I'll make him proud of me."

McGonagall rolled her eyes and filled Ron's timetable. "You have potions this afternoon. Talk to Professor Snape, and if he agrees then you may continue with his class."

"Thank you professor."

They left with their new timetables and joined Hermione, Ginny and Dean in the hallway.

"What happened to never wanting to see another cauldron in your life?" Harry hissed before they were noticed.

"I changed my mind."

"I can't believe I have double History of Magic on a Monday morning" Ginny complained "I mean that's just not fair… hey Ron, what are you so happy for?"

"Harry and I get to keep doing Potions!"

"… and that's good?"

"That is good" Hermione said "I know you were fretting about that Harry. How are you doing it?"

"These a study group being run this year" Harry explained "I think it's going to be a bit of class help. As long as we do that and keep good grades in Potions it'll be fine."

"Wow that's good, and the two of you look so excited" Hermione said "I don't think I've seen you two ever get this excited about school work before."

"It's going to be an awesome year" Ron said.

"Oh shut up Weasley" Blaise Zabini said as he approached them with Theo in tow "You have real issues you know."

"Go jump in the lake Zabini."

"Come on Blaise, don't hassle him over this" Hermione pleaded "this study group will be good for Ron."

"Do you know which professor is taking the study group?"

"Oh."

"Yah."

"Oh Ron just get over it!"

"But she's so HOT!"

"But she's my mum!" Zabini protested "If my father was here he'd probably mess you up for drooling at her so much."

"Yah well… father?"

"Yes Weasley, my father. He can get pretty jealous sometimes."

"Father… oh yah, the muggle mechanic. So your parents are married?"

"Yes, my parents are together and happy. Now stop oogling my mother."

"Don't listen to him Weasley" Malfoy joined them, followed by Crabbe and Goyle once again. "Considering Professor Zabini's standards you may actually stand a good chance of getting into her pants."

"Shut up Malfoy!" Nott said.

"Oh I seem to have hit a nerve there Nott" Malfoy laughed "though I shouldn't be surprised; if she can put up with a muggle long enough to drop that poor excuse for a son into the world then I guess she wouldn't have any trouble rutting around with someone as hideously ugly as you either."

"You just went too far Malfoy" Blaise said, whipping out his wand, an action which caused Crabbe and Goyle to spring into their own armed and dangerous poses.

Before anything could happen though, Harry felt something inside himself snap. It was like someone had flicked a switch inside him, so that he went from 'joking around' to 'HATE' instantly. Harry had seen Malfoy use that smirk and put down plenty of people over the years, and the only thing that had changed about Crabbe and Goyle was that they were now using their wands to be threatening. But something was different. Harry knew that their fathers had all been there when Sirius had died, and now they were still free.

"Oh what's that look for Potter?" Malfoy sneered "you jealous of Nott? I bet you haven't even had sex yet hero boy!"

Harry didn't think; he just jumped on top of Malfoy and began punching him in the face. "Let's see you smirk this off you junior Death Eater!"

Harry could hear spells being cast around him, but he didn't pay any attention to anything other than Malfoy's screams and the way his face felt beneath his fists. What broke him out of this fit of rage was a pair of scrawny arms lifting him up, and Nott saying "stop you're better than that!" right in his ear.

Harry broke away from Nott's grip and backed into the wall, taking in the scene before him. Crabbe and Goyle were still standing with their wands pointed at Zabini who looked from Malfoy to Harry in shock. Harry's friends all rushed to him, asking what he was thinking all at once, while in the background teachers came running to the scene.

Nott knelt down next to Malfoy, whose face was now a bloody mess. For a second Nott just stayed still with his wand held over Malfoy; his breathing was fast and he kept looking away from the blood on the other Slytherin's face. Finally he placed his wand over Malfoy's face and started uttering healing incarnations.

Soon Nott was joined by Hermione, and then by Flitwick, McGonagall, and Snape. Harry turned away from the scene and tried to ignore the crowd that had gathered. Soon though, he felt a familiar hand clamp down hard on his shoulder.

"I think we need a serious talk Harry" Dumbledore said, leading Harry away from the scene and to his office.

They didn't speak as they walked, and the few times Harry could bring himself to look at the Headmaster's face all he saw was a worried expression. After what seemed an eternity, they reached the concealed entrance to the Headmaster's office, Dumbledore said the password (Fairy Floss) and they marched up the stairs. Harry sat down nervously on the student side of the desk, while Dumbledore settled into his chair. The only two things on the desk were the pensieve and an ashtray. Harry stared at these objects as they sat in silence.

"Are you alright Harry?" Dumbledore finally broke the silence "that was quite an outburst back there."

"It's not the first time I've gotten into a fight with Malfoy."

"It's the first time you've snapped like that. Harry, I've never seen you like this. Tell me what is happening."

"It's not fair."

"What isn't?"

"Nothing has happened to them. To their fathers. And Sirius is dead."

"I see."

"I'm supposed to be the Chosen One, but I don't actually make anything better."

"That's not what I'd say."

"What have I done that's been of any use to anyone?" Harry asked "I've led my friend's into a trap, gotten Sirius killed, I even failed to learn Occlumencary. And what was it for? Sure everyone believes that Voldemort's back, but what good does that do when all his Death Eaters are still in power."

"You made a mistake Harry" Dumbledore said "the consequences of that were horrible, but you can't let that overshadow the good you did last year."

"What good did I do last year?"

"Well, let's think about what just happened now" the Headmaster started "Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle are both confident using magic"

"And guess what they'll use it for? I trained two future Death Eaters."

"You can never know that for sure. But they aren't the only students that the DA helped Harry. Zacharias Smith isn't an outcast amongst his own housemates anymore."

"Big deal. But the whole DA was another thing that went wrong" Harry said "I mean, you had to run away because of that!"

"A minor inconvenience" The old man chuckled "Why don't you see for yourself the difference you've made?" With that he flicked his wand and summoned a small glass vial containing what appeared to be white mist.

"This is a memory of Miss Edgecomb" He explained "Kingsley Shacklebolt prepared this after the commotion last year. It's of the very first DA meeting. I think you should take a look at it."

"Fine."

Dumbledore emptied the memory into the pensieve and then took Harry's hand. Then, using his shrivelled left hand, he pulled them into the memory.

They found themselves in a large crowd of Hogwarts students heading straight for the Hog's Head. Harry quickly spotted Marietta Edgecomb and Cho Chang, who were talking to fellow sixth year Katie Bell, as well as the other girls on the Gryffindor team, Alicia Spinnet and Angelina Johnson.

Walking just ahead of the group of girls were Lee Jordan and the Weasley twins, leading the mob of students onward. Harry and Dumbledore scrambled ahead of them, and then Harry was able to look back on the group as a whole.

Theodore Nott stood out, with his tall, skinny figure. He walked quietly along with Blaise, Xanthe, and Xanthe's older sister, Hippolyta Rivers. Hippolyta was much more normal looking than her gothic younger sister, and her Head Girl Badge gleamed as she turned away from her sister and responded to something witty her friend and fellow Slytherin Tamara O'Rielly said.

Harry also spotted the students from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff and his own housemates; including Colin Creevey and the two youngest members of the DA, Dennis Creevey, and his Slytherin friend Matthew Powers, both of whom were sporting some nasty bruises.

As the mob entered the Hog's Head, Harry noticed Crabbe and Goyle bringing up the rear, looking around in a dodgy fashion before entering the pub. Harry turned away from the spectacle. Of course they were found out; anyone who saw such a strange group of students would get suspicious. They really did stick out like dog's balls.

"I don't think anyone has ever united the houses like that Harry" Dumbledore said as they left the mob at the bar and walked over to the table where memory-Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat. "Quite an achievement you know."

"Thank Hermione" Harry said "she's the one that got everyone together; I didn't even know the names of half of my year mates until this day."

The crowd approached the table and gathered up chairs to sit down. As Theo approached, Hermione stood up and formed a V-shaped hand gesture (which she later explained as a Vulcan salute) and said "Hey Theo, Live Long and Prosper!" Theo returned the salute, but went a deep shade of pink and was unable to stutter out the words, before giving up and taking a seat next to Blaise who was trying to be a good friend and not laugh along with most of the other students.

"Sorry Theo" Hermione said as everyone settled down "Thought it was worth a try."

"It... it's alright." he muttered, fiddling around with his Star Trek badge.

"Whoa, you can actually talk?" Zacharias Smith said "I thought you were mute."

"Oi leave him alone." Blaise snapped back.

"Enough!" Hermione said "we're not here to fight. We are here because, well, because, um, - "

Hermione stuttered for a while, and even though Harry had already lived this moment before, for a second he was sure that she was about to become as shy as Theo.

"We're here today because Umbridge isn't teaching us real defence against the dark arts; because the theory she's teaching us just isn't good enough for the real world, or for our exams."

"Here here!" Anthony Goldstein cheered her on.

"And if, well, now that Voldemort is back" she continued "we really are going to need it."

"How do you know that his really back?" Smith protested "all you have is his word for it."

Harry cringed as he watched Smith point towards memory-Harry, and all the eyes in the room stared his past self down.

"Can we go now?" Harry asked as his memory-self started talking "I really don't feel like getting insulted by Smith again."

"Have you noticed anything different about your students Harry?"

"Smith probably isn't quite that big a git anymore."

"What about Mr. Nott?"

"Well, that was the first time I'd ever heard him speak, I didn't really know that much about him, in fact I still don't."

"It wasn't just your first time hearing him speak. Theodore is one of the shyest students I've ever had; I bet most people don't even realise he exists. Yet, didn't he say something to Mr. Malfoy before your outburst?"

"Yah" Harry said "he told him to shut up. I guess he has been a bit more talkative since the DA."

"Bringing people together for a common cause is always a good thing Harry. You never know just how much good it can bring out of people."

"Yet somehow, I really don't think helping Theodore Nott's social life makes up for what happened to Sirius."

Before Dumbledore could say anything to comfort Harry, Hippolyta Rivers stood up and slammed her fists into the table.

"Look here you two oafs!" The Head Girl snapped at Crabbe and Goyle "I'm not afraid to punish those in my own house, especially for comments like that!"

"Thanks Head" memory-Harry said, thankful not only that someone had stuck up for him, but also because Crabbe's spiteful taunt was pretty much an admission that Harry's story was true. Even Smith couldn't doubt him now; in fact if Crabbe had said how much he wishes his father had been able to get at Harry at the graveyard more publicly, then all of those problems he had had to endure that term would have vanished.

"Just call me Polly" the Head Girl said "I'll never understand why Purebloods feel the need to give their children such silly names."

"Um, sure" Harry said "well, as I was saying – "

"Hey can I ask something?" Ron butted in "who invited Crabbe and Goyle anyway? Now Umbridge is going to find out about us and put a stop to these lessons before they even get started!"

"Nott invited us" Goyle said, grinning for ear to ear.

"No you weren't invited" Ron said "damn it can't you two even use proper English?"

"No, he invited us" Crabbe corrected, pointing towards Nott "We were invited by Nott."

At this the Patil twins started laughing.

"What's so funny?"

"Well, we've never heard any of you talk before" Padma explained.

"And the thought of a mute inviting two other mutes by pantomime was pretty funny" Parvati added.

"But, I'm not mute" Nott said.

"Who cares if you can talk or not" Ron complained "why invite them?"

"That's actually my fault" Zabini said "They overheard me talking to Hermione and said they were going to get Malfoy. Theo invited them along so they would keep quiet."

"It doesn't matter how we all got here" Hermione said "let's just get these lessons all planned out."

"But Weasley is right" Polly said "Umbridge will put a stop to these lessons if she finds out."

"Well we just have to make sure she doesn't find out" Hermione said.

"Ok, we'll need to keep these meetings quiet" Harry said "can we trust everyone here though?" His memory self looked over all of the students, in particular Smith and the Slytherins.

"Hell no" Crabbe said "we aren't doing anything for you guys."

"Of course we can all trust you" Blaise smirked "right guys?"

"Shut up!"

"Oh someone's cranky today" Blaise said "but you still aren't going to tell anyone."

"Like hell we are! Why shouldn't we?"

"Well, Malfoy is going to be really pissed with you two when he finds out you spent your Hogsmeade weekend with Harry Potter."

Blaise did his best imitation of Draco Malfoy's smirk, and the larger boys hesitated a bit before Crabbe finally answered him.

"We really don't care what Malfoy thinks" he said "it doesn't matter to us if he gets his knickers in a twist."

"Of course it doesn't matter to you" Xanthe said "I mean, after all if you and Malfoy ever had a falling out, then Pansy Parkinson, Daphne Greengrass, and all those other hot girls in our year will side with you and not him. It's not like they only put up with you because your Malfoy's friends."

"What are you talking about" Crabbe said, panic audible in his voice "they would follow Malfoy to the end of the world; if we got in his bad books then they would never speak to us!"

"What a shame" Blaise said "I guess you'll just have to stay on Malfoy's good side. Which of course means that he can never know you were here."

"Fine, we won't tell Malfoy" Goyle said "but we'll still tell Umbridge!"

"Who will tell the whole school; including Malfoy."

Harry noticed that Dumbledore was chuckling softly beside him. "Ah Slytherin students" he said "they really do make the school a lot more fun."

"Fine" Crabbe said "we won't tell anyone. Happy?"

"You know what Zabini?" Goyle added "for someone whose father is a mecha you're actually very Slytherin."

"Thanks for the compliment" Blaise said "but mecha are giant Japanese robots that fight each other. My father is a mechanic. He works with cars."

"All a bunch of muggle bollocks" Crabbe complained.

"Wait a sec, your father is a muggle?" Ron asked Blaise in shock "you're a Half-Blood?"

"Yes" Blaise said "why is that going to be a problem?"

"No I just, well, aren't all Slytherins supposed to be Pureblood?"

"Good luck finding enough Purebloods with Slytherin qualities" Blaise answered "There are plenty of Half-Bloods in Slytherin, and even the occasional Muggle-Born."

"Muggle-Borns in Slytherin?"

"Yup" Dennis Creevey's friend Matthew Powers pipped up "though it doesn't happen often; I'm currently the only one."

"Dennis Creevey and Matthew Powers owe a lot to the DA as well Harry" Dumbledore reminded him "the Sorting Hat rarely puts Muggle-Born students in Slytherin because it's afraid of how they'll be treated. Mr. Powers had a tough time dealing with his housemates before you came along and showed him all that advanced defence magic."

"Well, I guess that's a good thing" Harry admitted.

"And you helped show your friend Mr. Weasley that not everyone in Slytherin is a fanatic Pureblood."

"Well, I didn't know that there were Half-Bloods or Muggle-Borns in Slytherin either. Apart from Voldemort himself."

"You helped end a lot of misconceptions that day. And the organisation you helped create unified the houses in a way that no-one else has done in a long time. Ah look, everyone is signing the parchment."

Harry watched on as Ginny shyly passed the parchment on to Michael Corner, who gave her a smile before signing it and passing it on to Cho, who had until then had her eyes firmly fixed on Harry.

"Come on Harry" Dumbledore said "let's get back now."

Harry cast one last look back at the DA members, who were all watching the parchment circle around the table. All of them, he noticed, except Theodore Nott who for some reason was watching Hermione.

Before Harry could think too much on this, he felt himself being pulled up and soon found himself in Dumbledore's office again.

"Are you going to continue the DA again this year Harry?"

"Well, I don't know, I guess it was a good organisation. But I'm going to be busy with studies, and I'm Quidditch Captain… oh, I guess I wouldn't still be captain after what happened with Malfoy."

"Harry, I am prepared to let you walk away from this incident with only a 50 house point loss." Dumbledore said "On two conditions."

"Two conditions?"

"Well actually three" The Headmaster said "I want you to assure me that this won't happen again, and I will need you to publicly apologise to Mr. Malfoy."

"I'd rather be expelled than apologise to him."

"You will apologise Harry."

"Fine. What are the other two conditions?"

"I want you to reform the DA."

"Reform it?"

"Not immediately, but by Christmas at the latest."

"I'll think about it. The other one?"

"I want you to get counselling."

"Counselling?"

"Yes Harry. You've got a heavy burden on you, and it's obvious that you aren't handling it well."

"You want me to see a shrink?"

"Mrs. Lestrange is an excellent councillor and will help you through this Harry."

"Lestrange?" Harry asked in disbelief "you want me to spill all my secrets out to a woman named Lestrange?"

"I assure you Harry, I would never hire Bellatrix Lestrange as a councillor. I think Io Lestrange is related somehow to Bellatrix's husband, but a lot of Pureblood families are."

"I know, it just seems… well, like a really bad joke."

"I assure you Harry, I am not joking. Now I'll book you in for a meeting with her for Wednesday evenings. Then on Saturday evening after dinner I want you to come back here Harry."

"For more psychoanalysing?"

"No. There are things you need to learn about Voldemort if you wish to defeat him Harry. We'll be starting some special lessons for that."

"Special lessons?"

"Yes Harry. But we'll get into that more on Saturday. For now, I think you should try to catch the final twenty minutes or so of your first class."