To Take a Stand

Sometimes in life a person has an epiphany. They sometimes are minor, but almost always can be life changing. Sometimes even hero's have them. And Harry was currently undergoing one of his own. It was probably his first one. After all, he was only a mere eleven year old. It wasn't expected for him to have something change his life forever via brilliant revelations on a recurring basis yet.

It was Halloween of Harry's first year at Hogwarts. He had been in class when it struck him. He had been curiously watching Hermione and Ron and that's when it hit him.

I'm doing exactly what everyone else did when it concerned me and Dudley...I'm ignoring it. What's worse...I'm taking silently Dudley's side! I...I don't want anyone to suffer like I did! I....I....I...have to.....make.....a....a....s-s-stand! It's my only option...But...Am I strong enough to oppose my best friend? I dunno but I have to try. When class ends I'm going to...side with her.

Harry's youthful eyes hardened as he focused himself and readied his heart to confront the toughest thing he had ever done...Stand up to his first and only friend. In the muggle realm he was mocked, and scorned. If he was pitied they never said anything, they weren't brave enough and so...he suffered in silence. He suffered the broken arms and collar bones, he suffered the burns and bruises because no one was on his side.

Hermione...she...she wouldn't go through that. Not on his watch.

Once Professor Flitwick dismissed the class Harry stood and made his way over to Hermione and Ron's shared desk.

"Hey mate." Ron grinned.

Harry ignored him.

"Hermione." Harry spoke.

She looked up. She was quite obviously fighting back tears.

"Let's go okay?" Harry said gently.

"Huh?" Hermione's sorrowful eyes blinked in confusion.

"Mate what wrong with you?"

"Not now Ron." Harry replied.

"Harry!" Ron protested.

"I'll talk with you later Ron." Harry turned his hardening emerald eyes towards his 'Friend'.

Ron was oblivious to Harry's anger but Hermione wasn't. She was shocked at seeing the Famous Boy-Who-Lived glare at his 'side-kick'.

"Fine mate, I dunno why you want to talk to the know it all nightmare but whatever."

At that a tear streaked down Hermione's face and she made to gather her things and sprint out the classroom.

Harry however placed his hand on her shoulder and turned her to face him while Ron cheerfully left the room. She watched him curiously as the door shut, leaving them the only two still in the classroom.

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

"Huh?" She asked in confusion.

"I...I've been ignoring this...I'm sorry. I should have been there for you."

"You...You don't hate me...too?" Hermione asked weakly.

Harry shook his head emphatically.

"No way! But I'll admit that I was...afraid..." Harry whispered as he sat next to her.

Hermione looked at him in shock.

"What?" She whispered.

"I was afraid of losing my first friend...but then...but then...I realized that...Sometimes...you have to...sacrifice things to...do the right thing. Ron....he was....wrong and I ignored it because I valued his friendship too much...I'm so sorry." Harry bowed his head in shame.

"You never had friends before either?" Hermione asked in shock.

Harry snorted.

"Who would befriend the 'Freak'? The one that wears baggy clothes and taped-up glasses. The one that if you talked to too much would end up having you beat senseless by Dudley's gang? No I'd never had a friend before Ron."

"I understand why you didn't say anything then...but why now?" She asked.

Harry turned his eyes upon her and looked at her bloodshot eyes seriously. Harry didn't speak for a long moment.

"You needed someone and no one else wanted to do anything. I...I knew that I had to...make a stand so that Ron...couldn't....hurt you anymore."

"So you felt sorry for me?" She asked coolly.

"No! I saw myself in you and then...and then...I knew what I wanted to do. Not because I had to but because I wanted to."

"What did you want to do?" Hermione asked.

"To be there for you. In the times where the world seemed to turn against you, you'd have someone that was in your corner. When you needed someone to trust...and...maybe if you want a friend...I'll be there for you."

"If you befriended me, then it's possible that everyone will turn against you too." She warned.

Harry gave her a grin.

"Two are always better than one. So, can I call you friend?" Harry stood and offered her a hand to help her up.

"Y-yes..." She stuttered as Harry gently pulled her up.

Harry took her books for her and hefted them and his own upon his shoulders.

"My books-" She protested feebly.

"Are heavy! How do you manage to carry them everywhere?" Harry gave her a broad smile.

"But..."

"It's okay, but don't expect me to become your all-the-time pack mule okay?" Harry winked at her, trying to help cheer her up.

She slowly smiled at him.

"Thanks Harry." She thanked him sincerely.

Neither of them noticed a diminutive professor smiling but with tears in his eyes behind a nearly closed door.

On that day a new friendship was formed and while it wasn't forged by taking down a rogue mountain troll, it was still just as strong as if they had.

The friendship with Ron was severed in a rather epic battle in the common room. Even after Harry and Hermione left Hogwarts the student's would talk about the 'Steel Heart (Or head depending on who someone asked) of the Boy-Who-Lived!'

Hermione had a temper and eventually people would come to fear that but as soon as Harry had taken a stand against Ron all the other first years were terrified of him. Even Draco had heard about the epically violent and chilling display that Harry had demonstrated. He now kept as far away from Harry as he could manage. Apparently even Draco had some survival instincts after all.

Even several seventh year Gryfindor's had a tendency to get out of Harry's (and by proxy Hermione's) way as soon as he walked near them.

When Harry had confronted Ron it was as though Harry's eyes had turned into an emerald inferno with power coursing through his irises like lighting.

Originally people said that Dumbledore was the scariest angry. That changed upon Harry's demonstration that he would stand for what he believed in.

"Ron." Harry had spoken in a cool tone.

"Heya mate. Why do you have the know-it-all with you?" Ron asked.

Harry's already chilling eyes became frostier still.

"Because she's my friend, and I'm going to do what I should have done from the beginning."

"Friends? With Know-It-All, Teacher's-Pet Granger?" Ron sneered.

"Yes she's my friend Ron Weasley."

"Why? Why would you befriend her?" Ron demanded.

"One it's the right thing to do and two...I wanted to."

"You...Wanted to?" Ron spluttered.

"She's nothing more than a stuck up snob!" Ron sneered.

Harry's temper that had barely been held in check snapped and Harry backhanded the red haired, Cannon's lover. Now, normally the much smaller, and frailer Harry's attack would have just irritated Ron. However, Harry's magic instinctively activated and sent Ron sprawling head over heel across the common room.

"I won't let you...Insult my friend anymore Ron."

"Why you!" Ron roared in rage and charged his former friend.

Harry's strength, amplified by his magic allowed him to grab the raging 'bull' and throw him against a wall.

Seventh Years and below were watching in shock as Harry Potter manhandled a boy easily double his size. Tossing the raging boy and finally restraining him as Ron wore out.

But, what truly intimidated the crowd was the rippling air as magic echoed and caused waves of power to spread across the entire common room. Harry's glowing emerald eyes only amplified their terror.

Needless to say, Harry was given a rather stern talking to by his head of house not long after that moment.

"Mr. Potter! What are you doing?" McGonnagal yelled in shock as she rushed into the common room.

"What am I doing? What Am I doing! You'd be better off asking what YOU and YOUR peers HAVEN'T DONE! IT'S YOUR JOB TO HELP STUDENTS AND YOU...YOU IGNORE THEM!" Harry roared as he stepped on Ron's arms, forcing him to stay put.

McGonnagal, as shocked at the display as she was wasn't willing to allow a first year to destroy the trust in the Hogwarts teachers for some immature reason.

"I don't know where you got such a crazy idea Potter, but this is completely unacceptable behavior." McGonnagal's eyes narrowed.

"YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR? THAT'S RICH! COMING FROM A PERSON WHO ALMOST LET A LITTLE GIRL GET KILLED BY A TROLL!" Harry roared.

At that McGonnagal blinked.

"I'm not following." She admitted as she stealthily tried to lift Harry off of Ron with her wand and failed.

Harry apparently didn't notice it. He then forced himself to stop yelling and when he spoke again his tone was icy, a frozen rage.

"I'll tell you. Remember the Troll on Halloween?"

McGonnagal nodded slowly.

"If I hadn't realized that I was hurting someone she'd have shut herself away to cry in the girl's bathroom on the fourth floor. Now, tell me...where was the troll found?"

At Harry's statement the blood on McGonnagal's face rushed away from her and her face paled.

"She'd have...have been right there..." She whispered.

"So don't tell me I have reason to be upset at you! Don't you dare...It was the teacher's job to help the ones who were ignored. And every single one of you failed. It could have...it could have killed MY FRIEND!" Harry roared, his control snapping.

"Harry?" Hermione touched his shoulder nervously.

Harry's face calmed instantly and he turned to her with his normal gentleness.

"Yeah?"

"You're...scaring everyone..." She whispered meekly.

Harry paled at Hermione's fearful eyes and stepped off of the groaning Ron.

"I'm sorry Hermione...I didn't mean to upset you." He whispered.

"I...It's...okay...I just never realized...how...powerful you really are..." She whispered and hugged him in a show of forgiveness.

"How did you...figure that out?" Hermione asked.

Harry smiled weakly at her.

"It was rather simple really. After all, when I saw your face pale at the announcement where the troll was I knew that it was something serious. Then, I just poked and prodded. I asked you questions over time such as 'If I hadn't talked to you what would you have done?' and after I gathered the evidence I knew...It could have...that troll...It..." Harry shuddered.

The Assistant Headmistress spoke quietly after that.

"Be that as it may Mr. Potter you've still injured a student, and acted with general hostility. You've shouted at an instructor, insulted the Hogwarts faculty and much more. I unfortunately have no choice but to 1: Assign you two weeks worth of detention, take fifty points from Gryffindor and...apologize at the same time. It appears that we have failed Miss. Granger to an extent I hadn't realized." She spoke weakly.

Harry snorted in disgust.

"The Student in question is the one who would have driven her into the bathroom in the first place. Was he ever punished for harassing her? No. Neither was Draco Malfoy for his insults towards her or his offensive behavior to those he considered 'inferior'." At this point the assembled Gryffindors (From seventh year on down.) began to poke their heads above their seats and chairs; trying to find out if the war had ended.

They almost immediately discovered that the war hadn't ended; only a short battle as Harry's fury and McGonnagal's confronted once more. In the end however, Harry ended up losing. He lost an additional one hundred fifty points for being unable to control his anger and another two weeks of detention. However, Before McGonnagal left she awarded Hermione fifty points for calming Harry down.

Snape had been more than happy to offer his assistance to Professor McGonnagal and due to her workload hesitantly accepted...Which saw Harry cleaning several thousand eyeballs, cleaning out several cauldrons that had had toxic substances. (Harry wasn't informed of that and ended up in the hospital wing due to sever burns and illness caused by the poison.)

"That...That...monster!" Hermione yelled in an enraged voice as she brushed Harry's hair gently; trying to offer support while Madam Pomhrey tended to Harry's hands.

(She had already had him take several potions to help heal his burned lungs and face...which had several bandages with some sort of gel on the fabric. Those hid the majority of his face)

"Unfortunately this isn't the first time something like this has happened." The school nurse whispered to them as she finished cleaning the acidic poisons out of Harry's left hand.

"What?" Hermione screeched in a barely indoor voice.

"The last student it happened to was a fifth year who had just passed his O.W.L.s and because of the severity of the burns he decided that if they wouldn't get rid of Snape...he'd leave."

"Why hasn't the headmaster done anything then?" Hermione demanded.

"Well...I'm not sure...But I trust he's got good reason to do so. I just don't know what they are." Pomhrey admitted.

"Do you know of anything that'd ensure that Snape was kicked out?" Hermione asked.

"Technically speaking...there's nothing Harry can do and I hate to say it this way but...there's nothing you or your parents can do either." She whispered as she placed Harry's hand in a soothing balm.

"Why do you say that?"

"Suffice to say...Muggles have no rights in wizarding court and so the headmaster became your magical guardian you'd have to get his approval to send a complaint against the Potions professor. Harry has no parents and so his magical guardian is also most likely the headmaster."

"So...we have no rights then? Is that it?" Hermione demanded.

Poppy nodded sadly.

"That's pretty much it. It's even worse that you can't have your parent's withdraw you."

"Then how can I help Harry?" She asked with tears starting to trail down her face.

"There...there is one way. But, it's only got a one-in-a-million chance of success and you'd have to leave your home."

"I'm listening!" Harry's excited, yet muffled voice came from under the white cloth.

"You'd have to find a new potential magical guardian and you'd live with them. But, you'd have to go in front of the Wizangamot...which the headmaster leads. Then you'd have to convince them to change your magical guardian." She explained as she gently finished cleaning Harry's other hand.

"That's going to be...tough." Hermione groaned in frustration.

"But not impossible. Since you both live with muggles you might be able to find a way to meet a wizard or witch that you can trust enough to become your guardian...Mr. Potter I believe that you might be able to be entrusted to your cousin."

"I...have a magical cousin?" Harry asked in excitement.

"Yes...I just can't remember her name right now...I just saw it in the records and found it interesting that you have one." She explained.

"That's fine." Harry said in a defeated tone.

"Don't worry Mr. Potter I'll find out her name again... It was an odd one...Very odd." She mused as she placed Harry's other hand in the soothing balm.

OKAY So I'll admit that this idea isn't fully fleshed out yet. But, I liked the idea of 'What if Harry had decided to do what's right instead of easy? What if it happened via a sudden moment? But if it happened too early then how is Harry supposed to save Hermione?....Wait...what if he realized it before the class ended and 'poof!' the dawn of a new story.

Now I do have a few important notes.

1: This isn't done and I while I like the concept I'm not sure where (if I ever take it further) it'd go.

2: For those who do anonymous reviews...I like reading them and I don't even mind the constructive criticism...but the offensive posts are going to stop. I don't want have a huge number of them but they've worn my patience thin. Stop insulting the authors (Yes as in some aren't just insulting me.) and the readers on ! I now have a policy of deleting such types of reviews instantly. But, if they continue I will have no choice but to block anonymous reviews completely.

Seriously, if you're a spamming flamer (I've seen a few that target good authors just to try to get under their skin.) GET A LIFE.

I don't want to do that because It'd be punishing the innocent as well as the losers but...I will not allow idiots to harass the readers, other authors, and so forth.