Poor Decisions

Chapter Three: The Sorting - Revisited

Harry remembered how nerve racking and exciting his first trip to Hogwarts was aboard the Hogwarts Express. Reliving his first trip was no less the second time around; only this time it was for totally different reasons. Knowing what laid in store was almost as bad as guessing; his mind racing through memories of his first year as fast as the Hogwarts Express barreled through the countryside.

He was also finding it very difficult to treat his old friends like new ones. Once Trevor the toad had been recovered, Hermione, Neville and Ron had began discussing what Hogwarts would be like. Harry found this topic awkward, due to the fact that he knew so much about the ancient school already. When the food trolley arrived, Harry took much longer than necessary to decide on what he wanted as he enjoyed the momentary distraction.

Harry's stomach lurched with nerves when Ron brought up the school houses and the Sorting. He had completely forgot about the Sorting, and more importantly the Sorting Hat. 'What would the infamous Sorting Hat see when it was set upon his head?', pondered Harry. He wished desperately that the old Hermione was with him and she could help him, but alas the younger Hermione was just as oblivious to the hat's existence as the other first years were.

A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

"This is it!" shouted Hermione excitedly. "I can't believe we're finally here!"

Harry was trying to breath as he remembered what came next while Ron and Neville looked as though they might get sick. The train slowed down to a crawl and finally stopped; the moment was surreal. Harry followed close to Hermione as they made their way toward the door and out onto the tiny, dark platform of Hogsmeade Station. Harry shivered this time, not due to the cold night air, but because of the moments unfolding before him. Faces that he had never noticed the first time were all around him; including the fourth year embodiment of Cedric Diggery.

Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Harry heard a familiar voice: "First yers! First yers over here! All right there, Harry?"

Hagrid's big hairy face beamed from overhead and it took everything he had not to run up and hug the massive man. It had been nearly five years since he had seen Hagrid, who had retired from his post at Hogwarts and moved to France.

"C'mon, follow me... any more first yers? Mind yer step, now! First yers follow me!"

They followed Hagrid down the steep, narrow path that led to the Black Lake. It was darker than Harry remembered as they walked amongst the thick trees. Nobody spoke much. Neville sniffed once or twice while Ron fidgeted with his robes. Harry could not make out what Hermione was doing ahead of him, though he supposed she was rehearsing in her head everything she had read about the school.

"Yeh'll get yer first sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "just round this bend here."

There was a loud "Oooooh!"

As the narrow path opened onto the edge of the Black Lake, Harry could see Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, it reminded him of the first time he saw it from that exact spot. The castle had held so much wonder and mystery for him then, but now it held hope – hope to start again anew.

"No more than four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to the fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore.

Harry, Neville, Ron and Hermione filed into one of the boats; Harry enjoying the moment.

"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then, FORWARD!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass; even more beautiful than Harry remembered. Everyone, except for Harry, was staring up at the castle. He was staring at lake; remembering his journey to the bottom during the second task of the Tri-Wizard tournament. That would not happen twice, if he could help it.

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff.

They all bent their heads and as the boats carried them through the curtain of ivy that hid the wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along the dark tunnel, which took them right underneath the castle, into the underground harbor, where they clambered out onto the rocky shore.

"Oi, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.

"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands.

They followed Hagrid up the passageway in the rock, coming out onto damp grass in the shadow of the castle. They walked up the flight of stone steps that led to the entrance hall and crowded around the huge, oak front doors.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"

Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door. The door swung open at once, and there stood Professor McGonagall; looking as formidable as ever. Harry could not help but smile.

"The first yers, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." said Professor McGonagall.

She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was just as he remembered it before the Battle of Hogwarts – with its stone walls, high ceiling and magnificent marble Grand Staircase. Harry felt another shiver as he stepped through the doorway.

They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Harry could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from the doorway to the right, where the rest of the school was awaiting them in the Great Hall. Professor McGonagall showed the first years into the small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, everyone except Harry peering about nervously; his mind was focused upon the Sorting.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your Houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your House will be something like your family within Hogwarts."

Harry's mind drifted away at mention of family. This was his family – every last witch and wizard here that stood with him during the war was his family. He was back to protect them and he would not let them down.

"I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever House becomes yours." finished Professor McGonagall, drawing Harry back to the present.

Professor McGonagall scanned the crowd of new students; her eyes lingering for a moment on Neville and Ron. When her eyes met Harry's, she stared as though she was taking in a sight she had not seen in ages. Harry refused to look down, smiling nervously, not wanting to give anything away. He pondered how well his eleven year old Occlumency would do against the likes of Dumbledore.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school." continued Professor McGonagall. "I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting. I shall return when we are ready for you, so please wait quietly."

Harry looked around anxiously and saw that everyone else looked terrified. No one was talking much except for Hermione, who was whispering very fast about all the spells she'd learned and wondering which one she'd need. Harry wished he could tell her to calm down and there was nothing she needed to do, but all he could do was wait.

Then, several people behind him screamed and Harry instinctively withdrew his wand before immediately shoving it back into his pocket.

"What the –?" gasped Neville.

Harry looked up and smiled as about twenty ghosts streamed through the back wall. They glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They were arguing and Harry had to fight the urge to laugh, for he knew why.

"Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance –" said the Fat Friar.

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves?" interrupted Nearly Headless Nick. "He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost – I say, what are you all doing here?"

Nick had suddenly noticed the first years.

"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be sorted, I suppose?"

A few people nodded silently.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old House, you know."

"Move along now," said the sharp voice of Professor McGonagall. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."

One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall and into the Great Hall.

"Now, form a line," called Professor McGonagall to the first years, "and follow me."

Harry got into line behind Seamus Finnigan, with Ron, Neville and Hermione behind him, as they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through the pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

Harry was unaware how difficult it would be to fight the constant feeling that he had gone mad. It was so intense that he had to work hard to focus and not forget where he was and what he was doing. However, once he stepped through those doors everything fell into place. He was home at last.

Harry could not help but take in the sight of the enchanted ceiling, stained glass windows and floating candles – exactly the way he remembered them before the war. His eyes scanned the Staff table as they approached; searching for and quickly finding Professor Quirrell with his outrageous turban that hid the face of Lord Voldemort from view. He would have to work out how to deal with Professor Quirrell; hopefully without reliving some of his more prominent nightmares.

Professor McGonagall led them up to the front; forming a line facing the other students, with the Staff table behind them. As Harry glanced up at the enchanted ceiling once more he heard Hermione whisper, "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History."

Harry quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed the stool in front of them. On top of the stool she placed the Sorting Hat. The hat was as patched and frayed as he remembered. The entire hall stared at the stool and for a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. The rip near the brim opened wide and the hat began to sing:

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find,

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat,

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head,

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you,

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry,

Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true,

And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

If you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin,

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any means,

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands – though I have none,

For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

"So we've just got to try on the hat!" Harry heard Ron whisper to Neville. "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll."

Harry smiled. His concern wasn't where the hat might sort him. It was what the hat might see inside his head. Would it see the eleven year old boy's potential or the veteran Auror who's feats were said to have rivaled the Founders themselves?

Professor McGonagall stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," said Professor McGonagall. "Abbott, Hannah!"

Harry watched as Hannah stumbled forward, blond pigtails and all, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The Hufflepuff table cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down. Harry smiled as he saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.

"Bones, Susan!"

Harry watched with a pang in his chest, remembering the fate of her aunt, as Susan made her way to the stool; Professor McGonagall dropping hat onto her head.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.

"Boot, Terry!"

Harry smirked as he remembered how their eventual friendship had evolved throughout the years.

"RAVENCLAW!"

The Ravenclaw table clapped; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.

"Brown, Lavender!"

A suppressed memory of Lavender being attacked by Greyback during the Battle of Hogwarts resurfaced, causing Harry to shiver.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindor table exploded with cheers as Lavender made her way to join her new house; Harry had to control himself to keep from clapping.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

Harry smirked again, this time catching a stern gaze from Professor McGonagall.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Finnigan, Seamus!"

Seamus sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor. Harry wondered if the hat had a hard time deciding if Seamus would be too fiery for Gryffindor.

"Granger, Hermione!"

Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Ron groaned and Harry had to fight off the urge to kick him.

"Longbottom, Neville!"

Neville fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with Neville before finally shouting, "GRYFFINDOR!" Harry wondered if the hat was truly deciding whether to place him in Hufflepuff over Gryffindor.

Unlike before, Neville did not run off wearing the hat. Rather, he handed the hat to Professor McGonagall before jogging to the Gryffindor table.

"Malfoy, Draco!"

Draco swaggered forward when his name was called and got his wish at once: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"

Malfoy nodded to Harry before joining his friends Crabbe and Goyle. Harry returned the nod, drawing a scowl from Ron.

"Potter, Harry!"

As Harry stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall. The last thing he saw before the hat dropped over his eyes was the hall full of people craning to get a good look at him. Next second he was looking at the black inside of the hat. He cringed a little as he waited.

"Hmm," said a small voice in his ear. "My, my, my. Shall I say welcome Mr Potter, or welcome back?"

'You can say welcome back as long as you keep it to yourself', thought Harry; his worst fears confirmed.

"Rest assured, Mr Potter, there are a great many secrets that I keep under my brim." whispered the hat. "Your secret shall be safe with me. Now, where did I place you before?"

'Gryffindor.'

"Was that a mistake?" asked the hat.

'No.'

"Sure it wasn't Slytherin?" asked the hat. "You will be great, as you well know, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that."

'I'm certain.'

"Well, if you're sure." sighed the hat. "Welcome back to Hogwarts Mr Potter, and to GRYFFINDOR!"

The hat shouted the last word to the whole hall. Harry took off the hat and walked toward the Gryffindor table. He was so relieved to be done with the Sorting, he hardly noticed all the cheers. The Weasley twins yelled, "We got Potter! We got Potter!" Harry found Hermione amongst the Gryffindors and sat down opposite to her.

Hagrid waved vigorously from the Staff table, finally catching Harry's eye and giving him the thumbs up. Harry grinned back, and as he did so his eyes fell upon the face of Albus Dumbledore. Professor Dumbledore smiled warmly at Harry who quickly checked his Occlumency shields before returning a smile. Whether the Headmaster would ever use Legilimency on a student was a great unknown to him; however given the situation he could take no chances.

The Sorting continued as Dean joined the Gryffindor table to much applause. A thought occurred to Harry while he waited for Ron to be sorted into Gryffindor: 'How many Sorted today lost their lives in the Battle of Hogwarts?' The thought sickened him so much that he almost forgot to clap for Ron when the hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

"Well done, Ron, excellent," said Percy pompously as Ron sat down next to Harry.

Blaise Zabini, of Slytherin, was the last to be sorted before Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away. Harry looked down at his empty gold plate, eagerly anticipating the bowls of food to appear. Professor Dumbledore rose to his feet, beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there. Harry had no doubt that his gestures were genuine.

"Welcome!" greeted Professor Dumbledore. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"

As he sat back down, everybody clapped and cheered. Harry laughed out loud.

"You'll have to overlook some of the Headmaster's ways, Harry." said Percy airily, addressing his reaction. "He can sometimes be –"

"A bit mad?" smirked Harry.

"Do not underestimate him, Harry." puffed Percy. "Professor Dumbledore is the best wizard in the world! But yes, he is a bit mad."

Harry heard the gasps from the other first years and smiled as dishes of roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup and peppermint humbugs appeared before them.

"That does look good," said Nearly Headless Nick, floating above the Gryffindor table.

"So sorry." apologized Harry.

"Don't be sorry, dear boy." said Nick. "I haven't eaten for nearly five hundred years. I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don't think I've introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower."

"I know who you are!" said Ron suddenly. "My brothers told me about you! You're Nearly Headless Nick!"

"I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy –" began Nick.

"Nearly Headless? How can you be nearly headless?" interrupted Seamus.

Nick looked extremely unhappy with the way the conversation was headed.

"Like this," replied Nick irritably.

Nick seized his left ear and pulled. Just as Harry remembered, Nick's whole head swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder. Looking pleased at the stunned looks on their faces, Nick flipped his head back onto his neck.

"So – new Gryffindors!" continued Nick. "I hope you're going to help us win the House Championship this year. Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning. Slytherins have got the cup six years in a row! The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable. He's the Slytherin ghost."

"How did he get covered in blood?" asked Seamus, staring across the Great Hall at the Slytherin table.

"I've never asked." replied Nick delicately.

Harry remembered darkly how the Bloody Baron got his blood stains. For the first time, Harry noticed the Gray Lady, Helena Ravenclaw, hovering high above the Ravenclaw table; staying as far away from the tables and the Bloody Baron as possible.

The desserts appeared and Harry helped himself to a treacle tart. Conversations around him at the Gryffindor table turned to their families. Harry found the amount of deja vu a bit disturbing.

"I'm half-and-half," said Seamus. "Me dad's a Muggle. Mom didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him."

Everyone laughed.

"What about you, Neville?" asked Ron.

"Well, my Gran brought me up and she's a witch," said Neville, diving into his story of how his family had nearly murdered him while trying to see if he was a wizard.

Harry's mind drifted to the real story of Neville Longbottom and to St Mungo's Hospital where his parents had been ever since Bellatrix, her husband and Barty Crouch Jr decided to 'have some fun'. He wondered if there was a way to let someone know that Barty Jr was still alive and living with his father in secret without giving himself away. He would have to work on that.

"I do hope they start right away, there's so much to learn." muttered Harry quietly to himself, as Hermione said to Percy: "I do hope they start right away, there's so much to learn. I'm particularly interested in Transfiguration, you know, turning something into something else, of course, it's supposed to be very difficult."

"You'll be starting small." said Percy "Just matches into needles and that sort of thing."

Harry's slip earned him side glance of awe from Neville. Harry just smiled and stuffed another tart into his mouth; cursing himself and vowing to be more careful. Immediately, he remembered what happened next. Last time, he stared up at the Staff table and made eye contact with Snape that was followed by a sharp pain from his horcrux... 'Bloody hell!', cursed Harry to himself. Somehow, someway, he had completely forgotten about the blasted piece of Voldemort's soul inside his scar! 'Did he still have the bloody thing?' pondered Harry.

As though the curse-ed thing was answering, Harry felt a prickle on his forehead. He reached up, for the first time in almost a decade, and rubbed his scar. Things were going to be different this time, and getting rid of the horcrux was priority. He did not need the piece of Voldemort's soul to speak parseltongue, which he would need to enter the Chamber of Secrets. Fortunately or unfortunately, a good number of Riddle's talents had been passed to him as a baby.

Harry was again dragged from his thoughts as the desserts disappeared and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent and Harry fained interest.

"Ahem," said Professor Dumbledore "just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you."

Dumbledore then broke into his end of feast speech, informing everyone to stay away from the Forbidden Forest, that Quidditch tryouts were the second week of term and to refrain from using magic in anywhere but the classrooms. That got Harry thinking. 'He would have to use the Room of Requirement to practice to see how many of his favorite spells he could still perform. He would also have to see if he could perform a disillusionment charm as well as his older self. He did not want to have to wait until Christmas to get his father's cloak from Dumbledore before being able to move about the castle undetected. He would also need the Marauder's Map from the twins.'

Murmuring broke out amongst the house tables at the revelation that the third-floor corridor was off limits due to the risk of death, ripping Harry from his musings. He had to suppress a sadistic smile as the name 'Fluffy', crept to the front of his mind.

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore, causing the other professors to cringe.

Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.

"Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"

And the school bellowed:

"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,

Teach us something please,

Whether we be old and bald

Or young with scabby knees,

Our heads could do with filling

With some interesting stuff,

For now they're bare and full of air,

Dead flies and bits of fluff,

So teach us things worth knowing,

Bring back what we've forgot,

Just do your best, we'll do the rest,

And learn until our brains all rot."

As always, everybody finished the song at different times; the Weasley twins singing along to a very slow funeral march. Harry had to control himself from singing along with them. Dumbledore conducted the last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.

"Ah, music," sighed Dumbledore, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

The Gryffindor first years followed Percy through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall, and up the marble staircase. Seamus jumped in surprise as one of the wizards in the portraits along the corridors whispered, "Aye, an Irish lad" as he passed by; Harry snorted in amusement.

Twice Percy led them through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries. Harry yawned, realizing just how long the old way was before he had been introduced to the Marauder's Map.

A bundle of walking sticks was floating in midair ahead of them. Harry mind drifted as he remembered his introduction to Peeves the Poltergeist. Percy took a step toward the floating walking sticks before Peeves started throwing them at him.

"Peeves," Percy whispered to the first years "A poltergeist." He raised his voice, "Peeves, show yourself."

Peeves' familiar loud, rude sound, like the air being let out of a balloon, answered.

"Do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron?" threatened Percy pompously.

There was a pop, and Peeves appeared, floating cross-legged in the air; clutching the walking sticks.

"Oooooooh!" said Peeves, with an evil cackle. "Ickle Firsties! What fun!"

Suddenly, he swooped at them; causing everyone to duck.

"Go away, Peeves, or the Baron will hear about this, I mean it!" barked Percy.

Peeves stuck out his tongue and vanished, dropping the walking sticks. Harry yanked Neville out of the way to avoid the sticks landing on his head.

"Thanks." said Neville, smiling.

"Anytime." said Harry.

They heard Peeves zooming away, rattling coats of armor as he passed.

"You want to watch out for Peeves," said Percy, as they set off again. "The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even listen to us prefects. Here we are."

They reached the end of the corridor and stood before the portrait of the Fat Lady. Harry was still having a little trouble adjusting to being eleven again. Things seemed much larger than what he was used to.

"Password?" asked the Fat Lady.

"Panus Draconis," replied Percy.

'That wasn't right!' thought Harry to himself; frowning up at Percy. He knew the password had been 'Caput Draconis'. It had been the first thing he had ever had to memorize in the Wizarding world. He even had etched it in the door frame to Grimmauld Place, years after the war.

To Harry's shock, the portrait swung forward to reveal the round hole in the wall that led to the Gryffindor common room. He helped Neville through the portrait hole as they all scrambled through it. Inside the Gryffindor common room, Percy directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and the boys through another. Harry bid Hermione goodnight before following Ron, Neville, Seamus and Dean up the stairs.

At the top of a spiral staircase they found their beds; five four-posters hung with deep red velvet curtains, just as he remembered. Everyone seemed too tired to talk much; pulling on their pajamas and falling into their beds. Harry was so excited to have returned and anxious about the days ahead that he could not even imagine falling asleep.

"Great food, isn't it Neville?" muttered Ron. "Get off, Scabbers! He's chewing my sheets."

Neville's mumbled reply was nothing but babble; exhaustion apparently taking hold. A few minutes later, loud snores echoed throughout the dorm; signalling that Ron had fallen asleep. Harry waited about thirty minutes before slipping out of his bed and easing his way to the window.

Time was becoming harder and harder to process in his mind. Harry wasn't for certain when in time, but he knew that only a day ago he was alone. Now, he was back home and with his mates. He already knew what he was going to try and change this time round, though he wasn't sure how just yet. Draco's friendship was essential to his plans, so he had to continue to cultivate it despite the opposition he knew he would receive.

Harry looked out towards the Forbidden Forest and wondered if Barberini was down there somewhere. He wondered, now that he was a sober eleven year old Gryffindor again, what the faun hoped he would change this time around. The password to the common room may have been a minor difference, but it was a major wake up call to Harry and he wondered what else might be different. Now, he needed to know – was it all up to him or did the faun have plans of his own. The veteran Auror was going to find out.

With sleep finally overcoming him, Harry eased back into his four-poster bed and wondered to himself; was this real, just a dream, or a nightmare about to unfold.

A/N: Finally, another chapter. Special thanks to Critters At Play for being beta. The holidays have been extremely busy, but I'm getting back into the swing of writing again. I really felt the need to revisit this event in detail. I wanted to emphasize the amount of deja vu that Harry would feel upon his return.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please read and to all that have reviewed thus far!