(a/n): Thanx again for the reviews folks.

I can't especially argue with Harry seeming petty. But his last images of his friends came from being hauled off to prison. That's all that he had for 7 months. And I liked the notion in ZanyMuggle's review that pre-Azkaban Harry is dead. Post-Azkaban Harry might have the same face, walk, voice but is not the same person. I was writing that way without really having that clear a notion of it. In a way, I'd say even Harry doesn't know who new Harry is.

Some people, Harry will make peace with. That's Hermione's problem at the moment. She got a double whammy of Harry 'unexpectedly' having a problem with her and going against her cherished cause. It didn't help that he also altered his education plans, leaving her in the dark. I don't think he needs to forgive everyone to have a peaceful life (Voldemort notwithstanding) Those who are ultimately out will eventually realize it.

Amos was all set to pull everyone down with him. But, Lucius' move cut him off. After all, after supporting Harry who would believe he was actually in league with Diggory? And a few Galleons in the right place.

For now time to settle Harry back into school.

9 – Classes

"I would like to welcome Harry Potter back to school. Your first official class." announced Professor Sprout "In honor of the occasion, I think we could get your thoughts on this week's project. Rumor has it you have a passing familiarity with this particular plant."

The tops of the pots at each station vanished. As they did so, Harry looked at Ron and grinned. Even the semi-dimness the Herbology Professor put on the greenhouse was enough to make the dark plants cringe. Harry put a finger in and allowed the plant to wrap around it. He smirked as Draco, Crabbe and Goyle copied the action. "This is Devil's Snare." He explained "It's quite dangerous if you don't know how to handle it. At full size it could even kill you. Trouble Draco?"

"ERR! UHHN! LEGGO!" the Slytherin trio were desperately pulling at the plants, trying to free themselves.

Harry went on to say "There's a spell that should work, though if you lose your wand the best thing you can do is nothing."

The plants had tightened around Draco's wrists and was encircling Crabbe's neck. They weren't listening to anything Harry was saying.

"Devil's Snare likes dark gloomy places." He added, drawing his wand "A simple light spell will chase it away. Lumos Solem!" A small glowing yellow ball flashed into existence over Draco and his goons causing the plants to retreat into the pots, seeking shade.

Sprout applauded "Well done, Mr. Potter. Five points to Gryffindor for the explanation and ten for assisting your classmates who seemed to be getting in over their heads. Can you, for another five, resolve your own predicament?"

"Course, Professor." Harry grinned. He just simply and slowly slid his finger free.

Sprout nodded at him in delight and said "Very good! Everyone, let's look at page 274, chapter 18 of our texts Devil's Snare Uses and Pitfalls."

"Harry, we have Care of Magical Creatures next." Hermione said as class was letting out.

He barely spared her a glance, looked up at Susan and told her "See you at lunch." The chair floated off toward the Great Hall.

"Harry dropped COMC." Susan said, simply.

Hermione looked down the hallway just as the floating chair turned the corner "But he can't do that!" she complained "Plus what would Hagrid think?"

"I'm pretty sure he knows" replied Susan, but she refused to say more.

x x x x x

"Why did you drop Care of Magical Creatures?" asked Hermione.

Harry just ignored her. He was reading an early chapter of his Charms text. As Ron joined them and grabbed a ham & cheese sandwich, Harry asked "Hey Ron, isn't this that cleaning charm your Mum uses?"

"Yep." Ron grunted between bites.

Harry nodded thoughtfully and followed up "Sort of a sideways eight wand motion, right?"

Ron was chewing, so he gulped it down and said "Nah, more like three circles instead of two."

"Got it." Harry replied. Seeing Hannah and Susan enter, he maneuvered his chair away from the table and said "Excuse me, promise to keep."

In two days since his return, Hermione had been completely disregarded "Enough of this Harry Potter!" she exclaimed "Stop ignoring me!"

"Move your leg or lose it!" growled Harry, and in response his chair lurched back and surged forward.

She had little choice but to comply. Even still she wasn't fast enough, the chair hit her heel as it floated by "Why won't he talk to me?" she snarled.

"You probably haven't said anything he wants to hear." Ginny offered "Remember the last time you saw him before he went to Azkaban? You were on the stand saying he was guilty. And his first day out? Not even a welcome back, an I'm sorry. Nothing. You just started in on him about your latest cause."

Hermione looked over at her boyfriend and asked "Ronald, you do understand that I just told the truth as I saw it?"

"This isn't my fight." He held up his hands "All the way back to the trial, I told you I'm not gonna get involved. Harry is still my best friend. Work it out!"

Hermione huffed at him "And how do you explain him using M- that word?"

"I could answer that very easily." Ginny replied, coldly "But, I think you should get that answer from him. I think he's right. It doesn't compare to Azkaban. Get over it." She took a deep drink of pumpkin juice, picked up a sandwich and turned away.

x x x x x

Harry had been in the Great Hall from 10AM, through lunch. And he would have been quite happy sitting there right on until Charms. But it wasn't meant to be. Potions was not a class to be dropped. You couldn't drop it before completing Fifth Year, and he was sure he'd need it in future encounters with Voldemort.

BANG The door slammed open. Professor Snape was in a fine rage. The brat had publicly embarrassed him. And even more, in a Sunday meeting with the Head of Gryffindor who he did not recognize as his superior his punishment of Potter had been overruled.

"You had no basis for your accusation, Severus." Minerva had said "Mr. Potter was quite correct in pointing out you were not a witness to the incident. I am cancelling the three weeks' detention and the seventy point deduction from Gryffindor."

He sneered at her "One week and twenty points was for his disrespect to me. I demand that stand!"

"Fruit of the poisoned tree. The second part would not have occurred without the false accusation." She countered "Nor do I consider defending oneself a matter of disrespect. I do consider the expression on your face one of disrespect. It is fortunate that you are no longer a student. Dismissed."

"Weasley, you will partner with Goyle for the remainder of the term." He ordered "Let us see how you do without your know-it-all. Potter take Weasley's place." Minerva wasn't the only one to note the tension between her pets. Pairing the red-haired brat with an obvious failure was also well calculated.

Harry's face drooped. His dream setup had been with Susan. Not his girlfriend, but things were moving that way. He almost knew going in that probably wouldn't happen. The empty chair next to Goyle seemed where he should go and that notion was unpleasant. Though the back of the room had its advantages until he could turn in his floating chair. He waited until Ron was seated, exchanging rude looks with his new partner. Then he made his way to the 2nd row. It was hardly a smooth trip. The desks were just barely wide enough for it to pass. Naturally keeping perfectly straight was impossible so hitting one side or the other was inevitable.

"Now that we're all seated" the Potion Master said "let us proceed. Today, and for much of this week, so the more idiotic of you can get it right our focus will be on Wolfsbane. Who can tell me… without quoting from the text, Miss Granger… the purpose of the Wolfsbane Potion?"

Susan put up her hand and was called on "A werewolf turns completely animal during a full moon. Wolfsbane weakens that, less for some more for others. Allowing the human to have some control."

"I am not helpless, Hermione!" Harry whispered, harshly while Susan was answering "Gimme the damned wormweed! I can crush that while you slice the aconite."

She flinched and asked "Harry, can't I talk to you?"

"You do your part, I'll do mine." He shot back. He nudged her knee with his as the professor approached.

That hint, she took without question.

Nothing, of course, got past the Professor. Normally, Snape would have deducted points for disrupting his class. The discord was more than enough to satisfy him for the moment. He stalked his way around the class "Cut with the grain, Longbottom! With the grain!"

"Greasy haired git!" Ron muttered, forgetting his new partner.

Goyle stuck up his hand and reported "Professor, Weasley called you a bad name!"

"Thank you, Mr. Goyle for your noble honesty. Ten points to Slytherin. Mr. Weasley, three days detention and ten points from Gryffindor." Behind the professor's sneer was a near happy feeling. Let Minerva question that one!

Draco slapped Vincent's hand away and said "Crabbe! The ginger first!"

"Mister Malfoy, what color should the potion be at this stage?" asked Snape.

The favored pupil replied "Clear with a pinkish tinge, Professor. After adding the ginger a light brown."

"Five points to Slytherin for over-fulfilling my request, Mister Malfoy." Snape declared, he didn't even look in Harry's direction as he added "Now, I feel I have allowed this class to become too informal. Going forward when asking or answering a question we will use traditional forms. All of you will stand when addressing me."

Harry predicted under his breath "Bet the git calls on me next!"

"Watch it! Harry!"snapped Hermione as she poked him in the ribs.

Angrily, and at least as forcefully, he retaliated "Don't hit me again." He growled "Get back to work." He turned back, ignoring her hurt expression.

"Q-ui-et!" Snape drawled out as he passed by, though offered nothing further. He continued stalking around the room. He stopped in front of yet another Gryffindor and said "Sloppy work Mr. Thomas. Tell me, Miss Greengrass, since we cannot complete the potion today, what is the primary ingredient in this potion?"

The gorgeous Slytherin stood and replied "The Aconite, sir."

"Correct Miss Greengrass." He replied "And five points to Slytherin for following directions so well." She nodded and sat back down. Snape himself sat down at his desk and things were quiet for almost twenty minutes. Finally, the other shoe dropped "Potter! How can we suspend our potions until tomorrow?"

Harry replied "Just hold out the Aconite. Stop heating and cast a stasis spell."

"Would anyone care to tell me what is wrong with Potter's answer?" Snape asked of the class. He glanced around and paused on a couple of favorites. When Pansy raised her hand he said "Yes, Miss Parkinson?"

Pansy almost jumped to her feet and nearly shouted "Potter didn't stand!"

"I am inclined to forgo a punishment for that, as I am instituting a new class policy." He said, which drew surprised looks from all. Certainly disappointment from Draco. "Would you care to repeat your answer, properly, Potter?"

Harry answered "No."

"Excuse me?" demanded Snape, with his hardest glare "Let me rephrase. On your feet, Potter."

Hermione gave a warning glare that Harry ignored "Healer Yevlin, from St. Mungo's ordered this thing for me. I need it for at least another week." He countered. He frankly didn't care for the floating chair, but just now it was a real good moment for him. Surely the hated professor couldn't argue with a Healer.

"You are a liar, Potter." Snape ground out as he crossed the room. He stood menacingly over the student, glared at him and said "On your feet, now, Potter. That's an order."

Harry shook his head and said "What part of -No- don't you understand?. And I'm not a liar. I told you what happened the other day. And Professor McGonagall agreed, or she wouldn't have overturned the punishment you gave me."

"How dare you?" Snape snarled, furiously. He grabbed a hold of Harry's sleeve and pulled him up.

Harry tore himself out of the Potions professor's grip and stumbled, holding himself up against the bench. "You don't scare me anymore, Snivellus!" he said "After Azkaban and Voldem-"

The class gasped at the feared name of the Dark Lord. Snape, however, was focused on something quite different "Heard that from your precious mutt, did you Potter?" he demanded "Well, I have had quite enough of your disrespect. I'll see you expelled. Headmaster's office! NOW!"

"Huh? What're you talking about?" a confused Harry asked, he truly didn't know what he'd said. Nor, what had made the professor so angry. And before he knew it, he was facing Dumbledore.

The Potions Professor was concluding his speech "… and to top it off, he DARED - In my own classroom no less! To use that word his arrogant father constantly harassed me with. He learned it from either the mutt Black, or the werewolf."

"So, are you just going to sentence me like you did in July, Judge?" Harry snapped "Or do I get a side?"

They all blinked "Mr. Potter!" the Deputy Headmistress scolded "Kindly address the Headmaster appropriately."

"Nothing more appropriate than the last time I saw him in court." He shrugged.

Dumbledore offered a grandfatherly smile and said "Harry, surely you understand I was only following the law and enforcing the decision of the Wizengamot. How long can you hold that against me?"

"Fifty to life?" Harry retorted, not caring what any of the professors thought.

The Headmaster looked sad "For what it is worth, Harry, I am sorry. Although we cannot lose focus of the reason we are here. Professor Snape has accused you of quite a list of offences. Worst of which is, of course, assaulting a teacher."

"He didn't mention that he attacked me first." Harry pointed out "He pulled me out of this chair, for no good reason other that Malfoy probably whined at him. And even Malfoy knows I didn't touch him. That is when he's not lying."

Dumbledore sighed "Harry you cannot go around accusing your classmates like this."

"Why not?" asked Harry, giving a disgusted wave at the Potions Professor "He does it all the time."

"That brings us to the matter of disrespect to a teacher. Harry, I cannot have that at all. Whether it was Sirius or Remus who mentioned that name to you, he did you a considerable disservice. I forbid you from ever using it again." Dumbledore explained.

Harry looked rebellious for a moment, started to nod, then changed his mind again "How about he stops insult me and my parents, then?" he demanded.

"This is not a negotiation, Potter." Snape growled "This is your Headmaster giving an order. I further demand he apologize publicly for the insult."

Harry sniffed at him "That's another thing. Snape-"

"Professor Snape" both McGonagall and Dumbledore corrected him about half a syllable apart.

Harry ranted "Just what I was saying. He always calls me Potter. Why? Professor McGonagall adds Mr. All the professors do. He even uses it for Malfoy, Ron even, Susan. Five years I put up with it! My Father this! My Father that! My Mother-err."

"Your Mother?" asked Dumbledore, who knew in great depth the exact relationship between Severus and Lily "I am fairly certain Professor Snape would not make derogatory remarks towards your Mother."

McGonagall looked displeased, apparently piecing together that the Headmaster was aware things were being said about Harry's Father.

"He did." Harry said, desperately trying to dislodge a lost memory "And no one told me… I…I remember it. Snape call- he called her a Mudblood. And Mum, she cursed him and that's when she called him Snivellus. Can't get more… hehe… but it's pretty funny …hahahahaha! Go Mum!"

Snape paled, though Harry wouldn't have known why. Then came fury at the notion of being ridiculed. He surged forward, pulled his wand and drove it against the brat's cheek. A curse forming on his lips.

"Severus! Stop!" Dumbledore commanded. His tone simply froze the Potions Professor, though only for an instant.

Snape glared at the Headmaster then stormed out.

Dumbledore gave him a deeply disappointed look and said "Harry, Harry, Harry you have no idea of the real situation."

"Care to explain it to me, Judge?" asked Harry.

McGonagall snapped at him "Mind your tone!"

"Be still, Minerva." The Headmaster said "Harry has some justification for his anger toward me. No, Harry, that story is Professor Snape's to tell, should he choose. Regardless of that, you will treat Professor Snape with the proper respect."

Harry shrugged and said "Just as much as he's always treated me. And my Dad. Is there anything else, Judge?"

"Not just now, Harry." said Dumbledore, frustration evident in his voice "Undoubtedly we will be revisiting this issue during the rest of the semester. You may go."

x x x x x

Susan was in History of Magic while this was going on. She'd witnessed all of the upheaval in Potions and was wrapping up relating the story to her friend "… don't know where he got that word, Han, but you should've seen Snape's face. He wanted to kill Harry. Other weird things, too. Never heard of a talking dog, so I didn't get that at all."

"I'll bet he was an animagus." Hannah guessed "Remember my gran? She's a monkey."

Susan nodded "Yeah, I'll look it up. Only problem… How could Mr. Potter have told Harry something about Snape that he would remember today?"

"Oy vey!" exclaimed Hannah "Will you stop looking for mysteries!"

The spectral Professor Binns hushed them, then resumed his droning lecture.

Susan wasn't listening, thinking out loud she said "Maybe somehow he remembers something from his infancy."

"Hmmm… betcha wanna change his diapers." The blond girl commented.

The redhead blushed furiously and hissed "HANNAH!"

"Pay attention." Hannah said with parental authority "Professor's talking."

x x x x x

Dinner time. They could finally relax. Rumor had raced around the school. And like with any other word of mouth, the story grew beyond reason. The two extremes were Harry killed Snape, or Snape killed Harry. When they both appeared, the entire student body groaned. Although, you can pick your reason for disappointment.

"Where did you get that name from Harry?" a practically bouncing Seamus Finnegan exclaimed "Snape nearly popped a blood vessel!"

As Harry saw it, he was forbidden from using Snivellus, that didn't stop him from talking about it. "Well, to tell the truth" he said to a fair sized group of Gryffindors "I can't say exactly how it happened. But my Mum used it."

"YAY FOR LILY POTTER!" Ron called out. And Harry was all too pleased to cheer along with that.

While going through classes, Hermione had been thinking. She tried to see things from the point of view everyone else seemed to see. For the past nine months, Ron would absolutely close up when she tried to convince him Harry was guilty. They'd had two screaming fights about it. Afterward, if she brought him up, he would stop talking. If she persisted, he would walk out of the room. Now, faced with an innocent Harry, she had thought things would just be normal again. She had failed utterly to consider what he had gone through in Azkaban. The Weasleys had never doubted. A stranger had proven his innocence. Against her desire to follow the rules, she went along and clapped. During that, she caught his attention and said "Harry, that means you're remembering things from when you were very young. But if you've only got part, there must be a way to get the rest."

"Got just the thing, Harry!" Susan came bouncing over excitedly "I figured you got some baby memories. We can use a pensieve, just like I did to get you out!"

Harry was overjoyed. He grabbed her waist, pulled her into his chair and kissed her, fully. Becoming aware of the hoots and catcalls, he released her face and said "Err… got a bit carried away there."

"I find it quite acceptable, sir." She replied with a mock-pompous flick of her hair.

As Susan and Harry left the Great Hall… dinner, and incidentally, Hermione, forgotten… Ginny commented a bit maliciously "You know what she has that you don't? Huh? His trust."

"Gin!" Ron scolded his sister, as Hermione looked at her with a heartbroken expression "Don't worry. He'll remember that you tried. If he doesn't I'll remind him."

Hermione gave a teary smile and started crying.

"Happy now?" he demanded as he rubbed her back and glared at Ginny.

She looked him square in the eye and admitted "Not really, no. But I'm not sorry either."

"Poor little Mudblood!" Draco Malfoy called from across the Slytherin Table. "Lost her Scarhead!"

While she was willing to criticize her, Ginny wasn't about to let that stand "Bugger off Malfoy!" she shot back.

"Mind your own business, Weaslette!" shouted Pansy Parkinson.

Ginny yanked out her wand and yelled "Chiroptera mucus!"

"YAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" the Slytherin girl screamed. Four Ugly green things came out of her nostrils, spread their oozing wings and started flying… in opposing directions. Her suffering lasted only twelve seconds.

Headmaster Dumbledore's wand glowed red for a moment, no one heard a spell. But Pansy was suddenly freed and fell to the marble floor. "Mister Malfoy, that will be five points from Slytherin, for foul language. Likewise for you Miss Parkinson. Miss Weasley, I'm giving you five points for defending a Housemate. However, a physical attack is an inappropriate response to a verbal remark that will be twenty-five points from Gryffindor and a week's detention to be served with Professor Snape."

"Coulda been worse." Ginny said to her brother.

And he smiled at her and said "Thanks Gin."

"I don't care that we're in last place!" Seamus Finnegan said delightedly. He gave Ginny's shoulder a celebratory shake, winked at her, and added "Great job!" Many nearby Gryffindors agreed, although it was carefully muted in the presence of most of the Professors.

x x x x x

Susan had led Harry through the Castle, to the Hufflepuff Common Room "Diggory Hero Cedric" she said to gain entry, then offered an apologetic look to Harry.

"S'alright, Sue" said Harry in reply "I got nothing against Cedric. I really liked the guy. His father is different." He was left alone while she went to retrieve the portable pensieve from her room. The drapes were gold with black trim. The room itself was similar to Gryffindor's. The colors, however, matched the drapes. The furniture had a different feel for what he was used to. Slytherin seemed to have a caste system to it. A luxury, middle and low class sections. Gryffindor's seemed to lean toward general relaxation. The Hufflepuff Common Room felt, to Harry, like a classroom.

Susan returned from the Girls' dorm with an ornate bowl. It was just large enough to need two hands to manage and contained about a gallon of what looked like water.

"A lot smaller than the one Dumbledore uses." Harry commented. He admired the quality of it.

Susan replied "He probably uses one of the big, first pensieves. These are used by the DMLE in-"

"Wonder why I didn't get the chance!" snapped Harry. He apologized to her "Didn't mean to take it out on you. So what do we do? Just jump in?"

Susan rolled her eyes at him "No, this one isn't nearly big enough for that. Take out your wand and put the tip to your temple. You should focus on your earliest memories. And, much as I know you love him, Professor Snape."

"Joy" he said, sarcastically.

She giggled a bit and explained "Your wand will draw the memory out, and you can drop it in the bowl. That is, assuming there's anything there in the first place."

"Very funny." He retorted "Remind me to hex you later."

Susan glared at him and countered "You're supposed to be concentrating, aren't you?" And almost as soon as he closed his eyes, she saw his wand glow. She ordered "Now… slowly … just like pulling on a rope… that's it … and, touch your wand to the bowl."

"Looks like a silver worm." Harry observed, with amusement.

Her face scrunched up and she protested "Harry! That's gross!"

"Hahaha" he laughed. The sensation was even more enjoyable given how rarely he had done it for months "Right. Next step?"

She held up her hand and ordered "Hand. And in we go."

x x x x x

Harry found himself standing and completely healthy. He squatted and bounced up, then he did it again. "I might just stay here." He said.

"Give it a half hour and you'll have a glaring headache." Susan warned.

Harry ignored her, because just to the other side was Lily Potter. The young, red-haired woman looked carefree. She was smiling as she walked. He couldn't resist reaching out to touch her face. Naturally, his hand merely passed through, leaving him disappointed.

"Fond of redheads?" asked Susan, lightly "Lucky me. Besides, I think she already has a date."

Harry's eyes followed the direction of her gaze. Awed, he knelt down to study his few months old self. Probably the most remarkable part to him, was the completely smooth forehead. There wasn't even a hint of the lightning bolt scar on the infant.

"You were really cute." Said Susan, admiringly.

He looked up at her, winked and asked "Was?"

"HARRY!" came a sudden, panicked shout. It came from the fearful mother.

The teenaged Harry, and Susan turned and followed her gaze.

Lily Potter, tearing after her wayward baby, bags of groceries scattered in her wake. She whipped out her wand and yelled "IMPEDIMENTA!"

"Merlin! She missed!" Susan gasped. She clutched teenaged Harry's arm in fear as the baby coach kept rolling. Straight towards an intersection. Automatically, the pair set off in pursuit.

The out of control coach was stopped. Not by any spell or other such magical event. But by a human body getting in the way. Infant Harry was giggling hysterically and yelling "AGEN! AGEN!"

"Potter's brat!" an outraged youth growled. The coach had dug into his side, causing considerable pain.

His three unpleasant looking companions laughed cruelly. One, fully aware of the situation from Hogwarts taunted "Still saving Mudbloods, Snape!"

"Never!" countered the injured Severus. He righted himself, then angrily yanked baby Harry from his coach.

Teenage Harry was livid, his face would do Vernon Dursley proud "PICK ON SOMEONE YOUR OWN SIZE!" he roared. Again, instinct led him wrong, all his rage was useless. He went clean through the younger version of the Potions Professor. Still out of control, he swung fists to no effect.

"Pause!" ordered Susan. She turned to him and said "Remember, this happened a long time ago. You can't change any of it, Harry. And you can only understand by watching it. Now, resume."

Baby Harry wasn't having fun anymore. This man didn't know how to hold him right, like Mummy and Daddy did. His fist was just wrapped in the baby clothes. "Ba'man!" he declared "Down!"

"Brat!" snarled Severus, bringing him nose to nose "Just like your father!"

Baby Harry swung his chubby arm, slapping Snape on the side of the head. Then, looked at his hand and cried "EWWW! MUMMMYYYYYY!"

"Drop the brat, Snape!"

That voice, if not quite the face, teenage Harry recognized. It was a younger, with short hair, but still mature Lucius Malfoy. That was when Lily Potter arrived on the scene.

"Harm my son … no matter what we used to be… I'll kill you." She whispered, it kept her from screaming.

Snape cringed under the threat, worse that it came from someone who used to be a friend. It twisted into hate "Have your brat. Mudblood!" he snarled. He threw Baby Harry as hard as he could.

"Accio Harry!" came from a black uniformed James "You are too young to be flying on your own, Little Man."

Baby Harry laughed and shouted "Daddy!"

"Lils... I'm sorry..." the young Severus said faintly as the full impact of what he'd done hit him. He was ghost white and stammering "I-I-I-"

Seeing her son safe, Lily turned on her former... (Harry did not know what his mother was to Snape) ...and shouted, angrily. "Never come near me again, Snivellus! Chiroptera mucus!"

Susan and Harry watched, in great amusement, as the young Severus was dragged this way and that by giant yellow/green bats of ooze. Some of the gunk splattered directly toward the pair. Specifically right into Susan's face. She instinctively threw up her arms, but of course it went straight through her. "Your Mum was gross." Susan protested.

"Hahaha!" laughed Harry. He wiped at her cheeks and showed her nothing was on his fingers "You told me this was just a memory."

Abruptly, the scene turned all grey and washed out. Sound faded.

"Hey!" Harry objected when he found himself back in the Hufflepuff Common Room, confined to his floating chair again "What happened!"

Susan casually tossed his words back at him "Just a memory...remember… anyway, last thing I saw was Baby you sucking his thumb and falling asleep."

"So me falling asleep ended the memory." Harry concluded, nodding "Well that makes sense. And don't you go telling about me sucking my thumb!"

She threw her head back, laughing "Blackmail material!" then she turned serious "If you want my opinion, it'd be a bigger embarrassment to Snape than you. Babies are supposed to suck their thumbs. Grown ups, especially Professors, aren't supposed to go around hurting kids. In fact I wonder if there isn't a crime there. It's up to you, but I'd show it to everyone I could."

x x x x x

"This is more than I ever made at The Ministry!" a shocked Arthur Weasley exclaimed, looking at the Gringotts transfer document.

Amelia Bones subtly ignored the reaction "As House Potter sees it, you made Us a great deal of money. It is only fair for you to have a share in the profits. Five percent is reasonable and fair. Naturally, I did deduct the amount you spent in improvements to The Burrow."

"Harry understands we only did that for appearance, doesn't he?" asked a worried Molly.

Amelia offered a comforting smile "You acted with the best of intentions. And, especially considering your two youngest supporting him during the trial."

"Arthur, we could do so much with this." Molly breathed "We can easily pay for the rest of Ronald and Ginny's educations. But, I just don't know."

"I assure you both" Amelia said "Although I could do this without Harry's approval, or even knowledge, I did not. In fact, he proposed higher amounts. Rather, I think a longer term relationship is to our mutual benefit. Your bottom line was remarkable, even for this year where Galleons just seemed to reproduce on their own. House Potter would like to increase the funds you manage to a full ten million Galleons. At year's end five percent of the profit will be your management fee. On behalf of House Bones, I wish to match that investment under the same terms. I have documents prepared for your signatures."

Molly half swooned in her seat, and Arthur said "I think we should talk about it first. This would be a huge change for all my family."

"Arthur, you have been in my department all your career." said Amelia, with a grin "You know how hard it is to advance from where you are now. But, I understand, think it over for a few days. Regardless, the payment from House Potter is yours."

At that moment, Amelia's secretary entered and said "Fred and George Weasley are here to see you, Director. And I've received a report from Floo Central that Jessica Diggory just arrived here, she is currently in her husband's office. It also says she has her children with her. I can assume that means they'll be here."

"Very well, Julie" replied Amelia "Send in Fred and George, then I want you to remove all the amenities from the outer office. Chairs can stay, but other than that, no courtesy. No pastry, no coffee, no tea. If they get impatient remind Amos it isn't wise to irritate a Director."