Soon they were standing in the grounds.
Harry signaled to Ron and Hermione not to follow him. Then he went to where Draco was standing.
"Hello dear cousin," said Harry.
Draco turned around to see who had called him cousin.
"Potter," said Draco, "What in the world makes you think we're cousins?"
"Nothing," replied Harry, "Just the fact we both share a common ancestor, namely Dorea Potter née Black, who is our great-aunt. It is the fact that prompted me to encourage a friendly relationship with you."
"Oh really. Are you telling the truth, Potter?" asked Draco.
"What reason would I have to lie to you Draco? Also, if you do not believe me, you can owl my dear cousin Narcissa whether you are related to me," said Harry just as Madame Hooch appeared and began to direct everyone to a broom.
This time also, Neville fell off his broom, broke his wrist and had to be escorted to the infirmary by Madame Hooch.
Draco again picked up Neville's Remembrall. Though Harry had hoped that he would not.
"What do you think I should do with this?" asked Draco, particularly to Slytherin.
"Draco, I would propose that you hand it over, as it is private property of Neville and it would not be in the interest of the Malfoy family to antagonise the Longbottom family," said Harry. "Along with the Potter one," said Harry, almost as an afterthought.
Harry could practically see the wheels turning in Draco's head, and the widening of his eyes as he understood what Harry had implied.
"Of course Mr. Potter," said Draco, handing him the Remembrall.
"Oh cousin Draco, there's no need to call me Mr. Potter. I'm fine with you calling me Harry," said Harry.
"Okay... Harry," responded Draco, a tad awkwardly.
Soon Madame Hooch returned and dismissed the class. What was the point, Harry wondered, making them wait only to dismiss them?
But Ron especially, was very glad to be dismissed. As soon as they entered the building, he made a beeline for the kitchens. Harry too followed him readily as he was also very hungry. Hermione came after them, shaking her head, and muttering 'boys'.
They had a tremendous lunch courtesy of the Hogwarts house elves.
"Harry, what did you say to Draco that he suddenly gave you the Remembrall and became so polite to you?" asked Ron.
"Well I hinted that I may be interested to pursue an alliance with the Malfoy family, which is quite a big thing, as the Potter alliance, once reconvened, will hold a lot of power in the Wizengamot," said Harry.
"Wow mate," said Ron.
"Now that you both have had your fill, I believe we have an appointment with Professor Snape," said Hermione.
"When will you stop nagging us, Hermione?" asked Ron.
"Only when you are responsible enough to do your work by yourselves," replied Hermione.
So they went down into the dungeons.
As soon as they reached Snape's office, Harry knocked on the door. A moment later, the door opened to reveal Snape sitting on his chair, grading homework sheets.
They shuffled in and sat down in the chairs opposite Snape.
Snape seemed to ignore them completely and went on grading the papers.
Hermione called out, "Professor Snape?"
He didn't reply, just continued grading the papers, with a slight smirk that appeared on his face.
Oh, so he is trying to see what we will do to get his attention, though Harry.
Then he did something unthinkable, he took out his wand, pointed it at Snape, who, at the moment, was looking down, and thought, Levicorpus.
Snape was dangling in the air, hoisted by his ankle for less than a second until he righted himself.
"What kind of behaviour is this, Potter? 10 points from Gryffindor." said Snape angrily.
"Just the behaviour I thought you would expect, Sir," replied Harry coolly.
"Ok ok. Though I had not expected you to draw your wand on me, Potter. I didn't think that being from the future, you would be so foolish so as to draw our wand on me," said Snape.
"It seems you underestimated me, Professor," said Harry.
"Ok, now back to work," said Snape.
"So, Professor, would the Hogwarts wards detect an Unforgivable inside the castle?" asked Harry. They did not know much about the wards as they were before the War as they had been completely destroyed by Voldemort and had to be rebuilt from scratch.
"Potter!," snarled Snape. "Surely you are not thinking of attacking me, are you?" asked Snape, even as he moved into a defensive position.
"Oh no Professor. Harry was merely asking as we wanted to practice them but we do not know whether the wards will detect them," said Hermione, trying to placate Snape.
"No Miss Granger, or perhaps I should say Mrs. Weasley?" said Snape, which made both Hermione and Ron blush furiously. "The wards of Hogwarts do not recognise any specific curse, much less the Unforgivables."
"How did you know me and Hermione were, are, a couple?" asked Ron.
"It is visible to anyone with a keen eye and a modicum of sense that you both like each other. Since I know that you are from the future, it is obvious that you both should be a couple," replied Snape. "Potter, who did you choose?"
"It is hardly your business, Snape," snapped Harry.
"Potter, behave yourself," replied Snape, looking more like the fearsome dungeon bat, than the friendly teacher guise he showed when he was with them.
"Sorry sir," replied Harry, looking somewhat abashed.
"So, what news do you have to tell me?" asked Snape.
Hermione immediately conjured a board the same as the had in the ROR, just big enough in size to cover the wall behind Snape.
Snape turned behind to gaze at the board. He had just started studying it when he turned around, blazing anger.
"What is this written about rescuing Black," he practically spat the word, "from Azkaban. He deserves that. If it were in my hand, I would have him Kissed," snarled Snape.
Harry bit down the snarky remark that he wanted to make and moved on to more important things.
"Professor, it may come as a shock to you, but Sirius Black is in fact innocent of all his crimes," said Harry.
"What... But... The street... The explosion... Secret Keeper..." Snape was blithering like an idiot.
"Sir, I presume that you have read the official Auror reports of what happened that day on the street?" asked Harry.
"Of course I have, Potter," replied Snape.
"Then, with your vast knowledge of spells and potions, you must know a spell that tears the whole body to shreds with the exception of a finger, and of course, keeps the robes intact?" questioned Harry.
They could practically see the comprehension dawn on Snape's face.
"It was all a set-up," murmured Snape, quietly enough that they had to strain to hear it.
"But then what of the Fidelius?" asked Snape, who still seemed determined to prove Sirius guilty.
"Sir, who told you that Sirius Black was the Secret Keeper?" inquired Ron.
"Dumbledore. He wouldn't lie to me, would he?" queried Snape.
"Professor, you do know that the original Secret Keeper can change the Secret Keeper without requiring the caster, who was Dumbledore," said Hermione.
"Bloody Black!" swore Snape.
"Language, Professor," said Hermione.
"Why did he have to go and change the Secret Keeper?" muttered Snape.
"Professor, you do know that everybody, and also all Death Eaters including you," Snape raised his eyebrows but didn't comment, "thought Sirius was the Secret Keeper and all went after him instead of the hapless wizard that Pettigrew was. It was actually a very sound plan, just for the fact that Pettigrew turned traitor," replied Harry.
"I never thought I would say this but I am starting to feel Black was right," Snape said.
"Ok. So professor, any theories as to how Pettigrew may have escaped?" asked Ron, smirking. Harry understood the ploy, Ron was just trying to drive Snape nuts with thinking when they just knew exactly how he had escaped.
"The first theory is that he could be an animagus with a small form and he cut his finger and changed. Another theory is that, after cutting off his finger, he managed to apparate without clothes. These are the two theories that I would consider most probable. Wait, since you are from the future, you should know how he escaped," said Snape accusingly and all three of them replied his statement with matching smirks and Snape had an odd déjà vu of the Marauders back in the day.
"Yes Professor, we know how he escaped and your first theory is correct. He is a rat animagus who is currently with us," said Hermione, and then, from her Undetectable Extension Charmed pocket, removed Wormtail, shocking the hell out of Snape.
"This is the betrayer of Lily. I will kill him," Snape was red as a beetroot with anger.
"Stop, Professor," said Harry in his authoritative voice and Snape stopped in his path.
"Potter, how can you be so calm when the betrayer of Lily, of your parents, is right in front of you," said Snape.
"Oh trust me Professor, I have endured far worse than seeing the betrayer of my parents," replied Harry.
"Ok Potter. So what do you suggest we do with this piece of vermin," he practically spat the word.
"Currently we are conflicted. Ron and I believe that we should just hand the rat to DMLE and get over with it," said Harry. "Whereas Hermione thinks that we should let the events play as last time."
"Before I give my opinion on this matter, do you care to enlighten me what happened last time. Better that you tell everything from your first year. Last time you just gave me the gist," said Snape.
"Ok. So, I guess the first important thing was Halloween. Quirrell led a fully grown Mountain Troll into Hogwarts which tried to kill Hermione. Then I guess the other thing was I got selected for the Quidditch team and Quirrell managed to jinx my broom, but thankfully, I did not die as you were muttering the counter curse. Then nothing happened until the end of the year when Quirrell tried to steal the Stone and I managed to stop him." said Harry. "Then, in our second year Malfoy gave Ginny the Diary, I believe we have told you this before, haven't we?" questioned Harry.
"Yes, Potter. You told me how you had to face against a Basilisk and the Dark Lord's sixteen year old shade which emerged from a Diary Horcrux inside the Chamber of Secrets. Anything else of note happened?" asked Snape, sneering.
"No, that's all I guess. Oh, and the fact that I killed the Basilisk with the Sword of Gryffindor," said Harry nonchalantly, just wanting to see Snape's reaction.
"I asked anything of note, Potter," replied Snape.
"Now moving on to third year, Professor," said Hermione. "Let's see... I was given a time turner. Sirius escaped from Azkaban. There were dementors all around Hogwarts. Professor Lupin was our Defence Professor. Pettigrew escaped to help Voldemort," she stressed the name, "regain a body. Oh! And Sirius also escaped to somewhere sunny, though we never knew where. I guess that sums it up," said Hermione.
"Ok. So you," he pointed at Hermione, "want to continue as it happened. I do not agree with you. If the Dark Lord has created Horcruxes, and he returned to his body before the destruction of them. I presume many people would have been killed?" asked Snape.
"Umm... Yes," said Hermione, a bit hesitantly.
"Then, Miss Granger, do tell me, why do you want to risk all that suffering again, just for the sake of the timeline being intact?" queried Snape.
"No. But I want the timeline to stay as intact as possible because then we will know before time whatever will happen," said Hermione.
"Hermione, I have an excellent idea," said Ron, and Hermione's both eyebrows shot up. It was very unlikely of Ron to have a plan.
"Pray tell Mr. Weasley, what would your grand plan be?" asked Snape, with a lot of skepticism.
"What if we allow the timeline to continue as planned, just destroy all the Horcruxes before the end of fourth year, and then when the ritual is done, Voldemort can kill Harry," he winced while saying it, "and then he can kill Voldemort and his cronies. What do you guys say?" said Ron.
"That is a surprisingly good plan, Mr. Weasley," said Snape.
"No," said Harry. "Of course it is not a good plan. We cannot allow Sirius to rot in Azkaban for two more years just for the sake of the timeline. I suggest that we hand over the rat to DMLE in some way."
"Ok, Potter," said Snape. Honestly, even I don't agree with that plan of yours," he said looking at Hermione.
"Ok. So, what if I ask Professor McGonagall that is there a spell that can be used to detect whether an animal is an animagus or not. And then we can get her to perform it on the rat," said Hermione
"Ok, so we'll ask her tomorrow itself," said Harry.
"I believe your work here is done for today. If three Gryffindors suddenly start spending time with the hated Potions Master, it would be very suspicious. I will keep assigning you detentions so that we can plan together," said Snape. He then shooed them away.
"Well, that was very productive," said Hermione.
A/N: Thank you all for reading the story and those who have taken the extra minute to review. The next 1-2 chapters will be more planning and then there will be a lot of action. I am still in need for a Beta Reader. If you are interested, pls contact me.