Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K Rowling

Chapter 19: Subverted Expectations

The order's headquarters was about what I expected from Voldermort's followers. It screamed wealth and a desire to show it. The furniture looked like they belonged in museums, not an actual house. The house felt more like an exhibition than a home, I couldn't imagine living in it.

That was exactly what I was going to do for the last couple of weeks of my summer holiday, together with my godfather, Hermione and the Weasleys. When I'd first arrived I had felt a pang of bitterness at being left out as blatantly as I was. I had held the suspicion before that Ron and Hermione spent their time together the past month. That they had repeatedly told me that I should just stay where I was when they were here together.

That didn't sit right with me.

Perhaps it was for the best, it enabled me to work as much as I needed to, learn as much as possible before I resumed my sessions with my master. This was my main gripe with my current living conditions, it was obnoxiously difficult going outside. At first, the order had demanded that I keep a guard with me at all times, but I had managed to 'convince' them. By convincing, I meant that I simply disappeared from their view the second they turned their eye away from me, my cloak was as useful as always.

So Sirius had made up some 'ground rules' I had to adhere to, but otherwise I was free to go. I had breathed out a sigh of relief when I got the news, I didn't want the order finding me on my second 'date' with my betrothed. That would raise a lot of questions, and as far as I knew, no one had any idea that a girl in my year was my future wife. I had considered telling Sirius but every time I'd been about to we'd been interrupted by Mrs. Weasley wanting me to help with a chore.

The letter I'd sent to Greengrass after our first...less than successful date had been surprisingly easy to write. I thought we should take a new start, and that was what I told her. Something told me that she probably wouldn't share my sentiment. If I tried and it didn't work out, at least she couldn't blame me for our strained relationship.

Living at Grimmauld place was even more difficult when I saw Ron, Hermione and the other Weasleys straight up having fun. That sounded horrible, but it was a constant reminder of everything I wouldn't have. Living with the Durselys gave little solace. But in this arena, it supplied very little.

I really wanted to be happy for them, but it was like a neon sign shoved in your face telling you all about what you can't have, but desired. I cast one last look in the mirror and nodded in approval before I left the house quickly, better that no one noticed that I was wearing nicer clothes than usual.

The benefit of living in London was that there was no shortage of places to meet, so I'd chosen a newly opened cafe which got a good review in 'The Telegraph'. It didn't have any ties with the magical world, which I still felt was something that could make a difference to my wife. To my shame, I hadn't actually learned anything about her during the date we'd had. I learned she was angry, and an infant could figure that out. I had vowed not lose my temper this time. Although if she intentionally provoked me, then I couldn't really fault myself, then it was she who was the problem in our relationship, not me.

"Hello, Potter," Greengrass greeted me with a sneer when she sat down in front of me.

"Good afternoon, Greengrass," I said in a cheerful voice, completely forced.

An awkward silence fell upon us. My mind raced at lighting speed to find something to talk about.

"So…uhhh…what do you like to…do?" I asked awkwardly and wanted to flay myself immediately.

Greengrass furrowed her brows, deep in thought. "I enjoy having conversations." She sent me a disapproving glance. "With intelligent people."

"Right…so…" I trailed off and tried to salvage the situation. "Do you like quidditch?" I asked hopefully. If I could have, I would have been on my knees begging for the two of us to have at least one common interest.

"Only brainwashed peasants like quidditch." Greengrass smiled at me sweetly. "All the players I know of are imbecilic idiots as well."

My face was set in a mask harder than stone and I wanted to scream in frustration. Here I was making a genuine attempt and she did this. "Cool, do you want to ask me anything?"

Greengrass smiled sweetly again. "I find knowing things about unintelligent people a waste of cognitive function."

"Is that a no?" I demanded tiredly.

Greengrass only smiled at me sweetly. "Glad you understand."

"Did you have to act like a snobby, entitled lady?" I shook my head.

"Did I do anything wrong?" she asked cooly, I was certain that her blue eyes were colder than ice.

"You could be…nice?" I suggested.

"Like you are?" she challenged me with a mocking curl of her lips.

My mouth was fixed in a straight line. "Just try to behave like you live in the 1980's, not during the dark ages."

Greengrass pondered my statement for a moment. "On the topic of acting like the age we live in, did you know that marriage contracts haven't been used since the 19th century?"

"Look, I didn't have a fucking choice," I said vehemently, trying my best to keep my temper in check.

She arched a brow in disbelief. "I find myself doubting that. You knew exactly what you signed up for."

I sat in silence and looked at her bitterly. "Perhaps I did, but there was something I needed in there."

Greengrass smiled a smile void of any mirth. "True, but then you had a choice. You can't sit and say you've been forced into this when you could have just not done it."

"You don't understand anything," I said bitterly with a shake of my head.

"There really isn't much to understand, there was something you wanted and the added benefit of me was just the cherry on top. The only problem for you is that you expected me to bend to your will like all your friends do."

"You speak of things you know nothing of. You don't know my friends."

"I don't and I am glad I don't. Granger is somehow more arrogant than Weasley is oblivious, which is a feat, considering…"

"Shut up," I interrupted with the most venemous glare I could muster.

Greengrass held a look of distaste on her face. "I'm surprised you're not in Hufflepuff. You'd fit there with all the other loyal freaks."

"Loyalty is an admirable trait. Shame my wife isn't."

Daphne raised her chin condescendingly. "That's ironic. If I wasn't contractually forced to stay loyal to my husband, I would have more affairs with actual men than you can count."

"You would sink that low just to spite me?"

"No, I would sink that low to make sure my husband knows just how much I hate him for ruining my life, ruining my…." Greengrass stared at me cooly with her chin raised like she was addressing someone below her.

"My life and dreams were ruined by this as well, you know?" I responded in an attempt to cool the situation a little.

Greengrass looked torn between laughter and murderous intent, instead she settled for a little of both. "Of course, you are the victim in this. You're always the victim."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Greengrass smiled condescendingly at me. "Let me think," she began scathingly and stroked her chin as if deep in thought. "You entered the tournament and you were apparently the victim of some great scheme. You bewitched fellow schoolmates and cried when it came back to bite you. You killed someone and then it was apparently the Dark Lord's fault."

I scoffed angrily. "It is as I said, you don't understand anything. You think you're perfect and infallible but it couldn't be further from the case. You say that your dreams were ruined but I think you would have become the whore you intend to become now either way."

Daphne laughed. "Well, I say that I'd rather be a whore than dead like your mudblood mother."

My hands curled into fists and I closed my eyes from preventing myself from physically lashing out. "We're done here," I said finally. "See you on the 31st of July 2000."

-()-

"That's…inconvenient," Sirius said with a forced smile.

I gave him an incredulous look. "I just explained to you how my future wife is a racist, entitled bigot who's biggest hobby is insulting people, and you think that is inconvenient?"

Sirius shrugged sheepishly. "Just keep trying to get to know her, show her you care, girls like that."

I took a deep breath. "I have tried to show her that I care, all I got in return was an attempt to lower my self esteem."

"You're thinking too much," Sirius said. "You should just let your heart guide you, just talk naturally with her."

"NO!" I declared vehemently. "I would love for her to be a perfect match for me, but she is not. My heart's inner desire or whatever crap you're talking about is useless."

"You're a good man, Harry. Show her that, show her that you've got a big heart."

"Showing her my heart would be about the same thing as showing a handicapped sheep to a wolf."

Sirius gave me a confused look.

"She'll tear it apart with pleasure," I clarified.

He arched an eyebrow. "You are both, understandably, upset. Perhaps you should just let the situation cool off a little, let her come to terms with this as well."

I shook my head. "I will let the matter rest, but you're wrong. She has made up her mind about this and she won't change. I could be the most charming person in the world and she would still hate me."

"Luckily, it is not me who is supposed to marry her then."

I rolled my eyes exasperatedly. "Shut up, Sirius."

-()-

The chamber of the Wizengamot was everything I thought it wouldn't be. I had expected furniture which screamed wealth and gleaming surfaces you could see your own reflection in. Instead it reminded me of an old tavern, the walls looked tired and the grey paint was getting peeled off as time went on. The people in it looked about as I expected though, I recognised Lucius Malfoy and Cornelius Fudge in robes which cost more than the decorations of this room combined. The gleaming black robes and glistening rings contrasted greatly against the brown and dusty room they were in. I chuckled inwardly, they didn't fit in here, just as they didn't fit in in the muggle world.

The chair I'd been assigned looked as if it would fall apart at the slightest added pressure but I sat down as confidently as I could muster and waited silently for them to stop whispering and get on with the show. Because it was all a show, everyone in here knew it, the question was if they knew that I knew it.

"The Wizengamot calls forward Mr. Harry James Potter for interrogation regarding his serious breach of the Statue of Secrecy and underage magic," A stern looking woman with a monocle said with a magically amplified voice. I got the impression that the walls vibrated due to the sound, I wondered if they could break if she started screaming.

The silence encompassed the whole chamber and I realised that I was probably supposed to say something. "Good morning," I tried weakly.

A woman in pink to the right of the monocled woman glared at me like I'd commited genocide. That was interesting, it was very comforting to see that everyone went into the session with an open mind.

Suddenly the doors burst open with a loud bang and Dumbledore strode inside the room in violent green robes which made my eyes hurt.

"I apologise for my lateness, my owl must have gotten lost, it only arrived a couple of minutes ago." He said it with complete levity but I got the message he wanted to say: 'why was the time changed with such short notice?.'

Cornelius sneered at him from his elevated position and rolled his eyes. "How unfortunate. Anyways, what do you have to say to explain yourself, Mr. Potter?"

He somehow managed to say my name politely and with more venom than a basilisk held. I spotted a few raised eyebrows at his tone. Good, not everyone was brainlessly following him. My bar for the officials of the government was far too low.

I explained what and why things happened slowly, leaving out why I was not at home. Dumbledore had even brought Ms. Figg along as a witness. I frowned at that, I had no idea that she had seen what had happened. I resisted sending Dumbledore an impressed look. Had he just made her lie in front of the Wizengamot? She swore an oath that she spoke the truth though. I resolved to ask him at some point.

The voting took place after a small discussion between the members and I was, to no one's surprise, cleared of all charges. I wanted to feel a sense of relief when the words of my innocence were announced, but I felt an uneasy feeling in my stomach. They must have known that I would never actually be convicted. Why had they started the trial? It just looked like a public embarrassment for Fudge. If he had been the only one with a finger in the stew, I wouldn't have worried, but Lucius Malfoy was in on this too. He was nowhere near as foolish as Fudge.

Dumbledore disappeared out of the chamber immediately and gave me no chance to speak to him. Mr. Weasley waited for me patiently when I exited and gave me a pat on the shoulder when I approached.

"Well done Harry," he said cheerfully.

"I didn't do anything," I responded in a neutral tone.

"Exactly," he said with another pat on the back.

I felt a sting of annoyance at his words. What did he actually mean by that? Did he want me to just let the adults solve everything for me? I shook my head, Mr. Weasley probably didn't even think of it like that, he was too innocent. It felt weird thinking about an adult being innocent when I was not so myself.

A man in ministry attire approached Mr. Weasley and whispered something urgently to him. It wasn't anyone I recognised from the order's headquarters so I assumed that it was something work related.

"Not again," Mr. Weasley exclaimed exasperatedly when the man finished speaking.

"We need your assistance immediately," the man said in a brisk tone.

Mr. Weasley shot me a worried glance and seemed to contemplate his choices. "Harry," he said and beckoned me over.

"Yes, Mr. Weasley?" I said as innocently as I could.

"Something has come up at work, but you can make your way to the floo by yourself, right?" he said nervously. He leaned closer. "I'll make sure that they know you are moving through the building," he added in a whisper.

With 'they' I assumed he meant Kingsley, Tonks and the other ministry workers in the order. "That's fine, Mr. Weasley," I said with a smile.

"Great!" he said with a pat on the back and hurried off with the gruff man in tow.

I shrugged and walked over to the elevators to get to the entry floor again. I didn't have to wait too long and found myself in the golden decorated elevator together with a man with a bunch of papers with pictures on them.

The elevator sped upwards quickly and stopped abruptly on one floor. So abruptly that one of the papers flew from the man's stack. He snatched it up quickly but I got a glance at the picture. My hair stood on end when I saw it. I recognised that bushy hair anywhere.

Why would someone at the ministry have a stack of pictures with Hermione on them? The man stepped out without a word and I snuck after him just before the doors closed. I found a spot where no one could see me, slid my cloak on and followed him closely.

He turned around a corner suddenly and opened a door with a large 'M' in gold on it. I frowned when the door slid shut, what department was this? The seconds went on and on and I hesitantly opened the door. The room was entirely empty, it had no door either. Where had the man gone? The stacks of papers were placed neatly on a table in the middle of the room. I took my cloak off and shuffled through them, all were the same. Every single one had a picture of Hermione from last year. It looked like it was from the night of the third task. The Hermiones in the pictures were biting her nails in worry.

I heard shuffling outside the door and scrambled to get my cloak on again. It was too late, the door banged open and a dozen men in red robes walked inside with their wands drawn. I heard the crackling of flames behind me and turned around again to find the papers turned into a crumbled pile of ashes.

One auror sneered at me with a mean glint in his eye. "What do we have here? Breaking into the department of mysteries, are we?"

-()-

Harry Potter Breaks Into Forbidden Department During Ministry Visit!

The glowing red letters glowed from the day's edition of the 'Daily Prophet'. I stirred my tea with a sullen look. It had suddenly made sense why Fudge had administered the trial. It was a trap to get me to commit a genuine crime, which could actually be used to defame me. It was rather clever really. The upside was that Fudge cared more about besmirching my image than actually getting me convicted for the crime. The Prophet described his lack of charges as a 'humble show of mercy to a troubled soul'. Fair enough, I'd been outsmarted, it was rather stupid of me all around to go sneaking about. They had pressed all my right buttons. Put one of my friends at stake and I would charge into every situation without a doubt in the world. Part of me felt concerned at the prospect, it was a weakness. A weakness which was beginning to get exploited. This had trivial consequences, next time, it could be far worse. The solution was pushing them away, which I didn't fancy too much. I'd pushed them away far enough, I didn't want to lose them entirely. I sighed tiredly. My return to Hogwarts would at least be interesting, not only was I most likely seen as a liar, but also as a thief. As a killer.

-()-

Hermione sat down in an armchair right next to me. She proceeded to pick up one of her books and read quietly next to me. Even though the only sound in the small study in Grimmauld place was the scratching when she and I turned a page, I couldn't focus.

I slammed my book shut in frustration and gave her an annoyed look.

"What?" Hermione asked indignantly.

"You know perfectly well what."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I don't actually, please indulge me."

"This won't get me to change my mind, I know that is what you're trying to do."

Hermione rolled her eyes again. "Everything is not about you, Harry. I just wanted to get away from the others to complete my homework."

I raised my eyebrows. "Which class requires you to read 'Merlin: Master of Magic'?"

Hermione slammed her book shut in frustration. "I thought it might include some useful references for McGonagall's essay."

I gave her a forced smile. "It doesn't, I read it yesterday. And even if it did, you finished all your homework within the first week."

"You can always improve," Hermione said stubbornly.

I stood up and straightened my clothes. "Of course. Then you won't mind me leaving then." I was just about to close the door when I heard Hermione cry out.

"Harry! Wait!"

I stopped in my tracks and took a deep breath. "I thought so."

Hermione glared at me. "Why can't you just let us help you? I don't get it."

"I've made that abundantly clear, I think."

"No!"

"Yes," I responded calmly. "You don't know half of what is going on Hermione, trust me, you don't want to get involved in this."

"Again, why am I not allowed to be part of this, but you are?"

"You know why."

"The prophecy," Hermione remarked with a scoff. "How do you even know it's real?" She continued distastefully.

I shrugged. "I'll make it real."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "The prophecy doesn't say that you have to do anything alone, perhaps friends is the power he 'knows not'?"

"Perhaps, but that's exactly why you should stay out of this. Having you on the front lines will kill you, resulting in me having no friends."

"Don't you have any faith in us? Let me remind you that both Ron and I have helped you before."

"And you've barely survived each time. That none of us three has died is due to dumb luck. I can't rely on that anymore," I said bitterly. "Goodbye." I stormed out of the room and locked myself in my own room with my books and documents. More than anything else, I longed to return to my master and her lessons.

-()-

The British countryside flew across our eyes so quickly we could barely make out the structures outside. I read my book as usual and tried my best to shut out the conversations between the others in the compartment. Ron and Hermione had returned from their Prefect meeting and were conversing loudly with Neville and a Ravenclaw girl I'd already forgotten the name of. I stifled a yawn, I had stayed up beyond midnight to finish a book on water charms.

"What do you think, Harry?" Neville asked cheerfully.

I looked up from my book with an annoyed look. "What do I think about what?"

"The tournament." All eyes were fixed on me and I sighed internally. I had been told that there was an international duelling tournament between schools from all over the world this year. It only occurs every six years, something which I silently thought was very unfair. Hogwarts were competing as they usually did and the representatives were going to be chosen in late September.

"I'll probably sign up for the selection for some experience, but surrender before I actually qualify."

Neville nodded in understanding. "I think I'll do the same, what about you Ron, Hermione?"

"I'm trying out for quidditch this year," Ron said simply which earned him a disappointed look from Hermione.

"Well I am going to try to get to the tournament," Hermione stated confidently. "It would be a good way to learn to fight," she continued with a pointed look at me.

I smiled with a shake of my head and returned to my book.

Hermione only glared at me in response.

Then the door to the compartment slid open and stopped an impending argument. In the doorframe stood 'the quidditch girls', as I referred to them in my head: Angelina, Alicia and Katie.

"Potter, a word please." Angelina said gruffly and motioned for me to step outside. I put my book down and Ron gave me a hopeful look.

I stepped outside and shut the door behind me firmly.

"I just wanted to tell you that I am captain this year, Potter," Angelina explained. "I expect that you will be on the team."

I smiled at her in amusement. "Couldn't this wait until we arrived at school?"

I spared a glance at Alicia who was mirroring Angelina's body language and stern look. Katie was looking at me intently as well but didn't seem as upset about my lack of dedication. We had been on the same team for four years of school but for the first time I realised that Katie was a girl.

She didn't even look any different from last year. Perhaps her hair was cut a little shorter. Katie had always been nice. We had never been close, but she had always been nice. She hadn't glared at me like I was a serial killer last year either. I wondered if there ever could have been anything between us. I could never find the answer to that question.

"I was thinking that we who have places could begin as soon as possible, then we'll have tryouts soon," Angelina said firmly, breaking me from my thoughts.

"I'll be there," I said with a nod and bid them farewell. I saw Katie send me one lasting glance and the dragon inside of me roared again. I quenched its roars and put the dragon behind bars, perhaps it could have been, but that wasn't what was destined for me.

-()-

The woman who glared at me as if I had commited genocide was my 'defence against the dark arts' teacher. That would definitely be a most prosperous union, as she called it. For the spirits of conflict at least. I couldn't care less about her teaching skills, my education was done by someone else than her. I felt an itch in my whole body. It felt so stupid being here with everyone when I could be with my master and learning things. Talking about our summer breaks and laughing about Snape's hair was a waste of time.

Dumbledore must have known that I wanted to get away quickly because he made the longest speech I'd ever heard him deliver. I didn't pay any attention at all to it. All I could imagine was Rowena's impressed look when I told her of how much I'd learned over the break.

When Dumbledore finally declared the opening feast finished I was the first one to exit the doors of the great hall. I ran up the stairs to the fourth floor, with a few glances to make sure no one followed me. The Silver door was as shining as ever and I thought the silence of the hinges were even quieter than usual. Which was impossible since it never made a sound, but it was irrelevant.

It was good to be back. I belonged here.

I smiled fondly at the purple torches. She really loved the colour purple, it was strange that blue was Ravenclaw's house's colour. As I expected, Rowena sat in her armchair with her hands folded in her lap as she usually did.

"Hello master!" I greeted cheerfully and plumped down in my armchair excitedly. "It feels good to be back."

Her face didn't move a muscle. She only fixed me with a piercing look with her brilliant purple orbs. She looked me up and down.

"What did I tell you just before you left?" Rowena said with a pair of raised eyebrows.

"Have a good summer?" I tried weakly.

"No."

"Spend time with my soon-to-be wife?"

"No." Her lip curled in distaste. "I told you to have a relaxed vacation. I told you to not study or exert yourself."

"You did," I acknowledged without meeting her eye.

"Can you explain to me, then, why you turn up here looking like you've slept two hours over the last five days?" Her eyes could freeze a sun and I felt myself flinch at her stare.

"I…"

"You did everything I told you not to," Rowena interrupted before I could continue. "You disobeyed my orders."

"Your orders are wrong," I muttered under my breath.

"What was that?" my master said sharply.

I lifted my chin to look at her defiantly. "Your orders were wrong."

Rowena narrowed her eyes and she flung a spell at me at a speed faster than lighting. I was expecting it and managed to conjure a shield quickly. To my dismay, I went straight through my protection and struck my chest. I felt my chest sting painfully, like I'd been stung by fifty bees there.

"At least you've improved a little," my master remarked coolly.

I glared at her and tried to shut the stinging sensation out. "I had to study. I had to exercise. I can't waste a single second in the fight against him."

Rowena gave me an amused look. "Do you think that sacrificing sleep will somehow grant you some unknown power?"

I glared at her. "It was a calculated decision."

"No," she snapped and her violet orbs flared angrily. "I wanted you to return here rested and ready to work hard. Instead I have a sleep deprived idiot with obedience problems."

I scoffed. "I've learned lots of useful things."

Rowena smiled at me condescendingly. "I don't need you to learn things you find useful. I need you to learn things I find useful."

"Don't you think that I learned anything of value?"

"I'm sure you did," she admitted honestly. "You're not that stupid. At what price though? Your ability to learn will be greatly decreased due to your lack of rest."

"I can manage. I will manage," I declared resolutely.

"We'll see about that."

A/N: There we go! The start of the fifth year!

As you may have noticed, there were a couple of hints for events which will take place in this story which does not occur in canon, if you think the divergence has been too much already; it will become much more so.

Anyway, please leave a short review if you don't mind.

Cheers!