Author's Notes : Sorry for missing last week's update. I was sick, so the laptop was as far away from me as the current distance between Harry and Ginny. Hehehe.

The wonderful cover for the fic is thanks to camille4audrey, who sent it to me. The credit goes to them and it certainly gives the fic a strong, new look. So, I really appreciate that. Thank you camille :)

Chapter 16 : Reruns

Being back at Hogwarts as a student, that too in the fifth year, when the upcoming OWL exams would hang over the student heads, was really tiring. Harry felt odd at first, going back to school from working as an adult for the last six years. He supposed, he ought to get used to it, as this was going to be his life. His and Ginny's married life. He was going to have to get through all this again. Get his OWLS, perhaps he could now get his NEWTS (he and Ron never came back for their seventh year with Ginny and Hermione), become an Auror. Of course, these plans were pretty much distant in the future. The only two things that mattered now were defeating Voldemort before an all out war could break out and, Harry smiled, the birth of his child.

He missed Ginny terribly. He wished to be there by her side, cater to her every whim. He and Ginny had taken to talking through the mirrors twice a day. Every night before going to bed and after getting up in the morning. Ginny loved sleeping and waking up late, so Harry was surprised she could get up and talk to him before he went down for breakfast. Ginny informed him that living under her parents' roof again made her change her sleep schedule. She spent most of the day helping her mum, who in turn spent half her day looking after her pregnant daughter. Funnily enough, Molly Weasley kept trying to convince Ginny to keep up with her studies even if she had already completed her education. If they hadn't come back in time, Ginny would have went on walks in the Muggle World. Now, she had taken up the decision to learn to cook. Ginny had told Harry, she didn't want her baby to starve if she was left to her own devices one day.

Harry also talked with Sirius, waving off his apology. He could understand the frustration of being shut in four walls. Though he had nearly toppled over, when he learnt that Sirius was now living at the Burrow. Ginny then managed to allay his concerns. Further, she assured him that the Burrow was under the securest wards they could find. Bill had already lent his expertise as the Curse-Breaker.

"Don't worry, Harry. Your wife is keeping me here on a leash," Sirius joked.

"Yeah. I let him chase gnomes," Ginny added, grinning. "Since the usual helpers aren't here, Padfoot is the next best thing!"

The way his wife and his godfather were goofing around, Harry felt relieved that they could keep each other company.

Harry wasn't the only one missing Ginny's presence, because he had clearly underestimated his redheaded wife's popularity at Hogwarts. He was used to her successful Quidditch career, but at Hogwarts, many had asked Ron and the twins where the only female Weasley witch was. Her small group of friends of her year, whom he couldn't name with a wand to his head, were already spouting off questions to an overwhelmed Ron.

Harry understood that he, Ron and Hermione were encased in a bubble, while Ron's siblings in their own; thereby limiting their shared time together at Hogwarts. He didn't realise this before, but he was self-isolated. Other than Ron and Hermione, Harry really hadn't spent much time cultivating friendships with others. He had no complaints regarding this, as he felt two best friends by his side were more than enough for him. Harry had no idea what to do once the baby was here and their truth of being parents was out, but he reckoned they would cross that bridge much later.

For now, lesser people knew about Ginny and brought lesser attention to her non-attendance to this year, the better. The only answer everyone was given to Ginny's absence was the same which was given to Michael Corner. Ginny had decided to stay at home for this year. That wasn't clearly enough for her fellow year mates, so Harry had to step in to say that Ginny could send them owls, thereby ending the subject.

That was another thing - sending owls was considered risky for the time being for people being close to Dumbledore, and especially Harry. Ginny had told him that owl messages were being watched and searched by the Ministry. Fudge was apparently angry that he couldn't station Umbridge at Hogwarts under the pretense of DADA teacher. It seemed that Dumbledore had narrowly announced the change in Hogwarts staff, thus preventing Fudge's interference. Naturally, Fudge didn't want to be the one to disallow the changes in the staff, for Slughorn held many favours in the Ministry and was well-respected in many circles. The rumour around the Ministry was that Fudge was working on another educational reform to undermine Dumbledore's authority at Hogwarts. Luckily for them, the mirror suited perfectly. The owls were sent to them consisting of the usual correspondence; whereas important messages were passed through the mirrors via Ginny.

As for where their mission to defeat Voldemort was concerned, events were happening just like last time. Guards were placed near the prophecy in the Department of Mysteries. Nothing suspicious was reported as of yet, which suggested that their enemy was currently bidding his time laying low. It was pretty much decided in the Order, that the main aim was to guard the prophecy firstly and find out ways to get the two Horcruxes. It would be an idiot thing to face Voldemort headfirst without cutting off his anchors to the mortal world.

The days went by surprisingly quick for both Harry and Ginny. It took little to no time to adjust to being at Hogwarts and as that, a week passed by. Sure enough, as Harry had predicted, the students were drowning under the burden of OWLS. Though he wasn't much worried about them, he was pretty certain he would breezily pass them. Although the pressure was now on Ron, who looked more and more stressed in each classes; he was more focused than Harry had ever seen him. Harry assumed it was because two of friends were sure shot to get good marks; as no matter how much Hermione worried about exams, she came out on top every time.

History of Magic was by common consent the most boring subject ever devised by wizardkind. Professor Binns, their ghost teacher, had a wheezy, droning voice that was almost guaranteed to cause severe drowsiness within ten minutes, five in warm weather. He never varied the form of their lessons, but lectured them without pausing while they took notes, or rather, gazed sleepily into space. Harry and Ron had so far managed to scrape passes in this subject only by copying Hermione's notes before exams; she alone seemed able to resist the soporific power of Binns' voice.

Today, they suffered an hour and a half's droning on the subject of giant wars. Harry heard just enough within the first ten minutes to appreciate dimly that in another teacher's hands this subject might have been mildly interesting, but then his brain disengaged, and he spent the remaining hour and twenty minutes playing hangman on a corner of his parchment with Ron, while Hermione shot them filthy looks out of the corner of her eye.

"I thought you were worried about OWLS, Ron," she snapped after the class.

"I am, Hermione! It's just no one can focus on Binns' droning," said Ron.

"How would it be," she asked them coldly, as they left the classroom for break (Binns drifting away through the blackboard), "if I refused to lend you my notes this year?"

"I'd fail our OWL," said Ron. "And I know you love me enough not to let me fail and have me resit my fifth year..."

Hermione gaped, unable to say anything further, as her cheeks turned red. Harry rolled his eyes, seeing how casually had Ron put out his feelings without even realising. Harry just hoped they would get their act together.

Similarly, Harry and Ron suffered through their regretful decision of taking Divination, while Hermione left to attend Arithmancy. Just this one year, Harry thought, to ditch the stupid subject.

The best thing about coming back to Hogwarts (Ron agreed wholeheartedly) was undoubtedly Quidditch. Harry only played friendlies at the Burrow in the future and enjoyed watching his wife play. He still preferred the competitive and fast-paced sport that was the school Quidditch. Ginny would be jealous of not getting to play in her condition.

Angelina Johnson was the new Gryffindor captain and the first order of business was to find a new Keeper.

"Yeah, well, we need a new Keeper now Oliver's left. Tryouts are on Friday at five o'clock and I want the whole team there, all right? Then we can see how the new person will fit in."

"OK," said Harry.

Angelina smiled at him and departed.

"I'd forgotten Wood had left," said Hermione vaguely as she sat down beside Ron. "I suppose that will make quite a difference to the team?"

"Still, it won't hurt to have some new blood, will it?" said Ron.

"You hoping to try out?" Harry asked. Ron had gotten new broom when he made prefect.

"Well, yeah. Why, did I get in?" Ron asked, wishing to rely on Harry's foreknowledge of the future.

"It's a brilliant idea! It'd be really cool if you got on the team!" said Harry simply.

"I'm not bad," said Ron, who still looked a bit unsure at Harry's reaction. "Charlie, Fred and George always made me Keep for them when they were training during the holidays."

"So you've been practising? I can help you with that. I know a bit of the drills since Ginny became a Harpy."

"Can you?" Ron looked highly relieved. "It's difficult just on my own, though. I've been trying to bewitch Quaffles to fly at me, but it hasn't been easy and I don't know how much use it'll be."

Ron looked nervous and anxious. "Fred and George are going to laugh themselves stupid when I turn up for the tryouts. They haven't stopped taking the mickey out of me since I got made a prefect."

"Let's just say, Gryffindor won the House Cup twice in a row when the Keeper was a Weasley," smirked Harry. Ron only needed confidence in himself.

In the evenings, they collected balls from the cupboard in the changing room and set to work, Ron guarding the three tall goalposts, Harry playing Chaser and trying to get the Quaffle past Ron. Harry knew Ron was pretty good, the only problem was his nerves; he blocked three-quarters of the goals Harry attempted to put past him and played better the longer they practised. After a couple of hours they returned to the castle for lunch - during which Hermione made it quite clear she thought they were irresponsible — then returned to the Quidditch pitch for the real training session. All their teammates but Angelina were already in the changing room when they entered.

The tryouts didn't take much time. Keeper was the only open position on the Gryffindor team. The Slytherins did attempt to botch their tryouts, but to no avail as Harry cast a Silencing Charm on them without their knowing. Their snarky comments didn't reach them and Ron easily won the spot of the Keeper.

A fine misty drizzle was falling, so that the people standing in huddles around the edges of the yard looked blurred at the edges. Harry, Ron and Hermione chose a secluded corner under a heavily dripping balcony, turning up the collars of their robes against the chilly September air and talking about what Snape was likely to set them in the first lesson of the year. They had got as far as agreeing that it was likely to be something extremely difficult, just to catch them off guard after a two-month holiday, when someone walked around the corner and passed them.

"Hello Harry!"

Throughout the following week, Cho would regularly smile and wave at Harry as they passed in the corridors. Harry, on his part, tried to ignore and limit his reaction to her.

"I am going to have to do something about it eventually," he said to Ginny one day. "She's being really obvious; it's not like I can pretend forever that I don't notice. But what should I do?"

"There isn't much you can do other than let her down gently," she said. "You're right; it would be cruel to just pretend not to notice for too long, but if she doesn't take the hint, I'm afraid that means you're probably going to have to bring it up with her and address it directly."

"I was afraid of that," said Harry glumly. "I suppose you couldn't help me with this?"

"What more can I do, Harry? Come to Hogwarts and stake my claim on you?" she joked.

"Can you? You know, I always have problems talking with girls," said Harry. "Hermione doesn't count," he added.

"Yes, I know. See a girl interested in you and you run for the hills," Ginny shook her head. She mockingly suggested him to wear a shirt written with 'Property of Ginny Weasley' and the issue would be solved easily.

The problem of what to do about Cho weighed heavily on his mind, even though all he was really worried about was hurting the girl's feelings. And considering what she was going through at this point in time, Harry didn't want to end up comforting a girl in tears. He never had gotten the grasp at that. That was another reason he felt comfortable with Ginny and Hermione; both were strong-willed and independent and he never really had an awkward conversation with them.

An hour later they reluctantly left the sunlit common room for the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom four floors below. Hermione was already queuing outside, carrying an armful of heavy books and looking put-upon.

The classroom door opened as she spoke, and Snape stepped into the corridor, his sallow face framed as ever by two curtains of greasy black hair. Silence fell over the queue immediately. "Inside," he said.

Harry looked around as they entered. Snape had imposed his personality upon the room already; it was gloomier than usual, as curtains had been drawn over the windows, and was lit by candlelight. New pictures adorned the walls, many of them showing people who appeared to be in pain, sporting grisly injuries or strangely contorted body parts. Nobody spoke as they settled down, looking
around at the shadowy, gruesome pictures.

"Settle down," said Snape coldly, shutting the door behind him.

There was no real need for the call to order; the moment the class had heard the door close, quiet had fallen and all fidgeting stopped. Snape's mere presence was usually enough to ensure a class's silence.

"Before we begin today's lesson," said Snape, sweeping over to his desk and staring around at them all, "I think it appropriate to remind you that next June you will be sitting an important examination, during which you will prove how much you have learned. Moronic though some of this class undoubtedly are, I expect you to scrape an "Acceptable" in your OWL, or suffer my… displeasure.

"Though, that might even be deplorable, considering the amount of teachers you have had over the years. I sincerely hope I wouldn't have to teach you basic defensive spells."

"Professor, you must be very happy to finally get this job. I had told my father many times, that you would be the best," piped up Malfoy.

"Thank you Mr. Malfoy for your faith in my teaching abilities," said Snape. He then passed a glance directly at Harry, who stared back unflinchingly. "Though, it might seem that there have been complaints regarding my Potioneering if the comments made by Professor Slughorn are anything to go by."

"It's their loss, sir. I would say that this job is cursed. Perhaps now that we have you, we might finally get a decent teacher, one who is not preferably tainted, half-breeds -"

"If you mean Professor Lupin," said Ron, "he was the best we ever -"

"Sit down Weasley," ordered Snape.

"Professor, please. We still have learned loads from -," began Hermione, who was always eager to showcase her knowledge.

"Hermione, let Professor Snape prove that he has what it takes to mould dunderheads like us into outstanding students," said Harry.

The words had escaped him before he knew what he was saying. Several people gasped, including Hermione. Behind Snape, however, Ron, Dean, and Seamus grinned appreciatively. He could see the glee on the faces of Slytherin students.

"Start with Potter, Professor. He still hasn't learnt when to back down," grinned Malfoy.

Snape then strode up to where Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting. "Potter has an unfortunate tendency of giving cheek and interfering in matters that doesn't concern him. I will forget your remark, seeing that it is the first lesson. Remember, you are still in school."

Snape's message was clear - I don't care if you are fifteen or twenty-four years old. He then set off around the edge of the room, speaking now in a lower voice; the class craned their necks to keep him in view.

"Now, as you know, there wasn't much time for me revise the syllabus and prepare a new one, as I was notified about the change shortly before the year began. Which is why, we are starting theoretically..."

Harry's comment must have left Snape in a foul mood, for he gave an enormous amount of homework. Which is how they found themselves in the library, tucked away in the corner. Hermione kept pulling books out of shelves and stacking them on the table; only making Ron's eyes widen with each book's increasing length.

"Hermione, have you planned to read the whole library this year?" he asked. She gave him a scornful look and went ahead with her work.

Harry easily breezed past his work and then offered to help Ron with his.

The library kept filling up, with students getting divided into study groups, most of them being fifth, sixth and seventh year students. Some of them, rather unsubtly, glancing at Harry, whispering among themselves.

"Is anything the matter?" Harry asked his friends.

Hermione looked around, saying, "Oh, it's just everyone's kind of on the fence about V-Voldemort returning. Dumbledore's speech only made them more curious."

Ron cleared his throat, "Also, your talk with Seamus the other day. I heard that he talked to others, and well, you know Lavender and Parvati. They sort of gossiped it to others. Reckon it's already all over school."

"I want you to know, Potter," Harry jumped, as he saw Ernie Macmillan over his shoulder, "that I personally believe you one hundred per cent. My family have always stood firm behind Dumbledore, and so do I."

"Thank you Ernie," replied Harry gratefully. Ernie nodded and left.

The students were still divided in opinions regarding Voldemort's return. However, most of them contacted Ron and Hermione and not Harry directly. Hermione replied this was because he always had been an enigma and people were hesitant to approach him. The most notable exception to this was Luna Lovegood, who cornered him after class one day and announced her support in front of all.

When Luna saw Harry, her prominent eyes seemed to bulge excitedly and she made a beeline straight for him. Many of his classmates turned curiously to watch. Luna took a great breath and then said, without so much as a preliminary hello, "I believe He Who Must Not Be Named is back and I believe you fought him and escaped from him."

Harry smiled in return.

"You know, maybe we should perhaps try to unite the school first. Dumbledore's Army was a great idea," said Hermione suddenly.

Harry slyly waved his hand around them and tried to cast 'Muffliato'. He was more and more trying to research into the fact of doing magic wandlessly. When nothing happened, he sighed and then used his wand.

"What were you saying?" Harry asked Hermione.

"We could start a study group, like you showed us in the memories."

"But what for? That Umbridge woman isn't here," interjected Ron.

"Yes. I have been thinking that instead of just being a Defense group, we could enlarge the scope - include Charms, Transfiguration. It could be open to all. We wouldn't have to do anything in secret. Everyone, from all four houses, can come and benefit from it. It could lead to inter-house unity," said Hermione.

"Well, you would be a better teacher than Snape anyways mate," said Ron. "He will go berserk!"

"Ron!"

"Oh, atleast Harry won't breath down our necks and take away points when teaching. Pretty sure most of the people here still struggle with basic spells. Can't blame them really when only one teacher was an expert. Snape just frightens people into doing magic."

Harry looked at Ron and then at Hermione, who appeared very enthusiastic at the prospect of learning new things. Even Ron looked eager.

"Okay."

"Thank you Harry," said Hermione, while Ron clapped Harry on the shoulder.

"I think we should have McGonagall listen to the proposal first," Hermione continued. "Then we can talk to other Prefects and put up notices in the common rooms."

The three went on with their work, when suddenly Hermione cried, making Harry and Ron jump.

"Of course! We are forgetting the most important aspect of all this. Muggle Studies!" she exclaimed.

When both the boys looked at her in confusion, she explained, "Isn't that what the war was about? Subjugating Muggles and Muggleborns. Brainwashing the Wizardkind against them. Vilifying them. Twisting the truth. Ginny told me that when the Death Eaters took over Hogwarts, this was what was passed as curriculum. And most of them believed it."

"No surprise there. Our world is so cut off from the Muggles, most of us don't have a clue about them. Purebloods especially. You know, how my dad kept making the wrong assumptions until you two came into our lives and set some of the stories straight," said Ron.

"Exactly. We could take the help from some Half-bloods and Muggleborns and educate the ignorant. That is how we crush V-Voldemort's ideology," said Hermione firmly.

"Living completely apart from Muggles is a bad thing," said Harry, understanding her point.

"Dad always told us that Muggles were just like us, but without magic. He was right, but we didn't actually know that, because unlike you two, we didn't meet any."

Ron gave a grudging nod of agreement.

"Does this mean you will be teaching us about fellytones and that wavey things?," he asked sincerely.

"Telephones and Electricity, Ron. Yes, we could show them that just because Muggles don't have magic, they aren't cripple. They live just fine," replied Hermione.

"I think it's brilliant. You know, Muggle technology is going to take huge strides in the future. The Wizarding World needs to keep up or will be left behind in dust," Harry pointed out. "People need to adjust and adapt into changing with the times."

"It could take time, what with the traditional Purebloods in power," said Ron.

"But didn't you say that Purebloods are getting rare. Most of us are now Half-bloods or Muggleborns," remarked Hermione.

"Well, yeah. That doesn't mean Pureblood will die out completely though. Look at Harry and Ginny," pointed Ron, "Their baby will be counted among Purebloods."

Harry frowned, "Uh, won't it be Half-Blood since I am one?"

"Technically, it will be Three-Quarter Blood," chuckled Ron. "But there isn't such a status. So, it will be Pureblood, considering it has the Potter, Weasley and Prewett bloodlines. And if you go further back, it's even got some Black bloodline. I don't know much about Potters though," said Ron.

"I think my grandmother was a Rosier and one of my ancestors was Peverell, a very old Wizarding family," said Harry.

"See. Purebloods will keep finding ways to justify how pure their blood and lineage is. Pretty sure that there are atleast one or two Half-Bloods in every Purebloods family tree. They just don't know it," said Ron.

"Which is the problem. Hiding away and staying completely separate can lead to prejudice and distrust, Ron," argued Hermione. "A lot of other pureblood families, still hide themselves away. You were allowed into Ottery St Catchpole; you even wore Muggle clothes, you're different to most of the old Pureblood families. I know that we can't force everyone to change; a lot of wizards still know nothing about Muggles, and they don't want to know. But you don't want your great-grandchildren to turn out to be Muggle-haters like the Malfoys simply because they've never met a Muggle. Harry's right, we need to interact more, understand more. It won't be easy. I'm sure that there will be a few problems with little slips and accidental magic…"

"Understanding is the first step to acceptance," said Harry.

"That sounded almost like Dumbledore," remarked Ron.

"Well, you know I am a mature adult," said Harry, as Ron laughed sarcastically and Hermione went ahead with the planning of a new version of Dumbledore's Army.