Thank you so much Federer Rex for this chapter and the first!
Chapter 2 - Mimbulus Mimbletonia
Harry proceeded to eat breakfast in silence, he ignored the wary looks being aimed his way.
At this point he was pretty certain it was time travel and not that he was dead, the final straw being the scar on the back of his hand that he tucked beneath the table.
I must not tell lies.
Yeah, he was pretty sure the afterlife wouldn't have included that.
Sirius worried gaze flicked to him but he didn't press him with any more questions or reassurances.
Once Harry had eaten he was shooed off to get ready. The water was cold, so it was a quick shower.
By the time he was cleaned up and on the stairs, Fred and George had begun helping with the luggage.
Harry jumped down four steps and pinned Ginny to the wall as trunks came soaring down the stairs.
"Thanks," Ginny whispered as Harry pulled back, her cheeks were flaming pink.
"Don't mention it," Harry said, he picked up his own luggage and rolled his eyes as Sirius's mother started lambasting their inappropriate behaviour.
Harry helped Ginny with the owl cages as they made their way downstairs.
Sirius was hopping around as a black dog, though not as energetic as he had once been.
"No, absolutely not," Mrs. Weasley said.
"Can we change his fur colour, make him look like a golden retriever or a lab or something?" Harry asked.
Mrs. Weasley's expression faltered.
Moody grunted. "Maybe make him smaller?"
Sirius growled and bared his teeth to the retired aurors amusement.
Tonks pulled her wand, "I can do it."
"Fine," Mrs. Weasley agreed.
Sirius sat very still as Tonks worked her magic. A minute or so later, Sirius's black fur turned to gold and his curls straightened.
Harry went to his knees and hugged Sirius tightly. Sirius rested his muzzle on Harry's shoulder.
"Alright," Mrs. Weasley said, "let's go."
Harry hung on a moment longer.
He wouldn't let Sirius die this time.
Sirius snuffed his ear, and Harry let him go.
The walk to the station went much the same. Sirius chased pigeons for Harry's entertainment, and Harry tied to remind himself that this a was a beginning of a new start, not the beginning of a new nightmare.
Harry watched Sirius run to the end of the platform, as long as he could, until he fell out of sight.
Then he was on the move, which left Ginny to follow.
Neville caught up to them as Harry made his way to the one place in the world he truly wanted to be.
"Harry, wait—" Neville tried to say but Harry had already opened the door.
This time, Luna wasn't reading the Quibbler. She was sitting up, eyes trained on the door.
Harry caught her gaze and he knew.
Knew she remembered.
She stood, and without prompting, Harry wrapped her in a tight embrace.
Whatever was happening, they were in this together.
Neither of them was alone.
"I see you two know each other," Ginny said, a bit stiffly as she pushed Harry's luggage further into the room.
Harry pulled back and Luna smiled up at him. He grinned before turning to Ginny and grabbing her luggage, and hefted it into the luggage rack. He did the same for Luna's, Neville's and his own.
"Thanks," Neville said.
Luna just caught Harry's hand, and he squeezed it and sat down beside her. Her hand shook slightly, and Harry realized that, as he had travelled back in time and replaced his younger self, so must have Luna.
Which meant she was still injured.
Worry turned his gut as the other two sat across from them, the owls hooting softly in their cages.
"How do you two know each other?" Ginny asked more directly.
"I helped Luna with Defence Against the Dark Arts homework," Harry answered, trying to think of how to ask if she was alright.
"Harry taught me how to summon a Patronus," Luna added.
"Cool," Neville said. "What is it?"
"A hare," Harry answered. "How was your morning, Luna?"
She shrugged, "Confusing, but I'm alright, just a bit tired."
"And the fairy?" he asked, he guessed that this conversation would be too odd for Ginny or Neville to really understand.
"She moved into the garden with the others. They seemed happy to see her," Luna said.
"You have fairies in your garden?" Neville asked. "That's really rare for them to live so close to humans."
She shrugged, "It's my mother's garden, they've lived there for as long as I can remember."
Harry squeezed her hand again. Luna smiled up at him, her silver-blue eyes sparkling.
He wasn't sure what he was going to say next but Ron and Hermione came in then, dragging their trunks behind them. Crookshanks hopped in ahead of them, right into Ginny's lap.
"You're never going to guess who the Slytherin's Prefects are," Ron said, plopping down beside Neville, only to freeze when he saw Harry holding Luna's hand.
Hermione too gave them an odd look.
"Hermione, Ron, this is my friend, Luna Lovegood," Harry said into the awkward silence.
Hermione recovered first, "Nice to meet you."
Luna squinted at Hermione.
"Nargles?" Harry asked.
Luna nodded solemnly.
"What are Nargles?" Hermione asked.
"Moody's worst nightmare," Harry said without missing a beat.
Luna giggled.
Ron shook his head, "Right, anyway, Malfoy is the Slytherin Prefect."
"Good for him," Harry said dryly.
"WHAT!?" Ron exploded.
Harry rolled his eyes, "Sarcasm, Ron, breathe."
"Oh," Ron said, deflating, his cheeks going red. "Sorry."
Neville chose that moment to show off his Cactus, "Look what I got for my birthday."
"What is it?" Hermione asked.
"Mimbulus mimbletonia," Neville said, proudly as he held it up.
Cho Chang poked her head into the compartment. "Hi Harry, good summer?"
Harry kept his mouth shut turning away from her to shield Luna as Neville's cactus barfed.
Harry pulled back, Luna was curled into his side shaking with silent laughter, that turned into loud snorts when she looked up into his face that was splattered but the muddy gunk.
Harry grinned as she lifted her free hand to wipe at his cheek.
There was a small sound of distress that caused Harry look round at the still open compartment door.
Cho looked horrified, betrayed even, as she stood stunned and dripping in the doorway.
Hermione huffed, whipping her wand out to clean the mess with a crisp spell.
"Sorry," Neville said meekly.
Cho's look of outrage started Harry laughing and soon he and Luna were leaning on each other for support.
Cho slammed the compartment door behind her while the others gave them strange looks.
Malfoy came into the compartment not a minute later, while Harry and Luna were still laughing.
"What is wrong with you, Potter?" Malfoy asked, disgusted.
Harry leaned across the isle to tickle the cactus.
It exploded again.
"Harry!" Ron, Ginny, and Hermione yelled.
Malfoy screamed, reeling out of the compartment swearing, "You'll pay for this, Potter!"
Hermione performed the spell again once they were gone, she was glaring at Harry with one of her most severe expressions.
He shrugged, "Lighten up, Hermione. Malfoy wasn't going to be less of prat unprovoked."
She huffed at him, unimpressed.
"Let's not do that again," Ron said.
"Agreed," Ginny seconded.
Harry shrugged, "No promises."
Luna started giggling and Harry grinned.
This year was probably going to suck, but it would suck a lot less because of Luna.
The rest of the ride was uneventful, though Harry had to listen as Ron and Hermione bickered. Luna fell asleep on Harry's shoulder, their hands remained entwined. Hermione and Ginny kept giving him strange looks.
He let them, feeling no need to explain himself. He was allowed to have friends outside of Hermione and the Weasleys.
When they got to the carriages, he and Luna in mutual agreement avoided the thestrals.
No need to tip off anyone where they would be spending the majority of their time.
After all, the Forbidden Forest was, technically, still forbidden.
The Great Feast went just as it had before, but when Hermione and Ron began to shepherd the first years, Harry stood to the side, and waited for the Professors.
He watched Dumbledore panic, not outwardly but Harry could see distress in his posture. And he waited until the moment Dumbledore seemed to think Harry would let him go, then he stepped forward.
Dumbledore almost tripped over his own robes, but Harry looked right past him, "Professor McGonagall, may I speak with you about classes please?"
Dumbledore breezed past, looking as if he had dodged a bullet.
Harry didn't know how to get back at Dumbledore, he wasn't even sure if there was really something tangible to get back at him for, but he figured there had to be some prank he could pull that would be relatively harmless while expressing his displeasure.
"Of course, Mr. Potter," McGonagall said, stepping to the side with him.
Snape passed them with a sneer but Professor Flitwick held back, which Harry didn't mind. Flitwick was one of his favourite professors.
"Did anyone talk to you about this morning?" Harry asked.
McGonagall scowled down at him, "I heard you had quite the nightmare."
He nodded, "I don't want to take Divination anymore. I don't care if I still have to take the test at the end of the year, but I can't pretend I'm actually taking the class seriously nor can I take another year of Trelawny detailing how I and my classmates —and their families— are going to come to harm and death."
McGonagall's expression softened, "I certainly will not force you to, and you do not need to take the test at the end of the year. It will not, however, look well on your resume to have no other electives."
"What are my options?" he asked.
"You can take another elective, starting with the third years."
"Or," Professor Flitwick said, stepping forward. "If I may say so, Mr. Potter, you are one of my most proficient students. If you like, you could be a teacher assistant for my third year class of Ravenclaws-Slytherins."
Harry jumped at the opportunity, "I would love to, Professor Flitwick, thank you!"
Flitwick smiled up at him, "It's rare we have anyone interested in helping with the younger students."
"I enjoy teaching," Harry said.
McGonagall raised a brow, "I wasn't aware you had experience."
"I taught Luna Lovegood how to summon a Patronus," he said, going with the story he used this morning.
Both professors blinked at him.
"I didn't know you were close with Ms. Lovegood," Flitwick said.
Harry shrugged, she's pretty cool, "Shame people keep stealing her shoes though."
"What?" Flitwick asked a bit sharply.
"Her shoes," Harry said, backing up a step as he saw Umbridge headed their way. "What time was your class professor?"
"Fourth period on Mondays and Fridays, and if you truly enjoy it. My fourth year Hufflepuff-Gryffindor class as a double block Friday," Flitwick said.
McGonagall added, "And if you put a bit more effort into this year, Mr. Potter, you would be welcome to TA my fourth year classes on Thursday."
Given Harry was literally redoing this year, he agreed easily, "I would be honoured professors."
"If it gets to be too much with OWLs…" McGonagall said.
"I'll keep up," Harry said with the confidence of someone who had literally just taken his tests. "See you tomorrow, Professors. Thank you again."
He made a hasty retreat before Umbridge could sink her teeth into their discussion.
Sirius paced back and forth in the kitchen.
They had called an emergency Order of the Phoenix meeting.
Minerva, Snape, and Dumbledore, doubtless weren't happy to be here on the first night of classes, but this was about Harry.
So it was Sirius, Remus, Minerva, Snape, Dumbledore, Tonks, Moody, Arthur, Molly, Bill, and Kingsley Shacklebolt.
"What the hell are we doing here?" Snape asked.
"He thought I was dead," Sirius said. He had already ordered Kreature to never talk to anyone else outside of Grimmauld Place and to never share anything about Harry. "He thought he was dead."
"Harry has withdrawn from the Divination elective," Minerva said.
"You let him quit a class?" Remus asked.
"He should have never been in that woman's class," Minerva said. "If I may be so bold, she shouldn't be teaching. Harry cited as his reason for not wanting to take the class was that he didn't want to be told how he, his classmates, and his classmates' families were going to die and suffer."
Dumbledore winced.
"What convinced Harry he wasn't dreaming?" Bill asked.
"When everyone save Ron walked into the room," Tonks said. "He said Madam Pomfrey was too good to let us all die."
There was a silence.
Sirius broke it, "He needs help. It was a mistake to leave him with the Dursleys all summer."
"What's done is done," Dumbledore said.
"Harry will be the teaching assistant for Filius's third year classes, one of his fourth year classes and my fourth year classes," Minerva said.
"I didn't approve that decision," Dumbledore said, clearly this was the first time he was hearing of it.
"We don't need your approval, he's in my House and I think the extra work will do him good."
"It's too much," Dumbledore argued.
"Well, you wouldn't let me make him a Prefect," Minerva shot back. "And he's down an elective, so he should be fine."
"I wasn't aware Potter was skilled enough in Transfiguration to be a TA," Snape drawled.
"It is Ms. Granger's favourite subject," Minerva said. "He holds back to allow her the spotlight. It also doesn't help that he is in hazardous circumstances each year."
"How is giving him more responsibilities going to help that?" Dumbledore asked.
"Harry said that he enjoys teaching," Minerva said.
"Who has he ever taught?" Snape asked.
"Apparently, he taught Ms. Luna Lovegood how to summon a Patronus last year," Minerva said.
Remus rubbed his face, "He's a good kid."
"I didn't know that Hogwarts had TAs," Bill said.
"It's usually more work for the teachers," Minerva explained. "And very few students want to give up personal time for no reward."
"So what's the point?" Tonks asked.
"Because sometimes it does help other students," Minerva said. "If students need help with homework or perfecting a spell, sometimes they won't go to the teacher but they will go to TA. Harry isn't so skilled at written evolution that I would fear him helping others cheat or give them the answers. It is rare to find students who are talented, smart, and willing as well as kind enough to help others with practical magic as opposed to say, Ms. Granger who would simply give others the answers from the text books rather than helping them work through it."
"But what's the benefit to him?" Tonks asked.
"Originally," Minerva said. "It was just to be a single block for Charms to make up for being short a class. But when he showed interest—" She shrugged. "I would like the opportunity to keep a closer eye on him and with the depression and the anger, I think keeping him busy would be good."
"But it's OWLs year," Molly protested.
Minerva shook her head, "If it is too much, he can drop a class or two. But there is no extra homework, and again, he seemed to be truly interested."
"But he's on the Quidditch team and—"
"And he might quit the team," Minerva said.
Sirius blinked, "Why? Did he say something?"
Minerva shrugged, "I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't want to go back onto the Quidditch pitch."
Sirius winced.
Snape scoffed, "He won't quit, he likes Quidditch more than anything."
Sirius's gut twisted, if Minerva was right then Harry was worse off than even Sirius had feared.
"Please keep me updated," Sirius said.
"I don't know if teaching will help Harry much," Remus said. "He doesn't seem to much like other students."
"He doesn't like being asked about the drama and horror that surrounds him each year," Minerva countered. "He doesn't like being stared at. He's perfectly fine with other people. Have you ever seen him overwhelmed by the Weasleys?" Minerva asked. "No, I believe given the chance, Harry will rise to the occasion. And I would rather that occasion be teaching than killing the Dark Lord."
There was a heavy silence, and not even Snape seemed willing to break.
The next day, dawned bright and early.
Harry had sent Hedwig to Luna last night and she had returned soon after with a letter affirming that Luna was indeed alright, that Madam Pomfrey had finished patching her up already by the time they were sent back in time. She just needed sleep.
Unable to sleep much, Harry went through the trouble of rewriting his Potions essay and his DADA summer work.
His Potions essay he made as perfect as he was able, figuring he would start on a new foot with Snape.
He hated the man, he really did, but he wanted an O on his OWLs and Snape's essay markups were pretty detailed. Anything at all Harry was unsure about, he included in the essay, knowing that Snape would be compelled to correct it if he had got it wrong. This was the only type of teachering Snape ever did.
Harry did the exact opposite on his DADA homework, going out of his way to misspell words, make his handwriting impossible to read even for him and use solely run-on sentences.
He was going to play dumb, one because Umbridge would be foolish enough to believe such an act and two because it meant she maybe would ignore him a bit more if he played into what she believed to be true about him.
Angelina cornered him at breakfast and Harry braced himself for the inevitable.
"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'll fit in."
"Actually," Harry said. "You will need a new Seeker too. I'm leaving the team this year."
"You what!?" Angelina and Ron shouted at him.
He flinched but didn't back down, "I quit."
"You can't quit!" she yelled at him.
"I just did."
"You're letting down your House—" she began yelling, voice rising.
"I watched Voldemort crawl out of a cauldron after killing Cedric Diggory!" Harry yelled back. His temper snapped like a cut cable on a suspension bridge. "You think I care about Quidditch!? Do you know how many people are going to die this year while the ministry is gas lighting everyone!? Do you know how many families are going to get torn apart because people would rather believe in a lie than believe the guy who was obsessed with immortality is back!? Well, do you, Angelina!? Do you!?"
Fred and George appeared out of the crowd, "Alright, Harry?"
Harry shook his head, "No, I'm not. I'm not alright! None of this is alright! We know what's going to happen and I can't— no one believes—"
He bit his tongue so hard he tasted blood.
He ducked away from his friends, from the hurt on Angelina's face.
He felt like a monster.
He felt out of control.
He ran toward where no one would think to look for him.
He ran to the dungeons where he found Snape's classroom unlocked.
The silence in this room he hated… it was somehow reassuring. Too odd to not be real, proof that things could change.
Harry meticulously set up his cauldron and supplies. By the time he was taking down the notes on the board, he could breathe easier again.
He reread the chapter they were going to work on for class and found he still had another fifteen minutes before breakfast ended.
Harry sighed, getting up from his seat to pace. He had never liked Snape's classroom, he had cleaned it a few times but never explored the bookshelves. He didn't dare go behind Snape's desk but in the back, there was a small stack of textbooks from each year.
Harry picked up the dirtier of the two sixth year books, the one Snape would be less likely to miss. Taking it back to his seat, he began reading it.
Whoever the previous owner of the book had been, had many opinions on Potions. But the tips were more interesting than the textbook itself and soon the room was filling without his knowing it.
He put the book away, not wanting to hear it from Snape.
"Hey, Harry."
He looked up to see Parvati hesitating beside him.
"Hey, Parvati," he greeted.
"Can I sit with you? Lavender isn't very serious about Potions and I don't want to get paired with Neville this year."
They were the first two Gryffindors in the classroom.
"Sure," he said, moving his stuff. "Ron and I usually switch off with Hermione anyway."
She sat down beside him, obviously relieved, "Thanks, I don't think you're as bad as Snape makes you out to be in this class. You're really good with a knife."
He smirked and said a bit self-deprecatingly, "I cook."
"Really?" she asked, pulling out her supplies beside his.
"I bake too," he said.
Parvati shook her head, "A man of many talents."
Harry winced, "I'm sorry."
"About what?" she asked.
"About being a miserable dance partner for the Yule Ball," he said. "I didn't mean to be… Well, such a git. Sometimes, I just follow whatever Ron does because I'm afraid of embarrassing myself. Which is extra stupid seeing as that's exactly what I did."
Parvati gave him a soft smile, laying a hand on his arm, "I do it too sometimes. Lavender isn't a bad person but sometimes I don't know if we would be friends if I always were myself, you know?"
He nodded, "Ron was my first friend."
She shook her head, "That can't be easy."
He shrugged, "No, actually it is easy. The Weasleys are really good people. I would give just about anything to have a family like his."
Parvati grinned, "Oh the Weasleys might have a lot of siblings, but they don't have anything on my family back in India."
Intrigued, Harry asked, "Tell me about them?"
Her smile grew, transforming her face as she began to talk about her relatives.
Unlike Ron, she didn't complain about them, she described some of their weddings and her female cousins getting into nursing school. Harry didn't often talk about the muggle world with anyone, but he found it… nice.
Hermione and Ron were late and Harry gave them a sympathetic wince when Snape tore into them and docked House points, knowing that they had been late looking for him.
Severus Snape had concerns, especially after learning about Potter's lapse in sanity.
What he hadn't expected was Potter to get better at Potions over night, much less inspire another student to do equally well.
Potter's potion was flawless, spilling silver mist.
He hadn't understood why Filius wanted Potter as a TA, nor McGonagall. But he was beginning to.
The boy was still angry, reckless…
But there was something changed in the boy, something that spoke of potential that Severus had never seen in Potter, nor his sire before.
But he had seen it in Lily once.
Harry Potter was not his mother.
But perhaps, he wasn't his father either.
AN: Thoughts about the chapter, cacti, or feedback, pretty please?