Apparition, Harry decided, was something he needed to learn. The sensation of being squeezed through a tube was far from pleasant, but it was certainly a useful skill. Harry chuckled as he imagined how the Dursleys would react if he apparated directly into their living room. He suspected that at least one of them would faint, and his money was on it being Dudley. On top of using apparition to frighten his relatives, the ability to travel long distances instantaneously was incredibly convenient. The Knight Bus always made him queasy.

Dumbledore apparated Harry and Daphne to the front gates, since apparition inside the grounds was not possible. The school house elves had already taken their trunks to their respective dormitories. When they arrived, the sun was still high overhead, and the Hogwarts Express would not get there for hours. They were the only students at Hogwarts.

Professor Dumbledore led the way to the castle. As Harry fell in line behind him, Daphne grabbed him by the arm and held him back. "Will you do me a favor, Potter?" she whispered.

Harry took one look at her pleading blue eyes, and felt compelled to help her. He nodded his head, asking, "What do you need, Greengrass?"

"When we get back to the castle, I need you to keep Dumbledore occupied. There's something in the castle," she paused, thinking about the Mirror of Erised, "Something I need to find. I won't be able to do that with him watching over me."

He sighed, knowing exactly what Daphne planned on finding, before nodding again. "I can do that. But Greengrass?"

"What?"

"Be careful, yeah?"

She smirked. "Always."

Daphne lagged behind Harry as they followed Dumbledore inside the castle.

Dumbledore looked at his students and smiled knowingly. "Harry, would you accompany me to my office?" he asked.

Harry nodded his head and followed the Headmaster. When they arrived at the gargoyle, Harry turned his head and noticed that Daphne had left the group at some point during the walk.

Harry took a seat in front of Dumbledore's desk. He inspected the room, and was impressed with all the delicate looking magical instruments. He noticed a magnificent bird perched near the desk. "How long have you had a phoenix?"

"One does not own a phoenix, Harry. I have enjoyed Fawkes' company since I was a young man." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he looked down at him, before taking a seat himself. "Did Miss Greengrass specify how long you were to keep me occupied?"

Harry's eyes widened, and he stammered, "Sir, I don't know-"

"Of course you do, my dear boy, though I am curious about one aspect of your plan. How had you planned to keep me distracted?"

"Well, I," he began, "I was going to make it up as I went along. I probably would have asked you some questions about yourself, perhaps about Nicholas Flamel or Grindelwald."

Dumbledore smiled at him. "Simply ingenious, Harry. Relying on my tendency to be rather verbose may, indeed, have worked."

"Sir, how did you know what we had planned?"

He hesitated for a moment, considering how forthcoming he should be with the young man who sat before him. "Harry, what do you know of legilimency?"

"I've seen it mentioned in several texts, but none of them detailed it."

"Legilimency allows a wizard to view the thoughts of another wizard."

Harry was startled, and somewhat angry at the invasion of privacy. "You read my mind, sir?" he asked, clenching his fists.

Dumbledore chuckled softly. "Heavens no. Reading the mind is, technically, impossible. A legilimens can invade the mind of another wizard, but the process is far more complex than, say, reading a book. A more powerful legilimens can sometimes, inadvertently, see the surface thoughts of another person when they are, for one reason or another, entirely focused on a single issue. You and Miss Greengrass have been thinking of little other than this plot since we arrived at the castle."

Harry's anger dissipated after hearing the explanation. "Sir, may I ask you a few questions about that?"

"Certainly."

"If you knew about our plan all along, why did you allow Daphne to search for the Mirror of Erised?"

"Because I have every confidence she will find it."

This confused him. "You said that it was moved last year, because it had ensnared another student."

"Indeed I did. It was moved back after the destruction of the Philosopher's Stone. I fear it was a mistake to remove it in the first place."

"Why is that?"

"There are some problems we must solve for ourselves, Harry. I did Miss Greengrass a disservice by removing the Mirror last year."

Harry supposed he understood that. He had often wished for someone to help him through his troubles, but knew that being sheltered would have made him weak. Still, he was worried. "Will she be alright?"

Dumbledore sighed. "If she is able to come to terms with what she has lost and what she has to gain, then yes. If not, she will be haunted by what she sees in the Mirror."

Harry frowned. "Can I help?"

The smile returned to the old man's face. "If anyone can help her, it will be you."

"I only hope she'll let me." Harry looked down in contemplation, the earlier discussion about legilimency still on his mind. "Professor, is there a way to keep a legilimens out of your mind?"

"Indeed. Defense of the mind is an art known as occlumency."

"Is occlumency taught at Hogwarts?"

"It is not. However, if ever the need arises for you to learn the art, you will be given lessons." Dumbledore paused. "Well, I see no reason to let Miss Greengrass know that there was a hitch in the plan. You may ask your questions."

Harry considered this for a moment. Dumbledore, a man known to hold his cards close to his chest, had given him permission to ask questions about his life, in an obvious attempt to change the subject. Harry wanted to know more about occlumency, but was unwilling to let the opportunity pass. "How did you become friends with Nicholas Flamel?"

Dumbledore beamed. He loved discussing this particular subject. "I met Nicholas during my sixth year at Hogwarts. We corresponded regularly, and he was sufficiently impressed with my NEWT scores to offer me an apprenticeship a few years later."

"I didn't realize he had taken any apprentices."

"I was his first in over two centuries, and he has not taken any since. When I met Nicholas, I was talented, but inexperienced. Brilliant, but young and woefully unsure of what to do with my ability. Nicholas was the finest teacher I ever had."

"What did he teach you?"

"Alchemy was, of course, his specialty. I became competent at the subject, but never matched his ability. He recognized that my real talent was with a wand, and taught me everything he knew."

"Was he especially good with a wand?" Harry asked. He had not read anything about Flamel being a talented spellcaster.

"Few could match him. He was not as powerful as some, but had centuries of experience. We dueled when I first became his apprentice, and I found it to be a humbling exercise. My raw power was not enough to match his lifetime of practice. I worked with Nicholas for years, until I finally surpassed him. The first time I defeated him in a duel, I expected him to be upset, but I had never seen him more pleased."

"Was he training you to defeat Grindelwald?"

"Not specifically. Nicholas' age left him out of touch with the wizarding world, and he had not been directly involved in a war in over two centuries. Most people seemed to think that I would eventually confront Gellert, but Nicholas either did not know or did not care. He trained me to the best of his ability, and allowed me to do what I wished with the knowledge he imparted."

"Gellert, sir?"

Dumbledore's smile faded. "Gellert Grindelwald, Harry. My history with Gellert is somewhat complicated."

"Might I hear it? That is, if it's not too personal."

"I suppose it would not hurt to tell you the tale. It is, by no means, a secret, but few people have ever asked. I was a young man when I first met Gellert Grindelwald. I was the head of my family, and bitter at the burden. He was a brilliant young exile who challenged me intellectually. Naturally, we became the best of friends."

Harry shook his head. "Grindelwald was your best mate?"

"Indeed, but it was not to last. I am ashamed to admit it, but at the time, we shared the same goals, though I never approved of his methods. Our friendship ended violently and abruptly. Shortly after that, I began my apprenticeship and did not see Gellert again until our duel."

"I've heard that it was one of the greatest duels ever. Could I trouble you to tell me about it?"

Dumbledore looked contemplative. "No, I do not believe that hearing of it does it justice." Harry frowned. "You may, however, watch it. Have you ever witnessed a Pensieve memory?" Harry shook his head to indicate that he had not. "No time like the present," Dumbledore said, as he raised his wand to his temple, and removed a silvery thread from his mind. He deposited the memory in a small bowl he had placed on his desk. "Lower your head into the Pensieve, Harry." Harry did as he was instructed, and felt himself fall into the basin. Dumbledore did not follow him.

Harry inspected his surroundings closely. He was standing in the middle of an almost deserted cobblestone street in some Eastern European town. Scores of onlookers had stationed themselves in front of upper-level windows inside the houses and businesses surrounding the alley.

In the middle of the street, two obviously powerful men were facing each other. One of them, an auburn-haired Albus Dumbledore, had his wand held loosely at his side, and was looking forlornly at the other. The fair-haired Gellert Grindelwald had not yet drawn his own wand, and stared at Dumbledore pleadingly.

"You do not have to do this, Albus. Join me, and we shall be unstoppable," Grindelwald whispered.

"I cannot do that, Gellert, but it is not too late for you. Abandon your path- I will help you," Dumbledore answered, also at a whisper.

Grindelwald slowly withdrew his own wand, though he did not point it at Dumbledore. "How did it come to this, dear friend?"

"Perhaps, if our prior confrontation had not ended so tragically-"

"One of my few actual regrets. I am truly sorry about your sister." Grindelwald did, indeed, look remorseful.

"I do not even know who cast the curse. It would be easy enough to determine, but I cannot bring myself to do it."

"The blame is mine, Albus. Regardless of who cast the curse that killed her, I started the whole messy affair. Can you forgive me?"

Dumbledore nodded slowly. "You are forgiven, my friend."

"It appears that this can be delayed no further." Grindelwald raised his wand, and bowed in respect to both the power of the man in front of him, and the friendship they had once shared.

"You are, as is so often the case, correct." Dumbledore raised his own wand, and bowed for the same reasons Grindelwald had.

"I do wonder how this duel will turn out. You, with years of tutelage under Nicholas Flamel-" he began

"And you, master of the Elder Wand-" Dumbledore interrupted.

"Locked in combat." Grindelwald finished verbalizing the thought. He almost laughed at the synchronization of their thoughts, even after so many years…

Both men looked regretful as they began exchanging spells. A thin stream of golden light emitted from the tip of Dumbledore's wand, but was parried by Grindelwald, who returned fire immediately. A purple vortex erupted from Grindelwald's wand and appeared to consume Dumbledore, but the auburn-haired wizard had already disappeared.

Grindelwald turned and dove to his left, his wand already moving with his next curse, narrowly avoiding a beam of red light. Dumbledore gracefully sidestepped the return fire, avoiding the curse with practiced ease.

Grindelwald quickly regained his footing and cast a shimmering blue shield which absorbed Dumbledore's onslaught. He cast a Reductor that missed to Grindelwald's right, and pulverized the front of an apothecary. Dumbledore quickly repositioned himself so that Grindelwald turned his back on the wreckage.

Grindelwald strained his ears, but was unable to hear his opponent utter, "Accio!" He realized Dumbledore's plan a second too late. When the half ton of brick and mortar collided with his back, he knew that his old friend's Reductor had struck its target cleanly. He should have known that Albus would not miss his mark by such a substantial amount.

Grindelwald was buried under the pile of rubble, and knowing that he had only seconds to act, banished the debris at Dumbledore, who, with a deft flick of his wand, disintegrated it before it made contact.

Grindelwald rose to his feet and quickly healed his back, temporarily mending the broken bones, before launching an assault of his own. A rainbow of lights cascaded from his wand, but Dumbledore quickly erected his own shield which intercepted Grindelwald's curses.

Harry watched the battle in amazement. The two most powerful men of their generation exchanged spells for nearly a quarter of an hour. His eyes widened, as he witnessed the men display God-like power. What impressed him the most was that neither man was aiming to kill the other. Whether this was out of a mutual respect, or desire for a more competitive duel, it made things much more interesting to watch.

While both men were masterful duelists, Grindelwald was clearly outmatched. Dumbledore moved effortlessly, and cast spells of a magnitude Harry had never seen with practiced ease. Grindelwald struggled to maintain Dumbledore's pace, was unable to repel his onslaughts for an extended period of time.

Dumbledore was covered in sweat, but otherwise looked no worse for wear. Grindelwald stood, bloodied and broken, but defiant in the face of defeat.

"Please, Gellert, repent," Dumbledore begged.

"It is far too late for that, Albus," he said, regretting the mistakes of his past. He raised his wand to strike again, but Dumbledore acted too quickly. A rope of flame wrapped around Grindelwald's arm, snapping it to his side and searing through his robe into his flesh. Grindelwald cried out in pain as he dropped his wand and collapsed to the ground, writhing in agony.

Loud cheers erupted from the buildings surrounding the street. The damage done to the adjacent area would take a great deal of time and effort to repair, and the scene of Grindelwald's defeat would become a protected historical site in the future.

Tears streamed down Dumbledore's cheeks as he collected the dropped wand, inspecting it briefly before pocketing it.The Elder Wand,Harry remembered. He looked down at the prone form of his former friend sadly, and canceled the rope of flame surrounding him before binding him with magical chains.

The memory ended abruptly, and Harry felt himself withdraw from the Pensieve. He found himself in the familiar office of Albus Dumbledore at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The Headmaster appeared not to have moved since Harry began watching his memory. "That was magnificent, sir."

"One of the proudest and worst moments of my life."

"You still care about him, don't you sir?"

"Indeed I do."

"What happened to him after your duel?"

"He was placed in Nurmengard, a prison he himself built, and remains there to this day."

"Have you ever visited him?"

Dumbledore frowned. "I have not. I decided many years ago to remember him as the boy he once was rather than the evil he became, and seeing him in his cell would serve to shatter that illusion."

Harry nodded his head. "Would you like to talk about what I watched?" He had many questions about what he had witnessed. He would like to know about Dumbledore's family and the curious wand which Harry realized was still wielded by the Headmaster.

"Perhaps another time, Harry. It has already been a long day, and the other students will be arriving shortly, I believe. If you do not mind, I will accompany you to the Great Hall."

"Yes sir." Harry rose and followed Dumbledore out of his office. "Professor, will you teach me to duel like that?"

"I think so, yes. But that will not come until you have advanced in the subject. In the meantime, you should practice the art with another member of the faculty. Filius has my recommendation. He was a master duelist in his day, and is rather fond of you."

Harry smiled in satisfaction at the thought of dueling like Dumbledore. His respect for the man had increased substantially after witnessing the duel that made him famous.

He walked into the Great Hall as the mass of students entered from the other side. He made his way to the Ravenclaw table and was immediately caught in a tight embrace. "Wherewereyou, Harry?" Hermione asked frenziedly.

"Calm down, Hermione," he said softly. "A house elf sealed the barrier against me, and I couldn't get on the train. Daphne and I apparated here with Dumbledore."

Hermione seemed to freeze after hearing that. She had so many questions to ask, but the first she asked would be the scholarly one. "How did you apparate here?"

"Dumbledore took us side-along. I plan to learn as soon as I'm able." Seeing Dumbledore apparate to avoid Grindelwald's attacks had strengthened Harry's resolve to learn the skill.

"Why did a house elf seal the barrier against you?"

"He thinks that I'm in danger at Hogwarts," Harry chuckled. "Come to think of it, maybe he meant I'd suffocate from one of your hugs." Hermione blushed and released him, allowing them to take their seats.

"What kind of danger?"

"He didn't specify, but I doubt Voldemort's possessed our new Defense professor. He'd probably end up Cruciating Lockhart."

Hermione was not entirely satisfied with his answer, but moved on to her last question. "Who is this girl you apparated here with?"

"Daphne Greengrass. She's a Slytherin in our year."

Hermione frowned, "Be careful around her, Harry. From what I hear, most of the Slytherins in our year are afraid of her."

Truthfully, Harry was not surprised to hear that. Daphne was a bit abrasive, and he suspected that it would not take much to get her to start hexing. He could easily see people like Draco Malfoy becoming the targets of her wrath. But Harry knew that there was much more to Daphne Greengrass than the cold, distant witch she appeared to be in public. He had seen glimpses of what was beneath her frosty exterior, and hoped to get to know her better.

He looked over at the Slytherin table and saw her sitting alone. When she saw that he was looking at her, she nodded her head lightly, indicating that she had found the Mirror. Harry returned the gesture to let her know he had experienced no problems with his diversion. Like Dumbledore said, there was no reason to let her know he had discovered their plan.

Harry looked back at Hermione and saw that she had been impatiently waiting his response. "Don't worry, Hermione. You know I'll be careful, but I don't think I need to worry about Daphne."

Hermione nodded, accepting his answer. She had never met the Slytherin girl, but she trusted Harry's judgment.

The doors to the Great Hall opened quietly, as if the person opening them hoped to enter without being noticed. Harry examined the person as they walked across the threshold and dashed toward the Head Table. She was a rather ordinary looking Slytherin Prefect, who was looking directly at Snape as she approached him.

She began whispering urgently to her head of house. When she finished speaking, Snape smirked maliciously and strode out of the Hall, his black robes billowing behind him.

"What was that about?" Hermione asked.

Harry grinned as the first years entered the Hall to be Sorted. "I'll tell you during the Feast."So, Weasley's flight has concluded,Harry thought,I hope he had a pleasant trip.

The Sorting was relatively uneventful. A few new Ravenclaws joined the table, sitting relatively close to Harry. He did not care for the majority of his House, and doubted the new members would be any different. Most of the Ravenclaws were scholarly, which Harry could appreciate, but cared very little about the practical aspect of magic. While theory was important, it was a means to an end for Harry and Hermione. They prided themselves in their spellcasting.

The most interesting Sorting was that of the youngest Weasley. Little Ginevra had taken the better part of five minutes to have her House selected. As she removed the Hat from her head and made her way to the Gryffindor table, she stared at Harry for a couple of seconds. Harry could not identify the look she gave him. Many of the first years had attempted to inconspicuously gawk at him, but her stare was different. Harry could see none of the wonderment that was present on the faces of most first years who ogled him, and there was nothing subtle about the intense examination she seemed to be giving him. When Harry caught her eye, he, for a second, thought her irises were glowing crimson. It was a very unsettling effect, and he decided he would try to stay away from her this year.

After the Sorting, Dumbledore rose to greet the students. "Generally, I would save my remarks until after you are fed and watered, but something has arisen that will require my attention. I shall make this short. To the new students, welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and to all the familiar faces, welcome back. We have a rather extensive list of banned items. If you would like to see the list in its entirety, Mr. Filch will be happy to provide you with a copy. The Forbidden Forrest is, of course, forbidden. Finally, allow me to introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Gilderoy Lockhart." The man rose to his feet and bowed regally, to a smattering of applause. "I look forward to yet another wonderful year. Now, dig in!" Dumbledore snapped his finger, and piles of food appeared on the tables. He dashed out of the Hall in the same direction Snape had gone earlier. Harry almost felt sorry for Weasley and his lackey. While he had nothing against the Potions Master, he knew that the man could be particularly cruel to Gryffindors, and those two had been alone with him for quite a while.

"So," Hermione drawled, "You seemed to know where Snape was going. What's happening?"

"I'm not positive, but I believe Snape was going to greet Weasley and Finnigan."

"I saw some of the second year Gryffindors on the train, but neither of them made an appearance. Did they apparate here, too?"

"No, they flew."

"They flew brooms to the castle? Is that allowed?"

"I'm not sure if students are allowed to travel by broom, but I'm almost positive that arriving by flying car is discouraged." Harry smirked.

Hermione gaped at him. "You can't be serious. Those dunderheads actually flew here in an enchanted car?" Harry nodded. "They have to be expelled!" she cried in indignation.

"They probably should be, but I don't see it happening. Snape will push for it, but I doubt McGonagall will expel any of her Lions. They'll probably be in detention for the next month."

"They should at least lose House Points!"

"Technically, school hadn't started when they broke the rules, but I doubt either of them will think to mention that. Whether they should lose points or not is irrelevant, but they probably will." A roar of outrage signified that Gryffindor table had indeed been docked points. Harry glanced at their hour glass and saw that it had been filled with two hundred black beads, denoting that their standing was currently negative. Harry had expected them to lose points, but one hundred apiece was harsher than he had anticipated. Gryffindor was all but out of the running for the House Cup before the first desserts appeared on the tables.

Daphne sat at the Slytherin table eating her meal in silence. One of the first years had tried to sit next to her, but she had scowled at him and sent him on his way. It had been a productive first day, she supposed. It had not taken her much time to succeed in finding the Mirror. It was back in the abandoned classroom where she had first found it. Dumbledore had removed it from that room, and asked her not to look for it. By placing it back where she had spent so many hours during her first year, she believed that Dumbledore was encouraging her to find it again. The old man was eccentric, but who was she to question his methods?

She had sat in front of the Mirror until the other students arrived. She did not feel guilty about leaving Harry alone with the Headmaster, because she, unlike the majority of her House, found the old man to be fascinating. She expected Harry to enjoy a pleasant conversation with Dumbledore.

She relished the company of the only person who had ever cared for her until it was time for her to leave. As she stood to walk away, she was reluctant to do so. She felt herself drawn to the Mirror, but managed to shake it off and leave in time to get back to the Great Hall before the Sorting began. The level of power that the Mirror had over her was both frightening and comforting.

As she thought of the Mirror, Daphne did not notice that Draco Malfoy had taken the seat next to her until he began speaking. "Consorting with half-bloods and sullying the name of our house… What's next, Greengrass? Do you have any plans to date a Hufflepuff?"

"Leave, Malfoy," she growled.

"I don't think I will. Rumor has it you apparated to school with Potter. Is it true?"

"What if it is?"

Draco paused as he considered this. "It's not proper to consort with a half-blood. Professor Snape wouldn't be pleased-"

"Wouldn't be pleased about what, Draco? In case you haven't noticed, Professor Snape actually likes Harry. And if I'm not mistaken, you offered him your friendship at the beginning of first year and he turned you down. If it's so improper to associate with a half-blood, how bad is it to be rebuffed by one?" she asked, her voice laced with false sweetness.

"You'll regret that, Greengrass," he snarled.

Daphne laughed, "If I had a sickle for every time you'd said that…"

An outraged Draco Malfoy stalked off to find Crabbe and Goyle to take out his frustration on some first years.

Daphne smiled viciously as she watched him leave. She had spent a few weeks of her summer practicing some particularly nasty jinxes, and could not wait to test them.