A/N- Did you miss me?

The Halloween Heist

Halloween- The Great Hall- Morning

The first two months at Hogwarts had gone smoothly for Harry. Despite the odd interjection by Draco or Ron, Harry had found himself happier surrounding himself with his newly formed friendship group. Most of the classes had gone exactly how Harry had remembered them, just without Ron to drag his grades down. The only class which Harry had been able to alter was his first flying lesson. While Harry did want to eventually play Quidditch again, Harry decided that all the time that he had spent during first year on the training field and playing could be better used planning what he needed to do. Hence, he had silently performed the disarming spell on Draco to avoid the dogfight that had seemed to be inevitable.

It was that extra time planning which had led Harry to the decision that tonight was going to be the night that he went through the trapdoor and attempted to cut off Quirrell. Harry knew that the possessed Professor planned to cause a diversion by releasing the troll during the feast tonight. Harry just hoped he would be able to sneak through and get the Philosophers Stone without being spotted. His plan would then be to send it back to the Flamel's and wait for Quirrell to try and steal it again at the end of the year and find nothing there. Because if there is no stone for the Professor to steal then he cannot cause any damage.

Harry was deep in thought when suddenly Daphne ran up to him, with Tracey in tow. She quickly looked around trying to find Hannah and Susan at the Hufflepuff table catching their attention and beckoning them over. Having worked out the situation Harry, along with Neville and Hermione who were sitting either side of him, got up and quickly went with the girls towards their usual meeting room.

Up at the teachers table one particular Headmaster was worried about this group that had formed throughout the first months of term, if Harry had a strong support group around him he wouldn't feel isolated enough to sacrifice himself when Tom eventually returns. Once the boy had been sacrificed then Tom would be mortal enough for the most powerful wizard since Merlin himself, Albus Dumbledore, would be able to defeat him. And just like his old friend Grindleward, the headmaster would imprison the dark lord whilst claiming to have defeated him. After all it's only fair that he gets time to potentially come back to the light.

Harry and the group arrived at their usual meeting room and Harry instantly felt like something was awry. Whilst Harry usually felt comfortable and secure in this room, there was something that bothered Harry. The room usually looked pretty bare, with an array of empty portraits sitting on the floor.

But today hidden behind the pile of discarded portraits Harry spotted that one of the portraits had its inhabitant inside the damaged frame. Harry suspected that this lone resident was a spy for Dumbledore himself, as the manipulative elder statesman enjoyed using his connection to the portrait matrix to learn everything that happened inside Hogwarts. As Dumbledore had told Harry himself at the end of his original first year, when something is a secret inside Hogwarts, naturally the entire school knows.

Harry knew that the conversation they were about to have had the chance to delve into topics that he did not want Albus Dumbledore to know about, Harry suspected that Daphne had received word from her father, which the headmaster probably already knew about. But none of them except Daphne knew what was in the letter response that she was holding in her left hand.

Daphne was about to open the letter when not Harry, but Susan, stood on Harry's right, stopped her. She put a finger up to her mouth before slowly pointing at the unwanted guest that Harry had also spotted in the corner. The painting's, which Harry now recognised as the rash and not the most inconspicuous Sir Cadogan, eyes widened before diving behind his frame, the shine of his armour standing out against the dreary street of the painting that very clearly wasn't his. Susan leaned in closely to Harry, and whispered in his ear- just loud enough that Hermione could hear- "My Aunt warned me to be careful of rouge paintings, if they are in an unused frame they may be spying for someone, she wouldn't tell me who".

Having briefly met Madam Bones during the sham that was his trial before his fifth year he could understand that she had a deep mistrusting of Albus Dumbledore, which in the previous timeline was something that prevented Harry from seeking out her help... look at him now. But he could also acknowledge that she was a respectful woman and was allowing her niece to make her own decisions on people of authority rather than shaping her ward to her own worldview.

Daphne spoke up next, also leaning in to reduce the chance of the caddish knight from hearing her. "I'm sorry Harry, I cannot risk this information getting into the wrong hands, we need to try and find somewhere else to discuss it, If we all look and try and find an old classroom or something with as few paintings as possible. Then we will try and talk about this after the weekend"

Harry silently groaned, he knew the perfect location to hold such meetings- having used it multiple times in the past/future (he still wasn't sure how to characterise it). But trying to find a way to justify knowing about a room in a corridor that he had no reason to walk through seemed completely impossible. Dejected Harry led Hermione and Neville- the new golden trio, back up to the Gryffindor common room, as Harry mentally planned for his hijinks tonight.

Halloween- Dumbledore's Office- Early Evening

"NOTHING, THEY SAID NOTHING", The embattled headmaster bellowed into the abyss. He had hoped, having spent month's trying to convince any portrait to go and wait in what the paintings called the paintings graveyard, that he would at least got some information about what was in the letter that Miss Greengrass had received from her father. But Sir Cadogan, the only portrait brave enough- or stupid enough if you ask the others- to go there had been spotted and called out before they had even opened the letter. In fact, the only piece of information that he had received was that all of Dumbledore's work for the past two months had been for nothing.

Dumbledore sat down at his desk and poured himself a glass of a scotch that McGonagall had bought him for his previous birthday, he wasn't usually much of a drinker but since Harry goddamn Potter had arrived at school and been nothing like the beaten down, subservient child with barely any more willpower than a house elf that he was supposed to be, the alcohol had consumed him. Dumbledore knew that Harry had been beaten as a child, even as recently as the night that Harry went to Diagon Alley with Hagrid. Not that Harry would remember any of it due to Dumbledore's repeated obliviations. Dumbledore had gone to make sure the little brat hadn't died otherwise he would have just sent a loyalist under a compulsion charm. Voldemort was the only one that was allowed to kill Harry Potter.

Just to top off Dumbledore's bad day, he looked down at all the mail he had received throughout the week so far and hidden at the bottom where he could barely see it was a letter that was starting to get more and more irritated. Which Dumbledore just so happened to touch as he grabbed the pile, setting off the shrill voice of Molly Weasley bursting through his office.

Up on the shelf the sorting hat was watching the increasingly craze voice of the Weasley matriarch dig more and more into Dumbledore, who hadn't been able to find a school rule to allow a student to change houses much to Molly's chagrin. Dumbledore often referred to himself as the greatest wizard since Merlin himself and whilst he was able to convince most of the wizarding world of that, The Sorting Hat knew that there were many who had passed the hallowed halls of Hogwarts who easily could have surpassed Dumbledore and Merlin if they hadn't been subject to the inadequate schooling that Hogwarts now provided. But there was one way in which the Hat did believe that Dumbledore and Merlin were alike, they both easily could have fit into either house

Merlin was brave enough to take his magic into the Muggle world and serve as the mage to King Arthur and his knights of the round table but was also cunning enough to get away without being killed for it. His intellect was out of this world, with his works with potions and staff related spells being almost impossible to replicate even with a Millenia of progress in the wizarding world. Then there was his loyalty, not just to his King but also to the hundreds of wizards that he helped protect from the baying masses and through his years as an elder in the wizarding community helping to form the Ministry of Magic.

Dumbledore on the other hand, well nobody would question his intelligence. One of the brightest students to ever walk through Hogwarts, could easily have gained masteries in any of his subjects. Even though he may have ulterior motives, his loyalty to Hogwarts had been shown throughout the years, refusing top level jobs at the Ministry to stay first as Transfigurations teacher then as Headmaster of Hogwarts. His cunning is next to none as he has proven multiple times being the first Headmaster since the founders to have influence over the entire wizarding world and not just its children. If anything, the only trait that Dumbledore didn't seem to have was bravery. Every time it had come down to Dumbledore doing the difficult but right thing, he had taken the easy way out, and lives had been lost because of Dumbledore's cowardice. The boy which sat at the top of the great hall all those many years ago bore no resemblance to the chaotic old man which stood in front of the sorting hat before. Even before Dumbledore's attempted compulsions how many other people had he missorted due to the stupid practice of deciding who someone is at aged 11.

Hampstead- Halloween- Mid Afternoon

Dan Granger was sat on the sofa reading his latest letter from his pride and joy, his daughter Hermione- telling him all about her schooling and her personal life. Dan was over the moon that Hermione, who had admittedly been an outcast for most of her primary school days, had a strong friendship group who stuck around and were helping he acclimate into the wizarding world. There were days when Dan and Emma were worried that they would eventually lose their daughter completely to the wizarding world and that she would forget about their mundane life with their dental practice.

But what made Dan almost as excited as his own offspring's social success, was that also in the friend group was Harry Potter, the boy who Dan had gone to great lengths to fight for over the past two months. From how Hermione had described it you could even say that Harry was the focal point of their friendship group.

As Dan was reading the letter from Hermione, Emma walked in back from work carrying the mail that had been delivered to their practice earlier that day. There was a sombre look on her face as she handed Dan an envelope with the unmistakable insignia for the Metropolitan Police plastered in the top right corner.

Dan opened the letter, the first correspondence that the police had sent him outside of his frequent visits to the police station in an attempt to push Harry's case forward.

Dear Doctors Granger

We are writing to you today to insist that you refrain from visiting Hamstead Police department regarding the fictional abuse situations that you have concocted and frequented to our many staff. As has been repeated to you on multiple occasions we have evidence that these claims are unsubstantiated and fictitious and any further attempts at the station to push these fraudulent claims will result in your incarceration for harassment. The Metropolitan Police, The Home Office and the Department of Public Prosecution take allegations of child abuse very seriously so situations like yours that waste police time are inexcusable.

The Department for Justice will always be there to support genuine concerns you may have but we plead of you to stop harassing our officers for what seems to amount to nothing more than your enjoyment.

Rt Hon Patrick Mayhew

Attorney General

Dan screwed the letter up in his hand as a rage he hadn't felt in years soared through his body, "Why the fuck is the Attorney General getting involved in a case like this". In an attempt to try and protect a child who had been the victim of child abuse since a young age, now Dan Granger was facing legal action himself for attempting to protect that child. Dan honestly thought that any case against him would be laughed out of court but with the abnormal way that everyone involved in this seemed to be working, including getting a governmental minister to write a letter to his dental practice on behalf of the police. It wouldn't surprise him if a charge against him held up.

There was however one way which Dan could make a difference to that boy's life without going through the police, but it was quite a bit riskier. However desperate times call for desperate measures. He called out to his wife asking where their copy of the Yellow Pages was before flipping his way through to G- Drill Manufacturing Company- Grunnings. There was a director there that could be the perfect person to help with the new drill orders that The Grangers Dental practice so obviously desperately needed. It didn't hurt that that director happened to be the abusive Uncle that Dan had been reporting to the police for months. He was just "ordering drills", and found them in the Yellow Pages, total coincidence he promises officer.

Hogwarts- Halloween- Just before Dinner

Halloween was always a rough night for Harry, everyone was always celebrating it being the day that Voldemort was finally defeated (so they thought) yet no one seemed to acknowledge the sacrifices that had been made in order for that to happen. The anniversary of the day that Harry's parents had been brutally murdered by the Dark Lord. Harry however was going to use this to his advantage and give himself an excuse to be absent from the feast tonight giving him a chance to get down to the stone.

So as all of his dorm mates left to go down for their feast Harry gave his apologies and stayed behind in the common room waiting for the house to clear out. Once the Common Room was empty Harry secretly moaned to himself about how much easier all this would be if he had the Invisibility Cloak, the family heirloom that Dumbledore kept from him until a time convenient to him. But with the sea of students heading through the corridors it shouldn't be too difficult to make it down to the 3rd floor corridor unseen.

However, it would turn out that Harry wasn't able to make it through completely unseen, not only had multiple portraits clearly seen Harry heading in the wrong direction, so the intervening old coot would be sure to know where he had gone eventually, but Harry had accounted for that. What he hadn't accounted for was that the new friends he had made in this timeline and the friendship group dynamic changes that had come with meant that he had been spotted by Hannah Abbott just as he was entering the Forbidden Corridor. Sometimes attempts to be secretive happen when you're at your most public.

Harry snuck into the corridor believing everyone thought he was in his dorm still and quietly muttered "Appare Vestigium" as a gold sheen flew out the end of his wand. The tracking spell showed that nobody had recently been in this corridor so Harry had managed to beat Quirrell, which positively meant that he wouldn't have to face off with the possessed Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher, negatively however meant he would probably have to face off with a fully grown mountain troll. Maybe should have planned his timing a little bit better.

Before Harry went through the door leading to the first of the obstacles, the three headed Cerberus that Hagrid had delicately dubbed Fluffy, Harry needed his plan to go smoothly, so he found a decent sized piece of rubble and transfigured it into small harp, exactly the instrument that Quirrell had used to get past in the original timeline, and charmed it into playing by itself, all OWL and NEWT level spell which nobody would expect a 1st year to even have the knowledge or will power to use. Levitating the playing harp through the door in front of him Harry held his breath waiting to see if Fluffy will fall asleep. Fortunately Harry's plan, which he had been working on tirelessly since he returned to his 11yr old body, to deal with Fluffy worked a charm. Pun not intended.

A simple Lumos Solem took Harry past the devil's snare and whilst he was not going to be playing Quidditch until later on this time round he was still easily able to catch the key which led to the part of this journey that Harry openly admitted he was the most nervous about. McGonagall's chess board. Harry was decent at chess having played Ron so often in the original timeline, but he lost every single time. Now he was in a situation where he needed to win against a board charmed by one of the greatest wizard's chess players of all time, in a situation where she was desperate to not let anyone get past.

The game moved slowly in the opening phases Harry being careful not to fall into any traps laid out by the near sentient pieces, but as the game built Harry started to get more and more nervous as he spotted weakness after weakness in his own game. Having positioned himself as a rook he was able to keep himself safe in the corner for the most part but eventually he needed to come out and face the board. Finally, Harry saw an opening to put the game to rest, and once again he would be the piece to do it. He moved across the board expecting the King to surrender after his move when he started to hear a rumbling, and to the back of his head he got a stone club sending him flying off the board.

Harry woke up finding himself back in Lister's office, considering he had been sent here rather than the stupidly long queue means he was only knocked out and not once again dead but as he looked up to the desk where his personal Grim Reaper sat, once again looking pissed off (although at this point Harry was starting to think that was just his face) a realisation flooded over Harry as he realised the biggest mistake he had made on his journey back to the past.

"Fuck, I Need Ron as well don't I"

A/N

So, Hey I'm back. The past 9 Months have been hellish for me if I'm being honest. Both physically and mentally I have been put through the ringer, and I apologise that it has taken so long for this update to come. I promise it won't be another 9 months before the next chapter comes. But I want to thank you for all the support that has been sent my way during these rough months and I hope that this chapter has been worth the wait