Disclaimer: I own nothing other than the plot. The original concepts belong to JKR and Warner Brothers. Any concepts brought from other fictions are either coincidental or will be used in their own way, and no plagiarism is meant.
Chapter 5: Life Moves On
September 28th, 1993
Gryffindor Dorms
*Bang*
His wand was moving before he fully realized what the sound was, a stunner leaving his wand silently and missing the source by inches. He wouldn't have even known he missed had it not been for the scream Neville let out as he crashed to the floor.
"Bloody hell. What's with the noise?" Ron grumbled groggily.
"Harry!" Neville's voice quivered slightly. "What was that for?"
His mind was catching up, and he climbed out of bed, checking on the boy. "Sorry Nev. I had a nightmare and the door getting slammed startled me awake."
"Well, calm your wand." Seamus groaned, his voice heavy with sleep and annoyance. Harry shot the boy a look that he didn't see, his eyes already being closed again.
"Are you alright?" Harry pulled Neville from the floor as he spoke.
"Yeah. Was that a nonverbal stunning spell? We haven't even learned that yet, much less nonverbal magic."
"Yeah… I learned a few important spells for emergencies." Harry said, lying quickly while keeping his voice low so Ron didn't hear him. "Keep it quiet though. I don't want anyone knowing."
"Al-alright Harry." Neville stuttered, yawning. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight. And sorry again." Harry said, falling back into his own bed.
'Damn snatchers.' Harry cursed silently. It wasn't the first time he threw curses as he woke up, it happened twice at the Leaky Cauldron. One of the times he accidentally destroyed the nightstand when he sent a spell off in his sleep that banished it into the wall, shattering it completely.
He blamed it on the trauma, but it wasn't like he could tell anyone about what had happened. Who would believe him when he told them he was from the future where a dead man came back to life and conquered the Isles?
He sighed, failing to fall asleep after fifteen minutes and just giving it up as a lost cause. Instead, he pulled out Godric's autobiography. It was hard to read, as some words hadn't translated fully to English like the notes had, but Harry left it as they were things that had no English context, or he simply didn't know them, so the translation couldn't work to convert the original word to English.
The diary itself was a historical landmine and goldmine waiting to happen. People always swore that Godric was a light wizard, but Harry would argue that easily. The man wrote that he used cursed-fire, or what Harry later read was Fiendfyre, to destroy a group of invading muggles where he was camped. He was never afraid to take a life to protect a magical, and had even killed other magicals when necessary.
What was more surprising though was that his father was an angry and abusive drunk, and had been killed by another man in a pub when Godric was a young teen. Godric had sworn to be better than his father though, and while he drank in celebration, he disliked alcohol in general, which was uncommon from what Harry knew during those times.
The man was also a veteran of several small wars of the time, mostly between other power hungry wizards trying to rule over the lands. He and Salazar met each other when fighting against one particularly nasty wizard who had used necromancy to raise a group of undead knights. Godric though was a master swordsman, and between the two, they had taken the man down easily.
It was only a few years later that they began to plan Hogwarts, and met Helga and Rowena before they began. The two ladies joined their crusade to make the school, and by the time they were forty, the school's construction had begun. By the time the school was done, they were near the end of their forties, and students were beginning to arrive at the only school of magic the isle had.
It was truly interesting. Their views on magic, muggles, and everything in between was noted in Godric's words. He was called a Battlemage, someone who was a powerful offensive fighter and capable of fighting many wizards on their own. Salazar on the other hand, along with Rowena, were both runesmiths and Salazar was a Dark Lord, though it seemed different from the modern term and connotation.
Godric made it seem like Salazar was simply a master of the Dark and Forbidden arts, which was probably true, but then it made Harry wonder what the Basilisk was for.
There was little about the school in the book, other than his time as a professor, some of his most prized students, and travelers who visited the castle. Godric himself also traveled from the country at one point, landing somewhere near Rome and later Egypt. He returned after being gone for several years, books and other items coming with him from his time abroad.
At the end of the diary, it spoke of a daughter he had with his wife that he met in a village not far from the castle. She had only one child, a magical daughter named Irwin, who was the daughter to marry his ancestor, Hardwin. He retired not long after his daughter finished her studies, when his age was close to eighty. It spoke of the loss Godric felt when Salazar disappeared, and Helga passed, and when he felt his own body lose its strength at the old age of over a hundred and twenty years old.
The last entry was dated in 954, talking about the hopes that he would live long enough to meet his soon-to-be-born grandson. Harry guessed he hadn't as there wasn't another entry, and the later handwriting had been incredibly shaky, much unlike the earlier and cleaner handwriting.
His best guess was that the note in the Founder's room was written well before the end of his life, and the diary returned there by a house elf after his passing.
It had been an emotional roller coaster to read the last few entries, an old man's ramblings about his hopes to see his mother and wife once he passed, and that he hoped his legacy would live on. Harry understood the feeling, having hoped for the same on his passing.
Alas, he was offered a second chance.
He sighed as he saw the moon beginning to dip towards the horizon, and stood quietly, stretching and making his way out for a jog around the lake, along with a simple yet time consuming workout routine in the Room of Requirement with proper weights and machines. After finishing the workout well after classes had begun, and knowing he hadn't been seen since before breakfast, he turned back time as normal, only two hours, before rushing to the dorm to shower and dress for his day.
Classes went as normal. Remus was out, as the full moon was the next night, leaving Snape to teach in his absence. Luckily the man wasn't hellbent on Remus being outed yet, instead just being the same asshole Harry always knew.
"I want a foot of parchment turned into me on the day of your next lesson. Do not write more than thirteen inches either. Dismissed. And Longbottom, minus five points for forgetting your tie." Snape sneered, swishing his cloak and vanishing from the classroom a moment later.
"Arsehole." Ron muttered, only to get yelled at by Hermione. Harry adjusted his glasses as Hermione berated Ron of his language.
"You know he will always hate Gryffindors. It's best to just not draw attention." Hermione said, walking from the room with the others in tow.
"I believe it's my dad's fault. They had a rivalry when they were in school that was quite nasty." Harry said quietly, glancing at Neville who was fretting over his tie. "Here Nev."
A tie appeared on his books he was carrying with a whispered incantation. "It'll last the rest of the day, but probably not much later than dinner."
"Thanks Harry." Neville mumbled, turning slightly pink.
"Don't worry about it. That's what friends are for." Harry said cheerfully. Neville lightened up some.
Harry had spent a great deal of time bringing Neville into their group, and working with him to build his confidence up. He had to be careful, of course, but he was determined to see Neville do better, knowing that he could do better. Ron too, had improved some, actually putting in an effort into classes, but Harry didn't have too much hope for the redhead.
Classes had rapidly become boring as Harry already knew the material. He quickly learned to simply cast a glamor on a book to make everyone else believe he was reading the required text while he was really reading books on dueling and elemental magical theory. Both were far more interesting, and with the help of the dueling dummies made by Rowena that were capable of using ambient magic to shoot stunning spells or an unfamiliar variant of stinging hexes, he had begun to excel in dodging from a single caster firing at a spell every other second and making his movements a part of dueling.
Currently though, Hermione still held the top spot, with Harry lagging intentionally around the middle area of Exceeds Expectations and pushing a few towards Outstanding, specifically Ancient Runes and Transfiguration. Ron held up all of his grades in the Exceeds Expectations area, minus potions, where his grade was closer to an Acceptable.
Harry fell into thought as they chatted and walked outside after lunch. It was still mildly warm, enough that long sleeves kept them comfortable. "I can't wait to see Harry trash Slytherin!"
"It would be a team effort." He refuted.
"Yeah but you catching the snitch is what matters." Neville argued, "Besides, Malfoy's face will be priceless when he loses again."
"Why is that?" Everyone frowned at Hermione's question, "Why does the Snitch give a team so many points?"
"Because it's so hard to catch?" Ron replied slowly.
The group sat down against the large rock near the lake, soaking in some sun. It was peaceful, with a small breeze blowing air across the lake and the squid making small splashes some ways out from where they were. Harry found it odd that the Dementors weren't so close like the last time, but it seemed they hadn't drifted that close yet. There was a period of quietness as they worked on homework, asking questions between each other when necessary.
"Have you all thought about what you want to do when you are older?" Harry asked suddenly. Hermione looked up at him curiously, but didn't answer immediately.
"I want to be an auror like my dad." Neville replied quietly. Harry wasn't surprised by the boy's response. Neville had been raised by Augusta to be like Frank, even being forced to use his father's wand. It only made sense that he wanted to be an auror too.
"Quidditch player." Ron muttered, looking through his textbook. "Keeper or coach for the Chudley Cannons."
"Shocker." Hermione said flatly. "Personally, I would like to do something to advance the magical world, like be a researcher or enchanter."
"You would make an amazing version of magical phones." Harry joked, making the girl smile.
"You think?" She asked curiously. "I mean, the medical field in the magical world is already ahead of its counterpart in most ways, but there is still a distinct lack of technology."
"Yeah, but purebloods won't have muggle things made into magical things." Neville said slowly.
"Not all of them." Harry agreed, "But you have to admit, there has to be better ways to light areas than candles and torches. Perhaps using runes? Or what about a picture version of the prophet, where you could watch it on a wall in some form?"
Neville stopped as Hermione thought about the possibilities, "Interesting, and true enough. Some things could do with an update. Though there are lamps in the magical world like you described, just not built into homes. We still use natural gas for most of those things, much like gas stoves."
"Interesting." Hermione muttered. "What is used to keep things cold?"
"Keep-cool boxes. Runic chests or cabinets with cooling charms built in to keep things cold and fresh. It's how we make ice too, if it's not conjured." Neville replied, causing Harry to remember the Fridge-like cabinet in the Weasley's kitchen. He never thought it was anything other than a cabinet, but it did make sense. "Have you only ever been to the Weasley's?"
"Hey?" Ron turned pink at that, but Hermione and Harry both nodded. Harry had also been to Grimmauld Place, the Rookery, and to Malfoy Manor, but he couldn't openly admit it.
"No offense, Ron." Neville said quickly, "But yeah. We have some things that are comparable to muggles, but not everything I'd guess. Like muggles have some heating fans? We have no use for those, as homes and manors have climate charms applied to the inside to keep them warm or cool regardless of the outdoor temperature."
"Furnaces. Why doesn't Hogwarts have heating charms?" She asked curiously, her assignment now abandoned. The castle, of course, had a cooling charm applied that worked when the school was so warm, but the winter was cold and the stone wasn't the best insulator.
"Simple. It was built long before those things were made. They have existed for a few hundred years, sure, but the castle was built in the late ninth century." Neville replied.
"Roughly 880." Harry added. Knowing the school had been finished in Godric's late forties, and that the man was born in 843, it gave him a good estimate.
"How did you know that?" Hermione asked.
"Just a guess, but from 'Hogwarts a History'. Of course, keeping track of the date back then was likely more difficult, so it is likely that there is a year variance compared to what the sources say. Regardless…" Harry replied. She nodded, thinking.
"Why don't they add them now?" She asked. Ron laughed.
"It cost my parents two hundred galleons to get the Burrow fitted with the charms. They aren't cheap." Ron answered.
"It would likely cost the school a hundred thousand, and it just isn't worth the money to them when over a third of the school remains untouched on a daily basis." Neville added. "The board has debated it more and more often though. At least doing sections that are inhabited, like the used classrooms, the commonrooms, main paths and such."
Harry looked up as leaves crunched on the ground in the forest only a few dozen feet away. The others continued to talk as he saw a dog poke his head out of the bush, staring directly at himself. Harry made eye contact, seeing the gray eyes, and for a moment, he was back in the room with the veil, watching Sirius fall through as spells flew around them, before he suppressed the memory.
The dog stared for only a moment longer, before stepping back into the bush and running off. Hermione caught his gaze and sad look, and turned to see what he was looking at. "Harry?"
"Just a stray dog. He looked hungry." Harry knew Sirius was likely starving. 'Perhaps steal him some food?'
"Well he is gone." Hermione commented. "Come on, let's get packed up and head to Ancient Runes."
Ancient Runes had quickly become one of Harry's favorite classes. He generally sat with Neville and a girl from Hufflepuff, Susan Bones, while Hermione sat with Ron and a girl named Hannah Abbot, as it was a rule that there must be students from two houses at every table.
Susan was quickly becoming a friend, and though Ron and Hermione didn't care for her, Harry found her sense of humor entertaining, and she was quite knowledgeable in Runes and Law, which they frequently discussed in their freetime when she and Hannah occasionally joined him or the group in the Library. Neville had also slowly warmed up to the girl, though he struggled to talk to her and look her in the eyes at the same time.
"Hi Harry." She greeted, "Hey Neville."
Neville muttered a greeting as Harry dropped in the middle seat. "How was Potions?"
"Snape was the same as ever." She said, scoffing at the idea that he would be any different. "Long homework assignment coming by the way. Fifteen inches on the effects of black beetle juice in potions."
"Great." Harry muttered. "Just what we need after his long Defense assignment."
"Oh?" She exclaimed, curious about the assignment.
"Twelve to thirteen inches on the dangers of going through a bog or marsh." Neville said, pulling out a notebook and quill. Class began before Susan could reply, and it was a boring lesson in Harry's opinion.
Mostly, the young professor, Bathsheda Babbling, went over the beginning principles of Runic sequences, which were lines of runes of a specific number and in a certain order, which would do a specific thing. The rune sequence she used was a basic unbreaking sequence, which she carved onto a clay tablet before dropping it. It didn't break, but then she changed the order of just two runes, and when it hit the ground, it turned into a fine dust.
"That is one of the less volatile reactions to an improperly sequenced set of runes. There have been deaths from improperly ordering runes, which is why we don't carve any until next year." She finished. "I want five inches on the possible reactions of improperly ordered runes, due at the beginning of our next lesson. Have a good afternoon. Class dismissed."
They filed from the room, Susan and Hannah splitting off to head towards the ground floor while the four headed up towards the tower. "I was disappointed that we never got to carve runes, but now I understand why."
"Me too, Hermione." Harry replied. 'I wonder if I moved the runes around in the wrong order, and that is why the cage failed.'
He sighed. He was working on a second try already, but he would need to do further research to see how the runes needed to be ordered for it to work before trying again, if only so he didn't blow himself and his dormmates up.
"It was pretty wicked how it turned to dust, though." Ron said happily. "Imagine using that for practicing throwing things."
"Why would I want to waste time carving something to go and break it?" Hermione asked, her brow furrowed in thought. "It seems like a waste of time when we will be learning vanishing charms in a year in both Transfiguration and Charms."
"Good point." Ron said. "Plus, it was missing the nice breaking sound."
Harry rolled his eyes, enjoying the more peaceful atmosphere. There was something missing though… he took a moment before he realized that they hadn't fought over Crookshanks, who hadn't been targeting Pettigrew yet, even if the cat had gone for the rat now three times. Harry frowned… 'Perhaps Crookshanks hasn't met Sirius yet?'
He wondered how this would affect the future, and only prayed it wasn't going to change negatively.
Chapter Length: 3143