AN: The things the students learn during the classes in this chapter and in future chapters were from the items that the students learned in the Hogwarts Mystery Game. The uses of all ingredients if included will be from websites like Harry Potter wiki.

Harry and Neville read the letter from Dombledore before heading to bed.

Harry,

I would like to meet with you saturday morning after breakfast to discuss somethings with you concerning a position I would like for you to consider. We will be walking through the ministry and talking with several department heads while you are here, please dress accordingly. I have made arrangements with the headmistress for you to be allowed to use the attached feather as a portkey.

Albus Dumbledore

Minister of Magic

Harry looked at Neville and laughed. "I guess i shouldn't be surprised. Lockhart and Fudge were always out to get recognition in public. i will be happy to support Dumbledore as long as he keeps the good of the public in mind."

The two boys got ready for bed and decided to sleep eagerly looking forward to their new classes tomorrow. Harry hoped that things would be different as he knew that most of his classes should be better. Hufflepuffs usually share their classes with the Ravenclaws. He would be happy to not have most of his classes with Malfoy and his gang of Slytherins.

Both boys woke up and prepared for their day. Being third years they were used to the schedule for the day. They walked past the portrait of fruits that Harry knew to be the entrance to the kitchens. and walked into the Great Hall finding a seat near Hannah and Susan.

As they ate Professor Sprout walked amongst her students and handed out the schedules for her students making any necessary adjustments as she moved along the table. Harry looked down at his schedule and saw that the Hufflepuffs did indeed have all of their classes with Ravenclaw and their first class was going to be Transfiguration and Potions before lunch and Herbology, and an one of their chosen classes after lunch.

Harry, Neville, Susan, and Hannah walked together to Transfiguration. Harry and Neville watched the two girls as they vagyely listented to the conversation the girls were having. The two girls were talking about how much they liked the new uniforms. Both girls loved wearing yellow. Harry noticed that Susan's robes were trimmed in black around the edges. The two girls glanced back and asked Harry and Neville what they thought about the new robes.

Neville was too shy to say anything at the moment but Harry blushed as he looked at the two girls as they spoke. "Uhmm...they're much easier to move in and its great that everyone isn't wearing the same colors."

The two girls giggled as they noticed Harry's blush and Neville's inability to talk. They left the two boys alone as they entered into Professor Mcgonagall's class.

As soon as everyone had arrived Mcgonagall addressed the class. "Since i am going to be passing this class on to someone else we will spend this class discussing what transfiguration can be used for in everyday use and in use when fighting."

Professor Mcgonagall looked around the room for someone to help her with her lesson. She was looking at both Harry and Hermione. She eventually settled on Hermione.

"Hermione, I would like for you to transfigure this block of wood on the corner of my desk into a goblet. I will do the same with the other block on the desk."

The class watched as the two witches cast the appropriate spell and their blocks changed into two very different goblets. Both were the same size and shape. Hermione's goblet looked exactly like the goblets used at mealtimes, while the professor's goblet had designs of lions on it.

"Mr. Potter can you tell me why, even though we cast the same spell, we got to completely different results?"

Harry replied by saying "you and hermione had two different intents with regards to how you wanted your goblets to appear. Transfiguration is largely based on intent. That is also why you can have two different people conjure an item and get two completely different results.

Professor Mcgonagall nodded and gave a rare smile. "5 points to hufflepuff for Harry's answer and 5 points to Ravenclaw for Hermione's assistance during my example."

Mcgonagall went on to explain that power level when casting transfiguration and conjuration spells allowed objects to remain in the changed form for a longer period of time. She again looked around the room and settled on Padma Patil.

"Miss Patil, can you tell me how people can use transfiguration in a fight."

She nodded thoughtfully and then began to answer. "It can be used in a number of different ways. Someone with enough skill can conjure an item to block the spell that is coming their way. They could also transfigure their surroundings to aid them in their fight. For example, someone fighting in the middle of a street could transfigure the gravel at their feet into a wall around them. It has been theorized that someone could even block some of the more dangerous spells like the killing curse by using a conjured or transfigured object."

"5 points, miss Patil. You are correct on all of the points you brought up. Professor Dumbledore, who is a well known transfiguration master, has done many of the things you have done during both real life and practice duels."

"I would like for everyone to spend the remaining class time writing how you would use trainsfiguration in a fight. Please place it on my desk before you leave."

The students talked about the lesson as they left and womdered how the new transfiguration professor would differ from Professor Mcgonagall.

As the group headed down to Snapes classroom in the dungeon, Harry wondered how the dynamic would be different. While he was glad that he would no longer be having potions with the slytherins he had no doubt that Snape would treat him and Neville no differently. Unknown to any of the students and Snape Mcgonagall had a free period and was planning on doing one of her first lesson inspections.

She had heard many complaints over the years about how Snape had treated anyone that was not one of his precious Sytherins. The worst complaints so far had been from some of the Gryffindors that attended the classes with Harry and Neville. She knew that Snape usually came into the potions lab after the students and would shut the door as he came in. She dissolutioned herself and leaned against one of the side walls.

Snape walked in and told the students that they would be brewing a confusing concoction. He pointed to the board first and then the supply cabinet and said the instructions are on the board and the items you need are in the cabinet. He then told the class to begin.

She continued to watch as Snape prowled around the room and observed the students. Snape stood behind Nevile and Harry, who were sitting at the same table, and watched as Neville put the wrong ingredient in. Neville manage to once again melt his cauldron due to his mistake.

"Potter, why didn't you prevent Longbottom from putting in the wrong ingredient in his potion?"

"But sir..." Harry looked at Snape angrily. He was cut off before he could say anything.

"Silence Potter. You should be aware of your surroundings and make sure that the people around you are not making any mistakes. I also see that your potion does not have the appropriate color it should at this point. I guess that is a zero for the day." With that he pointed his wand at Harry's cauldron and then at the mess on the floor and vanished both.

Mcgonagall was seething in the corner. That was no way to teach a lesson and there were a couple of other students that had potions that were not much better than Harry's. She also noticed that Hermione had a near perfect result but recieved no notice from the professor. She was beginning to think that Snape could not look past his feelings for James and was projecting those negative feelings onto Harry. She would also observe his third year Slytherin and Gryffindor class.

Susan and Hannah looked at Neville and Harry in shock after seeing how they had been treated in his class. They knew that Snape despised most of the students he taught but they had never witnessed anything like that.

"Hannah, we have to do something to help the two of them. I spent most of the summer with Harry and have never seen him look like he did in class." The two talked as they headed to the common room to drop of the books the no longer needed and to grab the books that they needed for the afternoon before heading to lunch. Susan had an idea as she rereived her books and called for Dobby.

"What does missy bonesie need? Dobby asked.

Hannah couldnt help but giggle at the look of exasperation susan gave Dobby at his name for her.

Susan laid out her plans to cheer up Neville and Harry and Dooby nodded excitedly as he listened.

Meanwhile in Harry and Neville's room Harry was raging.

"I cant believe that shit. I am tired of how that grasy overgrown bat treats me. He is one of the worst teachers this school has. The only teacher worse than him is Binns."

Harry of course knew that the reason Snape hated h im was because of his father and Sirius. He wasn't supposed to knw about that at the moment and he was sure that Sirius hadn't known about Snape being at Hogwarts before they left for school.

"I totally agree Harry. Snape scares me and my fear of his reaction is one of the major reasons I can't concentrate in his class. Every herbology book I've ever read says that Potions and Herbology should go hand in hand. You shouldnt be able to succeed in one without the other."

Before Harry could say anthing to Neville there was a knock on the door and they looked up to see Susan and Hannah looking at them.

"Whats up ladies?" Harry asked.

"We want the two of you to join us for lunch. we are going to eat out by the lake." Susan looked at him anxiously as she said it knowing he was still angry. "We want to take your mind off of that abysmal lesson we just had."

"Of course we'll join you. Thanks for trying to cheer us up." With that Harry and Neville followed the two girls out to the lake.

Harry noticed as they walked to their destination that there was a couple of blankets set out by the lake and a basket of food.

Susan shyly smiled at Harry when he noticed the food and the blankets. "I hope you dont mind. We asked Dobby to prepare some of your favorite foods for us."

Harry looked over at the two girls and thought about how very few people had done anything like this for him before. Ginny and Hermione had cared a great deal for his wellbeing in the original timeline and he was sure that Ginny would have done something like this had they had more time together but she had never witnessed any of Snape's harassment toward Harry.

Harry began to think about Susan in a new light. He had spent a great deal of time over the summer with these two girls and knew that both of them were becoming beautiful young ladies. He also knew that Susan had become a powerful witch after the death of her aunt in sixth year in the original timeline. She had become much more determined and less carefree after losing the last member of her family. As he looked at her he started to realize that he was developing feelings for her. He had recognized the fluttering sensation in his stomach as the same feeling that he had had when he thought of Cho and Ginny in his original timeline.

Harry glanced at Neville and saw the he too looked to be a little anxious but was deep in conversation with hannah about herbology and healing plants.

Dobby popped in as the 4 teens were eating the treacle tart that Harry loved to eat every time he could.

"Harry Potter, sir. If you four don't leave now you will miss the start of your next class."

"Thanks Dobby."

Harry couldnt believe how fast lunch had passed and wished it could last a little longer.

Fortunately ,he four Hufflepuffs had herbology next and they were already closer to the greenhouses than the rest of the class.

They sat down together around one of the plants that they would be working on. Neville recognized them as Valerian sprigs.

When Professor Sprout began her lecture she told the students that the Valerian had a number of different uses. She told them that the most common uses for the ingredient was the forgetfulness potion and the sleeping drought. She also told them that few people knew that it was one of the ingredients included in treacle fudge.

As is normal for Neville he excelled in every aspect of the class. his group was the first group finished.

From there the group split up Susan followed Harry to Ancient Runes where the two found that the would be attending this class with all four houses. Harry was glad to see that Hermione was here. He also recognized several of the other students attending this class. He rocognized Daphne Greengrass and Tracy Davis from Slytherin, Parvati's sister Padma, Michael Corner, and Terry Boot from Ravenclaw, Alice Runcorn from Gryffindor, and Megan Jones and Wayne Hopkins from Hufflepuff.

Shortly after everyone arrived , a brunette witch Harry had seen in passing and at the head table at dinner times walked in.

"Welcome to Ancient Runes, class. I am Bathsheda Babbling and I am the Professor for this class. This year we will be learning the various types of runes and practice drawing them on paper and possibly carving them into wood. Next year we will begin using the runes for actual projects and by the end of your fifth year you should have a completed rune cluster. I would like for each of you to either come up with a completely new cluster or enhance a rune cluster that has already been created."

"Runes are a great way to practice magic without the use of a wand in most instances. In those other instances the wand is really only used as a means of activating the rune. People who can do wandless magic are capable of pushing their magic into the rune as a means of activating it."

"The three different types of runes we will be learning in this class are elder futhark, younger futhark, and anglo-saxon futhorc. The runes most commonly used are the elder futhark runes but we will study each type of runes over the next three years. Since the elder futhark runes are most commonly used they will be the ones that we will focus on this year. With that being said I would like for each of you to come up and pick a rune out of the basket on my desk. I would like for you to study this rune and I will ask for you to present your findings to the class next friday. You may come up and choose."

Harry walked up to the basket on the desk and randomly chose one of the runes and walked back to his seat next to Susan.

Harry looked down and gasped in surprise. the elder furthark rune looked almost exactly like his scar. Harry began to wonder if the scar on his forehead was a rune. If that was the case did it come from the Avada Kedavra curse or had his mother used runes to protect him. Looking at this rune Harry vowed that he would do as much research into this rune as he could.

Susan glanced over at Harry when she heard the gasp but she didnt make the same connection that Harry had. When he looked at her in surprise and she saw the scar out of the corner of her eye she made the connection.

"You, Harry, either have the best luck or the worst luck in the world. I doubt anyone else would have picked a rune that they already had a connection to, in a manner of speaking. If you dont find anything you might want to talk to the professor or Dumbledore about it."

Harry nodded. "I have a meeting with Dumbledore tomorrow. I will probably mention it to him while I am there."

The rest of the class period passed with all of the third year students using the books to determine what their runes meant. He had been unable to think clearly enough to completely research his rune but knew that it was called Sowilo and it was the name for the sun. He managed to find a couple of uses for the rune. He found out that life energy and power were associated with the rune.

After dinner Harry sat in the Hufflepuff common room looking around and taking in everything that his new home at Hogwarts had to offer. The room was painted in a warm shade of yellow and a great deal of sun was coming from the floor to ceiling windows. When glancing out the windows he found that he could see a great deal of the grounds and was even able to see the quidditch stadium in the distance.

Harry was sitting with his friends. Neville and Hannah were again sitting closely and Susan was talking to Cedric. Most everyone else in the room were clustered together talking, playing wizards chess or exploding snap, or reading a book.

Cedric looked over and asked Harry about something that had been on his mind since the resorting.

"Gryffindor lost the best seeker they've had in years and we have taken what they have lost. Do you plan on taking the Seeker spot on our team."

"Not at all Cedric. You earned your spot on the team. I am planning on sitting out this year and we will see what happens next year." Harry of course knew that there would not be any quidditch played next year as there would most likely be the Triwizard tournament.

"However if you want we can do seeker drills. I plan on helping another one of my friends train. I am almost certain she will take my spot on the Gryffindor team. We could probably include Cho Chang too."

"That sounds like a great idea, Harry. Too bad Slytherin would never agree. It would be fun to have all four seekers practice catching the snitch together. It would probably help each of us increase our skills.

Harry agreed and bade his new and old friends a good night. He planned to go to bed early in anticipation for the long day he would likely have tomorrow.

Harry woke up the following morning and looked through his wizarding wardrobe knowing that there would likely be press taking pictures during his meetinging with Minister Dumbledore and the other department heads. He settled on purple robes with an attached floor length cloak in the same shade of purple. Knowing that Dumbledore wore robes of similar colors he decided it he would dress in a similar manner.

He left the common room and informed Professor Sprout that he had a portkey to meet Dumbledore at the ministry. She nodded and instructed him to head to the gates of Hogwarts so that he could exit from the protective wards around the castle.

At exactly 9 am the portkey activated and he was transported to the sitting area outside of the Minister's office. Dumbledore stepped out and invited Harry into his office. Harry walked in and noticed many of the same instruments that had been in his office as headmaster were also in here. There was also an empty perch for Fawkes. Harry wondered where the phoenix was.

"Welcome, Harry. I wanted to talk to you in private before we make our rounds of the ministry. There is going to be a Wizengamot meeting today and I would like for you to join us as Lord Potter. We can have someone else proxy for you while you are at school. I also have some things i would like to discuss with you while you are here. I also think it is important that you meet the people in charge of the various departments."

Harry understood this was going to be a very long day but nodded anyway. He knew that Fudge had done many things that alienated him from the rest of the people at the ministry and if they could change the views of the people here they could make a great deal of change in Wizarding Britain.

"As we have discussed before Voldemort will be returning and i think there are things that we should do in order to prepare." Dumbledore said thinking about all that he had seen in the two wizarding wars of the last century.

"I have let two dark lords rise to power, as you so kindly remided me, through my desire to give people a second chance. I still think that people should be given a second chance. However, I have thought long and hard about what we discussed the first time we spoke after your arrival. I cannot allow for people to be struck down and killed because I am unwilling to strike someone else down. I will start a mass auror and healing recruitment and we will waive the potions scores requirement if they can prove that they can brew potions sufficent for their position. Aurors will be trained to observe a situation and how to identify if a situation will require lethal force. Abuse of this power will result in heavy punishments.

"Since I am the minister I will be calling a meeting of the Order of the Phoenix and will be passing the leadership torch to you. You may have to prove you have what it takes to lead and why you should be the leader but if done correctly I think you will do well. I will also make sure that any actions that the order does is sanctioned by the ministry. I would also suggest you recruit from students who show promise within the school."

"Sir, i am honored that you would give me the chance to lead the order and I will do everything I can to do it justice.