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2. Potter to the Rescue

Gryffindor House did not welcome me with open arms.

Honestly speaking, Gryffindor was the one I wanted the least out of the three houses I could have gotten re-sorted into. And I know what you're thinking. However, if I did get re-sorted into Slytherin, I wouldn't have stayed another day. I very well might've set it ablaze yet again before fleeing Hogwarts and convincing mum to revisit her past intentions of moving to America.

It wasn't so bad or anything new. These folks never liked me. I was absolutely positive that it was due to my previous sorting but now that the Potter boy started schooling, I'm starting to think that my new housemates are avoiding me as a way to keep in good spirits with Hogwarts' new celebrity.

You see, Potter's parents and my Uncle Sirius have somewhat of a history. Sirius Black allegedly surrendered the location of the Potter's to this lad named Voldemort, a no-nose, mass-murdering lunatic, if you haven't heard of him yet. Yes, I must admit that was traitorous on my uncle's part, but hey, I was 3 at the time. I didn't know giving back the keys I had hidden from him would lead to such a traumatic experience for young Harry. And I'm sure he knows nothing of my part at the end of it. Above all that, it's not like any of them died. 'No blood, no foul' is what they say, no?

Nonetheless, Potter shown his disdain for me when he ignorantly moved seats after I took one nearby him during breakfast one day. Ever since then, the curious and suspicious looks I got from those in my house turned into malicious glares. Even the Weasley couple lost interest in picking my brain on how to efficiently annoy Slytherins. And here I was thinking that our interactions of last term would have led to somewhat of a bond.

Although, the hatred I recieved from my housemates only deepened my gratitude for my friend Aaron, who endured the backlash of being associated with me. In fact, Aaron would deliberately draw attention to the fact that I am a friend of his, loudly implying that he didn't give a bloody pygmy puff about what others thought of it.

A week has passed and so far, there were no attempts from Gryffindors to bully, prank or hurt me. A few staredowns was all I had to endure from my new house. As for the Slytherins' part, Adrian did punch me in the shoulder really hard for "leaving him in the trenches". He doesn't seem right now to be holding a grudge however.

It was him, Aaron and Cho sitting in the library when I arrived. As I was late, I was walking with a quickness when I bumped into a blonde figure that was holding a stack of books two heads taller than her own.

"Eep," she squeaked, dropping the majority of the stack.

"I'm sorry for that, here," I apologized as I start picking books up off the floor.

Looking up, I see the same blonde girl that seemingly was about to give me detention on the train. Herman, I think her name was. She was a fellow Gryffindor.

I nodded her a hello as my way of keeping my head down with my new housemates. Before I could continue my stride, Herman spoke.

"You're Jack Black, right," she asked.

"Yes."

She paused for a second before continuing. "I see how every one of our housemates share a dislike towards you..."

"..." I clicked my tongue and quickly assessed how I should respond. "Well, yes. I blame my past sorting for that. I'm sure it would pass soon. Thanks for your concern though."

"No. I just wanted you to know that the reason I don't like you is because you told me to shut my face," said Herman with the same fiery attitude she had on the train.

"... Yes, I remember that," I replied. "... And I'm sorry for that as well. You just caught me at the wrong time is all."

"I'll admit, I did not expect your apology, although, I don't find it very sincere, Jack Black..."

I could hear both Adrian and Aaron snickering from the far side of the room as this all happens.

"Look, I wasn't thinking clearly at the time," I said, stressing my patience in every word. "I had something to do and that something was very time-sensitive and to make matters worse, the train ride was terrible. The last thing I wanted to hear was someone scolding me for rushing to where I had to be... So, I'm sorry if I implied that you should shut your face, I did not mean it literally."

Herman nodded, her lips pursed and her chin up. "I'll accept your apology," she says, shooting her hand out. "My name is Hermione Granger, by the way."

I shook her hand with a smile. "I know who you are, we're housemates, silly, hehe... Let me help you with those books, eh? Wingardium leviosa... Lead the way, Hermione Granger."

I follow as Hermione picked a seat, the whole stack of books floating closely behind me as we walked, which would have been a feat for someone my age but it seems she was still too new to all this to notice it.

"Are you planning to read this all in one sitting?" I asked, subtly interrupting her thank-you to me. I could never say "you're welcome" to someone. For some reason, the words never slip out of my mouth comfortably.

"I think I'll leave some reading for later tonight in the commons," answered Hermione.

"Yeah, maybe half. So, about 6 then."

"6 and a half would be half," she says, correcting my mistake.

"My mistake..."

She picked a table right by Madame Pince, probably looking to get as much peace and quiet as she could in the library. I would have suggested to her one of the Astronomy Towers, but Pince would never let her leave with that many books.

I let the books drop on the table with a soft thud and made my way to where my friends were, not making any signs of hearing her second thank-you.

I made it just in time to hear Aaron's whispered joke about Hermione being possessed by one of the older lady ghosts here in the school.

"Hey, Jack!" Cho greeted, hiding her laughter behind a fairly wide smile. "It's so nice of you to help her!"

"I figured I should get in good spirits with her now as she may be teaching my kids one day," I retorted as I sat down.

Cutting to the chase, I immediately ask why it is that we were gathered at the library instead of the usual balcony we would often be at.

Cho then pulls from her bag a large sheet that she unrolled, revealing a brilliantly drawn poster that promoted her idea of a new class.

"Wand. Craaaaft...," she sang, slowly angling the poster back and forth so that we all could get a good look. "... ology... I've worked on it all summer. What are your thoughts?"

"Not a bad idea," says Adrian. "Are you planning to post them all over the castle?"

"Not yet," replied Cho. "I still need to band up enough folks willing to back my request..."

"Smart..." Adrian said.

Silent nods come from Aaron and myself. Not much was said after besides Adrian's comment about the weather being perfect for quidditch. That's when Cho earned our first strike of the day.

"So are you three idiots backing me or what!?"

Aaron and I both jumped at her sudden outburst, Adrian's widened eyes almost giving me a laugh at the same time.

"Quiet over there! Consider this your first warning...," declared Pince from her desk.

Cho whispered her apology before turning back to us, her scowl returning with an arch of her brow.

"Of course, we'll back you, Cho," said Adrian.

"I didn't even think that was a question," said Aaron, his arms out in a dramatic attempt at exasperation.

I, however, held my tongue before I could agree.

Cho's persistent smile glowered down on me as she waited for my response.

"Are you sure you want me backing you," I reasoned. "with the whole movement against me right now?"

"Pfft! Movement?", scoffed Aaron, which was met with Adrian's laughter.

Cho came to my defense. "C'mon, now. It's something along those lines..."

"Thanks, Cho," I said with defiance.

"Although, to say there is a 'movement' against you, Jack, you'd have to be of a certain significance," she continued.

I simply nodded. The innocence in her tone was what kept me at bay. Otherwise, I would have thought she was patronizing me and gave her the finger.

"I was being sarcastic, Jack..."

I flipped her the bird, ignoring the laughter from them all.

The weekend quickly turned into a day of helping Cho start her petition out. It begun with gathering folks who would sign her petition.

Cho understood how my social ranking can serve falsely for what she was trying to achieve and told me in her own polite way to get lost.

Although I shared with both Adrian and Aaron the same disgruntlement of having to help her for the rest of the day, I felt worse after being cut out of the group. What was I supposed to do then? I decided I'd stroll the castle.

I went up a floor to avoid the crowd as lonely strolls should be peaceful in order for one to think clearly. As I walked down the halls, my mind flew to the year I have ahead of me. I'm in a new house with new housemates, albeit they don't like me very much, it's much better than the alternative where I didn't like anyone, save Adrian. At least Gryffindors stood for something other than their last name. Even though now, I am looked down on because of my last name.

Interrupting my peaceful mind-stroll was a red head popping out of a door. The said door was leaning in an odd way and looked as if it was about to fall off its hinges.

"... Black?"

It was Weasley. Either Fred or George, one of the two.

"Why, am I glad to see you, old friend. You don't mind lending me a hand, do ya?" Behind his forced grin, I saw that he was currently panicking.

I gave him a suspicious look. I was truly suspicious, but the purpose of me showing it was so that he would know that my guard was up.

Without breaking my stride, I ask, "With what exactly?"

"My brother is in a bit of a bind... You'll just have to come see," he replied, signalling me to hurry.

Gripping on my hip where my wand holster was, I ran to meet him, ready for anything...

A few moments later, I flashed my light below to see Fred trapped in some pit, struggling against what seemed like a clump of vines trying to digest him.

That's when I learned that you can never truly be ready for anything.

"Fred," I hissed.

"Black? Old friend! How have you been, eh... "

I never thought I'd see a sight like this at a young age. Never mind the little shi tzu keeping occupied the three-headed monster on the other side of the room.

George tapped my arm nervously and asked, "Any ideas, mate?"

I couldn't tell him how exactly much wrong he was in fetching me for this situation. So, I just nodded.

"Have you a knife," I asked.

He shook his head.

"Any piece of metal?"

Still, no.

I looked to the far side of the room and saw that the giant dog from tartarus was still happily being chased by the shi tzu.

"Okay, well, then we'll just have to think," I said.

George jumped down with a war cry.

"George, you twat!" Blood started rushing to my head and I now have two idiot lives in my hands rather than just the one.

I watched as George's efforts to beat up the evil plant proved futile, ending with him being binded as well.

"George, you've done what you could," Fred said, one of his eyes now underneath the vines. "I love you, brother."

"It's not over yet," George protested.

But Fred could not be kept from having his moment. "Black, tell everyone what happened here. Yes, the Weasley twins may have gotten bested by their own shenanigans. But let the people know that we died a brave death!"

I honestly was thinking against bringing up to anyone that I was here to begin with. I didn't want people thinking I had any part in this.

"What is going on," a familiar voice shouted.

I turned around to see one of my favorite professors, James Potter.

"Professor," I shouted. "Hurry!"

Potter ran to our aid, barely even paying a glance to the doggy duo in the corner.

After a two-second assessment of the situation, Potter shouted, "Ceru ignis," and shot blue flames from his wand.

The vines seemed to coil against Potter's spell, slowly freeing its would-have-been victims.

I then conjured a rope from my wand to help them get up from out of the pit.

Once the two were out and safe, Potter gave us each a staredown. "We'll have this conversation later in my office. But before we leave, whose dog is that..."

The twins took full responsibility of everything. Oh, and the dog belonged to Valentine Buckets, a lovely pureblooded gal in the upper years.

Potter stayed on his feet and was pacing back and forth in his office as we told him our story. "This is a serious offense, I hope you all know this."

"But professor," I protested. "Surely, the school should've had taken precautions for something like this. At least a warning."

Potter put out his arms in exasperation and said, "We have given a warning."

"Yeah, Dumbledore did. At the Welcoming Feast," Fred followed. "Otherwise, where would George and I even get the idea?"

I must admit, I was too caught up in my own joy to listen to whatever speech Dumbledore gave this year.

Potter continued, evidently trying to ignore Fred's remark. "The point is, not only have you entered a prohibited area of the school, but you broke into one of the rooms as well. Jack, you may have been somewhat innocent, but you broke a rule in merely walking down that corridor. And frankly, I don't know what to do as far as punishing the three of you, so I'll have to pass this on to the Headmaster."

"Professor," I shouted at once. "Please, hear me out. If Professor Dumbledore hears about this, not only will he be furious that we've gone against his rules. But he'll be disappointed." I had to breathe mid-speech to keep myself from yelling.

I continued saying, "I have all but pulled his hair to be re-sorted and without even a month passing, I've gone and done this. What would he think of me?"

I didn't realize I was on my feet by the end of my speech. As for Potter, he let out a sigh and finally took his seat. I took mine as well.

After a moment, he spoke again. "Very well... I'm taking forty points away from Gryffindor for each of you. Reason being I caught you entering the forbidden corridor...", Potter said, folding his hands into a triangle on his desk. "I'll do you this favor if you three do me one as well. Do not. Let. Anyone. Know what happened here tonight... Is that a deal?"

"Deal." The three of us said simultaneously.

After the conversation, Potter dismissed Fred and George and asked me to stay behind. I had a feeling it was about the modified Incarcerous I had cast earlier to help Fred and George get up from the pit. I took pride in perfecting that nifty trick of mine.

Potter and I always had a friendliness between us. I usually do well in his class and never once had I disrespected him. Honestly, I think Snape was the only professor I had ever disrespected. I'm not sure why, but James Potter had taken a liking to me in my first year and it never went away since.

"I just wanted to ask you something, Jack." He started.

"Ask away, professor," I replied. The seriousness in his tone and the gloom of his eyes told me that I wouldn't be bragging about my spell to him any time soon.

"Have you and Harry met yet?" He asked.

I guess I should have expected that question. Now I feel dumb for not getting a response ready.

"No, I don't think so, sir. Why?" There was a pause before I answered and I'm sure he noticed.

"I was just wondering. I know I should be more professional but I am a father," he said before chuckling. "I just want to make sure his first term is as best as it could be for him. I know he'll have a hard time adjusting, but I hope you can cut him some slack..."

There was clearly a message behind his words. It may be that he didn't have it in him to outright say that his son hates me. Either way, I respect how he went about this. And to show that his message was clear, I said, "No worries, professor. I'm sure he'll come around with time."

Potter nodded and patted my shoulder. "By the way, while I have you, that rope spell of yours is quite nifty. Where'd you learn that?"

"Why, in Ancient Runes, sir." I said, giving him his credit as a teacher.

Potter laughed before sending me on my way. Seeing that it was dinner time, I headed downstairs for a meal.

I took my time getting there. The crowded halls and passing faces couldn't disrupt my thoughts this time. Nope, not at all.

Why in hell would Dumbledore keep a 10 foot, three-headed dog inside the school!?!?!?


A/N: AU for sure, but I'll be sticking closely to the storylines of the book-universe.