Harry, Hermione, and Neville followed the four heads of house to the Headmaster's office. As they walked in Hermione and Neville looked around the room having never seen the headmaster's office. Harry watched as Professor Mcgonagall cast a patronus and sent it with a message to Dumbledore.
"Please sit you three, as soon as Dumbledore arrives we will discuss what happebed today and we will decide how to proceed."
Harry, Neville, and Hermione sat in the chairs and began to discuss what they wanted and if they could not get what they wanted what they would accept.
The three students and four heads turned to the fireplace as the flames rose and turned green and Dumbledore stepped out of the fireplace. Dumbledore pulled out his wand,waved it,and all the ashes from the fireplace disappeared. He sat down at his desk and looked around the room.
"How can I help all of you?"
Professor Mcgonagall explained what they had seen in the great hall and Harry's demand.
The four heads and the headmaster looked at the three student as dumbledore asked them to explain the reasons for Ron's actions.
Harry began with a brief explanation of what happened over the summer. He told everyone that he had sent all of the victims of the basilisk money and had included Ron for his help. He then told them that he had sent personalized letters to a few of the reciepients and that Ron had found his sister crying after recieving their letters. He then told them about the conversation that they had on the train on the way to Hogwarts.
This time the professors were the ones to huddle up. The only person they could see clearly was the potions master and all they could see was a scowl.
Once the discussion broke up Dumbledore turned to the three students and spoke. "A resorting has not been done in several hundred years. I will not deny your wishes but i would like to offer you an alternative first. For the time being I can allow you three to have seperate accommodations in Gryffindor tower or i can have you resorted."
Harry, Neville, and Hermione looked at each other and with out saying anything to each other said at the same time "resorting."
Dumbledore looked at the three and asked, "I am assuming none of you want to be sorted into Slytherin, and based on your grades the only one who whould fit the attributes of Ravenclaw would be miss Granger. Is it safe to say that you three would like to be sorted into Hufflepuff?
Harry and Neville nodded but Hermione shook her head. "I would have been put in Ravenclaw but i asked it to put me in Gryffindor for reasons i would like to keep to myself."
"As you wish. Filius please show Hermione to Ravenclaw tower and Pomona please take Mr. Potter and Mr. Longbottom to the Hufflepuff common room."
As they walked through the door to Ravenclaw Flitwick explained that if she got the riddle to enter wrong she would have to wait for someone else to come by and get the riddle right.
They walked in to find the common room full and Flitwick told them that Hermione would be joining the Ravenclaw. he also told them that she would tell them why if she wanted to and not to bother her about it. He then began to explain the changes to the house and the rest of the school. Who would like to share their rooms with Miss Granger? A blonde girl she had not talked to before volunteered.
Sprout showed the two boys to the barrels near the kitchens (which only Harry knew about) and explained and showed them the barrel that they had to tap and method in which they had to tap it inorder to enter. They also found the common room full.
"My dear badgers, Mr. Longbottom and Mr. Potter will now be joining you in the Badger's Den. Please welcome them like you would any other. Now there have been some changes that the headmaster felt were necesarry to make over the summer. Each of the houses have been adjusted in order to facilitate these changes. We have decided to change the dorms to be pairs instead of all of the years boys or girls. We will let you choose the person you want to bunk with. You may bunk with people of the same gender of any year. However, if you choose someone from a different year you will not have a new bunk mate once they graduate. We suggest that you have someone from the same year but understand you may want to bunk with your siblings or friends, so we will allow it. Once you choose your room the elves will deliver your belongings. We have also combined the dorms. your bunkmate must still be the same gender as you and we have wards that tell us when there is more than two people in a dorm and when there is people of a different gender in a dorm. We have allowed girls into the boys dorms before but felt that boys were not to be trusted in the past. I will also warn you that there are magical detectors in each room in the houses and areas commonly used that will notify EVERYONE in the area and the head s of house if you become too amorous. "
"We have also been negligent when it cones to punishments, bullying, and disrespect. we have changed the policy and i must warn you that we will no longer be as lenient as we were before. I trust all of you to make sure that hufflepuff continues to be a great example of unity and respect."
"With that I hand you over to the prefects. Cedric walked up to Harry and Neville and led them in the direction of the new dorms. "Many say Hufflepuffs get the leftovers of the other three houses but we are extremely loyal and are hardworking. Some of the most well known people in the ministry have been Hufflepuffs. For example, the current head of law enforcement was once a Hufflepuff. She worked hard than most to get where she is and passed many who felt that they had more of a right to her position. We stick together regardless of what happens, regardless of year. We expect you to look out for others regardless of house or year."
Harry nodded. "There are many things that I think are wrong with our society and I hope to fix it. I have made some suggestions to Dumbledore and my Godfather is currently working to teach me the things I need to know for running a house and being a member of the Wizengamot. Cedric, I would welcome any suggestions you have. I also want to let you know that I do not plan on taking your position on the quidditch team. I will wait until there is an opening on the team or you hold tryouts."
"I'll leave you two to become accustomed to Hufflepuff, welcome to "the Den."
Harry and Neville chose a room and walked in surprised to see that there was a bathroom on either side of the room and two four posters next to each other in the middle of the far wall with a desk on one side and a dresser next to it. The room and sheets were decorated in a rich yellow with bits of black thrown in. Harry had a perch for Hedwig and noticed a terrarium for trevor on Neville's side of the room.
I can't believe Ron did that." Neville said looking over at Harry.
Harry shook his head and said "I can. He may not seem like it but he is very protective of his sister and he is always jealous of the attention that I get. Every once in a while I could see it. I also know that Ron's manners and attitude pushed a lot of people away from me. I am sorry we ignored you in the past. I hope you'll forgive me." Harry thought about how Neville would be if he could raise his confidence. The two boys got ready for bed and quickly fell asleep.
When Harry, Neville, and Hermione walked in to the Great Hall the following morning (they had met in the entrance hall) people were surprised to see them in different house colors and sitting at different tables. Harry and Neville sat with some of their fellow yearmates, Hannah and Susan, and Cedric sitting next to Harry. Harry looked over at the Ravenclaw table and saw Hermione sitting with and talking to Padma and Luna.
Sprout came down with the schedules and passed them out. Harry saw that Mcgonagall allowed Harry to changes his courses and he was now in COMC, Runes, and Arithmancy (He hadn't taken it the first time but he had done well in primary school despite holding back to make Dudley look good). He looked questioningly at neville and saw that he was still only taking COMC and divination.
His classes that day were transfiguration, charms, and Runes. He was pleased to see that he was with the ravenclaws for transfiguration and charms and he knew that the electives would be with all houses. His classes were the same as the previous timeline. This time however he did not hold back. He knew that Hermione would never hate him for doing well and he didnt care what Ron thought anymore. He, Neville, and Hermione sat together and Susan and Hannah were never far away.
Just like the first time, Malfoy had insulted buckbeak during the first COMC lesson. This time, however, Harry had been watching and had banished malfoy away from harm. Hagrid had seen and had awarded Harry 5 points for preventing Malfoy from getting hurt. He also took 10 points from Malfoy for not listening and a detention for insulting a creature he was just told would not react well to disrespect.
At Dinner, Harry was sitting with Susan, Hannah and Cedric when Ginny, Fred and George walked over and sat down asking what had happened, pointing at their robes. Before Harry could say anything Snape spoke loud enough for the entire hall to hear, "30 points from Gryffindor, go back to your own table."
Harry held out his hand and stood up so everyone could see and hear him. "Actually sir, the rules say that we only have to sit at our own tables at feasts or special events."
"Why you arrogant..." Snape started.
Those closer to the head table heard Dumbledore say, "now now Severus he's right."
Snape stopped arguing but was still fuming. Dumbledore stood.
"Mr. Potter is right. No points will be taken. Since I already have your attention I have some announcements to make. As you all know the train was searched by the dementors last night. I missed the feast last night as i was at the ministry dealing with the situation. You will be pleased to know that I manage to convince the ministry to remove the Dementors from the school. However, due to Peter Pettigrew being free and in the wind, the minister and the head of law enforcement have agreed to loan us a few of their aurors. Please welcome them and cooperate with them should they ask you to do something."
With that Dumbledore sat down and everyone began to eat again and talk.
The twins chuckled.
"I can't believe Dumbledore stopped him." Fred said.
"Me either, brother." George said.
The both grinned before the grin fell and they became serious. "Now tell us, what happened." They said in unison.
They, and Ginny, paled in reaction to what Ron had done. Ginny told them that Ron definitely isn't gonna like the attention he gets from Gryffindor when they find out he lost them their star seeker.
Harry agreed. "Its fine, i wont be playing as it is." The Weasley's at the table gasped as Harry continued. "We chose to be resorted and I am not gonna take the spot away from Cedric. I plan on working with the puffs and I can help train the new Gryffindor seeker, if yall want.
George told those around the table that Wood and the rest of the team was pissed. He also told them that Ron probably won't be too happy when their parents found out what he did.
The next several days passed quickly and in a similar manner as the original timeline.
Ron was shunned by most of Gryffindor. The only people that would really talk to him were Seamus and Dean. George's prediction came true. Ron had recieved a howler from his mother. She had berated him for involvong himself in his sister's business (Ginny had blushed and quickly hidden her face), ruining his friendship with someone the family considered one of their own, and told him that he deserved what ever punishment/reaction he recieved from the teachers amd students.
The school was still chuckling about it a couple of weeks later when Ron finally managed to get Harry by himself leaving COMC.
"Look, Harry. Im sorry for what i did. Ive had a while to think about it and i was angry at you for whatever happened between you and my sister and i felt jealous that you were hanging out with others. You have never hung out with anyone other than me and Hermione."
"Ron, I accept your apology but you have to understand. You were my first friend and you treated me just like Malfoy would. You also treated Susan and Hannah the same way. I have no problem with us being friends again but we will never be like we were before. You abandoned me like the whole school did last year. I want to grow better relationships with all the houses. I do, however, want to give you something to consider. With the way you excel at chess you could become a brilliant tactician. You are jealous of me but you have many things that I dont like a family. Make a name for yourself. Find a way to set yourself apart from others. We slacked off all the time the last two years. You now have neither Hermione or me in class with you. If you want to excel you are gonna have to do it yourself."
Ron nodded, looking a little dejected. "I understand. Thanks for listening to me. I promise I'll do better.
Many things changed leading up to the first Hogsmeade weekend and quidditch match. There was quite a bit of talk about how Harry was no longer playing. Gryffindor was trying to keep their new seeker a secret but most people knew it was Ginny. Even thought the money was hers to do with as she wished she asked for permission to get a new broom. The Weasley parents had had no issue with it so Ginny had sent off for a nimbus 2001 She had been training with Harry and gotten quite good. Harry had a knack for seeing the shimmer of gold but Ginny was far lighter than Harry and had often given him a run for his money after a few practices.
Harry and Sirius had been sending letters back and forth and had been talking about many different things. Sirius had told him that he and Amelia had started dating and he assumed that Susan would hear about it soon. They had talked about some of the pranks that Lupin had been involved in and Sirius had suggested that he tell Remus that he knew how close he was to his parents. Harry had asked Sirius about his both sets of his grandparents and had found out that his paternal grandparents had died at the hands of death eaters shortly before his parents had gone into hiding and the death eaters had burned down Potter manor. His maternal grandparents had gotten into a car accident but most people who knew them thought it was suspicious since the accident had been a few weeks after the death of James' parents. They made plans to visit Gringotts the week before the Hogsmeade visit to inquire about Harry's properties.
Meal times were another thing that had drastically changed. Most people, with an exception for the majority of Slytherin now sat with people from other houses. The professors were amazed with the show of unity amongst the houses.
AN: I will be throwing my own twist into the canon storyline. Eventually i will diverge from the path but i plan to only create minor waves in the timeline. As always I do not own Harry Potter. That privilege blongs to JKR