A/N: Chapter revised as of November 4, 2024.

It was with great reluctance that Harry found himself leaving sunny Tenerife at the end of the year, returning to the frigid cold of Britain. Besides the warmth and opulence of their tropical destination, Harry would miss the casual free time spent with his beloved family. Even Dahlia had been kinder towards him in recent days, after he defended her and backed up her claims of a monster preying on her dear pet Calvin.

But Harry's excitement picked up again once they were on the Hogwarts Express, because he knew what was waiting for him at the other end. He had high hopes that the second half of the year would be kinder to him than the first, and that this Chamber of Secrets nightmare would soon be behind them all. He joined Daphne Greengrass, Tracey Davis and her cousin Mark for the return journey, already eager for the new term to begin.

"You're looking tan, Potter," Daphne remarked. "Good holiday?"

"Yeah; we went to the Canaries," Harry beamed. "You?"

"Father insisted we stay at home," Daphne pouted. "He's been hearing some troubling things about Hogwarts and wanted to keep us close."

"What kind of troubling things?" Harry frowned.

"Apparently Lucius Malfoy has been running his mouth to his old Death Eater buddies in the Wizengamot," Daphne muttered. "Something about a 'tragic incident' soon to come to the school that he plans to use to oust Dumbledore as Headmaster."

Harry's stomach dropped at this. It confirmed his suspicions that Lucius had indeed planted the diary, and expected the Chamber of Secrets plot to claim the life of another student. Harry would have to remain vigilant to ensure the culprit was caught before anyone else got hurt.

"I'm surprised he hasn't been canned already," Tracey Davis added. "With the Pettigrew scandal last year...and Lockhart just last term…"

"I wonder who we'll have this term to replace him?" Daphne wondered.

"Probably Flitwick again," Mark Davis added. "He's filled in for the last two professors who couldn't finish the year."

"He hired someone new over the break," Harry piped up, grinning excitedly. "Remus Lupin."

"Who's that?" Tracey frowned.

"An old friend of my dad's," Harry explained. "He's brilliant; you'll love him."

"Well, I suppose anyone is a step up from Lockhart," Quinn chuckled. "That bloke loved himself more than Narcissus."

"Having a go at my mother, are you, Davis?" a voice sneered from the hallway; Draco Malfoy's head popped into the compartment, looking furious.

"Narcissus is from Greek mythology, you dunderhead," Daphne said coolly. "Though from what I've heard, your mother got her name from an appropriate source."

"Very funny, Greengrass," Draco scoffed. "How's dear Daddy doing? Still sucking up to James Potter for political clout?"

"At least he's not bribing Minister Fudge for favors," Harry cut in, returning Draco's glare with one of his own. "That's more of your father's specialty, isn't it?"

"That's slanderous, Potter," Draco said accusingly. "I'd watch your mouth, or it might be one of your little Mudblood friends that's attacked next."

Harry stood in a flash of anger, wand drawn to hex Draco to smithereens, but Daphne and Mark both stood to calm him. "Malfoy's not worth it," Daphne muttered in his ear. "Just swat him away like the annoying little gnat he is."

"Listen to your girlfriend, Potter," Draco guffawed. "I'd say 'see you on the Quidditch pitch', but I imagine you'll be riding the bench while I embarrass your team. Toodaloo!"

Harry glared at Draco's retreating backside, half-wishing he'd ignored Daphne and given the boy a few scars to remember him by. The Quidditch comment particularly irked him; Ravenclaw's match with Slytherin was scheduled for the end of January, and Harry would've liked nothing more than to knock Draco down a peg by swiping all three Snitches out from under his nose.

"D'you reckon he's the Heir of Slytherin?" Tracey Davis asked in a hushed voice. "The Malfoys sure seem to know a lot about what's happening—"

"He's not; he just wants people to think he is," Harry sighed, sinking back into his seat. "His father is involved in this somehow, though, and I intend to see him punished for it." The other three looked surprised at this revelation, but no one commented further on the Chamber of Secrets debacle, perhaps out of an unspoken hope that it was not as bad as it seemed.

The train arrived at Hogsmeade later than usual that evening, and students sluggishly lined up for the carriages to return to the castle. Half the students trudged into the Great Hall for a quick bite to eat before bed, while others headed straight to the dorms for bed. Harry joined the latter, though he was quite eager for the next day's lessons to begin. He had his first DADA lesson with Lupin the following afternoon, and hoped to touch base with his new professor afterwards and chart out a plan for attacking the Chamber problem.

First, though, Harry had Charms with Flitwick, who cornered him as soon as the class broke up into groups to practice the Cushioning Charm. "You've missed the last several meetings of the Dueling Club," said Flitwick pointedly. "May I ask why?"

"Oh," said Harry, surprised the man had noticed. "I just...didn't feel up to it, I guess."

"Afraid you're putting too big of a target on your back?" Flitwick remarked sagely. "I saw the way some of the other students viewed you after your duel with Fred Weasley."

"Yeah, I guess so," Harry admitted. "I just don't want to give people cause to hate me any more than they already do."

"Well, I think you're a gifted duelist, Harry," said Flitwick. "And I'd hate to see that potential go to waste. Besides, if you worry about drawing other students' ire, perhaps that's all the more reason to learn how to defend yourself?"

"That makes sense," Harry admitted. "But I didn't feel like I was learning much at the club meetings either."

"I expect that will change this term," said Flitwick. "I'll be taking over for Lockhart, and I hear that our new professor, Remus Lupin, is a fair fighter himself. I have invited him to co-run the meetings starting this week."

"Brilliant!" Harry said.

"So I can expect to see you Wednesday evening?" Flitwick asked pointedly.

"Sure, I'll be there," Harry agreed. If Lupin was going to be there, and Flitwick actually planned to participate, he might actually find it worthwhile.

Harry's first DADA lesson with Lupin wasn't until the very end of the day, with the Hufflepuffs. He filed in with the rest of the class and settled in beside Padma Patil for the lesson. Lupin was pacing nervously in front of the blackboard, but when the class had settled in, he cleared his throat to get their attention.

"Welcome back from holiday, everyone," he announced. "For those who don't know, my name is R. J. Lupin, and I'll be filling in as your Defense Professor for the remainder of the year. I'm told that you lot are a bit behind on the course material for the year, so we have a lot of work to do to get you up to speed for exams this May."

Harry's eyes wandered around the classroom as Lupin went over the material they would be covering in the coming days and weeks. Only a few students seemed to be paying close attention to Lupin, like Hermione; most were already zoning out, perhaps conditioned by Lockhart to tune out whatever the teacher was saying. Several students didn't even pretend to hide their disinterest, turning their chairs completely away from Lupin to converse with their neighbors.

There was suddenly a loud, obnoxious snicker from the back of the classroom. Harry glanced to his right, where Ron was chuckling at a note Ernie Macmillan had just passed him.

"Mr. Weasley, is it?" said Lupin, directing his attention towards Ron. "Please pay attention and refrain from passing notes in my classroom."

"Lockhart never cared about us passing notes…" an annoyed Ron muttered, just loudly enough for the people around him to hear him and laugh.

"I am not Lockhart, and I do care," Lupin said sharply, silencing the laughter. "I expect your full attention in this class, and I will give you my own in return. Deal?"

"Yes, sir," Ron said dully. Lupin nodded and continued his lesson; Harry noted that the other students seemed stunned by the harsh correction. Nobody else so much as whispered to their desk mates for the remainder of the lesson, listening quietly as Lupin laid out their course syllabus for the remainder of the year.

When the bell rang to dismiss them for the day, Harry hung back as his classmates filed out of the classroom. He approached Lupin's desk, earning a hopeful grin from the new professor.

"How'd I do for my first day?" he asked. "Not too much of a disaster, I hope?"

"I thought it went brilliantly," Harry said. "The others seem to like you alright."

"I hope I wasn't too hard on your friend Ronald," Lupin muttered worriedly. "I would hate to make enemies so soon—"

"Eh, he had it coming," Harry chuckled. "Besides, I think people respected it. We all knew Lockhart let us goof around far too much for our own good."

"Glad to hear it," Lupin said with relief. "I still feel like the substitute teacher, you know? Just trying to survive the day before the real one shows up – but they're not coming, are they?"

"Substitute or not, you're better than anyone else that's walked through that door lately," Harry said firmly.

"Oh, you flatter me," Lupin chuckled. "Help me with these boxes, will you?"

Harry helped Lupin move a few heavy parcels up the stairs into his new office, which was still being slowly put together. Harry hoped that, with luck, Lupin would get to spend much longer than a year occupying this space – Hogwarts' DADA professors seemed to have a bad luck streak, but maybe he could avoid it this time around.

"So I was hoping we could make some plans for finding the Chamber of Secrets," Harry said after setting his boxes down in a corner.

"The what now?" Lupin chuckled. "The mythical chamber that has never been confirmed to exist?"

"It does exist," Harry insisted. "And I think there's something dangerous inside it that has to be killed. There's a cursed diary somewhere in the castle—"

"Whoa, slow down, Harry!" Lupin chuckled, clapping the pre-teen on the shoulder. "It's my first day. As fascinating as your little student theories sound, I think I ought to focus on my own job before traipsing off to find make-believe dungeons."

"I'm not being funny, Uncle Remus!" Harry groaned, frustrated. "I really think we need to take care of this before somebody gets really injured, or worse—"

"Am I interrupting?" a deep voice cut in from behind. Harry wheeled around in surprise; Dumbledore was standing in the doorway, smiling softly at the two of them.

"Not at all, Headmaster!" Lupin said, rushing forward to greet his new boss with an earnest handshake. "Harry here was just filling me in on some of these 'Chamber of Secrets' rumors. Amazing what the students can come up with, isn't it?"

"I'm afraid it is no rumor," Dumbledore said somberly, causing the grin on Lupin's face to fade. "There has indeed been an incident with the Chamber of Secrets, and I fear it may not yet be over."

"You're serious?" Lupin said, face paling a bit. "I was always told the Chamber was a myth. My friends and I looked for it during our time here and never found any evidence it existed."

"That, I'm afraid, is part of why I have hired you," said Dumbledore. "In addition to your wealth of knowledge about dark creatures, you and your posse had quite a knack for discovering the hidden secrets of this castle. I hoped that perhaps you could find a few more."

Lupin suddenly looked very nervous. "I didn't realize things were that serious," he muttered.

"Has Mr. Potter here not told you about the visions he has been having?" Dumbledore asked, arching an eyebrow. Harry winced; he had hoped the topic would not get back to his family.

"What kind of visions?" Lupin asked, perplexed. "Harry's never mentioned anything of the sort."

"It is my belief that Harry here may have some latent Seer abilities," Dumbledore explained. "He told me of some visions he had last year of Voldemort infiltrating the castle, and similar ones this year of the Chamber of Secrets being opened."

Lupin's eyes snapped to Harry, who looked guiltily back at him. "Is this true, Harry?" he asked softly. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I didn't want to worry anyone," Harry muttered. "They aren't that accurate, anyway...I haven't been able to use them to affect anything useful."

"But that does not make them useless," Dumbledore said softly. "We have been able to implement new safety measures in the castle to protect our students from potential threats. And if we are indeed able to locate this Chamber, we can put a stop to all of this before anyone is seriously injured."

Lupin suddenly looked very tired, like he'd been saddled with a very significant burden. Harry couldn't blame him – the man was already stressed from the task of educating seven years' worth of students, and was now being told that he may be responsible for protecting them all from a deadly monster as well.

"I'll do whatever I can to help, Headmaster," Lupin nodded solemnly.

"Good," Dumbledore smiled. "Now, Mr. Potter, if you will excuse me, I'd like to get Professor Lupin up to speed on a few things."

"But sir, I'd like to help find the Chamber as well!" Harry protested. "What if my visions can help track it down?"

"Then I encourage you to come to Professor Lupin or myself with any information you deem relevant," said Dumbledore patiently. "In the meantime, the adults will handle this."

"I'll let you help with the search on occasion, Harry," Lupin said diplomatically. "So long as it's within curfew and in a safe environment."

"That is acceptable," Dumbledore nodded in agreement. "Good day, Mr. Potter."

Harry bowed and left the office, a bit chagrined. He was glad that Dumbledore was taking things seriously, but hated being left out of the loop. Isn't that what had caused so much trouble for him in the previous timeline? Ignoring him all of fifth year...neglecting to fill him in on basic facts about his past...keeping all of his secrets to himself….

But he did his best to push such thoughts aside as he rushed down to the grounds for Quidditch practice. Part of him wanted to skip it and stay in the warmth of the castle – it wasn't like the team would notice or care if he was absent. But James had lit a fire under him with his pep talk over Christmas, and Harry was determined to redouble his efforts and prove his commitment to the team.

Roger Davies also appeared fired up when the team convened in the locker room to begin the practice. "We have Slytherin in three weeks," he said. "They've beaten us the last four years in a row, and I can't take it anymore! We have to win this one."

Everyone nodded in agreement, including Harry. Hopefully this meant Roger would be open to all possibilities for improving the team's chances – even if it meant a substitution.

"There is one bit of good news," Roger continued. "They have a new Seeker: Malfoy, a second-year. He only made the team because his father bought them all new Nimbus 2001's. Cho, you should have a much easier time against him than Diggory."

Harry's heart sank. Was Roger about to make the same mistake two games in a row? Malfoy may be young, but he was not a completely terrible Seeker, and he had the fastest broom in the world to boot.

"Didn't he beat Angelina Johnson in his first match?" asked one of the Chasers, looking slightly concerned.

"Sure, but that's Gryffindor," Roger said dismissively. "They've been the laughing-stock of the league for years."

Privately, Harry didn't think that was the case: the team looked much better this year under Oliver Wood's leadership. Angelina Johnson was improving as a Seeker, while Dean Thomas had proven a solid Chaser in his first year with the team. Harry could only imagine how good they would be once Ginny Weasley was old enough to try out next year.

To his credit, Roger did switch up his strategy for the upcoming match, instructing his Beaters to alternate their attention between the opposing Chasers and Malfoy. Harry suspected this was due to respect for Slytherin's own impressive Beater duo more than anything, but he wouldn't complain. At least it gave Cho a better chance at competing against a faster flyer, even if she had the size advantage over Draco. Even though Harry remained invisible for most of the practice, he left the pitch hopeful for the outcome of the upcoming match.

Meanwhile, the other Ravenclaws were finally starting to accept Harry back into the fold after a rocky start to the year. Halloween seemed like a distant memory now, and the initial scare over the 'Heir of Slytherin' had faded to barely a murmur. Harry still felt a separation between himself and some of his classmates, but it was a relief not to be given the cold shoulder at all hours of the day. He joined his dorm mates that Wednesday for the first Dueling Club meeting of the new year, hoping to just blend into the background and not draw any attention to himself.

Professor Flitwick and Lupin were standing atop the stage as the room filled in around them. "Welcome back, everyone!" Flitwick squeaked happily. "I'm glad to see you all back and ready to learn again. Due to a staff change, I will now be sharing club duties with Professor Lupin, who has kindly agreed to instruct the lower years. I will be working with years five and above. Let's divide up into groups and have fun!"

Harry shuffled along with his fellow underclassmen towards Lupin, who gathered them around him along one end of the stage.

"Today we're going to work on basic Stunning Spells," said Lupin. "The incantation is Stupefy, and the wand movement is like so. This is an important tool in any wizard's arsenal that safely but effectively neutralizes any threat."

"How do we stop it?" asked Katie Bell.

"Well, most of you probably aren't advanced enough to cast a Shield Charm, which is the easiest way," said Lupin. "You can attempt to dodge the spell, or block it with a different spell of your own. I don't expect most of you to succeed in casting the Stunner on your first try, so just focus on learning it for now."

Lupin directed everyone to divide up into pairs to practice. Harry's dorm mates quickly paired up without him, and he glanced around looking for a partner. "I'll be your partner, Harry," said a serene voice, and Harry turned to see Luna standing expectantly behind him, still wearing her bright orange Blibbering Humdinger glasses. "If you'll have me, that is."

"Sure, Luna," Harry grinned. "I didn't know you were in the Dueling Club."

"I come from time to time," she grinned. "I figure if I learn how to defend myself, people won't steal my belongings as often."

Harry felt a pang of anger on Luna's behalf. "Come on, I'll help you learn the Stunning Spell," he said firmly. "I already know how to cast it, so you can just practice it on me."

He spent the next half-hour giving Luna tips on how to perform the basic curse, showing her the proper movement and walking her through the correct pronunciation. Luna's face was scrunched up in concentration, determined to knock Harry unconscious. But by the end of the session, she had yet to do more than produce angry red sparks from the tip of her wand.

"Don't worry about it," Harry reassured Luna, pulling her in for a hug. "It's technically a third-year spell anyway. You'll get it eventually."

"Thanks, Harry," Luna smiled. "You're a really good teacher."

"Erm...thanks," Harry muttered. For a moment, he had a flashback to his days teaching Dumbledore's Army in the Room of Requirement. Those were some of the most fulfilling days of his previous life, and he ached to be in such a position again in this timeline. But before he could reminisce further, Lupin and Flitwick retook the stage to address the crowd.

"Good work, everyone!" Flitwick praised them. "Now, as always, we will open up the stage for challenges. If you would like your chance to test your strengths against a fellow student, now is the time to do so."

"I challenge Harry Potter!" a deep voice rang out from the other side of the room. The crowd parted to reveal Marcus Flint, the stocky sixth-year Slytherin, glaring menacingly at Harry.

"That's a bit of an unbalanced match-up," Lupin said nervously. "Perhaps someone a bit closer to your age range, Mr. Flint—"

"I accept," Harry announced, ignoring the whispered gossip around him as he took the stage. He knew Flint had wanted a chance to hurt him ever since their encounter in his very first week of Hogwarts, when Harry defended Pettigrew from Flint and his cronies. Harry couldn't run forever, so he might as well make a stand here and now, where there would be witnesses.

"You don't have to do this, Harry," Lupin whispered frantically in his ear as he took his position at one end of the stage. "Flint is a dangerous fighter—" But Harry shrugged him off, dropping into a stance as Flint did the same at the opposite end.

"Duelists ready?" Flitwick asked from center stage. "Three, two, one...fight!"

Flint immediately launched into a quick succession of nonverbal hexes and curses that Harry didn't immediately recognize. He conjured a quick Shield to take the brunt of the damage, but saw it visibly shudder and groan under the force. Flint clearly had a powerful arsenal of spells up his sleeve that basic defenses wouldn't be able to match.

Harry retaliated with a flurry of basic jinxes to distract Flint, relishing in the smirk the older boy gave as he effortlessly batted them aside. That's it, keep underestimating me, Harry thought. He waited until Flint's concentration seemed to slip, then flicked his wand up towards the ceiling.

The floor underneath Flint launched him upwards, sending the older boy flipping uncontrollably through the air. Flint managed to right himself in midair and cast a Cushioning Charm on himself. But when he came back to the stage, rather than landing on solid ground, he landed in a pool of water Harry had conjured underneath him.

The crowd laughed raucously as a furious Flint pulled himself out of the pool. Maybe I shouldn't have humiliated him on purpose, Harry thought. But then again, he wasn't the one picking fights with kids four years younger than him.

Flint looked murderous now, whipping his wand around his head in a circle. The water from the pool rose in a great wave over his head, which he sent shooting at Harry in a stream of foamy white.

Harry opted to catch the water in a whirlwind, creating a water tornado that floated ominously between them. Students stared in awe at the twenty-foot-tall spinning structure, and Harry noticed that even Flint appeared transfixed by the elemental magic.

Might as well make use of this, he thought. So he sent a couple Shocking Charms into the whirlpool, causing it to crackle menacingly with dangerous energy as Harry sent it spinning in Flint's direction.

Flint panicked slightly at the sight of the electrified water barreling down upon him. He tried a Finite Incantatem, but Harry's will overpowered his, keeping the magic intact. He tried Banishing the tornado away, but it only caused the structure to spin more quickly, adding to the terrifying effect. Eventually Flint wised up and began firing Freezing Charms at the water, causing it to slow and harden into a crystallized structure, almost like a giant icicle suspended in front of him.

But Harry was prepared for this outcome. "Bombarda maxima!" he bellowed. His jet of light caused the frozen tornado to explode outward; Flitwick reacted quickly to protect the students in the crowd from shards of ice, but Flint got the full brunt of it, getting knocked backwards by the frozen ice blocks that rocketed towards him. He groaned and attempted to get up, but a follow-up Stunning Spell from Harry knocked him out cold.

There was utter silence in the Great Hall as the crowd processed what had just happened. "Winner, Potter," said Flitwick. He revived Flint with a wave of his wand, who gingerly picked himself up off the ground, red welts forming on his arms and face where the ice had smacked him silly. Flint's cronies rushed forward to help him down, but he brushed them off angrily, stumbling back into the crowd and disappearing from Harry's sight.

There was no applause for Harry as he took his leave of the stage and rejoined the Ravenclaws at the other end of the room. His classmates were staring in amazement at him yet again – two straight duels against much older students, and he'd made them both look foolish. Harry was uncomfortable with the attention – he never intended to take the stage in either meeting, but was draw into the spotlight against his will. He was starting to remember why he'd skipped the last few meetings….

"Bloody hell, Potter, where'd you learn to duel like that?" breathed Terry Boot as the second-years returned to their common rooms for the evening. "That was wicked!"

"His dad's an Auror; didn't you know?" chimed in Anthony Goldstein. "One of the best, according to my dad. Bet he taught Harry a thing or two."

"Yeah, something like that," Harry muttered. The last thing he wanted was to be thought of as some sort of prodigy by his peers, but that might be unavoidable now after two showy duels like that.

"I've never seen elemental magic that powerful before," said Padma Patil excitedly. "My mum says that's one of the most difficult branches of magic to master."

"It's also easy to counter," a voice said snippily from behind; Hermione Granger was listening in behind them, sounding a bit haughty. "Flint could have negated the magic with ease if he hadn't panicked."

"Like you would have done any better, Granger," snickered Sue Li. "Jealous much?"

"Hermione's right," Harry piped up in her defense. "Flint just wasn't expecting it. Elemental magic is useful to surprise people, but a prepared opponent can cancel it with a fraction of the magic needed to summon it."

Rather than looking grateful for Harry's defense, Hermione just scoffed and rushed off ahead of the pack. Is she still jealous about me getting better grades than her? Harry thought incredulously. He couldn't understand why she was behaving so childishly – but then again, she was still a child, no doubt feeling envious of Harry's superior skill and knowledge. Harry wished he could explain to her just how much of his progress had been due to her help in the previous timeline, and how brilliant she was in her own right.

Harry retired to bed early to evade further questions about his duel, but was too wound up to sleep for some time. He eventually pulled the Marauder's Map out of his chest and activated it within the privacy of his four-poster sheets. He scanned the castle: it was largely empty, save for Argus Filch in the dungeons (presumably cleaning), and Remus Lupin, who was patrolling the seventh floor – not far from Ravenclaw Tower.

Couldn't hurt to check on his progress, Harry reasoned. He slipped out of bed, ensuring that his dorm mates were asleep or otherwise not paying attention as he grabbed his cloak and slipped out of the room. As the Map foretold, he encountered no resistance en route to Lupin, who was peering intently at a blank stretch of wall, muttering to himself under his breath.

"I don't think the wall can talk back," Harry quipped as he strode forward. Lupin turned and flinched at the sight of Harry, relaxing only infinitesimally when he recognized him.

"Merlin, Harry, you can't sneak up on people like that!" Lupin groaned. "And what are you doing out of bed after curfew?"

"Like you've never snuck out after curfew," Harry scoffed, rolling his eyes. "I came to see how the search is going."

Lupin looked for a moment like he wanted to chastise Harry for his cheek, but he relented. "I'm making progress," he muttered. "The Headmaster has asked me to search for any hidden rooms or passageways I might have missed during my time as a student. I think there may be one around here."

"What gives you that impression?" Harry asked curiously.

"Magic always leaves traces," Lupin muttered, tracing his fingers against the wall – directly where the entrance to the Room of Requirement lay hidden. Harry was suddenly amused at the fact that he knew a secret of the castle that even the Marauders had never figured out.

"Perhaps it's an intent-based room," Harry offered, concealing a grin. "Have you tried asking it nicely?"

"Very funny," said Lupin, turning towards Harry for the first time. "Want to talk about what happened in Dueling Club today?"

"What's there to talk about?" Harry shrugged. "Flint wanted revenge for an incident last year, and I put him in his place."

"And you did so in spectacular fashion," Lupin agreed. "But I know your father didn't teach you those spells, and I would bet good money that Quirrell or Lockhart didn't either."

"I like to read ahead," Harry shrugged. "I thought those spells looked useful in a fight."

"I don't disagree," Lupin chuckled. "But it begs the question: why are you spending your time researching advanced dueling spells instead of, I don't know, making friends and having fun like a normal kid?"

"I've got plenty of time for that later," Harry shrugged dismissively. "There's a dangerous monster on the loose, and I have to stay ready in case it decides to attack again."

"Dumbledore told me about your visions," Lupin said with a concerned look. "He also told me about your tendency to stick your head into business that doesn't concern you."

"My sister's cat was attacked," Harry said defensively. "I'd say that's my business—"

"Frankly, Harry, I don't think it is," said Lupin. "You're twelve years old and act as though you're solely responsible for the safety of the school. There are dozens of adults here more than capable of keeping you all safe."

"It can't hurt to be prepared anyway, though!" Harry said defensively. "You saw what happened at the club meeting...I'm being challenged by sixth-years!"

"And you're allowed to decline," Lupin frowned. "You think anyone would begrudge you for it? I love you like a son, Harry, but you've never been one to back down from a fight. James would be the first to tell you that you have to pick your battles more wisely."

"If I declined, he'd just attack me in the hall anyway," Harry muttered irritably. But Lupin had a point: there was no reason for Harry to take the stage against Flint, and his pride had goaded him into making his situation worse. He remembered the vision he'd seen in the Mirror of Erised last year, of the entire wizarding world bowing at his feet, and suddenly felt incredibly foolish and vain.

"Your father made me promise to keep you and your sister stay safe while I'm teaching here," said Lupin. "And I can't do that if you continue to throw yourself into harm's way every chance you get. So can you please try to keep your head down? Maybe try being a kid and enjoying these golden years of your life?"

"I guess," Harry muttered. Lupin was extraordinarily good at making people feel guilty, something he admired about the man but really hated in this moment.

"Good," Lupin said. "Now, I also promised the Headmaster the same, so I'm going to have to ask you to return to bed. I'll forgive you this one time, but I will give you detention if I catch you out after curfew again."

"If you say so," Harry sighed, rolling his eyes. "Bet my dad would think you're a wet blanket if he could see you now."

"Teenage James might have agreed with you," Lupin smiled sadly. "Adult James recognizes what a fool he was back then, and wants his children to avoid the same dumb mistakes. Now off you get."

Harry turned, dejected, to walk away as Lupin returned his attention to the blank stretch of wall before him. A vindictive part of himself wanted to keep the Room of Requirement to himself and let Lupin waste his time here, but he knew that could delay him from finding the Chamber of Secrets, so Harry swallowed his pride once again. "I find that pacing helps in times like these," he told Lupin. "Maybe think about what you hope the wall will show you. Just a thought." And he rounded the corridor to return to Ravenclaw Tower.

A quick glance at the Marauder's Map when he returned to bed showed Harry that Lupin's dot had disappeared from the castle. That was good – it meant he'd entered the Room and would soon be able to learn what it was capable of. Lupin has your best interests at heart, Harry reminded himself as he settled into bed. He might seem like a bastard now, but he's tough because he's a responsible adult. That knowledge alone was enough to comfort Harry into a restful sleep.

"...AND MALFOY CATCHES THE FIRST SNITCH!" Lee Jordan shouted into the microphone. "That pulls Slytherin ahead of Ravenclaw, 70 to 30!"

Harry swore under his breath from the substitute box. The green and silver faithful roared its appreciation as the two teams returned to center field to reset play. Ravenclaw was holding its own fairly well so far, taking an early lead thanks to Davies' coordinated Chaser attack, but Cho was struggling to keep up with Malfoy. He had cruised to an easy first capture after zipping past her and catching the Snitch two broom-lengths ahead of her.

Harry wanted nothing more than to take to the sky and knock Malfoy down a peg. He could see his parents, Dahlia, Lupin and Sirius in the stands, and yearned for a chance to show off his talents for them. But he forced himself to root on his teammates as play resumed, hoping that Davies' strategy would pay off in the end.

And for the moment, it seemed to be working. Ravenclaw scored another two quick goals as the Beaters and Chasers worked in perfect harmony together, carving up the Slytherin defense. All they needed now was for Cho to perform...if she could catch the next Snitch, they would pull ahead to a formidable lead….

But then Malfoy entered a steep dive, a panicked Cho racing to keep up with him. Harry watched with horror as the second-year easily outstripped her, arm outstretched for the Snitch. The Ravenclaw Beaters peeled off to try and stop him, but their shots went awry, and Malfoy closed his fingers around the tiny golden ball once again.

"Another Snitch caught by Malfoy!" Lee Jordan announced over the roar of the crowd. "The score is now 120 to 50 in favor of Slytherin! And Ravenclaw captain Roger Davies calls for a timeout."

Harry hurried down to the locker room to meet the team, who looked winded and dejected. None moreso than Cho Chang, who threw her broom loudly against the wall, plopping onto a bench in a huff. Roger paced back and forth in front of the board, as though composing his thoughts – or containing his anger – before addressing the team.

"We are executing our strategies well," he finally muttered. "They may have the faster brooms, but we are the better team! We just need to keep Malfoy off of the Snitch."

"He's too damn fast," Cho said bitterly. "That broom gives him an unfair advantage—"

"I don't give a damn what broom he's riding!" Roger shouted, causing Cho to flinch. He'd never directed his anger at her before. "He weighs what, sixty pounds? A gust of wind or a single Bludger shot should knock his ass to the ground!"

"He's a hard target to hit," complained one of the Beaters. "Damn quick and a small frame."

"He has a blind spot to his back right," Harry chimed in, unable to remain silent any longer. "He won't see a shot coming from that side."

Everyone turned to Harry, surprised at his input. Roger narrowed his eyes at him, but did not immediately shoot his idea down. "What else do you notice about him?" he asked suspiciously.

Harry was quite familiar with Malfoy's playing style after facing him for four years in his previous timeline. "He's not used to holding his broom with his left hand," he offered. "If the Seeker attacks his right side and forces him to switch grips, he's less nimble."

"That's if you can keep up with him," Cho muttered, rolling her eyes. But Roger was looking at Harry curiously, as though seriously considering him for the first time.

"You saw all of that from the box?" he asked. "You got super-vision or something, Potter?"

"I pay attention to details," Harry shrugged. "That's what a Seeker does."

There was a tense silence as Roger looked between Harry and Cho for a long while. Finally, he made up his mind. "Right, we'll bring in Potter to close the match," he sighed. "Can't hurt to try something new at this point."

Harry's heart leapt at this news, and he had to restrain himself from jumping up with joy. Cho also jumped up, but from a much different emotion. "What?!" she shrieked. "I earned my spot on this team! You can't—"

"You've lost five Snitches in a row," Roger said harshly, shutting her down. "If you want the spot, earn it back in practice next week."

A stunned Cho slowly sat back down as Roger turned to the board behind him. "We'll have to adjust strategies a bit," he said, drawing up a play schematic. "Beaters, you make sure Potter doesn't get knocked out of the air right away—"

"No," said Harry. "They should focus on the Chasers. We need three more goals to get in range for the win anyway."

"You'll be pulverized before you even get the chance!" one of the Beaters scoffed.

"Let me worry about that," said Harry. "If Malfoy spots the Snitch, attack him from the right side. Otherwise, leave him to me."

Everyone looked to Roger for confirmation of this plan. Roger looked unsure, but at that moment, Madam Hooch walked into the locker room. "Time's up! Ready, Ravenclaw?" she announced.

"Alright," Roger nodded with a sigh. "Do what the kid said. Godspeed, Potter." And with that, he led the team back into the tunnel. Harry followed, clutching his Cleansweep nervously.

I'm actually getting onto the pitch! he thought incredulously. I get a chance to prove myself! That thought gave him a queasy knot in his stomach as he realized how important this match would be. If he failed to perform now, he might never see the pitch again as Roger would surely not trust him…

But his doubts faded away as soon as he kicked off the ground into the air, relishing the wind in his hair and the cheers of the crowd below him. He'd missed the adrenaline rush of a live match atmosphere, and finally felt right at home.

"And it looks like Ravenclaw have made a substitution!" Lee Jordan said. "In at Seeker is the unproven second-year, Harry Potter!"

There was a great roar of support at this announcement, from what sounded like a relatively small group of people. Harry swung around to his left to see his family going ballistic, cheering and waving at him from the stands. His heart swelled with pride, and he gave them a small salute before twirling around and taking his place at center field.

"Look, boys, they've dug up a stray dog to try and beat us now!" Malfoy sneered to his teammates, earning guffaws of laughter. "They must be truly desperate!"

Harry did not give Malfoy the satisfaction of a response. He just steeled himself for the start of the match, not allowing any insults or petty rivalries distract him from his goal.

The Quaffle was released, and the match resumed. Harry shot off after Malfoy, who seemed to be putting on a show of speed without actually searching for the Snitch. Harry let him go, sticking towards the center of the pitch and keeping an eye out for the tiny golden ball. He couldn't catch it until Ravenclaw scored at least two more goals, but if Malfoy spotted it first, Harry would have to find a way to keep him away from it.

Harry suddenly sensed danger, and rolled away just in time to dodge a Bludger aimed directly at his head. Not a moment later, another Bludger came screaming in from below, and Harry was forced into an abrupt 180 to avoid it. It seemed the enemy Beaters were determined to avenge their captain, Flint, and send Harry to the infirmary.

You think that intimidates me? an amused Harry thought as the two Beaters flew by, leering at him. I outflew a Hungarian Horntail; you two are nothing.

This strategy also meant the Ravenclaw Chasers had a clean run at the goal. "And Davies is pushing the Quaffle up field," Lee Jordan said excitedly. "He passes to Burrow...to Stetton...back to Burrow...here comes Davies with a shot...AND HE SCORES! Ten points to Ravenclaw!"

The crowd cheered as the unhappy Slytherins argued amongst themselves. The score was now 120 to 60...one more goal, and Harry could tie the game with a Snitch catch. Two more, and he could actually win the match!

When play resumed, the Slytherins seemed to double-down on their original strategy. Both Beaters were laser-focused on unseating Harry from his broom, pelting him with Bludger after Bludger. Harry deftly avoided them all – his Cleansweep may not be fast, but it was nimble enough to maneuver quickly. "Potter evades the Hospital Wing yet again!" Lee Jordan said excitedly as the crowd groaned from yet another near-miss. "Watch out, folks...this kid can really fly!"

Meanwhile, Davies and the other Chasers were mounting another attack on goal. Harry stopped briefly to watch as the Chasers and Beaters worked in perfect harmony to carve a hole through the Slytherin defense. Burrow's shot was deflected by the Slytherin Keeper, but Stetton was there to pick up the rebound and put it straight through the center hoop.

"Another brilliant Ravenclaw goal!" Lee Jordan shouted. "That's 120 to 70 in favor of Slytherin...Ravenclaw pulls to within Snitch range!"

Harry felt a jolt of excitement as he and Malfoy hovered over the action, watching the pitch and one another like a hawk. He had to make sure to stay within striking distance of Malfoy, since if he spotted the Snitch first, he would have the speed advantage to put distance between himself and Harry.

Slytherin got the Quaffle back on the next face-off and began to mount an offense. The Beaters rejoined the Chasers, desperate to cushion their shaky lead by one more critical goal. All eyes seemed to be on the Quaffle – including Malfoy, who paused momentarily to watch his team play beneath him.

Then Harry spotted the Snitch, darting along behind the Ravenclaw goalposts. His stomach dropped: if Malfoy spotted it, he was much closer and would have a clean run at it. So he took a major risk, flattening himself on his broom and rocketing off across the pitch – in the opposite direction. "Potter's spotted something!" Lee Jordan shouted excitedly. "And Malfoy takes off behind him!"

The ploy worked: Malfoy's attention was drawn to Harry rather than the Snitch, and he bought the feint perfectly. Harry aimed directly through the heart of the Slytherin Chasers, forcing them to slow their offense to avoid crashing into him. Harry pulled up just in time to avoid a Bludger, and Malfoy skidded to a halt behind him, realizing he'd been played.

"A nice feint by Potter!" Lee Jordan said. "Davies steals the Quaffle, and Ravenclaw presses on the counter-attack…"

Harry made his way back to center field, relieved to see that the Snitch had disappeared once again. "Think you're funny, Potter?" Malfoy sneered as he resumed his circling nearby. "Scared you can't win a straight race?"

"Just testing your reflexes, Malfoy," Harry winked. And he put on a brief spurt of speed, swooping low over Malfoy's head, laughing when the blonde boy flinched at his close approach.

"AND DAVIES SCORES AGAIN!" Lee Jordan shouted. "Ravenclaw pulls to within forty!"

This is it, Harry thought. I can win the match now. He refocused his efforts as play resumed once more, knowing that he could be seconds away from glory…

Then, disaster struck. Malfoy shot off across the pitch, and Harry knew at once it was no feint. The Golden Snitch was hovering just a few feet above the center line. Harry dove after him, knowing he would never catch up in time.

"Malfoy's going for his third Snitch of the day!" said Lee. "Potter's miles behind...oh, this is looking like another hat trick for the young Slytherin…"

Harry had to try something desperate. So instead of going directly for the Snitch, he repositioned himself on Malfoy's right side – directly in his blind spot. "Watch out!" he shouted, then whistled in a passing imitation of an incoming Bludger.

Malfoy flinched, ducking his head and shooting a glance over his shoulder. That was all the opening Harry needed. He put on a burst of speed, rolling neatly over Malfoy's head and stretching out his arm for the Snitch. He wrapped his fingers around the tiny golden ball a split second before pulling out of his dive and avoiding a crash.

"POTTER'S GOT THE SNITCH!" Lee Jordan shouted over the deafening roars of the crowd. "RAVENCLAW PULLS OFF A MIRACULOUS COMEBACK, 130 TO 120!"

Harry was mobbed by his teammates as they landed triumphantly on the pitch together. He felt as though he could cry from the immense joy he was feeling in this moment. None of his past Quidditch victories had ever felt this sweet...he'd had to earn this one. And when he caught a glimpse of his family, screaming and crying in the stands as they applauded him, he felt that he could die happy in that moment.

Cho looked rather grumpy when she rejoined the team in the locker room, but she begrudgingly patted Harry on the back as they celebrated the win. "Brilliant work, everyone!" Roger appraised his team, looking happier than he had all year. "We're still behind Hufflepuff in the Cup race, but if they lose their next match to Slytherin, we might stand a chance. So let's keep this energy going and focus on slaughtering Gryffindor!"

The team roared in approval at this pep talk. Harry never thought he'd take such pleasure from imagining the downfall of his former House, but in that moment, he would do everything in his power to humiliate his old Gryffindor teammates and win the Quidditch Cup at their expense.

After showering and changing back into his school robes, Harry walked out of the locker room to meet his family, who looked giddy with excitement. "What did I tell you?" James laughed, engulfing his son in a smothering hug. "Work hard, and you'll reap the rewards! I'm so proud of you, Harry."

"You were a natural up there!" said Sirius, also pulling in his godson for a hug. "It almost looks like you've been playing the game for half a decade already!"

In a way, I have, Harry thought sneakily to himself. "Thanks, Uncle Sirius," he said. He looked from his parents to Sirius and Remus before glancing around. "Where's Dahlia?"

"She left the match early to look for her friend Ginny," Lily said with a sad smile. "Said she didn't want to stand out in the cold if you weren't going to play. But I'm sure she'd be proud of you all the same."

Harry nodded, a bit disappointed. He knew his sister wasn't as Quidditch-crazy as he was, but still wished she had been able to see what he was capable of. Hopefully she could make it to the final match of the season, at least….

But no matter! He still had his House mates to celebrate with, and they joined him soon after, mobbing him with back-pats and atta-boy's. Even the upper year students, who had only ever viewed him with suspicion or derision, looked at him with genuine respect after his impressive display. Harry saw Cho fast-walking up to the castle by herself, looking miserable, and felt a brief pang of guilt. But why should he be guilty? He earned his spot, and she could now try to earn hers back.

I can't wait to tell Luna about this! Harry thought giddily, as he quickened his pace towards the castle with the crowd. She would probably just shrug, as though he'd told her a mildly funny joke, but maybe she'd come and watch him play in the next match. Lupin was right: he ought to focus on strengthening his friendships with his peers, and she was one he hoped to remain close with forever.

There was a logjam of students at the castle entrance as everyone tried to cram in through the oak doors at once. "What's the holdup?" muttered Terry Boot; he began to push forward through the crowd, Harry and several other Ravenclaws close behind. A few people turned and saw Harry approaching, and they moved aside to clear a path for him. Such a kind gesture after winning the match! he thought naively.

But it was not admiration of respect in their faces: it was fear. Harry suddenly had a very bad feeling in the pit of his stomach as they entered the Entrance Hall. And when he reached the front of the crowd, hearing the horrified gasps of his fellow students, he quickly realized what had drawn everyone's attention.

There was a student dangling from a torch bracket on the wall by her cloak. Behind her on the wall was painted an ominous message in red blood: 'SLYTHERIN'S MONSTER IS HUNGRY...WHO WILL IT CLAIM NEXT?' Harry could tell by the wispy gray smoke wafting off of the girl that she was not dead, but Petrified.

"Who is that?" Terry muttered in concern. A few other students whispered similar confused questions to one another. But Harry didn't need a closer look to recognize her at once. The platinum-blonde hair, radish earrings and orange-tinted Quibbler glasses were a dead giveaway.