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Chapter Text

The house held a quiet tense atmosphere. It had been months since they had been forced into hiding after the prophecy was revealed to them, and weeks since they'd seen or heard from anyone outside these walls. Yet Frank was content at the moment as he watched his lovely wife nursing their sleeping child as she carried him off to bed. All of this was for Neville's sake and he would gladly give up anything he had to ensure it.

These thoughts were rudely interrupted by the wall opposite him exploding inwards with the force of a bomb and a horrid cackling laughter filling the room. Frank was dazed, but years of training had his body searching for the wand he knew was still safely holstered on his waist. Alice had her hands full with the boy, so their defence fell to him until she could safely join him.

"Lestrange, how'd you find us?" He asked, attempting to draw the attention of the attackers.

He fired a volley of stunners in the direction of the damage as he worked his way around the scattered furniture. Always making sure there was some cover between himself and the continued cackling of the mad witch who had invaded his home.

"Come on Franky boy. Come out where I can see you." She retorted as the couch he was hiding behind erupted in another fierce explosion. "I want to have some fun."

Finding his feet once more, Frank launched up and trained his wand on the vicious cow responsible for so much destruction during this war. But it was only as he felt the magic surging through his fingers that he noticed the cold red eyes and dangerous voice to his immediate right.

"Crucio."

It was less than a whisper, but it hit with the force of the Hogwarts Express as Frank's body collapsed in agony, his wand clattering away as he fell. The only thing he could comprehend beyond the pain itself was the screaming of his wife somewhere nearby.

Almost as quickly as the pain had struck, it was gone, but his body twitched and ached as he lay in a pool of his own vomit. Frank didn't even remember being sick all over himself. Never had he felt a pain that intense. He had seen his fair share of the Unforgivable Curses during the war, even felt their touch once or twice, but the sheer evil and power of what just ran through him were so far beyond anything he'd contemplated before.

"Bella, my sweet. Have your fun here. The boy is mine."

The cold voice of the enemy roused Frank from his agony. "No, not Neville. Leave my boy alone you monster."

"Crucio." The pain started again, but less intense this time. His mind was able to tell this was one of Voldemort's sycophants rather than the man himself.

"Stop, Rabastan." Bellatrix's bubbly voice urged. "We can't have him passing out just yet."

He could feel her lurid body pressing against his own as she ran her filthy fingers through his matted hair. Had he not just voided his stomach moments earlier, Frank was certain he would have done so now. This evil harridan had been responsible for as much carnage and death as her depraved master.

His only comfort came from the dull pulsing in the back of his mind. The signal had been tripped and was going out strong. The Aurors are coming. Just hold on long enough for them to arrive. Frank turned and saw Alice lying a few metres away, her eyes locked on the ceiling, whispering under her breath. He knew she was watching the room where they had secured Neville. All their preparations would be for naught if Voldemort found the boy.

A dull shaking roar from above sounded as he realised Voldemort had entered the room. Even Bellatrix Lestrange whispering depraved words in his ear while she worked her blades over his chest could not distract him from the sorrow pulling at his soul at that moment. Help would arrive too late. The Dark Lord now stood above his baby boy.

The whole world shook as an explosion ripped through the upper floor. Bella was thrown from his body until he struck Alice and the pair were pelted by debris falling from above. A loud crying was the only sound that could be heard above the rending of building materials as the entire upper floor seemed to dissolve.

Frank watched helplessly as three bodies extricated themselves from the piles of rubble. All three he recognised, but only one turned his blood to ice. Bartemius Crouch Junior stood side by side with Rabastan and Rudolphus Lestrange, staring at him with cold fury. The son of his boss. A long-time friend of his family. Their Secret Keeper. He understood now, that they had been betrayed from within.

"You sneaky bastard." Bella's voice penetrated his darkening thoughts once more. "What kind of trap did you set up that destroyed half the damned house?" Her crazed eyes were above him once more and her wand tip glowed with a dark mustardy glow. "You'll pay dearly for your treachery."

The glow intensified as she danced her wand in a complicated pattern above him. Frank watched helplessly as the wand was turned at the last moment to point to his right and saw the horrid-looking spell strike his wife. She went limp as the spell connected and her head fell to the side, staring back at his own. He could still see her breathing, but the brilliant mind of his wife was nowhere to be found in Alice's eyes.

Anger rose within him as he felt small hands gripping at his legs. One of the sycophants hit him again with the torture curse, blocking his recognition of the world around him. The pain of the curse was not as strong now, not compared to the loss of his family. That pain would haunt him until his dying breath, not just while someone held a wand on him.

As the pain momentarily lessened, his eyes refocused on the glowing wand tip above his face, and he knew he was about to suffer the same fate as Alice. The only comfort he took was the sound of thirty pops echoing about the ruins of the house as the spell connected with his face. Help had arrived.

Too late.

ϟ

Amelia was stunned.

The house was a ruin. Whatever had caused the explosion had gone off in the exact middle of the home and had devastated the entire structure. How anyone could have lived through it was beyond her comprehension. But live they had. The thirty Aurors who had apparated in with her had cast the standard Stunner net across the ruin and struck all four of the standing figures.

As she carefully picked her way through the rubble to their prone forms, she remembered the last time she had stood in this very home, discussing these emergency protocols with Frank and Alice. They had known somehow that You-Know-Who was coming after them and secured the home but being Aurors that had not been enough. They had set an alarm to alert the entire force if those security charms were breached.

It had taken the combined efforts of Alice Longbottom and Lily Potter to figure out how to tie the charms through the Fidelius charm she now recalled had been used. It was the only way to share the Secret with everyone who would need to mobilize if it tripped. But as she reached the centre of the ruined sitting room, she realised it had all been in vain.

Both the adult Longbottoms were staring up into space, not reacting to any of the many figures walking about the room. Only blinking idly as tiny flecks of debris continued to flutter down onto their vacant faces. They had been too late to stop the attack. Amelia was about to move on when she spotted the small hand gripping Frank's robes. She gently levitated the plaster off the body tucked underneath and gasped.

"I NEED A HEALER OVER HERE NOW!"

Neville Longbottom looked back up at her tears clutching at his cheeks and blood flowing freely from a deep cut in his forehead. She attempted to stiffly levitate the boy as well, but he would not loosen his grip on his parent's clothing.

"Let go, Neville. We need to get you looked at sweetie."

He just looked back at her with doleful eyes full of tears, still refusing to let go of his parents. Amelia heard the Healer gasp behind her as they took in the chaos she was crouched amid.

"Bones! Get yer ass over here now."

"In a minute, Moody." She shouted back.

"NOW Girl!"

"Fine," she called, turning to the Healer. "Med-Evac the three of them."

Amelia relinquished the young boy to the treatment of the Healer, mumbling under her breath at the annoying man who had once been her training officer.

"What you miserable goat?" She growled stepping up beside him.

"Need secondary confirmation from a Senior Auror. Yer the only other one we got here tonight."

"Confirmation of what, Moody?"

The grizzled Auror just pointed at the pile of rubble in front of him. She followed his hand and saw another body. This one was twisted and broken as it lay cast across several smouldering beams that had once supported the upper floor. The tattered black cloak barely concealed the emaciated pale flesh beneath, and more than she cared for was visible underneath. Whoever it was hadn't bothered with undergarments this evening. Swallowing the bile that threatened to burst forth at the sight, her eyes raked up the form coming to rest on the most hated face in the wizarding world.

"Merlin's beard. How?"

"Don't know, don't care, but you make it official. Voldemort is dead."

Amelia shuddered as her mentor said the hated name. She never understood how he could do that. But if this was true, it meant a huge turning point in the war. Without their leader, the Death Eaters would crumble. Another figure stepped up behind them as the pair turned back to the Aurors combing the scene.

"Got four marked Death Eaters. Three Lestranges and you'll never believe who the fourth is."

"Barty Jnr," Moody growled one eye fixed on the junior Auror.

"How'd you know?" The young officer asked, stunned.

Moody didn't reply, just stomped over to where the Aurors were securing the Death Eaters for transport to holding. Amelia knew he was going to escort them personally to ensure that the boy didn't disappear between now and his trial. None of them thought Senior would be capable of something of the sort, but Moody was too paranoid to leave things to trust.

"Finish clean up. The Longbottoms have been evacuated and Moody is handling prisoner transfer. I need to go inform the boss."

And with one last glance at the crumpled body of their adversary, Amelia disapparated away.

ϟ

"JAMES! Get the bag!"

A million questions shot through James Potter's mind as he heard the frantic tone of his wife, but he voiced none of them. They had been prepared for a quick exit for weeks now. Ever since Lily had identified the benefits Voldemort would receive by attacking on a magically strong date. He had prepared the bags and she would grab Harry. He wasn't sure what had spooked Lily, as he could feel the wards pulsing normally about him. There was no one attacking them at the moment.

"Ready!" he shouted up the stairs.

"Then go, damn it," she screamed at him as she shot out of the nursery carrying a bundle in her arms. "The Longbottoms are down and I'm not waiting here for our turn."

James had no idea how she knew that Frank and Alice had been attacked, but he trusted his wife. He grabbed the pre-set portkeys from the bag and threw one to Lily as she arrived at the base of the stairs. Before she could say another word, his eyes locked on her own and he tapped the small toy car, sending her spiralling away, before gripping his own tightly and disappearing as well.

Chapter Text

James reappeared on a quiet street. Nondescript as any other in the Greater London suburbs. He still had no idea what had possessed his wife to choose this location for their emergency escape portkeys.

"It's quiet," she whispered from his side as they both cast about, looking for any sign that someone had seen or heard their arrival.

James just nodded to her as she tucked her wand into the bundle in her arms and proceeded down the empty street. Some of the houses to either side had cars parked on the lawn or the street, and in some of the windows, they could see lights shining through patterned curtains.

No one but them was fool enough to be out and about at this time of night.

Lily continued to lead him onwards, James was utterly lost as he knew she was leading them through some muggle neighbourhood, looking for something known only to her. They'd been going so long; the adrenaline of their rushed escape had left his body and the lateness of the hour was beginning to take its toll on him when he bumped into the back of his stationary love.

"Watch your step, Potter. We're here." Her soft voice proclaimed as he followed her gaze to a small home with no lights or car.

"Where?" he replied.

Lily turned, locking her green eyes on his with a determined zeal and a slight smile.

"Home."

ϟ

"Sirius Black..."

"Amelia Bones," a smiling voice interrupted.

A small smile crept to the edges of Amelia's face as she stared down at the cheeky bastard she had been friends with for years.

"If you'd be so kind as to not interrupt, Mr Black."

"Of course, my dear."

Amelia shook her head a moment as she adjusted her papers, attempting to keep her amusement from showing on her severe face.

"You are here to ascertain if you had any hand in the attack upon, and destruction of the home of, Aurors Frank and Alice Longbottom and their son Neville."

Sirius did not interrupt this time, only nodding his head in understanding, but the grin he'd been wearing since he met her at the Floo would not leave his face.

"We have received evidence that you were involved in the charms concealing the Longbottom home from attack. Charms which failed on Saturday the 31st of October 1981, is this correct?"

"Indeed Am…" Sirius froze, her name dangling off his grinning lips as she stared down at him, humour glowing in her eyes as she silently warned him, "...adame Bones. I assisted Lily Potter and Alice Longbottom in the application of the Fidelius and other charms to both Longbottom Manor and Potter Cottage."

"What other charms, exactly? Be specific."

"Would if I could."

"Please explain that statement further."

"Lily and Alice Longbottom… well, they were straight geniuses. I don't know what more than half of the spells those two cast do. I was the eye candy you see." Amelia glared at Sirius again. He was currently sitting in the chair in the dead centre of Courtroom Ten, the one that had been used for every single Death Eater trial of this entire war, and he was cracking jokes.

"Mr Black, you are aware the use of Veritaserum has been authorised for hostile witnesses in Death Eater-related cases? If you are unable to take this matter seriously, we shall use other means." Amelia winced visibly for the first time in the trial as she looked down at Black and saw his grin spread even wider, something she had previously thought impossible.

"Siriusly, Amelia?" Several of the other Wizengamot members were whispering behind her as the witness chuckled. "Alright, I was mostly there as an apprentice. Hand them the stones and provide the materials or ingredients necessary for the spells and runes. But I honest to Merlin haven't the foggiest what most of the charms do. I believe at least some of them were so that in the event of an attack, the Aurors would be informed and able to respond, rather than a destroyed house and several dead bodies rotting away behind a Fidelius charm for months or years."

Amelia noted down his response on her notes as she attempted to calm herself. This man had always been able to get under her thick skin, but this was a serious matter. The Lestrange case was later that week and they needed all the information they could to ensure it went smoothly and the four beasts were locked away forever.

"Very well, you cannot provide specifics on the magics involved. Did you have any further place in them than simply handing things to the ladies?"

"Not sure what the question is asking, Madame Bones," Sirius replied.

"Were you, as reported, the Secret Keeper of either the Longbottoms or the Potters?"

"No, I was not. James wanted me to be. But I convinced Lily and him that I would be the obvious choice, something James had just proven. I told them to tell everyone that I was the Secret Keeper but to pick someone else for the position. I suggested they use our other friend instead."

"Remus Lupin?" Amelia questioned, as she was aware Lupin was a werewolf and was currently somewhere on the continent. As such his involvement would not end well for the poor soul. Even though she knew firsthand he was harmless and friendly as a human.

"See, my suggestion was perfect. No, Peter Pettigrew. The friend everyone always seems to forget we have."

"Very well, Mr Black. Does anyone have any further questions for Mr Black?"

Most of the members of the Wizengamot shook their heads silently as they allowed Black's testimony to stew in their minds.

"Then, Mr Black, you may step down. We may have further questions at a later time."

Sirius grinned rakishly at the members as he stood, intentionally shaking the chains on the arms of the chair as he stood and adjusted his robes.

"Certainly, you have my number Amy, good day." And with a hop in his step, Sirius left the courtroom, hushed whispers between the members as they stared at the de facto head.

Amelia was going to make Sirius pay for his remarks in court today. It was hard enough leading the proceedings given the Wizengamot had forced Barty to step aside during the trials due to his son's involvement. She was under enough pressure without his sense of humour. But it had helped to lighten one of the many trials she had to preside over today. And there was no time for a break as the next one was already entering the chamber. Amelia sighed as she moved the next stack of papers into the centre of the desk and addressed the man now sitting in the chair.

"Severus Snape."

ϟ

"Honey, I'm home!"

Lily shook her head softly as she held Harry asleep in her arms. After all these years as friends, one would think she'd be used to the walking insanity that was Sirius Black. But he always managed to surprise her with just how immature he could be.

"There you are, love." He called as he stepped into the living room. "You'll never believe my day at work."

Sirius walked over and kissed her on the cheek as James walked into the room.

"Oi, hands off my girl, Black!" James shouted, raising his hands in a boxing stance.

Sirius scoffed, holding his hand to his chest in mock disgust, "You're cheating on me with this lanky fool, Lily? Well, I never!" And he leapt at his best friend, wrestling him to the ground.

"Will you two fools shut up? Harry is sleeping." Lily whispered. The look she gave the grinning pair silenced them both. "Good. Now sit down and tell us what happened Sirius."

"Just as you expected. They asked about all the spells you and Alice cast, what my role was and if I was Secret Keeper for either of you. You needn't worry though, I told them nothing." Sirius said, zipping his mouth closed and sitting there with a smug smirk on his face.

"Sirius," Lily warned again, "you were supposed to co-operate."

"I did! How could you suggest…" Another glare from Lily quietened his theatrics once again. "Fine, I'll be Sirius then."

James was practically shaking in the chair next to her as Lily elbowed him softly while struggling to both not wake Harry and stare Sirius into compliance.

"OK, I told 'em the truth, as much of it as my brain could pick up. You two were wicked smart with those spells. I still don't understand them. Told them Wormtail was the Secret Keeper for you, and I still haven't the foggiest whose the Longbottoms was."

"And Voldemort? He is definitely dead?"

"Oh yeah, saw the body myself. Moody took me down after Crouch's trial. Not a pretty sight. And neither was the body."

"Sirius!" Lily snapped.

James stopped laughing next to her and wrapped her in his arms. He understood just how afraid she still was. When she had felt the change in the magic that signalled an attack on the Longbottoms she was utterly terrified they would still be next. It was the reason they had this fallback plan and a second concealed home that not even Dumbledore and his Order knew of. Only the three people currently seated in the room even knew of its existence, much less its location.

And even with Voldemort dead, there was still nothing stopping his crazed followers from seeking revenge against anyone involved in the monster's downfall. She would do anything to protect Harry from that. And yet Sirius was throwing jokes around like they were back in school having just finished a tough exam. Her calm exterior was honed over many years of dealing with the Marauders, but right now she just wanted everything to blow over, so she could feel safe again.

"Sirius, enough," James said as he pulled his family tight against his chest.

"You got it. Anyway, they interviewed Peter. You'll never guess what he told them."

Sirius sat there silently as James and Lily looked at him. "Well?"

"No, you have to guess, that's how it works."

Lily stood and threw the nearest solid object she could wrap her fingers around at Sirius's face. The vase exploded against the wall behind the couch as Sirius dove for the floor. James's grin was back as he watched his friend cowering in fear beneath the wand of his love.

"You utter one more joke I will castrate you right here and now dog!" Lily seethed.

Sirius lay on his back staring at the glowing tip of Lily's wand and raised his hands in defeat. "Sorry, Lils. You know I can't help myself sometimes."

Lily kept her wand trained on him as she sat, amazed only at how Harry had not stirred in the slightest throughout the entire confrontation.

Sirius remained on the floor as he continued. "Turns out, the Rat has a new tattoo. Little shit is a marked Death Eater."

Lily's grip wavered as that news sunk in. She had allowed a marked enemy to be the security for her little boy. Her body shook with both horror and sorrow. James gently lifted Harry from her arms as she fell into his side, clutching at him and finally let loose the anguish that had been building in her chest since the moment she felt the Longbottom wards fall. Unaware of time passing as she unloaded every pent-up emotion and thought into her husband's shirt.

"What have they decided to do with the little rodent?" James asked as he felt Lily's body slowly coming back under her control.

"Make out session." Sirius shrugged.

This time Lily ignored the humorous response. She could understand some of Sirius's behaviour. They had all been such close friends, for such a long time, he must be feeling the betrayal much deeper than he was allowing to show. And humour had always been Sirius Black's favourite defence mechanism.

"And Crouch and the Lestranges?"

"Got a good lawyer that lot. Crouch is getting the kiss, just like Peter. But somehow the Lestranges all managed to get down to life in Azkaban. Not sure it will even affect my deranged cousin. She has clearly already lost her marbles."

"Anything else?" Lily asked, pulling her face from James's shoulder.

"Well, turns out ol' Snivellous was spying for Dumbledore. The old man spoke on his behalf and the greasy git has managed to skip out on Azkaban altogether. I even heard Albus offer the bastard a job."

Lily was unsure what to feel at that news. She had once been as close to Severus as she now was with Sirius. But back in their fifth year, he had severed that bond for good. She knew he was marked as they had been on opposing sides of the field in a few battles of the war, but was she happy he wasn't going away?

"Don't think about it, Lily. It doesn't matter right now."

Lily looked up at her husband. She loved him more now than she had when he'd asked her to marry him. And the love he felt for her was obvious in his gaze. They would survive, they'd make it through all of this and give Harry the life he deserved. The one he'd so nearly been denied.

Chapter Text

Harry James Potter. The boy-who-lived-to-drive-his-mother-to-distraction.

Who seemed to think the most fun a boy could have in this world was running circles under her feet as she prepared dinner. She loved her son, as dearly as she had ever loved anyone or anything, but sometimes, she wished she hadn't married a Marauder.

"Harry, please not now. Mummy is trying to get dinner ready."

Harry beamed up at her before hugging her leg tightly and bolting from the room. Lily sighed. He had recently developed this habit of irritating her until she paid attention to him, then he would flee the room. She was certain it was something his godfather had taught him to do, as he had done the same thing on many occasions. Definitely regretting the whole Marauder thing.

In the other room, Harry ran inside and leapt into his godfather's arms. At three and a half years old he was getting quite a lot bigger now. His hair had grown out and was exactly as his fathers had been at his age, pitch black and sticking out everywhere like Sirius's fur did after shaking off following a good dip in the pond of the local park. His potent green eyes inherited from his mother glowed with mischief, encouraged by his father and godfather.

"High five, Harry. Nice work." Sirius said carrying the boy to the backyard. "Time for your reward."

Harry bounced excitedly in his arms as they stepped out into the yard. He could see from the door what was still hidden from his mother's view out the kitchen window. A new even bigger training broom was shining in the afternoon sunlight. His father stood beside it smiling widely at his big boy.

Harry shot from Sirius's grip and bounded over to his father to inspect his newest toy. He knew that both his father and godfather were ridiculously rich heads of their houses (ever since Great Uncle Archie had passed away a few months ago) but he knew they tried their hardest not to shower him with gifts or money. Everything he got was a reward for hard work, the trait his mother was mostly responsible for.

He inspected the oak shaft closely, running his little fingers over the polished surface, feeling the turns and dips in the grain. Harry loved the feel of the wood under his touch and had begged to go with Uncle Remus to the Forest of Dean this weekend. He still couldn't understand why his parents had reacted so strongly to his request. He loved his Uncle Moony as much as he did any of them, and he hated that he always had these trips that took him away every month. But this time he was going camping. And Harry had begged on hands and knees to come along. He could see the war in their eyes as he summoned up the crocodile tears Padfoot had so kindly taught him how to bring out at will.

It was to be all for naught, Moony had left yesterday and wouldn't be back until Monday. So, James had quietly promised Harry a reward for being such a brave boy this weekend and not wallowing about. This new broom was his reward for being a big strong boy all weekend over the full moon.

The handle curved softly, leaving a small space that was clearly meant to be a seat, just above the sleek bristles poking off the back end of the broom. The deep red stain shined brightly in the afternoon light that flooded in past the tall hedges which had only recently grown to their full height after they moved here a couple of years earlier.

Harry looked up pleadingly at his father. "Can I ride it now?"

James just smiled as he hauled his son up into the air and settled him down onto the seat. He pulled his wand and waved it back and forth over Harry's lap activating the seatbelt charms on the small broom and the footrests rose up under his short legs and tucked them under his bum as he leant forward in response.

Harry could feel the power of the broom waiting to be unleashed, even if it only had a maximum speed of 5 kilometres per hour and would stop if he went further than 500 metres from the wand that activated the charms. Harry felt alive. He loved to fly, even though he'd only gone up properly with his father once before. There was nothing like the feeling of the wind pressing into his face as he soared with the birds.

"Now, Harry…" his father began as Harry leant further forward and the broom 'shot' away from his dads.

While not overly quick compared to something like a Nimbus, five kilometres an hour in an average-sized backyard felt like the speed of light to the young boy. Harry shouted happily as he tore about the yard while Sirius and James watched him closely.

"JAMES POTTER!"

Harry winced at his mother's scream and tried to get away as he aimed for the far side of the yard to the back door.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?"

His mother was in the yard now towering over the cowering forms of Sirius and James.

"It was his reward for being a good boy while Moony was away." Came James's pitiful justification.

"It's not SAFE!" Lily replied, glaring now at her little boy trying in vain to escape her wrath. "Harry Potter, you get off that contraption this instant!"

"But, mum." He whined as he brought the broom about.

"Don't you 'but, mum' me young man. Your father may be an irresponsible lout, but I will not have it."

"Jeez Lils, calm down," Sirius added, pulling the witch's ire as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

Harry seized the opportunity and redirected the broom at the hedge. He had spent many hours exploring this yard over the years and he knew the growing hedges like the back of his hand. He knew something he had never shared with his parents. There was a small gap in the hedges about halfway up, just in range of the 2 metres that this broom could rise above the ground. If he came at it from the right angle and squashed himself flat against the handle, he could just squeeze through and he would be safe.

He spotted the gap and lined himself up, pushing the broom to its limits as he shot towards the opening. It was at that moment, as the joy soared up inside him as he made his escape, that three voices shouted in unison behind him.

"ACCIO BROOMSTICK!"

All of Harry's forward momentum disappeared, and he began flying backwards, faster than the broom itself could normally carry him. He cursed his parents for noticing his escape plan and knew he was in for it now, so he schooled his face to its most innocent expression and looked up as he came to rest between the three adults.

"I love you, mummy." He smiled as he looked at her livid expression.

Her face nearly matched the colour of her hair as she looked in turn at all three of the males.

"Inside, NOW!" Her voice never raised above a whisper as she spoke and all three knew there was no arguing any further.

Harry figured that he was already in trouble, so he decided he'd have a little fun first. No one had disabled the charms holding him to the broom, so he turned it once more and zoomed quickly through the back door and into the house.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER!"

ϟ

"Mum," Harry whispered in Lily's ear as he stood beside the car, "I'm scared."

Lily smiled softly as she wrapped her arms around her son. She too was dreading this day, had been for months now. Harry had never been away from her for more than three hours since the day he was born. A side effect of his early years being spent in hiding from the crazed magical world he would one day be a part of. But now he would be gone for most of the day. And it was at Lily's insistence that he was going.

"I know Harry. But bravery is being scared and doing the scary thing anyway. And you are my brave boy, aren't you?"

Harry nodded as he wiped his eyes again, pushing the small tears that threatened to fall away. "Yes, mummy."

Lily kissed him on the forehead and pulled him in for another hug. "That's my boy."

She pulled back and straightened his top, "Now go show them what we Potters are made of."

Smiling once more Harry kissed his mother on the cheek before turning about and joining the crowd of other children marching towards the doors. Lily watched in silence as Harry began his first day of muggle primary school. James had argued that neither he nor Sirius had ever attended such a school, and they'd turned out just fine.

Lily had used this as further proof that Harry needed to attend school, as clearly, he was not going to be left to turn into some degenerate like his godfather. Lily smiled as she remembered Sirius's face as she'd made that comment. It was going to be hard, but she forced herself to climb back into the car. It wouldn't do to stand outside the building all day.

James had offered to take her out somewhere for the day to take her mind off of everything. She was sure it wasn't going to work but had agreed nonetheless. While Lily could teach Harry just about anything he was going to learn in his classes, there was something much more important that he needed to learn. He had struggled to make friends with the other children in their neighbourhood, not knowing why it was he couldn't tell them all about his broomstick and other odd toys.

It also did not help that he was by far the youngest child on the block. Many of the older kids refused to be seen playing with the younger boy. It had led him to become a somewhat solitary child and it hurt Lily to see him watch the other children play. The school would allow him to interact with the children of his own age, which there appeared to be none within walking distance of their home. But it was a trial that Harry was going to have to tackle alone, at least for today.

Lily sighed as she turned the key, and with one more look at the building, she steeled herself and drove away.

ϟ

"It was so much fun. We learned all about space and planets. And there was this huge telescope that poked way up out of the top of the building. And then we had a quiz where they asked us what we'd learned on the trip and Mione and I both got a perfect score. It was so cool Mum."

Lily smiled as she drove, Harry bouncing about in the seat beside her as he recounted for the fourth time his trip to the observatory.

She had worried so much about sending him off to school, but Harry had taken to it like a fish to water. Never had she seen him so excited before. And he had proven himself to be quite the little genius, consistently coming in at the top of his class. The only one who could challenge him for smarts was sitting in the back seat watching her friend's excited retelling of their day.

Lily glanced back at the unassuming girl in the back. Her wild brown hair looked even more so than usual after a long day of running about. Her chocolate brown eyes swam with mirth as she occasionally pitched in a side note to Harry's rapid rambling. The pair had hit it off almost immediately after Harry had started the previous year. Both were extremely smart for their age and absorbed information hungrily. There had been a rough patch a few weeks in where they had argued because one or the other had scored higher on a test before they diplomatically decided it didn't matter as they were both the smartest boy and girl in class.

The young Granger girl had proven to be everything Harry had needed in a friend as she shared his love of books and reading. And somehow had lived right around the corner from them the entire time they'd lived there but had not once been seen until the day they both started school. It turned out she had been having just as hard a time as Harry making friends with the older children in their neighbourhood. Many of the others had made fun of her for being smart and liking to read. She was even smarter than some of the secondary-aged children in their neighbourhood. And children could be very cruel about such things.

Now both children were blossoming. They studied together almost every night and would spend all weekend tearing about the neighbourhood laughing and playing. Hermione had even taught Harry how to ride his new bike, which Lily had made James purchase as Harry could hardly ride his broom about the place. James had been heartbroken to learn that the young girl had taken such a wonderful father/son moment from him, but proud of the achievement nonetheless.

The only thing that held back their friendship was that Harry hated not being able to share his magical toys. They were now securely locked in a room in the house that Hermione knew was off-limits. They told the young girl it was James's study and there were dangerous things inside. Harry was only allowed in when others were not around, yet he spent less and less time in there as his friendship grew.

"Sounds like a lovely day out, Harry," Lily said as she attempted to head off the fifth retelling. "Hermione, dear."

The girl looked up at her as she spoke, "Yes, Mrs Potter?"

"Do you think your parents and you would like to come over for dinner tomorrow night? Our friend will be coming back from his holiday the day after, so we won't be able to have our normal Friday night dinner."

"Of course, Mrs Potter. I'll ask them about it tonight and let you know when you pick me up in the morning."

"Oooo, can we have spaghetti tomorrow night then Mum, that's Hermione's favourite."

The girl in the back blushed slightly at her friend's knowledge but smiled as Lily caught her eyes in the mirror. "Would you like that Hermione?"

"I would love that, Mrs Potter. Thank you."

Lily smiled to herself as they pulled into the driveway. Hermione always spent the early afternoon at their home until the Grangers finished work and came to pick her up. It was no wonder that the pair were quickly becoming best friends with how much time they spent together.

"Alrighty, here we are. Off you two pop and get started on your homework."

Both children shot out of the car and rushed inside. Lily watched them go, a wide grin on her face.

Chapter Text

Harry loved school. More than any of the wondrous things that being a part of the magical world had shown and given him, none had yet compared to what he had gained in his few short years at the school.

He had come into his own as a person, quite a bit more than his parents had admitted they thought he would. He still took after the both of them, studying hard and enjoying learning like his mother, while enjoying his downtime and pranking the school like his dads. He knew Sirius wasn't his real father in any way, but given that the mutt had lived with them as long as he could remember, the term Uncle just never seemed to quite fit him.

That honorary was reserved for Uncle Remus. Harry had pieced together his Uncle's furry-little-problem as James called it when he was about to turn eight and Uncle Moony was to miss his early birthday party, which was going to be held on the weekend. The elder man had only ever once missed Harry's party before, his fifth birthday. But Harry had been a bit too young to make such cognitive leaps yet and was too busy worrying about his upcoming schooling to notice at the time. Normally, Remus's strange meetings or sudden camping trips didn't interfere with the big events in Harry's life. Remus had often come with Harry's class as a chaperone on outings and camps.

But when the man had been unable to be convinced by Harry's pleading eyes, Harry had been shattered that Moony would miss such an important day. While looking to the skies a few days before his birthday to wish on a star that his Uncle could somehow attend, the bright full moon had finally clicked the puzzle in his mind. Though Harry told no one he knew the secret, when Remus's next 'meeting' fell over the weekend of the 27th of August, he knew he was right.

Harry had even been encouraged to try out for some of the school sports teams shortly before Christmas. At the tryouts he had been cheered forcefully from the stands by his parents and his best friend, proving himself to be quite the little athlete when he applied himself to the task. His father had been super proud when the coach had come over to them and offered him a place on the team. But Lily had needed to turn away and hide her smirk when Harry had politely declined after talking with Hermione and realising how much it would cut into his study schedule. The look on both the coach's and James's faces was priceless.

And that was the main reason Harry loved school more than anything else. Over the last three years, he had become the best of friends with Hermione Granger. As the only other child of his age in their neighbourhood once they had met at school it had not taken them long to gravitate together. At first, Harry was determined to prove himself better than the nerdy girl who kept beating him on tests. Studying night after night with his mother's help yet refusing to tell her the reason behind his strange obsession, had finally helped him to achieve his goal, but he had been less enthusiastic when the results were awarded, and he had seen the look on the girl's face.

He soon learned that being smart was both her blessing and curse. While, like his own, her parents were enormously proud of her academic achievements, he had managed to coax the story from her of her experiences with the older children in the neighbourhood. A story that had made him truly mad for the first time in his short life. He had subsequently been grounded for two months after the teenagers had been subjected to some rather nasty pranks suddenly, following the revelation.

While his parents were disappointed in how he chose to act, Hermione had latched onto the boy with a fervour neither set of parents had ever seen from either child. They quickly became friends and shot to the top of the class as they spent most afternoons and weekends together, either studying hard or playing in the playground at the local park both had previously avoided in order to keep away from the older children.

It had become so rare to see one without the other that it began to cause a few problems for them at school as well. After all, bullies were not confined to the teenaged students. Harry gave as good as they got, and with their combined intellect, and a morally corrupt father figure willing to help in any way he could, the pair kept the bullies at bay for years with their pranks. They even took to defending the other students from the worst of the bullying, earning them further accolades from their teachers.

It wasn't until a transfer student arrived that things began to get worse. Michael Peters took an instant dislike to Harry and unlike the previous bullies who would steal lunches or call them names, Michael took a perverse pleasure in physically roughing him up.

The first day Harry had come home with a pair of rather impressive bruises James had been ready to march on the school and curse anyone who got in his way. It was only the intervention of Lily, and surprisingly enough Sirius, that had calmed the older Potter down. Harry had refused to tell the adults who had been responsible. He knew that they could make it stop, but Harry had developed a stubbornness that neither of his parents could break, and he was determined to resolve this little dispute himself.

Sirius in a moment of utter genius, or so he thought, had sought to subtly coax the tale from Hermione on one of her many visits to the house. Clearly, he had forgotten with whom he was attempting to match wits and had spent the next month coughing up furballs. None of the adults could figure out what the young girl had done to get the fur into the old dog, but all found the results hilarious.

ϟ

"Hey, Potter," Harry sighed inwardly as Hermione looked over his shoulder a resigned look on her face. "Hear your daddy has been making a fuss in the principal's office. Been running home to mummy, have we?"

Harry turned to stare at Peters as he towered above him. Not a difficult task given Harry was seated, but he knew that Michael enjoyed being the tallest in class and tried whenever possible to reinforce that fact. Harry smirked inwardly as he saw the residue of his latest attempt to teach the bully a lesson was still smeared across the boy's uniform. The redness in Michael's cheeks gave away the anger pulsing through him.

"What's the matter, Peters? Mummy forget how to use the washing machine?" Harry mocked, staring the taller boy down, despite his lower angle.

"Why you little smart arse," Michael called, grabbing Harry and hauling him up. "Think you're so clever doncha?"

Harry grinned broadly at the older boy, seeing their teacher walking out of the building over the idiot's shoulder. "Yep, though it's not much of a contest when you're involved."

Michael threw Harry forcibly to the ground and pulled back to deliver a sharp kick to the boy's abdomen as Hermione leapt between the two. Michael glared at the girl. He had no qualms about hitting a girl, and she was now between him and his prey. The boys at his back were sniggering loudly at the fact that two of his favourite targets were still challenging him. He knew he had to do something drastic to settle the matter once and for all.

He roughly kneed Hermione in the gut, knocking the petite girl aside and leaving her gasping for air. Harry was livid at the bully. He had not allowed anyone to harm his friend since he'd run off the boys who had been making her life before school hell. He saw red as he made to lunge at the bastard just as a boot met with his stomach with a solid whump. Harry's still-digesting lunch threatened to make a reappearance as he gasped for breath, clutching at his stomach. Anger burned in him as he wanted so badly to hit the boy back, but his body was unable to do his bidding.

Hermione rolled back into view as Michael pulled her in front of him. Harry could see she was nursing her arm, the pain evident in her eyes as the ruffian glared down at him with glee.

"This ought to teach you your place."

Hermione's eyes widened in fear as Michael prepared another kick to Harry's gut. She screamed no loudly as the appendage approached her friend and without warning, Michael was tossed across the yard crashing heavily against the teacher who was hurrying in their direction to end the confrontation. Harry grinned despite the pain as he guessed his magic had protected him from the injury that was sure to follow. He knew Hermione would ask questions, but right now he was too preoccupied with the feeling returning to his gut and the stronger throbbing pain that accompanied it.

The other boys had quickly dispersed at the removal of their leader and the gathering adults soon had both children bundled up in the nurse's office. Neither had any breaks, but both would bear a couple of nasty bruises for a few days as they healed.

Harry groaned. He knew his mother could whip up a paste that would clear up the bruise in hours, but then he would have to explain where it had gone to his curious friend. He was no good at lying to her. He barely managed to keep the magic room a secret and his parents had had to bail him out by calling it a study full of dangerous objects his father worked with.

As the adults left them alone to discuss the punishment of the other boys, Hermione sat on Harry's cot and pushed the hair from his eyes.

"Harry, what happened out there?"

He attempted to school his face as Sirius had trained him many times while trying to get away with things around his observant mother. "No idea, Hermione. My head is still ringing from it all. Probably just another kid we couldn't see who knocked him about. Not like he has many friends."

The girl stared at him and he could read in her eyes that she didn't believe a word of what he'd said. "Do you have to antagonize him? Even I could see he was already in a right old mood when he walked over."

"Peters is always in a mood. It's his thing. And antagonizing him is my thing." He smirked earning a slap on the shoulder, making him groan in pain. "But I am really sorry that he hurt you. That was going too far."

Hermione smiled softly at the boy as he attempted to sit up, scowling at his stomach as the pain echoed through him and he quickly lay back down.

"Maybe this time you'll learn from it." She added, shifting back to her cot as the Nurse returned.

ϟ

"Muuuuuuuum!"

Lily shook her head at the sound of her boy screeching at the top of his lungs. She felt bad for it, but she almost missed the couple of days where he was still too sore from that Peters boy's attack to yell. Those had been such quiet times, with Sirius off on business as well.

The boy in question popped around the corner of the study and spied her perched with her book.

"Mum, I can't find the sleeping bags. Do you know where they are?"

"Have you looked in the tent, sweetheart? Where you put them, this morning," Lily smiled at her son.

"Oh," he replied softly.

Lily couldn't suppress her laugh as Harry jumped and went red as the doorbell rang. He had been talking of nothing else than his planned camp night for weeks. Even Sirius had chosen to spend most of his days hiding around the neighbourhood in his Animagus form to get away from the ecstatic lad.

Only Lily had stuck by the boy as he excitedly prepared the tent in the backyard for his two-night sleepover with Hermione. The funniest part being that it wasn't even the first time the girl had spent the night. Something about the 'freedom' of being in the yard as opposed to inside with his boring old mum and dad had Harry beyond excited.

"I should get that," Harry said, spinning from the door as the bell rang a second time, Lily just continued to chuckle to herself.

"Hello, Lily." Lily looked up to the doorway again, this time to see the smiling face of Mrs Granger.

"Hi, Natalie. Let me guess, both yelled hi and shot straight for the back door?"

Natalie nodded as she plopped into the chair beside Lily and looked over the pile of books on the side table between them.

"She's talked of nothing else for weeks. You'd think it's the first time she's spent the night!"

Lily laughed aloud once more as Natalie voiced her own thoughts from moments ago.

Both ladies looked at the doorway, hearing heavy footsteps approaching as two children shot by the entrance, both yelling "Hi Mum," as they passed.

"James ran away, the coward," Lily explained, "popped off to America for an 'urgent meeting'."

"Richard isn't hiding per se. But he hasn't set foot out of his study all day. The only reason I think he isn't hiding is that it is happening over here."

Both women laughed as the children shot by again, piles of junk they 'needed' for their campsite in both arms.

"Well, now that they're both here, I suppose I best go and supervise," Lily said, stowing her book on the pile. "Tea?"

"Thank you," Natalie replied as the parents dodged the rushing children once more rampaging back inside the house, heading for the kitchen.

Natalie made for the table as Lily stood in silence while the kettle slowly boiled away, and the children shot back and forth through the perpetually open back door. As the whistling of the kettle began, Lily felt a gentle pull on her sleeve and turned to see Harry standing there a look of terror on his young face.

"What is it, Harry?"

He quickly glanced at Natalie sitting at the dining table and gestured his mother closer.

"I can't find it." He whispered, an undercurrent of fear clearly present in his voice.

"Can't find what, honey?" Lily replied, the still whistling kettle drowning out most of the background noise.

Harry glanced at Natalie again seeing her attention was through the back door on her daughter, "My wand…"

His words were so soft even Lily had trouble making them out mere centimetres from his trembling lips. But they sent a shard of fear through her own body as well.

Harry's accidental magic outbursts had begun increasing lately and he was causing damage he couldn't control so only the month before they had snuck him into Ollivanders and, after getting a vow of secrecy from the old wand smith, Harry had a shiny new wand that Lily was using to help him gain control of his surging magic.

Buying a wand at Harry's age wasn't unheard of, and the Potters weren't strictly hiding from the magical world anymore, but Garrick had a habit of oversharing information with other customers. Lily remembered him explaining the six brother wands her own core shared when she had been paying for her wand. Harry had been given the full explanation of the Statute again upon their return home. And warned to ensure his wand was always safely hidden in the study before Hermione visited to ensure no questions were asked. And now, by the look on his face, he had forgotten to hide it before the visit and was unsure where he last had it.

"Harry?" Hermione's curious voice called from the backyard, causing both Potters to jump slightly much to Natalie's audible amusement.

Harry stepped over to the open doorway and glanced out at his friend staring back at him, a long thin piece of wood grasped in her right hand and a curious expression on her face. Lily saw the girl out the kitchen window as the last sound she could ever want to hear at that moment came from the side of the house.

A great black hound came bounding around the side of the house barking and yapping loudly as he made a beeline for the small girl standing alone in the yard. To those who knew him, it had a wide stupid grin that he bore whenever he thought he could get a laugh. To Hermione, all she could see was a very large and strange animal with its teeth bared, bounding in her direction.

"PADFOOT! NO!" Lily screamed.

Hermione screamed as well, raising her hands before her as a bolt of scarlet light shot across the yard and hit the galumphing dog right in the face. His legs buckled under him and he fell face first in the grassy yard, sliding on the slightly dewy surface until his lolling tongue came to rest on Hermione's right foot as she looked down at the unconscious dog in scared confusion.

After a moment frozen in shock, Harry bolted from the doorway and wrapped the quivering girl in his arms. He could feel his wand still clutched in her hand pressing into his back, but he was more concerned with her at that moment.

"Hermione! Are you ok?"

"Harry…" Her voice was quiet and cracking as she sobbed softly against him.

Harry glared down at the stunned form of his godfather. The stupid mutt was going to pay for this. How was he ever going to explain this away to her? His mum was going to have to…

Harry quickly pulled Hermione to arm's length, his hands tightly gripping her upper arms as he looked deeply into her eyes.

"You're a witch!?"

Hermione's face contorted at the statement, tears falling now as she let go of the offending stick in her hand and tried to pull free of Harry's grip. Harry realised he could have phrased that much better. She clearly thought he meant it in a derogatory manner. Feeling his grin stretch across his face as the broader implications of the statement flew through his mind, he lifted her chin and forced her to look back at him.

"Coz I'm a wizard!"

Hermione stopped trying to get free of Harry's hands and just stared in shock at her best friend. Her brain had clearly shut down after that last statement.

Both mothers came rushing over behind them as the children stood unmoving, staring at one another. Natalie stepped over to the pair and placed her hand on her daughter's shoulder trying to garner her attention while checking to make sure she was unharmed in that way that only mothers could. Lily bent over the prone form of Padfoot lying at the feet of the pair who now seemed oblivious to the mutt.

"I should kick your hairy arse," Lily muttered under her breath as she pulled her wand from the hidden holster on her arm and tapped it on the dog's thick skull.

Padfoot instantly roused and hopped back to his feet with a bark, finally breaking the moment between Harry and Hermione as she looked at the dog in fear once more. She had always loved dogs, but she'd never had one charging at her like that before.

"PADFOOT!" The dog whined as his ears flatted back along his head. The mutt was very familiar with that tone. "Get in the house, you mangy idiot."

Panting happily, Padfoot looked to Harry for support but saw only anger in the boy's eyes. Both pairs of green orbs were looking at him with the exact same expression. He whined as he complied, trotting over to the door, glancing back once to see both sets still trained on him before disappearing through the open door.

"I'm so sorry. Padfoot…" Lily paused, trying to think of a way to explain her husband's moronic friend.

"Is going to die," Harry whispered, wrapping Hermione in a hug once more.

"Harry!" His mother admonished as Harry glared at the back door, where he could see the mutt sticking his snout around the corner and watching him.

"You hear that!" Harry shouted, shocking the other two women at the sudden volume of his voice. "Go to your room, NOW!"

The girls all looked to see the penitent dog run from the kitchen into the hall and disappear. Hermione was still trembling slightly in Harry's arms and he began to run his fingers through her wild hair.

"I'm sorry, Hermione. Padfoot doesn't know when to stop." He whispered in her ear as she slowly gained control of herself once more.

"What did you mean?" Her voice finally came once more.

"Well, he was a prankster, so he almost always takes things too far."

"Not that," she said, pulling back from the hug and looking bashfully at the ground where the discarded wand now lay. Her voice was laced with embarrassment, "the other thing."

Harry gently cupped her cheek and lifted her gaze again, smiling widely as their eyes met. "You," he began, speaking very slowly, trying to push his complete meaning and happiness through every word, "are. A witch. Just like my mum."

Both children looked at the stressed redhead watching over their conversation. "I think this might be a discussion better held indoors." She said, smiling uncertainly at the Grangers. "You!" She pointed at Harry, her voice becoming slightly harder, "Grab that and don't let it out of your sight again!"

Her finger slid from Harry to the wand lying on the ground as she helped Natalie to her feet and led the confused mother back into the kitchen, finally taking the now screeching kettle from the stove.

Harry looked at Hermione bashfully as he bent down and recovered his wand before leading her slowly into the kitchen and sitting at the table, laying the wand on the table between them. Harry watched Hermione's face as she stared at the offending piece of wood. It vacillated between confusion, fear, excitement, concern, and happiness.

Lily finished making the tea on the counter and brought it to the table, placing cups in front of all four of them before sitting with the small group.

"So…" She glanced at Natalie, hoping for the woman to ask a question so that she could diffuse the situation Sirius had forced upon them.

But the elder Granger just matched her daughter. Staring at the odd length of wood sitting in front of Harry.

Silence reigned over the table for several minutes, no one willing to break it until a soft whine came from behind Harry. Padfoot snuck his head slowly around the corner, drawing the attention of the three women.

"Beat it, Padfoot!" Harry yelled, without turning to look. "I am so angry with you right now."

The dog retreated once more as Hermione looked at her friend. She could see that despite his momentary happiness and outburst outside, he was afraid of her. No, not of her, that wasn't right. He was afraid of her opinion. It finally struck her as she realised this was a huge part of Harry's life, a part he had felt he needed to keep secret for some reason and now it had been revealed to her. He was afraid she wouldn't want to be his friend anymore.

She reached out and grasped his hand firmly in her own as a smile spread across her face.

"So, witches and wizards then?" She asked.

This at least drew a small laugh from Harry as he finally looked up at her.

"Perhaps you should give Richard a call, and have him come over too. This is an explanation I think is best given to everyone at once." Lily said looking at Natalie.

"Sure…" Natalie replied, moving to the hall and grabbing the phone.

"How long have you known?" Hermione asked, squeezing Harry's hand again.

"All my life." Harry shrugged, avoiding her gaze. "You've no idea how hard it has been keeping it from you. I have wanted to tell you every day."

Harry flushed as he spoke, and Lily smiled at her son. "He's nearly done so about a thousand times. He really hates keeping anything secret from you, Hermione."

"Then why did you?"

"Richard is coming now. He'll be here in five minutes." Natalie interrupted, walking back into the room and sitting opposite Harry, keeping her gaze on the boy as he refused to meet her eyes. "Can we start explaining things now?"

Harry was beginning to feel terrible. Not only had he been keeping things secret from his best friend, her mother was now looking at him as if he'd grown two extra heads and was planning on eating her daughter. He could feel the suspicion in her gaze as his heart rate increased.

Lily became pensive as she tried to think of the easiest way to explain it. She was sure she wanted to do a better job than the Ministry moron who had visited her parents after a few public bouts of accidental magic. Yet she didn't seem to have any idea where to start, so an uncomfortable silence filled the air as she contemplated the questions she knew Natalie must have.

It was into this oppressive atmosphere that Richard Granger arrived. His greeting was swallowed up by the room as he looked at the inhabitants, unsure what exactly he had walked in upon.

"Take a seat, Richard. Tea?" Lily called, offering the pot.

"Thank you," he replied, sitting between his wife and daughter. He noted the odd look his wife was directing at Harry. A boy he had almost come to think of as an adopted son with how frequently he saw him. "What is going on?"

Lily let out a huff of air as she settled once more. "Hermione, can you pick that up and do something for me?"

Hermione eyed the wand cautiously. Uncertainty plagued her after the last time she'd held it. Reaching out she picked it up as Harry watched her closely smiling softly in encouragement.

"Good. Now hold it up and I want you to say Lumos while thinking of a light at the tip."

Hermione looked at the redhead like she was crazy, but when she caught Harry's growing smile she steeled herself and did as asked. The Grangers all gasped as a soft blue glow began to spread from the tip of the wand and Hermione dropped it in shock once more.

"I knew it," Harry exclaimed, "it was you that did it, not me."

As he hugged Hermione tightly once more, the three adults looked at him with odd expressions.

Catching their looks he elaborated, "Peters. I knew I didn't feel my magic doing anything. Hermione was between us when he went flying. You did it," His eyes turned back to his friend as his voice dropped to a whisper, "to protect me."

"Magic? Look, what is going on here?" Richard said, his voice rising higher and louder than normal.

"Your daughter, Mr Granger, is magical. I.e. she is a witch, just like me."

Lily waved her wand and the entire tea set lifted from the table and began circling slow laps.

"And I am a wizard," Harry added, "just like my dads and uncle. In fact, in a couple of years, I will go to school to learn how to do it all properly. And now you can come too."

He squeezed Hermione's hand with a broad grin spread wide across his face. At the mention of schooling, Hermione brightened considerably from the shock she had been in since dropping the wand. "Wait, there is a school for magic?"

Lily laughed at the change in the girl. "Several actually, but Hogwarts is said to be the best one here in Britain."

"Don't worry, Hermione. I'm sure you'll get in. And if you don't I'll not go there either. We'll both go wherever you choose to go."

Hermione's mind was spinning. Here was the answer to all the odd things that had occurred around her growing up. Moments of unexplained happenings were a large part of why she buried herself in books at a young age, attempting to find the answer to the oddities. And the few children who had seen the weird things happen around her had kept quiet about them but had shunned her nonetheless. Magic had so far resulted in her being a lonely bookworm, at least until Harry showed up.

Looking at the boy she found herself afraid. What if when they got to this new school he found someone better to be friends with? What if he didn't need her anymore? Would she be shunned by these new children just as she had the original bunch? Harry's arms slipping around her waist distracted her from her dark train of thought.

"Never happen, Mione. You and me will be best friends for life, I promise." Harry whispered in her ear, so low that none of the parents heard it, but it brought a smile back to her face.

"Alright, so clearly," Richard indicated the still floating tea set, "magic is real. And there is some school for it. But, what is it, exactly?"

Lily looked puzzled as she sought a way to explain it. "Magic is…"

"Magic!" Harry piped in, grinning.

"As good an explanation as any really. No one really knows what it is or why only certain people can use it. Normally it is passed down from parents, like with Harry and James. Both their parents are both magical. But sometimes, like with me and young Hermione here, it just happens. There is a department at the Ministry that deals with the deeper secrets of magic, but I doubt even they have figured it all out yet."

"Ok, but why all the secrecy? You said Harry has been keeping this secret. Why?" Hermione asked.

"Unfortunately, that is the law," Lily explained. "There is one, called the Statute of Secrecy. It says very clearly who is and is not allowed to know about the existence of magic. It was written and passed in the late 1600s and we've been bound by it ever since. It says that only those who are immediate family of someone who is magical or have detailed prior knowledge due to position can know."

"That's why I couldn't tell you, Hermione," Harry said softly. "I would have broken the law, and they would have punished both me and you."

The girl in his arms nodded slowly, taking all the information in. Processing was still happening though.

But Harry's face brightened rapidly as something else occurred to the young boy. "Now, I don't have to keep anything secret from you, except your birthday present."

Grabbing his wand, Harry jumped up and, taking Hermione by the hand, led her from the room. The pair shot down the hallway until they reached the one room in the house that was off-limits.

"Alohomora."

Harry tapped the door handle with his wand and a loud click echoed through the quiet hallway as the door swung inward. Harry dragged Hermione into the room and she was about to protest being brought into a room of dangerous items but gasped as she saw the inside.

Along the walls were shelves, some lined with books with odd titles, while others held items that simply couldn't exist. Some of them were hovering on their own, while others sparkled and emitted odd noises. Evidence of magic stared at her from every direction, and she now understood why this room had been off-limits.

Harry released her hand and dashed into the corner of the room, grabbing his favourite magical item. He spun around and held it out to Hermione as she looked at him like he was mocking her.

"Really?" She queried, looking at him with disbelief.

"Really. Want to try it out?"

"Harry James Potter, you'll do nothing of the sort." His mother cautioned from the doorway. The Grangers stood beside her scanning the room with looks akin to their daughter's at all the impossible things that were within.

"But mum…"

"No! You're not flying that thing around the house. You can wait for your father to get back next week and he can take you out somewhere safe and open if you want to teach Hermione how to ride that infernal thing."

Harry pouted but leaned his broom back against the wall in the corner. He instead grabbed his wizard's chess set and several other magical games, tucking them into a bag that seemed to be far too small to hold them all.

Entwining hands with Hermione, gently this time, he gestured to the doorway. "Come on, Hermione. We'll go to the tent and I'll show you how these work."

The children quickly shuffled past the adults for what felt to Lily like the millionth time that day. She sighed as they disappeared out the back door and into the tent. Harry would handle telling Hermione, she realised. There was no force on this earth capable of preventing that now. So, she shut the door, this time not bothering to lock it and led the stunned Grangers back into the kitchen.

A quick tap on the tea set as it rested once more on the table and steam once more began to billow from the spout.

"I'm sure you both have a lot of questions."

Chapter Text

Richard Granger was confused.

He had travelled the world a lot after graduating from school. Toured the many varied sites of ancient civilizations and the wondrous structures they'd left behind. He had seen countries in strife in his handful of years as a medic in the army. Visited little-known tribes and watched as they performed miracles not thought possible by modern science. And yet, standing here, in the middle of London, he was confused.

How could an entire extra train platform have been hiding here in King's Cross Station for years and no one had noticed? How did the train get out? At what point did it cross back into the real world?

The scarlet steam engine puffed heavily over the cacophony of children and families running to and fro, leaving an oddly pleasant smell as the clouds of steam settled over the crowded platform. Which made for quite a sight upon entering through the odd portal. Lily and James had explained it to him before they even left home but seeing and doing was something else when someone told you to run through a solid brick pillar. Especially when he'd have not made it through if his daughter had let go of his hand at any point.

And now that same hand was trying to tug him forward, urging him toward the large locomotive.

Hermione had always been voracious in her desire to learn and read but finding out there was this whole new world she was part of sent her off the deep end.

She had not emerged from the tent she had camped in with Harry for hours. Devouring every morsel of information the boy could provide. And provide he did. None of the parents had realised just how profoundly keeping things from Hermione had been affecting him until the few days after the incident. He had a spring in his step and a smile on his face that nothing could shift.

While Richard was still trying to figure out how a man could transform back and forth into a dog, she was dragging him to some diagonal alley or some such to buy her very own wand. Richard had laughed at the face the old man had made when Lily had forced him to make a second secrecy pledge, but his little girl had her wand. And the look on her face made every moment of trouble and confusion worth it.

Sirius and James had both been banned from the children's lessons on control after the second class. Richard strongly suspected the pair were back to their rumoured old ways of pranking he had been informed were their favourite pastimes while at school. So, the training had been left to Lily and their other friend Remus.

And that had been even more of a shock. The man teaching his daughter to control her magic was a real-life werewolf. Richard had damn near flipped his lid on hearing his daughter had been intentionally placed around a dangerous beast until young Harry had taken him to task and clued him up on just how great, and perfectly safe, his Uncle Remus was. Turns out Harry had figured out Remus's condition all on his own, much to the shock and pride of his parents, and determined it was no big deal. He was proud of the man he had claimed as his Uncle.

And the boy was fierce in the defence of his family. Even from other members of that family as he informed Richard he considered all three of the Grangers now. Any doubts about the young lad's suitability as a friend to his little princess went out the window that day. He'd never felt so completely chastised by anyone but Natalie.

While before it had been commonplace for Hermione to spend her afternoons at the Potters, it was now near impossible to separate the pair. Harry happily shared every tidbit and facet of the world he knew with his friend as the Grangers were slowly brought up to speed by the adults.

Many a tea party was held, and they now seemed to spend more time with the family than at their own home.

"C'mon, Daddy. We need to clear the portal, or we'll get run over by the next people coming through."

His daughter dragged him across the platform to where he could see the shocking red and messy black hair of his friends. The closeness of the families these past few years had turned them from his daughter's friend's parents to close friends of his very own.

Though the spring day when Harry had finally convinced his mother to relent had maybe something to do with that.

Richard Granger prided himself on being brave and even-tempered and while not stubborn, he rarely needed help with anything. So, the day that the eight-year-old Harry Potter had goaded him onto a broom behind him in the Welsh countryside was one he would never forget.

Images of classic art and literature swirling through his mind as he mounted behind the boy played at odds with the broad grin on James Potter's face as he watched Richard grasp the handle around Harry's back. Months of dealing with the pranking nature of Sirius and James made him wary of anything that brought a smile to the men's faces, but never in a million years would it have prepared him for the insane speed and maneuvers Harry would pull on a broomstick.

He knew now the boy's reason was to throw him so completely off his game that he would be unable to protest his little girl being shot through the air on a little twig with a boy. But the adrenaline rush and the colossal head spin had him on the ground through the entire event, even as her squeals of terror and delight rang in his ears.

But the elder Granger had been hooked. He'd never gone back up with Harry, but James and Sirius would take him out regularly when the children played on the infernal things. Few things can stop a father's heart quicker than his daughter plummeting through the air like a stone, no matter how many times you tell him that she's on a good solid broom and would be fine.

"Alright there, Granger?" James asked as they approached, and his girl released his hand for Harry's. "You look a bit overwhelmed."

"Nothing a wee drink at the pub won't settle, Potter." He retorted grabbing Hermione's trunk from the trolley Harry had navigated through the portal and helping James load it onto the train.

The girl had loaded the blasted contraption with so many books it would punch a bigger hole in the Titanic than the blasted ice cube had. Yet somehow it weighed no more than a few kilograms. He was starting to really understand Harry's catchphrase. I love magic.

"Sure, you've got everything in there, pumpkin? Feels awful light. You might have forgotten a book or two?" The man teased.

The look on Hermione's face earned him a scowl from Harry and a slap on the back of the head from his wife as she stepped up next to him.

"Worry not, darling. If you forgot anything I'll send it up with Lily on the weekend." Natalie cooed, gently smoothing her daughter's wild hair and now jangled nerves.

As excited as she was to be officially learning magic at the premier school on the islands, Hermione was still a little eleven-year-old girl about to be away from her parents for the first time in her young life. They would not be there in a few weeks to celebrate her birthday for the first time in her life.

Natalie wrapped the trembling girl in her arms noticing she still did not release her grip on Harry as her small hands wrapped around her mother. Richard was both buoyed and bothered by the near-constant contact the pair shared. He swore the boy got more hugs from his daughter than he did these days.

"I'll be fine, mum. I've got Harry with me. And he says Hedwig will be happy to bring you any letters I write." Hermione sniffed, releasing her mother as she stepped up onto the train with Harry.

Richard stepped up to the pair giving his girl a swift tight hug before beckoning Harry forward just enough so Hermione wouldn't hear.

"You take care of my girl, Harry."

Harry stared him straight in the eyes and nodded firmly. He nodded in return and stepped back to join Natalie as Lily and James hugged the pair and ruffled Harry's already unruly hair.

"Write often, and in great detail. I want to know everything." Lily said joining the Grangers a few steps back.

Harry and Hermione just smiled broadly as they stepped up into the carriage, clearing the way for other children to board before turning the corner and disappearing from view.

"Did we have to get them here so early?" Natalie called trying to see the pair through the windows. "I miss them both already. It's barely even ten o'clock."

Lily smiled at her fellow mother. "Trust me, you don't want to be on this platform for the next forty minutes. Magic makes this lot lazy, and they leave everything to the last second knowing they can just apparate right to their destination. It's going to get hectic. But I know what you mean."

James slapped Richard on the back and turned him away from the train, leading them through the steadily growing crowd for the portal. "First one is on me, old boy. You still need to try another Firewhiskey."

Richard shook his head firmly. James had talked him into trying that over lunch when they'd gone to Diagon Alley for the last of the school supplies. His mouth still felt off. Nothing had tasted right all week.

"Not a chance, old chum." Richard retorted, slapping the other man on the back just as hard. "A beer'll do me nicely today."

Neither man noticed the women shaking their heads behind them as they approached the exit, glancing back one last time at the train as the quartet stepped through, back into the mundanity of normal life.

ϟ

Hermione was vibrating with excitement and fear as she followed Harry down the tight corridor looking for an unoccupied compartment. Or at least one with people closer to their own ages. She'd been barely able to sleep last night for all the excitement.

She fully acknowledged she was a bit of a teacher's pet, though despite being every bit as studious as herself, Harry had somewhat toned down that side of her throughout their muggle schooling. And now she was off to a whole different kind of school. While their parents would send them packets throughout the year, so they could complete their muggle classes via correspondence, Hermione was eagerly looking forward to proper tutelage in magic.

Lily had focused on teaching them only to control their magic. Keeping their cool when emotions were high helped prevent any more accidental outbursts at school. But she only taught them a very small number of actual utility spells. Things that Hogwarts didn't consider useful at their age but that Lily had found very much so after reading ahead during her magic-less summers back home in the muggle world.

"How about this one? He looks nice?" Harry asked, nudging his shoulder at the compartment to their left.

Hermione looked inside to see a young boy, roughly their own age. He was a bit on the chubby side, but she assumed most of their class would be. They were only 11 after all. The toad in his lap was struggling fiercely as though trying to get away, though the boy appeared to be nothing but nice toward the amphibian.

"Sure." She smiled, pulling open the door. "Hello, mind if we join?"

The dark blonde-haired boy jumped as though he had been miles away. He turned and looked at the pair, his deep hazel eyes observing them as if judging them before he gently nodded.

Hermione perched by the window, opposite the young boy as he turned to look back out the window. There was a melancholic look in his eyes as they swept over the families hugging and laughing as they passed by. She noticed Harry look carefully at the boy's forehead, though he was clearly trying to be subtle about it.

A confused look spread over her own visage as she caught his eye. He shook his head ever so slightly as he sat beside her, perching Hedwig's cage on the seat on his other side and smiling up at the other occupant.

"Harry Potter." He said extending his hand to the other boy, drawing his attention away from the view.

He simply stared at Harry's hand for a few moments, as though perplexed by the gesture. His eyes flickered up at them, moving back and forth a few times before he took the offered hand and shook it meekly.

"Neville Longb…" his voice trailed off as he released Harry's hand.

"Right pleasure to meet you, Neville." Harry chirped, a wide smile on his face. "This is my best friend, Hermione Granger."

Harry indicated in her direction with both hands, his grin broadening as though he were introducing someone famous. Neville looked at her for a moment before offering his hand to her. Smiling brightly Hermione took it and shook firmly, startling the boy as he quickly released her hand and brought both back to the toad in his lap.

"Nice to meet you, Hermione." His voice was barely audible above the students making a commotion in the corridor and on the platform.

"Looking forward to school, Nev?" Harry asked, snuggling a bit closer to Hermione as he popped the lock on Hedwig's cage and let the bird hop out onto the opposite seat beside Neville.

Neville eyed the bird as she locked her gaze with him, the owl appearing to look deep into the boy's soul. Several long minutes passed and Neville's grip on the toad tightened several times, causing him to croak aloud each time. After what had to have been at least ten minutes, Hedwig nodded, finding him acceptable company.

"I guess so," he mumbled again, startling Hermione after the odd display she'd just witnessed.

Hedwig had been very particular about the company she kept. Sirius had taken many a nasty nip from the bird whenever he tried something sinister in her presence. Hermione loved her even more for her discerning taste. While she did like Harry's second father for the most part, she had never forgotten that day when he had scared a stunner out of her through Harry's wand. And the man did tend to be a bit foolish at times when prudence would be a better choice.

"Ok, let's get it out of the way then. I know, Neville. And to be honest, I don't care. About the rumours that is."

For the first time, there was a fire in the boy's eyes as he turned to stare at Harry.

"My mum, Lily, she told me all about it. Not the books and the lies. The truth. I'm sorry about what happened. But I would like to be friends and ignore all that fame stuff if you do."

Hermione was beyond puzzled now. Harry had spent the last few years sharing everything he knew about the magical world. He'd taught her about the culture, the laws, the money, the sports, and the oddities. They'd spent hours debating and talking about it till the wee hours of the morning and falling asleep on the couch, before waking up in their beds, clearly moved by their parents. But never in their talks had he mentioned this Neville before.

Neville looked torn, his eyes flickering back to the platform out the window occasionally as he sized Harry up.

"You mean it?"

"Course I do. I can't know what it was like for you. But I can…"

Harry broke off as a racket drew all their attention to the door as a boy with shocking red hair, even more orange than Lily's was trying to open the door while stuffing half a sandwich into his mouth. A slightly taller pair of redheads standing behind and to either side of him watched, clearly laughing aloud as the younger boy struggled with the latch.

Harry nodded at Hedwig and then the cage before standing up and releasing the latch, watching the boy collapse in the doorway. Hedwig indignantly hooted at the display as she leapt across the gap between the seats and back into her cage.

The redheads quickly filed in with the younger boy settling by Neville and the older pair bracketing the door.

"Alright, Neville." The younger boy called, mouth still half full of the sandwich as he plonked roughly on the seat.

Neville nodded before looking back away out the window. The other boy eyed Harry and Hermione, chomping forcefully on his food as he took them in.

The elder boys leaned over Hedwig's cage, hands extended to both Harry and Hermione.

"Greetings. Fred," The left spoke.

"and George," chimed the right.

"Weasley." They finished together.

Hermione was taken aback at the odd way they spoke almost as one, barely a breath between the words, but still reached for their hands anyway. They chose to shake both her hands at once before moving back slightly and grasping both of Harry's.

"That nosy trash,"

"compactor is our,"

"youngest brother, Ron."

"I'm Harry. Potter. And this is Hermione Granger."

Harry nudged her side with his own as what she assumed were twins sat back against the seats.

"Why you already in your uniform?" Ron squirted out, barely understandable, and followed by bits of corned beef.

Hermione was disgusted at the food flying across the cabin as the boy spoke.

"Seemed more efficient than changing on the train." Harry offered as he dusted the small bits of meat from his robes.

"And who might,"

"this beauty be?"

Fred stuck his finger into the cage holding Hedwig as she glared him down. The boy merely smiled widely at the owl, waiting for her judgement. Finally, she gave him a light nip and settled down, closing her eyes.

"That's Hedwig. Remus bought her for my birthday, so we could keep in touch without having to use Midas."

The twins just nodded and leaned in towards one another and began whispering softly enough that the ambient noise covered it nicely.

"Shame they won't let us try out this year, eh Neville." Ron offered the shy boy curled in the corner. "Don't know what they're missing out on."

Ron puffed out his chest at that, clearly trying to impress some level of skill for an unknown event on Hermione and Harry and drawing an unrepentant snort from his elder brothers.

"Yeah, I guess." Neville squeaked, not looking around.

Not successful in his attempts to engage Neville in conversation, Ron turned back to look at Harry and Hermione. There was an odd look in his eyes as he watched them. Hermione caught Harry's eye drawing it without obvious movement as they had been doing for years when they needed the other's attention.

With a small flick of her eyes, the question was asked. Ron was clueless as he stared at the pair, still chomping away at his meal. A minute inclination of Harry's head was all the response she needed. He agreed.

"Well, looks like you all want to catch up. Don't mind us." She supplied as they both stood as one, drawing an appreciative nod from the twins as they broke apart and made room for the pair to depart.

"Your delightful,"

"presence will be,"

"sorely missed, my friends."

"Thanks," Harry replied as he grasped Hermione's hand and Hedwig's cage and with a soft nod to Neville who had turned to watch them, he led Hermione once more from the cabin and away from the oppressive glare of Ron Weasley.

The pair continued down the tight corridor until they found a cabin half full of girls around their age. All of them were also in their full uniform, and none had the markings they'd seen on the older students indicating house. A quick eyebrow raise from Harry was all the invitation Hermione needed as she nodded and opened the new compartment.

"Apologies for interrupting, do you mind?" She said indicating herself and Harry and the empty seats near the doorway.

"Not at all," a young Indian girl supplied from beside someone Hermione assumed was also a twin.

Hermione felt a pang of jealousy at the girls. She'd always wanted a sibling to grow up with. And while the feeling had diminished greatly since Harry had entered her life, she still felt the desire to be a big sister to someone. Smiling despite herself, she sat quickly next to the girl with the strawberry blonde hair, leaving space for Harry to sit beside her. Knowingly protecting him from the horrors of being seated next to an unfamiliar girl at his age.

Harry gave her a look of derision as he sat beside her, clearly responding to the smirk she gave as she took her seat, and he settled Hedwig opposite himself as he slid the door closed.

"Oh my," one of the girls squealed, "she is gorgeous."

Harry nodded, and Hedwig puffed up noticeably, though she did not open her eyes as every other eye in the cabin came to rest on her impressive visage. Harry couldn't help but laugh at the behaviour of his friend. She was his princess, demanding and clever. An almost purr-like bark left her as she turned, again without opening her eyes, to better show off her snow-white plumage to the fascinated girls.

"Hedwig sure is one of a kind." Hermione chimed as the other girls all leaned over to get a better look at the prim and proper owl.

"Bit of a diva sometimes, though." Harry supplied.

Hedwig's eyes shot open and locked on his face, a baleful stare as a sharp bark shot through the cabin. Harry smiled at the bird as she eyed him harshly.

"Truth hurts my friend."

Hermione laughed, and the other girls all echoed the sound making for a much friendlier environment than the one they had departed.

As the train whistled loudly and began moving forward, the girls all introduced themselves and Hedwig settled herself into her cage once more for the long journey.

ϟ

Harry knew that the moment Sirius found out he'd spent the entire trip to Hogsmeade in a compartment full of girls, he'd cop the mother lode of teasing from the mangy mutt. But right now, he couldn't care less. Never had he felt so at home amongst children of his own age besides with Hermione.

The Indian Patil twins were as different as night and day when compared to the Weasley twins they had met earlier, and Harry had a distinct feeling he would tend to get along better with Padma than Parvati, though both were extremely nice.

Like himself and Hermione, Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott had been best of friends for years and were incredibly excited to be starting at Hogwarts together. The redhead and the blonde were both immensely bubbly and Harry couldn't remember having laughed so much in years, and that was saying something with the Marauders running about his house every day.

The other girl in the compartment was as different from the others as Harry thought it was possible to be. While Daphne Greengrass was still vivacious and cheery, her eyes of almost glacial blue held a good few secrets behind them. She analysed every word she and the others said, Harry could see the process behind her eyes, but her laughter filled the cabin as much as any of the others.

Reaching over Harry took Hermione's hand in his own and gave it an almost non-existent squeeze and without even looking she knew he was thanking her for the decision to leave the previous cabin for this one. He highly doubted, even with the Weasley twins, who he was sure would be a riot once he got to know them, that he'd have had so much fun on the trip otherwise.

"So, you both grew up in the muggle world, right?" Susan asked.

"Yeah, around the corner from one another since I was fifteen months old. Why?"

"So, you've never played exploding snap before then?" Hannah queried, a small smirk to her friend.

Harry noticed Hermione's miniscule lip curl as she understood the challenge. They thought being raised in the muggle world that they wouldn't know the complexities of the game. Thanks to Harry's desire to share every little part of the magical world with her, however, the pair had played nearly every magical game known to wizardkind many times over. Usually dealing punishing defeats to the Marauders in the process on game night.

"Is that hard?" Hermione asked innocently as Hannah pulled a stack of cards from her knapsack.

"You're gonna love it." Susan chimed as she extended the folded wooden sideboard outward from the window.

Several loud and messy hands of the game later most everyone in the cabin was covered in a fine layer of soot, except Harry, Hermione and Daphne.

"Did you just hustle us?" Padma asked, looking at the near-pristine trio at the far end of the compartment.

"I never said I'd not played before," Hermione smirked as the door opened once more.

A jolly looking older lady stood there with a trolley stacked with sweets and drinks.

"Anything from the trolley dears?"

Harry shot up, disturbing both Hermione and Hedwig with his violent movement. "I'll have some of everything. Any requests?" he called back to the cabin.

Several minutes later the group were laughing and chattering around an array of sweet packets and drinks. Harry wondered if every day at Hogwarts would be as much fun as this had been.

As he tried to feed the end of a sugar quill to Hedwig, the door opened again, and the compartment became deathly quiet. Looking up, Harry saw all the girls looking wistfully at the doorway. Swinging his eyes around, he saw Neville standing in the opening, a frustrated look on his face.

"Has anyone seen a toad?" He grumbled, voice only slightly higher than it had been in the other compartment. "He got away from me again."

Harry smiled at the boy. "Not in here, but I'll gladly help you look if you like?"

"We could find a prefect, too. Maybe they have a spell that can help locate him?" Hermione added, standing beside Harry.

The other girls in the compartment seemed frozen at the appearance of Neville and Harry mentally shook his head at their behaviour. He liked all of them and was glad he had become friends, but he could clearly see the look in their eyes. The look that shouted fame.

"C'mon, Nev. Let's track down your wayward pal." He clapped his hand on the chubby boy's back and steered him from the opening.

After Hermione followed him out and closed the door, Harry allowed Neville to lead the direction, not seeing which way the boy had been travelling before opening their door.

"You must get so tired of that. I'm sorry, Nev."

"You get used to it." He squeaked.

"Shouldn't have to, mate."

Hermione caught his eye as they turned the corner, heading for the next carriage and he could see the burning questions in her eyes. He thanked her quietly for keeping them there rather than blurting them at the nervous boy beside him. Hermione had come a long way since they first met. Back then, she never would have been able to keep herself from asking every question that popped into her head. She was so much better now, and Harry had never realised that he'd kept one of the biggest things he knew about magic secret from her.

His mother had told him all about the Longbottoms when he was four. A horrid newspaper article had gotten the adults talking about it, not realizing Harry was listening in, and he had been his usual inquisitive self. Lily had made sure he knew the truth about what had happened to poor Neville and his parents.

And she had stressed that it was Neville's secret to keep and that he shouldn't reveal it to anyone. Somehow, he had kept to that, even from the person he had no other secrets from. A small apologetic curling of the edge of his mouth, as he grimaced back at her, silenced all her questions. He'd tell her later, and that would be enough for now.

"What's his name, Nev?"

"Trevor." The boy supplied as they approached the prefect's cabin. "He's…" the boy trailed off.

"Say no more," Harry called, stepping over to the large compartment that was now empty of all but the Head Boy and Girl. "Sometimes things are just important."

Neville smiled softly back at him as he opened the door and stepped inside.

ϟ

The moment the door closed behind Harry again, voices were coming from every corner of the cabin.

"You know him?"

"What's he like?"

"Is he really…"

"Stop!" Harry nearly shouted, raising his hand as Hermione took her former seat and the girls all stared at his raised hand.

"I'm shocked at you all. Do you realise what it means to him? That cruel name that people call him?"

All the girls looked up at him flabbergasted. He could see that none of them had contemplated it before.

"You call him the Boy-Who-Lived, I guarantee what he hears every time is a reminder his parents aren't there. How can you do that to him?"

"But all those things he did?" Hannah called, looking defiant.

"Neville Longbottom is an eleven-year-old boy about to start his first year at Hogwarts, same as all of us. Exactly what magic do you think he's been throwing about the last ten years? I am asking you, all of you, as my friends, not to mention it to him unless he brings it up first. I can't imagine how hard it must be on him. If I knew who wrote those god-awful books, I'd throw them in Azkaban for what they've done to him."

The girls all looked ashamed and thoughtful as what he was saying sunk in. Sure, there were all kinds of books about the Boy-Who-Lived, slaying dragons and rescuing damsels. Even the textbooks clearly stated how Neville had ended the last war by slaying the monster that was terrorizing Britain.

"As for knowing him, no I don't. Not really. Met him for the first time this morning in another compartment. But it became, a little crowded, so we shifted here."

The girls now looked at him incredulously. "You left the compartment?" Susan asked in shock.

Harry glared at her until she looked suitably chastised. "Trust me. He doesn't want your adulation. If you want to be his friend, go for it. But keep in mind what your praise and stares will really mean to him."

The cabin resumed its thoughtful silence as the girls considered Harry's words.

"I'm going to the bathroom," Daphne stated, breaking the atmosphere once more.

"Yeah, I think we need to take a walk too." The Patil twins called, following the blonde girl through the door.

"Same here." Hannah rushed out, dragging Susan behind as the door clicked closed once more.

Silence reigned for but a moment as Harry stood by the now-closed door.

"Spill, now." Hermione's words were almost drowned out by the click-clack of the train wheels on the rails. They weren't forceful. Not even a demand, just a request. One he knew he would grant.

Harry took a deep breath and picked up Hedwig's cage before he shuffled to the window, letting her free and settling the cage open on the racks above the seats so she could return when she chose. Hermione shuffled over beside him and gripped his hand tightly, not demanding anything, just providing comfort as he sorted his thoughts.

"Neville Longbottom is the only son of ex-Aurors Frank and Alice Longbottom. They were both quite friendly with my parents. Even worked together with my Dads. During the last blood war, they were targeted by Voldemort."

Hermione had read that name only once before, and it was in one of Harry's parent's journals. No other book she'd found ever actually used the name, instead referring to him as You-Know-Who or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, even occasionally the Dark Lord. Never had she heard the name spoken aloud before.

"So, they went into hiding. Mum and Sirius even helped to cast the protections on their home, testing many of them on our old place in Godric's Hollow too. But they weren't enough. Mum felt it. The night he attacked. Halloween, 1981. The night I turned fifteen months old, and the day after Neville did, she felt the protections go down and she and my dad grabbed me and ran."

Harry gave another heavy breath as he ran his free hand nervously through his hair, a habit of his that Hermione found both endearing and annoying.

"Voldemort, along with four Death Eaters, Bellatrix, Rabastan and Rudolphus Lestrange and the Longbottom's Secret Keeper, Bartemius Crouch Junior, attacked them at home. Dad read the after-action report. It looks like Frank tried to hold off the Death Eaters, while Alice was lucky enough to already be in the process of putting Neville to bed. Frank put up a valiant effort but he was taken down pretty quickly.

"Official reports say they were both tortured to insanity by the Death Eaters. They're both now in the St Mungo's long-term ward. Alice Longbottom was, is, my godmother. I've visited a few times, and always made sure it was when Neville wasn't there. And Dad always made me use his cloak. I've seen pictures of them from before. They were bright and vivacious. Happy. They look like shells now. Alice's beautiful blonde hair has gone almost completely white, and Frank. He barely even reacts to anyone near him."

Hermione's arms wrapped around Harry as he lost himself in a moment of despair. She'd never seen him so upset before.

"He's famous in our world because of the other thing that happened. While the Death Eaters tortured his parents, Voldemort went upstairs, stood over Neville's crib and tried to kill him. The Killing Curse. Unblockable. Unforgivable. Leaves no mark and always kills. Except for that night. Left Neville with a scar on his upper right forehead. He's got it hidden behind makeup today, I could just see the edge of it where he's wiped his hand over it. Voldemort cast that abomination on Neville and the whole house practically exploded. I snuck Dad's files once and saw the pictures of the damage. The house was destroyed. I know they don't live there anymore, too much damage to repair. He moved back to his Grandmother's place, Longbottom Manor. In the rubble that was left, the Aurors found Voldemort, dead and broken. His wand was lying on top of his tattered robes, and his face… I had nightmares for months afterwards."

Hermione tightened her grip on the boy. His eyes were fixed on the opposite seat his mind miles away and years ago.

"His wand hangs in the office of the Head of the DMLE now. Susan's aunt. Amelia Bones. She was there that night. Which is one of the reasons I was so disappointed in Susan. He survived the unsurvivable, so the world calls him the Boy-Who-Lived. But he must live knowing that, while he can walk over and hug his mother and father, they don't know who he is. Everyone in our world knows and recognises him, except for the two people he most wishes could."

He finally lifted his eyes and looked deep into her own.

"Can you imagine it?"

Within she saw a tortured soul. Harry had clearly given it a great deal of thought. His parents had confided the truth in him at such a young age that most wouldn't even remember. But not only did he recall, he had vividly imagined himself in that position. And the very thought haunted him to this day.

"No," Hermione whispered, "I can't."

She would never be able to picture a world without her parents loving her. Tucking her into bed with a kiss. Reading her a bedtime story she was still a little too young to read for herself. But Harry could. And it broke him to know he couldn't help the boy who had to live it day in and day out.

The compartment door opened softly, and Susan tentatively stepped inside, looking at the pair encircled together at the far end of the bench, being watched over closely by his owl. Hedwig stared at her, judging her intentions as she watched the delicate moment she was interrupting.

"Sorry, do you need a minute?" She asked, not daring to step further inside.

"No," Harry's crackly voice came from the bundle of arms, "I need a rematch."

And just like that, the spell over the compartment was broken. The oppressive atmosphere was gone as Hermione leaned back away from Harry and he began setting up the small wooden table once more.

As the other girls slowly filtered back in and took up the new seats forced by the changed seating arrangements, Harry guided Hermione's eyes back to his own. She could see the question in his eyes and just nodded. She knew why he had kept this secret from her. It wasn't his secret to tell, but now that he had officially met Neville, he knew he couldn't keep it from her any longer, not with how deeply the knowledge affected him.

She smiled softly and pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead before turning to Susan and grabbing for the deck of cards.

Chapter Text

Harry could barely contain his excitement as the train chugged to a stop. He had spent the last half hour of the journey staring out the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of the castle that would be his home for the next several months. Even before the Incident, he had been looking forward to the day he would step into Hogwarts and learn in the hallowed halls where his parents and their friends had before him.

Of course, Sirius had explained his legacy as well, extracting promises and almost a magical oath to carry on the pranking ways of the Marauders. When Lily had caught him attempting to coerce the oath she had erupted. Harry was well used to seeing his mother yelling at his surrogate father so had merely shrugged and left the room. Hermione had stayed behind to watch the rollicking with a glint in her eyes. She still hadn't completely warmed up to the shaggy Marauder again after their first magical introduction.

As the locomotive finally came to rest, voices filled the tight corridor as the eager students spilled from their compartments and made for the exits at either end of the carriage. Harry still stretched and twisted his body, standing on the bench seat trying to see the castle past the thick trees beyond the platform, now filling with the steam from the engine settling in the night air.

"Harry, give up. You know you can't see it from here." Hermione called, following the other girls from the compartment.

Sighing in defeat, Harry turned from the glass and gathered his small carry bag. He knew that his trunk and Hedwig's cage would be moved to his dorm during the feast.

Glancing at the majestic white sentinel as she stood perched on the metal rack above his seat, he smiled widely. She had not moved from her vigil once the other girls had returned, keeping an eye over her keeper. Harry had to suppress a chuckle as he wondered, not for the first time, who was whose pet in their relationship.

He reached back up and opened the wide corner window looking at his diminutive friend. "Off you go, girl. No need for you to wait for me."

She barked at him once before launching through the gap and soaring out into the night. Harry envied her the chance to see his new school from above. He would not get such a chance for several days, if not longer.

"Harry!" Hermione's impatient voice echoed back to the compartment.

Smiling again, the boy followed the sound and quickly caught up to the others at the bottleneck that was the exit.

As they spilled out of the carriage at long last onto the flagstones of the platform, he once more caught a glimpse of the shock of red hair of the Weasley boy only a few metres away. He had turned his glare on Harry once more as he passed with Neville. Harry just shook his head and followed the girls as they trudged along with the swell of the crowd.

"First years!" Came a booming voice with a thick accent from the far end of the platform. "This way!"

Harry could see a dense mop of thick curled black hair next to a large glowing lamp on a tall pole. He realised the ability to see said hair from this distance made the one it belonged to quite tall. As the small group of eleven-year-olds gathered at the feet of the large man, the remainder of the students surged through the nearby gateway and to a long row of carriages that appeared to be pulled by nothing.

The giant of a man smiled warmly at the youngsters as they huddled together, waiting for the last stragglers to join their group. Harry shivered slightly as a cool breeze flicked across the open area and he felt a hip nudge his own. Looking aside he noticed Hermione smiling at him, looking every bit as excited as he felt himself. She was practically shaking with it and he could see it glowing in her warm brown eyes as well. Her equally warm hand grasped his own and he squeezed it as he met her smile with his own.

"Everybody here?" The giant asked as the children waited before him. "Alright then, follow me."

The first-years all followed, most murmuring in expectation as the man led them from the platform via another exit. Harry heard several of his classmates wondering where they were being led, and why it was different from the older students.

Soon they were walking down a steep and not very well-kept pathway. There were large rocks strewn throughout the path and the small children seemed to be having a great deal of difficulty keeping both their feet and the large guide's pace. A few even fell and had to be helped back up by the others.

Harry was grateful for the firm grip his oldest friend had on him as they each helped to keep the other upright whenever one or the other stumbled. Harry was about to question the purpose of their odd passage when the enormous man came to a stop and he saw through the other bodies that they had arrived at a shore of some kind of small river or creek with a flotilla of small wooden boats assembled along a wide dock, each in their own berth.

"Everyone still with us?" The man asked, beady eyes sweeping over the students once more.

Harry barely kept himself from mumbling a retort about perhaps checking their progress before reaching the destination, but a squeeze of his hand kept it in check. Instead, he released a small chuckle at the way Hermione knew his mind so well.

"Good. Four to a boat now, off you go."

The wee students surged forward and separated into groups, presumably similar to which they had travelled on the train. Harry allowed Hermione to determine their path and as he helped her settle into a boat that held Susan and Hannah he watched Daphne and a dark-skinned boy join Neville and Ron in the boat opposite their berth.

Catching Neville's wandering eye, and seeing him tightly clutching his wayward toad, he smiled at the boy and gave him a thumbs up, noticing Daphne eyeing him as he did. He turned back and saw the other girls in his boat gazing back at him with expectant looks, but merely shrugged in return.

"All aboard? And forward." The giant called, tapping his bright pink umbrella on the front of the boat he had all to himself as the flotilla moved as one from the dock.

Harry grinned broadly at the show of magic as the small boats set out slipping along the narrow stream of water as it flowed down and round a nearby bend. He guessed that the stream led down to the large lake he knew to be spread beside the ancient castle. The small wooden craft weaved back and forth, never holding a set pattern. As they approached the edge of a heavily treed headland the booming voice, now somewhere behind him, called out once more.

"You should be getting your first view of Hogwarts any moment now."

Once more Harry took to searching the area to see the magical castle. And his breath caught as they rounded the bend onto the lake proper and Hogwarts swam into view. He now understood the unusual method with which the first-years were brought to the castle. Not only would it take them longer, allowing the other students to be settled by the time they arrived for their sorting, but it also allowed them this view.

No one could be unmoved by the sight of the glowing specks, shining against the surface of the water interspersed amongst the bright moonlight also echoing off the lake. And beyond the large boathouse at the lake's far edge, made of ancient stone and covered in dark green vegetation. The stairway beyond that hugged the spit of land the boathouse had been built upon as it rose up the steep incline leading to the school itself.

His parents had told him many stories of their time in those halls, but none had quite captured the sight before him now. It was every bit the fairy-tale castle his mother had described. The flickering of the lights in the many windows evidence of the candles and torches used to light its corridors. All of which gave the castle a warm inviting glow, especially at its centre.

He could see shadows passing some of the windows, mostly in the large building that stubbornly hung above the cliff nearest the lake. He assumed it contained their destination, the Great Hall of Hogwarts.

Glancing to his side he took in the glowing look of fascination on his best friend's face. She looked even more amazed than he felt, and Harry figured it had to do with not growing up with stories of the magnificent castle before them. He saw her lips form the silent word, amazing, and he couldn't help but giggle, drawing her eye. She smiled, squeezing his hand again before returning to let her eyes devour their new abode.

Curiosity pulled Harry's gaze from the majestic view as he heard the surface of the water disturbed by more than their small armada. Glancing out over the open water of the lake he noticed several large tentacles breaching its surface and heading in the direction of the boats. He remembered the stories his father had told him of the giant squid who called this lake home and of the games that they would play with it. One of his father's favourites, and one Harry couldn't wait to try for himself, was to fly his broom down low over the water and dodge the massive tentacles that would sweep up out of the water and swipe playfully at him.

His reverie was broken as several students screamed as the thick flesh passed among the boats, causing some of them to waver and rock as the massive creature passed below them. Peering over the side of the boat, Harry could just make out the outline of the massive animal in the bright moonlight as it rolled and disappeared deeper into the waters.

"Relax you lot. He'll do you no harm."

As the students settled once more, the first of the small boats came to rest in its berth inside the boathouse and Harry stretched up in his boat to allow his fingers to brush through the low-hanging ivy spanning the opening, drawing a giggle from his boat mates as the boat shifted before knocking loudly as it rested against the dock inside.

Passing the solitary leaf Harry had accidentally pulled free from the dangling plant to Hermione, he grinned as they departed the boats and followed the great big man up the long winding stairway. As it was open to the air all the first-years were casting their gaze back and forth, trying in vain to take in all the majesty of the amazing castle as they approached. Harry noticed that most of the others from his train compartment had once again joined his three boatmates as they finally entered the castle through a small double-doored entryway that must have been left ajar for their entrance. As they gathered inside they were met by a stern-looking woman in dark green robes and a classic witches hat.

"The first-years, Professor McGonagall."

"Thank you, Hagrid." She replied as the large man stepped through the door behind her and she cast her gaze over those still shuffling forward at the back of the group.

"Welcome, to Hogwarts." She called, and a silence fell over the group at her gaze. All the children seemed to immediately sense that she was not a woman to be trifled with. "In a moment, we shall step into the hall beyond, then into the Great Hall. Once there you will proceed to the front of the hall and we shall begin the Sorting ceremony."

Harry quivered with excitement and felt his hand being squeezed tightly once more. He had long known the process by which students were sorted and he had shared it with his friend during their many talks since her acceptance letter had arrived. Sirius had attempted to convince the girl that some heroic act was required, but a firm smack on the back of the head from Remus had put paid to that as Harry had hugged her tightly and began to explain. Both had spent many nights speculating on what house they would like to join, before settling on the one in which all his minders had once resided.

"While in the school, your house will be like your family. Though I would hope you reach beyond its borders in your search for friends. Your house is important in that it decides when and with whom you shall sit your classes, and the houses also compete each year for the House and Quidditch Cups."

Many young voices began to chatter at that news, and Harry himself felt a not unsubstantial desire to compete in the latter event, just as his father had. McGonagall's eyes locked on his own as he pondered this, and a tiny twitch of her lips was the only reaction allowed to slip her stern veneer. While he had never officially met the Professor due to their time in the Muggle world, Harry knew she was an avid fan of the sport, and his father had been one of her favoured students for his performance in the Cup and surprisingly her classes, while his mother had often contributed greatly to the other Cup in Gryffindor's favour, earning her place in the Scottish witches heart.

"I trust you all to remember that your actions reflect upon your house, and Hogwarts as a whole, on those rare occurrences when we have guests. And while rule breaking and such actions will see you lose points for your house and likely put in detention, your achievements and successes shall see you earning them."

A soft ding echoed throughout the small room and Professor McGonagall steadied her shoulders and gripped the scroll in her hand tighter.

"They are ready for us. Form two lines and follow me."

Nerves began to pull at Harry as he found himself shuffling tighter against his friend as they passed into the wide entry hall of the school. A large pair of double doors were closed against the night air at the far side of the hall, but McGonagall led them to the opposing side, and the equally large, but open doors leading into the Great Hall from which emanated the sounds of many students catching up as they waited for dinner.

As the first-years entered many gasps were heard from their midst as they took in the enormous space. The four long house tables were hugged on all sides by the eager, chattering students who watched as they stumbled forward. The bright pale stonework of the walls and floors somehow pulsed with ancient magic as they passed. Hundreds of burning candles hovered high above their heads, casting a warm glow across the entire room. And above that the enchanted roof Hermione had explained to him as they read Hogwarts: A History in their lounge at home. The bright light of the stars and moon shone down from between the sparse clouds as they finally reached the head of the room.

Professor McGonagall indicated for them to spread back out in front of the space and they beheld their new teachers for the first time. They were all arrayed directly opposite the small children, behind their own long wooden table. Perhaps it was the small rise of the dais that their table laid upon or the fact that he was so small, but Harry felt a shudder of intimidation run through him under their gaze.

He heard Neville beside him gasp a little as his hand went to his forehead. Harry followed the boy's gaze and noticed one of the other teachers he had heard a great deal about, though this time the stories varied much more in kind. Professor Severus Snape looked down at the first-years, an inscrutable look on his face as his greasy hair hung low over his eyes and hooked nose.

Harry knew the man had once been good friends with his mother, and 'mortal enemy' to the rest of his family. Now he would be the man teaching him to brew potions in class, and he hoped his mother's guidance would help keep the man from tarring him with his father's brush. Not that he felt any pull to or against the man, either way, he just hoped not to antagonise a font of knowledge that his mother assured him was a genius when it came to his subject.

Professor McGonagall drew his attention once more as she set a tattered old hat upon a stool seated in front of the teacher's table and took a few steps back. Clasping her hands together she watched it with anticipation clearly awaiting the hat's moment in the sun. It did not disappoint as it belted out a merry tune while all in the hall were enraptured by its words.

As it finished, McGonagall stepped forward once more, clearing her throat and unrolled the parchment in her hands.

"Hannah Abbott."

Harry glanced past Hermione at the girl he had spent the ride to Hogwarts with and smiled at her. He did not envy her being called forth first. She smiled back, though from his experience with the girl he could tell it was not as broad as they had been on the train, and she edged forward heading for the stool as McGonagall approached her holding the hat in her other hand.

Placing it on the girl's head she stepped back and every eye and ear in the hall was now fixed on Hannah. The tear above the brim of the hat seemed to move as it sat upon her head, so large it covered most of the way past the girl's eyes. Harry could see Hannah's lips moving as though she were conversing with the hat, when suddenly he was shocked as the hat exclaimed, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

Harry clapped happily, releasing Hermione's hand for the first time since they had departed the train, as Hannah smiled and waved to their group while rushing over to the Hufflepuff table. From there the sorting moved apace, with each student moving forward as their name was called and quickly being sorted by the hat to their new house.

As the G's approached Harry felt a soft and slightly sweaty hand slip back into his own and he laid his head gently on Hermione's shoulder squeezing both her hand and her arm with his free hand. He knew she was nervous, but he also knew that whatever house received her would be better for it. He just hoped that the hat would not do what neither of their parents had been able to do since the age of five.

"Hermione Granger."

Her hand tightened on his again as she hesitated. Harry whispered a soft encouragement in her ear before nudging her forward. She glanced at him and stepped up, only releasing his hand again once distance made it impossible to remain connected. She settled on the stool and Harry watched, anxious for his friend as the hat deliberated. It seemed to take forever, far longer than anyone before her. But Harry wasn't sure if that was true or if he was imagining it.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

A huge breath of relief spewed forth from Harry's mouth as he realised he'd been holding his breath as he'd watched his friend's lips closely. He was not quite practised enough to lipread what she had been mumbling, but every moment had wound him tighter than a spring. She smiled the broadest grin he'd seen on her face in a long time as she hopped from the stool and hesitated a moment before rushing off to the Gryffindor table, settling beside young Lavender, sitting a little aside, taking up part of an extra space she was clearly now holding for him.

Harry barely noticed the other students now, worry settling in despite himself. He still clapped whenever the name of one of his new friends came up, but he was now so preoccupied he barely noticed the rest. His fears came out as he wondered what he would do if the hat sent him to one of the other three houses. He had not been separated from Hermione but for sleep for the better part of the last six years. Their families even went on almost all their holidays together.

"Harry Potter."

Harry was so caught in his thoughts that he had missed his name being called. It took Ron shoving him roughly in the shoulder to draw him from his own little world.

"Oi," he hissed, "hurry up, some of us are starving."

Harry glanced at the boy before catching McGonagall's eye. He bashfully stepped up onto the raised platform and walked as confidently as he could fake towards the stool. As he sat, he locked eyes with Hermione and saw her beaming at him, but familiarity with her face showed she felt every bit as nervous as he was. His view was blocked once more as the hat slipped over his eyes and all he could see was its inner stitching.

Well hello there, Mr Potter. It's been a while since I had your parents under me.

Harry said nothing in response as his mind whirled. He could almost feel the hat sifting through his mind as it searched for whatever requirements it sought to decide where he should go.

Nothing to say, my boy? Your father could hardly shut up when I sorted him. And your mother was so like your young friend, so full of questions. But you…

Harry trembled slightly as he responded, whispering back to the hat. "Please, I just want to be with my friend."

I can see that, dear boy. You're thinking it so loud I can barely sort through the rest of your mind. I see you and Miss Granger have discussed the houses at length. Where do you think that you belong, hmmm?

"Gryffindor, please."

But are you brave enough for that noble house? Many fine wizards have graced its walls, and your studious nature makes you a much finer candidate for dear Ravenclaw.

Harry steadied himself on the stool, both hands gripping the seat tightly as he readied himself to fight the hat's decision.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Harry was stunned for a moment as he heard cheering coming from beyond the hat, but a light chuckle still echoed through his mind.

My apologies, Mr Potter. I couldn't resist having a little fun at the expense of a child of the Marauders. You are where you belong.

Harry's shoulders slumped forward as he realised he'd been had. He would not be sharing that little tidbit with Sirius or his father in his letter home. As the hat was lifted from his head by his now head of house, the full weight of the word struck home. He had not been forced apart from his friend, which relaxed him greatly as the only other member of his new group of friends in Gryffindor was Parvati.

Looking at the table of the lions he saw both girls seated together clapping loudly for him as he swept down to join them. Hermione shuffled over further allowing him to slot in between her and Parvati, who had inserted herself in the small space Hermione had left next to Lavender. As he sat he noticed the boisterous redheaded twins from the train sitting opposite him beside Neville giving him a cheeky grin.

Once more that night a soft hand entered his own and Harry looked to his side and smiled widely at Hermione, both squeezing hard before returning their attention to the sorting. The remaining students passed in a rapid blur to Harry until Blaise Zabini finished them all by heading to Slytherin. The hall clapped as one as McGonagall vanished the stool with a flick of her wand and ducked into a small anteroom with the hat, returning before the applause had died down.

As she sat, the old wizened man in the centre of the teacher's table stood. Harry had heard of Albus Dumbledore many times, even reading about him in several of his textbooks, but had never met or seen the man before. So He had been so nervous during the sorting that he'd barely taken any real notice of any of the people sitting at the high table.

"Before we begin our dinner," a groan sounded from Weasley, who now sat almost opposite them next to Neville, "I wanted to say a few words. Nitwit, oddment, blubber and tweak."

And with a clap, he sat, and the empty plates spread over the tables filled with food. Harry eyed Hermione curiously as she returned the same look. The Weasley twins simply laughed at their expression.

"He's a bit odd,"

"But he's not barmy."

"Least, we don't think,"

"That he is."

And with a flourish, they both dug into the platters before them and began their dinner.

Harry gave Hermione another glance before joining the others in eating. He was quite enjoying the affair until a scrap of chicken soared onto his plate. Following its trajectory, Harry witnessed quite possibly the most disgusting thing he had ever seen. Food was being sent everywhere as Ron Weasley dug into his dinner with what could only be politely described as gusto.

Beside him, Hermione made a gagging sound and Harry felt for her as she was almost directly opposite the display. Harry now understood the twin's reference from the train. The boy did resemble a walking trash disposal, though Harry doubted the boy could retain that fervour while walking and eating but knew he never wanted to put that idea to thorough testing either.

Harry tried his best to ignore the horror show taking place opposite himself and dug into his own dinner, slightly less enthusiastically than he might usually. As he ate he occasionally looked around the hall, catching glimpses of his new friends at their house tables eating and laughing with their new housemates. As he felt his belly filling up, Harry pushed aside his plate when another chunk of foreign food landed upon it, ending any further desire to eat.

He instead turned to Dean Thomas, the dark-skinned boy he was seated opposite, and engaged him in conversation, with Hermione and Parvati occasionally adding a comment over his shoulder until Dumbledore stood once more and called the hall to order. This time it took much longer for all the talking and noise to die down enough for the aged man to speak.

"A truly lovely meal. I trust you all are feeling sufficiently full and sleepy, but before you depart, I require your indulgence a moment longer. To our new students, the Forbidden Forest is off limits to all students, unless accompanied by a teacher." Harry scoffed at the idea that a reminder was needed given the name of the forest. "And some of our older students would do well to remember it as well. I remind you all that magic should not be used in the corridors, and our Caretaker, Mr Filch, has a list of all banned items on the board beside his office.

"Quidditch trials shall be held at the prerogative of your house captain and should be listed on your house boards before the end of the week. Speak to Madam Hooch to discuss further."

Harry momentarily toyed with the idea of trying out, even though he wasn't allowed his own broom at school as a first year. He caught the gleam in Hermione's eye as she watched his face at this announcement. She was well familiar with his love of flying.

"And lastly, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds. And that is all I shall say on the matter."

A shiver of intrigue went up Harry's spine. Those words seemed almost designed to place a desire to investigate the forbidden corridor in him, even before the voices of the Marauders whispered in his mind to take a look. But Harry just shook his head and refocused on the Headmaster.

"And with that, I send you to your beds. Good night all."

A rush of movement filled the room as everyone began shuffling towards the exit. Everyone except Hermione, who had rushed toward the teachers' table and straight to their now head-of-house. He could see her talking animatedly at the elder woman who seemed intrigued with whatever the young girl was saying to her, before pulling her wand and flicking it at Hermione's concealed hands.

With another quick word from McGonagall, Hermione rushed back to Harry's side and grabbed his hand once more, smiling softly at him as they followed the other first-year Gryffindors out the door and into the confusing labyrinth of the moving stairs his parents had warned him about.

When they, at last, made their way inside the bright and warm Gryffindor common room, Harry found himself barely able to pay attention to the red-headed boy indicating the facilities around the room.

"Boys dormitories are up the stairs and to your right. Girls, the same on the other side. You'll find all your belongings have already been brought up."

He smiled briefly at the children before turning aside and heading to a group assembled by the fireplace. Realizing they had been dismissed Harry turned to Hermione.

"Good night, Harry." She called, wrapping him in a warm hug for several moments.

Harry loved her hugs, almost as much as the ones from his mother. But fatigue was quickly settling on him now and he squeezed her tightly before pulling away.

"Good night, Hermione."

They quickly made for their respective staircases, following the other young students up and into their new sleeping quarters. As Harry stepped inside, he surveyed the round room with five large four-posters hung with deep red curtains. Their trunks were already sitting in front of the beds or had been before Weasley had begun dragging them about.

"What are you doing?" Dean asked.

"That's my bed," the boy replied matter-of-factly, pointing to the one Harry's trunk rested in front of.

Harry saw that Neville was perched on the side of the bed next to it. He shook his head gently before dragging his own trunk over to the bed nearest the door. Neville just smiled at him weakly as he clutched Trevor in his hand and watched Ron maneuver in beside him. Beyond caring at this point, Harry quickly changed into his night clothes and within minutes of tucking into his new warm bed, he was asleep.

Chapter Text

Hermione Granger had never been so excited in her life.

She was sitting with her best friend, front row and centre space, in her first-ever class of official magical education. A double period of potions, a class she had been assured by Lily was both very important to most jobs and a lot of fun to learn. She was quite literally bouncing in her seat.

Harry had to keep putting his hand on her shoulder and pressing her back down into the chair to settle her. He was taking it all very well, given Hermione had dragged him into the dungeon classroom a full twenty minutes before the class was scheduled to begin.

As he ever did, he merely glanced at her from the corner of his eyes, without turning his focus from the front, and smiled at her well-known antics. But she couldn't contain herself as the last of the other students filed in. This was it. She was officially a witch-in-training.

And being so excitable and utterly distracted by her thoughts, she was scared witless when the door to the room pounded loudly against the stone wall and still managed to close itself with the force that it had retained. The dark robes and hair of the man who had stormed through it and now stood almost directly in front of her were quite different from the various colourful outfits she had witnessed most of the teachers wearing at breakfast that morning.

"Put your wands away and get your books out now. You are here to learn, not muck about like children."

With a swirl that had his robes nearly touching her face, the teacher swooped toward the desk at the front of the room and swung to face them again with equal vigour. Through her shock at the odd behaviour of her new professor, she was only vaguely aware of the soft shuddering shoulder pressed against her own as Harry shuffled through his bag for his gear, apparently suppressing laughter.

"What?" Hermione whispered quietly to Harry as she matched his action.

"Nothing…" he replied, giving her a subtle wink.

"POTTER!" The professor yelled startling Hermione again as her supplies shot from her hand and luckily landed on the desktop in front of her. "Stop distracting the other students and get to work."

"Love to, sir. What exactly are we doing?" Harry replied. The bare-faced cheek he was giving to the teacher stunned Hermione more than anything else she had witnessed since entering the room.

"Harry!" She scolded, trying her best to keep her voice low enough that only he could hear, for once grateful that her bushy hair could be used to hide her face.

The professor's eyes narrowed as he stared hatefully at Harry. Hermione was now very put out at the strange happenings. This was not how she had expected her magical education to begin. And she had never witnessed Harry being so rude to a teacher before.

"Tell me, Potter, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Harry kept his face blank as he continued to stare back at the professor. "No idea, Professor Snape, but it's certainly not in the first-year textbook."

"You're an arrogant swine, just like your father."

Hermione was now practically hyperventilating. Never had she witnessed such contempt for a student from a professor either. And somehow, despite many years of seeing Harry's reaction to being taunted by bullies and fools, his face was unchanged. There was no anger in his eyes, only resentment. What was going on?

"LONGBOTTOM!"

Poor Neville's bottom actually left his seat, he jumped so high at being caught unawares by the acidic comment. How one was able to pour loathing into a single word like that was beyond even Hermione's extensive knowledge.

"Our newest celebrity." Snape seethed for a moment, staring down the young boy, who unlike Harry wavered badly under the gaze. "What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

Neville shuddered but he managed to mumble a response. It was so quietly provided however that even Hermione, who was seated right next to the boy, could not make it out.

"Well?" The professor drawled, drawing out the word far longer than was normal.

"Nothing, sir," Neville repeated, louder.

Snape did not move, he only continued to stare at the boy.

"They're the same plant." Neville continued, finding some swell of courage if his face was any guide. "Also known as aconite."

His voice wavered again at the end as he caught the look still coming from the professor. Harry tried to offer Neville a supportive smile but was immediately retargeted by the man before them.

"Potter! Where would you find a bezoar?"

A faint glimmer of a smirk twitched the edges of Snape's lips as he watched Harry closely. This also wasn't in the first-year textbook. Hermione couldn't even remember talking to Lily about them in their pre-studies.

"A bezoar is typically found in the stomach of a goat. Though personally, I'd probably go check that supply closest over there before fetching the laxatives."

Hermione whirled on Harry as his comments sunk into her addled mind. Nothing had gone right about this class from the moment the teacher had entered. She was adrift at the behaviour of a person she knew she was supposed to show respect towards, and someone who had long ago earned that right.

"Though from that face you're making, I think some may actually be in order…"

"SILENCE!" Snape snarled icily, now openly glaring at Harry with a look of pure loathing.

Hermione continued to look at her best friend completely flabbergasted. What was going on?

"I just knew you would be every bit the pompous little brat he was. No good comes from associating with your sort." The look in Harry's eyes began to change as the professor spoke. "Give it a week and you'll be strutting about like you own the castle." His eyes narrowed as he glared at the older man. "Nothing more than a spoiled little bully."

Hermione watched Harry closely, missing the Professor's gaze turn to her, though she certainly saw the point of no return in Harry. She'd only seen that look in his eyes once before, and that preceded his being grounded for two months. Even she had not been able to get him to reveal just what he had done to the nasty boys who used to torment her, although that had been long before she learned that magic was real. The look in Harry's eyes now heralded more of the same treatment for the man standing before her, clearly unaware of the thin ice he was bouncing on with a pogo stick.

"You'd know, sir. I had hoped that she was wrong. But I guess not."

All the anger left Professor Snape in a moment, it would have been comical at any other time.

"She?" He muttered, his voice barely reaching the front row.

"Yes, sir. See Dad and Sirius never hid the fact they hate your very soul. But mum, she used to regret the break in your friendship. Right up until November 5th, 1984. That was the day she learned the truth after all."

The rage was beginning to resurface behind Snape's eyes now. Hermione knew most of the events of Harry's life before they met. They spent far too much time together over the years not to have. But even she had no clue what was transpiring in front of her now or what he was referring to.

"I mean, let's be frank." And for a moment Harry twitched and paused, casting a very subtle glance anyone but she would have missed to Hermione's other side. "We both know what approached a few years prior that caused you to break things off with your petty little Dark Lord."

Hermione shuddered at the vindictive pleasure she could see in Harry's eyes as this bizarre comment had the same effect as stabbing their teacher in the spine and twisting the knife as he stumbled back against his desk.

"And, though I doubt she knows I was nearby when she said this, she 'regrets that she ever met the hook-nosed greasy lout' and that 'it would be easy for you to retain that pallor while hiding waist deep in ice beneath leathery wings in the bowels of Dis.'"

This made the connection in the well-read mind of Hermione. She had long ago read Dante's Divine Comedy, much to her parents' chagrin believing her far too young to read such things at the time, and remembered well the many circles of hell. Now she wondered just what form of treachery Snape had performed that would make sweet and loving Lily Potter believe that he deserved to spend an eternity at the feet of the devil himself.

"But we're all entitled to our opinions now, aren't we, sir?" Harry finished with a smile as a cold fury burned in Snape's eyes.

He took two long steps forward, arms raising slightly as he approached the desks before turning away again. "Get out." The words were soft in volume but not in contempt. Snape turned on Harry again and whispered with all the ice of the threatened abode, "NOW!"

Harry quickly gathered his things and with a soft smile to Hermione, he danced out the door, his voice trailing behind him, "See you later, Snivellous."

ϟ

"Mum, I think I may have gone too far again," Harry mumbled into the hand mirror he held before his face.

"What did you do?" came her stern reply.

"Snape baited me, and I saw red. I couldn't help myself." He replied uneasily, unable to make eye contact with the red-headed woman in the reflection.

"What did you say?"

Harry took a steadying breath before recounting the entire conversation to his parents, sure as he was that James, and Sirius, would be listening just out of frame. His mother's face did not change throughout until he recounted the part, he had overheard from her.

"Oh. You're right, I had no idea you were there."

"I'm sorry, Mum. I didn't mean to, it's just, he was berating Neville. And I could see he was about to start in on Hermione. I lost my temper."

"I'll say," came his godfather's unusually proud voice from the right of the glass. "We never did something that brutal. At the end of the day, he always thought he still had a chance. The slimy git." He finished in a still audible undertone.

Harry gulped and looked down again in shame. He knew well his parents' relationship with Severus Snape was rocky and storied. The Marauders had made his schooling hell, just as he had tried to make theirs. His only ray of light had disappeared at his own unthinking words. It wasn't so much that Harry had lost his temper and hit Snape right where it hurt, it was the idea that his own temper could run away with him and he could hurt Hermione in such a manner.

After all, his mother had mentioned a few times growing up how much he and Hermione sometimes reminded her of herself and Severus before they made it to Hogwarts. And Harry was now terrified he was heading down the same path as Snape.

"Harry, you would never do that. I know you wouldn't." As always, his mother could read his emotions on his face like a book. The only person better at reading him than her was Hermione. "Severus and I, we never should have been friends, to begin with. We were complete opposites. You and her on the other hand. Never going to happen sweetheart."

A small smile broke on his face at the encouraging words. "However," and the smile vanished. "I am disappointed that you rose to his bait. We talked about this before you left. The breathing exercises."

"They were working. Right up until his gaze turned to Hermione. I could see the callous remark building in his eyes and I had to head it off. Things kind of spiralled from there."

His father's face was suddenly pressed against the glass of the mirror as his mother yelled at the man-child from behind. "Look, son. I know you meant well, and nothing gets your dander up faster than someone picking on your best friend, believe me, I was the same way."

"Too right!"

"Shut up, Padfoot." James continued. "But you need to rein in your temper. We were bullies at school, Snivellous was right about that. You are better than that. Don't stoop to our level."

"HEY!"

"Shut up, Padfoot!" Both parents' voices echoed. "But I'm very proud of you." James finished.

"Stop confusing the poor boy, James." His mother growled, finally separating him from the mirror. "Look, you just focus on your studies and keeping your cool. I'll have a quiet word with Severus."

The look in his mother's eyes had never boded well for the subject of the statement. Harry now was a little worried about how far she might go in Snape's re-education.

"I promise. I'll try my best."

"And that's all we ever ask of you, sweetie." His mother smiled softly.

"Bye." He replied, before pressing his thumb to the glass and whispering, "Mischief managed."

"HARRY!" He flinched as he prepared himself for the dressing down, he had expected over the mirror call.

"Yes, Hermione? How was the class?"

Being flippant was clearly the wrong choice as Hermione's cheeks became red and her fists clenched tighter around the strap of her bag.

"What was that? I've never seen you being intentionally cruel before."

He bowed his head under her furious gaze. "I know. I just got off the line with the parents. They basically said the same thing."

"I'm sure they did. With Sirius pitching in his inappropriate quips and James supporting your actions despite telling you they were wrong."

Harry nodded, grinning softly at how well his best friend knew not just himself, but his entire family. Though she had been witness to many cases of Harry being taken to task by his parents for one thing or another. Seeing his remorse, however, cut off the head of steam that was building in her. As with the vengeance in his eyes earlier, she'd only ever seen him this repentant once as well, after the same incident.

"What was that all about anyway? I know your parents had an adversarial relationship with Professor Snape, but that was something else. He wasn't right for the rest of the lesson. He snapped at everyone, even the Slytherins."

"Sounds like just another day in the dungeons from what I've heard."

A soft growl beside him reminded Harry that flippant was not the attitude for right now.

"Sorry. You know what happened to Neville's parents." Hermione nodded, they had discussed it just the day before. "There was a little bit more to that story that I left out."

He could see the flicker in her eyes at that. Both had been so open with the other through the years, that to find that Harry had kept things from her was tantamount to a physical blow.

"Sorry, Hermione. It's hard to think about. The attack on the Longbottoms wasn't random chance. Voldemort went there for a reason. A prophecy. To this day I don't know the entire wording, I wasn't even supposed to know of it at all, but as I said I took Dad's files and there were mentions of it in there."

He took several steadying breaths and continued. "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... There is more, but as I said, I don't know it."

Harry paused as he watched Hermione's brain absorbing the words and analysing them from every angle.

"You don't know enough about the last war to know just how significant those words are. See, Mum and Alice didn't test the wards on our house. There was a good reason all those enchantments were cast. Only two people could have been the subject of this prophecy. Neville, who was born on the 30th of July 1980, exactly three months after that prophecy was made. His parents were active in the war and personally fought, foiled and escaped encounters with Voldemort himself three times over. Always together, always as a team."

"Only one other pair of fighters claimed that… honour, during the war and they, were James and Lily Potter." Hermione gasped and grabbed Harry's arm tightly. "Now can you understand why I can so easily picture myself suffering what Neville must be going through?"

Hermione just nodded and pulled her friend closer, wrapping her arms tightly around him. She still couldn't imagine it, but she could try to understand. The idea that the random choice of a madman could have completely changed your life in such a horrid way had to be a difficult thing to process.

"And the reason this is relevant is because someone had to tell Voldemort that sliver of the prophecy. Otherwise, he never would have gone after either of us. November the 5th, was the day that Mum managed to get Albus Dumbledore, the black hole of information, to let something slip. He thought it would repair a burnt bridge and get her to forgive Snape for the things he said to her back in school. Instead, it firebombed the bridge and salted the fields of the entire continent. Severus Snape is the Death Eater who sent Voldemort after us. He told him the prophecy and his only condition was that the bastard let my mother live."

Hermione was stunned into silence. Even her mighty brain had come to a standstill at the realization this brought on.

"My potions professor gave a madman information that could very well have led to my death, and his only problem was that his crush might be hurt. I think he knew the odds and was hoping his boss would clear off me and Dad and somehow believed in his demented mind that my mum would just throw herself into his arms in her grief. Or perhaps, he thought, relief. Every time I look at that man, my skin crawls.

"I made peace a few years ago with the idea he would be my teacher someday. Unless he quit, or we didn't attend Hogwarts, he had to be. Mum helped me learn a few techniques for rerouting my anger. Keeping calm when near him. But he ruined Neville's life too and then started in on him in class as though it was Neville's fault. And the way he looked at you. Those guys at the park learned what happens when they mess with you. And I'll be damned if I let Snivellous get away with it." He finished vehemently, almost panting in anger.

Hermione couldn't help it as she beamed at that statement. "Ok. But why do you keep calling him that? His face was livid when he heard you say that as you left. He took 50 points from you for it."

"It was the Marauders' nickname for Snape. Using it is a surefire way to send him back to his fifth year and the moment he regrets more than any other. Though not enough to stop others from using the word if the Twins' stories are anything to go by. It's the same word I saw him winding up to use before."

The curious look on her face showed Hermione still didn't know what he meant.

"Sorry, but you'll have to ask my mum if you want to know. I will never say that word so long as I live. Some things are just plain wrong. And I won't write it down for you either."

Hermione stopped rummaging in her bag, dropping the quill she had grasped and looked at him quizzically.

"Just, no." His eyes hardened, and it was clear there would be no discussion on this.

"Ok. Given we have now missed almost all of our first-ever history class," she stated, looking at him through narrowed eyes, "what do you say we head for lunch early?"

Harry smiled up at his friend as she stood, swinging the weightless book bag he'd bought her for Christmas over her shoulder. "Sounds like a plan to me."

As he stood to join her, he placed a hand gently on her shoulder, pulling her attention back to him. "And thank you, for coming to find me."

Hermione smiled in return and gave his hand a soft squeeze, before turning about and heading for the Great Hall.

ϟ

A spoonful of the delightfully yummy pudding was halfway to his mouth when Harry was glomped hard on both sides and lifted bodily from the bench. He knew that given the rest of their classes that day had gone so smoothly, something would ruin his dinner. A moment later he was the centre of a spinning red-headed circle of laughter as the Weasley Twins twirled around bouncing him between them and drawing giggles from not only himself but half the hall as well.

Finally releasing him from their arms, Harry immediately stumbled, dizzy, back to the bench and landed heavily beside a still giggling Hermione who steadied him as his eyes refocused on the now six redheads swimming in front of his eyes for a moment before he shook off the dizziness.

As they settled back to only the two, he spoke. "Something I can help you fine gentlemen with?"

"Can he help?"

"Modest to a fault my dear brother."

Harry continued to look on in confusion, unsure whether it was the dizziness or if the Twins just naturally left people feeling as though they'd been hit by a pair of bludgers. "Please do make sense any time now."

Both elder boys merely rolled their eyes at the younger lad. "The joyous news has spread far and wide, young Harry."

"You have succeeded, where even we have failed."

"And where is that? At speaking plainly?" Harry asked.

Hermione scoffed into her dinner beside him at his remark, earning a cheeky grin in return.

"Ah, the wit."

"The presence."

"The accomplishment." Both twins spurred together.

Harry continued to sit facing the boys in the walkway, confusion etched into his brow. The Twins sighed at his lack of comprehension.

"Starting to think it might have been an accident now, dear brother."

"Yes, he isn't inspiring much confidence after the fact, brother mine."

"Please, just spit it out, Fred," Harry said, staring at the Twin on the left.

"Very well, young Harry," Fred replied, "we wanted to congratulate you,"

"Nay, thank you," George opined.

"Yes, thank you. For showing us the way. Never has the school seen the dungeon bat so flustered before."

"We saw him take points from a snake in the corridor after the third period."

"It was the most magical thing I've seen in my many years on this green earth," Fred added dreamily, wiping a non-existent tear from his cheek.

Realization began to form in Harry's mind. "Wait, so if I understand correctly, you are thanking me for angering Snape?"

"Angering he says."

"You got Snape to throw you out of class-"

"Within five minutes!"

"I mean, we've been thrown out of Potions loads of times."

"But never so quickly-"

"Or so stylishly."

"Yeah, well, don't expect many repeat performances, guys," Harry said as he spun back to complete his dessert turning his back on the Weasley Twins. "I'm here to learn, not make Snape's life difficult."

Each Twin leant over one of his shoulders, resting their chins on their hands as they watched him eat dreamily.

"Guys, that is really creepy."

"Yes, Harry." They both replied simultaneously, sighing slightly.

Hermione was still furiously working to suppress her urge to giggle loudly at the boys' antics and was making sure not to make eye contact with Harry, as she was certain her resolve would crack if she were to see the look surely etched on his face.

Most at the Gryffindor table were so interested in the Twins and Harry's interplay that they very nearly missed the snow-white owl soaring overhead. If not for the tiny package the low-flying bird dropped into the dregs of Harry's dessert, almost all would have.

The students began to track the late-night owl as it continued further into the hall, approached the far end of the Teacher's table and, stalling expertly, settled in front of one Severus Snape in the smoothest landing any could remember inside these walls. Harry immediately recognised the markings on the rear of the owl. It was Archimedes, the owl his parents had bought a few years back, which Eeylops had informed him was the elder brother of his own Hedwig, bought the very same day. And the small red letter attached to its leg was very clearly a Howler.

Harry gulped, and Hermione's struggling giggles subsided as they watched with trepidation while the remainder of the hall, teachers and students alike, wondered at who would be sending Professor Snape anything at all, much less a Howler at dinner time.

Surprise was the main emotion portrayed on the Potions Master's face as well as he freed the letter while Archimedes stole a whole sausage from his plate and shot back into the air, Harry knew, to avoid the explosion of his former cargo.

There was no doubt in his mind as to the author of the slightly smoking letter and having been on the receiving end of his mother's sharp tongue many times, he almost felt a little bit sorry for Snape as he pulled his wand and attempted to vanish the now smouldering letter.

Harry sucked in a sharp breath that was mirrored by Hermione, slightly distracting a few of their neighbours as Snape flicked the wand at the letter. "Big mistake," Harry whispered and moved to cover his ears as the red parchment erupted outwards at the spell, shredding into long wavy streams flicking back and forth behind the small white centre parchment and soared up to be directly in front of Snape's face. The students couldn't see from their angle, but there was a pair of glowing green circles evident on the white parchment casting an eerie glow over Snape's face.

"SEVVVVVERRRRRUSSSSSSSSSS!" Most in the room were shocked at how quiet the screaming parchment was. They had been present for several Howlers sent to the Twins by Molly Weasley in the past couple of years and were expecting this to be just as vicious.

"How can you still be like this?! Isn't it about time you grew up? Especially after what you did. You leave both the boys alone… or I will come for you." There was a palpable air of contempt coming from the voice as it quietly berated the professor, yet still managed to be clearly audible to the entire otherwise silent hall.

"Remember our last conversation, Snape. Or I will make sure our next one is the last that you ever have. We may no longer be friends, but I still know where all of the bodies are buried. I can ruin you if you don't shape up." Harry's mother's voice finished as the now flaming parchment ripped itself to shreds and fluttered down all over Snape's unfinished dinner, a mixture of ash and confetti.

Harry had expected to see Snape glaring at him for telling others of their encounter, but instead, the man's face was even whiter than usual, and his gaze was far away. He did not know the event referred to in the dying lines of the Howler, but it had affected Snape deeply.

"Sorry guys," Harry murmured, extricating himself from the Twins' odd grasp and pocketing the small package from his bowl, "I'm off to bed."

He tried to surreptitiously escape the hall but as he reached the doors and saw Hermione tracking him, his eyes found the front table where everyone was watching Snape, except Snape who was glaring at him.

As he moved to turn and leave the hall, he found himself frozen in shock. Apparently, Lily had not been the last person to enchant the magical paper. As he continued to glare at Harry, Snape's hair was changing colour becoming a bright bubble-gum pink. Thankfully this matched the now mauve tint of his billowing robes which he was still too fixated on Harry to notice.

Chuckles began to spread around the hall at the Potion Master's predicament and Harry found himself struggling not to join in. Even from the far side of the room, he could hear his godfather's voice slither from the remains of the howler, uttering only a single word. "Snivellous."

Those who knew the tale of Harry's confrontation now broke into even stronger laughter as Harry managed to tear his eyes from Snape and grabbing Hermione's hand firmly, he leapt from the Hall and did not stop until the Fat Lady closed behind him.

ϟ

"Alright, everybody. Step up to the left side of the broom, place your right hand over the handle and say 'Up'". Madam Hooch commanded as she turned back to face the gathered first years.

Harry had been looking forward to their first flying lesson since his acceptance letter had arrived and now it was finally here. Not that he was in any way inexperienced, but there was a freedom he found in flying that had been lacking from these first two weeks of classes. Even watching the Gryffindor Quidditch trials the day before had not helped relieve the tension that had built.

"Up." He heard Hermione's commanding school voice demand to his right and saw the tatty broom on the ground leap into her hand. It was only then that he realised he hadn't even given the command, and yet his broom was also secure in his grasp.

Neville opposite him, however, was being eyed by most of the group as his broom idly rolled over under his command, much like both Ron and Seamus did in the mornings as they sought a few minutes more sleep.

As the other boy met his eyes, Harry gave him a reassuring look and nodded for him to try again. With a firmer command, the broom launched into his grip and the chuckling, coming mostly from the nearby Slytherins, ended.

"Good. Now grip the handle firmly with both hands and mount the broom."

Hooch paraded down the opening between the two groups, watching closely as the students mounted and grasped their brooms. She stopped a few times to correct several grips, but most had it right from the off. Harry glanced at Hermione and noticed a look of excitement and relief on her face as well. Her discomfort with heights from a preschool camp had long since been vanquished through the many times spent with Sirius, James and himself as they took the three Grangers flying. Now she was almost as keen on flying as Harry was. Almost.

Harry waited impatiently as Hooch gave the group instructions on how to control the broom and told them all to hover for a few moments at her whistle. As she blew the metal whistle, emitting a shrill note that hurt Harry's ears, pandemonium broke out.

Four Slytherin students Harry still hadn't learned the names of shot off the mark and clipped the shoulders of their opposites as their feet dangled below them. The hit students sprawled everywhere, and several brooms could be heard cracking under the combined weight of the students as they bent in ways they were never designed to bend.

Directly opposite him, Ron and Neville rose several feet into the air, exactly as they had been instructed. However, once Ron saw the Slytherins soar away he leant forward on his broom and whooshed forwards. He would have kicked Harry right in the nose had Harry not ducked in time, pulling Hermione down to avoid the idiot's other leg.

The other Gryffindor girls on Hermione's other side were chattering away at the chaos, all thoughts of flight forgotten as Hooch rushed over to the dogpile of students and screamed at the flying ones to get back on the ground this instant.

Harry just sighed and let his broom fall to the ground, stepping around it to move to assist the downed students. So much for a relaxing flight.

He couldn't suppress the slight giggle as he spied Neville, still just hovering in place as though afraid attempting to return to solid ground would send him firing off into the distance.

It took almost ten minutes, but Madam Hooch managed to ground the five fliers and, wrenching the brooms from their hands, pass them to those with now broken brooms. With a bevy of stinging hexes, she corralled the wayward quintet together and began herding them toward the castle.

"The rest of you, stay on the ground. No one is to move until I get back."

The students began to talk amongst themselves as they waited. All but Malfoy and his bookends, who made a beeline straight for Neville.

"So, squib. Going to ditch the useless Weasel now and make some proper friends?" The blonde-haired boy cooed as he approached.

"Leave him alone, Malfoy. He's twice the wizard you are." Neville replied, an edge to his voice.

Harry knew this was a conversation Neville had been forced to have many times with the Malfoy heir. Draco didn't like being told no.

"That'll be easy enough. The moron'll be in detention for weeks."

"Not sure how it works in the Death Eaters, Malfoy," Harry chided, trying to buy time for Madame Hooch to return, "but referring to someone as Squib is probably not the best method for gaining their friendship."

Draco rounded on him with a glare, the two backup gorillas cracking their knuckles in anticipation.

"Who asked you, Potter? You spent half your life hiding from the wizarding world."

"Hardly," Harry laughed, "just found out that there were much better people to be friends with in the muggle world."

"Like who? The know-it-all Mudblood?" Draco spat, nodding at Hermione.

The movement was a blur as blood spurted from Draco's broken nose. Crabbe and Goyle were too shocked to move and their leader was now so busy trying to hold his nose in place as he stumbled back from the angry boy advancing on him to give them instructions.

"Utter that word again and I'll kill you, Malfoy." Harry's voice was ice as he glared at Draco who stumbled to the ground and made an impressive effort to crawl on his back in his attempt to get away from Harry. Only a soft hand resting on his shoulder stopped Harry's advance and he turned with surprise to see Neville standing behind him. Hermione was still over by their brooms looking at him quizzically.

"That's enough, he's learned his lesson," Neville said shrugging. "And if he hasn't you get to punch him again."

This brought a grin to Harry's face and he nodded, turning away from the Slytherins. He now noticed that Daphne and Tracey were standing beside Hermione with their hands on her shoulder apologising for their Neanderthal of a housemate's manners.

He walked back over to her quickly, her eyes tracking him the entire way. "You alright?"

Hermione cocked her head as she assessed her friend. "Is that it?"

Harry nodded, while the three others seemed baffled by the odd exchange.

"Doesn't seem so bad."

"It means dirty blood. He's insinuating that Natalie and Richard aren't worth a damn, just because they're muggles. And that you're infected by association. Probably buys into the whole rubbish idea that Muggleborns steal magic from 'proper wizards' like Neville. Anyone ever says that to you will answer to me."

Hermione nodded as she noticed Madam Hooch returning. Beside her was Professor McGonagall, and an older student Harry remembered being at the trials the day before. The older boy quickly excused himself from their head of house and disappeared inside the nearby changing rooms.

"What happened here?" McGonagall asked firmly as she spied Draco still bleeding all over his robes despite the efforts of Crabbe and Goyle to staunch the flow with their own.

"He insulted Neville and Hermione, so I punched him in the nose," Harry stated, staring up at the fierce woman.

"Insulted how?"

"Called them both horrid names and made insinuations as to their magical abilities."

The other students quickly corroborated Harry's statement, though Professor McGonagall did not look away from Harry the entire time.

"You certainly inherited your father's ability to not say what you're really thinking." She said, eyes still locked on Harry's face. "Mr Malfoy, over here now."

The shit-eating grin on Draco's face was slightly less effective given his scarlet decoration as he strode pridefully over to see Harry's rollicking first hand.

"As you instigated the event, in front of several witnesses no less, I cannot punish Mr Potter for his actions on this occasion beyond taking five points from Gryffindor and advising him not to repeat them in the future. His reaction also precludes me from punishing you for your comments either. But let me be clear, those terms have no place at this school. Should I hear them from you in future, you will not like the result. You two, take him to the Hospital Wing and get him cleaned up."

The change in expression on Malfoy's face was priceless, and Harry would have happily taken the detentions he should have earned with his actions just to see that look. It took all his willpower not to laugh as Crabbe and Goyle escorted Draco away.

"Now, as we seem to have a class full of troublemakers today," McGonagall's eyes flicked to Harry again as she spoke, "Madam Hooch has requested I assist her in watching over your lesson. Hop to it."

It took the students no time at all to gather back into their lines and get back into ready positions. Harry clamped down on his thoughts and emotions, praying that if he didn't think it, nothing else would postpone the moment.

"On my whistle, three, two, one."

The whistle blew sharply again and this time every student rose a few feet up and stayed there, no shooting off or falling. Professor McGonagall inspected his side of the line as Madam Hooch checked the far side. Harry was no longer concerned with the others though; the moment his feet had left the ground he had the feeling of freedom surge through him. With a deft touch, he could be halfway to the goalposts in seconds. The open-air above him was no longer out of reach.

And as quickly as it had come, the feeling passed as the whistle blew again and they all descended back to the ground. Harry was starting to think this lesson was going to be abject torture, rather than a chance to free his mind of thoughts of school.

McGonagall tapped his shoulder and pointed over to the centre of the pitch before moving off and continuing down the line. Harry noticed Daphne already ahead of him and Hermione was by his side in a moment, both with broom in hand.

As they arrived at the middle of the pitch, McGonagall quickly followed with another seven students.

"You ten have all shown evidence of having a great deal of practice on a broomstick, would that assessment be accurate?"

All the gathered students nodded at the teacher.

"Very good. As we have learned in the past, unless you are actively assisting those less skilled, having excitable students who just want to fly waiting on others is a recipe for disaster. As such you are hereby given free rein to practice on the pitch while your classmates handle the fundamentals. Any questions."

Harry glanced about, and his heart pumped quickly as he saw there were none. Looking back to his head of house he saw the barest twitch of a smirk at the corner of her mouth at the excited faces before her.

"Mister Wood will be out in a moment and he will keep an eye on you all. Off you pop then. Have fun but do be careful."

Harry needed no further invitation. Within moments he was forty feet in the air with the wind battering his face. All his troubles from before were washed away by the press of the wind as the sluggish old broom followed his commands.

Without a care in the world, Harry put the broom through its paces and despite its flaws found himself having a whale of a time as he looped the loop and rushed back and forth across the sky. Pushing into a dive, he skimmed the surface of the grassy pitch until he reached the towering goal posts and with a twitch of his arms was soaring up once more, wrapping a tight turn about the posts before zipping inside the goal and gliding back out over the pitch.

Finally pulling up the broom and coming to a stop for the first time since McGonagall set him free, he glanced over at the others. Daphne and Hermione were having a race it appeared, soaring from one end of the pitch to the other. While the assortment of Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws that had joined their group were tossing something back and forth between them.

"Done that a few times, eh Potter?" Susan called as she settled beside him.

"Once or twice." He retorted, watching the race. "I wasn't even two the first time my father put me on a broom. Three the first time I flew one myself. Mum was so mad at my dads."

"Dads?"

"Oh yeah, that's what I call my dad and my godfather. Sirius has lived in the same house with us since I was fifteen months old. And when I was younger I was able to understand the father part of godfather, but not what his role really was. So he became dad too once I started talking. He and Uncle Remus might not officially be family, but they're every bit as important to me as Mum and Dad."

"I know what you mean. Auntie Amelia might look fierce to those at work, but I see the teddy bear she is at home. I'm glad she moved in with us after the war. Just wish it had been for better reasons."

"Yeah," Harry replied, his mind drifting.

They watched in silence as a few more students were sent by McGonagall and Hooch to join the field. Hermione was approaching him with Daphne close behind.

"So, who won? I looked away at the end."

"You must have trained her well, Potter. I've never seen a muggleborn take to flying like that." Daphne cooed, settling opposite Susan.

Hermione swooped in and nudged Harry's side, resting her head on his shoulder. "It is nice to be in the air again."

Harry coughed and giggled slightly. "Your mum would laugh hearing that. Remember the first time I took you up on a broom?"

"There is a difference, Harry Potter, between flying and suicide. What you do on a broom is the latter."

"You're just jealous."

"Hardly," she scoffed.

"Race?"

"Not on your life."

"I'll take you on," Daphne replied.

"Susan?"

"You're on. Course?"

"Two laps of the pitch. Must stay outside of the boundary line. But to make it even, Harry has to weave in and out of the stands." Hermione added. The other two girls looked at her with curiosity. "Trust me, you'll need it."

Harry just laughed and eased the old school broom over to the midway line of the pitch, the impromptu starting line.

The girls soon joined him, with Hermione hovering in front of them ready to drop the flag, or in this case, her spare handkerchief.

"Hold up. We'll get in on that." Seamus called as he flew over with a pair of Ravenclaws. "Dean is still with the freshies so we're looking for some fun."

"In the line then. Two laps back to here. Ready?"

The six racers all tightened their grip on the brooms and nodded. With a flurry Hermione tossed the handkerchief into the air and as it passed her broomstick the six shot off and the race began.

Harry quickly drew his focus in, ignoring the positions of the others and preparing to take the first stand on the outside. He had the advantage of his course being wider than the others, which meant he didn't have to worry about running into any of them.

He felt his wild hair flick the far corner of the towering wooden stand as he passed it on his side far closer than he would be allowed by his parents, zipping quickly back to mirror his move around the second tower.

This pattern continued as he weaved back and forth quickly, still unaware and uncaring of the other's positions. He hadn't had the chance to truly push a broom in a long time. James had become quite reticent after his last tumble, though Harry was certain his father was just afraid of what his mother would do to him if he came back from flying injured again. Not that the injuries ever took his parents long to fix up. They were both a whizz with a wand and Lily was a genius herself at potions.

As he approached the line at the end of his first lap, Harry found himself having to dodge around Seamus, who had seen Harry's weaving course and decided to give it a whirl. The space between the boy and the tower left Harry nowhere to go but inside the flapping cloth cladding, clipping his shoulder on the timber as he found himself inside momentarily before shooting out a rip in the other side and heading back onto the course.

He was a bit miffed at his roommate as he rolled his shoulder to ease the throbbing pain before focusing once more on his heading as he decided the challenge of threading through the towers added even more fun to the race and, lining himself up, he shot once more inside the fabric siding and was dodging about the timber latticework inside.

In and out, up and down, he soared through almost all twenty-two of the towers, only pulling away at the last as he approached the finishing line where he could see Hermione still hovering but glaring at him openly. He chuckled to himself and zoomed over the line, still unsure of where anyone but Seamus was, as he left the Irish boy circling the tower on the far side when he tried to follow him through the stand and instead got caught in the fabric, just above the lower stands like a spider in a web.

He quickly banked and soared a tight circle around his friend who began to scald him loudly for his antics. As he witnessed the others glide over the line in tight formation.

"Harry Potter!" That, however, was not his friend.

Harry looked up to see McGonagall gliding toward him on a broom she must have borrowed from one of the students who was standing directly behind her course on the ground.

"What part of that was careful?"

"Er, all of it Professor."

Hermione shook her head at Harry and clipped him on the shoulder which set him wincing at the pain still running through it from the impact with the first stand on his second lap. The aged witch eyed him warily as a third person swooped up to her right.

"He'll do Professor. Better than anyone who showed up yesterday."

"Aye, he certainly is there. Got a proper broom at home Potter?"

"Yes Professor, I have a Cleansweep Seven."

"That's a good model for a seeker." The other boy chimed in. "Do we have to worry about the first-year thing?"

McGonagall seemed to consider this for a moment. "It will remain in the broom cupboard here at the pitch unless being used for practice or a match. Is that understood, Potter?"

"Ah, not really, Professor. What is going on?"

Hermione smacked his shoulder again, drawing a loud yelp this time. "Do pay attention, Harry. You're the new Gryffindor Seeker."

"Oh. Great." Harry broke into a wide smile as the others flew over to congratulate him on his new position. And even better, neither Ron nor Draco were there to ruin the occasion.

However, it wasn't long before the back slapping started to hurt his injured shoulder and Harry begged off, telling the others he needed to owl his parents to get his broom as soon as possible. But Hermione tailed him to the Infirmary with a knowing look on her face.

"Served you right for showing off." She whispered as he slipped inside the doors and came face to face with the Matron.

Chapter Text

Hermione woke that Thursday to an odd feeling of being watched. As she looked about her bed, she found the covers wrapped around her as usual and her curtains still in place as she had left them the night before, but something was gnawing at her still sleep-addled mind.

It wasn't until she sat up in her bed and a soft hoot sounded from behind her that she figured it out.

Hedwig was perched on the head of her bed, watching her closely. A small envelope had dropped from her beak onto the pillow when she had hooted at the girl. It would have plonked Hermione in the face if Hedwig had dropped it before she had sat up. Hermione gave the beautiful white owl a good scratch under her chin in the spot she knew Hedwig liked most before turning her attention to the letter.

Quickly opening it she glanced at the messy handwriting that indicated a hastily penned note.

Hermione,

Happy 12th birthday!

I know you have been worried about celebrating it away from home, so I decided to make today as special as we can on our own.

Your present awaits you in the common room.

Best wishes,

Harry.

.

She smiled as her brain caught up with the date. It was indeed her birthday and she'd been worried for the last week as she'd never not celebrated it with her parents in some fashion. Now she was in a castle in another country in a building they couldn't even see without magical assistance.

The lonely feeling she'd suppressed the night before to fall asleep reared its head once again, vying for her attention, but the letter clutched in her hand helped to push it back down. She was not truly alone, for Harry had also celebrated her birthday with the Grangers every year since they had met.

And he was downstairs waiting for her.

Smiling widely, she gave Hedwig a last parting scratch before whipping her curtains open and grabbing the dressing gown hanging by her bed, tucking her feet into her slippers and dashing from the room, too impatient to run through her usual morning routine before seeing Harry.

She found him waiting in an armchair by the fire, turned to face the stairs to the girls' dormitories, watching eagerly for her approach, a medium-sized wrapped gift sat on his lap as his smile broadened upon sight of her.

The momentary pause at the top of the stairs gave Hermione a fright when Hedwig lightly cuffed her hair with her wing, having followed her from the room, making her jump and reminding her to close the door to give her roommates their privacy.

She rushed quickly down the stairs and hit the common room at a run, quickly grabbing a now-standing Harry in her arms and hugging him tightly.

"Happy birthday, Hermione. Twelve already, can't you wait for me to catch up?" He said sincerely as his face vanished into her hair. "Wow, your bed hair is even wilder than usual." His muffled voice continued.

Hermione quickly smacked him on his no longer tender shoulder as she smiled into his other side relishing in the feeling of familiarity on such an important day. She still missed her mother and father but having her best friend here with her helped a lot more than she had initially thought it would. Although Harry was correct that the fretting she had done the night before had left her hair even bushier than usual.

"So," the muffled voice continued, "presents!"

Hermione released him and he gave up his armchair for the large sofa facing the fireplace. He sat the wrapped parcel on the table as he settled in and watched her approach. Hermione was a tremendously organised girl. She scheduled as much of her day as possible. The bookshelves at both the Granger and Potter homes were organised to the nth degree, but to her own special system that she assured everyone was much more efficient than alphabetically by subject, author or title. But the one area of her life that was never neat or civilized, was Hermione opening presents.

Her need to know everything she could extended to gifts and she could not wait while she carefully opened the paper and ribbons. Instead, within seven seconds of her sitting and reaching forward, the packaging was spread over several metres leaving only the gift itself still on the table. The only wrapping paper left nearby was tucked underneath as she had torn it from the top, but the item inside had been heavy enough to keep its place on the table, trapping the rest underneath.

She glanced at Harry for a moment, noting his cheeky smile as she leant forward and read the title embossed in the thick maroon leather covering of her newest book.

Love's Labour's Won

By

William Shakespeare

Glancing again at her grinning fool of a friend, Hermione lifted the tome from the table, freeing the last of the wrapping to slip off the table and held it lovingly in her hands. Her eyes and fingers took their time caressing the gorgeously recreated version of the lost play.

Hermione had loved Shakespeare since the moment she was old enough to understand it was where her name originated. Harry always proclaimed his favourite as The Winter's Tale for that very reason. But in her hands now was supposedly one of the two works the famous man had written that she had never read.

Carefully peeling the book open, she noted a hand-written page right inside that was not signed at the bottom by the author. Hearing the leather rebel at what must have been its first proper opening, she balanced it on her right leg, the left bouncing with excitement too much to be much help and read the note.

November the 17th in the year of our Lord 1602

Yesterday morn I was tasked with a simple request by the Head of the Council.

It seems that tensions have been high with the Muggles lately and in typical fashion, the Wizard's Council have overreached once more.

You should have seen poor William's face when I told him I had to take this from him. You would think I'd informed the man he had plague.

I was ordered by the Council to destroy this, as it is far too accurate a depiction of Magical life and habits and thus a 'threat to our continued existence in this troubled time'. You'd think we were all in hiding, not living amongst them as friend and family.

However, I could not relegate the work to destruction without paying its author said due. So, I sat down last eve and read through it. By this morn, I had gone through several candles, my finest spring wine, and my head was swimming with the marvellous words I had just consumed.

The work was magnificent. By far the greatest piece I have had the pleasure of reading by this noble poet. As such, I find myself unable to comply with the order given me.

As the work was scheduled for proper publication in only a short few weeks and had not yet gone to the publisher, this here is the only copy to exist. Therefore, I have decided to keep the work, hidden in my home as the leather-bound book that you now hold.

I have not edited its content in the slightest, merely used an old family spell to neaten the myriad pages to fit inside the covers and add this one last page to explain my actions.

Given I currently have no offspring which to pass such things onto, I do not yet know if this shall become an heirloom of my family, but it brings me great joy to imagine others partaking of its illicit goodness in years to come.

I pray that you enjoy this gift that I give to you and treat it with the respect these pages should have commanded of the Council.

Signed,

Charles Potter

.

Turning the page again, Hermione found herself frozen in place. The next page was also handwritten but in a very different hand. It had none of the usual window dressing of a title page. No inscription of a popular scene or heraldry, or the usual flourish at the top and sometimes bottom of the paper. There was not even a note of any performance. It was just the title of the play and a byline. She held in her possession the only copy of one of the lost works of William Shakespeare.

Her hand began to shake as she slowly closed the cover, the leather once more giving complaint at the movement. The sound coupled with her great experience with both new and old copies of books now assured her of the fact this binding had not been opened since it had been made.

"Harry," Hermione asked, trying to keep her voice low, "how is it possible that I am holding an unopened practically new copy of a play, handwritten by William Shakespeare?"

"I thought you'd like it. I had Mum put the title on the front in the gold lettering. It was blank when we found it in a box of books Mum took with her to Godric's Hollow when they went into hiding. Apparently, she never got around to reading it."

"You found it in a box?"

Harry nodded, the wide smile still fixed upon his face. She very carefully placed the book back onto the table before turning slowly to look at him once more. And with a suddenness that startled them both, she launched herself across the couch and had Harry wrapped in the tightest hug he had ever experienced.

"Thank you." She whispered in his ear, tears of happiness spilling out as she clutched at him.

"Er… you're welcome, Hermione. I figured if anyone could appreciate it, it was you. Mum was a bit torn when I showed it to her and told her that I planned to give it to you, so could she maybe borrow it one day to read too?"

Hermione giggled into his shoulder, once more regaining her composure as she leaned back and pushed her bushy hair back over her shoulders.

"How ever did you get it here? It wasn't in your trunk. I helped you pack remember."

Harry's grin grew, "Hedwig, of course."

The smile on Hermione's face vanished. "You flew, a one-of-a-kind masterpiece the entire length of Britain via bird?"

Harry's face dropped at the tone of this question. "Um, yeah. Hedwig's great."

The look she was giving him now could have frozen him in place and burned him alive at the same time. It was only Hedwig's indignant hoot from right next to her head on the back of the sofa that broke her focus. Looking up at the proud owl she immediately felt bad for thinking she would mishandle her charge.

"Sorry, Hedwig. Harry's right, you're brilliant." She reached up and stroked the well-preened feathers and Hedwig bobbed her head as though she accepted the apology.

"I'm not sure I want to tell you the other news about it now." Harry gave, a slight hitch in his voice as he remembered the look from moments earlier. "But your parents' present is slipped inside the back cover of the book. They thought it was easier to use Hedwig for both."

Looking down at the amazing gift staring tauntingly at her from the table, Hermione hesitated. She so badly wanted to know what her parents had given her that would fit inside a book, but her deep-seated respect for literature was warring with that desire. Eventually, curiosity won out and she carefully turned the tome over and gingerly lifted the back cover, drawing a similar squeak of leather to the front and noted the small card tucked inside.

She was momentarily disheartened. Had her parents only sent her a card for her birthday? Opening it up she noted the small receipt that fell in her lap, but let it lie as she focused on the card. The front was a typically bright and colourful Muggle birthday card with bright balloons and a comically large number 12 embossed in the thick card.

Flipping it open she noted the inside was blank of Hallmark platitudes, her parents choosing to write her a message all their own.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HERMIONE!

We regret that we cannot share this day with you for the first time in your young life, but we have assurances from our young acquaintance that he has plans to ensure you do not feel down. So, we would be very grateful if you would give him a hug from us for that.

As to your gift, unfortunately, it is not quite ready to be there for your special day. Instead, I have enclosed the receipt. It is a subscription to a new set of books about to be released by a young Muggleborn lass who finished at Hogwarts herself a few years ago.

She calls it Encyclopedia Magica, and apparently it will be every bit as informative as the Britannica we already have here at home. It should cover an introduction to the magical world as well as pointing out the tips and tricks that all Muggleborn should know before attending.

The first edition should arrive at the school via owl on the first of October, so I hope you don't mind the wait, and each subsequent edition should arrive on the first of the month thereafter.

We are so proud of you sweetie and want you to make sure you don't overdo the studying. Listen to Harry if he says it's time to stop and make sure you make lots of new friends. As great as your letters have been, surely there is more to Hogwarts than fun classes and Harry Potter.

We love you, Hermione.

Happy 12th Birthday.

.

She folded the card and picked up the receipt that had fallen in her lap. It was exactly as her parents had noted, a collection of tips, tricks and information that the magical world took for granted. It was a brilliant gift and she was already plotting where to free up space in the shelving at home for the collection. Which was difficult, given she had no idea how large the set would be. Their copies of Encyclopedia Britannica already had most of a large shelf to themselves.

"So, what is it?"

Harry's voice broke her out of her thoughts as she shuffled back over to him and hugged him tightly again. "Mum says to hug you for being here for me when she can't. And it's a set of encyclopedias for Muggleborns. Should arrive on the first."

"Wicked. Mind if I have a read when you're finished?"

Hermione shook her head as she settled back into the cushy back of the couch. Her head was swimming. She'd been awake not half an hour and already she had two of the greatest presents she'd ever received. It was still hard to believe that one of the most sought-after books in history had been sitting in a box in Harry's house for the past ten years. Not to mention tucked unnoticed in the Potter family library for three hundred and seventy-nine years before that. And now he had just given it to her like it was a magazine.

"Harry, do you have any idea what that book is worth?"

"It is worth your smile. Nothing is worth more than that." Hermione looked at him dumbfounded. "Now go get ready. I'm hungry and breakfast should be ready by the time we get down there."

"Alright. Let me put this somewhere safe." She carefully picked up the priceless gift and with a last glance at Harry, slowly retreated to her dorm, where she was very thankful the boisterous girls, she shared with were still fast asleep.

She didn't want to share her gift with anyone, though she very much doubted most of the girls would understand its true value, even if she showed them.

ϟ

Harry spent the rest of the day drawing Hermione's attention back to classes. He couldn't help but grin every time he found her looking wistfully into the distance. He knew that her desire to preserve the book was warring with her need to read it. He was just glad that she had liked it.

As they had arrived for Transfiguration with the Hufflepuffs that morning, both Susan and Hannah quickly walked over and wished Hermione a happy birthday. They regretted that Harry had only informed them in the last few days that it was coming, so all they had to give her was a pair of handmade cards, but she still thanked them just the same.

Harry observed with a smile as always and as the girls walked away, he gave them a slight nod, which they both returned.

It was not until lunch that Daphne and Padma managed to give her their cards, again giving Harry a look as they explained his late advisory to be the reason actual presents were lacking. But Hermione thanked them just the same and he could clearly see the happiness beginning to swell up inside of his best friend as other kids acknowledged her special day.

While they both had other friends at primary school, they were nowhere near as close as the pair of best friends. And it made a few of the others uncomfortable knowing whatever they got either one was likely to be overshadowed by the gift of the other, whether more expensive or not. So, birthdays had always been a true family affair for the Potters and Grangers. To have friends she'd only just met giving her cards was a pleasant surprise.

Even Neville, who had been sitting a few seats away passed her a whispered happy birthday as he got up to leave with Ron. He could see the joy in her eyes whenever she looked at him after one of these greetings, and wonder at just how many people he had told.

But it was the one other secret he was hiding that he managed to surprise her with after the last class of the day. Hermione was becoming quite cross with him as he walked up and down the third wrong corridor as he led the way to dinner.

"I was sure the shortcut was this way."

"Some shortcut if it takes us three times as long to find it as walking to the Great Hall the normal way."

He turned to her and flashed that cheeky smile he'd long ago perfected with his godfather's assistance.

"Trust me?"

"Always, even though you stretch it at times."

"Good, then step through here."

Harry held a door wide for her, but from her angle, she could not see within. Stepping through into the dark room she was shocked when several voices shouted 'surprise' in the darkness and five wands lit up the room. A sixth wand cast a second charm that had the many candles and fireplace roar to life.

He watched closely as she observed all the girls from the train and Professor McGonagall standing behind a large table decorated with an assortment of her favourite foods. A large cake shaped like the tree in her backyard took pride of place in the centre. She whirled on him and he responded with the same cheeky grin.

"Happy birthday."

"Harry…"

He shrugged at the look on her face and directed her to the table, handing her a knife and conducting the others in a rendition of Happy Birthday as she teared up and sliced carefully through the trunk of the tree.

He knew what birthdays meant to Hermione and was so happy he could give her a special one.

"Although I had to get the Twins to show me how to get to the Kitchens, I made sure they had nothing to do with any of the food. It's all safe." He declared to the room, drawing chuckles from the students and the broadest grin he'd ever seen on the face of his head of house, even if it would only count as a grimace on most people.

"You didn't have to…" Hermione whispered in his ear as the others began to dig into the food.

"Nonsense. You deserve a party with friends if you can't have one with family. Next year is going to be even better, with even more people after you make loads more friends this year."

She wrapped him in another tight hug and if Harry had been counting them, he was sure she would have beaten her previous record of 21 hugs in a single day.

When the door opened once more and Professor Flitwick entered to see what was causing all the racket in an unused classroom, he was quickly convinced by the group to stay and the small gathering continued until both teachers declared it was close to curfew and they should be heading to bed.

ϟ

"Mister Potter."

Harry stopped gathering his things and looked up at the diminutive Charms professor as the other students continued to leave.

"Yes, Professor?" He asked, noting that Hermione was hanging by the door looking unsure if she could remain.

Professor Flitwick nodded at her and she relaxed as he ducked behind his usually unused desk, as the small man generally preferred to move about the room as he taught his classes. When he returned there was a very long package in his arms.

"I believe that Professor McGonagall instructed you to retrieve this from your home. We had the owls deliver it here instead to keep general knowledge of its arrival from the other students. Being that this is your last class of the day."

Harry nodded, eyeing his broomstick gleefully. He knew he was still not allowed to fly it except for practices and games, but there was still something so freeing about flying that its mere presence in the castle made his day brighter.

"I'll allow you to unwrap it in here if you must, but as Professor McGonagall instructed, it is to go straight to the broom lockup by the Quidditch pitch before dinner."

"Thank you, Professor," Harry replied, taking the quite obviously shaped package from the man and settling back in his seat, setting the broom on the desk as Hermione re-joined him.

"Well, good evening, you two." And with a twirl, the man left the room with a spring in his step.

"I have missed you, my friend." Harry said, running his hands over the package."

"Oh, for goodness sake, Harry. Just open it, will you? You've been separated less than four weeks."

Harry gave her a look but stopped as her hands began unravelling the paper. He quickly joined in and within moments a shiny new broomstick was laid out on the desk in front of him, with a loose bit of parchment wrapped about the middle of the handle. But Harry frowned at the item as it was not the Cleansweep 7 he had left at home.

He pulled free the parchment and turned it over a few times. He even tapped it with his wand and cast a revealing spell Remus had taught him years ago for foiling Sirius's attempts to slip him prank items when he wasn't paying attention, yet nothing changed. Tossing it aside, he pulled the mirror from his bag he quickly called home and was swiftly answered by his father.

"Hey there, Harry. Hermione. How are classes?"

"They are going great, Mister Potter." Hermione smiled.

"Excellent. Something the matter there, Harry? You looked perplexed."

Harry was unsure what to say. He figured there had been some mistake, as he was very clear in the letter home that he needed his broom for Quidditch. He was sure that his father would have made some comment on that after being on the team himself. But there wasn't even a proper note in the package, just the blank parchment. And now he was being evasive, Harry was sure of it. Not knowing what to say, he simply shifted the mirror, drawing a slightly shocked noise from his father at the moment as he focused the mirror over the tip of the handle.

"Ah, good. Was wondering when it would show up." His father's voice sounded from the mirror.

"It's not my broom, dad. What is going on?"

"Well, of course, it is your broom. You can hardly be a very good seeker on a blasted Cleansweep 7 now can you?"

"Dad, please tell me that you didn't go behind Mum's back and buy me a Nimbus 2000 just for Quidditch."

"Of course not. Your mother had agreed that it was time to get you a better broom. The Cleansweep was a nice stable starting model. It was always my intention to get you a better broom eventually. What better time than when my boy becomes the youngest Seeker in the history of Hogwarts, eh?"

Harry looked at his father confusion showing on his face.

"Trust me, your mother looked it up. Youngest seeker ever, and the youngest player in over a century. Mighty impressive effort, my boy."

Harry was still frozen in place, just staring at the mirror. Hermione leaned in and whispered in his ear.

"This is the part where you say thank you, Harry."

He looked at her before his brain appeared to start working again. His parents had bought him the newest and fastest broom on the market for making the team. He was shocked at the very least, while they had never spoiled him growing up, Harry had never had much trouble getting them to buy him something he truly wanted. And when he had seen the broom announced in the Quidditch Quarterly just before leaving for school he had remarked how great it would be to have one.

"I… thank you. Dad. Thank you so much."

"There's my boy! Knew you were hiding in there somewhere. Now, are you both alone?"

"Yes, Mister Potter."

"Hermione, how many times do I have to tell you to call me James?"

"Always once more, Mister Potter."

"Cheeky girl. Did you notice the other gift in the package? Was mighty hard sneaking it in when your mother wasn't looking, let me tell you."

Harry grabbed the parchment and held it up to the mirror. "Yes, Dad. Thank you ever so much for sending me a spare piece of blank parchment. Now all my troubles shall vanish."

"And you are a cheeky bugger too. Though by making Sirius your godfather I am mostly to blame for that one. Place it on the desk and tap it with your wand. When you do say…" James looked about to ensure he was still alone. "I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good."

Harry repeated the instruction and dropped his wand in shock when thin green lines began to branch out from the tip of his wand. They continued spreading until they reached over the entire piece of parchment. He glanced back up at the mirror that Hermione had saved from dropping off the edge of the desk when he had let go in his surprise.

"Is that…?"

"Yes, and no. Meet the new and improved…" Again he looked around, "Marauders' Map."

"Mum is going to kill you. All three of you."

"Sure enough, someday. But only if she finds out." James winked at the pair and Hermione looked a little puzzled.

"What is a Marauders' Map?"

"Only the most useful thing that the four of us ever accomplished. You don't count Harry, that was just me and Lily. I promise."

Harry closed his eyes with a disgusted sigh and tried his hardest not to picture the image his father had just conjured. "I hate you so much right now."

"Love you too, now, Hermione. This lovely little tool, well, just take a look and see."

"I see two names. Me and Harry. I assume because we opened it."

"Not so, look again. Use that noggin' girl. You've got the best one I've seen in many a year."

She noted that James was walking somewhere as the scenery behind him was shifting, but she refocused back on the map and looked at all the lines. It still showed Harry and herself side by side. The lines surrounding them formed a sort of upside-down U shape and at the end of the arms of the U was a set of long parallel lines that reached out of sight off the parchment.

Harry stood up beside her and walked to the other side of the room, drawing her eye as he went.

"What are you doing?"

"Look again."

Casting her eyes back down she noted that the parchment had changed. It still showed Harry and herself, but now Harry was on the opposite side of the U. She looked up again to see Harry and James both looking at her, James stifling a grin but Harry watching her mind put the pieces together.

"Yep." He said as she looked at him questioningly.

"And we made several improvements over the original. Was a tear losing the bloody thing in our sixth year. Yet another thing Wormtail screwed up. I mean honestly. When you have a map that shows the location of everyone in the school, how do you get caught out after hours with the damn thing?"

Harry laughed as he sat back down next to Hermione, quickly ending his laughter as he looked at the mirror.

"Dad! Please tell me you aren't!"

"What? Your mum will be home any time and I need to give you the details on the Map. I'm not doing anything in here. Easiest room to silence."

Harry once more struggled not to picture something his father had prompted. "Just tell us so I can go bleach my brain."

"Fine, snooty pants. The map has a zoom feature now. Should be set to just cover the room you're in right now, but you just use to fingers on either side and pinch inward to zoom out, and outwards to zoom in. So simple, even Harry could manage it."

"DAD!"

"Makes it much more compact than the original. You can search for someone by placing your hand flat on the map and saying their name aloud. But be careful what you wish for, you might find someone somewhere you don't want to." James winked at them both, drawing another groan from Harry before continuing.

"There is a setting that will show the name of the rooms as well as one that has the Map show names in different colours for certain emotions. A legend for them can be found on the back when it's in map mode. It will show you the password or spell for accessing any of the secret passages it knows of. Plus you can add any new ones you might find. And of course, you know how to close it. Though if it is out of your hands for more than 30 minutes, it automatically closes. We left that particular charm partially open so if you want to shorten it, you can do that on the back too.

"Any questions?"

"No Dad, you can stop hiding now."

"Harry! I'm shocked at you. I'd never hide from…"

He stopped as the door to the toilet was swung open and his mother's voice echoed through the mirror.

"Hide from who James?"

"Forgot to silence the room?" James said, staring up over the top of the mirror with a sprung look on his face.

"Yep. Harry, if you use that map for nefarious purposes, you will answer to me." The mirror shook as she stole it from his father and Lily's face came into view looking decidedly kinder than her voice had sounded. "But congratulations on making the team. We are all so proud. Be safe."

"Of course, mum. And thanks for the new broom."

"Well, your father does have a good idea from time to time. Kick butt sweetie."

Harry nodded before placing a finger on the mirror and his wand on the map. "Mischief managed."

Chapter Text

Hermione heard the thunderous footsteps on the stone floor long before they came anywhere close to where she and Harry were seated, but it was a sound she was quickly becoming familiar with. A glance up revealed a stormy-faced Draco Malfoy and his sidekicks as they came to a halt right behind Longbottom and Weasley.

"You're in for it this time, Longbottom." He sneered as the trio did their best to look menacing. A difficult proposition given the vibrant hue of pink hair on all three of them. "When my father…"

Harry groaned loudly beside her, interrupting the former blonde's tirade, and Hermione felt the agitated Slytherin's gaze on her neck. "Think he'll ever stand up for himself without running to daddy?" Harry stage whispered to her and Hermione tried unsuccessfully to stifle a giggle.

"Stay out of this Potter!" Draco snarled.

"Stay out of what? All you've done so far is bluster like a blowhard. How is it you managed to convince the Hat to sort you into the house of the cunning?"

Laughter was now spreading further down the Gryffindor table as Malfoy's face reddened severely. The fact that Harry hadn't even turned from his meal as he gave out to the ponce seemed to aggravate the boy even further.

"LONGBOTTOM! I challenge you to a duel! At midnight in the trophy room!"

Hermione did not even pretend to stifle her laughter this time and drew a few of the shocked faces of her fellow Gryffindors away from Draco. She could not believe how idiotically the boy was behaving. Announcing a duel, that in itself was against the rules outside of serious disputes, in the middle of the Great Hall at lunch so loudly she doubted any of the teachers had missed hearing the challenge. Though there were only a handful present on this occasion. Not even…

"You're on, Malfoy. Neville beat the darkest Dark Lord in centuries as a baby, he'll wipe the floor with you."

Hermione shuddered internally at the voice. She had forgotten that while Neville could remain quite level-headed, he was still best friends with Ronald Weasley. The sound of her best friend's head thudding onto the surface of the table clearly portrayed his own thoughts at the outburst.

"I'll be his second," Ron continued, ignoring the shocked look Neville had directed at him, "who's yours?"

Draco sized up the meat sacks beside him and shuddered visibly as he was reminded of the state of their hair, including the eyebrows, which had now taken on an eye-watering neon pink rather than the rather subdued colour it had been after his cauldron had exploded in Potions class that morning. Hermione could see the barely connected cogs turning in Draco's thick skull as he surveyed the pair and were it possible, she'd have laid money on the outcome.

"Crabbe." He replied, turning back to face Neville, who still had not spoken a word during the confrontation.

Hermione sighed at the stupidity unravelling in front of her. Crabbe could barely cast any of the spells they had learned in class so far, meaning Draco had selected him for his brute strength in a Wizard's Duel. Neville continued to glower at his friend, who remained utterly oblivious to the glare, before turning to the Slytherins and nodding gently.

Draco merely gave a superior snort as he spun on his heel, a sight that was anything but dignified with his glowing hair, and sashayed away in typical fashion.

"Stupid git," Harry mumbled as the trio walked off and turned his attention to Neville. "You aren't really thinking of going, are you? It's clearly a trap. Out of bounds after curfew. I guarantee the only thing you find in the trophy room tonight is Filch. Or Snape."

"Mind your own business, Potter." Ron scowled, "Honestly! How'd a coward like you end up in the house of the brave?" the redhead finished, smirking at his genius of turning Harry's own insult against him.

Hermione moved to respond to Ron's barb but felt Harry's hand on her arm, keeping her from joining the argument. As she turned to face him, she noted he was shaking his head so lightly it was barely perceptible. A slight shrug settled the matter, though she wasn't pleased with the outcome.

"C'mon, Nev. We need to talk strategy. And the company here blows." Ron growled as he dragged Neville from his seat, spilling the soup he had been about to lift to his mouth all over the table. The pair quickly disappeared from the Hall and Hermione turned to face Harry once more.

"Why'd you stop me? I don't like him talking about you like that. I know you're brave." Hermione chided.

"It doesn't matter what Weasley thinks. I know who and what I am. Don't need his approval. But I do hope they come to their senses before curfew. If they get caught they'll get in a load of trouble." He noted, absently playing with the dregs of his soup. "Not to mention the fact that Draco is challenging him for something he didn't even do. I spent two weeks stewing those lacewing flies. A quick spot of disillusionment and a levitation charm into today's potion and boom, pink hair."

"Even Snape knew it was your fault, given he took those points from you for it." Hermione replied, "I bet it would have been loads more if he could prove it."

"Yeah, well. Malfoy has been a real git since he learned about the Quidditch thing. He had been getting on my nerves for weeks, I had to do something. The best part is it won't wear off for three days." Harry had a broad grin on his face at the thought and Hermione mirrored it.

Malfoy's behaviour had been near intolerable after he found out that Harry had made the Quidditch team while he had missed out on the flying lesson after the punch and as such wouldn't be able to fly at the school at all that year. His reaction had been predictable by that point. He had cried foul to Daddy who had tried to have the Board of Governors overturn Harry's appointment to the Quidditch team. He had failed as there was plenty of precedent of first-years making the teams, though none had in the last century.

"Let's not worry about them." Hermione chirped, as she pushed her finished plate away. "I still need to see if the library has the rest of Mallick's Theorem. You coming?"

Harry quickly gobbled the last dregs of his lunch down before standing and following his favourite head of bushy hair from the Great Hall.

ϟ

"What are the two of you still doing up?" Percy Weasley asked in his most derisive tone of voice. Harry looked up at the older boy to see him tapping his foot and staring down at them in a poor imitation of Professor McGonagall's stern visage.

"Homework," Harry replied simply, indicating the parchment on the table before him and Hermione, before dropping his gaze to continue his work.

"It's almost 11:30! First years should have been in bed ages ago. Off you go and I shan't report it this time." He returned with pompous finality.

"Report what?" Hermione queried without raising her head from her work. "Curfew rules only state we have to be within our house lodgings by 9 pm for first-year students. Nowhere in the rules does it state we have to go to sleep at a set time. In fact, if you take the rules to the letter, we aren't required to sleep at all."

"What? Surely that cannot be right." Percy gasped, looking almost physically put out by the comment.

Harry glanced back at the red-headed boy once more, noting the shiny silver badge on his chest. "Shouldn't a prefect know the school rules a little better than that? It's not like they're hidden. Fifty copies are kept behind the librarian's counter in the library, available upon request by any student."

Percy looked as though he was ready to faint, his footing in this world of unassailable rules suddenly unsure. "But… I…"

"How about you go sleep on it, Percy. You can confirm it all with Madame Pince in the morning. Maybe it will help you keep a tighter leash on your brothers' antics." Hermione commented as she finished her essay with a slight flourish. She leaned back and smiled at the prefect, noting the gleam that appeared in his eye at the prospect of better monitoring and reprimanding his twin brothers. "Everything is always clearer in the warm light of morning, wouldn't you agree?"

Percy merely nodded and began to walk away to the dormitory stairs. "Goodnight, Percy." The pair chimed as he vanished up them, before breaking out into a fit of giggles.

"You were right. Brushing up on the rules was a great idea. Not that I want to be up so late every night studying and doing homework. But getting it out of the way does make the rest of the weekend seem a lot more fun. Maybe I can convince Olly to hold an impromptu training session tomorrow so I can get in a little flying."

Hermione smirked at Harry and his wandering thoughts. Back in their early days in muggle school, Hermione would have been studying like this out of a desire to be the best and show her worth. But these days it was more the fact that she loved studying in Harry's company. No matter what they were working on, it became easier and more enjoyable simply by their working the problem together.

"That sounds like your perfect Saturday. It's a shame I can't go fly with you. I do miss it a bit."

"I'm sure we could talk Olly into letting you help. A training aide, or understudy maybe. Is it called an understudy in sports?"

Hermione chuckled at the confused look on Harry's face. "Understudy implies the same thing, but usually I think Daddy says they call it a substitute. Or sometimes alternates, reserves or backups. I've watched quite a few matches with him and still don't really understand it all. Like that off-side thing. It just seems silly to me."

Harry nudged the girl beside him as he stretched over the seat of the couch his back was resting against and yawned loudly. "What about after? I don't think even Oliver would want to train all day long, and it is supposed to be a very nice day. Shall we have a picnic for lunch? Been ages since we had a quiet weekend outside."

"Hmmm, that does sound lovely. I do need to send a letter to mum and dad. It's been almost a week since I sent one home. Are you sure that it's ok to ask the elves to provide food for something so frivolous? They work very hard down there."

"I had a long talk with Mum about them a few weeks back. Just after your birthday actually. Turns out they really like the work. Especially here at Hogwarts. While some people are evil and they abuse their elves, in general, it is... not necessarily a symbiotic relationship as they don't need to serve to live, but it gives them a purpose and pleases them to do it. Mum says she has been working for years to find a way to allow abused elves to free themselves without requiring clothes, but as we stayed away from the magical world a lot she hasn't made much progress. I'm sure she would welcome your help during the summer if you wanted to do something about it."

"Stupid bloody muggles." A voice sounded out from somewhere behind the chair before a shushing sound echoed around the now quiet common room. Harry raised an eyebrow at Hermione who shrugged in return. He stood and looked over the back of the chair to see Ron Weasley and Neville Longbottom on their hands and knees slowly moving from the dorm stairs towards the portrait hole.

"You two are going to get in trouble," Harry called loudly, making both boys jump. "Malfoy is setting you up!"

"Stay out of it Potter. It's a matter of honour. Wouldn't expect a muggle like you to understand it. Freeing elves. Bloody nonsense." Ron had barely mumbled the last as a whisper but in the near-silent room, his voice still carried.

"Neville?" Hermione asked, now kneeling beside Harry on the couch looking over the back.

"Ron's right, we agreed. Trap or not, I have the Longbottom honour to uphold. I owe them…" He trailed off quietly at the end and Harry and Hermione shared a knowing glance while Ron gave him a firm slap on the back.

"Let's go, Neville."

Longbottom glanced at the pair on the couch and Harry gently shook his head and gave a shrug. "We're not going to rat you out, Neville. I still think it's a bad idea, but it's yours to make."

Neville steeled himself for a moment before nodding. It appeared he had made his choice and with a will, he and Ron quickly left the common room.

Hermione turned to face him on the couch before letting her thoughts free, "Harry. They'll get caught. Gryffindor will lose a heap of points. Why did you let them go?" she berated.

"You're most likely right, but I can't make them behave and follow the rules. They've been dealing with Malfoy a lot longer than we have and we didn't even make it two months before I had to prank the twit to shut him up. And Neville has this weird need to prove himself worthy of that idiotic moniker they give him. Not to mention both his parents were well known and respected Aurors. I can only imagine how he'd feel about backing down from a challenge like this. Your mum said it best that time we got caught pranking those brats on the Court: the best teacher is experience. Maybe getting in trouble this time will make him think twice next time?"

Hermione rested her head on his shoulder and hugged his arm to her chest as the pair sat in silence for several long minutes.

"You're right, I guess. Ron is a really bad influence on him isn't he?"

"I guess. He seems to be quick to anger, but I'm sure he has his good points. I can't see Neville being friends with him for years if he was always like that. Maybe he just doesn't like us? He seems to have something against freeing house-elves at least."

Harry could feel the light chuckle in his companion's chest through his arm as he gazed into the dwindling flames in the fireplace. Pulling his arm gently free, he wrapped it around Hermione's shoulders and gave her a firm hug.

"Percy was right though. It's late. We can't do anything about those two, and we've finished our essays. Bedtime?"

Hermione nodded against his chest before pulling away and gathering her things from the table. He watched in silence as she moved until she looked up at him. "Goodnight, Harry." She offered with a bright smile.

"Goodnight, Hermione. I'll see you in the morning."

With a twirl of her bushy hair, Hermione disappeared up the girl's staircase, and Harry gathered up his own supplies, stuffing them into his book bag. With one last glance over at the portrait hole, he sighed and quickly headed for the dorm. It did not take him long to put away his gear and prepare for bed in the quiet room. Without Weasley's snoring, it was actually quite pleasant at this hour. He stretched under the warm covers, assuming one of the elves had cast a warming charm to help take the edge off the already cooling nights. His fingers slid underneath his pillow as he moved and he felt the crisp feel of parchment against them.

Remembering that he had tucked the new Marauders' Map under his pillow earlier when Hermione had suggested they do some homework, he quickly pulled it free and stared at its blank surface for several minutes. He quickly grabbed his wand from the side table and with a quiet incantation had the Map opened up, giving him a new surprise as the lines seemed to glow on the page meaning he didn't need to light his wand to read it in the dark. He could see himself, Dean, and Seamus all in their normal spots in the dorm. Due to its previous zoom level, he could also see Hermione and her dorm mates tucked into bed and not moving in the adjacent dorm; only a dozen or so metres away through the stone walls.

Harry smiled at the dot that represented his best friend for a moment before giving the Map a large zooming pinch, showing a much larger area of the enormous school. He could see a handful of teachers still walking the corridors looking for troublemakers. He grinned to himself as he recalled that one of the dorms that should have held five boys like his own also only contained three, Lee Jordan, Kenneth Towler, and Adam Pickering. Harry wondered just what mischief the Weasley Twins were getting up to tonight.

After a few moments of flicking back and forth on the Map, he noted the tricksters' names in Filch's office and he chuckled at the trouble they'd be in if the man found them there. However, Filch's absence reminded Harry of his own dorm mates' stupid errand and he quickly focused the Map on the Trophy Room. Two dots moved in the corridor a short distance away and he could tell by their pace that neither one of them was being particularly sneaky in their approach.

He sighed again, placing his fingers on the Map. "Locate Draco Malfoy."

The lines on the Map rapidly reformed and he was soon looking at the dot labelled Draco Malfoy. Arranged in a circle with him were the names Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, Theodore Nott, and Blaise Zabini. All five were tucked up in their beds in the Slytherin first-year dormitory, meaning Draco had no intention of attending the duel.

So, either he was forfeiting and he'd never hear the end of it from Weasley, or he had set them both up exactly as Harry had suspected he would. Harry quickly swiped the Map back towards the Trophy Room but stopped as he noticed two dots moving steadily in that direction: Argus Filch and Severus Snape. Not only were Neville and Ron going to get caught, but it would be by the worst possible people. Harry groaned as he rubbed his face in both hands in frustration. Why couldn't they have listened to him?

A rustle from his left startled Harry as he looked out from behind his fingers to see white feathers on the bed beside him. He pulled his hand away and saw Hedwig staring at the Map with her bright yellow eyes.

"Wanna help, girl?" He asked the bird, giving her a gentle scratch around the back of her neck that he knew she loved.

Hedwig looked at him, then back to the Map, then back to him, then back to the Map and back to Harry before bobbing her head slightly. Harry smiled at the bird he was convinced was at least as clever as himself, if not more so; maybe even as clever as Hermione.

"Don't get spotted. Your feathers are lovely, but they don't camouflage well in the dark." Harry added with concern. Hedwig gave him a look he'd only seen on his mum, Mrs Granger and Hermione. "Ok," he held up both hands in surrender. "I leave it in your capable talons."

He gave her one last scratch before she swooped out of his four-poster and up through the charmed opening for the little wood heater's flue, which she had taken to using as her own private entrance to the boys' dorm. He continued to watch the steady approach of the adults on the Map and began absently playing with the edges of the parchment as he watched. Suddenly the four dots he was watching all changed colour to white and Harry stopped what he was doing in surprise. He hadn't seen them do that before.

He flipped the Map over and summoned the legend which explained what he had done and identified that different colours meant different emotional states. The higher the saturation, the more intense the level of emotion, while darker colours leaned toward more malicious intent.

White was normal, calm or unconscious which made a certain amount of sense. Red embodied those heated emotions: anger, hatred and embarrassment. Orange touched on similar facets showing surprise, disgust and greed; with yellow for fear and terror. Harry paused as he read that, wondering why his parents felt he'd need to identify terror specifically, and just how that differed from standard fear. Green apparently represented happiness, excitement and, Harry chuckled, mischief. He couldn't help but smile at his father for that, knowing that green had been the man's favourite colour since his first meeting with the young Lily Evans. Blue typified sorrow, grief and sadness; while purple covered pain and injury, Harry knew that both of his dads treated most pain like a bruise and delighted in touching it; and brown indicated sickness.

Harry's anger rose a little at the final colour stating black indicates someone who was bewitched or was plotting betrayal. However, it was the final note that sent a shiver up his spine: A dot that vanishes indicates there is nothing there worth tracking anymore, and that you cannot apparate within Hogwarts grounds. The last was in his godfather's hand and a poor attempt at humour. Harry would have to have words with Padfoot about the failed effort. A thought that once more brought a gentle smirk to Harry's face. The Marauder was slipping in his old age.

He flipped the Map back and was startled to see all four dots had changed colour. Ron and Neville were now bright yellow and Snape and Filch were going from pale red, past scarlet and into a deep maroon. Harry had no idea what Hedwig had done to distract them, but it had worked. Both the red dots were quickly moving away from the Trophy Room and the two yellow dots were mimicking the action but in the opposite direction.

Whatever she had done must have made a hell of a racket for them to have heard it at that distance. Harry smiled to himself as he tracked the boys' movement, hoping they'd hurry back to the dorm before getting caught out by one of the other patrolling teachers, their dots paling slowly as the fear seemed to diminish.

A soft flurry of feathers saw Hedwig once again standing at the foot of his bed and Harry smiled at his clever girl.

"You're brilliant, Hedwig." The bird hopped forward and received her well-earned reward scratches.

Several quiet minutes passed as Harry showered his familiar with adoration and she basked in his attention. His eyes occasionally flickering to the Map where the boys were still running about the third floor now, though, at his most recent glance, their colouring had become much brighter yellow than before. He guessed they must have had a close call as he could see Hagrid moving about nearby.

Finally, soothing the slightly ruffled state of Hedwig's feathers from his spirited attentions, Harry closed the Map and once more tucked himself into the covers of his bed. He allowed sleep to take him as he pondered just how much trouble one pair of first-years could really get themselves into.

ϟ

Hermione was terribly excited. While she doubted she'd ever understand the spectator appeal of a game so skewed in the value of a single player over the rest of the team, the process of helping Harry train his eye was actually a lot of fun.

Wood had been like a kid on Christmas morning when his new seeker had sought him out to have Hermione aid in their training that morning, allowing him to run seeker drills while drilling the remainder of the team at the same time. Once he realised the benefits of having the full team focused on a game-like scenario for the entire practice, Oliver presented her with a custom broom with a special hook about halfway along.

From this hook now hung a bucket with two separated sections. Both were full of shiny golf balls, about a quarter in gold and the rest in silver. Hermione would swoop around the edges of the pitch and randomly toss out balls into the fray of the starting and reserve sides. Watching chasers swerve at the last second to avoid the tiny balls was amusing in itself. Watching Harry snatch the golden ones from in front of the chasers' wide eyes was even better.

If Hermione wasn't intimately aware of how absurdly in control of a broom Harry was, she'd have been near catatonic watching him put his new broom through its paces. She was fairly sure that he had given even victory-crazed Oliver Wood a few moments of terror as he pulled maneuvers that would put some professional daredevils to shame.

Harry could hold to the chaser formations like glue before sweeping over the top in a blur to snatch a glinting ball from the air on the far side without even breaking a sweat. At least not one on his own brow. Even the natural bludgers, Fred and George, had found themselves hovering stunned in the air from time to time at the audacity of some of Harry's moves. Especially the one where he had snagged a falling golden ball from between George's bat and an oncoming bludger mid-swing.

The best part of all for Hermione was that the balls were enchanted, so once Harry had caught them, all he had to do was drop them to the pitch below and they'd reappear in the bucket, keeping her well-stocked on ammunition. Hermione soared past the goals, Wood focused on the approaching action intently, grabbing a trio of balls in the fingers of her right hand Hermione eyed the current formations swooping through the air. Pinning a ball between each finger from her thumb across, she pulled to a stop and gave a mighty swing, releasing two silver and one gold ball out into the midst of the action once more.

In the bright sunshine of the clear spring morning, the sunlight glinted off all three balls, the enchantments on them causing them to behave differently once released into the air. A trio that was once tightly packed together upon leaving her fingers careened wildly across the air, some going up against all Newtonian sense, some zagging back and forth and some accelerating on their original course. All the flyers noted the balls as they came closer, but only one truly focused on them.

Harry quickly noted the positions and trajectories of all three and identified the yellower shine. Hermione creased her brow as she watched Harry drop under Katie Bell despite the rising angle of the golden golf ball. It was only when Katie moved to intercept the passed quaffle that the tiny ball struck her robes and dropped now that its momentum had been killed. Right into the waiting hand of one very smug seeker as he soared out from under the far side of the mix and brushed the spiked hair of one of the reserve chasers.

A shrill blast on a whistle stopped Hermione from releasing her next round of projectiles as she turned to look at Wood. He was still hovering in the same position in front of the goalposts, but he was signalling the entire team over. With a surge of displaced air setting her hair in her face, Hermione heard the sound of a golden ball being dropped into the bucket from above and a hand brushed through her now disturbed mane as it swayed about in the wash of the player who sat grinning openly from right beside her.

"Best day ever," Harry called as he settled beside her and waited for the stragglers to assemble in front of Wood.

"Show off. You could have missed one." Hermione retorted, the broad smile on her face spoiling the reprimand entirely.

"I could, but where would be the fun in that?"

The last of the team arrived as two more metallic sounds indicated the return of the two silver balls.

"An excellent first full-squad practice team. I think we can all agree that Harry has proven his place amongst the starting line?" Wood called to a bevy of enthusiastic replies. "Though I'm sure if you pull some of those moves in front of Professor McGonagall, you'll take years off her lifespan."

Harry shrugged beside her and Hermione shook her head. Her mother still refused to fly with Harry and would happily wait for one of the others to be available before going for a flight. Once was more than enough for her heart rate.

"Anyone have something to add?" Wood asked the team, receiving a set of shaken heads. "Good, we'll analyse later. Hit the showers."

Fred and George swooped over Harry, who made a seated barrel roll to avoid the laughing pair as the team departed en masse, several small groups forming as they headed groundward. Oliver soared over to face the two first-years with a broad grin on his face.

"You were seriously holding back before, Potter. I don't think I've ever seen someone so at home in the air."

"That's my Harry. Not happy on a broom unless he's raising the blood pressure of everyone watching." Hermione chided.

Harry merely smirked in response.

"I was thinking of pepping you up by saying 'catch the snitch or die trying' before our first game, but with you, I honestly think you'd manage to go and do it." Oliver turned to face Hermione before he continued. "Thanks for the help today, Granger. You let the team practice properly. Normally we'd have to syphon someone out of their position to drill the seeker like that, given we've no reserve."

Hermione couldn't help but smirk at the hopeful look on Oliver's face. "You're welcome. I'll happily help put Harry through his paces anytime. But I'm not interested in joining the reserve team."

Wood's shoulders sagged in defeat at the last portion. "Oh well, can't blame a guy for trying. Just means you need to ensure you don't get put in the hospital wing before any matches, Potter."

Harry laughed out loud at that. "I'll do my best, Captain." Hermione thought the full salute might have been a bit much, but Oliver seemed to find it amusing.

"You try even half that hard in our matches and the cup is ours this year." Wood nodded to the pair before drifting away. The still air carrying his wistful departing comment to their ears. "That ought to look good on the resume. Quidditch champs three years straight."

Hermione couldn't contain the laughter anymore as she and Harry broke out into giggles at Wood's singularly focused mind.

"So, did you have fun?" Harry asked when the pair finally settled once more.

"Loads," Hermione beamed. She would never be the avid flyer that Harry was, but after several years of practice with the tamer guidance of Lily and Remus, she was certainly a fan. If helping the Quidditch team practice meant she got to fly at Hogwarts, she'd 'suffer through it' happily. "Not as much as you though. Do you always have to try and injure yourself to have fun on a broom?"

Harry smiled at her. "You have to try this thing, Hermione. If the Cleansweep was maneuverable, this thing is in another league. Couple that with the speed… It's exhilarating."

"Is that so? How about a challenge then? Can you get to the base of the far goals before the bucket refills?"

With a mischievous glance, Hermione upended the bucket sending silver and gold balls falling through the air. Harry's grin widened in response and he shot off the mark, soon reaching the broom's top speed. It was a close call, but Hermione noticed Harry circle the first goalpost before the sound of dozens of little balls began to sound as they popped back into the bucket. Laughing at her friend's antics, she followed his path down, but at a much more sedate pace.

ϟ

Ron fumed, a disturbing high-pitched lilt to his voice as he whined, "A bloody nightmare! Always sticking her overgrown teeth into other people's business. Mer me meh, do it this way, Ronald! You're doing it wrong, Ronald. Watch where you're swinging your wand, Ronald. What a nag. Stupid biddy!"

Harry was fuming as he glared at the back of the loud-mouthed redhead. He was going to have to think long and hard about how he would punish the git for saying such things about Hermione. He turned to look at his friend only to find nothing but empty air beside him. He swung about, hoping that she had stopped walking with him when Ron had begun his little tirade, but she wasn't visible anywhere in the corridor.

"Parvati! Did you see where Hermione went?" He asked the girl as she passed.

"She ran off towards the stairs back there," Parvati replied, pointing back in the opposite direction to the one the class was travelling in on their way to the Transfiguration class they had scheduled after Charms. "She looked really upset."

Harry's face tightened at the thought and he nodded to Parvati who was looking at him with sympathy. They'd all heard Weasley running his mouth again. Seamus had even laughed at what Ron was saying. Had Harry not been so concerned for Hermione, he would already be plotting his revenge.

"Mr Potter." Harry was broken from his thoughts by the diminutive Charms professor laying a hand on his arm. "Are you alright?" Harry nodded to the short man. "Well then. I believe you have a Transfiguration class to attend. Best not keep Professor McGonagall waiting."

Harry wanted to protest and go searching for Hermione, but the look on Flitwick's face was set; he wouldn't allow it. Harry took several deep breaths before he nodded and turned to follow the noise down the corridor that indicated the rest of his class. Despite his presence in Transfiguration, Harry could not focus on the class at all. Thankfully they were only working on theory, but as the class ended and Hermione still had not appeared, Harry's fears began to get the best of him.

As the bell rang, Harry caught up to his Indian classmate once more and gently tapped her shoulder. "Parvati?"

The girl stopped and turned to face him, giving him a look that clued him into just how worried he must appear. "Can you please see if Hermione is in the dorms? I know I can't go up the stairs to check. I just want to make sure she is okay after Weasley upset her like that."

Parvati simply nodded in return. "We were heading back there now to drop off our books before the feast. I can check while I'm there."

Harry felt his shoulders sink a little in relief even though he had no idea whether the girl was in the rooms or not. Even though she had only been missing for a single afternoon class, it was not very often that the two found themselves separated. Even less so when one of them was upset. They had functioned as each other's shoulder to cry on so many times since they had met that Harry couldn't remember the last time he'd gone to his parents over something that was bothering him before Hermione.

Harry walked briskly along beside the girls not taking in a word of the conversation they were having with one another as they walked. And before he knew it they were climbing the stairs to the dorm. He didn't want to put his things away until he knew Hermione was ok, so he merely stood at the base of the stairs getting odd looks from all the girls as they passed. It seemed forever before Parvati came slowly back down the stairs and looked at him with a solemn expression.

"Sorry, Harry. She's not there. I checked the whole dorm. Her book bag isn't on its hanger either. I've no idea where she might be."

Harry's shoulders sagged in defeat and he nodded before turning away and slowly climbing the stairs to his dorm. He slumped onto the bed, letting his gear tumble to the floor as he buried his face in the blankets and let his mind wander. He and Hermione had spent a lot of their spare time exploring the large castle but hadn't really come up with any favourite places that he could think she would visit.

A spark of realization hit him and like a shot, Harry was up from the bed and zipping through the halls, drawing many upset growls from other students as he rushed past them. At last, he skidded to a stop outside the library and got a stern look through the doorway from the librarian at her desk. He waited a moment to let his breathing steady before walking inside and heading straight for the stern woman.

"Good afternoon, Madam Pince. I was wondering if Hermione had come in here this afternoon?"

Harry kept his voice low so as not to upset Madam Pince. She had a strict rule about the noise level allowed in her domain. "I've not seen Miss Granger since yesterday morning when she returned those seven books she borrowed over the weekend. She is most likely at the feast, which is due to begin in half an hour. In fact, I was just about to shoo everyone out so that I could get ready to attend myself."

Harry sagged dejectedly once more. Maybe Madam Pince was right and Hermione would be waiting for him in the Great Hall. He thanked the librarian before slowly trudging out into the hall and allowing his feet to take him down to the dining area. The day had begun in such a promising fashion. He'd spent all morning trying to keep Neville's spirits up, given what the boy probably went through every October 31st. All until Ron had decided to run his mouth off in such a hurtful fashion.

He tried to push the thought aside as he arrived at the large hall. He would have plenty of time to repay Weasley later on. He stepped to the side of the entryway and ran his eyes carefully up and down the table, but he could not see the familiar hair of his best friend anywhere. Not at any of the tables. The noise was building steadily as he stood there watching, dozens of students streaming in and joining the noisy ones already gathered in expectation of a glorious feast.

When Dumbledore stood and tapped his glass, announcing the start of the feast and food flared into place all over the tables, he had had enough. Quickly stomping from the hall, Harry brooded as he climbed the stairs on his way back to the dorm, his appetite gone due to the struggle on his mind.

Where is she? He thought to himself as he scuffed his feet along the stone floor, before freezing in place. "I'm an idiot!" He shouted, the sound echoing through the large stairwell as he broke into a run and didn't slow until he reached his bed once more.

Reaching under his pillow, he withdrew the blank parchment and slapped his forehead in frustration.

"I solemnly swear, I am up to no good." As soon as the lines began to appear on the parchment, he placed his fingers on the surface. "Find Hermione Granger!"

The lines distorted in the usual fashion and a moment later he saw a single deep blue dot alone in a toilet on the first floor, just around the corner from the Charms classroom. She had been so close at first before he ran all over the castle like a moron. Harry quickly located the fastest path to the bathroom and shoved the Map back under his pillow without bothering to close it.

His feet carried him at a dangerous pace, bouncing him off walls and banisters as he tore from the seventh floor back down to the first once again. As he reached the door to the bathroom he paused to regain his breath before pushing the door open slowly, in case anyone else had joined Hermione since he last looked.

"Hermione?" he asked breathlessly.

"Go away, Harry." Her small voice came from the furthest cubicle.

"Like that's ever going to happen. Have you been here all afternoon?" he walked over and leaned his back against the wall beside her cubicle. "You missed Transfiguration and the feast. All because Weasley is a mouthy idiot?"

"He's right though. It felt like I was alone in primary all over again. I'm always nosing in on others. Trying to tell them how to do things." Her voice sounded broken and he realised she was suppressing the sobs that must have been audible before he arrived.

"Nonsense. You are trying to help them, not order them about. And most people have brains enough to appreciate your assistance. Now are you going to open up or am I going to have to punish Weasley by myself?"

"Punish him?"

"He made you cry." Harry retorted, his voice full of barely contained anger. "He's going to suffer."

A slight giggle sounded from behind the wooden door. "Harry! You don't need…"

"He gets what is coming to him! You are completely worth any trouble it gets me. Ron needs to learn his lesson. He could have done it by listening to you in class, now he gets to learn the Marauder way."

A dangerous silence filled the air between them for a few moments before he heard shuffling coming from the cubicle. The door creaked open and he saw familiar brown eyes looking around the edge at him, though they were red and swollen.

"Together?" She asked, sniffling as she finished.

Harry smiled brightly and opened his arms. "Always."

Hermione swung the door open and lunged into his arms which quickly pulled her tightly and he relished in her presence after an afternoon of separation. "Besides, we both know you're the brains here. I need your help to come up with something appropriate enough."

Hermione chuckled against his chest as he ran one hand through her bushy hair. It was even wilder than normal and that thought made Harry both happier and angrier at the same time as it only seemed to do so when mirroring particularly strong emotion in the girl. When she finally pulled away from the hug, wiping her eyes, Harry lifted her chin so he could look at her face. Clear tear tracks were running down her cheeks and her eyes were very swollen. But the smile that was growing larger on her features drew his focus away.

"Everyone should still be at the feast. What do you think about heading back to the common room and enjoying the peace up there before they all come back? Might give us some good planning time."

Hermione nodded once more and he stepped into the cubicle and recovered her bag before she could do it herself. Holding out one hand he smiled as she stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his own, holding him close. Harry shuffled the arm loose and wrapped it around her shoulders instead, Hermione slipping her own about his waist firmly as he guided her from the bathroom and the pair slowly made their way back up to the common room.

However, when the portrait swung open at the password, the noise inside was tumultuous. As the two stepped inside, all the noise seemed to vanish as everyone looked at them.

Parvati rushed over and threw her arms around the pair. "Where have you been? We were so worried!"

"What?" Harry mumbled in surprise before he was confronted by a very angry-looking Percy Weasley.

"What the hell, Potter! You were supposed to stay with the group. What do you think you are doing wandering off alone? You could have been killed. I'll be telling Professor McGonagall about this, just you watch!"

"Hold on! What is going on? Why is everyone in the common room? Did the feast finish early?"

"Don't play dumb, Potter. Trying to take it on alone, were you? Bloody show-off." Ron Weasley growled from nearby.

"Take what on? What is going on?" Harry extended the last sentence out as the entire house was half glaring at him.

"The troll. The professors are all out looking for it right now."

"What troll? Goyle was at the feast last I saw him." Harry quipped, trying to break the tension in the air.

The barest hint of a snort sounded from directly behind Harry and he turned to see his Head of House standing stone-faced, looking down at him.

"Professor, what is going on?" Hermione chimed from her position wrapped about Harry's waist.

"The troll has been found on the first floor and subdued. For some reason, it was destroying the lavatory by the Charms classroom.

Harry felt Hermione freeze beside him. "Wh… where did you say, Professor?"

"The girls' bathroom by the Charms classroom on the first floor, Miss Granger. Why?"

A troll had not only broken into the school but had destroyed the very place Harry had just found Hermione. What if he'd been late? What if he hadn't thought to use the Map? Fear gave way to anger quickly and Harry turned to face the students behind him.

"First floor. Near Charms." Harry's voice had an icy tone to it that only one person in the common room had ever heard before. "She could have died, all because you can't take some constructive criticism!"

Harry's eyes were locked on the rapidly paling face of Ron Weasley as others looked back and forth as though watching the Twins speaking even though the room was silent.

"You will pay dearly. Thank your lucky stars she is unharmed or your life would be forfeit!"

Not once did Harry's voice rise above the dangerous icy tone, yet in the silence of the room, he was easily heard by everyone present. He began to step toward the redhead but paused as he felt Hermione's arms pulling him in a different direction. He glanced down at her scared face and all his steam disappeared. He allowed her to guide him to the dormitory stairs and the pair climbed up to the first-year dorm.

Hermione pushed him onto his bed, seated at the edge as he lowered her bag next to his own before she sat so close that their sides were pressed together. She tucked herself against his chest and tears came forth once more as she allowed the thought of how close she had just come to death sink in before letting it flow out her tear ducts and onto Harry's shirt.

For time unknown the two simply sat together, Hermione crying yet again while Harry gently ran his hand up and down her back making soft calming noises. When at long last her eyes had shed their last tears, Hermione looked up at her friend.

"Can we not? I want us to leave it to McGonagall." She asked, and Harry simply nodded his reply. "We can prank him properly later but this… it needs proper official reprimand."

Harry gave a bit of a smirk at the thought of Hermione's trust in authority. His dads had somewhat shot his out, making him think there was nothing wrong with getting revenge the Marauder way, but Hermione was more the child of her own parents and his mother's influence. They would recommend official channels, and if those failed, then they would reward the guilty with a fitting punishment.

"Of course. We'll see her before breakfast and make sure she has the whole of it."

A few moments passed in silence before a dark-skinned head peeked around the edge of the door.

"Sorry to interrupt, but it's getting late," Dean said quietly.

Harry glanced down at Hermione who nodded as he continued to rub her back. She wiped her face a few times before standing and grabbing her bag. "Thank you." She whispered to Harry, giving him one last hug before stepping away. "Goodnight."

Chapter Text

Ron Weasley was absolutely livid. Here he was, cleaning dirty dishes like some common house elf. While the actual house-elves watched and critiqued his work. He didn't even do the dishes when he was at home. His mother had always used magic to keep her kitchen clean. The boys weren't even allowed in there most of the time.

"Weasel boy missed a spot. Again." Came the squeaky voice of the head elf that had been assigned by McGonagall to watch him.

The dirty golden plate clattered back into the overfull sink and sloshed sudsy water all over his already-soaked robes. Ron glared at the smug look on its pointed face.

"Weasel boy not have all day. Chop, chop." The elf stated, clapping its hands loudly by his ear.

This was absurd. He was stuck down here in the kitchens, cleaning dishes when he should have been out on the Quidditch pitch cheering on Gryffindor to victory over the dirty snakes. Instead, two Gryffindors had snitched on him to McGonagall and now he was being worked like a literal house elf.

"Stupid Potter. Out there making a show of himself I bet. Should be me on the team." Ron grumbled as he half-heartedly brushed the scrubber over the dishes from breakfast. Ron was really starting to dislike Potter and his naggy friend. First the disaster at the flying lesson and now he was being punished for being honest.

"Faster! We need these for lunch in two hours." Ron scowled again, ignoring the little twerp.

The snapping of a pair of fingers beside him was the only warning Ron received before the entire sink of water surged up and doused him from head to toe, disappearing into nothing before it reached the floor.

"Need fresh hot water to clean dirty dishes, boy. Back to work, and less grumbling. Ranty has a kitchen to run and you is holding us up."

Ron sputtered through the suds all over his face, his eyes stinging slightly as the soapy water seeped into them and grumbled to himself about how he would get them back for this outrage.

ϟ

Hermione was thrilled. She hadn't felt this energized in years. Not only was she watching her best friend fly like a maniac to huge cheers from their friends and fellow students, but she was doing it while standing between both their parents as they too shouted themselves hoarse at the boy as well.

James was the loudest, though Sirius was challenging him for the crown as they both behaved like complete children. Even the normally stoic Remus looked pleased to be there, cheering along for every goal and smiling broadly the whole time. Lily swayed back and forth between joy and fear as she watched her little boy dodge lumps of enchanted steel and other bodies on fast-moving brooms.

Hermione found it amazing. Flying was a whole world of fun in its own right. The wind surged about her as she controlled the broom with the soft touch of hand and thigh. The utter freedom of being in the air was something she'd never thought she would enjoy at first. When Harry offered to take her up, she took one look at the flimsy broom in his hands and nearly vomited at the idea.

But a few tandem flights with Lily and she'd been bitten too. She loved to fly. But no one on this earth loved flying more than her Harry.

His robes swooshed past her hair, flicking it about as Hermione screamed and cheered. Harry was in his element. None of the opposing team seemed to know what to do with the lithe boy. His natural talent would have been adequate to keep him away from the lumbering brutes in green, but the new broom his parents had bought him was in a league of its own on this pitch.

Harry had disrupted nearly every single attempt on goal the hulking Slytherin Chasers had made, not once making the mistake of touching the quaffle and handing the snakes a handy penalty. The few attempts he'd been unable to ruin had been handily repelled by the Gryffindor captain, and she wondered who had the bigger smile at that moment. Harry or Wood.

The teamwork of the all-girl chaser group Gryffindor had fielded was something else too. They moved as one unit, amazing given that like Harry, this was Katie's first full match. Hermione was sure she could hear bird calls coming from the girls and with every one they would switch positions or run a new play. Invariably resulting in a shot on goal. Almost all of which had slipped past the tiny Slytherin keeper. The only small member of their side.

Hermione had taken to thinking of the three girls as birds of prey, and when she had mentioned it aloud, Harry's cheer squad had latched onto the idea and began cheering even louder for the Gryffindor Raptors.

Being in the stands watching such a thrilling match was even better than the premier league matches her father had shouted the combined family out to over the summer. As another goal soared through the Slytherin posts, the noise level pitched up once more, and Hermione was carried about amid the surging red and gold crowd.

But her attention had been drawn away from the Raptors' latest attack as she noticed that Harry had pulled sharply away from their assault. He was now in a tight corkscrewing downward spiral, fast approaching the pitch itself.

The redhead by her side glanced down at Hermione as she felt the small hands clutching her arm tighten and she followed Hermione's gaze. Lily gasped loudly and soon the whole family was watching as Harry threw himself from side to side, looking every moment like he was about to be unseated from the wildly shifting broom.

Hermione knew she was likely cutting off the blood supply to Mrs Potter's arm, but she needed the support. As much as she loved to fly, she knew Harry was a daredevil on a broom she would never seek to match.

Several green-robed figures had noticed Harry's descent and were following him at speed. None of them had a hope of catching his superior broom but tried nonetheless.

It was only the tiny glint of gold that Hermione could see shining in front of Harry that kept her from screaming in fear. She would be giving Harry a right talking to once the match finished. There was no need for such reckless behaviour.

The golden glint shot upwards, and Harry followed close on its tail. Almost all eyes in the stadium had noticed his movements now and were watching the new seeker demonstrate exactly how he had earned his spot on the team. Hermione could see the glimmer of sweat on Harry's forehead as he turned and shot almost directly at where they were standing.

Her lip screamed in agony as her teeth bit down hard, but Harry seemed completely in the zone. He was utterly focused on the evasive little snitch and was hunting it down, inch by inch. It would only be a matter of seconds before he was on their position in the stands and with a quick swipe of his arm, Harry divested the pitch of its free-flying snitch.

The crowd roared as one at the move and Hermione shouted herself hoarse as she let go of Lily's poor ruined arm and clapped loudly for her friend who now approached their position much slower, the captured snitch held aloft.

And that's when Hermione's shouts of triumph turned to screams of fear.

Harry lurched forward as something heavy struck him in the back and pitched him headfirst over the front of the broom. He was barely able to hold on with the hand not full of snitch as he tumbled forward.

"HARRY!" She screamed, rushing forward to the edge of the stands and stretching out both arms in an attempt to reach him as he rapidly approached the wall.

Two much larger pairs of arms shot out beside her as she grasped at Harry's cloak when he thudded against the side of the stands and his hand came free of the Nimbus. The second set of arms swooped under his armpits and held him firmly against the timber framework.

"Um, hi. We won!" Harry supplied sheepishly from his hanging position, holding up the hand clutched tightly about a set of frantically fluttering wings.

His fathers both struggled not to laugh as they worked together to haul the young lad up over the barrier. The moment Harry's feet touched the stands, Hermione had him in a death grip.

"Don't you ever do that to me again, Harry Potter!" She shouted into his shoulder, holding him as tightly as she ever had before.

"It was an accident, Hermione. I'll be fine."

"Nice flying, Ace," Sirius called as he gave Harry a firm pat on the back.

Harry gave a sharp groan of pain and Hermione immediately released her grip. Seeing his face, she checked his back, pressing gingerly around the area that Sirius had whomped. Harry let out another moan at her touch and she noticed the pain in his eyes.

"Harry! Why didn't you tell us?" Hermione scolded.

"Tell us what? That was some flying there Harry. You're amazing on a broom. Even better than your dad." Remus offered, joining the growing group of adults who were the only thing stopping Harry from being swamped by his classmates.

"Harry's hurt," Hermione stated, trying to guide him gingerly past the shouting schoolchildren.

"Hurt?" Lily asked, rushing past the celebrating Marauders and pulling her wand. "Let me see, Hermione."

The brown-haired girl stepped back but did not let go of Harry's jersey as Lily cast several spells over his back. Hermione tried to ignore the shouting of the assembled team flying above them as she watched the results of Lily's spells, even though she had no clue what the colours and symbols meant.

"You've broken your clavicle. How did you break your clavicle flying on a broom?!" Lily asked incredulously.

"Probably the bludger that slammed into my back after I caught the snitch." Harry groaned, the pain becoming more evident as the adrenaline of the match wore off.

"We need to get him to Madame Pomfrey." Hermione squeaked.

Lily nodded and the two females tried to guide him along the walkway to the stairs. The throng of students was still trying to get to Harry to congratulate him though and made it incredibly hard to move more than a foot at a time.

"This is crazy. It's way too crowded to walk him there." Hermione griped, looking about for a solution, which she found in the arms of Harry's godfather. "Perfect."

She rushed over to Sirius and snatched the long wooden handle from his grip. "Hey!"

As she reached Harry and Lily again, she slipped the head of the broom between Harry's legs, drawing a startled shout from him as she gingerly pressed up to his back, making sure she was over the broom as well.

"Up." She called and the two first-years soon hovered over the stand, gradually moving higher.

"Good thinking. We'll meet you there, Hermione." Lily called as they swooped slowly over the barrier and began a slow flight, guarded by Harry's now concerned teammates, headed for the castle.

"What's wrong with Harry?" Katie asked as she settled in beside them.

"Broken bone. That stupid bludger after the win." Hermione glanced upwards and found who she was looking for. "Who hit it?"

The redheaded twins looked at each other before speaking at once, their voices dripping with mischievous malice, "Bole."

Hermione nodded as she tried to keep Harry's groaning form carefully between her arms as she guided his broom onward.

"Wood's talking to Hooch now. Though I don't know what will come of it. We've already won. Not much they can do to him." Angelina said as she came up opposite Katie and used her free hand to steady Harry on the broom.

"Fine, we'll have to deal with it ourselves then," Hermione mumbled in Harry's ear, receiving an affirmative chuckle back before he coughed painfully.

ϟ

Harry had tired quickly of the back slaps. The Gryffindors had meant them as a celebratory gesture, but his shoulder was still tender from the break. The Slytherins however, seemed to ensure they were nearby all the time and were delighting in whacking him as hard as they could. When he had brought it up to a teacher, Snape had said it was simply the students being grateful losers, and the matter had been dropped.

Dropped by the staff at least. Harry now had two scores to settle with the house of snakes. One with the house as a whole for their postgame treatment. And one with Bole specifically. Hermione seemed to be thoroughly delighted at the prospect of punishing the miserable prick.

He had claimed he hit the bludger before Harry had caught the snitch, but Harry's cheer squad had confirmed otherwise. Harry was eager to show the cheating mongrel what happened when they crossed a Marauder, legacy or not.

Harry sagged heavily into the seat beside Hermione as she continued reading the thick tome in front of her. She'd been researching several options for their revenge, and this book had seemed particularly promising.

"So, what have we got?" He asked her, pulling out a small spiral notebook his fathers had charmed for him.

"So much. This book is a gold mine, Harry," she whispered back, trying to ensure they did not garner any additional attention to their task. "We could make him bald for life, though there is a potion-based cure for that you can be sure Snape knows. Incontinent for three weeks. No known counter. Unable to absorb nutrients, and nutrient potions exacerbate the condition. But that seems like it might be too far."

Harry nodded as he noted down the options. Just because they weren't of use today, didn't mean they wouldn't find cause to use them in the future. "Cure for that one?"

"A complex spell, but given it was invented by one Filius Flitwick according to this, I'd say he knows the counter."

Harry grunted acknowledgement. They had both been surprised to find out that their half-goblin Charms professor had been quite a prankster himself in his time. But with a goblin upbringing, some of his work had been decidedly harsher than they were looking for.

"So, option A is still our best bet?"

"Seems to be. This stuff is great and all, but some of it goes over the top for what we're looking for. Though if Weasley bitches one more time about missing the match, I might try that incontinence one on him." Hermione snarled, closing the book.

"Please don't. I have to sleep in the same dorm as him. He's already bad enough."

"Fine, but Bole is definitely getting his."

Harry smiled at his friend and laid a hand gently on hers. "You are the best friend a guy could ask for, Hermione."

ϟ

Harry moved quietly through the corridors, the lack of light kept their pace slower than they'd wanted but Harry allowed Hermione to set it, simply guiding her by how tightly he gripped her shoulder as she dragged him ever forward.

Tonight was their last chance to pull this off before the holidays and they were determined. Revenge on them all would be sweet.

He squeezed much tighter and Hermione came to a stop before she shifted them quickly into a nearby alcove behind a suit of armour. He couldn't see any light but the dot on the parchment in his hand proved that Professor Sprout was about to come around the corner. His ears soon picked up the light footfalls and the pair stood in silence as the cheery woman walked past their hiding place without a glance in their direction. When the footsteps had vanished and the Map confirmed her absence, Harry tapped Hermione's shoulder once more before resting his hand lightly.

Their destination was not far now and he watched as the one dot he couldn't be absolutely sure about remained in place. He hoped this meant that Professor McGonagall was asleep, and not sitting at her desk marking. It was two in the morning, after all.

He broadened the area of the Map as they arrived at his head of house's door. There was no one else on the entire floor that he could see and he gave Hermione the affirmative double-tap. He was glad she'd suggested the series of non-verbal instructions as it greatly reduced the likelihood of discovery.

The coast was clear enough, however, for Hermione to verbalize her spell. "Alohomora."

She opened the door slowly and Harry was buoyed by the lack of light. Hermione led the way again, and Harry left the door very slightly ajar as they passed, enough to look closed at a glance. Hermione slowly led them to the desk where he was very grateful that Professor Sprout had not been using a lit wand to guide her path. They could both see the papers on the desk quite clearly, despite the only light entering the room coming from the moon through the nearby window.

Harry faced the other door in the office, the one he knew led to the professor's chambers and confirmed the dot was on the other side. Another double-tap let Hermione get to work. She had practised the required spell for days now and he was sure she would manage it well enough. But she needed to focus on what she was doing to ensure it came off correctly. There was a risk associated they didn't want to be responsible for if it failed.

Several tense minutes passed and Harry nearly jumped when he received a double tap on the shoulder. He turned to see Hermione smiling evilly, and he returned the smirk with glee. He allowed Hermione to step ahead of him and let her guide them to the door. He squeezed as he checked the nearby corridors on the Map before loosening to signal they were clear.

Hermione stepped through and resealed the door after him and the pair disappeared into the night, Harry was too focused on the areas ahead to notice the one dot that had shifted or the square-ringed eyes that watched his departure from atop the desk in the room.

ϟ

Lucian Bole had been riding high. He was the hero of his house for having put the irritating flea that was Potter in the Hospital Wing, despite their loss. Everyone in his house had treated him like a king despite only being a simple third year. And yet now, he was not so excited.

He had searched for a reason not to return home for Christmas, his new stepmother would not be as supportive as his housemates had been. The woman was an utter hag, always on him about being tidy and studying harder. And ugly as sin to boot. He honestly had no idea what his father saw in her, but Lucian had hated her ever since his father had married her during Lucian's second year.

And it, at last, seemed as though he'd found his chance. "What do you mean I can't go?"

Lucian rolled his eyes at the pompous first-year. Draco Malfoy had swaggered into Slytherin house as though he owned the place and yet had brought nothing to the house but shame as he failed to outsmart any of his fellow students and yet kept going back for more each time.

"Do you have any idea who my father is?"

"Of course I do Mister Malfoy, I am the one who taught him Transfiguration at this very school. Where he too needed to put his name down on the list if he wanted to go home for the holidays."

"But I did put my name down!" The child whined.

Bole cursed his own stupidity at signing the form after receiving his father's first letter implying his stepmother would be spending Christmas with her own family. By the time the second letter had arrived yesterday indicating he too would be going along, the list had been taken down.

"And yet, it is not on the list in my hand, Mister Malfoy. Are you sure you signed the right form? Perhaps one of your housemates played a prank on you. The official form is always posted to the house notice board." Professor McGonagall stared down the belligerent child who pretended to be important simply because of his last name.

Even from several places further back in the line, Bole could see Malfoy's skin going red. "If you would kindly stop standing in the way, some of the students behind you actually are signed up to go home."

The stern woman glared at Malfoy and the boy refused to move aside. Bole's eyes shifted to the messy black-haired boy who stepped around the Slytherin boy and smiled at his head of house as he was waved past.

"Where's he going?" Malfoy shouted.

"Mister Potter and Miss Granger are both on the list. If I have to explain matters to you again, Mister Malfoy, you shall find yourself not only spending Christmas in the castle but in detention with me." The glare she fixed the boy with this time had the desired effect.

Malfoy muttered and mumbled to himself as he finally moved aside. Where he joined a growing crowd of Slytherin students who had been denied passage by the Deputy Headmistress. Bole smiled as he stepped forward, someone had clearly removed all the Slytherin names from the list and he was about to be saved a horrid Christmas spent under his step-mother's horrid gaze.

"On you go." Bole was surprised as the sixth-year Slytherin in front of him was allowed through and headed out of the Entrance Hall. The first to be allowed to do so as far as he knew.

"Bole. On the list, go on." McGonagall stated, looking over him to the next in line. "Move along, Mister Bole. I grow tired of having to repeat myself this morning."

Lucian glanced at the Slytherin crowd, none of them were looking at him like a hero now. He'd give anything to swap places with Draco right now. Another glance at the stern woman before him and his legs took over, walking past her and into the cool morning air.

"Miss Greengrass, say hello to your mother. And thank her for the tea."

Bole shuddered as another Slytherin was let through the bottleneck. Whatever had affected the Slytherins had not saved him as he had been hoping. He was doomed to three weeks of horror. He barely noticed as the Greengrass girl rushed past him and climbed into a carriage with Potter and Granger. He was too resigned to his fate now to care.

ϟ

"And of course, to Hermione, from Harry." Sirius the gaudy elf smirked as he passed her the small brightly wrapped package.

Her eyes flicked to her best friend sitting on the couch between his parents with one of the fakest smiles she'd seen him wear in years. It had niggled at her for days, he'd been sullen all the way home on the train as well. While she regaled her parents with details of their first few months of magical schooling, Harry had sat quietly and stared out the window of the car. Even now, on Christmas morning, surrounded by family something still bothered him and she couldn't read what.

She refocused on the small package on her lap, it was delicately wrapped in bright yellow paper. She peeled away the tape far more carefully than usual, her brain still more focused on Harry's mood than the paper and within a few moments had removed it cleanly. Inside was a small long black case, about the same length as the one her wand came in, but far thinner.

She engaged the hinge and her breath caught at the sight of what was within. It was a long slender chain of silvery-white metal. A necklace of some sort, with a brown stone at the end the size of her eyeball. One that matched the colour of her irises exactly, down to the slight marbling of different shades of brown within. Her eyes flicked up to Harry, a broad smile on her face that fell when she caught the look in his own.

And it finally clicked in her mind. Why he'd been so out of sorts leading up to Christmas, despite a perfectly executed prank.

"Harry James Potter! You…" Her eyes narrowed and she stood, quickly closing the distance between them and she poked his chest with two fingers. "You moody git! I am your friend because I like being your friend. You don't need to buy me fancy expensive things to keep my friendship. Why?"

Her tone demanded an answer and the parents watched stunned as the boy replied. "I thought… I didn't realise it was… I just thought you would like it. But it's so special, I needed to…"

Harry trailed off and she managed to trace the line of thought in the disjointed speech. She glomped the boy hard, pressing them both into the couch hard and making the Potters jump aside as a tangle of children formed between them.

"I love that book, not because it's worth a fortune, but because you gave it to me you git. Yes, it's special, but not because it is valuable. You don't need to buy my friendship, Harry. I give it freely."

Harry returned the hug tightly. "So, you're saying, I'm a huge idiot?" The usual humour she felt from him had returned and Hermione was far happier having solved the dilemma.

"That's just it, I know you aren't. So stop behaving like you are. If something's bothering you, talk to me, Harry." She pulled back and gave him a stern look. "Got it?"

He nodded and flicked his eyes to the necklace that was still in her hand. "Do you like it though?"

"Of course I love it, Harry. But when would I wear it? We're at school nine months a year."

"I don't know. I was getting desperate, I couldn't think of what to get that…" He blushed and refused to look at her face, obviously hiding the fact he'd been fretting about exactly what she'd just caught him out doing. "The stone caught my eye."

"And that's what gets you off. Even when being stupid, you still managed to be my Harry underneath." She whispered to him as she turned in the seat, settling between Harry and his father. "But none of that ever again. I don't care if you give me a tissue with your name on it. It's special because it comes from you. Well, I might. Put more thought in than that at least and we're good."

Harry chuckled at the idea of such a gift and she knew at some later stage she would find herself getting a secondary gift that was exactly that. Not that she would mind, especially not now the normal smile had returned to her friend's face.

"Thank you, Harry." She squeezed him tightly again and glanced at the other assembled adults about the room. Her parents were looking at her knowingly, and she was sure her face had her usual triumphant appearance from when she'd sorted a particularly difficult problem. She blushed and looked away from them to Sirius and Remus, dressed as an elf and Santa respectively. Though the costumes had their typical flair for the idiotic. Both were looking at her with confusion, their eyes flicked to Harry and back occasionally but without sorting what had just happened.

And the two adults of the three newest additions to their group looked completely baffled at her behaviour. Hermione blushed but the girl sat between them just looked beyond amused at the whole thing. Hermione caught Tonks' eye who winked at the far younger girl in return. Their introduction had been brief, but was due to them reconnecting with Sirius at his Grandfather's will reading a few weeks prior. That they were also distant cousins to Harry meant she was more than happy to welcome them to the growing family.

"Sorry. It had been bothering me for days." Hermione apologized to the room who it finally seemed had figured out what she had.

"Well, now that the drama is over, I think there is one last present for both of you." Her mother commented, drawing her eye. In her hand was an envelope with her name scrawled on the front. Hermione released Harry and wandered back over to her parents, plonking down heavily as she took the envelope from her smiling mother.

A quick glance at Harry showed him holding a similar envelope but his was open and he had a card and a small black rectangle that she assumed had been inside. He looked at this mother with confusion and Hermione opened her own. The card was typical Hallmark fare, with Congratulations emblazoned across the front in a large font surrounded by blue balloons rather than the pink ones on Harry's.

She flicked the card open and gasped loudly at the item inside. The grainy black-and-white image was pretty much just a blob, but Hermione knew what a sonogram was and she moved to launch herself towards her mother before stopping short and looking down at her stomach. "Can I?"

"Of course, Hermione," Natalie said, opening her arms wide and receiving the hug of a lifetime.

Many times growing up, Hermione had begged for a sibling. And now she was getting one it seemed. A baby boy she assumed by the colour of the card. She paused as that sunk in, her card was blue. Harry's…

Hermione turned on the spot to see Harry looking at her strangely. It seemed no one had enlightened him to what the image in his hand meant. Her eyes flicked to Lily who smirked before she leaned in and whispered in Harry's ear. Hermione watched her friend's eyes widen before flicking between the grainy picture and his mother's stomach. Lily was pregnant too.

"I thought… you couldn't?" He mumbled.

"Not couldn't, but after we lost your sister to the stress of that Halloween, I was wary of trying again. But with you both missing from the house…" Lily explained. "I missed the chaos. And, well... you get a second shot at being a big brother to a little girl."

Harry did not hesitate as he grasped happily onto his mother. The woman laughed as she held her boy tightly and James shuffled across to join the embrace. Hermione felt her own father's arms wrap about her and her mother and she realised she had tears in her eyes. She glanced at her parents and saw them both beaming at her. "Happy Christmas, Hermione."

"Happy Christmas, Mum. Dad. Just what I've always wanted."

ϟ

Harry certainly felt lighter on the return trip to the school. He felt a complete fool once Hermione had caught him out and set him to rights again. Of course, she didn't need fancy things to be his friend. Even now she was chattering happily with the other girls in the compartment about the things they'd gotten for Christmas, though he could tell she was dying to tell them all she was going to be a big sister before they returned home at the end of the coming term.

And yet, he was distracted from the laughter once more, this time it was his father's doing. The tiny package he had stuffed into Harry's pocket weighed on him as he considered it. His father's hint had made it clear to him what it was.

Talk about fancy priceless gifts. His dad's cryptic comment, 'It's time you had this I think. Use it like a Marauder.' had made it plain he was receiving one of his family's oldest heirlooms. Over seven hundred and fifty years old, at least that is how long this piece of it had been here on Earth. The cloak that for so long had hung on the wall in James's study was now squished into the palm-sized brown paper package in his pocket.

While it would surely come in handy for pulling pranks at school, as his father intended, it carried a weight that Harry didn't want to consider. What if he damaged it? What if he lost it? What if it was confiscated like the first Map?

He felt an arm wrap about his shoulders and Harry was startled from his reverie. He saw brown eyes looking at him closely as the girls across the way were fawning over the sonogram Hermione had clearly shown them.

"Alright?" She asked, using the distraction she had created to comfort him.

He nodded. "Yeah, I'll tell you later."

Hermione smiled and snuggled him closely as the girls turned to him as a unit. It seemed Hermione might have let slip his news to them as well, and they were clearly awaiting the chance to see the first picture of his little sister. One Harry was keeping very close to his heart as he remembered just how happy his final Christmas present had made him, and still did.

Chapter Text

Harry groaned to himself as he heard the 'whispering' from behind the shelves to his right spark up again.

"C'mon, Neville. I know we've heard the name somewhere. It has to be important." Ron Weasley's voice sounded out, far from the quiet tone the boy appeared to think he was using.

"Just ignore it and he'll go away eventually." Hermione hissed at him from his left, her quill still in motion. He glanced at her and she gave him one of her trademark looks that he knew was an advisory to let it go.

Harry focused once more on his homework, filling in the last portion before he worked on his conclusion. The assignment was far from difficult, but finding some of the references he needed had taken longer than he would have liked. Two of the books had been checked out by a pair of fifth-year Ravenclaws for their own assignments and had only been returned that morning.

Neville's quiet voice broke Harry's concentration once more, though he missed most of the words the boy said. Something to do with history texts and a flannel.

The pair had been like this since they all returned from holidays a month ago. Rumours had spread that they'd been caught out after curfew by the Headmaster himself, though no one could agree on when, where or why. But they could be constantly found whispering away about one thing or another at almost all times. And it was becoming very frustrating.

"Nah," the louder second voice came again and Harry rolled his eyes as he put down his quill twisting in his chair to see if he could locate where the disruptive sounds were coming from. "I reckon it was charms. Something about a bloke over in France who made some fancy new spell that had Flitwick all excited."

"Harry," Hermione's voice warned, but he'd had enough.

"Can you two go off and gossip together somewhere else? Some people are trying to study." He grumbled in the direction of the voices.

A startled eep came from that area followed by the sound of a heavy book hitting the wooden floor of the library loudly and making Hermione twist in her chair to glare in that direction as well.

"Be careful!" She hissed chastisingly.

"Why is it always you two?" Ron groaned as he peeked around the end of the nearest aisle. "Sod off would you?"

"This area is for quiet study. Quiet being the operative word." Harry hissed as Neville appeared behind what was quickly becoming one of his least favourite people. Why Ron wasn't more like his older twin brothers, or the prefect one, Harry had no idea.

Ron settled for simply poking his tongue out immaturely at Harry in reply and Neville shook his head slightly.

"If you're quite done?" Hermione groaned as she turned back and lifted her essay from the desk to begin reading over it now she had completed it.

"Maybe they'll know," Neville asked quietly.

"We don't need help from these two." Ron retorted rudely, and Harry swung to face him again. "They're annoying enough as it is. I can't imagine anything worse than having him as a brother."

Harry froze in place as Ron glared at him triumphantly for a moment before he spun on his heel and headed away, deeper into the library. Hermione's blazing eyes followed him for a moment before she turned back to see Harry looking nervous. For someone as generally as oblivious as he seemed to be, Ron Weasley was a master at saying just the right thing to get under someone's skin. Harry found himself falling into a pit of worry.

"HARRY!" Hermione hissed from his side, drawing his attention out of the swirling depths of his mind. "What is wrong?"

"It's nothing." He lied and immediately regretted it. Now Hermione's anger was directed at him instead. "I'm fine."

Her eyes narrowed further and Harry gulped. How could a twelve-year-old girl look more intimidating than his mother when she did that?

"Alright… what if he's right?"

"Ronald Weasley? Right? What alternate universe do you think we're in?" Hermione huffed, shaking her head.

Harry paused for a moment. "What if I am a bad brother?" Hermione scoffed at him, rolling her eyes as if he was speaking complete and utter nonsense. "Seriously, though. While I never got the chance to meet Grandma Dorea, she didn't really get on well with the other Blacks. Dad is an only child. Sirius and his family are a whole mess all their own. And even Mum and Aunt Petunia aren't exactly a fairytale of sibling love, though, I guess that depends on the fairytale. I've no idea to base it on."

"Harry, the fact you're worried about what kind of brother you will be tells me all I need to know about how you will actually do at the task. And if you were to start being a bigheaded git, I'm sure your parents and I will help set you straight."

Harry glanced up at her and noticed the determination in her eyes. His family was nothing if not incredibly supportive. Of course they'd stop him being a total jerk to his little sister.

"You can help me be a good sister to mine, and I'll help make sure you're a good big brother for yours. Deal?" Hermione asked, extending her hand to Harry.

He took it firmly, shaking it with a growing smile. "Deal."

"Good, now shall we get back to work, before Madam Pince decides to kick us out?"

Harry gave a soft chuckle before he nodded and returned his attention to his homework.

ϟ

Harry took a deep breath of the clear warm spring air. Life in the castle had been pretty routine since they returned from the Christmas holidays, and with the Easter break only a few days away, he and Hermione were enjoying the favourable spring weather.

He laid back on the squishy grass letting the sun heat his skin nicely. It was rare to have such a bright and sunny day this far north, and the students invariably made the most of them when they came. Especially those that fell on a weekend.

Harry opened his eyes and looked up at the bright blue sky. Several figures were zooming about on brooms, but as it wasn't a scheduled practice, he was grounded. Despite the fact it was a perfect day for being in the air. He was looking forward to next year when he could ride his broom any time he liked.

Turning away from the fliers, he focused instead on the shoreline. Many students were along its edges as the Giant Squid made a showing. Some of the students, the Weasley Twins included, were attempting to skim stones out to where the massive creature lay. Any that succeeded were treated to the squid battering them up into the air before they plopped loudly down into the water with a satisfying splash.

Harry smiled at the carefree day and his fellow students. It was nice to just take a break and relax. He knew that first year was hardly the toughest they'd experience in their time at Hogwarts, but it was still nice to not have to worry about any homework or impending deadlines. He and Hermione had long since finished all the tasks that had been set between now and Easter. He might enjoy studying with his best friend and learning new magic and skills. But even she liked to have some free time to herself, even if it was just to read something else instead.

He rolled the other way to see Hermione tucked against the trunk of a nearby tree. She preferred the shade, though it was warm enough that she had shed her outer layers and was sitting comfortably in her crisp, white shirt.

She seemed to sense his gaze and looked up, smiling at him cheerily. Harry was about to speak when the idyllic spring afternoon was shattered by screaming.

Two small figures shot out of the door of Hagrid's hut, followed by a large black hound lumbering away. A loud voice could be heard inside before suddenly, the side wall blasted open, sending shards of wood in every direction. Harry was stunned as the giant groundskeeper picked himself up from where he had landed almost ten metres away from the hole his body had made in his own home.

Harry propped himself up on his knees as he noticed a black pillar of smoke leaking out of the massive hole.

A roar followed the smoke before a shot of flame thundered outwards through the gap. Immediately preceding the dark-brown scaled form of a dragon's head. Soon the long and slender neck followed as Hagrid stood groggily.

"Now Norbert. You settle down, you hear?" The large man said as the beast stalked towards him.

It had been solely focused on the man who Harry now noticed was nursing his left arm. But the sudden high-pitched screams of the previously happy students alerted it rapidly to the fact there were far more onlookers than just her initial target.

Harry shot to his feet and grabbed Hermione's hand, pulling her up. It was a sign of how frightened she was that she allowed the precious book Harry had given her for her birthday to simply tumble to the ground. The two ducked behind the tree, small as it was, hoping that it might block them from the view of the slinking dragon.

In the process, Harry got a good look at the beast. It was about nine feet long, and most of its scales were a deep brown colour, but for the spine where they turned to hard black ridges, indicating the type this must be. However, Harry's thoughts didn't drift much further than that as the beast swung around in circles, staring at the many tiny figures rushing away from it. Harry couldn't help but see the burning, bulging orange eyes.

"Norbert!" Hagrid warned, rushing forward only for the beast to lunge at him in return.

Harry felt his heart pounding as he watched the groundskeeper try to wrestle the animal as it snapped and snarled at him. Thankfully, Hagrid had managed to get his arms around the beast's neck, so he was now safe from the teeth. But it continued to scratch and scrape at him with its claws.

"Everybody get to cover!" Harry heard from over by the school itself. A swath of teachers were rushing out, all with their wands drawn.

Any students who had been in that direction were rushing into the stone building. But Harry and Hermione were out in the open apart from the tree they were hiding behind.

Harry's attention was drawn back to the battle as several bright bursts of flame shot out of the dragon's snout. The flames caught on the exterior of Hagrid's Hut that he had rammed the monster against, and soon the entire building was aflame.

While Harry was sure the arriving teachers could put it out with ease, they all seemed exclusively focused on the giant reptile for the moment.

"Stunners on my count. Hagrid, prepare to release it and step aside." Dumbledore said with authority. "Three, two, one."

Hagrid slammed the dragon one last time into the burning building, dazing the creature slightly as the countdown reached its end before he rolled away. As a unit, the teachers all fired at the dragon, most hitting as the beast struggled to right itself and face down the newest threat.

It was sluggish as it regained its feet and opened its mouth ready to roar or breathe fire at the teachers. But McGonagall, Flitwick and Dumbledore reacted faster, sending another three stunners down the creature's gullet.

The result was instant as the beast simply collapsed in place, its legs just dropping from underneath, leaving it quietly breathing in a heap on the now torn and smouldering grass. Several of the teachers broke away to deal with the inferno that had once been Hagrid's home, as the others approached the downed dragon with care. Ropes were conjured out of thin air, pinning the beast down and Harry felt relief for the first time in several minutes.

He turned to Hermione who immediately glomped onto him hard. Her breathing matched his own and he could feel her heartbeat hammering against his chest through their light shirts.

"That was so scary." She whispered into his ear.

Harry just nodded in agreement, holding her tighter.

They were close enough to hear a little of the conversation between the teachers as Hagrid explained to a rather unhappy Dumbledore about how he had won the egg from a man down the pub a few months earlier. The reprimand the man received from Professor McGonagall put anything she'd said to students to shame.

"Oh no," Hermione said, and Harry noticed where her gaze was focused.

He couldn't help the smile that formed as he realised Hermione was still every bit the girl he knew so well as she released the hug and rushed over to where the book had landed. Several of the pages were crumpled from landing open side down, but thankfully it was not muddy or damp.

"I'm going to have to ask Madam Pince if she can fix it. I'm so sorry, Harry."

Harry walked over to her and gave her another hug. "It's fine, Hermione. Like I said when I gave it to you, I thought you'd like it. I didn't give it to you because it's expensive."

Their attention was drawn back to the fracas as several sudden shouts went out and the Nurse was rushed over to the side of the still-smouldering house. The pair watched as the form of Draco Malfoy was pulled out from under the wooden rubble and quickly treated for the obvious burns on his face. Harry wondered what the boy had been doing so close to Hagrid's Hut, but for the moment, it seemed he would recover.

"Come on, Harry. Let's head inside. I've had enough fresh air and excitement for one day." Hermione said, gathering her things in her arms and making like so many of the other students heading for the castle.

It seemed the rare Scottish sun was no match for a dragon attack.

ϟ

"What do you mean he's going to be fired?" Hermione asked from her place beside Harry.

The two were sitting at the kitchen table, beside her parents as Harry's extended family sat opposite and Harry's dad was looking decidedly sombre.

"He knowingly brought a dragon into the school intending to hatch it," James explained. "He endangered everyone in the school. Weasley and Longbottom were inside with him at the time. Not to mention all the stink Malfoy is making over his son's injury."

"Well if the little rodent hadn't been spying at the window trying to get someone in trouble…" Sirius said.

"Padfoot," James said, in a chastising fashion.

"No, Prongs. Snape was just the same, trying to get Remus in trouble once he suspected."

"And you tricked him into trying to find his way into the Shack, I know. I stopped him."

Sirius put up his arms in his defence. "Hey! That was not my fault. How was I to know the idiot would try sneaking in during the full moon? What bloody moron thinks there is a werewolf in a building and actively seeks it out during its most dangerous time of the month?" Sirius defended.

"Enough. This isn't about you lot being idiots." Lily yelled, glancing at Remus who looked thoughtful. "Harry and Hermione were only a few dozen metres away during all of this. And Ridgebacks eat large mammals. Hagrid will be lucky not to end up in Azkaban for this level of negligence. Especially with Malfoy making such a fuss."

"I know what he did was bad, but come on Dad," Harry said, pleading. "You always said Hagrid was a nice bloke, if a bit… incautious when it comes to beasts. He doesn't realise that not everyone is as big as he is."

"I agree," Hermione said, backing Harry's position. "As scary as it was at the time, I don't want him to go to jail over this. Even Draco is back to normal already. Just a small burn scar on his right hand. Can't you do something?"

James gave a heavy sigh as the two children stared at him. "Oh alright, enough with the eyes. I like Hagrid, too. I'll see what, if anything, we can do, if only just to ruin Lucius's day. But I make no promises."

"That's the way Prongs. I've already got a few ideas in mind." Sirius said with a dangerous smirk.

"I don't think I want to know," Lily said, looking at the Grangers watching the discussion with interest. Hermione knew they had accepted that magic was real, but they were still coming to terms with the idea that a real live dragon had been so close to their daughter.

Lily turned back to the two children before she spoke again. "Are you two really alright?"

"Yes, mum," Harry replied, looking as if he was over being asked that question. "It was scary at the time, but we're fine."

"Yes, Mrs Potter," Hermione added. "Though I've been doing a bit more studying on protecting ourselves from dangerous creatures."

Hermione glanced at her parents who seemed busy watching James and Sirius discuss just how they might go about backing Hagrid in whatever proceedings were to come. Though she did notice that her mum was gently rubbing the slight bump on her belly throughout.

"I'm glad to hear it." Lily sighed. "I don't really want Hagrid in trouble. He was a good man when we were at Hogwarts. And he helped fight in the Order, as you know, Harry."

The boy nodded.

"Just promise me that you two will be careful. I'd really rather not have to explain to your parents that you've been hurt, Hermione."

The girl nodded, happy that Harry's family worried for her so much. She noted that the comment had drawn her mother's attention back to the matter at hand.

"We will."

"Of course you will. Or you'll be coming home for good." Natalie said.

"Mum."

"Don't mum me, Hermione. A dragon."

"It was only a few months old."

"It was a dragon!"

"We'll learn all about them eventually," Hermione mumbled, turning away from her mother.

This was turning out to be the weirdest Easter the family had ever had, but as she glanced up at Harry and he smiled at her, Hermione realised she wouldn't want it any other way.

ϟ

Harry watched Draco scowl at the giant man as Hagrid clomped his way to the front of the Great Hall. Draco's hair was far shorter, having not yet fully grown back, but otherwise, the boy had come away from the incident with almost no sign at all. He wondered if these events would discourage Draco from sticking his nose in where it wasn't wanted, but he highly doubted it.

Hagrid loudly took a seat at the front and the food suddenly appeared in front of everyone. Soon the hall was full of the usual excited chatter mixed with the sounds of eating, but Harry was surprised that the teachers had still not addressed the school over the dragon incident.

It was only due to his father's involvement that Harry knew Hagrid had been placed on probation and would be watched closely by the Ministry for the next year.

Partway through the meal, the large doors to the Hall opened again and all eyes watched as a group of rough-looking blokes walked to the teachers' table.

"Professor Dumbledore. Good to see you." The one at the front said.

"And you Michaels. How are you settling in Mr Weasley?"

Harry glanced at Hermione at the name before they both looked at the Twins who just smiled.

"Very well. It's a fascinating job. I hear you have an unruly one for us."

As if summoned by the statement, a loud roar sounded from outside. The dragon had been secured in a place where none of the students would be at risk, and the teachers had called in some experts it seemed.

"That will be her," Dumbledore said, standing. "Filius, would you accompany me?"

The diminutive professor nodded, joining Dumbledore and the group as they headed back down the hall, every eye still watching them.

The ginger-haired man that Dumbledore had spoken to trailed the group. He dropped three small letters on the table in front of Fred, Percy and Ron, giving them each a smile and hurrying to catch up to the others.

"Who was that?" Harry asked softly to George.

"Our older brother Charlie. He was our seeker last year." George replied.

"Seems he's heard of your prowess in his former position," Fred explained, reading the letter the man had left. "He's glad the team's in safe hands."

Ron did not look so pleased with his own letter, scrunching it up violently and tossing it into a pile of mashed potato in the middle of the table.

"Bad news Ronniekins?" George asked.

"Shut up." Ron scowled before returning to his meal.

"Mind your tongue, Mr Weasley." Professor McGonagall said from behind the unaware boy.

She flicked her wand and the letter emerged from the mash and landed next to Ron's plate. "You two shall be serving detention tomorrow night with Mr Hagrid. I trust you will learn your lesson from this one."

Ron did not turn, but the scowl on his face only deepened. Neville, sitting next to him, just nodded at the stern woman and turned back to his meal.

"Why would they have Hagrid taking detentions if he's on probation?" Hermione whispered to Harry.

He shrugged in reply, uncertain as to what many of these adults thought. Several more loud roars rang out, indicating where the experts were now. He hoped that they were here to take the dragon somewhere safe, and not to harm it.

"What does your brother do?" He asked the Twins, unsure he really wanted to know the answer.

"Charlie? Works at a dragon reserve in Romania." Fred explained.

"Mum doesn't like it. Thinks it's too dangerous." George added.

"And too far away."

"That too."

"So that lot he came in with?" Hermione asked.

"Head keeper and a round-up team. His letter says they're taking the dragon with them."

"Don't envy them that task," Fred said. "Would have been a lot easier back before he grew so big. Guess that's why they took almost a week to come by."

Harry nodded, glad that the dragon was not being disposed of simply for behaving in its natural fashion.

The roars fell off before disappearing entirely and Harry assumed that poor Norbert had been subdued for the trip off to Romania. Perhaps, when they were older, he might ask his parents if they could take a trip there during the summer. Maybe see Norbert again in their natural habitat instead of a school.

ϟ

Hermione was so fully focused on the exam planner that her mother had given her over Easter that she jumped when Harry prodded her shoulder. She had completely fallen into her mind over how best to prepare for the fast-approaching exams and hadn't realised that most of the other students had gone up to bed.

Apart from the rather obvious trio trying to sneak their way across the now mostly dark common room, she and Harry were alone in their little corner. Lit only by a couple of candles on their table that were charmed by Mrs Potter to only give light to those sitting at the table itself.

Hence why Longbottom, Weasley and Finnegan were creeping across the common room completely unaware that they were now being watched.

Harry had that same look he usually did when Weasley was being a bit of a git in front of him. And Hermione had to agree. Those two were obviously sneaking out again, but this time they had roped Seamus into going with them as well.

Hermione turned away from the 'creepers' as they ran into a table in the dark and stumbled over themselves. She looked at Harry directly and she knew he could see the question in her expression.

Should they try to stop them?

She was trying to weigh the possibilities herself, even while asking Harry's opinion. If they were caught, which seemed the more likely outcome as they crashed into a couch this time, Gryffindor would lose a lot of points again. Just like they had after the dragon incident a few months earlier thanks to the boys covering for Hagrid instead of reporting the dangerous XXXXX creature the man was raising in his flammable home surrounded by children.

However, these two were always getting up to trouble, and Hermione was sure that if they interfered now, they'd likely just 'go to bed' for a while and wait for her and Harry to fall asleep before trying to sneak out again.

Harry, it seemed, decided to take the decision out of her hands as he spoke up.

"Oi!" He said rather softly, but his sharp statement carried well in the dark abandoned room and all three of the boys jumped.

Harry tapped his wand on the side of the candle closest to him and the enchantment that Lily had placed on it receded allowing its light to become visible to anyone. Though the boys were too far across the wide room to be properly lit, they could now see her and Harry sitting there watching them.

"Oh, bugger off." Weasley moaned upon noting who was watching him.

"Please just go to bed," Neville asked, locking eyes with Harry. "This is important."

Ron continued to scowl in their direction. He had never forgiven them for reporting his bullying that had resulted in Hermione being nearly killed by a troll. Apparently, missing a single Quidditch match was tantamount to treason to Ronald Weasley, and so he still held a grudge against them.

Seamus just stared uncertainly between Harry and Neville. Seemingly unsure what was really going on here. Hermione guessed that he had either caught the other two trying to sneak out or had been cajoled to join them in some way.

But Neville had a look of steel in his eyes that Hermione rarely saw from the normally shy boy. Despite all the fame from the awfulness that had brought Neville his nickname, he tended to be quite soft-spoken and reserved. If not for the boy's friendship with Weasley, he might even be introverted to the point of silence. While his performance in most classes showed he was a talented wizard, the boy had a confidence issue that kept him from showing it unless called upon.

Tonight, though, Neville was determined.

"You'll get in trouble," Harry replied at last.

"Trust me," Neville replied, and a moment of silence passed as the two boys simply stared at one another across the room.

Harry seemed torn, though she doubted the others could tell. He both wanted to trust Neville's word that what they were off to do was important but also wanted to keep the house from losing points and keep the others out of trouble.

His eyes flicked back to her and Hermione found herself on the spot. She hadn't really considered matters while watching the interaction. She too wanted to speak up and keep them here. Gryffindor was on the verge of taking the House Cup this year, mostly thanks to her performance in class and Harry's performance on the Quidditch Pitch.

But if they were caught, these three could lose them a lot of points. Not to mention that whatever they were doing was probably dangerous if they felt the need to sneak off and do it in the middle of the night.

Matching Harry's gaze, Hermione sighed and gave a short nod.

Whatever the consequences, Neville had not actually asked for their trust before. He must truly believe whatever he was off to do was important.

"Alright. But if you aren't back in an hour, I'm getting McGonagall." Harry said, eyes locking on Neville yet again.

Weasley opened his mouth to reply, but Neville silenced the boy with a raised hand. "Deal. We're going to the third floor."

Hermione's eyes widened and she wanted to chime in herself at that. Professor Dumbledore had made it clear that the Third Floor Corridor was out of bounds. And very dangerous. This lot were up to something big.

"Noted," Harry said, nodding at Neville in that way boys often did when they agreed on something foolish.

"Harry." She hissed, voicing her disquiet with the idea in the single word.

"I trust Neville, Hermione. One hour, or I'll send the Fat Lady to McGonagall and tell her where you are." Harry finished.

Neville just nodded his acceptance and the three made their way across the rest of the common room. The small amount of light from Harry's candle allowed them to see clearly enough that none of them hit any more furniture on the way out.

Hermione tracked them the entire way and waited for the portrait hole to close before she turned on Harry.

"What are you doing? They could be killed!" Hermione snapped.

"Neville is serious about this Hermione. Whatever their reason is, he believes he must do this. I've never seen him so determined to do something before. We would not have stopped them. However…"

Harry trailed off and stood, leaving his things on the table he rushed up to his dormitory without another word, leaving Hermione sitting there unsure of what was happening. When he returned a minute later, she noted the familiar square of parchment in his hand and the knot of worry in her stomach loosened slightly.

"The Map?" She asked as Harry sat back down again.

He just nodded, tapping his candle again and switching its light back to a hidden state. He tapped the Map with his wand and gave the password. The thin lines spread out like always and before long, the pair were watching the progress of the wayward Gryffindors as they made their way down to the third floor.

"If they seem to be in trouble, I'll get someone immediately," Harry said as the trio made it to the fifth floor.

"Are you sure about this?" Hermione asked him, still nervous that their housemates were getting into trouble they were unprepared for.

Harry looked up at her and seemed to give the matter a lot of thought before he simply nodded and returned his gaze to the Map. It seemed they were not going to be getting any more studying done tonight.

Chapter Text

Harry eyed the Map closely as the three boys arrived at the forbidden third-floor corridor.

He wasn't sure if he was glad that they had made it unnoticed and that no one was anywhere nearby on the Map or not. While he didn't want his housemates to get in trouble, he also didn't want them to get hurt any more than Hermione did. Not even Ron.

It had only been about twenty minutes since they had left, having taken it quite cautiously on their way down. Yet now they were holding at the inner doorway of the corridor. Harry was left to wonder if they were having second thoughts of their own.

But as soon as that thought had come to him, Seamus and Ron rushed into the room together while Neville waited at the door.

Harry glanced at Hermione who was shrugging out of her heavy robe. He felt the oppressive warmth of the common room as well. It was no hotter or colder than normal. The house-elves were experts at keeping the fires at just the right temperature. But the pressure of knowing that those three were in danger added to the stress.

Harry dropped his eyes back to the Map and Ron and Seamus were still standing in the same place, side-by-side. Though neither appeared to be doing anything. Harry pinched the Map and their dots became bigger, and he could finally see a tiny frame on the Map itself.

Just as he was wondering what it could be, Seamus vanished off the Map and Harry pulled back in shock. A moment later, Ron vanished as well before Neville moved into the frame and disappeared as well.

Harry slapped his hand on the Map and practically shouted. "Find Neville Longbottom."

The sound echoed in the empty room and both he and Hermione cringed at the volume of his command. But they both returned their eyes to the parchment as Harry's hand came away. Underneath was Neville Longbottom's dot hovering in place like normal. Ron and Seamus were only a few feet away from him in a far deeper part of the castle.

It seemed the small frame had been some sort of trapdoor, which irked Harry even more. That meant that there were probably other ways into where the boys were now from one of the lower floors. Not that he wanted to worry about such things at the moment.

Harry ran his fingers gently along the edges of the Map and changed it from standard mode to informative mode. The three dots were now all a pale yellow, but Ron's suddenly became much brighter than the other two. It rapidly changed from slightly afraid into complete terror, and the others rapidly darkened as well.

"Harry?" Hermione hissed, worried about the colour change. What had happened down the trapdoor that had terrified all three of the boys?

He was about to stand when all three developed a purple ring around the yellow, indicating something had hurt them, but the yellow colouring began to fade to white on Neville and Seamus. Ron's was fading too, but it was taking longer than the others. And Seamus had a tinge of pale blue coming over his dot, which was sadness. Harry was very confused by what he was seeing.

While he could track their position with near-perfect accuracy using the Marauders' Map, it clearly wasn't a great tool for establishing what was happening at a location. Sure, Dumbledore paced in his office a lot, and whenever the Twins were on it they were up to something. But the lack of information otherwise had Harry worried.

He checked his watch and it had now been almost thirty minutes since he'd sent them off and given them an hour. Already they'd had something happen that had terrified them all. While they were all mostly back to normal now, except for the pale purple rings on all three, Harry wondered if he might not be best served getting someone now. Promise be damned.

"I told them an hour." He finally said softly to Hermione, who was still occasionally glancing at him curiously. "It has only been half that. But if something like that happens again, I'm getting a professor."

Hermione looked as if she wanted to argue, but she held her tongue and looked down at the parchment.

The three boys moved into the next room and they paused once again before Ron marched determinedly over to the other doorway. The red tinge of his dot indicated that he was embarrassed or angry about something, but the colouring was very pale, so Harry wasn't worried yet.

However, when Seamus and Ron started to move at a rapid pace within the room, he was startled. Both looked as if they were being tossed around by some massive monster, but as Hermione gasped loudly at the sight, something about it called a familiar feeling in Harry's gut.

He gave a deep sigh of relief as he realised that both boys were zooming about the room on brooms. Though he had no clue why.

"They're flying." He said, informing Hermione of what he now saw to be the obvious nature of their movement.

"Flying? What for?"

"I dunno," Harry replied, watching as the two dots weaved back and forth across the small space. Harry was very curious about what they had needed to fly for as well, but nothing on the Map gave him the slightest idea as to why they would be doing so.

The zooming continued unabated for almost five whole minutes and by the end, Ron was almost glowing a mixture of red and green. Excited at whatever had him flying during their little mission, but also angry that it was taking so long.

Harry was a bit worried when Ron seemed to slam into Seamus, with both coming to a sudden stop against a wall, but their light purple rings did not change at all, so they had not been further hurt in the collision. Both immediately soared straight for the doorway, with Neville zipping through and waiting on the other side as the two boys on brooms zoomed through and slid to a stop on the far side.

Neville stood at the door, his once again yellow tone slowly fading away while Ron and Seamus stayed still and slowly faded back to mostly white themselves, though both had a tinge of green left when all three finally stood back up again and moved forward into the large room in which they were now standing.

"Any ideas?" Hermione said, watching the same thing play out as Harry.

"Nothing." He replied, watching as the trio split once more, moving slightly further apart.

They were still standing in a straight line, with Seamus at the far left and Neville on Ron's right. All three were to the left of the wide room, but they were standing completely still.

Harry was beyond curious now.

The boys would occasionally move, but always in weird directions. Seamus would always move only forwards and sideways while Neville kept walking around diagonally. Ron was even stranger in his behaviour. It was like they were making their way through a weird maze or something. Occasionally had to backtrack as they moved, but rarely came together. What kind of maze required such an odd method of solving it?

And throughout, all three of them went through a variety of colours indicating fear, surprise, shock, embarrassment and excitement. All the while the thin purple ring they had each acquired upon first dropping down to this level got wider and wider as if something kept roughing them up.

After almost another ten minutes, Hermione finally gasped aloud.

"They are playing a board game." She said firmly and the odd movements finally made sense to Harry.

"Chess. They're playing a giant game of chess."

Hermione nodded excitedly, and Harry realised that, even though they did not know exactly what they were doing down there, they had both become somewhat caught up in the excitement of the boys' performance.

He smiled at his best friend and she matched the expression before they both looked back down and their faces fell in unison. Ron's purple ring thickened suddenly before his entire dot changed to white once more.

"Harry?" Hermione asked, and he knew she had not studied the colours as closely as he had.

The boys may have still had fifteen minutes before he'd told them he would fetch a professor, but Ron had just been hurt so badly he'd fallen unconscious.

"That's it," Harry said, standing and rushing for the portrait hole. "Excuse me."

The Fat Lady that guarded the Gryffindor common room was startled by Harry's appearance.

"What the devil, do you know what time it is, young man?"

"Yes. Three boys are in the third-floor corridor right now. Please send Professor McGonagall. One of them is hurt."

The Fat Lady was even more confused by his words. "One of them… Third-floor corridor? But that is off limits."

"Exactly. Please hurry."

"Harry!" Hermione's voice came from inside the common room, but he stayed in place, staring at the large woman.

"Now, please. One of them is injured. This is important." He stared up at the woman determinedly.

"If this is a joke, I will see to it that you get punished."

"My dads may be pranksters, but they would never joke about something like this, would they?"

Harry locked eyes with the painting, able to see the tiny imperfections that age had introduced to the paint and canvas.

"Fine. CADOGAN!" The Fat Lady shouted, the sound echoing down the hallway only to be matched by a clanking sound of armour approaching.

"Yes, milady?" A knight said, coming quickly to a halt in a painting on the wall nearby.

"Send Professor McGonagall and any other professors you encounter on the way to the third-floor corridor. Someone is hurt. Go now, do not get sidetracked, Sir."

Harry was amazed at the woman's intensity as she spoke with the knight, but the man just bowed and climbed atop his tiny pony and spurred it out of the frame.

"As for you," The Fat Lady said, turning back to Harry. "Back in the common room. You will wait up until Professor McGonagall arrives. I am sure she will have questions for you."

The woman's glare brooked no argument and Harry just nodded. He slipped back into the common room to find Hermione standing there holding the Map in her hands.

Harry waited until the frame closed behind him before he spoke. "What is it?"

"Neville and Seamus went on. They left Ron there and are now in the second to last room."

"The Fat Lady sent a knight to get the professors. He will have help soon." Harry said, stepping over to the couch with Hermione and sitting together in the middle of the room now, the glowing of the Map the only reason they were both still able to see what was going on.

As their two hands held the Map, the zoom shifted and a third dot became visible in the room beyond where the two boys were currently standing.

"Who is that?" Hermione asked, lifting the Map up. The two were very confused to see Professor Quirrell standing in the middle of the room deep in the bowels of the ancient castle.

"What is Quirrell doing down there?" Harry asked, but he was distracted as a now very red Neville dot slipped into the final room alone before it went bright orange instead. "Looks like Neville is surprised he's there too."

He placed his hand on the Map again. "Find Professor McGonagall."

The Map obeyed, rushing to reform and show their Head of House alongside Professors Sprout, Flitwick, and Snape, as well as Madam Pomfrey, rushing down the Third-floor corridor. They were nearly there. And they were all over the place colourwise. Some red, some orange, some blue, but a lot of yellow. They were all worried, and slightly angry for sure.

"Find Seamus Finnegan."

The Map reformed again, showing the Irish boy perched next to Ron. Ron was still white, meaning he had not regained consciousness. Seamus was mostly blue with his purple ring and a little bit of yellow as well.

The boy was probably sad about what had happened to his housemate and worried about what was happening with Neville. Though Harry had no idea why Seamus hadn't gone on with Neville into the final room.

"Find Neville Longbottom." He said one more time, flicking the Map back to the final room.

The two dots appeared once more, Neville still looking hurt and a mixture of surprise and fear suddenly giving way to a burst of sharp red.

"Wow. What is going on?" Hermione asked, noticing the sudden change in Neville's demeanour.

Harry, however, was focusing on Quirrell's dot. It was behaving very oddly. Most of the time it was white, occasionally tinting a pale red or blue-green colour. But every now and then it would go black and the name tag attached would shudder in a way Harry had never seen before.

"Something is wrong," Harry said, eyeing Quirrell suspiciously.

Black meant betrayal.

After all the stories of Peter Pettigrew, Harry had a serious issue with people who betrayed others. Friends that turned their backs on their friends. Allies that went back on their promises. In this, his fathers had definitely had the upper hand in influencing Harry's opinion growing up.

Learning about how Snape had betrayed Lily only further cemented Harry's distrust of anyone who might make the Map show them as black.

And now, Quirrell was flipping back and forth as he stood side-by-side with Neville in the middle of this room. What betrayal was the Defence Professor planning? And what was taking the other professors so long to arrive?

Unwilling to lose sight of Neville again with the flickering man beside him, Harry widened the zoom on the Map and saw the professors had arrived in the Chess room.

Madam Pomfrey was obviously tending to Ron, though he remained white. Seamus was now a deep blue colour, obviously being taken to task for being down there at all. But none of them seemed to be moving forward.

"Come on. Neville needs help." He said at the unmoving dots.

He flicked the zoom tight, narrowing the Map until only Neville and Quirrell were visible once more. Their dots were now much bigger, about the size of Harry's thumb. And whenever Quirrell's dot flickered, the label seemed to shift as well. But the Map could not clearly resolve what was wrong with the man.

Hermione was now silent beside Harry, clutching his arm tightly. They were both worried about what was happening. As before, the two figures were not moving, so they could not ascertain what was happening.

Neville's dot was now bright yellow. Terror had gripped the boy for some reason, but there was no way for Harry to indicate that the professors needed to move forward.

When Neville switched instantly from bright yellow to bright red, Quirrell lunged and the two dots tumbled across the room.

Hermione screamed in Harry's ear and he nearly dropped the Map at the sound. Most of Neville's dot was suddenly obscured by the purple ring, expanding until it left only a tiny piece of other colour within. A colour that switched between red, yellow and blue.

Neville was in serious pain right now.

"Come on…" Harry pushed through clenched teeth. The professors were all so close.

Suddenly, though, Quirrell's dot matched Neville before it went entirely purple and the two dots fell apart.

If Harry was confused as to what was happening before, he was now entirely flabbergasted. What had Neville done that had put Quirrell in so much pain?

Neville's dot moved over to Quirrell once more and the purple of both dots got deeper and deeper. Until Quirrell's nametag vanished entirely.

Harry was stunned.

Neville Longbottom had just killed Professor Quirrell.

That was the only reason why a name would entirely vanish from the Map.

But he was unable to focus on that for long. The dot that had been Quirrell had not vanished with the name tag, it had instead gone solid black and a new name tag was extending outwards from it. A name Harry had never seen before.

Tom Marvolo Riddle.

"What?" Harry asked at the same moment that Hermione whispered, "Who?"

They glanced at one another for a second before refocusing on the Map. Riddle suddenly rushed at the purple dot of Neville and Neville went white, falling unconscious just like Ron.

Riddle continued moving, zooming out the side of the Map right as another name entered the room. A bright yellow dot labelled Albus Dumbledore. The professors had finally made it to Neville.

Harry sagged as he dropped onto the couch once more. Tonight had been a rollercoaster, and they had only been watching on the Map. He could only imagine what Neville had been through.

Hermione snuggled closer to Harry and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. He needed her presence as much as she needed him right now. He was sure she would be giving him a talking to tomorrow, for having let the boys go and get into all of that trouble. Now two of them were unconscious, leaving poor Seamus to field questions from the professors.

And that thought spurred another in Harry's mind. The Fat Lady had instructed him to stay here until Professor McGonagall could come up and ask him some questions. She would be coming as soon as they were done downstairs.

"Hermione." He said softly, earning a curious moan in reply. "We need to figure out our story."

She looked up at him, curiosity blazing in her brown eyes.

"Well, I don't really want to show them the Map."

Hermione began to softly chuckle in Harry's arms and the moment finally broke the tension in the room as the pair began to laugh out loud. Their housemates may have been hurt, but they were still alive and being tended to by the professors.

Harry's warning had been just in time it seemed.

ϟ

Minerva McGonagall watched the boy closely.

He seemed tired, which was to be expected at nearly 2 am. And yet, he still had that fierce look in his eyes that she had so often seen in Lily and James. Mr Potter was keeping something from her about tonight's events.

"Mr Finnegan says that you told them all not to go." She finally said restarting the conversation.

Mr Potter did not turn away as he spoke. "I didn't want them to get into trouble. But Neville said it was important and that he needed me to trust him."

"Did they tell you where they were going?"

"Not at first. Not until I had already agreed to let them go. But eventually, yes. That's how I knew where to tell the Fat Lady to send you."

This was where the lie was hiding. Minerva had spent decades ferreting the truth out of students who wanted to keep their secrets. And she knew the signs that indicated blatant mistruth as well as she did hiding small insignificant things.

The Marauders had still kept more than their fair share from her over the years. And it seemed that Lupin, Black and the elder Potter had trained the boy well. She could not figure out what it was that Mr Potter was keeping from her, only that he was concealing something.

"You seemed remarkably well-informed of their progress for someone still in your common room throughout."

"Like I said, Neville told me where they were going. I gave them one hour before I would get a professor and tell on them. Their time ran out."

The young Potter remained defiant.

"You told the Fat Lady that one of the boys was injured."

"I made an educated guess. Professor Dumbledore singled out the third-floor corridor in his start-of-term speech. With all the magical ways of protecting something like that, I figured that if he felt the need to warn us explicitly it had to be something dangerous."

"You just sat there and waited for an hour?" Minerva asked, trying to allow Mr Potter to catch himself in a lie.

She knew from the numerous comments from the other Gryffindors that there was no way that Miss Granger hadn't been right beside him throughout. Her absence here was as big of a sign as anything that Mr Potter was hiding something tonight. Minerva had even spent a modicum of her free time sitting in the Gryffindor common room, as she liked to keep a direct eye on her students.

Somehow, despite being shown her form in their first class with her, none of the students ever noticed the silver tabby cat wandering amongst them as anything but another pet exploring the house.

Mr Potter and Miss Granger were nigh inseparable. The one time this year that she knew they had been apart, Miss Granger had nearly been attacked by a troll. Which had only reinforced the boy's desire to remain close to his friend.

"I tried to keep working on my exam prep. But I will admit it was hard to keep focused." Mr Potter lied.

There was no difficulty in spotting it this time. Minerva knew that Miss Granger held the key to whatever they were truly doing throughout, but the fact of the matter was it didn't truly matter.

Potter may have covered for the boys for a time, but he had sounded the alarm in time for her and the other professors to find the boys alive. If somewhat worse for wear. Mr Finnegan had somehow managed to burn all three of them. Most likely trying to get free of the Devil's Snare Pomona had used. Which would explain why so little of it had been in place when they had descended into the lower levels.

Minerva felt somewhat guilty as most of the damage seemed to have come from her chess set. Ronald Weasley had been knocked unconscious playing the game and Finnegan and Longbottom also bore significant bruises from the game.

The most terrifying moment had been Albus's assertion that he had witnessed the spirit of You-Know-Who rush through Mr Longbottom and disappear through the wall. She tried not to shudder at the very thought that he not only survived but was still going after Longbottom.

There was also the guilt she felt at not arguing harder with Albus over keeping the blasted Stone in the school at all. This was a place of learning, not somewhere to keep ancient artefacts for his friends. Regardless of Hogwarts's history of being safe against intrusion. There were children here. Children they were supposed to protect.

She eyed Mr Potter for a moment and was still impressed at his ability not to cave under pressure. While she wished he would be open and honest with her, she had to admit his resilience was stirring.

"Very well. As you do not wish to be fully honest with me, I am afraid I must capitulate to Professor Snape's insistence. Four students from Gryffindor House were outside the common room after curfew. Twenty-five points shall be taken from each of you for the rule-breaking."

Mr Potter was clearly upset at the point loss. He and his friend had done a wonderful job earning points for their house throughout the school year. And Gryffindor had been poised to beat Slytherin for the first time since 1985. With this loss, it would take something pretty significant to put Gryffindor back over the line in the couple of weeks remaining of the term. Especially with most classes already sitting their exams, meaning most classes were pretty much finished for the year.

"I will not, however, be penalising in the other manner that he suggested. As you only set foot outside the common room to summon aid for your housemates, you will not be suspended from this weekend's match. I expect you to do your utmost to earn back the points lost here tonight, Mr Potter."

The lad perked back up at the idea.

"After last year, I want that Cup back in my office, do you understand?" Minerva said, allowing some of her favouritism for her house to shine through.

Slytherin had flattened them in the sport the year before. And Severus had been unbearable about it, right up until Mr Potter had joined the Gryffindor team. The devastating defeat her team had dealt his snakes earlier in the year had felt so good. This was why Severus had suggested the suspension for Potter's 'indiscretion' this morning. If Ravenclaw defeated them this weekend, Slytherin could take both Cups again.

"Now off to bed with you. And no more excursions about the school after curfew." She said, once more trying not to smirk at the memory of catching Potter and Granger in her office altering the Christmas list.

Minerva hated to admit it, but she definitely allowed the lions a lot of leeway when they allowed her to seem impartial. But it filled her with joy to see them stretch their boundaries and test the rules. To watch them grow in real-time in front of her eyes.

ϟ

Hermione ached.

That had been the hardest training session that she had ever seen. Harry in particular had been giving it his all, and trying to keep up with him throughout had been harder than she had expected. And while her attention was focused on Harry throughout, it certainly sounded like Wood had been putting the others through hell as well.

It had taken Fred, George and Angelina pulling him up and telling him enough was enough to end the practice. They had argued that the game was tomorrow and if they kept this pace up, they would all be too exhausted or injured to actually play. As it was, Alicia had needed a trip to the infirmary to treat a few bludger bruises.

Hermione was very glad she had refused Wood's offer to officially join the team. He was obsessed with their chances of winning the Cup tomorrow. As matters stood now, thanks to strong games by some of the other teams against one another, they needed to win by at least seventy points to take it.

Harry had been reminded of that many times during the practice. He was to play defence on the snitch tomorrow so long as they were under that margin.

It was no wonder he was simply lying back enjoying the sun on his face now.

As with the last time they had taken a small picnic outside, the house-elves in the kitchens had been all too happy to provide an overflowing basket full of goodies for them to enjoy. While it still made Hermione uncomfortable with how eager the elves were to help, she knew that ignoring their will in the matter would be just as rude as ignoring the problem altogether.

She was looking forward to discussing the matter with Mrs Potter over the coming holiday. The elder muggleborn had welcomed her curiosity in the mail they had exchanged, but it was difficult to have a proper conversation that way. While Hermione knew Harry would happily allow her to dominate his mirror to speak with Lily directly any time she liked, Hermione had decided to wait and do so in person.

They had enough to worry about right now with the remaining exams, tomorrow's match and the missing members of their house.

"Do you think that they're ok?" She asked, seemingly out of nowhere, but she knew Harry had been expecting it from her for a while.

"Seamus and Ron seem to be. Both of them were asleep in the dorm this morning when I woke up." Harry said, not turning or opening his eyes at all. Still just enjoying the direct sunlight on his face.

"Why didn't you mention it?"

Harry shrugged. "Thanks to Wood rousing us at the crack of dawn, I was focused on the practice. And they were both asleep, so it's not like I could ask them anything."

Hermione wanted to ask about Neville as well, but she knew from what Harry had just told her that he had no more information on their other housemate than she did. If he hadn't spoken to the others, how could he know more?

Harry chuckled softly to himself and she knew he was finding her desire to ask, and the fact that she hadn't, amusing.

"Shush you," Hermione said, blushing slightly at how predictable she was to those who knew her well.

"We can try going up to the infirmary after this if you like. Check in on him." Harry offered, rolling onto his stomach and looking up at her.

When Hermione laid on her back like this, her thick bushy hair acted like a pillow, keeping her head raised higher than Harry's would. So she could look straight into his eyes without looking down uncomfortably.

"Do you think they will be upset with us?"

Harry shrugged, which, with his arms supporting his upper body, mostly looked like his head dipping a little lower to the ground rather than his shoulders rising.

"Probably." He said, looking away.

Hermione knew that Harry felt bad that any of them had been hurt before he had acted. Harry tended to pull responsibility for things that weren't always his fault. Usually to cover for someone else who had misbehaved. Harry knew his parents would never discipline him too harshly, so had often covered for Sirius or herself when they'd sprung a prank that had gone sideways.

Here he was blaming himself for the injuries the other boys had sustained while breaking curfew even after he had warned them not to. Harry cared a lot more than most people thought he did, but he couldn't hide his feelings from her, not after so long.

"It's not your fault, Harry. You told them not to go."

"I should have done something to stop them. Neville would be awake now if I had."

Hermione slid her hand over the small blanket they were both lying on and touched his hand softly. Harry's eyes swung to their hands and then back up to her eyes.

"It is not your fault."

He gave a short chortle. "I know. Doesn't make me feel any better though."

"If Wood hadn't driven us all so hard, I would suggest we go flying. Take your mind off things." Hermione said, getting a cheeky look from Harry.

"You know we can't do that. First years are only allowed to fly during lessons or Quidditch practice."

"So?" Hermione replied. Biting her lip as she did when she was planning to do something naughty.

"Thanks, but you're right. I'm too exhausted to fly right now. And I wouldn't want to get caught and be unable to play tomorrow. Professor McGonagall made it clear she expected a win."

Hermione shook her head. The transfiguration professor was her favourite so far. She was strict, but the subject was so fascinating. And the woman had a deep and complete grasp of her chosen form of magic.

But to outright tell a student in trouble that forgiveness came through winning a sporting event… Hermione had wanted to give the woman a piece of her mind. Harry has stopped her, of course. Knowing it would only lead to more trouble.

"I still can not believe she said that to you."

Harry shrugged again. It was not like he wanted to lose, so the request wasn't a hardship. Yet, it still felt unprofessional as a way to deal with rule-breaking. Especially something as simple as stepping outside the common room to summon aid for others.

"Come on," Harry said, standing up and offering her a hand.

"Where?"

"Down to the lake. We can skip stones or something. Anything to get our minds off of last night or tomorrow. I don't want to think right now."

Hermione smiled up at Harry and allowed him to haul her to her feet. He was right, it would be nice to just switch off for a little bit and allow fun to take them over.

"Lead the way."

Chapter Text

Harry was feeling it today. The game had started at 9 am, like usual. But had continued for over four hours now. Four hours of hard, gruelling unending competition.

He had to admit, he was somewhat grateful for Oliver's rabid training schedule over the past few weeks. While it had left him little time for studying for the exams, it had prepared Harry for the gruelling fight that was occurring today.

Ravenclaw was apparently fielding an almost new team this year. The only players still on their team from the year before were Roger Davies, who had been a chaser substitute last year. Duncan Inglebee, a fourth-year who had continued in his role as a beater. And their captain, Ryan Westrup.

It had taken their team some time to come together as a cohesive unit. They had lost rather soundly to Hufflepuff in their first match back in November but had shown improvement by their next match in February against Slytherin. Since those early matches, the team had done a lot of drilling to become a working unit, and the effort was showing.

For every two goals that the Gryffindor girls were putting away past Page, the Ravenclaws were almost always gaining one of their own. Wood had done an excellent job blocking most of their shots on goal, but the margin was still too small. They still only held a fifty-point lead in the match, even after hours of play.

So while most of the struggle for the team had come from Davies, Stretton and Burrow, the three chasers, Harry was having his own struggle keeping Westrup from grabbing the snitch.

Westrup was only on a Comet Two Sixty, the best broom that the Ravenclaw team had, but he was definitely a talented flyer. Even with Harry's Nimbus, he was finding it difficult to keep Ryan from grabbing the snitch when it would pop up periodically. It was as if the snitch knew Harry had conditions he had to follow before he was allowed to grab it today. It was practically taunting him. And had repeatedly forced him to race Westrup and figure out some way to keep the other boy from capturing it. Which was extremely hard to do without giving away a foul in the process.

Harry was confident that Wood could block most easy shots on goal like that, but he was reluctant to give them away.

He had long since fallen into the zone where the crowd fell away. Nothing but a dull roaring sound in his ears. Not even the cheering voices of his parents made it through the miasma anymore. His attention was narrowed to keeping an eye for that golden glint and making sure that Westrup didn't get there before him.

Never before had Harry needed to play this defensively, and it felt so wrong. So many times he could have taken the snitch from right in front of one of the other players. Seven times he could have had it in front of Westrup. But if he caught the snitch now, they would lose the Cup.

And there was the House Cup to consider as well.

The margin of the goals in each match would be awarded to the winning team throughout the year. Harry had taken the snitch relatively early in the matches against Slytherin and Hufflepuff, unfortunately preventing the Gryffindor chasers from gaining some solid margins in those early matches to bolster their house points. However, they'd endured some significant point losses across the year as well. Mostly thanks to Snape's rampant abuse of the system and Weasley getting himself and Neville in trouble. The Twins had lost a solid number as well, but they made them up again in class as well as here on the pitch.

But as things stood now, if Gryffindor won this match by seventy points, they would win the Quidditch Cup, but probably lose the House Cup. And Harry was feeling greedy.

The dull roar in his ears peaked again, celebrating another successful goal by the girls, and Harry smiled as the margin continued to grow. Only one more goal was needed now to take the Cup, so long as Wood could keep the Ravenclaw chasers from keeping their pattern. Which he had managed several times, hence their lead.

But the longer the match continued, the more unforced errors were occurring. Everyone up here was getting tired. While Harry had spent an entire day flying before, he had ached so badly for almost a week afterwards. His legs had felt like they were seizing up, his back had been sore, and his parents had refused to brew him a pain potion. Insisting it would be a good reminder as to why moderation was important.

Stretton had nearly taken a bludger to the face a few minutes earlier when he had failed to see it coming straight at him, fired off by Fred.

Hunger was also making itself known. Most of the team took rather small breakfast meals on the day of a match, to remain light in the stomach in case something happened during the game. But they were now playing into the early afternoon. Adrenaline only kept hunger at bay for so long.

The energy levels of everyone on the pitch were going to start plummeting soon, and Harry worried about what might happen in such a situation. While both teams did have a handful of substitute players, neither had worked them into the main lineup during practices or matches. They were new blood, and this situation needed the team's most skilled players.

Harry's wandering thoughts were pulled back to now as he saw Westrup pass in front of him again. The other seeker was moving as if chasing the snitch off to the west of the pitch, but Harry ignored the move as he could currently see the snitch circling the southeast tower stand.

Ryan was obviously trying to kite Harry into following him in a feint of some kind, heading in the direction of the girls who were currently making another run on goal down the west flank of the pitch.

Harry debated it for a moment. He wanted to allow the girls to gain a stronger lead than what they needed for the Quidditch Cup. He really wanted to allow them to put down another three or four goals, to help cover the points he lost for stepping outside of the common room to summon McGonagall.

But if they scored now, he knew the exact location of the snitch and Westrup was flying the wrong way.

Harry turned to watch the goal attempt, noticing that the three Gryffindor girls were still flying in harmony, whistling their moves as they passed the quaffle back and forth on approach. Even after hours of playtime, the three girls still worked as a singular unit when attacking. It was impressive to watch, and Harry knew that Katie would be holding onto her starting position for several years to come.

George was flying alongside them acting as a physical barrier to Davies and Burrow who were trying to muscle in on the girls' path, while Fred had gotten ahead by the goalposts and was readying a strike on an incoming bludger that Inglebee had incidentally sent that way.

Harry knew his team was looking fatigued. They were still playing strong, but they weren't going to remain so for much longer. Not that the Ravenclaws looked much better, but Harry knew this match needed to end soon or someone was going to fall from their broom exhausted. He didn't think Wood was ready to call in a substitute anytime soon. He wanted this win too badly after the thrashing Gryffindor had received from Slytherin the year before.

Trusting the girls, Harry turned again and shot down the pitch. The Nimbus sang underneath him as he coaxed its full speed, roaring down the pitch in the opposite direction to all the action that the crowd was focused on.

He immediately clocked the snitch, still orbiting the same tower it had been hovering around for the last two minutes. If the girls put this goal away, Harry needed to take the snitch fast before the other players noted his actions and got in the way. The snitch always seemed to know when someone was actively out to grab it, and it would put up a strong defence.

Harry's shoulders were beginning to ache with how hard he was holding onto the narrow handle of his broom. And no cushioning charm was strong enough to keep a cramp from creeping up on you after so long on a broom like this.

The crowd surged and Harry heard Lee Jordan narrate the scores. Gryffindor had its seventy-point lead. And as much as he wished they could stretch that further first, it felt like it was now or never.

Of course, the snitch seemed to sense that desperation too, and the moment he came close to the tower, it zoomed west, diving towards the grassy surface of the pitch. Harry matched its change of direction and began slowly pulling it in. The snitch was not trying to lose him by swerving, instead maintaining a steady curve back towards the Ravenclaw goal and all the other players. It was relying fully on speed as it shot only a metre above the pitch. And against any other broom, it might have been a solid technique to lose a chasing seeker.

Harry hunkered down even lower and he could hear the crowd's noise change as more and more of them became aware of his chase. It was a sound he was becoming very familiar with.

Beyond the snitch, Harry could see that Westrup had also clocked his movement and was now coming down the pitch hoping to cut off the snitch and snare it before Harry could.

He urged more speed from his broom, feeling the stabilising spells beginning to rebel against the magic he was pushing into the broom. Forcing the enchantments within the wood to exceed their usual limits. A talent Harry had learned from his father. It would allow for a brief speed boost but at the cost of stability.

Ryan was now on the deck of the pitch as well shooting in Harry's direction on his Comet. Harry could feel the distance between them and he knew it was going to be close, but he also knew he was closer. The snitch could not outrun him and as he came within a metre of the tiny golden ball, he took his right hand from the broom and stretched forward.

Closer and closer he came to the shimmering ball, the sound of its vibrating wings now audible even over the sounds of the crowd and the wind. Harry raised his arm slightly tracing the snitch as it began to wiggle in the air. A movement that so often preceded a proper direction change from the tiny ball.

He would not allow it to do so.

His focus narrowed entirely to the ball, ignoring the approaching seeker, the crowd, the wind, and everything else around him. Harry's vision seemed to darken, only leaving his arm and the golden snitch. All else in his line of sight ceased to register in his brain as Harry forced himself to see only the goal in front of him.

He snapped his fingers closed and he could feel the gold beneath his index and middle finger. He had only just managed to grab over the curve of the top of the minute ball and his closing fingers pulled it inwards to his hand, coming to rest firmly in his palm.

Harry's attention widened again as he leaned back up on his broom only to see Ryan Westrup right there. Arm also extended, but he did not have the ball. Harry had won, but neither seeker had anywhere to go.

The collision was painful.

Without the many protective enchantments on their quidditch robes and armour, Harry was sure that the more than hundred-mile-an-hour impact would have likely killed one of the two of them. Instead, he felt several bones in his chest break under the impact as he came free of his Nimbus and soared over Westrup.

Harry tumbled through the air for a moment before he came back down and the pain in his chest and shoulder worsened as he hit the pitch and began to tumble through the thick charms on the grass that slowed him far quicker than he normally would have.

When he finally came to a halt, lying on his back on the pitch, he couldn't feel anything but the throbbing pain filling his torso. Harry could barely catch his breath against the sharp agony. He'd fallen off a broom before, and he had run into a tree at top speed on his old Cleansweep when messing about chasing Padfoot through the trees, but this was by far the most painful thing Harry had ever experienced on a broom.

He gasped at the air, trying to pull it in as his chest rebelled against the natural motion, but it was not long before he was surrounded by faces in every direction. After spending so long in motion, Harry's vision did not want to settle and he could not fix his eyes on anyone's face. His gaze kept skipping back and forth, like when you got too dizzy, and all he could hear was the worried muttering and screams coming from all around.

His grip on the still struggling golden ball in his right hand tightened as another hand closed around his. Finally, Harry's eyes found something they could focus on as he gazed up at the wide bush of hair to his right.

He smiled up at his best friend, perched beside him holding his hand as the adults worried about his injuries.

Harry felt a bit of the pain reduced and he gave Hermione a soft smile.

"We won." He said, before promptly falling unconscious.

ϟ

Sirius Black was worried. Though he was certainly not the only one.

James and Lily were standing side by side at the end of the infirmary bed. A place he and his mates had often visited over their years in the school. Lily was leaning back into James's chest as the two parents watched their son lying in the bed and there was none of that usual joy on their faces that Sirius remembered from his other visits after their own tomfoolery.

Hermione was on Harry's right, still holding the hand that clenched tight around the occasionally fluttering snitch. She had been just as impossible to move as the snitch, which was enchanted against forcible removal. A feature designed to aid in proving which seeker had caught the little blighter after a 1400s match where one seeker had tried to claim victory after prising the snitch free of the opposing seeker's hand.

The little girl had remained steadfastly attached to Harry while Poppy had fixed up Harry's injuries, shifting out of the way when required, but never once letting Harry out of her grasp.

Sirius sat on the opposite side, gently holding Harry's left hand. Though he had moved more readily when Poppy needed access to the lad on the bed.

He had seen Harry hurt before. Sirius had been responsible for more than a few of the injuries the boy had acquired over the years. With his habit of causing mischief and mayhem around the Potter house. But Harry had never been out for this long before.

It was approaching dinner time and he still had not woken after the impact on the Quidditch Pitch.

The sound of it had been horrible, even from way up in the stands. The two boys collided at such speed… Sirius would not be shaking that image for a long time.

Harry had taken the brunt of the impact. He had been travelling the fastest and being four years younger than Westrup, much smaller. His mass had been battered aside by Westrup who had managed to hold onto his broom as it pitched down thanks to the collision and ploughed into the pitch, launching him off in the other direction.

Watching Harry arc through the air, sans broom had nearly stopped Sirius's heart.

He loved Harry Potter with his entire soul. He always had. From the very first moment that James had put the little boy into his arms. Seeing him hurting was not something Sirius liked or ever wanted to become used to.

Yet this was the second time Harry had found himself in the hospital wing after a match.

His rapid capture of the snitch against Hufflepuff had not allowed any real hardships to occur during that game. Only seventeen minutes of gameplay and five goals had been scored that day. Harry had hopped off his broom and enjoyed the celebration without a care in the world. And while the bludger attack in the Slytherin match had been rough to see happen, Harry had been right as rain within minutes once they got him up to Poppy.

But today, he just would not wake.

Poppy had healed his numerous broken bones quickly and administered several pain potions and bruise salves. Harry was going to be sore when he woke up, Sirius was sure of that. Apparently, the impact had bruised both of his lungs. And it was very hard to apply a bruise paste inside his chest. Poppy had cast a few spells that would help, and yet their little boy continued to sleep.

Sirius had seen Harry hurt more times than he could count. Usually little things like cuts and bruises. The sort that little boys were magnets for. Mischievous ones like the son of James Potter all the more so. Harry was always so eager to be involved in Sirius's plans, and it wasn't unusual for something to go wrong or for a small injury to occur. But afterwards, Harry would always be sitting there smiling at him. Or hiding a smirk as they were given a good talking-to by Lily.

His unconscious face now was what so worried Sirius. Even when Harry had flown full speed into a tree by accident chasing him through the forest they so often went flying in, he hadn't been so unresponsive. Harry had only blacked out for a minute before he came too and Sirius carefully walked him home again. That had been the closest Sirius had ever been to the feeling he had now. Worrying whether Harry was going to open his eyes again.

"Minerva has prepared a couple of rooms for us," Remus said, returning to the hospital wing. "Given none of us seem willing to leave."

Those who didn't know them well would think Remus was barely affected by seeing Harry like this. But Remus had always been the one who kept his head in rough situations. The werewolf was often able to talk their way out of situations they had stirred up without so much as a point loss. He could keep a straight face better than any of them, and yet Sirius knew Remus was worried too. But there was a reason he was Uncle Remus and Sirius was often called dad right beside James. Ever since the night of that attack on the Longbottoms, Sirius had lived with the Potters.

Sure, he still owned an apartment of his own in London. He would even use it whenever he hooked up with a dishy bird. He never wanted a repeat of the night where he brought a one-night stand to the Potter home and had her on the couch. Lily had been livid.

Sirius supposed he was lucky Harry had slept through those events.

He could still remember the first time that Harry had looked up at him and said the word dad. A mistake brought on by a child's mind being unable to discern father from godfather. A shock, but one that only made Sirius adore James's son as if he were Sirius's own flesh and blood.

"Thank you, Remus," Lily said softly.

After Moony, she was usually the most stoic of them. She could hide her feelings better than the rest of them thanks to growing up in the muggle world and having had to conceal her magic. Like Hermione, she had met a magical boy who had clued her in to her talent before the Hogwarts letters had gone out. Although hers had been a total turd, Lily had spent several years covering up her skills before the magical world finally reached out. But even with her talent, Sirius could hear the worry in her voice.

Sirius glanced over at the rest of the Marauders, standing there at the end of the bed looking as solemn as he felt when he heard a sound flittering up into the air above the hospital bed.

The golden snitch was soaring freely above the bed and Hermione had leaned right down staring at Harry from only inches away.

"Harry?"

The boy blinked a few times before his eyes seemed to focus on Hermione's face. "Hey. Ouch."

Sirius felt the hand in his grip moving as Harry tested his body now that he had finally awoken, and the feeling of those fingers moving finally broke his worry and allowed Sirius to begin relaxing once more.

"Oh, wow. My chest hurts so bad."

"You bruised your lungs," James said simply, having taken his own fair share of bumps and bruises during Quidditch.

Harry gave a cheeky smirk to his father as he replied. "But we got the snitch. We were up seventy weren't we?" He asked and Sirius couldn't help but smile at the little bugger. Just woken up after hours unconscious and he asks if they won the Cup.

"You are a reckless fool, Harry Potter!" Hermione said, her normally jovial face going dark and sinister in a moment.

Sirius was taken aback by the suddenness of it, but Harry had seemed to expect it.

"Hey, it wasn't my fault. I had the snitch, Ryan knew it. He should have swerved instead of flying into me at full speed."

"He's got a point, that was my fault," Westrup said from a few beds down where he too was recovering from the collision. His injuries had been far less severe than Harry's but both were being kept overnight regardless.

"No one cares whose fault it was," Lily said. "We worry about you, Harry. That was reckless."

"We won?" Harry refuted. "And I'm fine. A little sore, but I'm sure Madam Pomfrey fixed me right up."

"That's not the point Harry," Remus said. "How do you think we all felt watching that happen? How do you think Hermione felt?"

Sirius tried not to smile at that. Remus knew Harry just as well as the rest of them and the way Harry's eyes immediately tracked to the tear marks on Hermione's face… the tears she had shed silently while sitting by his side. Hermione didn't want them all to see her cry over this, but the signs had leaked out anyway.

Hurting Hermione was one thing Harry had never tolerated. Sirius had learned that very early in the kids' friendship. Harry had punished him severely for the stunning incident, even though Padfoot had been the one hit with a spell on that occasion and his reckless energy had revealed Hermione's magic to them all.

He was always careful with pranks that involved the girl. Harry could be vicious in retaliation if she was upset. It was adorable to see, so long as it wasn't aimed at you.

"I'm sorry."

"Twice now," Hermione said softly, clearly trying to keep her emotions in check. "This game is dangerous."

"I know," Harry said, eyes dropping away from Hermione's face and flicking to his parents at the end of the bed. "I'll try to be more careful."

James and Lily smiled at him.

"No more putting your body on the line to catch the snitch. Got it?" James asked.

While he had mostly played chaser in their time at Hogwarts, James had subbed in as seeker on a couple of matches. He lacked Harry's natural talent for the position, but James had a 2/1 catch rate in the few matches he had played that role.

Sirius, after years of experience helping Harry plan his mischief, could see the signs in the boy of what he was about to say.

"But we did win though."

Sirius could no longer contain himself and he broke out laughing at Harry's behaviour. He was a complete melting pot of his parents, Sirius and Remus. With Hermione and the Grangers thrown in to boot. He was studious, intelligent, fiercely determined, cheeky to a fault, unerringly loyal, and brave as they came. He would stand up to anyone who made a friend cry, no matter their size. He would stare down his parents if he believed they were being unreasonable. And he had a sense of humour a mile wide. The cheeky little beggar.

"Yes, Harry. Gryffindor wins." Hermione said, the tears once more stoppered and a resigned look on her face.

Sirius knew those two would be having a long chat about Harry's injury, but Sirius couldn't remain upset at his performance. He was awake. Harry was ok. A bit sore, but alive and still Harry through and through.

Only Lily and Hermione could make Harry feel true remorse for things he thought he was justified in doing. And Sirius was certain Harry would be sending an apology letter home within a week.

"Alright," Poppy said from over Sirius's shoulder. "I've given you plenty of time. Clear out of the way and let me check him over."

Sirius was roughly manhandled out of the way and Remus grabbed him by the sleeve, pulling him over to join his friends as Poppy descended, wand in motion as she checked over Harry from top to bottom.

Hermione was allowed to remain attached throughout, but Sirius had to watch from the end of the bed now. The snitch was still orbiting Harry's bed as the matron fussed and cast away.

But the important thing was Harry was going to be ok.

ϟ

Harry was being discharged. Hermione was being kept outside for the moment so that she did not distract him from getting changed and gathering his belongings.

But Madam Pomfrey had wandered off to allow Professor Dumbledore in a few minutes ago which had left Harry and Ryan chatting together instead.

Harry bore no grudge against the older boy for the accident. He was terribly competitive himself and understood Ryan's desire to nab the snitch from in front of Harry at the last possible moment. While his chest did still hurt, the pain relief potion was mostly covering that now.

"You know that we're going to win it next year, right?" Ryan asked, adjusting his robes on his shoulders. "Now that the team is cohesive. We're going to win."

"Best of luck, Ryan. I'll be there to catch the snitch even if you do." Harry said cheekily.

He did currently have a one hundred percent catch record. And with the human bludgers that were the Weasley Twins watching the backs of him and the girls, Gryffindor was a solid team as well. With Oliver returning as Captain again next year, there was no way that Gryffindor wasn't going to be drilling hard in an attempt to hold onto the Cup.

"I'd say you're just being cheeky, but with your record…" Westrup replied, grabbing his wand off the side table when both he and Harry froze.

"SIR! The Stone! It was Quirrell! He's got the Stone! Sir, quick—" Neville's raised voice came echoing from further down the hospital wing.

Harry and Ryan glanced at one another as they heard another voice, probably the Headmaster quieting Neville. Though Harry couldn't make out the exact words from their present distance. Though it was certainly nice to hear Neville's voice again indicating the boy had finally woken up.

"But sir, the Stone…" Neville said again getting frustrated that the Headmaster didn't seem to be paying attention to what he was saying.

A moment of pause settled between the two boys before they seemed to come to the same agreement. Quietly, they shuffled further down the hospital wing, getting closer to the voices. Harry wasn't normally one for eavesdropping but in this case… He had followed Neville's exploits rather closely the other night, and he was beyond curious as to what had actually happened down there.

"... I feared I might be too late." The Headmaster said, a tone of concern in his voice.

"You nearly were," Neville said, much softer than the last few times Harry had heard his voice. "I couldn't have kept him off the Stone much longer—"

"Not the Stone, boy, you," Dumbledore said firmly. "The effort involved nearly killed you. For one terrible moment there, I was afraid it had. As for the Stone, it has been destroyed."

Harry was surprised and disappointed in himself when he heard that. Neville had nearly died and all he had done was tell a painting to send help. He should have tried harder to keep Neville from going. Or gone with him and helped.

Instead, someone Harry considered a friend had spent three days recovering in the hospital wing because Harry had allowed himself to be talked around. Harry's parents had been worried when he wouldn't wake up after only a few hours. But Neville had been out of it since the night it all happened.

Ryan startled Harry out of his thoughts when he placed his hand on Harry's shoulder. "You good Potter?"

Harry smiled at him wryly. "Yeah." He whispered back before turning his attention back to the other conversation.

"You know, the Stone was really not such a wonderful thing. As much money and life as you could want! The two things human beings would choose above all — the trouble is humans do have a knack for choosing precisely those things that are worst for them."

It was certainly an interesting idea about humanity, though Harry was unsure what Stone the pair were referring to. The only capital S stone he knew of was linked to his own family lineage, but that Stone had been lost for centuries and it only brought death. It didn't give life or money. It was a test for humanity that most people failed horribly. He was sure that the moment he told Hermione about all of this she would have a theory and they'd be off on a research binge that would run out the remainder of the term once they finished their last exam tomorrow. The idea brought a smile to his face, and he wondered how she was doing outside the infirmary, waiting for him to leave.

"Sir?" Neville said softly, drawing Harry's attention once more. "I've been thinking… sir — even if the Stone's gone, Vol —, I mean, You-Know-Who—"

"Call him Voldemort, Neville." Professor Dumbledore interrupted. "Always use the proper name for things. Fear of a name only ever increases fear of the thing itself."

"Yes, sir. Well, Voldemort's going to try other ways of coming back, isn't he? I mean, he hasn't gone, has he?"

"No, Neville, he has not. He is still out there somewhere, perhaps looking for another body to share… not being truly alive, he cannot be killed. He left Quirrell to die; he shows just as little mercy to his followers as his enemies."

Harry froze again at this, his mind replaying the moments he had witnessed on the Marauders' Map.

Neville and Quirrell had been struggling, and then Quirrell had disappeared, being replaced by Tom Marvolo Riddle. But from what Neville and Professor Dumbledore had just been saying, the thing possessing Professor Quirrell had been Voldemort.

The Dark Lord who could have chosen to murder Harry that night was alive. And Neville had just fought him. Harry felt a fear like nothing before gripping his entire body. He was worried for his friend, one who had just endured a horrible ordeal by the sounds of things. But he was also worried for himself. His family.

The Potters had both stood firm against Voldemort during the previous war, having personally fought the Dark Lord together more than once. They would surely be targets again if Voldemort ever returned to power. And there was the chance that after what happened with Neville the first time, Voldemort might try and chance his hand at the other option.

What if Lord Voldemort, the most terrible Dark Lord in modern history, decided that Harry was a better match for the prophecy and came for him instead?

Harry's body was shaking with the fear that had chilled his heart. He was so captured by it that he literally jumped when Ryan touched his arm again.

"Potter!?" He hissed softly, breaking Harry from his moment of panic.

Harry looked up at the older boy who was staring at him concerned. While Westrup seemed to be bothered by the idea that Lord Voldemort was alive, he wasn't directly concerned for his own life. Nor that of his family for the moment. Ryan Westrup was a pureblood. Not one of the old families, and certainly not one of those that aided the monster. Nor someone Voldemort had targeted in the war.

And that thought made Harry's blood run even colder yet.

Hermione was.

She was a muggleborn.

Hermione would absolutely be a target if Voldemort rose again. Her parents would be slaughtered—the two wonderful loving people who had accepted him so completely.

"I have to go," Harry said, rushing away from Ryan and grabbing his wand off the side table on his way past.

He did not stop running until he burst out of the hospital wing and saw Hermione nervously standing beside the unicorn fountain to the left of the doorway. She turned at the sound of footsteps and smiled when she saw Harry standing there.

Harry didn't smile in return though, he launched himself forward and nearly toppled them both into the small water feature with how hard he glomped onto his best friend. He needed to know she was safe and alive, and now he could feel her warmth under his grip.

"Harry? What's wrong?" She asked, her voice muffled through all of her bushy hair in which he had buried his face.

Harry could feel tears on his cheeks and he just continued holding her for a while, letting her warmth chase away the cold terror he had been feeling ever since his brain had made the connection between Tom Marvolo Riddle and Lord Voldemort.

When at long last, his heartbeat had slowed back to a normal pace, Harry pulled back and looked into Hermione's worried brown eyes.

"We need to talk."

Chapter Text

Hermione sat quietly at the long table, listening to the chatter coming from all around her. The only other person who remained mostly silent was Harry perched right beside her as he ever was.

It had taken Hermione the last couple of weeks, as well as three mirror calls with their entire families to finally talk Harry all the way down from his panic. Every other day he would have a sudden spike in his worry and need to find her and settle his nerves again. If it wasn't over something so serious, Hermione might have found it cute. In the end, It had taken all of them to fully address the points that made Harry so frightened at first.

Yes, Voldemort was believed to be alive. Professor Dumbledore's words had seemed to confirm that. But James and Sirius had pointed out that the wording suggested that Neville had beaten the evil prick back once again. So he was no longer in the school, nor was he an immediate threat to any of them before the end of term.

This was the point that most often worried Harry. The idea that the evil bastard had been in their classroom with them throughout the year… Harry hated that he'd had no idea at all something so dangerous had been so close. And the possibility that he could still be hiding somewhere in the school. Harry had spent long periods in the far corner of their common room just watching the Map until Hermione would find some way to distract him.

The idea that Voldemort might soon find a way to return was addressed by Mrs Potter. She had studied a lot of different kinds of magic during her preparations to protect her family against the prophecy. As a result, she had a greater understanding of the sorts of magic that would be needed to return a wayward spirit to its body. She had reassured them of how difficult it would be to accomplish such a feat. Even the simplest such magic would require almost a year of prep work.

Voldemort was not returning in a hurry, not if his plan had been spoiled. It seemed that whatever Neville had interrupted was a vital key to his plan to return here, and without that, he was scuppered.

As for the Dark Lord being revealed to be Tom Riddle, Hermione's parents had addressed that. Accurate information in and of itself was never a bad thing. If they truly believed that this Riddle was the man who had terrorised Britain so much, they now had something solid to research in order to help prevent him from ever doing so again.

Hermione smiled when she recalled that. Trust her parents to recommend study in order to chase away fear.

When she was a little girl, they had impressed upon her that fear was usually due to the absence of understanding. And the best way to prevent it was knowledge. The more informed she was about a concept, the better she would understand it and the less she would fear it.

Hermione had suggested that was likely why Tom Riddle had taken up the Voldemort name in the first place. Not many people would be scared by Tom, the man they had gone through Hogwarts with. But the mysterious Lord Voldemort? He had seeded terror such that most of the people in the magical world refused to utter his name at all.

Riddle had used the very fear her parents had taught her about as a weapon. But they had already removed that power from the man. Should he ever return, they knew his first secret.

Like a lot of things, it had taken a few repetitions to truly cement these factors into Harry's mind and settle his worry. But the last couple of days, he had seemed fairly steady after his panic attack upon learning the truth.

Hermione couldn't deny that it made her feel warm inside that one of Harry's first thoughts upon learning Voldemort might still be out there was that she would be in danger. Her best friend cared about her a lot, a sentiment she certainly shared. She had been equally worried once the aspects had been laid out fully. Especially for Harry and for her parents.

But the others had helped them all to see reason. Voldemort was not back yet, and the Potters would do whatever they could to prevent him from returning at all.

Hermione had been planning a big research project on house-elves this summer. But now, it seemed there would be something else that the family would be worrying about researching.

And the thought of the summer break brought Hermione back to the present reason for Harry's sullenness. All of the green banners hung about the Great Hall.

On their way into dinner, he had checked the hourglasses. Despite his efforts on the Quidditch Pitch, and both their effort in classes throughout the year, the green gemstones in the far right hourglass were still higher than the rubies in the far left one.

Professor Snape had taken Harry's terrifying collision win as a sign to become even more unfair than usual. Something Hermione hated thinking about a professor. He had begun taking points away from Gryffindors in the corridors for breathing too loudly and was heaping points on the Slytherins for the most mundane of achievements.

What had been a somewhat close race for the past few months had become a landslide in Slytherin's favour due to one man's anger at losing the Quidditch Cup.

Harry had been using the Map heavily, not just to ensure that Riddle did not reappear, but to avoid Professor Snape. The man seemed on a mission to find some way to make Harry pay for the win. Thankfully they had finished their potion classes for the year before the match.

It really shook her view of the world to see a professor behaving so childishly. While this one was quite young, being the same age as Harry's parents, so too had several of their teachers back at primary school.

Back there, the younger teachers had often been easier for Hermione to associate with than her peers. The other children still picked on her for being a swot, though Harry certainly helped to temper that behaviour. However, the young teachers who were there to get the experience needed to apply for their certifications tended to be a bit on the nerdy side themselves.

There were several such people that Hermione recalled quite fondly who had supported her love of study and reading. Though none quite to the same degree as Harry, Mrs Potter and her own parents.

Professor Snape, however, had clearly held a grudge against Harry from the moment he arrived. And she was tainted by association. While Mrs Potter's letter had tempered his outright hostility from their first class, the man had remained a hovering presence all year. Just waiting for any viable excuse to punish Harry. He had even tried to have him banned from the final match for stepping two metres outside the common room to summon help for Neville.

The past week had been particularly hard for anyone wearing the red and gold. Buoyed by their Quidditch Cup win only to see their House Cup chances dwindling more and more each day. And the other two houses were not spared his wrath either. Susan had points taken away for flushing a toilet too hard while Professor Snape had been passing the girls' bathroom. And Padma had points taken away for correctly answering a question asked outside of class.

Every house had suffered under Professor Snape's rampage of anger. And now, with the final dinner wrapping up, Slytherin house was about to reap the reward of his actions.

Despite the irritation Hermione felt at the injustice of it, she couldn't help but grin as Professor Dumbledore stood right as her train of thought came to an end. As if he had been waiting for it to arrive at the station.

Silence drifted over the Hall as everyone noticed the movement and the wizened old man watched over them all for a moment before he spoke.

"Another year, gone." He said with a smile. "What a year it has been. Hopefully, you have your heads a little fuller than they were when you arrived. And you have the whole summer to get them nice and empty before next year starts.

"Now, as I understand it, the house cup needs awarding. Presently, in fourth place, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; in third, Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six; Gryffindor has four hundred and forty; and Slytherin, five hundred and sixty-seven."

Hermione wasn't certain, but she had thought that Professor Dumbledore's eyes had flicked to the right for a moment and his smile seemed to shrink a little as those at the Slytherin table loudly celebrated their victory for the seventh year running. She was beginning to see how such a streak had become possible if Professor Snape had been as judicious with points in previous years as he had this week.

"Yes, yes, well done Slytherin." Professor Dumbledore continued. "However, recent events must be taken into account. I have a few last-minute points to award."

The Slytherin's smiles faded but the murmuring from the other houses escalated. Everyone was wondering what the Headmaster had to assign points for.

"First, to Mr Ronald Weasley…" Hermione was stunned at that, glancing further up the table to where the student in question had gone purple in the face at being addressed by the Headmaster in front of everyone in the school. "For the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

Their entire table cheered loudly, even Harry and Hermione were clapping the boy who had provided them with a last-minute chance, despite the trouble they'd had with him throughout the year.

"Second, to Mr Neville Longbottom. For both the cool use of logic in the face of fire as well as for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house seventy-five points."

The house erupted with cheers again, and anyone close enough was patting Neville on the back. Though Neville himself seemed stunned at the result and was not reacting nearly as visibly as Weasley had.

Hermione, however, had done the math in her head. Even with the last-minute awards to Neville and Ron, they still fell short of Slytherin by two points. The additional points had not moved their placement in the cup at all.

"And finally, friendship can be a strangely wonderful burden at times. Requiring that we sometimes allow our friends to get into trouble so that they might learn or understand, as often as it requires standing resolutely beside them." The Headmaster seemed to pause for a moment, considering something deeper in the words he was saying than he was actually speaking aloud. "For this understanding that friendship can mean doing what is best for our friends, even when it might upset them, I award five points to Mr Harry Potter."

It seemed that Hermione had not been the only one doing the math. The entire house exploded with joy as it became clear that they had just passed Slytherin and taken both the House and Quidditch Cups this year. Even the tables on either side of Gryffindor were celebrating and Padma was there in a moment patting Harry on the back as he sat there stunned.

Somehow, Professor Dumbledore continued to speak, being audible over the immense celebration taking place. "Assuming my calculations are correct, I believe a change of decoration is in order."

He clapped his hands and all the green hangings across the hall shifted, the coiled silver serpent becoming a rampant golden lion as the green turned to red. Professor Snape was shaking Professor McGonagall's hand though his face showed he was livid at being forced to do so.

"Gryffindor wins the House Cup." The Headmaster finished, sitting down and allowing the loud celebration to continue unabated.

"Congratulations," Hermione heard and she turned to see Daphne standing behind her next to Padma.

Hermione nodded her thanks and gave the Slytherin girl a soft smile. It must have been hard for her to have been winning only to have it taken away at the last moment. But Hermione didn't see any hatred in the girl's face. She genuinely seemed happy for Gryffindor.

"You guys earned it." She said softly before she turned back to her own house table.

Hermione watched her as she went and noticed Slytherin seemed torn between three reactions. Most were simply upset that their victory had been stolen at the last moment, and they were talking dejectedly amongst themselves. The second set were glaring up at the professors, and the Headmaster in particular.

But the third group, by far the smallest of the three, had fixed their angry gaze on two sections of the Gryffindor table. Even through the crowd of yellow-trimmed robes in the walkway blocking their view.

Malfoy in particular was glaring at the back of Neville's body, and Hermione knew that boy was going to be trouble again next year.

But for now, she was happy to simply ignore him and bask in the joy of having won. Even if it had taken the Headmaster undoing Professor Snape's damage at the last minute.

ϟ

Harry felt a little bit weird going home.

While living through it, the year had seemed so long. Such a long time before the holidays and he would see his family again. Even if he could speak to and see them on his mirror whenever he wanted.

Always another class to attend. Always another assignment that needed to be done for those classes. The holidays so far away on the distant horizon. But also, so much to learn in seemingly so little time. And now, looking back, the year had seemed to disappear in no time at all.

Even the train ride itself was disappearing fast. A few games of exploding snap, a visit from the snack trolley. An impotent glare from Malfoy as he searched the train for someone to vent at after Slytherin had lost the House Cup.

Harry smirked at the memory of the win. How Professor Dumbledore had given him just enough points to take Gryffindor back ahead of Snivellous's rampant cheating since the final Quidditch match. It felt so good to be the one who put them over the line. Even if Neville and Ron had gotten the lion's share of the points. Harry didn't mind not being involved to that degree.

Draco had certainly looked like he wanted to attack Harry for what little role he had played, but Daphne and her friend Tracey had been in the compartment at the time and both they and Padma had their wands drawn when the other boy had stepped up to the door. He had glared inside for a moment before his eyes flicked to the wands and he seemed to think better of it.

It was the first time all year that Harry thought he saw Draco Malfoy actually consider the consequences and learn something.

He looked about the mostly empty compartment. Hermione was of course still there, reading a book that Susan had loaned her for the holidays before she had left to join a few of her housemates further down the train. One Harry knew Hermione would devour at least seven times before returning it to their friend.

The other girls had circled in and out a few times, also wanting to spend some of the trip back with the other friends that they had made throughout the year. A few of Harry's other friends had popped by as well. Classmates and the like, wishing them a happy holiday. The loudest had of course been the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

Fred and George had arrived with butterbeers and they had spent a good hour remembering the best moments from the year. Harry was just glad that he would be allowed to fly freely in the coming term, now that the first-year flying restrictions no longer applied. He wondered if he would still be as eager to play the sport when he could fly any time he liked rather than only during matches and practice.

"Penny for them?" Hermione said beside him and Harry realised she had finished her first reading of the book.

He just smiled at her. "Just thinking about the year. And next."

"You have two whole months to fly as much as you like at home, Harry." She replied, seeming to know exactly where his thoughts had been at that moment.

His own smile grew at how well his best friend knew him.

The mention of home drew Harry's eyes to the window and he realised that they were already in London once more. As he had been thinking, the trip had gone by so quickly. Now, with the gentle slowing of the train, he understood that it was over.

His first ever year at Hogwarts was done.

While he would miss the friends he had made this year over the coming two months, he was extremely glad that Hermione would be around throughout. The Grangers still lived just down the road and Harry would likely spend as much time at Hermione's house as she did at his.

"We should get ready, I guess." He said, nodding to the window and bringing Hermione's attention to their location.

The train braked harder, though still gradual and Harry recognised several of the passing landmarks. They were only minutes from the station and he wanted to see his parents again. After the shock he'd had from eavesdropping on Neville and Professor Dumbledore, he needed to feel them for real again. To reassure himself they were ok, as he had done repeatedly with Hermione for the past few weeks.

Hermione rolled her eyes at him, again surely knowing where his brain was at. She tucked the completed book into her shoulder bag and the two of them hauled their trunks down from above the seats.

While Harry had grown during the year, to the point he'd surely need all new robes for next year, he was still a touch too short to reach and support the trunk by himself. And he was never embarrassed to need Hermione's help with anything.

The pair quietly moved out of the compartment, somewhat glad that they had already said all their goodbyes. It allowed them to head straight for the exit and wait in the little space there by the door.

They were not the only eager ones and a few older students met them there in moments as the train slowed considerably. Harry had to grab onto the rail by the door to prevent himself from toppling over his own trunk.

A loud shriek of the steam whistle came from up front as the scarlet steam engine pulled into King's Cross and Harry watched as the families of the other students passed by the window. He felt his need to see his mum and dads grow even stronger and the moment the train came to a halt, he had the door open and was out on the platform, dragging his trunk rapidly behind him.

It took a moment to locate them, but he soon saw the four men Harry spent most of his time with. His father was easy to spot, with his messy black hair just like Harry's own. His godfather was facing James chattering away animatedly with his arms as Uncle Remus and Mr Granger watched him.

Harry knew right away that his father had spotted him as the man smiled broadly. None of the others did, so Harry knew it wasn't because of what Sirius was saying.

Letting go of his trunk, Harry rushed forward and grabbed Sirius around the waist from behind, knocking them both forward into his father.

"Hey there, kiddo," James said, wrapping both Sirius and Harry up in a hug. "It's good to see you too."

Harry felt the knot of worry in his belly release as he felt his dads firmly in his arms once again. The tizzy he had wound himself into over the whole Riddle mess finally letting up.

"How was school?" Remus asked softly, coming up behind Harry and laying a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"It was great," Hermione replied, coming in from behind them guiding her own and Harry's trunks, which her father quickly moved over to help her with.

"It's good to see you, sweety." He said, wrapping his daughter up in his arms for a minute.

Harry knew they were supposed to be embarrassed to be so affectionate in front of their schoolmates, and that if the Twins saw, they would mock him for it next year. But he didn't care. As much as he loved learning new magic, he had very much missed his family too.

Spending the year up in Scotland was a very different thing to coming home every single night.

He really missed…

That was when Harry pulled back and realised what was missing.

"Where is mum?" He asked, a measure of worry rearing back up again.

"Heavily pregnant." Mr Granger provided. "As is Natalie."

Harry looked up at his dad. "Your mum said it was best for her to stay at home. Didn't want to deal with all of this crazy…" he indicated the hundreds of families reuniting all around them. "She's on the verge, Harry. You're going to be a big brother any day now."

Any worry vanished as that thought filled Harry from head to toe. His mum was going to give birth soon. He was going to have a baby sister. This was going to be quite the holiday.

"Can we go see her?" He asked eagerly.

"You bet we can," James replied, ruffling Harry's hair and grabbing his trunk from Richard.

Remus fished a length of rope out of his pocket and Harry reached for it excitedly. He was going home.