High above the house Harry felt free on his broom. There was no prophecy, no death, no pain; just the wind on his face and that feeling he had from the first moment he got on a broom. It was indescribable and wonderful. Harry did many dives and loops, he just kept flying. He flew even though he couldn't feel his hands anymore, he didn't want this to end. He finally felt the fatigue setting in and landed.
On the ground he found something he wasn't expecting, no one. He expected at least Tonks or Lupin, even Mr. Weasley, but there was no sign of any of them. He went inside the house, suspecting maybe it was too cold outside for someone to stand out there waiting for him, but saw no one.
The thought of leaving for most of the day and no one missing him began to make him angry. He decided he wouldn't think about it, at least he got to fly. He floo-ed back to Grimmauld Place.
Dusting off the soot he stepped into the living room to see Hermione fast asleep on the couch.
He tapped her shoulder gently. She woke and jumped up to give him a crushing hug.
"I'm sorry I fought with Ron, Dumbledore said you'd be okay and that we shouldn't follow you, but I was so worried. Harry, you're as cold as ice, where have you been," she said as she rubbed his cold hands with her warm ones.
"Flying. It wasn't because of you, I just needed to do something...."
Hermione never understood his love of flying, so she just took his word for it.
"Let's get to bed." She took his hand and led him up the stairs.
* * *
"He's dead!" Mrs. Weasley cried. She fell on her knees next to Harry's unmoving body.
"Nooo!" Ginny ran and wrapped her arms around his body.
"It's all your fault!" Ron yelled and pointed at Hermione.
Hermione looked down at her hand to see green smoke coming out the end of her wand.
"You killed him," she saw Dumbledore lift his wand, she covered her eyes.
"I didn't mean to, I'm so sorry Harry!"
"Hermione!"
Hermione jumped and opened her eyes to see she was in her own bedroom with Harry looking down at her.
"You had a nightmare," he said.
She started to register what was going on. She was in bed, in her room, Harry was moving her sweaty bangs off her forehead, and she was shivering.
"I'm sorry."
"There's nothing to be sorry for, you just had a nightmare."
"I'm fine," she said.
"You sure?"
"Yeah, I'm just really tired."
She turned on her side and Harry put his arm over her and kissed her hair.
'He's alive.... He's alive.... He's alive,' were her last thoughts before she fell asleep again.
* * *
"Alright everyone. Here we are, Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. Tonks first, then Harry you follow her," Lupin said.
Tonks and Lupin escorted them from Grimmauld Place without incident. Harry was sure Voldemort wouldn't attack just yet, he didn't have the prophecy, and therefore didn't know the 'secret' to killing Harry.
Harry got on the train and made it to one of the open compartments in the back. Ron and Hermione were only allowed to spend a few minutes with him before they had to head to the Prefect compartment. Ginny was off in another compartment with one of her admirers, and before Harry could actually enjoy the silence, Luna Lovegood, who was soon followed by Neville Longbottom, entered the compartment. Neville, thankfully, didn't have any plants with him this time, but instead had a book on desert man-eating plants.
"You guys want to play a game," Harry asked.
Ron and Hermione entered the compartment at the exact moment a tiny Neville killed Voldemort by hitting him repeatedly with a dead snake.
"Hermione, this is great!" Neville said as the tickertape parade began.
"Thanks. Have you asked them yet, Harry?"
"I was waiting for you."
"Asked us what?"
"We want to find out information on how to kill.... You-Know-Who, so we need all the help we can get." Ron said.
"This, of course, would be research oriented; we need people we can trust."
"Count me in," Neville said.
"Me too," Luna said without looking over her Quibbler magazine.
The train pulled to a stop, Ron and Hermione immediately got up and started to move the confused first years to the right place. Harry got up and made his way off of the train. He was only hoping to find one thing. He sighed in relief when he saw Hagrid calling over the first years with no cuts or scrapes to be seen.
Harry waved, then once Hagrid waved back he made his way to the carriages with his and Hermione's trunks levitating six inches off the ground. Just as he thought he was safe he heard Malfoy say a curse behind him, as he turned he saw what ever the curse was multiply by three then bounced back to hit Crabb, Goyle, and a wide-eyed Malfoy. Harry finally saw what the curse was when all three began to throw up slugs.
Luna walked by them with two trunks levitating behind her.
"I would think they would have enough of slugs from what happened to them last year."
Harry nodded and packed the carriage. Once they got to the castle they saw the Great Hall was larger than they had remembered, which was strange because the Great Hall was rather large to begin with. As everyone was settling in, Harry got an idea and walked over to the teacher's table. After a few words with Dumbledore he walked back to the other Gryffindors.
"What was that all about," Ron asked.
"Nothing," he said.
The Sorting began and lasted longer since there were almost fifty more new students than usual.
Once all the students were sorted, Dumbledore stood up and everyone quieted.
"For those of you who are just joining us please note the forbidden forest is out of bounds. Also, the casting of spells between classes is strictly forbidden. Now, some of you may have noticed the castle is a bit larger than you may have remembered. That is because this year the Drumstrang students will be joining us. It seems their latest Headmaster had the unfortunate displeasure of getting his head cut off. Also, the students from Beauxbatons will be joining us this year, their Headmistress believes, as do I, that there is a safety in numbers. This of course will effect the houses and your usual sleeping quarters. Tomorrow, when both schools arrive each student will be sorted into a house by the sorting hat and we hope that you will make these new students feel at home. After the feast tonight you will get directions on where you will be sleeping from the professor in charge of your house.
"One last thing before the feast begins, I have been asked to tell all students that wish to steal other student's property that they will be horribly cursed beyond recognition if they try. Tuck in." Dumbledore sat down as food appeared at the tables.
Harry looked over to the Ravenclaw table to see Luna smiling up at Dumbledore.
"Whaf wap pap abot," Ron asked.
"No idea," Harry said before he followed Ron's example and started to dig in.
Harry saw Hermione's hesitation to actually eat. He knew this might have to do with S.P.E.W.
"Just imagine Dobby made it."
Harry knew the thought of a freed house-elf who was being paid to do his job with all the benefits would make Hermione feel better.
"You're not still on that-"
If looks could kill, Ron would be dead. He didn't continue, but instead filled his face.
"Do you think we'll have classes with the other schools," Neville asked.
"I don't know. It's not like the Muggle schools," when Harry saw the looks he was getting from Ron, Ginny, and Neville, he continued, "The government has requirements on what should be taught each year, and all the schools have to comply. I remember Fudge telling Dumbledore that he didn't control what the students were taught in our third year, and I don't know if either of the other schools had requirements...."
"It doesn't really matter, does it? I mean all of us have to pass the O.W.L.s, right?" Ginny asked.
"That's for schools in Britain, for all we know," Hermione jumped in.
"Don't you know," Ron asked, amazed.
"Hermione's been studying for her N.E.W.Ts since we started studying for our O.W.Ls, I don't think she has the time Ron," Harry pointed out.
Hermione blushed, "At least I'm ready and not cramming the names of all the trolls in the troll wars an hour before exams."
"Hey, I did not cram! I guessed...."
Harry got a roll thrown at him for his comment. Thanks to his Quiditch reflexes he ducked before it hit him. It instead hit Malfoy in the back, which caused him to throw up another slug.
Once the feast was over and people started to get up and leave Harry stayed where he was for a moment so he wouldn't have to try to smash his way through the crowd.
Harry saw Dumbledore motioning him over, so he got up and made his way to the now empty teacher's table.
"I take it what you asked me to say was not for your own benefit," he said.
"For a friend."
"There are a couple of things I would like to ask of you, Harry. Is that alright with you?"
Harry nodded.
"First, I would ask if you could give this," he handed Harry a sealed envelope, "To Neville Longbottom. He does not know of the Order, so you will be able to answer his questions, won't you?"
"Of course," Harry waited.
"The other thing I wish to ask you has to do with our Dark Arts teacher."
At this point Lupin came through the doors of the Great Hall.
"Didn't miss the feast, did I," he asked, scratching his head at all the empty tables.
"I'm sorry Remus, but you have."
"You're the Dark Arts teacher?"
"It took a lot of talking to with this thick head of mine, but yes, I am back."
"The favor I wish to ask you is when Remus is ill, would you mind teaching for him? I know this is a large responsibility, but seeing as he will have lesson plans and your knowledge of the subject matter...."
"Of course."
Harry got up and as he passed Lupin he whispered, "Anything for you, mummy."
"Professor Lupin to you!"
"Professor Lupin, if you go to the kitchen for some food just tell Dobby the house elf I sent you.... Oh, and could you ask him how Winky is doing," Harry said seriously.
Lupin didn't know what he was talking about, but he nodded all the same.
* * *
"Alright, everyone gather round. You will find your belongings already in your rooms. Now, first years...."
McGonagal went down the list, obviously, not in any actual order. She finally got to their year.
"Dean, Seamus, Ron, you will be in the room behind the suit of armor. Just say the password, don't pull anything or he'll come after you."
She kept going down the list until all the seventh years were gone. The only students left in the room were Hermione, Neville, Harry, and Ginny.
"The four of you have the old Head Boy and Girl rooms, they haven't been used in over a hundred years. I trust you," she said as she looked to Hermione, Harry, and Neville, "Can be trusted to not break any rules. Try not to take advantage of this.... Alright, tickle the bottom of that tapestry over there."
Ginny walked over and did as McGonagal said, sure enough the tapestry lifted and revealed a room.
It was small, but had a couple of chairs and a table that fit well.
"Why wasn't this room used for a hundred years," Harry asked Hermione.
"Honestly, if you just read 'Hogwarts, A History' you wouldn't have to ask. It seems the Head Boy and Girl back then... well, they took advantage of the freedom..." she blushed at that last part.
"How," Ginny asked.
"They, and some of the other students used these rooms to --er-- get more acquainted with each other." She was slowly turning the colour of Ginny's hair.
"How could getting to know other... geeze..." Ginny said.
"What," Neville asked.
"I'll fill you in later," Ginny said.
There were two doors on opposite walls, Harry opened the one on the right and it revealed two four-poster beds. Ginny found the same on the left.
Harry, feeling someone was staring at him looked up to see Ginny's eyes dart away.
"Come on Neville, you and me over here," she said, grabbing his trunk from out of the room on the right side.
"I don't think that's what McGonagal meant... I-"
"I can't stand Hermione's snoring, with the sound she makes you'd think it was a troll. Besides, Harry can sleep through the castle falling apart, and he wouldn't know any better. That is, unless, everyone wants to act like children?"
To be told by Ginny that you were acting like a child was a sobering moment. They rearranged the rooms then went to bed.
With the curtains drawn on their four-poster, Hermione turned so she laid flat on her back.
"I don't snore."
"She knows... She knew... She did that so..." Harry couldn't finish his sentence.
'So we can go on with this thing even I don't understand,' he thought.
"Oh, okay," Hermione said.
She didn't push it at all and Harry was grateful that at least once in Hermione Granger's life she didn't have to know everything.