Harry Potter and the Angel

Harry continued to follow Hermione up the several staircases, which lead to the towers and most importantly Gryffindor tower. He noticed that Hermione didn't seem to want to talk any, and was walking a lot faster than usual. As they rounded a corner right before the portrait of the Fat lady, Harry understood why she was walking so fast.

A great deal of new students where locked out of their own common room, Harry continued to follow Hermione through the midst of the students until she came to an abrupt stop in front of the large painting. Hermione spoke with a commanding voice that was a little different than the one she used with Harry other times, “Everyone the password to get in the common room is, conspiracy, you needn't worry about it. It is simply an inside joke that some of the older Gryffindors have with Harry.” She pointed him out, as he was now standing right next to her.

Harry instantly felt the stares they gave him, and one first year asked Hermione if he was really the Harry Potter.

Harry just looked at her with a tired expression “did you really have to mention me?”

Hermione seemed to have ignored Harry's question and answered the first year, like she would a child. “Yes, he is the Harry Potter, he even has the scar to prove it. Go ahead and look.”

The small first year girl looked like she had just been told that she had her pick of a candy store. She walked up to Harry with an apparent sense of awe, as she ceremoniously moved Harry's uncontrollable hair out of the way so that they could indeed see his lightning bolt scar on his forehead. As soon as his scar was in sight Harry heard a collective gasp and that sudden murmurs came, “he's the boy who lived.” “He survived you-know-who.” “He's the guy in all the books.” “He's in the newspapers.”

Harry was feeling more than a little uncomfortable, being the subject of their conversations. And he quietly told the fat lady the password to the common room, and stepped inside vowing that he was going to have a talk with Hermione about this later.

He was greeted with the warm red and gold Gryffindor colors, when he noticed two red forms making themselves known to him.

“Hey, Harry what have you been up to?” Asked Ron while grinning madly.

“Nothing much, why?” Harry was still a little wary of them since their great hall demonstration.

“Umm, Harry, you aren't mad at us for that… display, are you?” Ginny asked with pleading eyes that were over exaggerated.

“No, I'm not mad-

“Good cause we have a surprise for you.”

Harry rolled his eyes, he'd just been set up perfectly and he fell for it. Ron and Ginny lead Harry through the common room over to a corner where Jack Sloper, Andrew Kirke, and Katie Bell were standing talking in hushed tones and whispers. Harry couldn't discern what they were saying but Harry knew the two beaters that replaced Fred and George Weasley on the team. Harry was able to relax, if only a little. Though he did chance a quick glance at the portrait hole to see if Hermione had made it in yet. Evidently she was still explaining things to the first years.

Jack looked up first and saw Ron and Ginny, leading Harry over to them and quickly alerted the other players of this new development.

“Hey Harry, guess what?” Grinned Jack

Harry had just about enough surprises for one day, first there was the run in with a mini van, Hermione saving him, even if he did have to admit he didn't remember how Hermione had gotten him. Then there was the whole Weasley performance, and Hermione giving him that kiss, that was by far the best surprise that he had gotten in his life. Being made a prefect was definitely better than being punished, if only by a little.

Harry just looked questioningly at Jack waiting for a response.

“Come on Harry you have to at lest try to guess.” Prodded Andrew.

“We need a new chaser?” Harry tried to sound enthused but was still being cautious.

Ron nudged him forward from behind, and said, “yeah that too but there's still one more thing we need to do first.”

“And what would that be, because if its another performance you guys have planned, count me out.” Harry was getting tired of this, too much was happening at once. To tell the truth it was driving him to distraction.

“No, its not another performance, Harry.” Katie said glaring at Ron and Ginny, though mostly at Ron

“I give up then, what is it?” Harry said before they had a chance to defend themselves.

Ginny looked like she was about to burst from excitement, and blurted out, “Harry, you're the new Gryffindor Quidditch Captain.”

Harry turned towards Ginny with his mouth open, words trying to escape but failing miserably. After a few moments of shock Harry managed a feeble, “What?”

Ron took a light hold on Harry's arm to keep him from falling, and explained, “Harry while you were in Dumbledore's office the rest of us took a vote, we decided that you're the new captain.”

Harry just let it all soak in for a minute, it seems as though they had voted him as captain unanimously. “Do I have any say in the matter?”

Ginny spoke quite offhand like they had expected it, and replied, “No, it would be five against, one. You'd still lose Harry.”

“Ok then, practice is after classes tomorrow.

The Weasleys gave a military style salute yelling, “Sir, Yes sir.” Then marched out of the common room. The two Beaters and Katie did a somewhat subdued imitation of the brother and sister Weasleys, but still had a lot of enthusiasm, and marched from the common room following them.

Harry was almost by himself in the common room, he took another glance at the Portrait hole to see if Hermione had come in yet. She hadn't.

Harry looked outside it was getting dark out, but there was a bright moon that you could see by. Harry walked up the stairs to his dorm, the old wooden door oddly enough didn't make any noise when Harry opened it. No one was in the fifth year dorm room, no Seamus, no Neville, no Dean or Ron.

The noise and confusion of Hogwarts seemed to have just disappeared. Harry found the silence soothing for some reason, it left time for reflection on things that have happened. But the restraints of the earth would never allow for such freedom of reflection. Harry needed to be where he belonged, in the air flying. He half ran toward his trunk and pulled it open taking out his Firebolt. With his broom in hand, Harry walked over to the window by his bed and opened it allowing the cool night air into the warm room. With one swift jump Harry had rocketed out of the window and into the night sky.

So many things were happening so fast, he'd blacked out twice in one day, if Madam Pomfrey ever heard about that she'd have a fit. Not to mention if she ever got wind of what Uncle Vernon did to him. Hell if anybody found out, but Hermione and Ron both know about that now. Why hadn't Hermione told Dumbledore while they were there? Or did she tell him already? No, no one had brought it up again, could they have forgotten perhaps? No, again that's a big thing to forget about and it is out of character for them both, well not so much for Ron, but very much so for Hermione.

During his thought process he'd dropped several dozen feet and was skimming the top of the Forbidden Forest. Harry pulled up to correct for the lack of concentration, slamming into a car was bad enough, slamming into a tree would be worse.

Now that he was safely in the air again Harry began to think about it all again. Every one was acting strangely, well except for Ron, he was always like that. But Hermione had gotten in on their prank and had kissed him full on the lips in front of everyone. Not that he didn't like it, no, just the opposite Harry had quite enjoyed himself. But that still doesn't answer why she did it. And why she pointed him out to all those first years. He just didn't understand it, the minds of women were a mystery to him. Women? Woman? Since when did Hermione become one of those?

“Since you admitted to yourself that you fell in love with your best girl friend.” Harry laughed softly to himself, talking to yourself was normal, it was answering yourself that was an indication of insanity. Yeah right, if people knew half of what he did, they'd worry more about their own sanity than the sanity of others.

A Prefect, it was perfectly natural for Hermione to be a Prefect but him, Harry Potter, a Prefect. Why did Dumbledore want one of the schools biggest rule breakers, to become a prefect, an enforcer of the rules that he so often broke. Yet one more thing that needs to be sorted with. Harry hoped that he might accidentally over hear a conversation that involved him and why some of these things were happening.

A team captain, now that wasn't unexpected, even though he had thought that it would have been in seventh year when he was voted in to be team captain when all the other veteran members had all graduated the year before.

By the time Harry had finished the moon had risen high in the sky, meaning that it was now really late at night, or really early in the morning. It was high time to be heading back to the dorm.

Harry was now far out over the Forbidden Forest, and could see the castle far off in the distance, one or two lights still on in a tower. Harry turned around toward the castle and took off as fast as he could. With his thoughts in order Harry could really concentrate on the sensations, he tried to feel the broom using magic to propel him forward. At first all there was, was the wind pushing against him. Harry tried to sense the magic itself, in his own body. Dumbledore seemed to be able to sense magic, he knew everything that went on inside of Hogwarts.

That's it. Harry felt the magic in him, it's ebb and flow, through every part of him, and it just seemed to radiate out. The magic flowing through the broom and out of the bristles, pushing him forward and keeping him aloft. Harry realized he had closed his eyes, and quickly opened them narrowly missing an unusually tall oak tree. Harry attempted to feel the magic again, focusing his thoughts, concentrating. Nothing, Harry couldn't feel any thing, he'd lost it. Harry would have to ask Dumbledore about it the next time he saw him.

The forest underneath him began to thin out and the stone castle walls began to loom up before him. Going into a sharp dive to build speed, Harry pulled up hard and went into a loop and shot straight up. Dark empty windows shot down past Harry as he rose higher and higher up the tower. The window with the light was coming closer fast, but was the window open? Harry couldn't see whether the window was open, but pulled up on his broom doing another loop and sliding through the luckily open window.

Setting his broom down silently on the Gryffindor common room floor, Harry began walking up the boy's dorm stairs when he heard a soft murmur behind him in front of the fireplace. Harry wheeled around on his heel to see who it was. Seeing no one in plain sight Harry walked slowly toward the fire to try to find who made the noise.

The light steps Harry used at the Dursleys to sneak around was coming in handy, in the stone walls of Hogwarts where even the softest sound echoed and could be heard from farther away. Harry looked over the edge of the couch to see Hermione sleeping soundly on the couch cushions in front of the fire. Harry sighed and rolled his eyes, she was so beautiful, and serene, seemingly more so while she was asleep.

“She's beautiful whether she's awake or asleep, though she's much quieter when she's asleep.”

Hermione murmured softly in her sleep. Prompting a smile and a soft laugh from Harry.

“Well on second thought maybe she's not that quiet in her sleep either. Wonder what she's dreaming about to make her talk in her sleep?”

Harry walked softly over to the side of the couch, and kneeled down carefully. Hermione smiled in her sleep, and rolled over onto her side giving Harry a better view of her new and developing curves. Harry swallowed hard but didn't dare clear his throat. “Hermione,” Harry let out as a hoarse whisper, “Hermione, what are you dreaming of?”

Hermione murmured out a soft, “Harry.”

“What about Harry?”

“He's such a great friend.”

Harry blushed a little, and began to feel bad for taking advantage of the situation like this. “And he thinks you're a great friend too, Hermione.”

“I know.”

Harry put his hand on her cheek she felt very cold. He was going to have to wake her up there was no way he could get her to her dorm room with out that damn alarm going off.

“Hermione its time to get up.” Harry shook her softly to rouse her.

Hermione sighed and opened her eyes, “Mmm, Harry?”

“You fell asleep on the couch in the common room.”

Hermione seemed to have woken up completely now, “yes, I wanted to know what was in the letter that Dumbledore gave to you. Because I just know that you forgot about it.”

“What letter?” Dumbledore had already given Harry the prefect badge, why would he need the letter also?

“Oh Honestly Harry.” Hermione reached into his robe pocket and pulled out a stuffed envelope. “This letter.” She had a beautiful smirk on her face. Did she always have that smirk or was it just when she had out smarted him again? “Well don't just stand there open it.”

“Fine, fine. I'll open the stupid thing.” Harry opened the large envelope and two letters fell to the floor, the top one read “O.W.Ls.” Picking it up he began to unfold the parchment and read the contents.

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are delighted to give you the results to the O.W.L examination, you have received the following grades in each of your classes.

An Outstanding was received in Defense Against the Dark Arts. “Your examiner wanted to give you a Beyond Powerful, and was adamant about making it a higher grade than Outstanding but we are unable to do that so he had to settle for an Outstanding.”

An Outstanding was received in Potions.

An Exceeds Expectations was received in Transfiguration.

An Outstanding was received in Charms.

An Outstanding was received in Divination.

An Acceptable was received in Astronomy.

An Exceeds Expectations was received in Care of Magical Creatures.

Your O.W.L results brought to you by “The O.W.L Testing Committee.”

Harry looked at the letter and read and reread it several times. Some of the facts not quiet sinking in, until Harry grinned and murmured, “Heh, the slimy git is out to get me.”

Hermione seemed to finally get tired of waiting for him to say what it was and snatched the letter from Harry's fingers, and began to read it. After only a moment of reading it, Hermione threw herself at Harry with obvious excitement on her face.

“Harry you did great, much better than I thought you would do.”

Harry listened to this and felt something wasn't exactly right about it. “Much better than you thought I would do? Damn it, Hermione. Give me a break, I had a lot of things on my mind at the time.” Harry covered his face with his right hand in exasperation.

“Harry, what is that on your hand?” Hermione's tone seemed concerned, and just slightly evasive.

Harry looked at the back of his hand, and his lips shrunk down to a thin line. “I must not tell lies. Thanks to that bitch Umbridge, I'll have that scar on the back of my hand until I die.”

Hermione wasn't sure how to respond to that, she had never heard Harry swear before. She quickly looked around for a new topic, finding one on the floor near Harry's feet. She bent down and picked up the letter that was on the floor and gave it to Harry, “Here you dropped this one.”

“Right, forgot about that one.” Harry's voice still had an edge to it, but it wasn't as hard as before.

Harry opened the letter and saw the opening line, his heart sank as he read it.

The last Will and Testament of Sirius Black

Harry if your reading this that means that I'm no longer among the living, and I long ago decided to not become a ghost, I don't want that kind of existence, and I would never be able to help you the way I could while alive.

But at least I can do one last thing for you. Everything that has the Black name on it is yours: the vault, the house (yes that includes Kreacher too, it would be too hard to try and separate him from the house, and he can't really leave it anyway, just let the Order use it still), everything. It's all yours to do with as you please. Harry you are the sole survivor of two families now, the last of the Potter family and the heir to the Black family. Please make the name Black something I can be proud of Harry.

Harry lowered his head and closed his eyes against the tears that threatened to come forth. “I will Sirius, I will,” Harry said this so quietly that it was inaudible even to himself. Surprisingly enough Harry managed to keep his breathing regular, and quickly began to fight the tears mentally rather than physically as he very slowly started to clear his mind of thoughts of the emotions he was feeling. He knew that they would come back later stronger than ever but by then he would be alone and could handle the situation better, besides if he showed any signs of weakness Hermione would worry about him.

Harry opened his eyes and looked up to Hermione's expecting face. A beautiful face that hid one of the most brilliant minds the world had ever seen behind her eyes, a mind that was expecting to know what was in the letter. He couldn't talk, if he did he would lose what fragile control he had gained with the occlumency. Harry handed the letter to Hermione and sat down on the couch putting his face in his hands, still slowly trying to regain his control.

Hermione read that letter for a full five minutes, and Harry used every second of it to calm the flood of emotions that assaulted him, though a small voice in the back of his mind said quietly, “Hermione, now is not the time for s.p.e.w.”

Hermione looked close to tears, and gave Harry a firm comforting hug seemingly trying to say, “Don't worry Harry it will be alright, I'm here for you.”

“You need to go to sleep now Harry you'll feel better in the morning.”

Harry let out an exasperated sigh, which may have been his body's failed attempt at a sob. He got up quietly thanked Hermione for always being there for him as his careful control ebbed away and his mind began to sink into a thoughtless depression, while an emerald green flame seemed to awaken in his eyes.

He walked up the steps to his dorm room and went though his nightly procedure mindlessly, and falling to sleep as soon as his head hit the pillow and strangely enough while he slept he didn't suffer from any nightmares, natural or otherwise.

The next day Harry woke up refreshed and with clarity of mind that surprised him. It seemed only a little earlier than when he normally got up, but he hurried anyway to shower and to get dressed in his robes. He had a feeling something was going to surprise him, so he wanted to find out what it was before it could. For once Harry actually wanted to have the sight so that he could see what lay ahead for him.

Walking quietly down into the entrance hall Harry noticed that the broom closet they had shoved Malfoy and his flunkies into was slightly ajar. Evidently they had gotten out sometime during the night, and McGonagall hadn't come in so no one knew about it yet. Harry decided that it was unsafe and foolish to go and check the closet in case Malfoy had trapped it.

Walking past the closet and into the Great Hall. No one was here yet, so Harry just sat down where he usually did and waited. In fifteen minutes a Hufflepuff that Harry didn't know came in and then seeing him alone walked over and asked, “Is what Rita Skeeter said true, Harry?”

The question itself rather surprised Harry, he had never thought about it. Let alone that some one would have the courage to ask him something like that. Even with so many thoughts running through his mind Harry still answered with a question of, “Which article do you mean she's written several.”

“Well the ones about Hagrid, and the love triangle, and you… well, not being right in the head.” The young Hufflepuff boy said still seeming to be embarrassed about the whole thing.

“Well the one about Hagrid is mostly true, he is a half-giant. Who his mum is I don't know, but Hagrid wouldn't hurt anything. In fact he picked me up after Voldemort attacked me the first time, and brought me to Dumbledore. As for that love triangle nonsense, there was never any shape of any sort involved. Trust me if I was going out with any one it probably wouldn't be a secret for any more than a day, am I right?”

The young boy looked down and said, “Yeah your right.”

Harry continued on to the last one and was going to set things straight. “And as for me not being right in the head, Rita Skeeter really wouldn't be a good impartial judge of sanity. It's true that I have prophetic dreams when concerning Voldemort, and my scar burns when he's close, so in that sense I'm an alarm for every one because I can sense him before I can see him. So does that answer your questions?”

The boy nodded his head, “Yes, but what really happened at the Department of Mysteries?”

Harry looked up a little startled at the question, but still thought that it might be good to let someone know what had happened, get the information off of his chest, besides Harry was getting a good feeling from this kid. So Harry began to tell the story of the Department of Mysteries. The spinning room, the room filled with energy that they couldn't get in, the hall of prophecies, the brain room and what happened to Ron in that room, and the battle in the room of the veil, and then Dumbledore fighting Voldemort. When he looked up he noticed that there were several people that had come in and began to listen to his story, there were at least a dozen and most were first years of his own house.

When they realized that that was the end they all began to sit down at their tables and wait for the rest of their houses to come before everyone began eating. It was almost seven o'clock now, and more people began rushing in so that they could eat. Hermione soon came down and two minutes later so did Ron.

“Harry, why did you get up so early? You usually come in just as the food is served.” Hermione looked curious, and strangely excited at the same time.

Harry really didn't know why but he couldn't just say that he couldn't sleep, because it wasn't that, and Hermione would get all worried thinking he had another scar dream. So Harry relied on his old fall back, he told the truth as best he was able, “I just had a funny feeling that's all.”

“Are you sure it wasn't another nightmare, Harry?” Hermione replied worriedly.

“I'm sure it wasn't, Mione.” Harry wasn't sure why he said Mione instead of her full name, but he just decided that it was because he was trying to reassure her that he was fine.

The teachers began to file in and sit down while the heads of houses gave out their students' courses and sit back down at the head table. The food promptly appeared in front of every one and they began eating.

Ron was the first to ask Hermione what their schedules were, “Hey, Hermione, what classes do we have first?”

“Why don't you go get your schedule?”

Ron didn't answer, it looked like he was really considering the question.

Harry spoke up, so that the unavoidable argument could be avoided, “Well Hermione, as soon as you tell me where the schedules are I'll go and get them.”

Hermione just looked at Harry wide eyed a complete look of shock on her face. “ Harry you're a prefect. You should know these things.”

“You forced me to.”

“I did not.”

Harry shook his head, “fine, I'll get them any way. Accio, accio, accio.”

Three slips a parchment flew toward Harry so he could snatch them out of the air. His friends just looked at him again.

Hermione spoke first, “Harry you do know that you just did wand less magic again.”

Harry didn't answer, right now it just hit him that he hasn't eaten anything since dinner last night. Harry's stomach rumbled loudly in agreement. They only thing on his mind was `I am so hungry,' he must have voiced this as well because he could hear Ron's loud laughter, and Hermione giggling. Since when did Hermione giggle?

These thoughts were soon erased when he began eating only hearing a few things on the side. Harry ate his eggs scrambled, sunny side up, fried and over easy. While the several pieces of toast soaked up the yoke, before he ate them. The sausage, bacon and ham were all excellent, along with the huge platefuls of hash browns, and the 6 pancakes were some of the best he ever tasted, though his own years of cooking experience would in fact have let him get close to the pancakes wonderful taste. Harry after helping himself to several goblets full of milk and orange juice finally finished his meal.

Harry getting up from the table looked at his class schedule quickly scanning it for his first class of the day. Lucky for him it was Defense Against the Dark Arts and quickly glancing to his left and right confirmed that Ron and Hermione would be there with him. Harry grinned to himself, it would be good to know who the new DADA teacher was.

Ron and Hermione having finished their breakfast before Harry, got up and followed him out of the bustle of the Great Hall, and began walking up the flights of stairs to the DADA class room, where hopefully they would find out who their teacher was.

After the entire class had sat down and had waited for what seemed to be an hour, a tall wizard with graying hair and grungy robes that looked like they might have been a deep purple at one time. “Well class I'm Aberforth, you will address me as Aberforth for the year because I simply despise being called sir or professor, besides you already have one Professor Dumbledore no sense in having two now. That would simply be redundant.”

After hearing this Harry tried very hard not to think about goats and for the most part he succeeded. He looked to his right and saw Hermione lower her head, possibly trying to do the same thing. While Ron seemed to be trying his best not to start laughing and fall on the floor.

Harry had the distinct feeling that this year was going to be exceptionally strange, but at least Aberforth wouldn't be as bad as Umbridge.