A/N: This is a re-write of Harry Potter and the Founders. I am rewriting this because I had a lot of complaints that I was not thinking out many of the details in the story. Therefore, this should be considered the final draft. I will still have Harry Potter and the Founders up, but the chapters will no longer remain there. I own none of the characters here, except for the ones I make up. I also own the plot.
Chapter 1: Dreams and Revelations
"Come to me, Wormtail. I have a job for you. You will succeed where my death-eaters could not at the ministry. You shall provide a means of killing Harry Potter."
Harry awoke with a start. He had been having this dream for the last two weeks during the time in which he had been living with his aunt and uncle at Number 4, Privet Drive, in Surrey. Harry Potter was no ordinary person. His aunt and uncle knew this, and despised him because of it; but they did not say anything, not out of anger, but out of fear. They knew that if he told his friends from the train station, they would be here any minute to turn the Dursley's into frogs or something of the like. For Harry Potter was a wizard, and his friends were some of the greatest witches and wizards alive. His two best friends, Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley, were the only thing that kept Harry from killing his aunt and uncle and cousin right now because of their atrocious behavior to him before he went to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. However, he knew that if he did kill them, he would face a life sentence in the Wizard prison, Azkaban, and he would most likely be dead before he reached twenty years of age.
Harry was now sixteen, and he had no girlfriend. Whenever asked by his other friends at school, he just said he was still getting over Cho Chang, whom Harry had dated very briefly the previous year. Cho had rejected him in the middle of their date after Harry had said he wanted to go meet Hermione for something very important. Cho had misinterpreted this as being an indicator that he liked Hermione more than Cho and had then broken up with Harry on the spot, leaving Harry very confused and very embarrassed.
Now, Harry felt very empty and depressed, because not even one month ago, he had seen his godfather, Sirius Black, go through the veil at the Ministry of Magic and thus had lost practically any link he had to his parent's lives before they were killed. Remus Lupin, it was true, was still alive, but it was now a full moon, and because of his severe Lycanthropy, he was probably indisposed at this second.
With all these thoughts in his head, Harry moved towards the bathroom, intending to wash his face, and finish some of his homework before dawn, as it was very unlikely he would be able to fall asleep again. After washing his face, Harry took out his Transfiguration textbook, his quill, and some parchment for the foot-long essay on Metamorphmagi and the advantages and disadvantages of being one. Harry looked up the metamorphmagi section, and read:
"Metamorphmagi are witches and wizards who are able to change their appearance at will. The metamorphmagus ability cannot be made. A witch or wizard must be born with the metamorphmagus ability. A metamorphmagus might, after some time, forget their natural appearance and this may result in a feeling of discontentment, so it is usually probable that metamorphmagi keep pictures of themselves in order to remember what they looked like before a transformation."
Harry then began to write down his answer to the question when there was a tapping noise at his window. Hedwig had returned with Hermione's reply to his letter. Harry had written to Hermione, asking her whether or not they could meet up at the Burrow or Diagon Alley during the summer break. Hermione had written the following:
Dear Harry,
I believe that I can convince my parents to letting me go to The Burrow, but I thought that we all would be going to you-know-where now that it's HQ for the Order and everything. I wrote to Ron to ask him what his plans are also so that we could all be together. I know you hated it last year when we kept you in the dark while Ron and I were at the HQ. So, see you soon, and don't do anything that would anger your uncle and aunt, Harry, because it's entirely their decision to let you go or not. All the Order can do is "persuade" them to let you go.
Love,
Hermione
Harry laughed out loud. Simply being alive in their house was enough to anger the Dursley's nowadays. Still laughing, he put his Transfiguration homework away in his trunk. Harry put Hermione's letter into a special box that he reserved for Hermione only. When Ron found out about it, he had asked in a pretend hurt voice why Harry didn't put his letters in a separate box too.
Harry felt an odd twinge in his gut whenever he heard or saw Hermione's name, but he had always denied it and convinced himself that it was nothing. However, a person couldn't be blind forever. Harry now realized that his feelings for Hermione were far beyond friendship. Harry loved Hermione. He hadn't realized it until he had nearly lost her in the Department of Mysteries last month. Harry felt as if his whole world had been slashed into pieces the second Dolohov hit Hermione with the curse. He didn't admit it to anyone, but he knew that if Hermione didn't love him back, he would surely commit suicide right that second.
Engrossed in his own feelings and thoughts about Hermione, Harry failed to realize that it was nine o' clock in the morning and that a ruffled, brown owl was tapping quite loudly on his window. Afraid the noise would awaken and anger Uncle Vernon, Harry quickly opened the window and allowed the owl, whom Harry knew was called Errol, into his room and to have some water from Hedwig's bowl. Attached to Errol's leg was a letter from none other than Ron Weasley. Ron's letter was rather lengthy, and looked as if it had been written in Ron's neatest handwriting.
Harry,
I don't know if she told you, but Hermione wrote to me, asking where we will be spending the summer holidays after you're picked up from the Dursley's. When I read that, I asked mum and she said that after you're picked up, we'll be going back to Hogwarts immediately, along with Professor McGonagall and everybody else that was with us in the Department of Mysteries. We'll have the entire castle to ourselves for a month! Won't it be great? We'll be able to play chess and not do homework in the luxury of Hogwarts. I wrote and told Hermione this as well. Dumbledore will be contacting Neville and Luna tomorrow. I expect Hermione will be pleased too because she'll be able to use every stupid book in the library for her homework and everything. Dumbledore visited yesterday and gave me yours, mine, and Ginny's Hogwarts letters, so I sent them along with Errol. I haven't gathered up the guts to look at my O.W.L. results yet, but you can if you want. I know I probably did horribly, but still, as long as I don't have Trelawney again, I'll be fine. By the way, I hope they'll surprise you, but Tonks, Moody, and Lupin are coming to pick you up today at five, so we can leave for Hogwarts as soon as possible.
~Ron
Harry looked behind Ron's letter, and saw another letter with the Hogwarts seal on it. Harry opened it, and found his book list for next year, along with yet another envelope from Hogwarts and one from the Ministry. He looked at his book letter first.
Dear Mr. Potter,
We are pleased to inform you that your life-long quidditch ban put into effect by Professor Umbridge last year has been lifted, and you are now allowed back onto the Gryffindor Quidditch Team. We are also pleased to announce that you are the new Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team and you should find your badge, along with another surprise, waiting for you in an enclosed envelope. The term starts on 1 September. We await your owl no later than 31 July. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Harry was elated with joy. He had not only been given his most favorite thing at Hogwarts back, (well, maybe second-most), but he had also been made Captain of the Quidditch Team. What could be better? Harry then opened the other envelope from Hogwarts and out fell three things, his Captain's badge, his book list, and yet another envelope. Putting those things aside, (he was quite annoyed with the envelope-inside-the-envelope concept), Harry picked up his letter from the Ministry, deciding to find out whether or not his dreams of being an Auror would be squashed or allowed to nurture for another two years. Inside the envelope, there was a letter, which Harry opened and read.
Dear Mr. Potter,
We are pleased to inform you of your results from your Ordinary Wizarding Level Examinations. The grades are as follows: the highest possible grade is O, for Outstanding, E, for Exceeds Expectations, and A, for Average. These are the passing grades. The failing grades are as follows: P, for Poor, and D, for Dreadful.
Astronomy
Written: A
Practical: A (*)
Care of Magical Creatures
Written: E
Practical: E
Charms
Written: E
Practical: O
Defense Against the Dark Arts
Written: O (**)
Practical: O (**)
Divination
Written: A
Practical: D
History of Magic
Written: P
Potions
Written: E
Practical: E
Transfiguration
Written: E
Practical: O
(*) - Due to the circumstances surrounding the Astronomy exam, all grades have been set to `Acceptable'. If you would like to take a make-up, then the exam will be re-administered along with the end-of-year tests.
(**) - Your examiner has stated that if it were possible to get a higher grade than an O, you would have received it.
Mr. Potter, we have also received notes from many of your Professors, namely Professors McGonagall and Flitwick, who have taken note that you are expressing interests in becoming an Auror later in life. Professor Dumbledore, who was unable to judge your performance this previous year, was unable to give a recommendation, but also stated that you were an excellent candidate for our `Early Decision' Program. This program allows you to train with one of your professors, who must also consent, in order to learn the required material for the Auror Examinations, which will allow you to take the exams the year you leave Hogwarts. If you would like to enter into this program, please notify your chosen professor immediately, so that he/she may provide the paperwork to the Ministry of Magic. We wish you luck, and hope you succeed.
During the course of reading this letter, Harry's heart had gone down, up, and up again. He had first thought that because of his inability to get an O in Potions, he would not be able to become an Auror. Then, he read the part about the Auror Program. After deciding that he was, indeed, going to accept, he wrote a note to Professor Dumbledore, asking him to be his trainer. He now picked up his final Hogwarts letter and opened it. Out came, to Harry's utter disbelief, a Prefect badge and a letter from Professor McGonagall. He picked up McGonagall's letter and read it.
Dear Mr. Potter,
I hope you have already read your O.W.L. results, and I am proud that you managed to get an `Exceeds Expectations' in both the practical and written tests. Professor Dumbledore and I have both spoken to Professor Snape and have convinced him to allow you into his N.E.W.T. Potions class. Also, Professor Dumbledore has chosen you as the sixth-year boy Gryffindor prefect along with Ms. Patil as the sixth year girl Gryffindor prefect. You are now considered full prefects and you are given the same privileges as all other prefects. Along with this, you will be receiving Animagus training from me, along with Mr. Weasley, and Ms. Granger. Also, you will additionally be taking Occlumency and Legilimency classes from Professor Dumbledore and finally, you will be taking extra classes with Professor Snape for advanced Potions, delving almost irretrievably into Dark Art potions. Also, you will be taking Offensive and Defensive Dark Arts classes with Professor Dumbledore, in order to prepare you for upcoming responsibilities. I assume that you have also chosen Professor Dumbledore as your instructor for your Auror Program, and know that I will also help, and all of your teachers, as well. We all want to see Lily and James Potter's only son, become an Auror as well. Only Professors Dumbledore, Snape, and myself, know about your extra lessons. Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger only know about Animagus lessons, and they will not know of any of your other extra lessons. Do not, without consent of Professor Dumbledore, or myself enlighten Mr. Weasley or Ms. Granger about these extra lessons. All will be revealed in time. We will see you soon, Mr. Potter.
Sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Harry was so confused, and yet, so excited. His parents had been Aurors? No wonder they were able to survive Voldemort three times. It was as if all his dreams had suddenly come true. But he was angered slightly that he would have to keep yet another thing a secret from Hermione and Ron. He hated keeping secrets from them for two reasons. One was that it was nearly impossible to lie to Hermione, which was intensified by the fact that he loved her. The other reason was that if he kept all this inside, he was sure to explode. And what about quidditch? With all of his extra-curricular activities, how was he going to fit quidditch into his schedule? He was Quidditch Captain, after all. If the Captain couldn't make it to the match, who would?
He would find out soon enough because, suddenly, Harry heard three loud popping noises and before he knew what was happening, he found himself looking up into the faces of Nymphadora Tonks, Remus Lupin, and Alastor Moody. They all greeted each other after assuring the fact that Harry was not some imposter under the influence of Lord Voldemort. After this, they offered to wait outside, while he tidied his room up a bit. They said that they had cast a null-magic charm on the house so Harry could use magic to tidy up. Grateful for the chance to do something useful without hard labor, Harry announced to the room at large, "Scourgify," which cleaned every single spec off the walls, as well as cleaning all his clothes. Satisfied with his handiwork, he spoke, "Pack," which put all of his clothes, books, parchment, quills, and broomstick, into his trunk, which locked itself with a quick "Collo Portus."
Harry then stepped outside of the room, and told Moody, Lupin, and Tonks he was ready to leave. Lupin then said, "We'll be traveling by Portkey to The Burrow, and we will floo from there to you-know-where. Okay?"
"Fine," said Harry, glad to finally be rid of the house for another year.
"On three. One…Two…Three," Lupin said, as they all felt a familiar tug behind the navel.
Thud. Harry's trunk landed on the kitchen of The Burrow and the sound echoed eerily in the empty house.
"Okay, Harry. Here is some Floo Powder," said Lupin, as he gave some of the powder to Harry, "Now remember, if you turn up in the wrong place, use Hedwig to contact us at once. Good luck."
Harry took his wand and said, "Incendio," which lit the Burrow fire. Harry then threw the floo powder into the fire, and said in a clear voice, "Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place."
When Harry appeared in the middle of his late godfather's kitchen, his vision was obscured when his glasses were knocked to the ground, due to Hermione hugging him so hard that he didn't know what hit him, literally.
"C'mon, Hermione, let him breathe. He can't even see because you've knocked his glasses off. Here you go mate," said Ron, as he handed Harry back his glasses.
"Thanks for the welcome, Hermione, what's the big hug for?" questioned Harry.
"Erm…It's for finally letting yourself realize that you aren't responsible for Sirius's death," said Hermione timidly, and in a shaky voice. Almost as if she made it up off the top of her head.
At this comment, Harry fell silent. His eyes went dark, and the spark of green that Hermione had come to know and love, was rapidly disappearing.
"I don't want to talk about that right now, Hermione. Besides, I think I have enough of a reminder, considering where I am," said Harry, looking sulky.
Before Hermione could react, Ron said quickly, "Well, mate, who do you reckon will be the Quidditch Captain, this year?"
At this, Harry took a step back from Hermione and mumbled feebly, "It's me. Just found out about half an hour ago,"
Ron's reaction was predictable. His face reddened to the point that his face was almost indistinguishable, compared to his hair. He opened his mouth once, and then shut it, thinking better of it. He then stormed out of the room, leaving a slightly saddened Hermione and an even more depressed Harry.
Before Hermione could speak, Harry said, "Damn. Why does McGonagall have to pick me for everything? She picks me as prefect, and then quidditch captain, then-"
"You're a prefect, too?" said Hermione, incredulously.
"Yeah, and now, I am having severe second-thoughts. Maybe I should just resign; maybe Ron will lay off me," said Harry.
"He wouldn't want you to do that, Harry," said Hermione, soothingly, clearly seeing the extent of his depression.
"Yeah, why not? Why would he not want his best, over pompous, idiotic, crazy, maniacal friend to give up the status that he has?" said Harry in a loud voice.
Hermione, crying, stood up and left the room, leaving behind a very angry and very sad Harry.
After finding out that everyone was upstairs waiting for him, observing by the din upstairs, Harry resigned himself to leaving his trunk in the basement kitchen, and heading up to the party. Once he arrived, everyone greeted him, and asked him why it had taken so long for him to come up, and why they hadn't seen either Ron or Hermione, since they had gone down to see him. Harry answered that he had no clue where they were, and told the group that he would go upstairs to look for them. On the landing on the second floor, however, Harry came across a disturbing sight; Ron and some blonde-haired witch snogging the hell out of each other. Harry, deciding that he had better leave them to it, he headed upstairs, where he could hear a voice, crying. Oddly enough, it was Hermione's voice. As he entered the unlocked room, he found himself staring at the back of Hermione, who was praying at her bedside, looking out the window. In the midst of her sobs, Harry could make out what she was saying.
"Please, please let the two of them get back to the way they were before the Triwizard Tourament. Please let them not fight and bicker constantly. I can't stand it when they fight; it's like they don't realize what they're missing out on," said Hermione, not having realized that there was another person in the room, listening to her every word.
After hearing this, Harry thought about his relationship with Ron. He thought about how it had all gone considerably, but slowly downhill from Fourth Year. He realized that Ron and himself would never be the same. However, he did know that Ron would spare no expense to make sure he was there until the end, alongside Harry and Hermione. However, Harry also recognized another feeling within his very soul. He didn't think of Hermione as merely the bookworm best friend he had, but as the one girl-no, Hermione was no longer a girl, if the mirror on the wall that was showing her side view was anything to go by. No, Hermione was the one woman who stuck by his every decision; not wavering in her trust of Harry, and, Harry realized, Hermione was the only woman he would ever love. Harry knew that now. He loved Hermione. But how to make her see that? However, he now focused on Hermione again.
"And, please, let Harry figure out that I am always here for him, if he needs me. Let him figure out that I- I, love him, with the all of my heart and soul. Please, God, let him realize that I love him, and please, let him love me. Only you know what would happen if he rejected me; I wouldn't be able to live anymore. It took me almost two years to figure it out, but I do love him, and I hope, against all hope, that you will make him love me as I love him. Please, God, answer my prayer. Amen," said Hermione. Then, she turned around, presumably to get ready for the party, when she realized that Harry was crossing the very short distance between them, and placing his lips upon hers, making her tremble with excitement. An indeterminable time later, they broke apart, owing for the need of oxygen in their bodies. As they gathered their breath, they gazed lovingly into each other's eyes, each stating the fact that the other wished was true. They were in love.
"Harry, do you-," said Hermione.
"Of course I do, Hermione. You mean the world to me, and I don't realize how I was so stupid as to not realize it before now. Hermione, I love you. And judging from what I just heard from you a few seconds ago, I think you feel the same," said Harry, softly.
"Yes, I do. Oh god, you don't know how much I am grateful that you heard me," said Hermione.
"I think I do, because you were obviously happy enough to dismiss the fact that I eavesdropped on you and invaded your privacy," said Harry, with a hint of humor in his voice.
"You know I could never begrudge you listening to what I was trying to say to you all along," said Hermione, playfully.
"Well, Hermione, if we are going to do this, then we should do it properly. Hermione, will you be my girlfriend?" said Harry, bending down on one knee as he spoke.
"Yes, Harry, I will," said Hermione, kneeling down, as well. Harry then leaned forward, and captured her lips in a fiery kiss, that sent shivers of anticipation down both their spines. After Harry's tongue touched her bottom lip, Hermione opened her mouth, and allowed her access to her mouth, letting him pleasure her like no one else could ever have done. As Hermione wrapped her arms around Harry's neck, Harry leaned backward so they both ended up on the bed, with Hermione on top of Harry. After breaking the kiss, Hermione straddled Harry, and she felt Harry's growing erection through his pants, as she ground her hips into his. Harry let out moans of pleasure, as did Hermione. However, when Harry reached under her shirt and started raking his fingers over her abdomen, Hermione suddenly jerked away from him.
"Harry, we can't do this; not now. I know you want to, and so do I, but I am not ready yet. Besides, we are only sixteen; we can't," said Hermione, moving back from the bed, straightening her shirt. After hearing her explanation, Harry nodded his head and spoke.
"Alright, I will wait for when you are ready. But don't make me wait too long. Only looking at you does this to me," said Harry, pointing at the obvious bulge in his pants. Hermione laughed, but said that they should get down to the party. Harry also promised Hermione that he would try and mend things with Ron. Remembering what he had seen on the way up, Harry asked if he knew whom the blonde Ron was snogging was.
"Oh, that's Luna Lovegood. She is staying with us at Hogwarts," said Hermione.
"Ron and Luna? I would never have thought that would happen," said Harry. As they reached the bottom of the stairs, they found the party was still in full swing, even though it was nearly eleven thirty. As they stepped into the party, however, the front door opened, and Albus Dumbledore stepped through, holding a muggle envelope, accompanied by a goblin. Dumbledore's entrance caused everyone to become silent. Dumbledore smiled.
"Nothing to keep you from partying; just the will of one, Sirius Charles Black. My friend here, is Grand Goblin Grewlyn, of Gringotts," said Dumbledore, closing the door in his wake. Hermione felt Harry's grip on her hand tighten, and saw the same blank expression steal across his face, making the spark in his emerald eyes disappear. This was going to be tough.
A/N: I hope I have satisfied many people's complaints about the character behavior. Please leave a review if you have time.
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