A/N - just a warning, this chapter has been a struggle so I hope it's not too bad. Thanks again to my wonderful reviewers - broke the 100 mark, which is a bit of a buzz - all your comments have been a real joy, the reason I try and get this out at least weekly. You fullas rock.
Chapter 8 - The Return
The rest of the summer went quickly for Harry and before he knew it, he was sitting on the Hogwarts Express, barely conscious of Hermione telling the prefects about the up-coming year as he stared out of the window at the changing countryside.
The thrill of actually finding a Horcrux's location quickly had worn off as they had no idea how to get it. When they had all Disallusioned themselves one afternoon and snuck past the security guard into the basement, they hadn't needed Dumbledore to tell them what lay beyond the wall of concrete was full of powerful magic. After a bit of debate, the trio had decided to see if Remus could help - he and Hermione had spent the rest of the summer trying to analyse what lay inside the cellar.
Meanwhile Harry and Ron had continued the seemingly never-ending search through the Black family library. Even the annual trip to Diagon Alley to get their school supplies was a non-event; most of the familiar stores had closed, Ginny had refused to come which had angered Mrs Weasley no end and anyone they met treated Harry as if he was an alien.
Added to that was the actual return to Hogwarts. A Hogwarts without Dumbledore - and a Hogwarts that contained Ginny. So far he had been able to stay away from his ex-girlfriend, but then again, the term hadn't even really started yet. He didn't quite know how it was going to be when he did see her - her anger at him and Hermione at the wedding was still very vivid in his mind. Hermione had just suggested playing it coolly, but he wasn't too sure if he could.
Sighing, he wondered, yet again, if his life would ever be any easier. With a smile, he remembered the morning card games that had become a regular occurrence as he and Hermione often waited for Ron to wake - now that was easy. In fact, Hermione always seemed to make his life a bit easier for him…
"Harry." With a start, Harry heard her say his name, breaking him out of his reverie and with a blink, he looked at her - seeing all the prefects looking back, with various expressions, at him.
"Er, yes?" he tentatively asked, knowing he had probably just missed something vitally important.
"I said," Hermione frowned impatiently, "the safety of the students is our primary focus this year and as prefects, we will be setting the example and looking out for the younger years, making sure they don't do anything stupid and possibly life threatening."
"Right," Harry agreed, getting another angry stare from Hermione.
"Thank you for that input Harry," she said to him, her voice clipped. With a final glare, she turned her attention back to the prefects, Harry guiltily did the same, "there will be occasions where Harry and I will not be available and access to our common room will be denied. The reasons for this I unfortunately can't share with you …"
"I bet you can't," Pansy Parkinson sniggered, catching Harry's eye somewhat suggestively.
"…but if you leave a message, we'll get back to as soon as we're able," Hermione continued, ignoring Pansy completely, "Professor McGonagall will be aware of all our movements. Right, that's it. I'll let you know the time for the first meeting later in the week."
Aware that they had been dismissed, the group of seniors left the carriage to begin their patrols. Hermione turned to Harry, hands on hips and eyes blazing.
"I realise that this position doesn't mean anything to you," she began angrily, "and that it's only a means to an end but I would prefer more than a one word input when dealing with the other students! You made me feel like an idiot with you obviously ignoring every thing I was saying!"
"I'm sorry…" Harry started but was stopped almost immediately.
"I can't do this all on my own," she continued, waving her hands around randomly, "I know you have other things on your mind, but so do I! You need to help me, Harry."
"I know. You're right…" Harry agreed.
"And just sitting there agreeing with me isn't participation!" she interrupted once more before finally pausing, giving Harry a chance to act. Quickly, he stood and took her hands from her hips and gave them a small squeeze before giving her a smile that always seems to make her smile back - which it did.
"I'm sorry Hermione," he said earnestly, "and I will help you, I promise. What I did today was selfish and I apologise - okay?" And if to accentuate just how sorry he was, Harry drew Hermione into a friendly hug, surprising her so much, it took a few moments for her to hug him back.
Resting his chin on top of her head, a strange feeling came over Harry, something he had never felt before. Holding Hermione there in his arms felt so right, so natural - and so scary. But he didn't pull away, content just to keep her close to him while he tried to work out what he was feeling and it seemed she was in no hurry to move either.
"Hey, what's going on here, then?" Harry looked over the top of Hermione's head to Ron, whose flustered face poked through the compartment door.
"Harry is trying to placate me after being a total prat at the prefect meeting," Hermione replied calmly, pulling away but still keeping one arm around his waist while his arm lay casually across her shoulders.
"You mean the one word welcome speech," Ron frowned, "how come when I'm a prat, you don't let me give you a hug?"
"Ahh, there are so many reasons Ronald," Hermione smiled, finally stepping away from Harry and making her way to the door, "but right now I need to chat with Luna - do you know where she is?"
"Er, third compartment down," Ron answered, still frowning, "when have you and Luna become chummy?"
"Since you and Luna have been," Hermione said smugly before turning back to Harry, "and this isn't over Mr Head Boy - you and I need to chat as well."
"Yes Hermione," Harry said automatically, realising how stupid that sounded as soon as it came out of his mouth - causing him to blush, Ron to smirk and Hermione to leave the compartment with a grin plastered on her face. Harry watched her go before sitting again, Ron sitting opposite him.
"So, what's going on?" the redhead asked after a few moments, his eyes boring into Harry.
"Nothing," Harry said truthfully, "I spent the whole of her speech staring out of the window, she had a go at me for spending the whole of her speech staring out the window, I apologised and gave her a hug."
"That's all?"
"Yes Ron, that's all."
"Are you sure?" Ron tried to confirm, "I mean, you guys have been all 'touchy-feely' a lot lately…"
"'Touchy-feely'?" Harry repeated, "what the bloody hell is 'touchy-feely'?"
"You know, holding hands, touching arms," Ron explained, "giving her hugs. Harry, you never give anyone hugs. Even when mum hugs you, you stiffen up like a board."
Harry stared at Ron as he thought about what he just said and realised it was the truth - he didn't give hugs, and he didn't take hugs that well either. Sure, he and Ginny had spent many a night embracing, but she had been his girlfriend - that's what boyfriends and girlfriends do. So why did he hug Hermione, and why did it feel comfortable and right? Harry frowned.
"Harry, mate, you'd tell me if there was something going on between you and Hermione, wouldn't you?" Ron asked tentatively, "I mean, I know I was a prize git when she went out with Krum, and then that plonker last year, but, well," he paused, looking at Harry anxiously, "this is you. And you'd tell me if you fancied her or something, wouldn't you?"
Fancied Hermione? Harry shook his head as if to get that foreign thought out - he didn't fancy his best friend, surely. It had only been a few months since he thought Ginny was the one…no, Hermione was just a friend. Plain and simple.
"Ron, there is nothing going on between Hermione and I," Harry finally said, not sure whether he was convincing Ron or himself, "and if there was, we would tell you."
Ron leant back in his seat and relaxed before seemingly tensing up again, looking worriedly at Harry.
"You don't think Hermione and Luna talk about me, do you?" he asked anxiously.
"Yes, yes I do," Harry laughed and watched as Ron retreated into silent thought. Still smiling, Harry returned to looking out the window and his mind wandered back to Ginny and how he will be when he sees her again, his smile leaving his face. He wasn't even sure if he missed her, if he still wanted to be with her - will all those feelings he felt for her last year come back? Or was Ron right, did he have feelings for Hermione? That thought was so strange, it just couldn't be true - could it? Harry glanced at Ron and all thoughts of Ginny and Hermione disappeared.
"Ron, is everything alright?" Harry asked concerned. Ron looked up from the random spot on the floor that he had been staring at, his eyes still full of worry.
"You like Luna, don't you Harry?" Ron finally questioned, his voice small, "I mean, you think she's okay, right?"
"Yeah, I think Luna's okay," Harry replied with a frown, "what's this all about Ron?"
"Well, over the summer," Ron carried on, "it was just us, you know? I mean, she was slightly strange at times, but that was fine, just one of her quirks I would tell myself. But now, here, well - people just treat her really bad, like she's…"
"…Looney Lovegood," Harry finished, causing Ron to blush at the use of his girlfriends' nick-name - a name he himself had used, "look Ron, Luna is a really nice girl but she is…unique. You need to accept that."
"I know, I know," Ron groaned, "and I do. I shouldn't even be thinking like this. I guess just seeing everyone again, and everyone thought I'd be with Hermione then they see me with Luna…and they're kinda making fun…"
"So you're going to break up with Luna because people are making fun of you?" Harry queried, surprised.
"No!" Ron exclaimed suddenly, then more quietly, "no. It's just that - I'd just worked through being the second to last Weasley coming through this school plus being the side-kick to the Boy Who Lived…"
"You are not a side-kick Ron," Harry interrupted slightly annoyed, "and I'm not…"
"I know," Ron sighed, "but that's how I felt. And now I'm over all of that only to become the weirdo that's dating Looney Luna Lovegood."
"You shouldn't care what other people think," Harry advised, "I should know. Ron, Luna makes you happy and you make her happy - that's all that matters. People will get used to it in time and meanwhile, just have fun! You deserve this, you really do!"
"You think so?"
"Stop being such a Wally and be proud of the fact you have a pretty, smart and one-of-a-kind girlfriend," Harry stated, "she's lucky to have you just as you're lucky to have her."
"Thanks Harry," Ron said, relaxing once more, "you're right. I mean, I knew I was just being stupid - I really like her, you know? She helps me forget…"
"And sometimes forgetting is a good thing," Harry said sadly, once again thinking of how Ginny had done the same thing for him.
"She really cares for you, you know," Ron said, his eyes catching Harry's - and Harry knew exactly who he was talking of.
"Ginny is better off without me."
Ron said nothing but nodded in understanding.
"Oh, that's what I was going to tell you," he said after a few moments, "Crabbe and Goyle aren't at Hogwarts."
"What?"
"Yep, their parents have withdrawn them from school."
As it turned out, Crabbe and Goyle weren't the only ones kept away from Hogwarts as the Great Hall looked decidedly empty when Harry walked in a little while later. The Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables seemed the fullest while the Slytherin table was nearly bare.
Making his way to his usual seat, Harry looked at the teacher's table and gave Hagrid a small wave in greeting as the half giant hadn't been at the train station - no first years to collect. Hagrid waved half-heartily back. Slughorn was still there, as was Flitwick, Madam Pomfrey and Professor Sprout. Professor McGonagall sat stiffly in the chair next to the still vacant headmaster's chair, her eyes catching Harry's briefly before he continued down the line of teachers. He was just about to sit down when he saw yet another familiar face up on the raised dais.
"Tonks?" he exclaimed as the young witch waved at him, her hair still its favourite pink.
"She must be our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher," Hermione said thoughtfully as she sat down next to him.
"Wicked!" Ron enthused, sitting opposite them so he could see Luna, "she'll be terrific as a teacher!"
But all other conversation ceased as Professor McGonagall stood and walked to the lectern, her eyes sombre.
"Welcome back one and all," she began, her tone matching her eyes, "to a year full of many challenges. The first will be adapting to a life at Hogwarts without the presence of this school's most faithful servant, Professor Albus Dumbledore. We shall have a minute of silent reflection before I will continue."
Harry watched as McGonagall bowed her head, as did the teachers behind her. Soon all the students followed, so with a deep breath, Harry did the same and closed his eyes to remember. He tried to think of the good things, the great things, about his old headmaster but instead he saw what took place in the cave, the pain Dumbledore had felt and how Harry had made that pain continue. The image then changed to the final moments on the tower and how he had seen the life leave the old wizards face - Harry's eyes snapped open. He didn't want to remember any more.
Everyone's heads were still bowed as Harry frantically looked around, trying to get rid of what he had just seen. As he looked to his left, Hermione was looking worriedly back at him, an understanding in her eyes. She took his hand and gave it a comforting squeeze before the Hall began to move once more and she turned her attention back to Professor McGonagall.
Once again Harry was grateful for the way his friend knew when he found things tough and how her touch always seemed to make things better. He dragged his gaze from the back of her head to look once more at Professor McGonagall, but as he did so he looked directly at Ginny, his smile quickly dying. He saw tears begin to form in her eyes as she stared at him so with a determination he didn't know he had, Harry broke her gaze and concentrated on the new headmistress.
"This school has a history that spans nearly one thousand years, and during that time it has seen the best of the wizarding world, and it has seen the worst. We are entering into a time of conflict not seen in this country for many years and the allies we may once have been able to rely on are no longer our friends.
"You are students of magic and your teachings may be called on sooner than is decent and fair. You are children who may be too soon be made into adults. This is a challenge that we all have to face and the teachers of this school will be doing everything in their power to see that you are prepared.
"Our numbers have decreased but those who have chosen to remain in these hollowed walls will be taught the skills necessary to survive. Our classes will change to reflect this new requirement and the tests you may face this year may not be Ministry approved.
"However, though we are in a time of war, we also understand that there will be a time when this war is over and you all have a future to prepare for. Therefore, those sitting your OWLS and NEWTS will still be required to do so - your education is still important and will not be ignored.
"Class schedules will be given out after tonight's feast in your common rooms as will instructions on the new safety restrictions taking place. I am acting headmistress and will still retain my position as head of Gryffindor House and professor of Transfiguration. Professor Slughorn has kindly accepted the position of Head of Slytherin House while we welcome Professor Tonks as our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Hermione Granger and Harry Potter are your student representatives with Ron Weasley as Mr Potter's second. All further details will be given directly after dinner.
"Thank you."
The rest of the feast was uneventful (and spent with Hermione having the talk with Harry she had threatened him with on the train, which meant trying to find out from him what had had his attention during her speech. When she realised it was Ginny that he had been thinking about, she seemed content and finally let the subject go - the whole thing seemed highly amusing to Ron). However, Harry soon found himself making the familiar journey to the Gryffindor Common Room.
He stood with Hermione and Ron as they waited for Professor McGonagall to arrive, glancing at those classmates who had returned. Dean and Seamus were there, as was Neville who was standing closely to Ginny and talking in to her whispers. Parviti and Lavender was also there but the numbers started to dwindle after that. The Creevey brothers, Romilda Vance, and a handful of students Harry only knew by sight completed the group.
"Right then," McGonagall said sharply, as she made her way through the portrait hole, "I want you all to listen very carefully.
"Sixth year students will be sharing classes with seventh years, fourths with fifths and second years with thirds.
"Diviniation and Muggle Studies will not be taught, Care of Magical Creatures, Astronomy, Ancient Runes, Herbology and Arithmacy will be taught in a more secondary role as these subjects are still beneficial but not essential. History of Magic will be available if you want to attend Professor Binns classes as we couldn't persuade him to stop teaching, his subject matter timetable is on you schedules. All sixth year and above students, regardless of age, will learn to Apparate as well as any other student who we feel is capable of learning.
"There will be no Quidditch played this year and there will be no outings to Hogsmead. No one except prefects and teachers will be allowed outside their common rooms after eight o'clock and if you are caught, you will be expelled - no exceptions. All classes outside the castle walls will require an escort by Professor Hagrid - no exceptions.
"If you notice anything out of place or suspicious, you are to notify a teacher, Miss Granger, Mr Potter or Mr Weasley immediately. All mail in or out of the castle will be checked in case it has been tampered with in transit and if you feel your mail and/or your owl has been interfered with, you shall notify us immediately." The professor paused and looked around the room, as did Harry who saw a mixture of fear and annoyance in the faces of the younger student as many of their privileges have disappeared, while the older students were hanging on every word their head of house was saying.
"I apologise for the strictness of the regulations placed on you," she continued, somewhat softer, "but we are in troubled times and your safety is our main priority. Your schedules allow more free time than usual in a school year and I suggest you spend this time wisely either with your friends or participating in the many extra lessons that will be available. I'm afraid that until this threat is over, many of the choices that you make could be the difference between life and death. Yet you are all members of the house of Godric Gryffindor, chosen for your bravery and courage and I hope this means the choices you do make reflect the sanctity of this House.
"Now, here are your class schedules and I suggest an early night - classes start tomorrow."
The professor handed out each student's schedule, Harry waiting with Ron and Hermione for his. He thought over what McGonagall had just said and realised that in reality Hogwarts had begun training an army. He wondered if the Ministry had much say in the change in curriculum and guessed not, otherwise things probably wouldn't have changed at all. Part of him wished it needn't be like this, that the younger students are going to miss out on the fun stuff that made Hogwarts so brilliant - but the other part of him knew these precautions were necessary and he was glad they were in place.
"Here you go Mr Potter, Mr Weasley and Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall said as she handed them their parchments, "perhaps a private word with you all tomorrow before your first class might be in order."
"Yes professor," Hermione replied and the new headmistress turned on her heel and left the common room.
"Guess we should go too," Ron said, quietly, "it will feel weird not being in here this year."
"This whole year is going to feel weird," Harry agreed, waving good-bye to Dean and Seamus as he followed Hermione and Ron out of the portrait hole, catching a glimpse of Ginny standing off to one side, still with Neville next to her - Harry had a thought, "hey, doesn't Neville seem to spending a lot of time with Ginny? I mean, I know I've only seen her a couple of times, but every time I do - he seems to be there…"
"Yeah, I know what you mean," Ron frowned, "he keeps showing up like a bad smell. Just a minute, you don't think they're dating, do you?"
"No, I don't think they are," Hermione joined in, "but I think Neville's giving Ginny the support she needs right now. And I also think that he is good for her, a calming influence. They would make a sweet couple."
"He did take Ginny to the Yule Ball," Harry remembered, "but them dating?"
"Why not Harry?" Hermione questioned, "are you jealous?"
"No, I don't think so," Harry thought, "it's just that, they seem so…opposite."
"Sometimes, opposites attract," Hermione replied knowingly, "and here we are."
She had stopped outside a plain looking oak door - a list of previous Head Boys and Girls on one side, and a notice board on the other. Harry saw his and Hermione's name had been added to the bottom, and with pride he cast his eye up the list until he saw the names of his parents.
"We need to think up a password," Hermione advised, "when either one of us is in the common area, students will be able to enter without a problem. But if we're not here, the door will be locked and only us - with a password - can enter. So, what should it be?"
"How 'bout something like Quidditch?" Ron suggested after a bit of thought.
"It needs to be a word that no-one else would use or guess," Hermione reminded him, "something that only us would know."
"You mean like Dowrgi or Grimmauld Place or something like that?" Harry asked.
"Exactly," Hermione agreed.
"Well, I can't say Dow-whatever very well, so I guess its Grimmauld Place then," Ron said.
"Or just Grimmauld," Harry continued, "so no-one will know it's a place if they hear us."
"Right, Grimmauld it is then," Hermione stated, got out her wand, waved it over the door (which in turn glowed gold briefly) and then entered - the boys following tentatively behind her.
Harry stopped in awe and looked around his new common room. It looked pretty much the same as his old common room, but smaller - the trio's favourite chairs and couch curved around the fireplace, a coffee table in the middle. Over on one side was a large table that would be perfect for research as it had various lamps and lights around it, making studying things very easy.
There was a single stairway at the far end, a huge window at its centre where it split in two directions. Harry made his way up the stairs, leaving the other two still in the common area, taking a glance out of the window on his way to his new dorm. The view was of the lake with Dumbledore's tomb glowing dully on its edge, the full moon reflecting off its white surface.
Taking a deep breath, Harry continued on to his new room and saw once again a familiar sight - a four poster bed with heavy red drapes at its corners. Ron's bed was the same and sat a little bit away from his own, further than normal in the general dorm.
His trunk was already there, Hedwig sitting patiently on top. Harry went over to his pet.
"Thanks for waiting," he said softly, the owl gave his finger an affectionate peck to let him know it wasn't a problem before making her way to the window and leaving to find dinner.
Sighing, Harry went to his trunk to get an item he vowed would be the first thing he'd put in his new room, a reminder of what he was preparing himself for. He retrieved his copy of Hogwarts, A History and opened the front cover to see a piece of paper with three sets of hands - his memento from Godric's Hollow. Gently, he took the paper out and stuck it carefully to the wall above his nightstand.
"Not bad, don't you think?" Ron said cheerfully as he walked into the dorm, Harry turning suddenly to see his friend.
"Yeah, pretty good," he replied, getting out some more of his stuff to put away, "not that much different from the Gryffindor common room actually."
"Hermione said they do that on purpose, make it near to what you've already had," Ron explained, going to his own trunk, "and she thinks we should go over what we're going to do before we turn in, so…"
Harry understood. He looked slightly longingly at his bed before heading once more down to the common area. Hermione was already there at the large table, their schedules laid out plus some extra parchments ready and waiting. She looked up at him as he made his way down the stairs and smiled.
"This won't take long, I promise," she said, seemingly reading his mind once again.
"That's okay," he assured as he reached her side, "it has to be done."
"Right," she acknowledged, looking back at the table, "we have quite a bit of time free but I suspect that will be taken up with homework. I would like to continue Runes and Arithmacy, although they probably aren't useful…"
"…but you actually enjoy those subjects," Ron quipped as he joined them at the table, "mental."
"Thanks for that Ron," Hermione retorted snarkily, turning her attention back to Harry, "the class time for those subjects have halved and the time I spend there, you two can continue looking through the Black library. There are a few subjects that Professor Binns will be covering which may be useful and since he sends you both to sleep, I'll attend those classes as well…"
"Excellent," Ron enthused with a smile.
"There will be extra defence, charms and potion classes which I think we should try and attend. I will continue at the Westminster Orphanage once Remus has got through this full moon - we are really close to working the protections out. I have nearly finished at the library at Dowrgi and will see what books are at Godric's Hollow before looking in the library here. Dumbledore's library will be interesting as well…"
"You are going to sleep sometime aren't you, Hermione," Harry interrupted with concern, "there's no point us doing all this stuff if we aren't able to look out for ourselves because we're knackered."
"Yes Harry, I will sleep, I promise," Hermione laughed, "which is what we should do right now. Though we need to discuss how we're going to ask Neville and Ginny if they want to do the extra defence lessons since Luna has already agreed…"
"I thought everyone had the option of doing extra defence lessons," Ron said, sounding a bit confused.
"Every one does," Hermione agreed, "but we're to get private lessons."
"Well, we'll all be in the same classes so I guess we can ask then…"
But as the week progressed, there never seemed to be the right time. Ginny and Neville seemed to try and keep away from Harry and Hermione as much as possible, disappearing from classes as soon as they were over and keeping a distance at meal times.
It seemed a new name had been added to Harry's already lengthy list of monikers, but this one he didn't mind so much. He, along with Hermione and Ron, was now a member the 'Golden Trio' as the three of them were now called, and treated with an amount of reverence and respect that sometimes could be quite unnerving. Still, Harry thought it was better than having the snide comments that had followed him so many times before.
Hermione had gone back to the orphanage once Remus was feeling better and soon it seemed the only time Harry saw her was briefly at meal times or in class. He realised that he missed her and every now and then he wondered if he did in fact, fancy his best friend - something that he found quite scary.
Professor McGonagall kept an eye on their activities but worked in with the schedules Hermione had worked out. And it seemed Tonks was very popular with the students of Hogwarts, especially many of the males, with her youthful enthusiasm and impish good looks. Both Hagrid and Firenze seemed quite content with their classes being cancelled and spent their time overlooking the school's security. However, Professor Trelawney wasn't as understanding and was often seen mopping around the corridors with a haze of sherry surrounding her.
A week after classes had began, Harry, Hermione and Ron were in various spots in the common area, reading and studying after another hard day when Neville tentatively entered.
"Hey Neville," Hermione welcomed, "is everything okay?"
"Er, actually Hermione, can I have a word?"
Harry looked across at Ron, who looked as surprised as he felt. They watched as Hermione went to Neville by the door then began to talk frantically in whispers. He saw Hermione pale considerably and when Neville left, she took a deep breath, squared her shoulders and came over to where Ron and Harry were sitting near the fire.
"What is it, what's wrong?" Harry asked, immediately. Nervously Hermione looked at him before taking another deep breath.
"Draco Malfoy's back in the castle."
A/N - ah, a cliffhanger - don't you love them? And I was going to drag the 'will they/won't they' thing out for Harry and Hermione for quite a bit longer, but quite frankly I can't do it. Look forward to some fluff maybe not the next chapter but maybe chapter 10.