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Disclaimer: This story is based on characters, ideas, and situations created by JR Rowling and owned by her and her publishers. I own the original elements & characters. No money is being made by me, and no trademark or copyright infringement is intended.


Chapter VII
Friday, September 1, 1995


"Stop fidgeting," Ginny hissed.

"I can't help it," Ron whinged.

George took over. "Are you being a prat because you're a prefect when you know Harry should have been, or because Harry is likely with Hermione. . . ."

". . . or just because of Harry in general?" Fred concluded.

"Boys," Mrs. Weasley scolded.

"Yes, Mum?" Fred and George chorused innocently.

"Don't give your brother a hard time," she told them. "It isn't easy being a prefect, especially a Fifth year prefect."

"He'll have four years worth of younger students to keep an eye on," Fred pointed out.

"Assuming he doesn't leave it all to Hermione to do," George said, slipping the knife in. Ron colored as the jibe hit.

"I would hope that does NOT happen," Mrs. Weasley stated firmly. "Remember, you are a Gryffindor prefect. Professor McGonagall expects you to do your job. If you don't, that badge can be taken back." Ron winced. He hated to think what his mother would say if that happened.

"I think we should get on the train," Ginny said. "We can find Harry once we get going. They're probably already here."



"May we sit in here?" Harry asked.

Luna Lovegood looked up from her upside-down Quibbler. "You may."

Harry and Hermione came in, and Harry put their trunks away. "You're Harry Potter, and you're Hermione Granger, correct?" Luna said. "You gave my father a very interesting story this summer."

"You're Mister Lovegood's daughter, I take it," Harry said.

"I am. Luna Lovegood." Harry and Hermione shook her hand and sat across from her.

At that moment, Neville looked in. "Is there room here?"

Harry saw that Luna, as well as Neville, was looking at him. "You were here first," Harry told Luna.

Luna blinked in surprise at being deferred to. Harry had told Hermione how Luna had been treated by many of the Ravenclaws, and for some reason this little gesture of surprise on her part pulled on Hermione's heartstrings. She knew what Harry hoped for, and she found herself agreeing to try, now that she had really met Luna.

"There seems to be plenty of room," Luna said. "Please join us. I'm Luna Lovegood."

"Neville Longbottom," Neville said, tucking Trevor away in his cage and pulling a small object out of his carry-on.

"Just be careful with that /Mimbulus mimbletonia/," Harry warned. "They spit some sort of stinksap."

Neville blinked at that, and then he frowned. "I knew you had to be the girl's prefect," he said to Hermione, "but. . . ."

"You must have read about what I said to the Wizengamot," Harry said.

"It was in The Quibbler," Luna said helpfully. Neville merely nodded.

"Well, if Dumbledore had any intentions of making me prefect, that pretty much killed it," Harry said. "He might have been planning on making Ron prefect even before that."

"Ron? Really?" Neville said, surprised.

"Sure," Harry said. "I think any of the three of us, maybe the five of us, could have been prefect."

"If you say so," Neville said, doubtful of his own chances, if not Harry's.

The door opened again, and Ginny asked, "Is there room here?"

"Certainly," Luna said. "Good morning, Ginny, Ronald." She looked at Ron a little hopefully. Her slight smile disappeared when Ron looked down at her and wrinkled his nose. Hermione was now firmly on Luna's side, however things played out. She decided that Ron was far too immature to date anyone for a few more years.

"We need to be off to the prefects' meeting," Hermione said, giving Ron a nasty look. "Could you get me some pumpkin pasties, Harry?"

"Of course, sweetheart," Harry said. Hermione kissed Harry tenderly and led the now-scowling Ron off.

"You're dating I take it," Ginny stated tonelessly.

"Yes," Harry simply. "I gave her a promise ring."

"It was very pretty," Luna said. "Did you pick it out, or did you choose it together?"

"She must have picked it out," Ginny said cattily, despite her best intentions.

"No," Luna said, shaking her head. "It was platinum, was it not?"

"It was," Harry said. "I'm surprised you could tell."

"Silver is very reactive, magically speaking," Luna said. "If you're at all sensitive to auras or magical fields" -- Ginny snorted gently -- "it's easy to detect silver. Gold is neutral. Platinum cannot even be shaped magically. I take it that's one reason why you chose platinum? So that it cannot be cursed, I mean." Harry nodded. "It's very distinct under mage sight."

"I just developed some form of that this summer," Harry said. In the original time line, it had grown over the hunt for the Horcruxes. "Have you been able to access yours for long?" To Ginny's disgust, Harry and Luna plunged into a deep discussion, which even Neville was interested in, as Luna claimed mage sight could be used to diagnose illness in plants. Not even Cho's popping her head in for a moment disrupted the conversation.



Hermione and Ron came back to the compartment an hour later. Harry had bought a large assortment of goodies off the trolley. As Ron munched his way through a half dozen chocolate frogs (jealousy was one thing, but food was food) and Hermione through her pumpkin pasties, the other four listened to Ron's mumbled complaints about Draco being a prefect.

"The prefects are nominated by the Heads of House, and then approved or disapproved by the Headmaster," Harry said with a shrug. "In addition, each of the Heads of House nominate the candidates for Head Boy and Girl." He shrugged again. "Who else would Snape nominate? Crabbe or Goyle? Ted Nott's father is a Death Eater, just like theirs' and Malfoy's. Who would that leave? Pretty-boy Zabini?"

"I suppose," Ron said, dissatisfied.

"Speaking of stupid ferrets," Harry said, as the door to the compartment opened. "Hello, ferret. We were just talking about you."

Draco ignored the insult and smirked. "Your days are numbered, Potter."

Harry nodded. "According to some religions, God or fate or whatever has already foreseen or even determined all outcomes, including our allotted span. That's very theological of you, Malfoy. I'm impressed." Luna smiled at that, while Hermione smirked a bit herself. Ron and Ginny looked nearly as confused as Draco. Neville merely kept an eye on Draco's stooges.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Draco demanded, confused.

"Oh, in that case, I suppose you mean that your father's lord and master is still after me." Harry shrugged. "Big deal. I disembodied him at fifteen months and again at the end of our First year. I killed part of him at the end of our Second year, and out-dueled him and over two dozen of his Death Munchers, including your father, last June. Oh, I'm so scared," he concluded with a very bored tone. Everyone, even Hermione and Luna, was shocked at Harry's tone. He knew he was exaggerating, but was doing so deliberately to bait Draco and send a message, both to the children of the Death Eaters (Crabbe, Goyle, and Nott were in the corridor) as well as their parents, Snape, and Voldemort himself if word reached them.

Draco started to sputter.

"Yes, yes," Harry said dismissively. "You want to protest that your father isn't the slave of a mad, Half-blood, barely human bastard who is still throwing his toys out of his cot because he had a childhood nearly as bad as mine. Well, your father is a slave, who would be killed if he ever showed a second thought and who would be sacrificed if the Dork Lord thought it would bring Snake Lips the slightest advantage."

Harry stood, and Ron, Neville, and Ginny, as well as Draco, saw how tall Harry had grown. Harry's bored voice was now gone, and it was cold, and infused with enough magic to send chills down the spine of everyone who heard him. "Now let me tell you something, you whinging, spineless, little piece of excrement. If ancestry matters, then the direct male ancestors of five of the six people in this compartment were elders of the British magical community more than two hundred years before the first magical Malfoy earned the name 'bad-faith' by abandoning William II and allowing him to die in that so-called 'hunting accident', which was just an arrow charm. If brains count, as it should, then Hermione has everyone in the school beat, and Luna isn't far behind. If character counts, then I'd put my five friends here up against you and your little band of arse-suckers any day. If it's money, well, the Dark Loser will have your family fortune drained off in three more years or so. And if it's power, as I said, I whipped his skanky arse at fifteen months, and I'll do it him and all his little branded slaves whenever I see them."

"Now," Harry thundered, "begone!"

Wandlessly, the speechless Draco was flung back into Crabbe, making both of them crash onto the floor. With a flick of Harry's finger, the door shut gently.

"Damn, Harry," Ron said, awe in his voice, "what happened to you since you left?"

"Since I was sent off by Dumbledore and his followers, including your parents, to be illegally tried, you mean?" Harry asked. Ron and Ginny both winced. "I grew up, magically as well as physically."

"Snape is going to hate you like this," Neville pointed out.

"Not for long," Harry rejoined. He sat back down.

"Did you mean what you said?" Luna asked.

"I hope so," Harry said, slightly confused. "Which part?"

Luna hesitated, but went on. "That . . . that you would be willing to consider me your friend?"

"Of course," Harry said with a smile. Hermione bravely matched it.



The six students made their way to the carriages, Ron and Ginny confused by the dynamics they had seen in the train compartment, and by the Harry they had seen. He was so much different than the Harry their father had taken to the Ministry less than a month before.

The changes bothered Neville far less. This Harry was certainly the Triwizard Champion, the Boy-Who-Lived, and, as far as Neville was concerned, although few had used the title yet, the Chosen One. Had Harry asked, Neville would have publicly nailed his colors to Harry's standard right there and followed him into battle as needed. He already had in his own mind.

Luna had been interested in knowing Harry as a person since the start of the Triwizard Tournament. He had really impressed her, and her defense of Harry as champion had made her treatment by some of her fellow Ravenclaws even worse. That interest was heightened when Harry gave an interview to her father which was still shaking magical Britain.

Luna watched as Harry made a short detour to speak with Padma Patil. The way the Indian girl glanced in her direction showed Luna that she was the object of their discussion. "Harry's aura is very different this year," Luna said quietly to Hermione.

"In what way?" Hermione asked, knowing this time around that Luna actually could see auras, a fairly rare gift but well-documented.

"Usually, I can only see them when magic is being actively used, but Harry's was always right there, flickering away, showing that he is a very powerful wizard. Then, though, it was just the way he was. Now it's much brighter, but it's under perfect control, which likely means he's much more powerful."

"And all that led him to the compartment you were sitting in. Harry is in love with me," Hermione said, giving no details of their relationship. "Still, for some reason, he has decided that you are also special to him. He wants to get to know you. If you wish to get to know the real Harry, this term will be your chance."

"You don't mind?" Luna asked, wondering which of the many interpretations Hermione's words might mean.

Hermione smiled slightly. "There are just a few people Harry would admit caring for, as friends, family, or something more. Maybe a dozen, if he still includes Ginny and Mister and Mrs. Weasley. Harry has been starved for affection his entire life, until this summer. I would not deny him anyone's friendship . . . or your affection."

Luna watched as Harry came back, patting a thestral as he passed it. "I would like to get to know you, too."

"From what Harry says, we look at things in very different ways," Hermione warned.

"You have the reputation of being overly-organized and logical, as well as very intelligent," Luna said. "In some ways, that is a huge advantage in the magical world, for we are neither organized nor logical, although many think we are and most try to act as if we were. Neither am I either well-organized or often logical. I find it easier to understand the underlying magic of the world almost as music, flowing in complex harmonies and counterpoint, with our active magic as inserted melodies."

"Perhaps that's why Harry might need both of us," Hermione mused. "He is active magic, while we understand the patterns and can help him find explanations, especially because we approach magic totally differently." Harry and the two teens climbed into the carriage where Neville was already waiting. Hermione continued, "Which extra classes do you take?"

Still struggling to take in all of Hermione's implications, Luna replied, "Muggle Studies, Runes, and Divination. And you three?"

"Neville and I take Care of Magical Creatures and Divination," Harry said, while Neville nodded.

"I take Runes, Arithmancy, and Care," Hermione said. "What do you think of Professor Trelawney?"

"She has a touch of the True Gift," Luna said, and added frankly, "but she so wishes for a greater gift that she often buries her talents under meaningless showmanship. In fact, I suspect she has a powerful gift, but for some reason, she has never been able to release it. She actually does know the theory quite well, but I can't help but wish she would help us more and show off less."

Luna looked at Hermione a bit wistfully. "I also wish I had dared take Arithmancy."

"Why dared?" Hermione asked.

"My mother developed spells for the Department of Mysteries. She was testing an Arithmancy block at home and something went wrong, and she was killed by the wild magic. I would have liked to have taken the course, but I was leery of it. She was much more disciplined than I, and yet the subject in a sense killed her."

"I understand that can happen with new combinations, no matter how solid the theory is," Hermione admitted. Professor Vector had been very stern in admonishing them not to play around with such blocks of embodied raw magic from day one. "Runes can be dangerous, too, once we learn how to use them to enchant objects in Sixth year."

Luna and Hermione chatted happily away about Rune sets as they made their way to the castle.



Harry was a bit embarrassed by the Sorting Hat's song, as it mentioned a 'new heir of the Founders, coming in righteousness' as well as pleading for cooperation between the Houses. Fortunately, besides Harry only Hermione and the Headmaster knew for certain that it was talking about Harry, although Luna and Neville were not the only other people in the hall who suspected it.

"Welcome, to another year at Hogwarts," Dumbledore said as the Feast wound down. "Tonight, for the first time in many a year, we have no new professors. Professor Grubbly-Plank will, however, be substituting in Care of Magical Creatures until further notice. In addition, Professor Snape will be assuming the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher for at least this year, and I am certain that we all hope he will be in that position for longer than that." The Slytherin table applauded loudly.

"Returning from his retirement to again teach Potions is Professor Horace Slughorn, one of the premier potion brewers in the world." The potions affectionadoes applauded this loudly. "In addition, Alastor Moody will remain on staff this year as a security consultant." The Gryffindors, encouraged by Harry, gave the retired auror a decent ovation.

"Tomorrow being Saturday, I ask all the Fifth year prefects to take their First years around the castle in the morning." Then Dumbledore's light tone turned serious. "In the afternoon, we are going to witness a serious duel. Professor Severus Snape and Mister Harry Potter will fight a Class Two duel in the Quidditch stadium, beginning at One-thirty." Before the noise from the students (and most of the staff) could grew too loud, Dumbledore went on, "The Forbidden Forest is still just that, forbidden. Mister Filch has posted all banned items outside of his office, and reminds you all that magic is not allowed in the corridors."



"Bloody hell, Harry," Ron said half an hour later in their room, "why didn't you say something?"

"In a minute," Harry said. He turned to Seamus. "Am I wrong, or do you have something to say to me?"

Seamus winced. "Me Mam, well, for all of July, she was going on and on about, well. . . ."

"She believed what The Daily Prophet was saying about me and Dumbledore," Harry said calmly.

"Well, yes," Seamus said.

"And what did you think?" Harry asked.

"I know you, Harry," Seamus said, "but some of what it was saying, well . . . it seemed to make sense. But then those revelations after your trial, the fact that you were even put on trial for something that was so obviously the right thing to do. . . ." Seamus shrugged. "Then your declaring yourself a warlock." He frowned. "Is that part of this duel?"

"In a moment," Harry said. "Go on."

"Well, no offense, she can't believe that You-Know-Who is really back, but The Prophet has backed down, Fudge looks like an idiot, and she doesn't know what to believe, especially since Sirius Black was pardoned yesterday" -- Harry's eyebrows went up and he glared at Ron, for he hadn't read or heard anything about that -- "but . . . well. . . ."

"Go on," Harry said.

"She did say I wasn't to be too close to you this year," Seamus said, red in the face. Harry preferred that to the pale fury of their confrontation in the original time line. "And she has ways of worming things out of me."

Ron, who like the other three had been listening, snorted. Harry merely looked at him. "Well," Ron said, ears reddening, "Mothers are like that."

"That's why I don't tell my parents anything about the magical world," Dean stated.

"My Gran always believed The Prophet was a government propaganda sheet, and she said this summer proved it when it changed its editorial mind about Harry," Neville put in. "But enough about this. Tell us about Snape."

"And anything else you can tell us about this summer," Ron demanded.

Harry sighed and sat on the edge of his bed. "In the war back in the 1970s, Snape became a Death Eater almost from the day he left Hogwarts in 1978. He was Voldemort's . . . how, come off it!" Harry told Ron, Neville, and Seamus. He redid the 'tom marvolo riddle=i am lord voldemort' trick again. "It's not a magical incantation. He won't appear if you say it." Harry paused. "I guess I can see why some people wouldn't want to say it in public, where it would automatically mark you as an open enemy of the Dick Lord, but don't be afraid of the phony title itself."

"Fine," Dean said, "Snape was really a Death Eater?"

Harry nodded. "Well documented. That's one reason why he became to good at making potions; he was Moldishorts' potion brewer, and the Dump Lump needed all sorts of nasty and difficult potions made. Now, in the spring of 1981, he did one of two things. Either he decided that Moldivort was too violent or couldn't win or whatever and came to Dumbledore and became Dumbledore's spy; or Voodlemort sent him to Dumbledore and Snape pretended to be Dumbledore's spy while actually being Voldemort's. In any case, after Moldie-Voldie was disembodied in 1981, Snape was tried for being a Death Eater but Dumbledore got him off."

"But which was he?" Seamus demanded.

"Dumbledore thought until this summer he was a genuine traitor to Voldemort," Harry said. "I've had my doubts since I found out. Yes, he saved my life once back in First year, but I think that was him covering his arse, since he didn't realize that Voldafart had possessed Quirrell. If anything made Dumbledore wonder before this summer, it was how Snape treated me at times."

"How about the rest of us?" Neville asked.

"Supposedly camouflage," Harry said dismissively. "He was supposed to be using that as a cover to lure his Slytherins, especially from Death Muncher families, towards the Light."

"He's been doing a piss-poor job of it, if that were the case," Dean stated. No one disagreed.

"I can't say how I got the Headmaster suspicious," Harry said, "but once I did, he checked the disciplinary records more carefully. He knew Snape had skewed things, but it was much worse than he had realized. The way Snape jumped at the duel has made him even more suspicious." Harry shrugged. "If Snape fights like I think he will, then we'll know for certain."

"Err, aren't you worried about fighting Snape?" Seamus asked.

"No," Harry said simply.