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DISCLAIMER: See Ch. 1.

A/N: Okay, now we're finally back at Hogwarts!

Also, this chapter is dedicated to Fangalla Marie!


Chapter 5: ...But You Can't Make Him Drink

Harry and Blaise found themselves in a carriage with a pair of Slytherin second-years.

"You know, Fudge and Umbridge got the Dementor's Kiss over the summer," Blaise said conversationally.

Surprised, Harry turned to face him. "Really?"

"Yeah, you didn't hear?"

Then Harry remembered how he put wards up all around Privet Drive so almost no one could contact him. That would explain why he never found out about it. "Couldn't have happened to better traitors," Harry said with a smirk. He wasn't bothered that much by how he never witnessed Fudge and Umbridge get what they deserve; just knowing and being sure that they were finished off was certainly enough to satisfy him.

Blaise and the younger Slytherins shared a laugh.

Harry actually felt more at home with the Slytherins than with his own so-called "fellow" Gryffindors. Of course, just because he was Gryffindor's Heir, that didn't mean he had to absolutely detest any and all Slytherins.

Eventually, their carriage drew up to the castle, and Harry thought to himself, 'Oh well, at least the ride was nice while it lasted, I suppose...'

"Hey, Potty!"

'Enter the Ferret,' Harry thought to himself, hating this situation at first but soon realizing this was a great opportunity, if things worked out right.

"I bet you -"

"Silencio," Harry said, Silencing the blond Slytherin boy. Malfoy angrily worked his mouth in order to say something, /anything/, but nothing came out.

"Oh Merlin, Malfoy is actually silent for a change?" Blaise said with mock shock. "And to think we all thought that transfiguring him into a ferret was the best way to stop him from being, well, him!"

There was a good round of laughter all around as Malfoy's face flushed furiously, and then he stalked off.

"Nice wandwork, Harry," Blaise commented.

"Nice commentary, Blaise," Harry responded in an equal tone. "I'm surprised that a Silencing Charm was all I needed... although it probably would have been a scream to bounce him around again..."

Draco was silently seething with anger as Harry and Blaise walked off to their respective tables. Harry deliberately sat at the far end, near the doors and far away from the High Table. He deliberately looked away from the staff and his "fellow" Gryffindors.

'Try to look at it this way, Harry,' he told himself, 'Another year, and another opportunity... to bring some people off their high horses.'

He smirked at that thought.

Perhaps returning to Hogwarts wouldn't be such a bad idea after all...

The Sorting Hat sang its song (whose lyrics Harry didn't pay attention to), but there was some scattered applause; perhaps there was another warning this year? Well, Harry certainly didn't care.

The Sorting progressed, and as each new first-year joined the Gryffindor table, everyone except Harry applauded. Not interested.

Dumbledore made his usual speech about what was against the rules... then added something different which caught Harry completely off guard.

"And now, on a more somber note, I would like to hold propose a toast... To one of our number who was wronged last year, but still did the right thing and saved us all. Students and staff, I would like to honor Harry Potter. To Harry Potter."

Everyone repeated "To Harry Potter" and drank to those words; Harry just snorted and rolled his eyes. 'Oh, brother,' he thought.

However, it seemed that he had just snorted loudly enough for everyone to turn to look at him. "Is something the matter, Mister Potter?" Dumbledore asked as though the rest of the people in the Great Hall weren't there.

Harry turned to look at him, giving a cold glare whose intensity was felt by Dumbledore on the other side of the hall. "Oh, I dunno... The fact that you and almost everyone else betrayed me? The fact that you Stunned me in the courtroom and coerced me into coming back here? The fact that this 'toast' is just a pitiful ploy to try and butter me up? Take your pick."

The entire student body muttered uneasily while up at the High Table, Snape was surveying the scene with hidden glee. 'I knew that coming back to Hogwarts would have its perks,' he thought to himself. 'Besides, it's not wise to walk out on free entertainment.'

"Mr. Potter," Dumbledore said calmly, "I realize that you have issues from last year, but you need to forgive everyone and move on. It's the only way it will get better."

"Translation: /I am going to pressure you until you break down and make you forgive everyone so we can all feel better about foolishly betraying you and pretend that it never happened/," Harry responded mockingly. As he noticed nearly everyone flinch, he then added, "Judging by everyone's body language and apparent guilt, I'm going to assume that my assessment was closer to the truth."

Snape was now shaking a little with silent laughter. This was just too good.

Before Dumbledore could be allowed to say anything else, Harry pressed even further. "You've said it yourself, Dumbledore, and I quote: /There are some wounds that just run too deep to heal/. Well, guess what? This is one of those situations that you just can't fix."

"Harry, if you keep hanging on to these emotions, you could turn Dark," Dumbledore said warningly.

Harry's emotions flared up at that. "If I were you, Dumbledore, I'd watch what you say. If your seemingly selective memory serves you well, you would remember that it was your assumptions that I had gone Dark which were what started this entire fiasco to begin with."

'Touché, Harry,' Snape thought, trying very hard to hold in his own laughter upon seeing the wounded look on Dumbledore's face.

"And now," Harry plowed on, "Because you and nearly everyone else ended up looking like the idiots that you are, you're desperate to look good again in the eyes of the public. You were low enough to Stun me back in the courtroom just before I could put one helluva dent in your own reputation, so what else are you low enough to try and do? Slip potions into my food? Somehow coerce me into some other magically binding contract? Use the Imperious Curse or some other curse on me if I don't do what you want me to?"

The entire school gasped at Harry's accusations, while Harry felt vindictively smug. However, Dumbledore looked saddened, rather than angry.

"Harry, I cannot express enough how sorry I am for the mistake I made..."

Getting up, Harry said, "Oh, I know we all make mistakes from time to time. However, I never made a mistake as stupid or disastrous as the one you made, /Dumbledork/."

The crowd gasped again, and Snape was now shaking so hard with laughter that he had to grip the staff table itself to steady himself.

Harry walked to the door, and before he crossed the threshold, he turned back to deliver a parting shot. "Just remember this: I killed Voldemort... under justified circumstances, of course. However, if you try anything wrong, you will not like the consequences. Just about every single wizard who's tried to control, manipulate, ruin or even end my life has ended up dead or incapacitated, and I won't hesitate to defend myself if I have to. Keep that in mind."

And with that, Harry swept out, muttering something under his breath to low for even the closest people to hear: "...Tries to force me to forgive them... how Fangalla Marie of them..."

However, Snape heard it well enough, and finally burst out laughing at seeing the fools get put in their places.


(End of Chapter 5.)

A/N: So, who liked the conflict and such in this chapter? What, not satisfied? Don't worry, because this is just a warm-up act...

Note about the titles for chapters 4 and 5: What did you guys think of my choices here?

Next chapter is a brief interlude with everyone's not-so-favorite Headmaster... -Quillian