A.N.:-I am officially continuing this story. Honestly, I had no encouragement for the old one. And it is deleted. The prologue, was updated of old story, by mistake. I have rectified the mistake. I am grateful to everyone 51 follows and 23 faves! That is something! But I wish you would take time to review. Well, no probs. But, I must inform you I am having second thoughts about the decided pairings. You will see in the chapter.

Chapter 2: Carriage Pulling Creature And A Pink Toad

Harry

After doing the first phase of the prank, Harry and the twins separated and worked on looking as innocent as possible, which was really easy for Harry as after the prank no one would suspect him and even if the teachers did suspect Fred and George, they would not have any evidence against them as when the phase two would be put into action the twins would be sitting innocently at the Gryffindor table.

Harry had reached the compartment where he had left Ron and Hermione, to find it empty, then he remembered that they had prefect meeting and duties and had left for Prefects' Compartment. It was weird to be on Hogwarts' Express without Hermione and Ron beside him. But he figured they would be back soon and settled himself, in the compartment.

"Harry?" A timid voice said, "Can I sit here?" Harry turned to find Neville Longbottom's head sticking through the door. Harry wondered how many compartments would Neville had crossed. A part of him pitied the boy but the other, who wanted to be a better person, both like his father and mother decided that he will know this boy better.

"Sure," Harry replied, standing up to help Neville with his trunk, "How was your summer?" Harry asked, as the two sat down.

"Fine," Neville replied, uncomfortably. Harry was confused for a moment but then memories came back as flashes, as he remembered what happened in the Headmaster's office almost a year back. In that moment, Harry realized that he had something common with Neville. Like him, Neville hadn't had his parents around. But what was worse in Neville's case was that he had to see his parents driven to insanity. He remembered Dumbledore mentioning they were in some sort of comatose. Harry wondered what was worse, seeing your parents lifeless or having no parents at all.

He opted for former. Harry didn't realize that his expression had changed, but they might have because Neville looked at him with narrowed eyes and said, "You know," His tone was unlike Harry had heard from him, it was cold and clipped, "Look," Neville said, "I don't need pity and I would prefer you don't, um, tell anyone."

"I don't pity you," Harry said in defence.

"Of course you do," Neville said weakly, "That look you just gave me? I have received it many times before. Why do you think I haven't told anyone about my parents?"

"I," Harry began but was cut off by Neville speaking.

"How do you feel when people give you pitying looks?" He asked and Harry shut up, he swallowed his reply.

They sat in silence as Neville glared at Harry.

"I understand," Harry said, but couldn't think of anything else to say.

Apparently, that was enough, as Neville's face transformed from cold expression, to his usual confused and fidgety one.

"I am sorry," He mumbled, and Harry changed the subject to Quidditch and Herbology.

It was an hour later that they were joined by Ron and Hermione.

"Guess who is the Slytherin prefect?" Ron asked, the moment he entered the compartment.

"'Who the Slytherin prefect is'," Hermione corrected as she sat down next to Neville and Ron sat down next to Harry, "It's Malfoy," she answered Ron's question and Ron made a face at her.

Neville paled a bit.

"Well," Harry reasoned, "Now we know Malfoy Senior made a big donation to Hogwarts."

"I don't think so," Hermione muttered, earning incredulous looks from Ron and Harry. She looked at them with defiance, but they co

"Oh, please!" Hermione exclaimed, throwing up her hands in defence, "He has the best academic performance in Slytherins after Daphne Greengrass and is in other extra-curricular clubs, too. And Zabini is not much of a talker, Nott is practically failing, and can you imagine Crabbe and Goyle as prefects?"

Ron and Harry looked at her with identically raised eyebrows.

"You know a lot about Slytherins, Hermione," Harry smirked.

"Well," Hermione blushed, "It is not just Slytherins, I know top five rankers of all the houses."

"Know the competition, eh?" Harry asked, smirking.

Hermione reddened further but nodded almost imperceptibly.

Ron, Harry and Neville laughed at Hermione who promptly opened a book to read.

"Okay," Harry asked, "Who are the other prefects from our year?"

"Ernie and Hannah from Hufflepuff," Hermione said, and Harry nodded remembering the blonde haired girl, and the boy who was sure that Harry was the heir of the Slytherin in second year. But Harry was sure that he would see past that. If he was going to make friends outside his house, he must start with the prefects.

"Anthony and Padma from Ravenclaw," Ron added and looked oddly at Hermione.

Harry maybe had inkling what this was about. But he chose to remain silent.

He turned to Neville who was busy reading some Herbology book, he was about to strike a conversation but at the exact moment Ginny entered the compartment, with a girl with long dirty blonde hair trailing behind her.

"Good, here are the two of you," She said, looking between Ron and Hermione, "I need to talk to you."

"Gin," Ron began but Ginny cut him off.

"Actually," She said turning to Hermione, "I only want to talk to Hermione."

"What's this about?" Hermione asked, closing her book.

"You know Luna?" She asked, pointing at the Ravenclaw girl.

Hermione nodded a bit uncomfortably.

"People are bullying her," Ginny said with conviction, "Even her house-mates,"

"It's not them," Luna replied in a dreamy, far away voice, "It's the nargles."

'Nargles?' Harry wondered, confusion marring his features. He looked at Ron and Neville who looked as lost as he was.

Hermione looked uncomfortable, "Don't you think it should be handled by Ravenclaw prefects...?"

"They are the ones bullying her," Ginny argued, "And as you can see she won't stand for herself."

Harry watched as Luna's dreamy eyes changed, and she looked at Ginny sharply, but that change was gone as soon as it came.

"It's the Nargles," Luna repeated and Ginny gave Hermione a pointed look, who sighed.

"Fine," Hermione replied, "I will talk to McGonnagal."

Then something occurred to Harry, "Isn't Cho in Ravenclaw?" He asked, "She might help."

Ginny's eyes snapped at Harry, with fury reminiscent to Mrs. Weasley, "Oh, honestly Harry?" She asked angrily, "She is like the leader of the bullies."

"What?" Harry asked, clueless.

"Delusional," Ginny muttered.

"Ginny," Hermione warned and then added, "Anyways, she is too heartbroken to do anything else."

"Oh," Harry said, knowing Hermione was referring to Cedric's death.

The conversation lulled after that, Ginny and Luna opted to stay in the compartment.

Harry waited for the annual visit from Malfoy but was secretly disappointed when it didn't happen, and the train stopped at Hogsmeade station.

They stepped into the warm night and Harry began to search for the silhouette of the half-giant, who had introduced him to the world of magic, but was disappointed, yet again, to find Grubbly-Plank instead. He sighed and made way to the carriages, only to find another surprise waiting for him.

The carriages, which were usually pulled by nothing but magic were attached to horse-like skeletal creatures with wings.

"What's that?" He asked to no one in particular, "What's that pulling the carriage."

"Nothing is pulling the carriage, Harry," Hermione said, giving him a confused, yet anxious look.

"Actually," Neville said, from behind the trio, "Those are thestrals, Harry."

Hermione looked sharply at him and exhaled an 'oh'.

"What are thestrals?" He asked.

"They are creatures that can only be seen by people who have seen death, Harry." Hermione explained, still looking at Neville.

Harry looked between Neville and Hermione, who seemed to be frozen.

"Even I can see them," Luna's dreamy voice sounded beside him, "You're just sane as I am."

This broke whatever moment Neville and Hermione seemed to be having and all three of them turned to look at Luna.

They boarded the carriage in silence.

If Harry had believed that he had enough surprises for the day, he was sorely proved wrong.

As soon as he entered the great hall and seated on the Gryffindor table, he saw the lady he had seen at his trial, who worked for Fudge.

Things were not going to be same, that was assured.

Fudge was out to get him and this pink lady, who proved to be more like a pink toad after her introductory speech, was the living proof to that.

Soon it was time for the second phase of the prank, after receiving a nod from the twins, sitting few places away. He discreetly moved his wand in the well learnt gesture and smoke filled the great hall.

People began to panic and a few even screamed. But soon the smoke receded and left really funny effects back.

For a moment, there was stunned silence. Even a dropped could be heard. Then Pansy Parkinson screamed, followed by raucous laughter.

As it happened, everyone's hair had turned into four shades, yellow, red, green and blue, representing the four houses.

Harry knew that this prank might be a big mistake considering the presence of pink toad. But he didn't care at the moment, as his classmates looked torn between laughing at others and worrying over their own eccentric hair colour, and as McGonnagall looked at him with a knowing look.

'Oh,' Harry thought as a smile crept on his face, 'The Marauders had done this before.'