Note from the author about annoying bullcrap:

This story was written waaaaaaay ages ago XD Please refrain from making what are, frankly, annoying remarks about certain spelling errors or whining about what year the story takes place. Seriously, it doesn't make a difference nor matter to the enjoyment of reading as this is an AU fic anyways (technically aren't all fics with differently surmised endings AU? This isn't a new concept and vagueness is actually common now when it wasn't nearly a decade ago :3). If you've got a problem with that, take a hike, you have better things to do with your time than reading fanfiction ;D Play robot unicorn attack or rack up a high time on leekspin :P

Yes, I AM aware of the proper names and titles of things within the Potterverse; Yes, I know proper spell names, how to spell them, and what they do; 8 years after writing this frankly I don't care about it. I don't have the time nor desire to go back and edit things I wrote fleetingly when I was 16 and just barely getting into the Potter world; I too have better uses of my time than editing a fic bordering on ancient O.O That said, it's a fun story. Go with the flow. The year it takes place doesn't matter (if it does, then i hereby say it take place in year 3...and 6...and 5...and 2...take your bloody pick), and if you've got such a huge problem with it that a spelling error here or there will ruin your entire experience, refrain from reading and don't waste either of our times with banal "reviews" about spelling. As a person who is currently studying their 5th language at this point in time and is fluent in the dead language of Latin (as in the language spoken in the Vatican Catholic church, and the language all the spells in the Potterverse originate from) i think i know my stuff quite well thanks ;) And I'd rather spend my time furthering my language studying in pursuit of a second Bachelor's Degree than edit what's going on a decade-old fic. Thank you and have fun ;D :3

Warning: Unauthorized reposting is not tolerated. Harry Potter copyright respective owners. Storyline and Creativity herein copyright FireValkyrie: Miss T. Vaughn S. For archiving information and express permission to archive elsewhere, please contact me at horrormoviebufy at yahoo . com or slytherinsnakequeensupreme at yahoo . com. There is no acceptable excuse for unauthorized postings as I am quite reachable. If this story is found on any other site except fanfiction . net, please contact me. Thank you!

If You Saw What I Saw
Chapter 1: Seeing.

sSs

"Did you hear what I said, Harry? HARRY!" Hermione's voice cut right through Harry's thoughts and brought him back to reality.

"What?"

"I said you're letting your potion simmer too long! It's turning yellow!"

Harry Potter, Hemione Granger, and Ron Weasley were sitting in potions class making the Migrean potion; a potion that would instantly cure very painful wizard headaches. It was quite appropriate too, as Hermione's scolds coupled with Snape's malicious remarks were quite enough to give anyone a headache. But as Harry had been caught up in his thoughts, it would be of little use to him now. It was turquoise blue and smelt like burnt rubber, an indication that he had let it sit for too long.

Harry quickly tried to fix it by adding more squid tentacles, but accomplished nothing by the time Snape swooped down upon him.

"Another day of wasted ingredients, Potter?" Snape sneered at him, looking distastefully at the ruined potion in Harry's cauldron. "That's another zero to add to your collection, Potter. Perhaps I should arrange for you to have a tutoring session with Mr. Malfoy?" Malfoy smirked at Harry from across the room, making this encounter even less than enjoyable. "At least he can make a decent Migrean potion." Harry leered at Snape as the Potions Master waved away the contents of his cauldron. "Five points will be taken from Gryffindor for your inability to pay attention." Snape shot Harry another nasty look before going off to harass Neville ("You're not making soup here, Longbottom!").

Harry gathered up his things and got ready to go as the rest of the students put their labeled phials on Snape's desk. Hermione sat back down huffily in her chair. Harry turned to her, but before he could say anything, she rounded on him.

"Why weren't you paying attention to your potion, Harry? You should have been concentrating! We have a test coming up and I won't have you getting a zero with all the studying we've been doing!"

"I was concentrating! It's Snape!" Harry spat back. And it hadn't been fully a lie. Snape outright hated Harry. He had also been concentrating very hard; about something. More like daydreaming perhaps, but it didn't really matter. At any rate, Snape found fault with everything he did. "I don't need you to reprimand me!"

"Well don't expect me to let you copy my notes! And another thing-!"

"Greasy old git," Ron said fuming as he sat down. Hermione stopped her rant and looked at her fellow Gryffindor. "He told me I get only half credit because my potion is a little on the green side, and that I should be lucky I get even that! Then he took five points from Gryffindor because my label was upside down! I saw Goyle turn in a phial with black colored potion inside, and Snape took it! Without a word!" Ron was more uppity than ever after a potions lesson. He continued to mumble on the way to the Gryffindor common room, "...doubt Goyle can even spell...upside down label...bah!"

No one was ever in a good mood after potions class, except maybe the Slytherins, and Ron, of course, was no exception. But then again, they had had potions with the Slytherins twice this week, double potions today, and one more than they'd like to have had with Snape. It was very good that it was Friday.

Reaching the Gryffindor common room, they settled into comfy chairs by the fire and looked at one another with tired annoyance in their eyes.

"Whadda say we go to Hogsmeade this evening?" Ron asked the other two. Hermione was already busying herself with a copy of -Arithmancy Made Fun-, and Harry was concentrating on a stain on the wall that appeared to Ron to be a water spot. Ron stared at it too, trying to see what was so interesting about an old water spot that kept Harry Potter's attention so focused. "Let's go get butterbeers at the Three Broomsticks," he said still staring, "and I used my last Filibuster on Fred this morning. I could use a trip to Zonko's." His statement was greeted by silence and he was annoyed at not getting an answer from his friends. "Harry! Hermione!"

"What Ron?" Hermione asked exasperated, overlooking her book.

"Do you want to go into Hogsmeade or not?"

"We have work to do! You two still haven't gotten the hang of that heating charm, and Flitwick expects you to know it by Monday! We haven't got time to waste! How will you ever get to freezing things if you can't even heat them up? And do you think Snape is going to take it easy on us for our potions test?"

"Okay!" Ron said dejectedly. He knew he had a lot to do this weekend, but didn't feel particularly up to it at the moment. He wanted to get some fresh air...and perhaps a butterbeer or two. "But I can't concentrate knowing that Fred has a full arsenal of Filibusters with my name on it! Let's just go down to Hogsmeade for like an hour or so. That leaves the whole weekend for studying."

"I suppose. I am running low on ink. But if you don't promise to study hard this weekend, really hard, I'm not going to help either of you with your heating charms," she told him, then added as an afterthought "or let you copy my notes. Ever. Again."

Ron looked at Harry for agreement, who was still staring at the wall. "All right, Harry?"

"Hm?" Harry broke out of his trance and looked at the puzzled expression on Ron's face. "What?"

"Why do you keep doing that?" Ron answered Harry's question with a question.

"Doing what?"

"Staring at the bloody wall. We've been here for five minutes, and already Hermione's roped us into homework hell ("hey!"), and you're staring like a nutter at the wall! Am I that boring?"

"I was just..." Harry looked at the part of the Gryffindor common room he had been staring at, noting Ron's gaze following his. Ron was waiting for an answer. Harry dwelled for a moment, and then said "...thinking."

Ron quickly sobered up and forgot his anger. He lowered his voice. "Is it your scar?" Hermione leaned in confidentially. "Is You-Know-Who-?" Ron surveyed the common room before finishing his sentence, and eyed a group of second years suspiciously, who became flustered under his gaze and gathered up their things nervously.

"It's nothing like that, Ron," Harry said quickly. Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron, but continued to look Harry over like he was one of the books she was eager to study. "It's nothing at all."

"Harry, is anything wrong?"

"No...Just Snape's lessons," Harry told her. She still looked him over, but seemed satisfied with the answer. "That man thrives off torment!"

"Funny that the boy who single handedly defeated You-Know-Who would buckle under the pressure of our dear Professor Snape," George Weasley's voice came from behind Harry. They had just come down the stairs from the dormitories looking more than pleased with themselves.

"And how is ickle-Ronniekins?" Fred asked putting a hand on his younger brother. Ron shrank into the plush chair, wondering how Fred was going to pay him back for his firework wakeup call. And if he was going to be paid now. "Planning...anything?" He grinned and Ron sank even deeper into his chair, wishing he had never thrown that Filibuster onto a sleeping Fred Weasley, and wishing even more that he had been smart enough to run before Fred caught sight of him.

"Speaking of planning," George started, "Fred and I have arranged for a little after-dinner show, so to speak. Just so you know, it'll be held right outside Filch's office at eight-thirty sharp-"

"-so you might want to get front row seat while they're still available," Fred finished for his twin. He gave Ron a wink as they headed for the portrait hole. "See you at dinner!"

Harry didn't think it was possible, but Ron sank even lower into his seat, a look of dread on his face. It was even worse when Fred wouldn't tell him there was something in store for him.

"You know better than to go NEAR Filch's office when Fred and George pull that, Ron," Hermione said matter-of-factly.

But Ron was still dwelling on the fact that Fred had something planned for him and was soon to wreak havoc. "I'm doomed..." He looked at Harry for ideas, but Harry was again staring at the now non-existent spot on the wall.

"Hermione?" Harry was still staring at the spot, but something had him puzzled.

"Huh?" She looked up from her Arithmancy book.

"What do you know about shapeshifters?"