Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone Reduex II
-
The match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff was turning into a great one, Harry thought to himself. Even if Snape was the refereeing. The late afternoon was quite brilliant and Harry was having fun playing with the poor Hufflepuff seeker's mind, though he didn't try any professional Quidditch moves like a Wronsky Feint.
It was soon turning dark and Harry was becoming worried about spotting the Snitch before the sun went down.
He definitely wasn't going to be catching it anywhere near as quickly as he had the first time. He grinned to himself as he realized that he was actually helping both Hufflepuff and Gryffindor by dragging out the match a bit, but the increased score would play havoc with Slytherin's standing in the Cup.
Harry was busy scanning the area, even as the first time out of the game was called. He glanced over to his friends and almost fell off his broom in shock as he saw a man sitting with them cheering just as loudly as any of the students.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Snape also spotting his bitter child-hood rival. He skimmed down to the edge of the field where Wood was berating them for only being fifty points ahead of their opponents. Harry grinned at the twins.
"So, Harry? Not worried at all about finding the snitch?" Fred asked.
"A bit, but I don't want the game to end too soon. We need to out-point Slytherin by as much as possible, right?" Harry asked innocuously.
"Wicked idea," George replied.
"But I wouldn't have thought you tactically minded enough to think so." Fred was looking at Harry speculatively.
"Not knowing about Quidditch and all before school and all," his twin finished.
"I've learned a lot about Quidditch from Ron," he replied modestly. Both times, he thought with a grin. "Maybe I can come out to your place this holiday and practice with you guys and Ron." And Ginny, he said silently.
"Sounds like a plan!" they chorused.
"Are you absolutely done wasting my time?" Professor Snape sneered as he flew up to the Gryffindors.
Harry hopped back up and onto his broom. The corner's of his mouth turned down. Perhaps- "So you played Quidditch in school, Professor Snape? You look very at ease on your broom," he asked conversationally.
"Most of the professors have played, I believe," the professor replied curtly.
Harry grinned. "I just have a very hard time imagining Professor Dumbledore or McGonnagal playing Quidditch myself."
Snape just gave him a sneer and floated off.
"That was weird, mate," George said.
"Why?" Harry asked even as he floated off the ground.
"You were being conversational with Snape!" his twin replied in unison.
"It doesn't hurt me at all to chit-chat for a moment," he informed them with a roll of his eyes at their theatrics.
Up in the stands, Hermione and Ron were shading their eyes as the sun dropped lower. "Will they be able to find the snitch at night?" she asked the older man sitting comfortably in the midst of the first years.
Sirius Black just grinned at his godson's friend. "They'll light up the whole Quidditch patch. It wouldn't surprise me that Madam Hootch did this so that we could experience a night game. Though I bet a different excuse was used."
"You don't think that they would make them play for days and weeks, do you?" Neville asked.
"Not straight on. Hogwarts is a school, so they'll stop for breaks and schooling. That's about it though."
"Oh, it's the convict," a cultured drawl drifted down to them. Draco Malfoy was flanked by Crabbe and Goyle just a dozen feet away.
"A free man, thank you! So how is your mother?" Sirius said tautly, even as his smile slipped a bit.
"Upset that you are moving back to Grimuald Place. I think she wanted it for herself," Malfoy said calmly.
"Well, it ended up in my name. I'll be sure to send over any of her old school things I find to my dear cousin."
Hermione looked back and forth between the two. "You are related?" she asked.
"Yes, most pureblood families are related one way or another. Longbottom, Potter, Weasley, Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle just to name a few."
Draco sneered, in a good approximation of his head of household. "Some families are better than others, of course."
Neville narrowed his eyes in anger. "Some people are better than others, Malfoy."
"Are you getting besotted with that filthy mudblood, too?" Draco jibed nastily. He expected the portly boy to go for his wand, so he was quite surprised when Neville's fist smashed into his nose.
Sirius quickly broke up the fight. "That's enough of that!"
"He broke my nose!" Malfoy said unconvincingly as he dabbed at the little bit of blood.
"You have to be prepared to accept the consequences of your comments, cousin." Sirius's black eyes seemed to glint in anger.
"I challenge you, Draco Malfoy, for besmirching and insulting me!" Hermione called out coldly. All of the Griffindors around her suddenly went silent as something more interesting than a mere Quidditch game caught their attention.
The scion of House Malfoy paled. "What?"
"You heard me, I challenge you!"
He looked around frantically, but easily thirty students had heard the challenge. "I a-accept! Who is your second?"
"I'll be her second, if she'll let me!" Ron called out, his own eyes flinty. He grinned at Neville. "You already got your poke at him, Nev!"
"Who is your second?" the young witch called out.
Crabbe replied, "I will be." The heavy-set boy tried to look imposing, but looked too worried about the adult.
Malfoy smirked suddenly. "Same place and time as last place?"
"No. Here, on the Quidditch pitch right after the game." Hermione seemed very cold and angry. "I wouldn't want you to fail to show up."
"You did not fail to show up to your own duel, did you?" Sirius asked angrily as he correctly inferred that the young boy had ditched the last duel. "I have half a mind to send your mother a howler about that!"
"What?" the blond almost screeched out. "You mustn't!"
"You will apologize, publicly, for failing to show up to your last duel to your opponent. The honor of Malfoy and Black is on the line." Sirius suddenly grinned. "You don't have to mean it very much, if that helps."
"Fine!" the thin Slytherin snapped out.
Suddenly, the crowd roared as the two seekers dove after the glinting snitch. Harry's lighter form and skill came into play as he snatched the snitch right from in front of the Hufflepuff seeker.
Sirius smiled widely at his godson and his victory. He waited a moment, then stood up. He cast a sonorus spell upon himself. "You attention please. A duel is about to commence between Hermione Granger and Draco Malfo over an insult."
Everyone on the Quidditch field was stunned. The Maurauder so loved a good production!
-
"Sirius Black! Back on school grounds only a few hours and already causing a scandel!" Professor McGonnogal said with aspiration.
"Wait! Don't blame me! I'm just standing up for the honor of House Malfoy and Black actually! Draco insulted Hermione right in front of everyone and she called him on it. She even demanded that they have it right after the game right on the Quidditch pitch." He shrugged. "It was just his bad luck that the game ended almost a moment later. And if he apologizes for ditching out on his last duel, I won't even send his mother a howler!"
"They are just First Years! They are far too young!" Professor Snape declared.
"Actually, I'd prefer they get it out of their system now rather than in six years when they know something dangerous," Sirius responded solemnly.
Dumbledore frowned slightly, but nodded in agreement with Sirius. "Challenges and duels are not illegal. We can not bar them from this, but we can control the situation for the betterment of the entire school."
Snape nodded ruefully. "As Draco is my godson, I would like to referee this duel."
Sirius considered it eve as he filed that bit of information away. "And perhaps a referee that is partisan to Miss Granger?"
"Yourself?" the head of Slytherin's house sneered.
"Not at all! I was going to suggest Professor McGonnagal, as Miss Granger's head of house." Sirius just smiled. "I barely know Miss Granger."
Professor Flitwick and Dumbledore were quickly assembling a dueling platform for the two first years. In just a few minutes, they were ready.
The headmaster turned to Hermione on his left. "Miss Granger, will you withdraw your challenge?"
"Only if Draco Malfoy apologizes for insulting me in front of all these people," she declared.
"Mr. Malfoy, will you apologize to Miss Granger?" the old wizard asked.
Draco stopped a sneer from appearing under Dumbledore's gaze. "I will not take back my words!"
Snape stood up and held his wand between the two combatants. "Wands out!" He waited for the two first years to do so. "Bow!" They followed his directives from thirty feet away from each other. Snape then dropped his own wand, signifying the start of the fight.
Draco yelled out his disarming jinx, which was dodged and shielded just in case. The young Malfoy frowned. She actually looked like she had a bit of real dueling training, as she sent her own tickling charm that almost caused him to be hit her second spell, a disarming jinx.
The rest of the school was watching on in surprise as the two children dueled years above their peers, though Hermione seemed to have the advantage.
"Serpentia!" Draco called out, conjuring a slightly mishappen snake, only to wince as he saw Hermione quickly immobolize it. His next spell was dodged too.
"Stupify!" she called out, hitting the boy with a pink beam. He was not very affected and he sneered back at her.
"Can't you even cast your hexes right-" he started to berate her when her second stunner hit him. This one was far more powerful and red, causing him to become groggy and staggering.
The next three stunners finished him off, though leaving Hermione gasping desperately.
Professor McGonagal nodded. "Mr. Malfoy is unable to continue. Mr. Crabbe, do you wish to continue the duel in his stead?"
Crabbe licked his lips. Both of the duelists had far exceeded anything he could hope to do. "I believe the matter of honor has been resolved, Professor."
"An amazing display of skill for ones so young! I would like to give both Gryffindor and Slytherin ten house points for a very sporting fight!" Professor Dumbledore declared as Professor Snape woke up the boy.
Hermione shared a quick glance over at Harry, but at his nod walked up to Draco. "That was very well fought, Draco." She held out her hand to shake.
Draco just stared at it for a second, before grudgingly taking it. "That was well fought. I didn't think a First Year could do the stunning spell."
"I almost couldn't and now I'm all tired out." Indeed, Hermione was covered in sweat and looked very, very tired. "And the apology to Harry about your duel with him?"
"Ah-" Draco spare a quick glance at his head of house. The more serious look from his cousin was more intimidating though. Quite loudly, but not loud enough that the student in the bleachers could hear, "I apologize for not showing up for our duel, Harry Potter."
Harry nodded seriously. "Your apology is accepted, Draco Malfoy."
What sort of changes would this entail?
-
Harry sighed as he saw Hagrid in the library, heading out of the section dealing with raising dragons.
"What's wrong, Harry?" Ron asked, even as he worked through his paper for potions.
"Just Hagrid. He's a really nice fellow, but he's very monster mad. Well, not really monsters, but he has a hard time seeing dangerous creatures for being that. A viper may be a most pretty snake, but that doesn't change the fact that they are so deadly that they can kill you if you make one mistake." Harry slumped down on one elbow as he tried to get his mind back on the dark arts he was researching.
"He's been the grounds keeper here at Hogwarts for a very long time," Neville noted.
"I think Professor Dumbledore helped get him the job, but I think he'd really love to be in the wilds all the time," the Boy Who Lived said even as he turned the page of a very thick and dusty tome. Some of the things in it were terrifying, but others were really very useful. He just wished he knew Runes and Arithimancy better. He was really regretting not taking those classes the last time around.
Hermione was so engrossed in her reading that she was only slightly paying attention. She pursed her lips as she made another notation on the book of Occulemancy. This looked fiendishly complicated. "It is too bad that he doesn't have a job where he could be out in the wilds all the time," she muttered half-heartedly.
"Being a grounds keeper here at Hogwarts does give him a lot of time out in the Forbidden Forest, but it isn't the same thing as living out there," Neville said. He was scribbling a round symbol with a lightning bolt.
"So why are you so upset about Hagrid today?" Ron asked worriedly. "He's not going to get in trouble for having us visit him and his animals, is he?"
"No. And yes. He's a very trusting sort with a very big blind spot concerning people that profess to like animals. He's been tricked into revealing how to get past Fluffy. And I'm not sure how to handle it," Harry asked. He suddenly blinked as he felt someone invisible trip a very minor alarm ward he'd placed at the end of the stacks. "So, Ronald, how are the Chudley Cannon's doing this year?" he said very specifically and strongly even as he very quickly replaced his dark arts book with his potions homework.
The other three children stiffened, as the coded word let them know that they were being spied upon. Neville put his doodle away, even as Hermione replied, "We are here to study! You boys can talk Quidditch later!" she said in the proper scandalized tone, even as her homework appeared in place of the book on Occulumancy.
"But we've got loads of time left for that!" Ron complained. "The Cannons have their best chance in winning a game in fifty years!"
"Even my Gran says that the Cannons are a blight upon the whole league," Neville pointed out. "She even said she thinks they are actually there to make sure that every other team at least has one win."
"Them's fighting words, Neville!" Ron said belligerently.
-
Harry was still trying to figure out how to keep Hagrid out of trouble with his dragon egg as he walked the halls of Hogwarts. As he hadn't convinced the half-giant that it was bad, and wasn't likely without Hagrid's bed being set of fire at least once, he had not had Ron send a letter to Charlie yet. He kicked a bit at the rug he was walking over, trying to rack his brain on how to help Hagrid the best.
He was just passing a cabinet when he stopped. He let his hand touch the seemingly innocuous cabinet, thinking hard. It was a vanishing cabinet. A broken one, actually.
But not so broken that Draco couldn't fix it. How to make sure that it become so broken that it could never be repaired? To stop Draco from attempting to kill Dumbledore? Perhaps he should see about getting some wizarding fireworks from Fred and George and having an accident with them?
"Ah, Harry Potter!" Headmaster Dumbledore said from only twenty feet away. "A vanishing cabinet, though its pair must be missing or broken."
"Vanishing cabinet? What are they used for?" the boy asked. He had almost jumped out of his skin at the sudden interruption. He studied the cabinet while ordering his mind with his Occulemancy.
"Originally, to transport packages over very long distances. They are a rare magic and mostly forgotten. A pity, really." The old wizard's eyes were twinkling merrily.
"So you could set this up like the Muggle postal service? So why use owls?" Harry asked, acting like a blithe muggle-raised student, though he was curious on the answer.
"Like the Muggle post? Now that is an interesting thought." Dumbledore seemed to be considering it heavily.
"It would help with the statute of secrecy!" Harry pointed out. "No more owls flying about for Muggles to see."
"Very, very true. It is too bad that such charms and transfigurations are beyond even NEWT level magic." The old wizard seemed to shake the thought off after a moment. "Be that as it may, this is not the reason I sought you out today. I have come up with a possible short-term solution to your water born curse."
"Oh? I'd terribly appreciate that, sir. I'm not very comfortable at all with it." Harry was blushing, leaking his embarrassment out through his shields.
The headmaster beamed. "Yes, indeed. I was unable to find any direct information on the water itself. But there are more ways to skin a Vindeeath. So I looked into magic that protects against the cause of the activation, instead of removing the curse directly. I procured a bracelet with a water repelling charm. It is easy enough to remove and put in a pocket so that you may shower and eat."
"A brilliant idea! I had wondered about a charm to protect me from getting wet," Harry said with enthusiasm.
"I'm afraid it is a little gaudy. Do try to not misplace it, as it was a bit expensive to buy. If we are able to remove your curse more permanently, I would ask that you return it." Dumbledore held out the bracelet for him to take. It was gold and covered in small green gems. "Unfortunately, due to having to take it off to wash, you will still have to stay in your private room still."
"Of course, Professor." Drat, he hadn't wanted to stay in that room.
-
Harry sighed as the double duo of students headed back up to the castle after having talked to Hagrid about his 'new' dragon egg later that same day.
"Cheer up, Harry. I'm sure we'll come up with something!" Ron said as he patted his friend on the back.
"Harry? Do you really think Hagrid would be more happy living out in the wilderness?" Hermione asked seriously.
Harry and Neville both nodded. "I really think he would be," Harry replied.
Neville and Hermione shared a glance. Finally, about half way across the field toward Hogwarts, Hermione spoke again. "So why not try to convince Hagrid to go with his dragon to raise it?" she asked.
"I doubt he would." The young Boy Who Lived concentrated in thought for a moment. "I bet he feels too endebted to Dumbledore to go do something like that."
"Why's that?" Ron asked.
Harry stopped for a second, looking around. Finally he sighed. "Dumbledore helped get him a job after he was expelled."
The other three winced. "Expelled? That's harsh," Neville said with a frown. "Though I guess that makes sense. I've never seen him use a wand."
"Voldemort tricked the school and the ministry into believing that Hagrid was opening the Chamber of Secrets to 'play' with dangerous monsters." Harry snorted, offering his opinion about that. "Even as a student, he was destroying lives."
All of them were very serious as they entered the school.
-
Harry stared at Norbert in a mixture of horror and fascination as it lay in the shards of its eggshell. When the dragon belched fire, he just sighed. It was time to take the tack of convincing Hagrid that Norbert was just not suited for living here in his hut.
"Hagrd? I understand dragons grow really fast," Harry asked as the dragon started feeding on bottles of chicken blood and brandy.
"That they do!" the half-giant said with a beaming smile under his bushy beard.
"I don't think this hut is a very good place to raise a dragon!"
"Nonsense! I've read up and everythin' about how to raise a dragon!" Hagrid replied almost belligerantly.
"I agree, you probably know loads about how to raise a dragon. I just said this hut isn't a good place to raise dragon. You don't raise the chickens in here. He needs a place designed to raise a dragon. Like a dragon pen or out in the wilderness."
"Harry's right, Hagrid. This isn't a good home for a dragon. Dragons need more room!" Hermione declared hotly.
"A fireproof room too! Hagrid, I thought you wanted the best for your pet?" the Boy Who Lived asked crossly.
"I do! But I don't wanna give up poor little Norbert! Can't I keep him for just a little while?" the groundskeeper asked woefully.
Harry shared a quick glance with Hermione, Ron and Neville. "Give up Norbert? I never said anything about giving him up. I just said he needs to grow up in a better place."
They kids all winced as Ron acted, horribly, like he just had an idea. "Hagrid! You could go with Nerburt to make sure he's treated right!" Neville nodded his agreement.
"You are really good with animals, Hagrid! I'm sure that Professor Dumbledore will understand that you just wanted to help poor, er, Norbert there. I bet if you volunteered to help raise him, they would overlook any problems with you having found a dragon egg!" Harry was very sincere about this. Hagrid really would be happy raising the dragon, he thought.
"I dunno. I'd feel like I'm betraying the headmaster," he replied woefully again.
Neville nodded slightly, as if thinking deeply. "Hagrid, how is going to Professor Dumbledore for help betraying a confidence? Wouldn't that be you confirming your trust in him and his judgment? He'll know what to do. He's the greatest wizard in a century!"
That hadn't been one of the ideas they'd talked about earlier, Harry noted. Neville was ad-libbing, which was good in his mind.
"You're right! I'll go as soon as Norbert falls ta sleep. Will ya watch over him until I get back?" the half-giant asked.
"Of course we will, Hagrid. You're our friend. That's what friends do," Harry said, his voice thick with emotion. Was he betraying him, or releasing him to find his own way for a little while?
-
Harry opened the door when felt Malfoy break the ward he'd set up to detect him. "Hello? Oh, hello Malfoy," Harry called out uncertainly. It was so hard to see Draco as not 'the enemy.' That he was just a young boy.
Draco looked exactly like a small kid with his hand in the cookie jar. "Ah, I was just curious as to what you were all doing out here."
"Oh, we are just helping Hagrid out with a little problem he has. He's sort of rescued a dragon egg. We just finally convinced him to go talk to Professor Dumbledore about it so it can be raised properly," Hermione said carefully.
Neville and Ron shared a quick glance. "Well come in. The cold isn't good for the baby dragon!" Ron said.
"Yeah, how often are you going to see a real live dragon?" Neville said.
"Those are illegal!" Draco said even as he stepped in to look at what he was named for and closed the door. It was a little bit disappointing, being so small.
"We know!" Hermione snapped out. "But Hagrid didn't steal it or anything. He won it in a game of cards and he's always wanted one."
Ron snickered. "Who hasn't wanted a dragon?"
The blond nodded. "I've always wanted one, too. I can see why he'd be torn about that."
The young kids watched the baby dragon closely. Harry smiled fondly from the background. For just this once, they were children experiencing the wonders of the magical world about them.
Suddenly, the door slammed open. "Potter and his bratty friends should get a detention for this!" Professor Snape demanded as he and Dumbledore entered the now cramped room. "See! There they are!"
Draco was petrified as he realized he was just as caught as the four Gryffindors.
"I think that detentions may be a bit premature, Proffessor Snape. From how Hagrid explained things, Harry and the others convinced him to come to me about this. As soon as Mr. Diggle from the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures arrives, he will sort out this mess." Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling merrily.
"You are just protecting Harry Potter because he's the Boy Who Lived! Him and his friends! Hagrid should be sacked over this! It's illegal to take a dragon egg from a reservation!" Snape shouted. "I will personally go to the Board of Governors if you don't fire that menace and give all of these children a detention!"
"Does that include me, Professor?" Draco asked, his cheeks tinged pink in anger. His small fists were clenched in anger.
"Mr. Malfoy? What are you- They must have dragged you here- I didn't mean-" Snape sputtered out.
"Peace, Professor Snape. We will let Mr. Diggory handle the situation with Hagrid. As for these children, they have all shown remarkable bravery this day by standing not only by Rebeus Hagrid, but for his best welfare also. I am going to award Gryffindor twenty points and Slytherin five points. I believe it is time for you all to head back up to the castle now," Dumbledore said, gesturing at the door.
The five students trudged out and started up to the castle.
"Draco, I really appreciate what you did there," Harry declared softly.
Hermione nodded her head yes vigorously. "That was very brave!"
With a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, Ron piped in. "Maybe the sorting hat got you into the wrong house, eh, Neville?"
"Could be!" the portly boy replied.
Harry and Hermione chimed in with their agreement.
"Oh, knock it off. I just wanted to see the dragon, Potter!" Draco's cheeks were tinged pink again.
"I have a first name, Draco! I even allow friends to use it!" the Boy Who Lived said.
The Slytherin stopped and looked at Harry for a moment in surprise. "All right. Harry."
-
It was announced the next morning that Hagrid was stepping down as Groundskeeper to help raise dragons in Romania, so they would have a new groundskeeper shortly. Of course, it only took about two days for a mostly accurate account of how he'd given up being Hogwart's grounds keeper to help raise a dragon.
The eventual replacement was a young wizard named Stephen Polyman. He seemed a sturdy sort and very thrilled to be accepted on the Hogwarts staff. The rumor going around was that he wasn't much of a wizard, but needed a job desperately. He kept showing up for the first few weeks banged up and hurt, but still pretty happy with his job.
When Hermione still didn't start pushing to revise their notes for the year end, Harry finally pulled her aside into an empty room. In his memories, he remembered her starting to study for exams weeks earlier.
"Hermione? I was wondering why you weren't pushing about to revise your notes for year end?" he asked seriously.
"Well, we are so far ahead of everyone else, thanks to you, that I just didn't think we needed to start quite so soon," she said. "Even Neville is coming along well. And he's using his father's wand."
"I hope he can convince his Gran to get him his own wand. It makes a marked difference. I'm going to offer to get Ron a new wand over the holidays, so that he can do his best in school," Harry said serously. He sat in thought for a second. "I don't want to change you, or force you into something, Hermione. But I do really want you to do the best you can. To do your best to be the brightest witch. But go at your own pace, okay?"
Hermione flung herself at Harry, giving him a huge hug. "Thank you, Harry! That is the most kind thing anyone has ever said to me!" She grabbed his hand and dragged him out the room. "You are right though. It is time to start revising!"
-
Easter holiday brought with it a different change, as Hedwig delivered a letter to Harry from Hermione's parents, stating that he was needed in London concerning a matter with his natural family. That very morning, Harry tracked down his head of house to her class.
"Professor McGonnagal?" he asked before her first class.
"Yes, Harry Potter?" the old witch asked.
"I just recieved a letter that I'm needed at a hearing in London concerning my aunt and uncle. I'm not sure how to go about setting up travel arrangements to London or back." Harry seemed to consider things for a moment. "I really don't want to miss much school, but I'm at a loss. Perhaps you could give me some advice on the best travel arrangements?"
McGonnagal hid her surprise. "I keep forgetting that you weren't raised in our society, Mr. Potter. I will make arrangements for you."
The next day, Professor McGonnagal escorted Harry down to Hogsmeade and the Three Broomsticks to use their Floo connection. Harry made sure to politely thank Rosmarita and then called out, "The Leaky Cauldron," to appear at the gateway to Diagon Alley. The Boy Who Lived walked with her outside to Muggle London. "Thank you for escorting me, professor."
"And when will you be returning to Hogwarts?" she asked unthinkingly.
Harry couldn't believe that she asked that in such a public place. "Probably in several days, unfortunately. Good day!" Harry held up his hand, flagging a taxi. He waved to McGonnagal from inside the cab. To the cabby he gave the address for the court. He'd be hours early, but he figured he'd call their house from there. There were quite happy to meet him early and get some shopping done before Vernon's appearance.
It was later that afternoon that found Harry, George and Jane sitting in the court as the honorable judge interrogated Vernon Dursley about the way he raised both his own son and Harry.
"Harry Potter?" the barrister asked. Harry was quite surprised at being approached, as he'd nodded off at the boring questions. "The honorable Judge Smithers would like to talk to you privately."
The young wizard let himself be led into the private chambers. There was a comfortable age to the decour, highlighting the wood paneling of the old building. Harry fidgeted nervously under the judges eyes.
"Don't you worry, boy. I'm just wanting to ask you some questions, to make sure that I understand the sort of parent that Mr. Dursley was to you. According to the Grangers, you mentioned that you were raised in the cupboard under the stairs?" the old, bald judge asked, looking at him through his thick tri-focals.
"Er, yes. Until this last summer when they moved me into Dudley's second bed room," Harry said trying to keep his face passive.
"Dudley's second bedroom? And you lived ten years under the stairs?" He seemed surprised and shocked at the answer. The judge took control of his expression, going into depth about Harry's upbringing.
Harry did wonder what happened to the spiders that lived in the cupboard with him.
Soon the interview was over and Harry was escorted back to the courtroom, where Vernon glared at the slight boy. The judge came back into his court, wearing his powdered wig. After the formalities of reconveyning the court, the judge looked over to the accused. "Vernon Mathew Dursley, please stand. After sundry witnesses and speaking with the investigating officers, I do find the charges of willful neglect of a child to be fully upheld. This court hereby finds you unfit as a parent. Your son will remain at Smeltings until the end of his school year, then will be remanded into a foster home until such time as your can prove that you again fit to care for him."
"This court is a farce!" Vernon shouted.
"Order in the court! Mr. Dursley, I understand that you are distraught, but my mind is made up. Until you have completed mandetory consuling with your wife, your son will be a guest in a foster home. It is now up to you how quickly your son comes home."
Harry raised his hand. When the judge acknowledged him, he asked softly, "What is to become of me?"
"I apologize. I forgot that you were not made aware that you have also been remanded into foster care. I understand that the Granger's have asked and been given guardianship, though there is some complication with your godfather now being found innocent and released from jail. Mr. Granger, would you be so kind as to set up a meeting with Mr. Black concerning Harry Potter's disposement outside of his boarding school. That is all."
Harry turned to them slowly. "So your are my foster parents now?"
"Yes. And your godfather would also would like to be a part of your life. So we are looking at you visiting his place. The poor dear, he looks so haunted about the prison he was in," Jane Granger said while giving him a small hug.
"Azkaban is a horrible place. The jailers are... inhuman monsters." Harry shuddered. He really hoped he would never have to deal with the Dementors again.
"Harry, that isn't polite!" George said in quiet rebuke.
The boy just started at them for a second. "Oh, that's just descriptive. The jailers of Azakaban are these creatures that feed on any happy thoughts that the prisoners have. If you want to hear about Dementors, I'm sure Sirius, er, Mr. Black would tell you."
The Grangers shared a quick, worried, look to each other. That was it for the day, other than a quick supper and then dropping him off back to the Leaky Cauldron so he could floo back to Hogsmeade. Then it was a short, quiet walk back to Hogwarts from the village.
Lying about his return date was probably the safest thing to do on his own.
-
It was soon the end of the year and exams. Harry tried to do very well, without doing too well. He wasn't totally sure how well he actually did. While he was a boy with memories of years of Hogwarts ahead of him, that didn't change the need to study, even with his extra-curricular books he was looking into.
The biggest surprise was how Draco was treating them. While they weren't friends by any means, it seemed Draco didn't really see them as enemies either. The inter-house rivalry had almost become friendly, much to the surprise of the older Slytherins. It was very startling the changes in Hogwarts and how pleasant it was in comparison to Harry's old memories.
Harry frowned as he sat down at the Gryffindor table after his last exam. Even though his memories were very well structured now that he had become more proficient with Occulemancy, he was starting to find that his first memories of Hogwarts last time were fading. It was becoming harder and harder to recall certain things he was finding.
"Knut for your thoughts?" Ron asked as he filled his plate.
"No, just worried about losing my brains. Probably over exercised them for exams," Harry said with a grin. "Relax, Hermione, I'm sure you did great!"
"I just can't believe they make us wait until next week for the results," she said with a pout.
"Looking forward to the game? I hear Ravenclaw has a great seeker, Harry," Neville said as he started filling his own plate.
"I really am," Harry replied. He had never gotten to play this game because Quirrell attempted to steal the stone this very night. Harry, this time, had no intention of actually interfering. He didn't think that the possessed professor could actually bypass the Mirror of Erised, so would still be there when Dumbledore returned.
He wondered what would happen this time?
But he had determined that he was going to work with the best of the new changes. To that end, he'd started writing Hagrid regularly to keep in touch with his older friend. Hagrid had been thrilled and filled up many letters gushing over the fun he was having raising dragons.
Harry even thought his friend might be learning that some of the critters were dangerous, even if it was only through the wounds that were happening to his fellow dragon keepers.
-
The next morning, Dumbledore was at the head table, though one of his hands was bandaged up. He seemed to be quite at ease, so Harry assumed that Quirrell had been dealt with.
One of the older girls at the end of the table was reading The Prophet and gasped loudly. "Professor Quirrell was arrested last night for being a follower of You Know Who!"
Percy frowned. "Quirrell? But he was a stuttering wreck!"
Harry shared a quick looke between himself and Hermione. "Wow, I'm really glad that you helped us out with those jinxes, Percy!"
"Yes!" Hermione chimed in. "I'm glad you could help us, even if it was a bit dodgey going behind the teacher's back like that."
Fred and George grinned in unison. "Yup! That's our big brother. I dare say he really helped our DADA grades. We can almot forgive him being a prat at times!"
Most of the Gryffindors laughed, even as the nearest people to him actaully patted Percy on the back.
In a low voice, Harry said to him, "Thanks, Percey. I'm glad you did the right thing, rather than the easier one."
-
The very next Saturday, Harry and Hermione were surprised at breakfast by several visitors to the Gryffindor table.
"Mum! Dad!" Hermione shrieked as she shot out of her seat to hug them both tightly.
Sirius waved from behind them all. "I figured that the Grangers might want to see you play Quidditch, Harry. We've been talking over things and getting ready for this summer."
Harry was beaming. "I'd love for you all to watch the game! I hope I don't lose it."
He had little to worry though, as the game was quite nice and brilliant. The Ravenclaw seeker, that Cho would eventually replace, was fairly decent but an older student. He played a sporting game, but two hours into the game, with Gryffindor in the lead, Harry spotted the Snitch and managed to catch it.
Harry was mobbed by his friends and family, but he made a point of shaking the other player's hands in a show of good sportsmanship.
The rest of the year went by mostly uneventfully. Even the end of the year feast was well received. Gryffindor may have won the Quidditch Cup, but Ravenclaw was just an edge for the house cup. Harry was more than happy to cheer for the Ravenclaws barely squeaking past the Slytherins.
Harry, Hermione, Neville and Ron all managed to get their own compartment on the Hogwarts Express. They talked in low tones over their plans for the holiday. Harry wanted to visit Ron and Neville's house, while Hermione said that she would work on her parents to invite them all over for a least a week.
They were walking off the train at King's Crossing. Harry called out to Neville, "Make sure to get your Gran to get you your own wand, Neville!"
"And Ron, just follow those instructions on how to use the telephone!" Hermione said, even as she turned to see her parents. "Come on, Harry! It's time to go home!"